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Karate Classes in South Carolina
76 Karate dojos across 35 cities in South Carolina — including 22 with a free trial, 20 beginner-friendly, and 62 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina
- Greenville
- Lexington
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Mt Pleasant
- Myrtle Beach
- Summerville
- Anderson
- Conway
- North Augusta
- Simpsonville
- Spartanburg
- Aiken
- Beaufort
- Easley
- Goose Creek
- Hardeeville
- Murrells Inlet
- North Charleston
- Surfside Beach
- Daniel Island
- Elgin
- Fort Mill
- Greenwood
- Little River
- Lyman
- Moncks Corner
- Newberry
- North Myrtle Beach
- Pawleys Island
- Sullivan's Island
- Sumter
- Taylors
- Union
- West Columbia
Featured karate dojos in South Carolina
Ranked by what members say — Google rating weighted by review count. See the full best-of-South Carolina ranking →
The Karate Dojo
4.9 ★★★★★ 232 reviews
Capital Karate
5 ★★★★★ 200 reviews
Karate World SSB
5 ★★★★★ 156 reviews
Upstate Karate Family Martial Arts Center
4.9 ★★★★★ 152 reviews
🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site
Vitali Family Karate
4.9 ★★★★★ 99 reviews
Mount Pleasant Family Martial Arts
5 ★★★★★ 76 reviews
More ways to train in South Carolina
- Best karate dojos in South Carolina — the state-wide ranking
- Karate for beginners — 20 beginner-friendly dojos in South Carolina, ready for your first class
- Kids & teen karate — 62 dojos in South Carolina with youth programs
- Free trial classes — 22 dojos in South Carolina offer a free trial or intro class
- Women's karate — 10 dojos in South Carolina 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 South Carolina
- Premier Martial Arts locations in South Carolina
Karate programs in South Carolina
Find the class that fits — whether you're starting from zero, bringing the kids, or chasing your first competition.
- 🧒 Kids Karate in South Carolina
- 🛡️ Self-Defense in South Carolina
- 🥋 Adult Karate in South Carolina
- 🐉 Little Dragons in South Carolina
- 🌱 Beginners in South Carolina
- 👤 Private Lessons in South Carolina
- 🥊 Kumite / Sparring in South Carolina
- 💪 Women's Karate in South Carolina
- ✨ Teens in South Carolina
- ⚔️ Weapons (Kobudo) in South Carolina
Other martial arts trained in South Carolina
Most karate dojos are multi-art. Here's what else South Carolina dojos teach under the same roof.
Karate in South Carolina: common questions
- How many karate dojos are in South Carolina?
- Our directory lists 76 karate dojos across 35 cities in South Carolina. The cities with the most are Greenville (5), Lexington (5), Charleston (4).
- How much does karate cost a month in South Carolina?
- Among South Carolina dojos that publish a rate, monthly memberships run about $75–$125 (median around $120). 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 South Carolina?
- Yes — 22 dojos in South Carolina 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 South Carolina?
- Absolutely — karate welcomes all ages and levels. 20 South Carolina dojos are highlighted by members as beginner-friendly, and 62 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.