We have been nothing but impressed with our son’s instructor, Robert Diamant, at the Canyon Gates Dojo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The dojo is spacious, warmly decorated in red, black, and yellow. The beauty of the Bonsai tree is painted on the wall where the students face at the beginning of each session. USSD’s logo is the Bonsai Tree. The Bonsai symbolizes the qualities that are taught in the dojo: wisdom, adaptability, strength, character, truth, and longevity.

There are inspirational quotes lining the walls that teach wisdom, kindness and responsibility. Sensei Bob makes sure the parents are welcome by having coffee, tea, and snacks available. He is one that likes to create a family atmosphere, so he enjoys providing gifts for his students during Christmas. He made sure the kids had a safe place to go on Halloween night, so we are very thankful to have such a positive influence on our son who cares for him. We can entrust that he will encourage and reinforce our values. Sensei Bob and students participated in ninja night where the kids get to spend the night at the dojo. They had a blast and just to reveal what kind of sensei our son has, he built a trophy to create a bit of competitiveness between dojos. The winning dojo got to keep the trophy until the next ninja night.

Our son has three group sessions and one private session each week. It takes time and dedication for the whole family, but we believe it is worth it, especially when the dojo is filled with the sounds of kids yelling “kiai.” Pronounced key-eye and means: spirit yell.

Sensei Bob uses different teaching methods to meet the needs of many types of kids. There are students with Down syndrome in our son’s class. He is strict and expects students to listen, respect, and to perform to the best of their ability. He rewards them not only for performing, but also for following instructions or being helpful to a fellow student. The kids are learning the competitive techniques of karate, but also team work, self-discipline, how to focus, how to concentrate, positive attitude, patience, and how to deal with emotions. Our son is learning that he needs to practice if he would like to test for his next belt. Sensei Bob is direct with our son when he can see he had not practiced, so he reinforces what we are teaching him at home. Our son is learning that he will not win every time just because he shows up, but that he has to lose gracefully, and beyond that show good sportsmanship.

Sensei Bob uses stars and ninjas to reward students along with his verbal cues that make kids smile, jump up and down, and try harder. He has a way of joking with the kids on their level while teaching a new technique. He is like a big kid when he is teaching the group, but very serious during the private session. He really strives to help our son perfect his movements and learn the art of balance. He has a knack for seeing which two kids would work the best together to gain sparring skills. Our son and his best friend have practiced together and are exciting to watch as they perform a kata, DM, or pinan.

When we signed up our son he was provided a dogi (pronounced ghee) with the USSD patch, DVD, and book. We were able to set up a monthly payment plan. We were able to buy the sparring gear as a special. Our son has three 45 minute group sessions and one half hour of private lessons. He took part in his first competition which was a humbling experience for him since he did not earn a trophy, but we were proud to see him perform in front of a huge audience.

It is said that our kids are the best investment, so we believe that the experiences our son is having at the Canyon Gates dojo are priceless. If you are interested at all in an activity that will teach more than just a sport then give a USSD dojo a visit. While there, check out the “free session” provided for all new comers. There are always specials to get you hooked as a parent, child, or adult student.

Check out the USSD site:

http://www.ussd.com