It's 4:20 p.m. on a recent Wednesday and five children are hitting and kicking one another. But in this instance, chaos has not taken over. These children are training under the guidance of Marianne Morrill, owner of the new A.K.K.A. (American Kenpo Karate Academy) Karate USA studio in Continental Ranch.
The studio opened in March in the southeast corner of a strip mall at West Twin Peaks Road and North Coachline Boulevard.
Morrill, 47, trained for five years in kenpo karate at another A.K.K.A. Karate USA franchise in Tucson and earned her black belt.
"I had taken martial arts as a kid," she said. Morrill, her husband and three of her four children started taking karate lessons together about five years ago.
"It helped with their self-esteem and self-confidence and their physical shape," she said of her children. "It was good stress relief for me, and it was good physical conditioning."
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Training takes place on a bright blue mat called a deck, and it's done barefoot. The class starts with a bow-in and the recitation of the kenpo creed. A quarter of the way through the hour-long class, the children are punching at a hand pad held by Morrill.
Laura Laird, 39, watched as Morrill guided her three children through a fairly rigorous routine. The three are enrolled in the 4 p.m. youth class.
"I heard it's really good to teach them discipline and respect. It's very good exercise," said Laird.
"It's fun and exercise, and you don't have to wake up at 6 a.m. to do it," said Laird's 11-year-old daughter, Emma.
Ryan, Emma's 9-year-old brother, described his favorite part of class: "When you stand in front of the mirror and do the kicks."
The youngest Laird child is Adam, 6. His answer to Morrill's question about what can be blocked by your hand with a down block: "Missiles."
Morrill chuckled and said she hopes the kids won't have to block any missiles with their hands.
Morrill earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 2006 and intended to begin a new career in that field. But that job search stalled, and her job as a kenpo karate instructor tugged her in a new direction.
"The more I taught, the more I enjoyed it," she said. "There was a little girl who was so shy that she almost started crying when you looked at her. I watched her transform."
Morrill financed her studio with personal savings and help from family members. The search for a location took the Morrills to Continental Ranch.
"There is a lot of growth over here," said Morrill. "A lot of people in Continental Ranch hate having to go somewhere on the other side of Interstate 10."
Morrill's husband, Timothy, 45, works full time at Raytheon Missile Systems and helps instruct in his spare time.
Morrill said she hopes her students become confident and learn to handle themselves.
"I'm not teaching them karate so they can go out and use it on someone else. The whole point is to avoid a conflict — not escalate one," she said.
Kick it, karate-style
What: A.K.K.A. Karate USA.
Where: 7575 W. Twin Peaks Road, Suite 135.
Phone: 572-8669.
Hours: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; 9-11 a.m. Saturdays.
Classes: Introductory package is $20. Call for a schedule of regular classes and prices.
