About Universal Kempo Karate
A family-owned, veteran-founded Colorado Springs karate school that has trained generations of local families since 1980. Meet the instructors, learn the lineage, and see why so many of our students stay for life.
Karate in Colorado Springs, since 1980.
Traditional Kempo. Real-world self-defense.
Veteran-founded in 1980 and still family-run today, Universal Kempo Karate is more than a dojo — it's a community. Every student is treated like family: kids build confidence, teens sharpen discipline, and adults train alongside instructors who genuinely care. Real Kempo, real progress, real people.
Real Self-Defense
Kempo is built for the real world — not for show. Striking, blocks, joint locks and flow drills that actually work under pressure.
Mind, Body, Spirit
The three pillars on our patch. Focus, conditioning, and character — trained together until they become one.
Family-First Karate School
Veteran-founded in 1980. Every student is treated like family — a community kids look up to and adults trust.
Decorated. Patient. Family.
The names parents in our reviews write about over and over again — the instructors who turn first-timers into Black Belts.
Professor Johnson
Veteran-led, family-rooted. Professor Johnson founded Universal Kempo Karate in 1980 and has shaped generations of Colorado Springs warriors with the Mind-Body-Spirit code.
Mrs. Johnson
The heart of the school. Mrs. Johnson keeps the karate school a safe, family-first space — patient, positive, and known for making every new student feel at home.
Andre Johnson
A 4th Degree Black Belt who has trained in Kempo since age three. Gold-medal competitor in sparring, weapons, and forms — now shaping the next generation of Colorado Springs warriors with the same discipline that raised him.
From ancient China to Colorado Springs.
Kempo — the “Way of the Fist” — is one of the oldest martial traditions on earth. We carry that lineage forward in a modern, family-safe karate school.
Belt progression is earned through consistent training, technique testing, and demonstrated character.
Step on the mat. Risk-free.
Your first class is on us. No pressure, no contracts — just one class to feel the school, meet the instructors, and decide if it’s the right fit for your family.