Frequently Asked Questions

How long has your school been open?

We first opened our doors in 1998 and have been serving the Triangle for 20 years!

What ages do you teach?

We are a family dojo! Our classes start at age 3.

• Mighty Dragons (Ages 4-7)
• Youth Ninjutsu (Ages 8-15)
• Youth Jiujitsu (Ages 7-14)
• Adult Ninjutsu (Age 16+)
• Adult Jiujitsu (Age 15+)
• Quest Kickboxing (Ages 10+)

What is To-Shin Do?

To-Shin Do martial arts training was developed as a way to promote peace, security, and well-being. It is command over adversity – never a way to promote violence. The world needs more protectors, not more predators. In an over-stressed society, balancing a clear mind, fit body, and centered spirit is the pathway to becoming a tatsujin – a fully actualized person operating masterfully in all of life.

In To-Shin Do martial arts training, you will learn methods to deal with:

• Grappling, throwing, choking, joint locking
• Striking, kicking, and punching
• Self defense when pulled to the ground
• Stick, blade, cord, and projectile defense
• Gun disarms and safety
• Knife defenses
• Successfully handling multiple assailants and surprise attacks
• Overcoming psychological intimidation or bullying

Am I too old, injured, or out of shape to start training?

No! We have many students of all ages and walks of life. We are familiar with injuries and can work around them. Our martial art is not a competitive one, our foundation is in self defense and is adapted for all ages and fitness levels.

What do martial arts students wear in class?

All martial arts students wear a gi (uniform) with a shirt underneath their gi jacket that matches the color of their gi. Students wear a black gi and should wear a black shirt or rash guard underneath.

Week 4 is no gi week in jiujitsu

How do you structure your classes?

Mini and Mighty Dragons classes are 30 minutes long and adult and fitness classes are 45 minutes long. Classes start out with a warm up and stretch, followed by technique and review, and ending with a meeting with your instructor to review the material and answer any remaining questions.

Unless denoted as an All Levels Youth or Adult class, all classes are grouped by belt level and the mat is split in half, one side is youth and one side is adults. You will work with someone relatively your size. If no one your size is present you will work with an instructor!

Our schedule is broken up by weeks and can be viewed on our website calendar:

• Week 1 – Techniques are introduced and practiced (Graduation ceremonies occur during Week 1)
• Week 2 – Techniques are introduced and practiced
• Week 3 – Review and stripe week
• Week 4 – Weapons week

How does belt promotion work?

Mighty Dragons – Once per week students can expect to advance belt level every 6 months with consistent attendance. Twice per week and unlimited students can expect to progress every 3 months with consistent attendance. Mighty Dragons is where we start laying the foundations for showing respect to teachers, coaches, parents, and other students; discipline, and good teamwork. All of these things are taken into account before awarding a stripe. You will know your child is ready to promote when they have two black stripes and one red stripe on their belt. Promotion ceremonies for Mighty Dragons happen in class on the first Wednesday of the month. If you are unable to make it to class on Wednesday, your child will be awarded their belt at their next class.

Youth and Adult Martial Arts – Once per week students can expect to advance belt level every 6 months (one stripe every two months) with consistent attendance and the ability to demonstrate belt level material. Twice per week and unlimited students can expect to promote every 3 months (one stripe per month) with consistent attendance and the ability to demonstrate belt level material. As students progress in belt rank, the techniques become more difficult and students may not earn a stripe every month. This is OKAY! You will know you or your child is ready to promote when they have two black stripes and one red stripe on their belt. Graduation ceremonies for youth and adults are at 6:30pm on the first Wednesday of the month. You can check the website calendar for graduation dates.

JiuJitsu - Youth and Adult Jiujitsu follows IBJJF belt grading. Stripes are earned through a combination of attendance and skill. We do not test monthly for stripes in jiujitsu, stripes are earned roughly every 4 – 8 months and after 4 stripes we begin the process of testing for your next belt.

Do I have to sign a contract?

Nope. There are no contracts.

Can I put my membership on hold?

Yes. We can put your membership on hold for a minimum of one month and a maximum of 3 months. You will receive an email one week before your membership is scheduled to resume.

How do I cancel my membership?

There are no contracts and you may cancel at anytime via phone or email. You must give us at least 24 hours notice before your monthly billing date.

I don't have any previous kickboxing or fitness experience, is that ok?

Yes! All of our fitness classes are multilevel and suitable for beginners. Kickboxing is for ages 10+ and QuestFit is appropriate for ages 16+

What should I wear for fitness classes?

For both QuestFit and QuestKickboxing classes you should wear workout attire you are comfortable moving around in (shorts, leggings, t-shirt , tank top, etc). All of our classes take place on the mat and no shoes are worn.

Do I need my own gloves for kickboxing class?

We have a limited number of loaner gloves available for you to use. We highly recommend purchasing your own gloves if you take class regularly and we have many glove options available at our pro-shop. We are also happy to special order them for you.

I didn't earn my stripe, what do I do?

THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT. If you didn’t earn your stripe it means that you need more time to work on the material. You will receive an email detailing what you need to work on to earn your stripe. Take the next week or month to really work on any concepts you had difficulty with from your curriculum. Ask your instructor for feedback. Private lessons are also available to help you catch up on any classes you missed or work on difficult material. REMEMBER, it is much better to learn the techniques now than to get to your black belt test and feel unprepared.

I have to test for my brown-black belt?

Yes. Once you have two black stripes on your brown belt you are eligible to test for your brown-black belt. This is the LAST belt you earn before you are eligible to test for your black belt. Brown-black belt tests take place during our monthly graduation ceremony. Do not expect to earn your belt on your first attempt. Most students test 2-4 times before earning their brown-black belt.

How long does it take to earn a black belt?

There is no set amount of time. It is a MINIMUM of four years of training but most students can expect to earn their black belt in 4-5 years.

What is the black belt test?

We have two opportunities for you to test to earn your black belt. One is at Mountain Quest (August) and one is Winter Quest (January or February). You must attend one of these two seminars to earn your black belt. Each candidate is responsible for finding a demo partner and putting together a 12-technique demonstration. When you are eligible to test, you will receive a letter from the dojo inviting you to test, an intent to promote form, and information on putting together an effective demonstration.

Each seminar is different. Mountain Quest takes place in the mountains outside of Blowing Rock, NC and consists of 3 days of training and camping. Winter Quest takes place over 2 days at our dojo and there is no overnight component. Please see the Mountain Quest page on our website for more information on that seminar.