This is your chance to join a group of dedicated martial artists focused on real personal change! Embark on your spiritual journey ... stop in to watch a class today!
We're happy to answer your questions or help you get started. If you're looking for a serious, abundant place to learn martial arts, JMAC is your first choice!
At JMAC, you'll learn how to harness your energy and improve your focus ... for great results! Learn better focus and how to be more effective throughout your life.
Get answers to some of the most common questions asked about martial arts training. Trying to decide if martial arts training is right for you? We're happy to help answer your questions!
JMAC is conveniently located just off I-94 on South State at 2875 Boardwalk, Suite H, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 . Ample free parking and an abundance of expert knowledge to help you improve!
Plenty of evening & weekend classes make it easy for you get in to train. Check out our schedule, come in to watch. Arrange for your free intro lessons!
To be great, you must have great determination and high standards. Here are the expectations at JMAC - the mindset it takes to truly realize your potential.
You're more than a name here at JMAC - you're a candidate for greatness. Visit us to learn more, or to watch a class, and we'll explain what it takes to get started. No risk, no obligation.
You might be surprised how often people mis-spell words in the martial arts. We've provided this list of misspellings to help you get to the right place when you're after a martial arts concept or simply want more information.
Not everybody has what it takes to become exceptional in the martial arts, but if you want to give yourself the best chance, stop in to watch a class at JMAC today!
Each belt color in Karate carries significance, reflecting the journey of a practitioner as they advance through the ranks. Your dojo may use a different color system, but here’s a widely used progression that you’ll see in many places.
This no gi technique is an intersection between a traditional Japanese choke and popular Brazilian Jiu Jitsu submission. It is used in MMA, wrestling, and many other martial arts.
“Dalton's experience with karate at JMAC has been nothing but positive,” says Dalton’s mother Carrie. “I believe Dalton was born confident. However, his training in martial arts has helped him become even more courageous and self-assured.”
“It's so worth it! It might seem a little scary at the beginning and it’s okay to be unsure, but starting a martial art is one of the best decisions I ever made.”
For some people martial arts training is a hobby. It’s a pursuit that they chip away at. For other people it’s a lifetime passion engrained in their character and way of life.
“When I started judo, I couldn’t pick anyone up to throw them in Seoi Nage, and now I can.” She continues, “I’m a little person. I could see that my brother could do it and I wanted to do it too – there’s definitely some sibling rivalry!
“Karate is fun to do and learn, but you can’t mess around all the time” he says, smiling. “We work on stuff, but also have fun. There’s a lot of time where you have to be serious about what you’re learning."
“I didn’t know very much about iaido at the beginning and found it interesting in so many different ways, including philosophically and the exactitude of it."
"I did the intro classes, picked it up, and kept going. One of the things that is really cool here is the authentic budo experience. The mutual welfare and respect really shows here. All the things that make a good place to train hold true here - Your willingness to help your partners, betterment of them, yourself, the dojo, and the level of the instruction is incredible."
“It’s a whole lot of stepping out of my comfort zone and I’ve been pleased with the outcomes every single time. I’ve not been disappointed here, not once.”
We officially opened JMAC in June of 2006. From the beginning we were embraced by the community. We've lived in three locations. In 2018, we will celebrate twelve years of exceptional training in traditional Japanese Martial Arts.
Want to learn iaido? Go deep on sword handling, skillful movement, breathing, tactics and philosophy with Nicklaus Suino-Sensei, four time All Tokyo Iaido Champion!
Looking for world-class instruction in martial arts? At JMAC, our credentials are second-to-none, our passion for martial arts is boundless. We want to help you on your path to success!
Suino-Sensei is one of the most highly-credentialed martial artists in the world, whose instruction is sought out by martial artists everywhere. Join JMAC and get first hand instruction from one of the greats!
Judo means “the way of adaptability.” Kids learn throws, takedowns and pins. As they stick with judo, their balance gets better, they get calmer, and they get more comfortable with movement.
From age 5-7, kids attend our “Little Dragons” class. We work on the FUNdamentals of judo and karate (stances, punches, falling safely) while recognizing that our smallest students have to enjoy, engage, and connect with what they’re doing..
One thing we’ve learned … karate can be transformative for young bodies and minds. But too much emphasis on stern discipline and hard-core training can take the fun out of it for kids. If you could stop in and watch a kids karate class, you’d see how we balance fun for the students with learning and teaching. Sometimes it’s obvious, sometimes it’s hidden inside games or activities.
