Why Rei Karate Do is Great For Families in Barrie
Why Families Are Training Together at Rei Karate Do in Barrie
A Dojo That Brings Families Closer
Most parents spend after-school hours watching from the sidelines. Cold arenas. Long waits. Another routine.
That was almost our path too.
Then we found Rei Karate Do in Barrie. We didn’t just sign up to watch our kids grow. We signed up to grow with them.
We’re a family of five. I work from home. My kids train here. So do I. I joined to support them. Now I might enjoy it the most.
We Came for the Kids and Found Something Bigger
We started with the idea that one of our kids needed better coordination. Another needed confidence. Karate made sense. It was structured and respectful. It pushed them.
Then we met Raki Shihan.
He isn’t just a good instructor. He trained under someone who studied directly with the founder of Wado Karate. You’re not likely to find that anywhere else in Canada.
Classes are taught in Japanese. That added something meaningful. Cultural depth. Discipline. Real focus.
After watching the kids train for a few weeks, I signed up too. I didn’t want to sit and watch. I wanted to be in it with them.
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We’re Not Just Watching
We train together three times a week. It adds up to five or six hours. That’s time we spend moving, sweating, and learning together.
We stretch. We spar. We learn kata. We share the struggle and the wins.
This spring, we entered a tournament as a family. One of us won gold in kumite and silver in kata. Another earned a bronze. I won silver in both events.
That wasn’t the plan when we joined. It’s where the training took us.
Karate Gave Me Back What I Thought Was Gone
I played basketball for years. I wrecked my knees. I figured the competitive part of my life was done.
Training in Wado Karate helped me rebuild strength and mobility. I can move again. I feel strong again. I feel focused.
Now I compete. I didn’t think that would happen again. I’m in better shape than I was seven years ago.
Explore the adult and teen program
Even Our Youngest Trains
Our youngest is four. He trains too.
Classes are mixed by age. It’s common to see children and seniors learning together. Everyone moves at their own pace. Everyone is part of the class.
That kind of inclusivity is rare. And it matters.
The Family Discount Made It Possible
I wouldn’t have signed up without the family discount.
When two people join, the third trains for free. That made it affordable. It let all of us take part.
We’re at the dojo three times a week. Saturday mornings aren’t for errands anymore. They’re for karate. Together.
Why Other Families Are Joining
Most activities separate parents and kids. Rei Karate Do brings families together.
We train. We fail. We keep showing up. We celebrate the small wins and the big ones. We understand each other better because we’re doing the same hard thing.
If you’re in Barrie and want something more than another activity, this is it.
You won’t find it in a rink. You’ll find it here.
We didn’t expect karate to change how we spend our time. But it did. And we’re better for it.
