David Deaton Karate Studios

DDKS is really a money making pit in the name of God and country and Christianity. My son was with DDKS for three and a half years at their Mt. Juliet facility till he got his Black Belt. All I can tell you is that they neither learn anything special nor get any special recognition for being a DDKS graduate. They publicize it as one of the best in the country etc., but let me assure you not too many in the karate world have heard about DDKS beyond Nashville and surrounding areas. I do feel bad about the few dedicated kids who teach and help out the academy. While they do the hard work, the management roams around in their swooped up SUV charging exorbitant amount for the classes. This place is really not worth it. If you have the choice, kindly take your kid elsewhere and they will learn as much karate on half the price. Avoid getting ripped.

Wow from reading the previous posts only one thing comes to mind. Sour grapes from sour people.
I can only speak from personal experience. After checking out several martial arts studios in the south Nashville/​Brentwood area we decided on David Deaton’s Karate Studios.
Our 7 year old daughter had no previous experience but was very excited after the kids summer camp she attended to further pursue her training in Wado Ryu Karate. Her, and our experience has been nothing short of amazing. I have watched a little girl grow into a young lady (she will be 13 this month) who embraces the values and physical prowess she has learned over the last 5 years. Mr. Deaton and his staff are consummate professionals who truly care for their students and offer them guidance that goes way beyond martial arts training.
My daughter is currently working towards her second degree black belt and is performing with the school’s elite demo team. She is also competing in nationally sanctioned tournaments around the southeast and midwest. Her skill set continues to expand with the expert training she is receiving from DDKS.
My response to the previous reviewers would be:
Anna — Karate is not a gym membership. A child gets out of it what they and their PARENTS put into it.
Charles — The contract I signed had a provision in the event a sabbatical has to be taken. It also identifies expectations on attendance. Maybe you should have contacted the studio and let them know about your absence.
Andy — Having been at that tournament I do not recall anything like that being said. If a statement like that was made and brought to his attention, I know without question Mr. Deaton would have addressed it.

As a black belt and a four year student of DDKS, my advice is to study martial arts with anyone else but DDKS. If you sign the contract, MAKE SURE YOU READ IT AND UNDERSTAND IT. I paid through 2^nd Dan but because too much time had elapsed between my lessons, they expected me to pay all over again.
What a ripoff this place is.

I had my kids in David Deaton Karate for about a year. I honestly don’t know enough about dojos and karate to tell you whether the instruction was any good but the instrutors were all very disciplined but good to the kids. I found that the price was really exorbiant and it seemed to get more expensive the further we went along.
The general idea is that the kids learn a kata and some rudimentary moves and then they can move belts for which there is a ceremony and then additional purchases of pads. My main gripes were the prices $ 125 a month and the pads seemed to run you and extra $ 100 or so everytime they moved up a belt which at first can be every 4 – 6 weeks. I probably could have lived with the pricing but my kids were sort of ambivilant to going so it wasn’t worth it for me.
My other gripe was that there was all this saluting the flag and pomp and circumstance about god and country and supporting troops. It’s not that I mind that either but we are studying karate which you know didn’t orignate here in America. It just seemed like it was David’s politics with some Americanized Brentwood Karate mixxed in. Not my bag.