All my children have gone to kenpo with Chris Dixon. They have gained so much from his knowledge and wisdom. He has a lot of experience with children and adults. I am impressed by how organized and prompt the classes are. This dojo is top notch. If you want to do sport karate, taichi, compete, or get fit, this is the place.

I have nothing but great things to say about The American Self- Defense Academy . Master Chris Dixon being a Sport karate World champion and a 6th degree Kenpo Instructor. Master Chris Dixon is an exceptional instructor that works well with children and adults. I highly recommend the American Self defense academy .

I absolutely love this academy! As a single mother who was facing the challenges of raising a son, making the decision to bring my son here and have him train was one of, if not the best, decisions I could have made for him. We were welcomed with open arms by every parent and teacher who works or comes here and it has become a second family for us. The owner and his wife are two of the most amazing people I have met and genuinely care about every single person who walks through their doors. The owner, Chris, is not just running a business, he has taken it upon himself to be involved in his students lives. He makes sure they are performing in school, being respectful to others and reinforces the core values of respect, discipline and dedication. We recently lost a family member and Chris and his family checked in with us almost daily to make sure my son was ok. I have seen a major improvement in my son over the year and a half that we have been going here and see how proud my son is of what he has accomplished for himself. I have witnessed first hand how the whole academy supports one another in class and in competition and for me that solidifies that I have made the right decision to come here. I admire the passion, love and dedication Chris and his teachers show for not only karate but for the studio and those who step foot through his doors. Keep up the great work you do! I look forward to bringing my son here for years to come! 👍

This place is AMAZING!!! My 4 yr old daughter. 9 yr old son and myself have had NOTHING BUT LOVE HERE. this is def our new family and cant wait for whats to comes. Full blown REAL family karate training. EVERY sense is an amazing teacher

I have been training with master Dixon for over 15 years. Now I send my kids to his school as well. Chris Dixon is a true master of the art of kenpo. He teaches his material in a way that makes it practical and applicable to each individual student no matter their size and age. He cares about his students and their well being. He knows when push them and when to ease off. His classes are always a fun experience. Dont let the neighborhood deter you. You will not find a better school.

I have been training with Mr.Dixon since I was 6 years old, 15 years later I still train under his teachings. I come from a family of 2 younger brothers and a Single Mother. Mr.Dixon has not only illustrated his passion for Martial arts in my life but he has also taken the mantle of Father. He has taught me respect towards others, myself, dignity, integrity, humility, self-control, pro-active listening. Everything I have learned not only benefits my life, but also helps others in my life, family, friends, etc. I love this Martial arts school! Everyone is kind and caring and supportive for each other. We are more than just your average Martial Arts school, we are a Family! We share a bond that flows stronger than blood and it will continue to be so! Its my Home away from Home.

Love this place! Been with Master Dixon Sr. for 16 years. 3 of my nephews have been there 16 years and my niece 3 years. Hes not only a brilliant instructor hes an honest, hard working man. When u go there he makes you feel like family; not just a student.

Ive been training with Master Chris Dixon for over 13 years...he has always been accommodating to my disabilities and injuries as a combat Veteran...hes incredibly patient, professional and his high degree and caliber in skills is next to none...when I was having a treatment done that zapped my memory, he was incredibly patient in having to teach me the same technique over and over for several days...never did he display frustration or anger...I have watched him teach kids from the age of 5, who are now college aged and black belts...these kids having grown up with Master Dixon training them in martial arts...they display an enormous amount of respect for all people and an enormous amount of maturity...that is what is taught at this school in addition to self defense...martial arts should always come with discipline, respect and maturity as a human being...its not just about learning how to defend yourself...but also how to conduct yourself as a person...the professionalism and quality of teaching at this school is top notch and cannot be outdone...

All of my children and myself have trained, to different levels, under Master Dixon of this dojo since 2004. He is especially good with special needs individuals. Master Dixon has played a vital role in helping my, 26 year old, autistic son make great strides and advancements in physical and emotional self control and physical wellness in that time. Master Dixon emphasizes and demands the respect of self and others, finding balance and harmony in life, self mastery, and fairness and good sportsmanship in all competitive and life activities.

