Home › Illinois
Karate Classes in Illinois
142 Karate dojos across 87 cities in Illinois — including 42 with a free trial, 51 beginner-friendly, and 108 with kids' classes. Pick a city for full listings with member reviews, live open-now hours, and the classes each dojo runs — or browse the map.
Karate travelled from Okinawa and Japan to every corner of America, and Illinois now has dojos for every reason people train: a nervous first class, a serious workout, self-defense, kids' and women's programs, belt progression, or the competition team. You don't need to be fit or experienced to walk in — all ages and levels are welcome, and a good dojo meets you where you are.
Cities in Illinois
- Chicago
- Springfield
- Arlington Heights
- Aurora
- Peoria
- Bradley
- Lombard
- Naperville
- Rockford
- Darien
- DeKalb
- Elk Grove Village
- Glenview
- Melrose Park
- Morton
- New Lenox
- Oak Forest
- Oak Park
- Pekin
- Prospect Heights
- Roselle
- South Elgin
- Wilmette
- Addison
- Algonquin
- Alton
- Antioch
- Barrington
- Bartlett
- Beardstown
- Belleville
- Bloomington
- Bourbonnais
- Breese
- Buffalo Grove
- Centralia
- Champaign
- Charleston
- Countryside
- Des Plaines
- Dixon
- Downers Grove
- East Moline
- East Peoria
- Elgin
- Evanston
- Fairview Heights
- Frankfort
- Glen Ellyn
- Glendale Heights
- Gurnee
- Highland
- Hinsdale
- Hodgkins
- Homer Glen
- Hoopeston
- Joliet
- Kell
- Lincoln
- Lindenhurst
- Lyons
- Macomb
- Manteno
- Mapleton
- Metamora
- Moline
- Momence
- Monticello
- Palatine
- Park Forest
- Park Ridge
- Peru
- Quincy
- Richton Park
- Rolling Meadows
- Schaumburg
- Silvis
- Steger
- Streamwood
- Swansea
- Troy
- Villa Park
- Warrenville
- Washington
- Westchester
- Wheaton
- Worth
Featured karate dojos in Illinois
Ranked by what members say — Google rating weighted by review count. See the full best-of-Illinois ranking →
National Karate & Martial Arts South Elgin
5 ★★★★★ 310 reviews
True Balance Karate
4.9 ★★★★★ 124 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Ekims Karate Kickboxing & MMA
5 ★★★★★ 87 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
High Kick Fitness
4.9 ★★★★★ 71 reviews
Sharkey's Karate Studio
4.9 ★★★★★ 68 reviews
Karate for Kids / Success Now Martial Arts
4.8 ★★★★★ 68 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
More ways to train in Illinois
- Best karate dojos in Illinois — the state-wide ranking
- Karate for beginners — 51 beginner-friendly dojos in Illinois, ready for your first class
- Kids & teen karate — 108 dojos in Illinois with youth programs
- Free trial classes — 42 dojos in Illinois offer a free trial or intro class
- Women's karate — 3 dojos in Illinois with women's classes
- Browse karate class types — beginners, kids, teens, women's, kata, kumite, weapons/kobudo, private lessons and more
- Kenpo / Kempo Karate locations in Illinois
- Shotokan Karate (JKA) locations in Illinois
- Premier Martial Arts locations in Illinois
- Kyokushin Karate locations in Illinois
- Isshinryu Karate locations in Illinois
Karate programs in Illinois
Find the class that fits — whether you're starting from zero, bringing the kids, or chasing your first competition.
- 🧒 Kids Karate in Illinois
- 🛡️ Self-Defense in Illinois
- 🥋 Adult Karate in Illinois
- 🌱 Beginners in Illinois
- 🐉 Little Dragons in Illinois
- 🥊 Kumite / Sparring in Illinois
- 👤 Private Lessons in Illinois
- ✨ Teens in Illinois
- ⚔️ Weapons (Kobudo) in Illinois
- 🌀 Kata (Forms) in Illinois
- 💪 Women's Karate in Illinois
Other martial arts trained in Illinois
Most karate dojos are multi-art. Here's what else Illinois dojos teach under the same roof.
Karate in Illinois: common questions
- How many karate dojos are in Illinois?
- Our directory lists 142 karate dojos across 87 cities in Illinois. The cities with the most are Chicago (18), Springfield (7), Arlington Heights (5).
- How much does karate cost a month in Illinois?
- Among Illinois dojos that publish a rate, monthly memberships run about $80–$170 (median around $90). Prices vary by dojo, style, and how often you train, and many don't post online — so check the dojo's own schedule. Our cost guide breaks down what to expect.
- Are free trial classes available in Illinois?
- Yes — 42 dojos in Illinois advertise a free trial, free first class, or intro week. It's the low-pressure way to try a class before you commit; confirm the current offer on the dojo's site.
- Can beginners and kids train karate in Illinois?
- Absolutely — karate welcomes all ages and levels. 51 Illinois dojos are highlighted by members as beginner-friendly, and 108 run kids' or youth programs. You don't need to be fit or have any experience to start, and no reputable dojo pushes beginners into hard sparring before they're ready.
- Do I need to be in shape or spar to start karate?
- No. You can start with zero fitness base and no experience — the training itself gets you in shape. Beginners spend their time on the basics (kihon), forms (kata), and controlled partner drills; sparring (kumite) is introduced gradually, kept light, and closely supervised, and a good dojo never throws newcomers into it. You learn at your own pace, and every black belt in the room started as a white belt.