Our video How to Fall Correctly - The Ultimate Guide! Intro to Ukemi, offers detailed steps and exercises to help you improve your falling techniques and self-defense in Ann Arbor.
Beyond the physical techniques, martial arts are a powerful tool for kids and teens, laying the foundation for crucial life skills beyond the dojo. Here’s how:
Whether you choose to follow the path of classical or martial arts in Ann Arbor, the journey is one of discipline, self-improvement, and an appreciation for the rich history of combat.
"Judo falling saved my life! Recently I was hiking and the trail crumbled beneath me. I fell approximately 30 ft straight down, but I landed with proper form. The doctors were amazed that I wasn't more injured. I really believe that it was my proper falling technique that saved me."
The JMAC18 bootcamp workout is made up of intense interval training, great for people who like variety, like to challenge themselves, and are short on time. Each class includes a variety of exercises to build strength, endurance, and agility. JMAC18 focuses on intensity and variety over duration. JMAC offers martial arts training and self-defense in Ann Arbor. Providing Ann Arbor and the Southeast Michigan area with classes for all ages and sizes for over 14 years!
Karate is uniquely suited for the kinds of changes required by the Safe Start orders. That’s because martial arts aren’t just about fighting. Martial arts are also a tool for building character and facing everyday challenges.
Self-defense classes offer many benefits on the road to self-improvement including muscle toning and strengthening, improved balance, and an effective cardiovascular workout.
Many women who take on the challenges of martial arts get started to add variety to their exercise routine. Another common reason is to build self-defense skills.
In addition to its many health benefits, exercise is also great for your mental health. Everyone knows this, but it’s easy to let this slip! Keep reading for some great information on staying motivated and healthy (spoiler alert—it might include some Jujitsu with Ann Arbor’s best online instructors!)
Leading the way among many local gyms and martial arts facilities, JMAC has begun offering classes online, including what we think is the best bootcamp workout in Ann Arbor!
It’s generally accepted that the four main styles of karate are Goju-ryu, Shotokan, Wado-ryu and Shito-ryu. There are also many less prominent styles, including Chito-ryu, Isshin-ryu, Kyokushin, Shorin-ryu and Uechi-Ryu.
Blind adherence to ancient systems will work for some supremely talented people, but it will get you only a limited amount of success and that success will take a long, long time to achieve.
If you’re looking for Japanese jujutsu in Ann Arbor, JMAC is your top choice. Suino-Sensei started JMAC in 2006 with the help of a handful of investors. The dojo quickly became a place for serious but joyful martial arts training.
Humans were made to move. We explore our world as infants, and that’s what helps connect our eyes to our brains, our hands to our eyes, and our minds to our bodies. It turns out that just because you’re not an infant anymore, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to explore and move.
"Would an 18-minute morning boot camp be more your style? There’s a lot of science to show that intensity is more important that duration when you’re trying to get benefits like aerobic fitness, weight loss, and muscle building."
Do one-hour workouts take up too much time? I struggled with the same problem. I love the way I feel after a quick morning workout, but going to a full-scale morning boot camp just didn’t work for me.
There are a lot of self-defense classes out there. Most of them do offer some good advice and procedures to avoid confrontation. Not all of them train the body as well as the mind.
Looking for women martial arts in Ann Arbor, Michigan? For thirteen years JMAC has proudly trained men and women in martial arts and self-defense techniques.
The Kids Judo in Ann Arbor program at JMAC may be exactly what you’re looking for. Numerous studies have shown how important it is for children to get out and play. Engaging in physical activities is critical for brain and body development.
Finding the right martial arts program for your child is important. You want them to find an environment that’s encouraging but also offers an appropriate level of difficulty and discipline.
Iaido (Japanese Swordsmanship) is an incredible martial art that combines strength, balance and mental discipline while you study cutting and strikes with a bokken or sword.
Choosing the right martial art style and the right dojo can be overwhelming. You can simplify it by asking three questions: Is it safe? Is it systematic? Is it supportive?
Choosing the right martial art style and the right dojo can be overwhelming. You can simplify it by asking three questions: Is it safe? Is it systematic? Is it supportive?
To fully understand the common skillsets shared by judo, jujutsu, aikido, look no further than their evolution from their common ancestor - ancient jujitsu.
Fortunately for us, Tomiki Sensei created Randori no Kata, a framework of 17 techniques (waza) that are deemed appropriate for randori (free form practice). Join us at JMAC in Ann Arbor on March 16, 17 & 18, 2018, to explore the integration of Aikido, Judo, & Jujutsu with Satoh Tadayuki Sensei.
