Family Martial Arts Classes in Fort Walton Beach: Train Together, Grow Together
Here’s something worth thinking about. Your child plays football, soccer, or baseball. You cheer from the sidelines. You drive them to practice, wash the uniform, and celebrate the wins. But you never get to be on the field with them.
Martial arts is different.
At Coastal Martial Arts and Fitness, our Family Kempo classes are exactly what they sound like. Parents and kids – ages 8 and up – training together on the same mat, learning the same skills, pushing each other forward. It’s one of the very few activities where the whole family doesn’t just show up, they participate.
Why Family Classes Work
There’s something powerful that happens when a parent and child train together. The dynamic shifts. Your child sees you learning something new, struggling, improving, and not giving up. You see your child dig deep, find courage, and surprise you. You build a shared language, shared goals, and shared wins.
You can’t get that from the sidelines.
Family Kempo at Coastal Martial Arts and Fitness is built around this idea. Mixed ages, mixed skill levels, one mat, one goal: Black Belt Excellence.
What Happens in a Family Kempo Class?
Every class is 45 minutes – fast-paced, engaging, and designed to work for everyone in the room regardless of age or experience. Each session includes:
- Punching and striking fundamentals
- Bag work or light sparring
- Progressive skill development – every class builds on the last
The goal is simple: students leave sweating, smiling, and having learned something. That goes for the 8-year-old and the 40-year-old in the same class.
The Path to Black Belt – Together
Our program follows a six-phase rotating system that takes students through basic, intermediate, and advanced skills over 4 or more years. It’s a genuine journey, not a shortcut.
And here’s what makes it special for families: you can do it together. A parent and child who start at the same time progress through the same curriculum, earn their belts side by side, and one day stand together as black belts. That’s not something you can replicate in any other sport or activity.
Our school motto says it best: “The family that kicks together sticks together.”
Safe, Smart Partner Pairing
Built for Military Families Too
Fort Walton Beach is home to a strong military community, and we’re proud to serve Eglin AFB families. We know military life brings unique challenges – frequent moves, deployments, and the need to find community quickly. Family Kempo gives military families an activity they can start together, continue together, and carry with them wherever life takes them.
We also know that postings can happen without notice. Shihan Dave served 12 years in the Australian Navy – he’s lived that reality firsthand. That’s exactly why we have no lock-in contracts. Week-to-week membership means if you get posted tomorrow, you’re not left paying for classes you can’t attend. You train for as long as you’re here, and you leave with no strings attached.
Active military personnel and their families also receive a 10% discount on membership.
No Experience Needed
You don’t need to have trained before. You don’t need to be fit. You just need to show up. Family Kempo is designed for beginners and experienced students alike, with classes structured to challenge everyone at their own level.
Who Leads Your Family’s Training?
Coastal Martial Arts and Fitness is led by Shihan Dave Durman (6th Dan Kempo, 40+ years experience, former Australian Navy) and Renshi Sally Durman (4th Dan Kempo, advocate for women’s and kids’ safety). Shihan Dave has trained three ISKA world champions and professional boxers and fighters. This is world-class instruction in a warm, community-focused environment.
This isn’t a franchise. You train with the founders, every class.
Ready to Get on the Mat Together?
We open April 6, 2026 in Fort Walton Beach, and we’re currently enrolling Founding Members at a special locked-in rate. Founding members keep their rate permanently as the school grows – so there’s never been a better time to start.
Stop watching from the sidelines. Come train with your kids.
Get in touch today: hello@coastalmartialarts.com or visit www.coastalmartialarts.com