Home › Illinois › Prospect Heights › Midwest Shotokan Karate Fitness
Midwest Shotokan Karate Fitness
5 ★★★★★ 32 Google reviews · Karate dojo in Prospect Heights, Illinois
Part of Shotokan Karate (JKA)
Affiliated dojo — reviews and the dojo's own info point to a recognized Karate style organization or franchise (think Shotokan/JKA, Kyokushin, Goju-Ryu, Isshinryu, Tiger Schulmann's or Villari's). If lineage matters to you, ask which style and organization the dojo belongs to, and under whom the head sensei earned their black belt.
Plan your first class
- Free trial / intro class most dojos welcome new students with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Kids & youth classes kids and youth Karate classes — built around discipline, focus, and confidence
- Weapons / kobudo traditional weapons (kobudo) classes — kata with the bo, sai, and nunchaku, taught with control and discipline
- Adult classes adult Karate classes — training built for grown-ups, from fitness and fundamentals to kumite (sparring) at your own pace
- Competition team a competition team for students who want to test themselves at kumite tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule midwestdojo.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 847-788-0200
Hours
| Monday | 10 am–10 pm |
| Tuesday | 10 am–10 pm |
| Wednesday | 10 am–10 pm |
| Thursday | 10 am–10 pm |
| Friday | 10 am–10 pm |
| Saturday | 9 am–4 pm |
| Sunday | 9 am–4 pm |
The classes they run
“We have done many extracurricular activities, but my son has gotten the most out of karate at Midwest Shotokan.”
“My kid has been practicing at Midwest Shotokan for a few years, starting with Little Tigers.”
“It offers practice of not only karate or yoga, but also jujitsu, kobudo, and iadido.”
“My high schooler achieved his first level of black belt 2 years ago and his brother will be there within another couple of years too.”
Other martial arts here
What students say
“Sensei Veronica does an amazing job of weaving together instruction, fun, and the canon of Shotokan into her classes, and you can see she truly loves what she's doing.”
“The dojo itself is always clean and welcoming, and the environment feels very positive and supportive.”
“I come from a family of brown and black belts at NSMAA, and Sensei Veronica employs the right type of methodology for teaching children.”
“It’s always a lot of fun, and my son has gained a ton of confidence through the program.”
“The students learn many skills, but she also incorporates some strategic games and a weekly raffle as well tournaments, camps and open house demonstrations.”
“We have done many extracurricular activities, but my son has gotten the most out of karate at Midwest Shotokan.”
From the reviews
We love our karate place. It's been 10+ years we are going there. My older son grow up here and it is absolutely best place to get your kids moving. Sensei Veronica is very dedicated and she knows how to handle even not so easy kids. She is very professional and great in organizing classes, camps and birthday parties.
I cannot say enough amazing things about this dojo. Sensei Veronica is AMAZING with kids! They have a variety of classes from young kids to adults. She is flexible with scheduling and has a ton of fun add on clinics, classes, celebrations to keep it interesting!
My boys have been attending this dojo for years. They both love the dojo, the classes, the respect for the art of karate and especially, Sensei Veronica. This is the only activity they have stuck with this long and look forward to their classes each week.
My kids have been going to MSK for years! Sensei Veronica is great with kids and makes Karate really fun. They enjoy going to class every week and have progressed really well over the years. I highly recommend this school for karate.
New to Karate? Start at Midwest Shotokan Karate Fitness
Midwest Shotokan Karate Fitness comes up as a beginner-friendly dojo — noted on their own site. If you've never thrown a punch or set foot in a dojo, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and the sensei scales the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard sparring — reputable dojos build fundamentals (stances, blocks, punches, and kicks) for weeks, and kumite (sparring) eases in gradually, with pads and control. Third, all levels and ages really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out. Most dojos are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first Karate class at Midwest Shotokan Karate Fitness
Nervous about walking into a Karate dojo for the first time? Almost everyone is, and a good sensei expects beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic stances, blocks, punches, and kicks — not hard sparring. Step to the side whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot. What to bring: water, and a mouthguard if you have one — many dojos lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi and the belt your dojo awards you. Kumite (sparring) eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the sensei. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
More Karate dojos near Prospect Heights
Total Impact Martial Arts and Fitness
5 ★★★★★ 294 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Premier Martial Arts Downtown Arlington Heights
5 ★★★★★ 18 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
US SHIDOKAN
4.6 ★★★★★ 11 reviews