The struggle is real. Many martial artists find it difficult to move beyond basic techniques into free form practice. They wonder how others manage to “flip the switch” to safe, effective high-level randori, or free practice.Join us at JMAC in Ann Arbor on March 16, 17 & 18, 2018, to explore the integration of Aikido, Judo, & Jujutsu with Satoh Tadayuki Sensei.
John Gage Sensei is teaching at an international seminar in Copenhagen, Denmark. He offers some quick words on trends between Japanese and European martial arts.
These chokeholds and strangles are in the arsenal of every good ground fighter. Pump up your game and add these babies to your repertoire! These nine chokes are originally Judo chokes, but have been adapted in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Ann Arbor).
柔道 means "gentle way". Judo is a self-defense, combat, and Olympic martial art. It was founded in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. The purpose of Judo is manifest in the mottoes Kano came up with: "Maximum Efficiency with Minimum Effort" and "Mutual Welfare and Benefit".
These Japanese words are commonly spoken at the dojo. Not only do they carry a deep historical significance, but enhance the overall quality of the Ann Arbor martial arts dojo experience!
From Shaolin Monks to MMA stars, learn how martial artists around the world eat to gain optimal speed, strength, and agility. This is the basis of martial arts fitness!
Interested in learning more about kids martial arts programs? Feel free to email or call us, or stop by JMAC today! You can watch with no obligation and intro lessons are free!
Interested in learning more about martial arts? Feel free to email or call us, or stop by JMAC today! You can watch with no obligation and intro lessons are free!
I have attended JMAC since 2009, and have yet to find a school of its caliber. Its instructors are top-notch with lineages that trace straight from the founders of some of the traditional Japanese martial arts. I can also safely consider this place to be a second-home. The people that train here are fantastic. The place is safe. The material is challenging. It's an honor to train here.
My son wanted to learn Iaido this year. We did not know anything about it. His grandpa was a paratrooper and a green beret and encouraged him to learn martial arts and particularly jujutsu. JMAC is a true Japanese dojo. We did not know what good exercise one gets with Iaido. It' fantastic. Most students are serious adults and the environment is really not bad at all for our teenager. We're looking forward to many years of Iaido and hope our son will decide to also add another martial art.
JMAC is the best traditional martial arts school I have come across in 40 years of martial arts training. Sensei Suino and his instructors manage to harmonize eastern formality and discipline with a western sensibility that stresses the fulfillment of individual potential. It is a privilege to be part of such an outstanding organization.
JMAC is an amazing place for training in martial arts. I have trained at JMAC since 2006. The people and environment encourage learning and development, both in the martial arts and at a personal level. The instructors are experts in their arts, and are very proficient at teaching. The students are friendly and positive to work with, and everyone helps each other to learn and excel. My wife and son also train at JMAC, and we can't imagine going anywhere else.
This place is wonderful for women who want to learn martial arts. JMAC does an incredible job of balancing the traditional Japanese martial arts experience with cutting edge science and an approach that suits all types of motivated people. I've trained at JMAC and with Suino-Sensei, Holland-Sensei, and Morris-Sensei and at ITAMA in Lansing. The experience was challenging but exciting, and I not only learned self-defense, but also got fit and learned a lot of skills that I could apply throughout my life. JMAC gets my highest recommendation!
JMAC is a unique place to train with a great combination of dedicated, expert instructors and committed students. The kids' classes are a perfect mix of fun and serious training at an age-appropriate level. The adult classes are full of serious students always willing to help the others in the dojo get better. The high level of expert instruction cannot be overstated!
Self-defense for women is a great first step to gain confidence in the dojo. Nihon Jujutsu (Japanese self-defense) allows beginners to learn basic fighting moves and to get into the right mindset for personal improvement and empowerment.
Looking for self-defense classes near Howel, MI? Japanese Martial Arts Center trains in traditional martial arts Iaido, Nihon Jujutsu, Judo, and Karate for students of all ages.
Not every style suits every person - learn more about what makes a certain style best for you. Stop in or call to watch a class at the Japanese Martial Arts Center.
Learn incredible focus through iaido (swordsmanship) practice, a martial art with roots dating back to the Samurai era in Japan. Our chief instructor is one of the world's most respected swordsmanship ... right in your backyard!
A great way to get fit, compete, and learn self-defense. JMAC has an incredible sprung floor and world class instruction to help you stay healthy and reach your goals effectively!
