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The amount of confidence that my son has gained in just a year of training with the staff and students at SAMA is very heartwarming as a parent to see. Each member of the SAMA staff takes time with their students to make sure they understand how to complete moves safetly and effectively.
My son loves SAMA! If he could go every day, he would. He has learned so much and has a ton of fun. He loves all of his instructors as well. I would highly suggest that anyone who has even the slightest interest in martial arts, check them out.
Love the people and my son loves going to the classes! They are nice and so patient with him!
The energy that the staff/instructors bring is infectious and makes you want to be there and learn more. They not only respect the art, but each other and the students and that is top notch. The best part is they make it FUN!!
All of the instructors at SAMA are wonderful. They care about all of the kids and want them to succeed and grow. I love SAMA!
Our son absolutely loves his classes and everyone associated with SAMA! Well done!!
The folks at SAMA do a great job working with all their students. They are very respectful and fair. Mr Brett has a good method of getting the younger students excited about their programs. The whole staff is fully vested in the SAMA and it shows.
KALI is so much fun at SAMA. Who knew learning to protect yourself and your family would be so much fun.
Both of my boys look forward to their classes. Great communication. Very obvious the owners and the staff love what they do and the kids are learning, improving, and having fun!!!
We have been to three training sessions and my daughter is loving it! They teach core values on how to build good character, plus self defense if needed. Enjoying ourselves here.
Not a better place to train on earth than here!
Awesome class and awesome instructors.
I am very excited for my grand daughter Isabella. We had trouble finding her something to interest her in. She is most certainly one of a kind. So I enrolled her at the Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts. I can not believe the change is Isabella. Since she has been enrolled in classes, Isabella has found her special place. Her self control, confidience, focus and most of all her grades have improved. Isabella loves going to class and she knows it is a kind, non judging and safe place to be. She has learned that she is a Southpaw. Southpaw means she is left handed. I would recommend this class to any one that has experienced trouble with focusing, balance, self defense, and self worth , confidience . Isabella also loves the knowledge of learning the history and languages of the art, but most of all she loves the friendly family she is associated with. Thank you Mr. And Mrs. Hamlin and Sylvester and all the Martial Art instructors for making this a positive place for our Southpaw to enjoy learning and having fun. Looking forward to a good year. Southpaw we are proud of you.
Joining the SAMA family was the best decision we have made for our son Mackinnley! He has grown so much mentally and physically since we joined summer 2019. The Hamlin’s are excellent teachers and have been helping Mack deal with his anxiety! I highly recommend joining the SAMA family!!!!
Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts is a top notch school! I have seen so many students (young and old alike) achieve not only valuable self defense skills but more importantly their gains in self confidence levels are remarkable. The owners/instructors are extremely knowledgeable and their passion for this school truly shines. I see great things in this school’s future. Highly recommend! Give it a try!
The Hamlins masterfully strike a balance between conveying the serious nature of the training while also keeping it light and fun for the student. My son has been training here since he was 5, now 9, and has made great strides of improvement in discipline and self confidence. The instructors are top notch and they integrate personal growth with the physical training. They teach tenets such as Self-Control, Integrity, Perseverance, Indomitable Spirit, Courtesy, Decision Making, Accountability, and on , and on. The owners are pillars of the community themselves; with Mrs. Hamlin working with the museum and Mr. Hamlin being on the board at the chamber of commerce. Whether you want to learn self defense to protect yourself and your family, get your child involved in an activity that benefits mind body and spirit, you want to get into a competitive sport or you just want a great workout; Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts is a great Decision and starting point. You make the commitment to yourself/ your child and they will commit to showing you the path to your goals.
Our four year old twins have been going to SAMA since July of this year. At the beginning of their first class, our daughter didn't want to participate; she was overwhelmed by the new experience. Mr. Hamlin sat with her the whole time, gently encouraging her to participate as she felt comfortable, and by her second class she was fully engaged. Our son was the opposite- a little too enthusiastic! Mrs. Hamlin has helped him learn how to control his energy and use his enthusiasm to help him listen and do his best. Both Mrs. and Mr. Hamlin differentiate lessons to meet the needs of the all their students, and provide excellent encouragement and support as they learn and master skills. The other instructors are also wonderful! Both my kids love that there's a mix of male and female instructors, and we love that all the instructors are positive role models. We've left every class knowing our children are having the best experience possible. My husband and I feel like SAMA is a community treasure. We highly recommend SAMA!
