Community Karate and Fitness - About us.

A locally-owned, professional karate school where healthy people spend time together in a positive and encouraging environment. Community Karate and Fitness was founded in 2006, by Deb Cupples, a 20+ year resident of Colorado Springs who discovered that discerning families needed a better choice for their martial arts training.

We focus on the individual student by setting goals and working step-by-step to achieve them. We acknowledge physical and mental limitations and develop a plan for advancing towards your next belt rank at Community Karate and Fitness. We know that it takes time to make progress; we teach with patience and good guidance.

Students at our dojo will learn how to better defend themselves and will become more physically fit. Training in martial arts improves balance and coordination which benefits you in all areas of life, not just on the karate mat.

We teach “katas” in our martial arts program. Katas are specific karate moves put together in sequence in a particular pattern. If you have never seen a kata before, think ice skating or dance routines, but with karate moves. Kata requires concentration, repetition and determination; these aspects of training will bring better success in all areas of life.

Community Karate and Fitness is the best choice for selective families who want the best martial arts training for their investment of money and time. We know that there are a lot of choices for karate classes in Colorado Springs; we truly believe that there is a great karate school for everyone.

We look forward to welcoming you to a class at our school. Come in and experience “The Nice Karate School” for yourself. Call or text us at: 719-209-8277 to set up a free introductory class.

Holiday time management

Holiday season is here again and this year it came in really fast. I feel like I was just putting on flip-flops to visit our local pool!

There are lots of things to do to prepare for the holidays. Shopping, cleaning, cooking, sending out holiday cards and going to the post office are just a few tasks that come to mind.

Holiday preparations involve time and money management and can take away from important everyday things that keep your family on a "regular" schedule.

When the adults in children's lives get busy, it's easy to get frustrated. Here are three ways to find time other than family time to get holiday chores done.

So what can you do when you absolutely need to get things done? One simple way to help with time management is to get some of the items on your holiday to-do list taken care of when kids are in school.

If you have the opportunity to get time off during a week day or if you already have some daytime hours free, doing a little shopping while the kids are in school means that there are less lines to wait in, more parking spaces and retail associates with less stress.

Getting some baking done during the day means a great smelling house when the kids get home and the possibility of some highly-qualified "taste testers!"

Let the kids decorate cookies, package them up, hand-address labels and even help with dishes!

A second way to get things done, and still have family time every day, is to schedule your holiday chores while the kids are at their extra-curricular activities.

Most karate schools, dance schools, churches or after-school sports will allow you to drop your kids off during class time.

Leaving your kiddos with a trusted coach or teacher can allow for a little extra time to get things done while your children enjoy their normal routine. Just make sure you clear it with your child's teacher first and alway be sure to pick them up on time.

The families at Community Karate and Fitness know that as long as mom or dad have left their cell phone number with us, let us know where they are going and when to expect them back, that it's ok to occasionally leave their kids with us during class. We even give parents a 15-minute before and after window to give them more time to get things done.

Lastly, work together with another family. Host a friend's kids for a movie night while they get some shopping done and then they can do the same for you!It's a great way to foster community, feel helpful/helped and know that your kids are not bored, but getting a special night out.

Ok, these aren't my kids, but pets need fun time too!

 I like to help out and watch my "grand-dog" Franklin, a one-year old Newfoundland, when my daughter needs time to get things done so that he isn't home alone.

My dog Cricket, an Australian Cattle Dog mix, loves when her best friend Franklin comes to visit!

Reduce your holiday stress level by helping others and allow yourself to be helped too.

I hope you find these tips useful to help you enjoy the holiday season!

Karate makes a great family gift for the holidays

Finding something to do as a family can be rewarding for young kids, tweens, teens and adults. Karate classes provide great stress relief for parents and great exercise for kids of all ages.

We have fun events like Sword Fighting Competitions!

All levels and all ages are invited to join our fun events at our karate school.

Here's our Little Ninjas class in action!

We've got a few Holiday Special offers still available. Contact us today to find out how YOU can benefit from martial arts classes at Community Karate and Fitness.

You've probably been looking for something that will give your kids positive messages and encouraging instruction. You will find all of that and more at our dojo!

We've got a flexible class schedule that works for busy families.

CONTACT US TODAY - You are going to love our great karate classes!

Daylight savings time - get outside!

It's only an hour and at this time of year it's an hour extra rather than the one they take away in the Springtime.

However, that one hour, those 60 little minutes can really mess with you and how you feel, both physically, emotionally and mentally.

You might feel hyper or groggy, hungry or have no appetite, sad or lonely...let's face it, there are lots of ways that you might feel "off" during the first few weeks of daylight savings time.

The number one way to make yourself feel better is to get outdoors and get some sunshine!

Get outside and enjoy some quiet time in the woods!

Get outside with a friend!

Take pictures of new friends!

Whatever you do, make sure you do something that makes you feel better...like convincing your best friend to take a "mental health" day with you!

You've got choices to make every day. This is an easy one. Get outside, get some fresh air and sunshine! Spend some time with the trees, bugs, rocks, plants, birds...  It'll do you good.

