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Karate Classes in Missouri
62 Karate dojos across 29 cities in Missouri — including 19 with a free trial, 14 beginner-friendly, and 47 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 Missouri 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 Missouri
- St. Louis
- Kansas City
- Independence
- Joplin
- Springfield
- Blue Springs
- Columbia
- Wentzville
- Carterville
- Ellisville
- Florissant
- Branson
- Carthage
- Chesterfield
- Excelsior Springs
- Grandview
- Jefferson City
- Kirksville
- Kirkwood
- Lebanon
- Liberty
- Maryland Heights
- Neosho
- Oak Grove
- Sedalia
- St Ann
- St Peters
- Union
- Warrensburg
Featured karate dojos in Missouri
Ranked by what members say — Google rating weighted by review count. See the full best-of-Missouri ranking →
AKKA Karate Independence
4.9 ★★★★★ 314 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Wilcox Karate Academy
4.9 ★★★★★ 156 reviews
Missouri Karate Association
5 ★★★★★ 108 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Rifkin Professional Karate Center
5 ★★★★★ 81 reviews
Long's Shotokan Karate Academy
4.9 ★★★★★ 70 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Robinson's Karate Co
4.9 ★★★★★ 54 reviews
More ways to train in Missouri
- Best karate dojos in Missouri — the state-wide ranking
- Karate for beginners — 14 beginner-friendly dojos in Missouri, ready for your first class
- Kids & teen karate — 47 dojos in Missouri with youth programs
- Free trial classes — 19 dojos in Missouri offer a free trial or intro class
- Women's karate — 1 dojo in Missouri with women's classes
- Browse karate class types — beginners, kids, teens, women's, kata, kumite, weapons/kobudo, private lessons and more
- Shotokan Karate (JKA) locations in Missouri
- Kenpo / Kempo Karate locations in Missouri
Karate programs in Missouri
Find the class that fits — whether you're starting from zero, bringing the kids, or chasing your first competition.
- 🧒 Kids Karate in Missouri
- 🛡️ Self-Defense in Missouri
- 👤 Private Lessons in Missouri
- 🥋 Adult Karate in Missouri
- 🐉 Little Dragons in Missouri
- 🌱 Beginners in Missouri
- 🥊 Kumite / Sparring in Missouri
- 🌀 Kata (Forms) in Missouri
- ⚔️ Weapons (Kobudo) in Missouri
- ✨ Teens in Missouri
- 💪 Women's Karate in Missouri
Other martial arts trained in Missouri
Most karate dojos are multi-art. Here's what else Missouri dojos teach under the same roof.
Karate in Missouri: common questions
- How many karate dojos are in Missouri?
- Our directory lists 62 karate dojos across 29 cities in Missouri. The cities with the most are St. Louis (8), Kansas City (6), Independence (5).
- How much does karate cost a month in Missouri?
- Most Missouri dojos don't post prices online. Across karate dojos in our directory that do list a rate, monthly memberships run about $50–$150 (median around $89). Karate is usually sold as a monthly membership, and rates vary by dojo and style. Many offer a free or discounted first class — see our cost guide for typical ranges.
- Are free trial classes available in Missouri?
- Yes — 19 dojos in Missouri 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 Missouri?
- Absolutely — karate welcomes all ages and levels. 14 Missouri dojos are highlighted by members as beginner-friendly, and 47 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.