I don't even know where to begin on how wonderful this place is! My boys have really grown into empathetic, respectful young men with help from wonderful instructors. It is very much a welcoming atmosphere, if you have any questions or concerns there is always a listening ear and a solution. Thank you guys so much for everything!
I have only good things to say about SAMA. They have trained my little boys for the past 3+ years and they do so with patience and positive reinforcement. They expect their students to learn and be leaders they teach them the skills they need to do so. I would definitely recommend SAMA to anyone in the area!
My son started as a Young Dragon and has grown so much with their help, he just started training in Tae Kwon Do Junior classes and loves every bit of it. It has really helped him focus more in his school and has helped him in so many ways. I myself am a Hapkido student here and love every class. It’s tough but honestly nothing good in life is easy. All the instructors are awesome whether your a little kid or a teenager or even an adult they make learning fun. This is their passion and it truly shows. I’m hoping all my kids will eventually join me in Hapkido when they get older or at least keep with Tae Kwon Do. I would recommend SAMA to anyone. To top it off they have fun events like Parent’s Night Out where you can drop the kids off for a couple hours and maybe have a quick date night. I can’t say enough good things about them.
The staff at Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts are dedicated to the success of their students. They instill discipline, confidence and integrity in each individual that steps onto the mat.
The Hamlin’s have taken this martial arts studio above and beyond expectations in a few short years since taking over as co-owners. Their passion for teaching and sharing their knowledge of Taekwondo and Hapkido is contagious. You will become family when you start your journey at the Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts!
Wonderful place for my son to not only learn martial arts, but self control, focus, and more. Instructors are patient with the kids and can match their energy. They always have fun ideas every class as well as all of the extra things they do.
This is the best martial arts place around, filled with AMAZING instructor's. They bring in high energy, focus, motivation, confidence, knowledge and so much more! My daughter has gained so much from being here in just a year. The nicest people you will meet! YOU GUYS ROCK!!
Enthusiastic, friendly, phenomenal instructors! They not only teach Martial Arts, they teach character, and help all their students see the value in setting goals and working towards them. They also give back to the Sturgis Community, sharing their gift of teaching with local elementary schools! Awesome people, who are committed to making the world a better place, one student at a time! ❤❤❤
Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts is a fun place to meet new people and learn how to protect yourself (self defense) from bullies. The instructors are awesome, kind, fun to be around and care about their students.
The instructors at SAMA love kids and are such a kid focused company! I am so thankful they are in our community! They do so many great things outside of the SAMA studio as well, I’ve seen them volunteering at the local schools and at many community activities!
Katie Hamlin and the team at SAMA are so great with the kids. They are great people, so uplifting to be around so positive .... I would definitely recommend SAMA to anyone I know. My son has grown so much with confidence and balance in the last 6 months. If you're even thinking about it, please check them out.
Such an amazing place with an always happy atmosphere! The instructors are always so willing to help. We have experienced nothing but kindness while sending our son here. He has learned so much its incredible the difference I can see in just over a year of them working with him. We definitely will continue sending him here! I think the best thing about SAMA is that the owners dont just do this for a job, it's their way of life. They truly believe in what they are teaching and it really shows!!
This place is awesome! My son loves it here and so do we. It’s a great learning environment, I wish every child had an opportunity to train here. They encourage perseverance and help kids get past the fear of failure.
Super positive environment for learning and training. All of the instructors are awesome and take time with every student inside and outside of class👍Overall awesome place to train!
We simply wanted our son to have an experience with something new and different when we signed him up for classes, and instead, we witnessed something amazing and astonishing emerge from within him that we never before fathomed. Watching him go from timid to intense was a legitimate inspiration to us as parents. This was a direct result from the Hamlin’s outstanding teaching, genuine encouragement, and tangible dedication to their art.
Amazing place. Very knowledgeable with what they teach.