I’ve been training here for well over 13 years. Mister Dixon and this school has truly shown me what a real family is. We stand up for what we believe in! Being at this school has helped me find my voice and to believe in myself matter what I’m going through in life. I know everyone at this school will always have my back. Mister Dixon has taught me to stand up for what I believe in. He has shown me how to become a leader and to be that role model for the little kids. If it wasn’t for this school I don’t know where I would be at in life. He has helped so many people in this world, he has the most loyalty for this sport. I have never met someone that has the passion to truly help everyone. He caters to people with no hesitation. Mister Dixon and this school has truly been the biggest impact and blessing in my life. As a young woman I can truly say I know how to properly protect myself in ANY circumstances. We travel all over for tournaments and it’s the most humbling experience. We strive to not fit in and be like other schools. Everything at this school is earned. Nothing is ever given to you. If you’re looking for a real and genuine karate school I highly suggest attending at American self defense academy!

Totally agree with Mr.Fox. I have been at 3 tournaments in the past year where this school competed. Win or lose they always have issues. They do not follow the guidelines of the tournament and are out to win any way possible. Hopefully they will be barred from future tournaments and move on to tournaments where their mind set and way of teaching and handling themselves is acceptable. The disrespect they show for the school and owners putting on these tournaments as well as the other competitors is unacceptable. There is a great deal of positive interaction between all the other schools competing but this school does not fit and needs to move to other tournaments with schools that are run like theirs.

This school is the best in Arizona when it comes to quality. All the students act as family and the number one priority is helping each other get better.

I have never actually been inside of this school so truly I dont have a right to review it but...I was at a karate tournament recently local in Arizona and my daughter competes for fun and discipline. She belongs to a school in Gilbert so sometimes it can be a drive. My daughter is a beginner only been in taekwondo for 1 year and is a yellow belt. She is 13 and they had her fight a brown belt man that was 39 years old and about 260 lbs the guy didnt want to fight her and was arguing it but the staff said he would forfeit if he didnt so he was going to fight her anyways. I stepped in was outraged that the new rules would allow this behavior. One of the instructors at this particular school stepped in and petitioned for it to not be allowed sadly because of new rules they wanted to procede and my daughter was still willing to try God bless her heart but I wouldnt allow it...so she had to forfeit. I just wanna say thanks guys to this school for being helpful we didnt have anyone from our school come to the tournament and you were our only support.

I’ve known Mr. Dixon since the early 90’s as we both began our Kenpo journey under the same lineage. I have also been training under his direction for the past 10 years. Therefore I can attest to his passion and commitment to what he is teaching, his Dojo, and his students; I’ve seen many karate instructors praise their own achievements to attract more students. However Chris who is a one of Arizona’s best does not, the talent and achievements from his students is enough to show the quality training provided at American Self Defense Academy!George ArizaNational Sport Karate team owner - Fighters SyndicateAnd Director of the Phoenix Open Martial Arts Open Tournament

School is very disrespectful at tournaments when it comes to sportsmanship. Competitors and their teachers alike don’t familiarize themselves with the rules of the tournament before competition. This is a Self Defense School and does not teach or fight to or with the same level of discipline, respect or standards as a Kempo or Taekwondo karate schools. For the most part it was not the kids causing the problem, but the parents being over the top and their instructors teaching techniques.

Where do I even start.. I moved to Arizona last year. Within that year, I have had a rollercoaster of events happen to me. There was a time where I was basically homeless. Master Dixon and his amazing family brought me into their karate school and treated me as if I were their son. Being out here with no family or friends, they have taught me the true meaning of family. If it wasn’t for Master Dixon’s family and this karate school, there is no telling where I would be right now. ASDA is not just a karate school, but it is a family. ASDA teaches students discipline, confidence, and most importantly respect. Every single one of those students works incredibly hard. This karate school teaches that success is not just handed to you, but it is earned, and each of those kids shows that everywhere they go. ASDA sets the tone for stepping out into the real world. I’ve never seen so many talented kids, WITH respect for others and the sport. Yes, we have won numerous tournaments, however, we are never seen bragging or showing off. Master Dixon teaches us to be humble. He is always willing to do the most for his students and his family because that is what a true karate instructor does. He is to this day one of the most heroic, whole-hearted, humble person I have ever met. Thank you Master Dixon, your family, and ASDA for taking me in and giving me an incredible family!