What's going on this week in Colorado Springs?

Keep in touch with events in our Colorado Springs Community by checking with the "Peak Radar Minute" from 91.5 KRCC, our local NPR station.

Here's a link to listen to: http://www.krcc.org/post/peak-radar-minute-colorado-springs-area-events-october-18-24

Get inspired with events in our area. With the holiday season coming up, 91.5 KRCC is an important resource for making plans.

Community Karate and Fitness is proud to be an underwriter with our favorite, local NPR station!

Homework: 5 Helpful Homework Tips

Homework - it's not something most of us look forward to. It's a constant struggle for most families to keep up with homework demands and deadlines.

I've been a mom for 28 years and a karate instructor for 15 years; homework is a popular topic among families that I interact with. Here's a list of 5 things you can do to help avoid the homework meltdown with your kids.

1. Sit with them. I know it's hard to pass up an opportunity to get one more load of laundry done or get a jump start on dinner, but sometimes having mom or dad at the table helps out a lot. You don't have to help them, just be there.

2. Get some upgraded supplies. Having a nice pen, pencil, eraser, paper, etc., can make the difference. It can boost your child's enthusiasm to have a "wicked nice pen" to write with. Yep, I'm from the East Coast (:

3. Snacks.

4. Stop the punishment - add rewards. Most kids react positively to a reward system and will shut down when the punishment comes. Instead of telling your child that you will be taking away dance classes, soccer or karate classes, let them know that if they get their homework done they can stay up late for 10 minutes and have one on one time with mom and dad. Believe it or not, this is a huge motivator for both boys and girls. Try it!

5. End it on a good note. From a parent's perspective it can be a daily frustration that sets an unpleasant tone for the evening. Student's can feel defeated and wil go to bed feeling unsuccessful when a homework meltdown occurs. That feeling can creep into morning time and stay with your child throughout the day. Whatever progress your child makes, let them know that you know it is difficult to keep up and you are proud of what they have accomplished. Your sincere praise will make a difference.

I hope that these 5 tips help to keep your family "homework happy!" Let's see if we can help our kiddos become more successful by using these 5 helpful homework tips.

10 ways that karate is like brushing your teeth.

Karate is a lot like brushing your teeth. Here are 10 reasons to prove my point:

1.  It's good for your health.
2.  You make more friends when you do it.
3.  If you do it in your front yard people might thing you're weird.
4.  Even when you don't feel like doing it, you always feel better afterwards.
5.  Your mom tells you it's good for you.
6.  It's good for all ages.
7.  You can teach others how to do it.
8.  It's good to practice every day.
9.  Your dog finds it very interesting.
10. If you don't keep it up, you could loose your teeth!

Have a great day and don't forget to brush your teeth (:

Family fun karate-style!

This year, we celebrated the end of Summer with a pool party at "The Swimmery" for all of our students and their families. Here's a video clip of us performing Heian Shodan in the pool!

The Colorado Springs karate families at our karate school are the most fun people you will ever meet! If you'd like more information about The Nice Karate School, give us a call at 719-599-7024 or stop by - we'd love to meet you!

Olympic Karate 2020

You may not know that right here in Colorado Springs we are teaching Olympic-style karate. Maybe you didn't know that Karate was voted into the Olympics on August 3, 2016.

Here's a great article about 5 things you need to know about Karate. 

If you would like to see a real karate class in action, visit us online and register for a free class.

Community Karate and Fitness - What we are and what we are not

 We are a community-minded school. You will love our warm and welcoming environment.




We teach with patience. We understand that karate is not something the students know how to do naturally. We encourage our students to try their very best. We do not punish our students or make them feel badly for making mistakes.






We have affordable programs that fit nearly every family's budget. We have classes 5 days/week and you will have unlimited use of our class schedule 2x/week with our beginner's program.

We have a large, clean facility where everyone feels at home and welcome. Our school doesn't look or smell like a gymnasium. Our school appreciates and understands that we are great because of the families who train with us. We welcome students and families who have positive attitudes, strive to do their best and believe that with hard work and determination great things happen.



We train hard and reap the rewards of working with great teachers and students. We follow the rules - all the time. We are gracious and helpful. We do not tolerate bad attitudes - everyone knows how to behave at our school.

Want to see for yourself what sets us apart? Call us at 719-599-7024 or email us: mrsc@communitykarateandfitness.com

Karate kids are confident kids (:

Karate builds confidence through repetition, correction, praise and practice. Great teachers know how to make sure that repetition isn't boring and that corrections are made so that techniques can get better. Students feel more confident when praised and then they want to practice more.

Karate students are strong, independent and courageous. Don't you wish your 6-year old looked like Ethan? Find out more about our karate classes by calling 719-599-7024 or visit us at: www.nicedojo.com

We are so proud of Ethan's progress with his knife-hand strikes. He's been working very hard and should be ready to belt test next week!

Karate builds confidence, but how?