This place is totally amazing! They not only teach martial arts, but also incorporate courtesy, integrity, self control and many other life skills that are so valuable in every day life. They are very family oriented, always something fun going on to engage everyone. Extremely knowledgeable instructors who are constantly learning new techniques to bring to their students. In case you could not tell...WE LOVE Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts!!!
This is a great place to learn not only self-defense, but things like self-control, confidence, and courtesy for every day life. The instructors are awesome and actually help you learn the techniques the proper way, as well as the effectiveness of each move and break down how they work. They care about every student and each class offers a fun time, great friends, and a good challenge for body and mind.
The instructors care about getting to know each student and helping them reach their personal goals no matter what their ability level. Very nice gym and equipment. I highly recommend SAMA to anyone interested in martial arts training!
We love going to SAMA! It has been fun and challenging for my boys! The instructors are knowledgeable and personal and have created an excellent training environment. I highly recommend this gym!
Such an awesome atmosphere! Bret, Katie and other instructors do such a good job training. Hands down the best gym around
The Sturgis Academy of Marital Arts family have been wonderful with my daughter she learning so much confidence in herself and respect. I love to watch her on the mat and see her light up when she does something she didn’t believe she could do!! I would recommend this family to anyone.
Bret and Katie are amazing at what they do! They make the experience enjoyable and are very knowledgeable in the training that they give.
Absolutely wonderful with kids and adults I have my wife and my kids all train here and just love it.
This is a great place for kids to help them get focused and work on techniques. All the instructors are knowledgeable and work extremely well with kids, especially the younger ones. They have updated the facility very nicely and it’s very clean. Absolutely would recommend checking them out.
Productivity is one of the most highly regarded traits in the work world today. And to be productive, multitasking is the go-to method. The ability to switch between multiple tasks rapidly is seen as a special skill, but it stifles productivity and increases the likelihood of making mistakes. But with the growing flood of information […]
All parents want their children to exhibit positive behaviors that will help them transition smoothly through the different stages of their development. And while parents have the best intentions, they often don’t use the most effective discipline strategies to achieve that goal. And granted, parents do their best to implement the knowledge and experiences that […]
Children of all ages are spending more and more time on devices. Online schoolwork and staying connected to family members are positive ways children can use technology. And while video games and social media apps are ways for children to connect and “play” with friends, these platforms are also a breeding ground for inappropriate content […]
Throughout the past five months, schedules have been upended and downtime has taken over. However, as the new school year gets underway, reality is going to show up and we are going to be scrambling to get ourselves and our children back on a productive path. In the book “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” […]
Over the past few months, interactions have been minimal, and our social skills are rusty. Since prolonged school closures have a negative impact on children’s social development, we are now faced with how to regain skills while moving forward with new skills. Though some children will return to a brick-and-mortar school, others will virtually engage […]
As back to school plans continue to change almost daily, children’s emotions will remain unpredictable. One day they are thinking about returning to their friends and teachers at school, and the next, they are told they won’t be returning for another few months. Because of this, our children’s emotional needs have never been greater. And […]
Over the past few months, we have been inundated with information that seems to change almost daily, making it hard to resolve what should and should not be done. Everyone has their thoughts and feelings about varying current debates, especially regarding starting school. And while there will be no answer that satisfies everyone in the […]
We are currently faced with all sorts of unknowns most, of which, are completely out of our control. And while we cannot dictate how others choose to move forward, what we can do, as parents, is prepare our own families for what may lie ahead. Currently, one of the most pressing matters is preparing children […]
Preparing Children to Return to School A Developmental Approach As we continue through the current pandemic and re-opening efforts show real challenges, school districts everywhere are trying to devise the best plans for children, teachers, and staff to return. And while there will be no perfect solution for each family, parents must consider all the […]
As the world continues its reopening efforts, more and more parents are headed back to work. And while this is a positive sign, it leaves parents with the task of finding their children a fun, yet safe, program to spend each day at. Since summer camps are unable to provide some of the usual daily […]