Hi my name is Lilly Im 10 and I been there Almost 3 years and this school is amazing shcool and they teach respect and fight really well as long as I been at that shcool and I have 42 trothys and one world title 2 in a row of state chabpion and if I didnt go to that shcool I wo t be fighting like the way I fight now

When we moved to Arizona 2 years ago we had decided to put our 8 year old whom has special needs in self defense classes due to being bullied .By Gods grace we were led to the American Self-Defense Academy! We felt welcomed the second we walked in☺ We explained to Master Dixon our sons conditions and he right away said he would be more then happy to Taylor a program just for our son, Not only that he learned that my husband who suffered a TBI (17 year ARMY veteran)wanted to learn as well but has memory problems and thought hed forget everything, Master Dixon Taylored a program just for him! And continues to do so with my families best interest at heart! Now all of my family has trained there! Not only did we gain THE BEST instructors by coming to this school, we gained a FAMILY! My Children have gained SELF CONFIDENCE, JOY, and HAPPINESS, My husband who served 3 tours and had a lot of issues, now has a lot of support hes gotten a million times better mentally, and emotionally! We walked in those doors 2 years and 5 months ago And it was the BEST decision we ever made. My family just won trophies in their first ever compitition and they are just so proud! The level of RESPECT Master Dixon and all the INSTRUCTORS have for Kempo is unwatchable! I would highly recommend ASDA to EVERYONE looking to learn self defense, But I promise you that youll get a whole lot more! #ASDA#

Where do I start, the instructors and owner have the upmost respect for all fighting styles and behave in the most respectful ways at all tournaments. I whole heartedly disagree with MFOX. In fact if you check his profile every review mfox has posted has been poor. This school goes out of its way to compete on fair and level basis, not to put poor judging or running of tournaments on blast. That is just not how they operate. If you want your child to learn from the best and learn respect and honor, Master Dixon and ASDA would be the place to go. Everyone is family, and all are welcome. In response to KA you are correct this school is not a belt factory nor part of a chain...this school competes all over the country and is well respected in the world of karate building friendships and relationships...your comment they dont fit in speaks volumes about YOUR attitude and being part of the club to fit in

Ive been training at ASDA on/off for 10 years and during those off times, I got to train at other places. While training at these other dojos, I notice that their curriculum werent as good as ASDA. For those who never trained with Master Chris Dixon Sr., let me tell you that this man is a scientist when it comes to Martial Arts. Hell teach a technique how it was taught classically, then hell modify the technique so it tailors to the individual so its more practically. After all, no one is has the same body composition and he gets that.When it comes to competing at tournaments, ASDA is Arizonas Apex. What I mean by this is that ASDA normally wins at local events. Thats probably because most of the competitors have won State, National, and International titles. As one of their competitors, I can vouch that the training is really tough, but thats the price for success.On a personal note, this school has helped me out with so much. I once had a very bad anger issue and a couple bad series of depression; the things that Ive learned there has helped me overcome both. The school taught me: If you work hard, good things will happen. In fact, everything is earned there. No one is given a belt, not even white. The environment is laid back and everyone treats each other like family.If youre looking for a school that has a high standard of martial arts curriculum, that will teach important life lessons, and provide an environment where growth and compassion is put first, the American Self-Defense Academy is a dojo you want to check out.

Best karate school in the Valley.

My kids take classes here and they love it.

This is a great place to learn self defense and family friendly. Works with special needs and disabled veterans

Great instructors and family friendly..

Great place and caring instructors!