Students who come to class regularly get the needed amount of repetition to succeed. When students succeed, they want to come to class more often, which means great success!

Practice increases improvement. Students who feel great about themselves are more confident in all areas of life.

Karate builds confidence through hard work, and students learn that hard work is rewarding. It may seem simple, but just coming to class makes a difference.

Being nice is good.

Focus, co-ordination, discipline, better grades...

But what about being NICE?

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Martial arts schools are known for helping children become more focused & disciplined. Karate helps kids do better in school and listen better at home.

Pediatricians, teachers and guidance counselors recommend karate classes to kids who struggle to fit in, have coordination issues or need another voice to echo what mom and dad want for the success of their kids.

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But what about being nice? At Community Karate and Fitness we teach your child to be "NICE." We teach our students in a positive way, so that they learn from someone other than mom and dad, that being nice is important.

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We explain that when we "bow" in class it's a promise to "be nice." When students listen nicely in class they are rewarded. When they don't, we give them the opportunity to "make a better choice" and guide them in the right direction.

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At Community Karate and Fitness we have classes for kids as young as 3 years old. Our Kids Classes are safe and fun and will promote good physical and mental fitness.

We teach kicking, punching, self-protection & self-awareness. We teach katas, which are karate moves put together in a pattern - think ice skating routines, but with blocking, punching and kicking...and no ice.  

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Karate isn't all about yelling and screaming. It isn't about punishing students; it's about encouraging students to do their very best every day. If you want your child to understand the value of being nice, then give us a call today: 719-599-7024. It's nice to hear from you!

Back to school - Routine is key to success!

Back to school time can be tough, especially if your family fell out of its normal routine during the summer months. Here are five simple tips to help kids get back on track:

1. Set up wake times and go to bed times and stick with them. Kids who get up at the same time every morning on a regular basis will develop a natural instinct to eventually get up on time on their own. This will help with going to bed on time every night.

2. Set up allowed after-school activities. Believe it or not, kids love rules. If you set up a schedule after school, for example: snack, homework, screen time, chores (or whatever works for your family), then kids have a pattern to follow. Setting up a reward system like screen time after homework and before chores creates a "sandwich" style system that kids really like.

3. Set up an activity outside of school. Kids who have regularly scheduled classes, like karate, outside of school create new relationships, stay focused in school and have healthier habits. Attending classes a few times a week gives kids something to look forward to.

4. Create a responsibility and reward chart. Is there something your child really wants? A trip to the zoo? New sneakers? A night at the movies? Create a realistic chore chart that corresponds with the value of the item/event your child is asking for. A night at the movies might be equivalent to making your bed four times, putting away laundry twice and not arguing with your siblings for three days. Be creative. Let your child help design the chart. Kids who participate in household chores enjoy the responsibility of helping out.

5. Be consistent with praise. It's easy to fall into the constant criticism trap of telling your kids what they are doing wrong, what they forgot to do and how they fell short of expectations. Take time every day to catch your kids doings something right and reward them on the spot. Rewards can be as simple as a hug, a high five, 10 minutes stay-up late with mom/dad, the last package of fruit snacks or choosing a movie for the family to watch.

Try some of these suggestions and see how they can get your family on track for a successful school year. If you are looking for more parenting tips or have questions you would like answered in a future blog, email me at: MrsC@CommunityKarateandFitness.com Your question could be featured in my next blog!

Summer time and karate classes? Here are 4 great reasons to train at Community Karate and Fitness this summer.

Summer time is a great time to enroll in karate classes for you and your family. Here are some of the positive effects that the right karate school can have on your kids:

1. Maintain the learning environment throughout the summer. Lots of kids reap the benefits of staying sharp mentally and physically by learning something new during the summer time. While we teach the physical aspects of martial arts training we are also teaching Japanese terminology, remembering patterns of movement and keeping our minds sharp with new information every week.



2. Increase social skills before returning to a new grade in August. Kids who attend classes at Community Karate and Fitness become more socially adept at starting conversations, making new friends, speaking clearly to adults and feeling confident being in front of a crowd. Classes foster great social behavior in kids of all ages.

3. Down time for parents is critical when kids are home all day long. We love our kids and we look forward to summer break all year long. But what about when you've exhausted your options for fun and the day isn't over yet? You can look forward to late afternoon and early evening karate classes for the kids and adult time for yourself. Parents enjoy chatting with each other during the kids' classes either in the main area or the Community Room where we have a puzzle, checkers game and comfortable seating. Come on in and relax while the kids are getting a good workout.

4. A positive environment creates positive attitudes. Our karate school is full of upbeat positive energy. From our certified instructors to our currently enrolled students, you will almost always hear a story that will make you smile, laugh and appreciate the abundance of sunny outlooks at our dojo. We make time to share successes on and off the mat.

You will probably come up with your own reasons for coming back to the dojo every week. When you live in a wonderful place like Colorado Springs, you are looking for the best. Come and check out our karate school and you will see why Community Karate and Fitness is where you belong.

Give us a call at 719-599-7024 and start training this week!