As we continue to navigate the uncharted waters of the current pandemic, many are looking to the future and what it holds. And while it’s hard to predict how long our current daily life modifications will last, what we do know is that the experience of this trauma will have personal changes that could last […]
Remember when you wished the weekend would last forever? As weeks of the “shelter in place” order have passed, the eagerness for some “time off” has lost its spark. Children’s boredom is growing day by day and will continue, especially as many schools will be ending the school year earlier than normal. The rising monotony […]
** Updated Monday, April 27th, 2020 ** The health and safety of our members is of utmost importance to us and we would like to take the opportunity to let our members know how we are preparing for and handling the Novel Coronavirus/COVID-19 situation. We will use this page (as well as communicate via our […]
Valentine’s Day has just passed, but February is still all about the heart. Every year, the American Heart Association celebrates Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease and heart health. What you may not know is that martial arts are great for the heart. In fact, the cardiac benefits of martial arts give a […]
Thanksgiving is this coming Thursday. While many Americans look forward to Thanksgiving Day as an opportunity to eat whatever they want without counting calories, it’s important not to lose sight of fitness – even as you face down a plate of turkey with all the fixings Here are some ideas to help you enjoy your […]
Your New Family Activity: Martial Arts September 26th is National Family Day, and it’s the ideal time to talk about how to find family activities. If you have kids of different ages, then you know how challenging it can be to find things to do as a group. What excites your 10-year-old daughter is likely […]
adults, we think a lot about stress. Modern life is difficult. We worry about paying the bills, doing our jobs well – and we worry about our kids. That’s part of our jobs as parents, but we don’t want our kids to be affected by stress. It’s not good for them physically or emotionally. Still, […]
We’ve been talking about the core tenets of martial arts instruction, and today’s tenet is one that a lot of kids need to learn. (See the blog post on perseverance here). I’m talking about self-control. Control is something that’s hard for kids. Their brains and bodies aren’t fully developed, and from the time they’re babies, […]
Bullying is in the news a lot these days. Hardly a day passes without there being a story about a child who was at the receiving end of bullying – and it can have terrible consequences. When we look at the problem of bullying, it’s important to do it from both sides. Why are some […]
There are many physical benefits of studying martial arts at Sturgis Academy of Martial Arts, including increased “good” cholesterol, better heart health, better sleep, and more. Now I want to shift my focus and talk about the mental benefits of martial arts, starting with – you guessed it – focus. You know that our martial […]
If you’ve ever seen a martial arts movie – whether it’s traditional Kung Fu or a modern take like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – you know that martial artists are great fighters. It’s an efficient way to take down an opponent. In fact, many men and women take our classes because they want to feel […]
You’ve probably experienced the feeling of dread that comes when you have difficulty getting to sleep. A large percentage of Americans are sleep-deprived, and most of us experience insomnia at some point in our lives. You lie awake watching the clock. With every minute that passes, you can feel your anxiety mounting. You know the […]
How often do you feel stressed out? If you’re like most adults the answer is, “A lot.” I understand. Life can be stressful. You might be juggling so many things in a day that you don’t know which end is up. It’s common for adults to experience stress as they struggle to balance kids, work, […]
Today I want to tell you about one of the best benefits of martial arts for adults – one that’s especially important for all of us as we age. I’m talking, of course, about flexibility. As we get older, we tend to become less flexible. Kids are very flexible. They can contort their bodies easily. […]
You know that studying martial arts classes provide an aerobic workout. What might surprise you is that it tones muscles, too. A lot of people associate muscle toning with lifting weights or – in the case of abdominal muscles – doing crunches. And sometimes they make the mistake of thinking that studying martial arts has […]
It’s time to talk about our second core tenet, and it’s an important one (We discussed the first one, courtesy, in a previous post). It can be hard to teach kids about the importance of honor. Every day, they see celebrities and other public figures behaving dishonorably – and if you want your child to […]
Martial arts instructors talk about core tenets – things that dictate our behavior inside and outside of class. These are things that we teach our students. Their value goes far beyond martial arts instruction. In other words, these are life skills. There are five core tenets that our students learn. In this blog post, I’ll […]
There are few things quite like working out with a partner or spouse – a loved one of any sort. No matter type of martial arts you both practice, there are some benefits to exercising together. From perfecting your form to keeping each other motivated, you’ll find them here Read on to find out more. […]