What Are Classes Like - Tulsa Hargrave Martial Arts School

We teach real martial arts to children and adults

The kids classes teach your child how to actually fight off a pedophile or abductor, not how to play games, kick balls around the studio, or other karate day care type money wasting nonsense. Those type of school belt rankings mean less than nothing, only giving you and your child a false sense of security. Why not make the right choice for you and your child’s best interest.

The Tulsa Martial Arts Kempo classes are formal; meaning we wear traditional black Kempo uniforms (GI) and wear colored rank belts. Your first belt is white, then yellow, yellow one stripe, orange, orange one stripe, green, green one stripe, brown, brown one stripe, brown two stripe, brown three stripe, black.
The founder or Grandmaster / SOKE (Carter Hargrave) wears the solid red belt or black belt with 10 stripes, and is the only Grandmaster actively teaching in Tulsa.
All techniques through first degree black belt are taught from The Kempo Karate Handbook by Professor Hargrave.
Advanced Kempo techniques are taught from the Kempo Karate Entrance to Secrets book by Professor Hargrave for rank Black Belt levels 2nd through 8th degree black belt.
The Tulsa Martial Arts Jeet Kune Do classes are informal. We wear sweat pants and t-shirts. Students may also wear the Chinese uniform (hifu) and sash according to rank levels 2 through 12 then black belt / sash. All techniques are taught from The Original Jeet Kune Do Training Manual by Professor Hargrave.
As the highest ranking Karate teacher in Tulsa, the Professor takes pride and gives personal attention in the education of each student. We have long since outgrown the tournaments that appeared in the mid 1950’s, and focused upon the true meaning and application of the arts which have nothing to do with modern “competition”.
The original versions of martial arts have no tournament aspects. One of our schools entered a tournament invited a few years back and our green belt students defeated some black belt students form other schools. In all fairness to the black belts involved, they were not trained to deal with Kempo defense techniques, and many they had never seen before. We were honorable and very respectful participants who won 95% of all bouts, but just couldn’t adapt to limitations. We were politely asked not to return. We politely agreed, and left all the trophies. In a real attack when you are fighting for your life, or your child is fighting to keep from being abducted, you want the serious moves.
True Martial Artists are very caring, spiritual healers of injury, and are rare. It seems like all we see are the violent aspects. There are two sides to this coin. We know them well, and teach them both.The Martial Arts are not about beating another person. They are not about the obscene spectacle tough-man bouts on television for mindless idiots who cannot grasp martial arts. The Martial Arts are about defeating your ego, and being content knowing you can defeat any aggressor without lifting a finger. And if physically provoked, you can use that same finger and take them to the ground. Please note: Professor Hargrave is a Christian. Thus, no eastern religions are taught in classes. We want you to be the best you can be!
If you are looking for the large McDojo schools, this is not it. Professor Hargrave has limited the total school enrollment to sixty students, and prefers it around fifty. We are slow to allow entrance of new students. We rarely answer the phone. We make if difficult and annoying to get in.

We are professional in all that we do and detest the current standard of martial arts schools where the student has now become a customer. It is a priveledge to teach students and its a priveldge to be taught.
We know many of the things you have read may sound arrogant, and counter to gaining many students. At other schools the customer is always right and the school is ran like a used car dealership with many gimics and games and free whatever with the black belt club and the……….
The students we turn down go to our competition where they belong.
Here you wont train next to child mollesters. Other schools you just don’t know as they don’t check.
Here you will train with fun people. Other schools………
You wont train with violent convicts. Convicts from other Tulsa schools have applied.
Here you will have a very small student to teacher ratio max 1 for 10. Other schools 1 for 30 or more.
Here you will actually learn how to defend yourself against real bad guys of the world. Other schools you will get a trophy for touching someone on the belly.
Here you will actually earn real rank and skills. Other schools if you stand around long enough and have a check book someone will strap a black belt on you. Good luck!
Here you are treated like a person, even though Professor wont cut you any slack and will give you a hard time and even ask about your day.
Last but not least if you are looking for a bunch of games and circus atmosphere, this is not it. Our black belt is real.
We care about doing things they way they were meant to be more than money.

Class Fees are $65 per month.