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Danielle Volks
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My son has been attending the Glens Falls Karate Academy for almost a year. He loves his lesson and adores Miss Stacey and Sensei. He has matured tremendously. His focus and concentration have soared as well. We are proud members!

Jocelyn Lawrence
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My entire family takes karate at Glens Falls Karate Academy. It all started with my son needing more leadership skills 5-6 years ago. Then I joined 2 years ago then my daughter then just recently my husband. We couldn’t ask for better instruction at all levels of our training. GFKA has given our family the tools we need to be stronger, not only physically and mentally but also as a family.

Sophia Tavares
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I joined glens falls karate academy when I was only four, and now at 13 I have been going to school there for 9 years! I spend so much of my time there, I treat our dojo like a second home!! All of the teachers there have taught me things I’ll take with me through the rest of my life, and I thank them for that. I’ve also been given the ability to help teach younger students myself, which is a passion I didn’t even know I had till I tried it. Glens Falls Karate Academy shaped who I am, both physically and mentally. My favorite thing to do now is karate, which is something I wouldn’t have known had I not tried it. If you are considering to send your kids here, I would 100% recommend to try it out. Who knows, maybe your kid will fall in love with it like I did. Glens Falls Karate Academy is filled with people ready to make your kid into the best version of themself, as it has done for me and everybody I know. Thank you GFKA!!!!

Crystal Denton
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We have a high energy, highly spirited five year old who has been attending Karate here for just over a year, as a Little Dragon.
Chris is so patient with the kids and helps them focus on the goals for each class.
Our daughter has been learning not only physical skills, but social ones as well, like being a team player and how to be a good sport.
She is an only child and was so isolated during the pandemic she, like many other kids, lost out on some socialization skills that they are now having to catch up on.
Glens Falls Karate Academy has been so welcoming to our family and so patient with our daughter as she continues to learn to be part of a team. She loves going to class twice a week and we love watching her from the sidelines.
Chris and Kate are so kind and good with the kids and the other parents are also so friendly and easy to get along with. It is a wonderful community to be a part of.

Dimitri Koumanis
via Google

My son, George and I have been taking karate for over a year now with Renshi Chris at Glens Falls Karate Academy. Excellent teaching, great atmosphere. Really good martial art instruction and fitness. I recommend to all ages and everyone.

elizabeth Crastaldi
via Google

What a wonderful place, our family highly recommend you bring your children to Glens Falls Academy sensei’s are unbelievably patient, and truly love and are amazing at what they do, we can’t wait to watch our boy flourish.

Glens Falls Karate Academy Child Development for All Youth & Martial Arts for All Levels!
(518) 636-5442
Glens Falls Karate Academy

🧭 What Is Okinawan Karate?

June 30, 2025

A Tradition of Character, Discipline, and Lifelong Study

At Glens Falls Karate Academy, we don’t teach martial arts for points or trophies—we teach a style of Okinawan Karate, a time-honored flavor of martial arts rooted in practical self-defense and deep personal development. As proud members of the Goshin-Ryu Karate Association, we strive to preserve and share this legacy in its most authentic form.

This is not a sport. This is a way of life.

🥋 The Origins of Okinawan Karate

Okinawan Karate was born from necessity. Developed by the nobility of Okinawa to defend themselves without weapons from oppressive foreign control, it was much like kickboxing at the beginning—focused on straight-forward, kicking and punching techniques to protect oneself and others from untrained assailants. Over generations, it evolved with influence from Chinese martial systems, but always retained its core identity: a disciplined practice for defense, not aggression.

This is the tradition we uphold. Through the framework of Goshin-Ryu—meaning “system of self-defense”—we teach a style of karate that emphasizes functional movement, strong fundamentals, and the cultivation of character.

🧠 Beyond the Dojo: Why We Train

Unlike sport-based martial arts that revolve around tournaments and external recognition, Okinawan Karate is inward-focused. Training is a personal journey, meant to strengthen the individual in body, mind, and spirit. It’s not about competing against others—it’s about becoming a better version of yourself.

When you train with us, you’ll experience:

  • Structured discipline, with every movement rooted in purpose

  • Mental fortitude, developed through repetition and reflection

  • Emotional control, guided by traditional etiquette and respect

  • Practical self-defense, designed for real-world application

These values don’t end when class is over—they follow you into your daily life.

đź”— Goshin-Ryu Karate Association: The Framework We Teach Through

Our school operates as a member of the Goshin-Ryu Karate Association, a traditional martial arts organization committed to the preservation of Okinawan Karate’s original intent. The association connects us to a broader lineage and ensures we maintain standards of authenticity, integrity, and continuous learning.

Through this lens, we train not only in physical techniques but in the philosophy that makes Okinawan Karate so enduring:

  • Karate begins and ends with respect

  • There is no first attack in karate (Karate ni sente nashi)

  • Training is lifelong—there are always deeper lessons to uncover

🧭 Your First Step Into a Lifelong Practice

Stepping into the dojo isn’t about trying something trendy. It’s about committing to a discipline that has shaped generations.

Okinawan Karate offers more than a workout. It offers:

  • A community of respect

  • A path of personal growth

  • A framework for calm, confident self-defense

We’re not here to rush you into belts or tournaments. We’re here to help you build something lasting—through effort, humility, and dedication.

Glens Falls Karate Academy invites you to begin this journey with us, one step at a time.

Welcome to the path.

About Renshi Chris Murphy
Renshi Chris Murphy is a senior ranking black belt in Okinawan Karate, a certified Pediatric Ninja Specialist, and the owner of Glens Falls Karate Academy. As an executive officer of the Goshin-Ryu Karate Association, he works to preserve and promote the values of traditional martial arts, while also leading innovative child development programs through the SKILLZ curriculum. Whether teaching traditional karate to adults in the dojo or empowering children and families through neuroscience-backed training, Renshi Chris’s mission remains the same: don't just teach martial arts—create martial artists.
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