Talamantez Okinawan Shuri-Ryu

Do not be fooled by these fake postings...ex: --------------------------------------------- Dear ""Talamantez Karate"" My son ""blahblahblah"" you are the best ""blahblah"" Sincerely, -Fakename --------------------------------------------- Giving 1 star is too high in my opinion. If you want real reviews, find the ones that have legitimate user names and more sincere posts. These reviews were done by their instructors and the people they told to create accounts. These are the type of people Talamantez Karate are. Lying, deceitful, greedy, money hungry people that constantly remind you of how horrible of a parent you are because you refuse to increase you monthly payment to them. Good job guys, creating these fake accounts and fake reviews just helps us ""real"" people out by you showing your true colors. How childish. more

I would like to know how many customers of Mr. Talamantez are still paying without receiving lessons or still receiving inferior lessons because of his contract that cost parents on average of $200 - $400/month locked for 3 years? Not including belts and graduating cost that multiplies if you have a family taking lessons. Which was not disclosed at time of signing.\r \r I wouldn't mind paying for karate lessons for my kids, but when they become less interested and want to do other things after they have already given a reasonable try (2 years) I would think this karate school would understand and agree to terminate the existing contract. Not necessarily when you are Talamantez Karate who is legally collecting what essentially is free money ($400) from you and not providing you with a clean environment (dirty mats. My feet and my families are coated with black dirt after every class) and does not have to refund your money even if their service is inferior to other martial art schools.\r \r If you are a parent considering activities for your kids to learn discipline and a healthy way to improve their confidence and self-esteem, there are many business that would provide your kids this and not have you sign a costly contract in order for them to receive this service. My kids are now taking piano lessons and soccer and none of these reputable business have demanded or have swindle me in signing a contract that equates to a new car payment. \r \r I would question the integrity and validity of this business. This is my lesson learned as a naive parent that I should have questioned something wrong - why this nice guy would want me to sign a 36 week contract for my children to take karate? Legal contracts dont usually cross my mind when it comes to kid activities. That is my mistake and life lesson I learned the hard way not repeat again.\r \r I dont recommend this business or any business that provides activities for your children that hard sells you a service that will cost you a 3 year contract equating to thousands of dollars. The fine print was written well by his lawyers and should be a cause of concern for existing and future parents (consumers) interested in signing up for Talamantez family karate lessons.\r \r I am disappointed with this business and will file a complaint with the BBB with shallow hopes that this business will practice what it preaches and terminate this contract in good faith. But reading the complaints in this and other forums I won't hold my breath. I will forward this feedback to the Attorney General to investigate this business and its practices. I encourage you to do the same if you were wrong by this business and its owner. more

was at three years old and had never joined any kind of programs. until my mom put me in karate and it changed my life in the best of ways i had respect for myelf and the people i had talked to. but i left due to my constant moving. so i went on with my life and i felt empty in many ways i missed my constant bow twirling and my numchuk speed... i was a lost soul. until i was 16 i was visiting the dojo and i spoke with sensei perez. we talked and i soon relize i was ready to be back. so we set up a meeting with Master Talamantez on redlend. so once i saw him i was out of air. i have seen my master once agian. and this time i knew i was staying for good. i was finally ""home"". Meeting sensai Alex Talamatez (Masters son) and also meeting sensei Wurth who is very positive in many ways. As well as Sensei Griggs and she is one of the greatest martial artist i have known she has so much heart and soul in here every walk, laugh, and stances when you see her perform. she has outstanding pride in herself and others. i am greatful i will work with these amazing instructors. more

Mr. Talamantez,\r \r We want to personally thatnk you for offering a complete martial arts program for our son. Parker has been attending Talamantez since March of this year and we are amazed a the karate routines he has learned.\r Your program not only teaches the art of karate, but life lessons on communication, edcation, the respect of others and most importantly self-confidence. Parker is benititing from both the martial arts and life lessons you teach. He greatly admires yu and your staff and is excited to attend each session. \r Thank you again for providing a total martial arts program that will forever influence Parker in his journeys ahead\r \r Sincerely,\r Chris and Carlyne Bostdorf Pros: Excellent Benefits more

We have been attending and been ok.Seen reviews negative ones.I know what they meant all negative posted is true.Not their passion strictly about money.I pay 2 be treated ugly?Looking 4 a new dojo 2 attend. more

These guys are nothing but crooks and all of the instructors are no talents who could not place if they competed in the national tournament. I to was conned into signing a contract and was taught nothing of use. I moved up in rank to brown belt and i can tell you the belt is worthless. I have moved on to other schools and have experienced the difference in what true martial art. It was a complete shock to find out my brown belt from Talamantez was only equal to a white belt at another school. I have been able to move on gain brown belt status at other schools and competed in national tournaments and placed 1st , 2nd and 3rd. I can tell no one from talamantez school, including the instructors would be able to compete and place. \r \r more

I know you can't please everybody all the time, but it sounds like this place is not someone I want to do business with. Do I expect them to want to make money? Of course. But the fact that they require 1 year or longer contracts, even for small children, along with some other issues people have reported, are not very consumer friendly. How about 3-month terms? That way I'll know if my kids are getting some value out of the experience. Talamantez has no incentive in providing good, quality training once they have you locked in. I'm also concerned that I see no rebuttal from them here. Are they oblivious to these bad reviews? I think I'll look elsewhere for martial arts instruction for my kids. Pros: Nearby Cons: Show me the money! more

Our son began training with Master Talamantez over five years ago at the Encino Park Community Center. He was only 4 years old at the time and full of energy. We have always appreciated the time Master T took with him and the other children to instill qualities that are sometimes lacking in our society today (respect of your elders, self confidence and the ability of visualization to accomplish great things throughout life). He moved to the Bulverde School when it opened and began training with Alex Talamantez (Mister T to us). \r \r Over the years, we have seen our son grow not only in karate skills, but also in his life skills. One of best examples I can remember is from the Encino Park Halloween festival a couple of years ago. Mister T took our son and some of the other students to perform and as a part of the performance they broke boards. It took our son a couple of attempts to break his board, but he did. Afterward, Mister T interviewed each student on their performance. When he asked him about breaking the board, he took the microphone and began addressing the audience on the importance of continuing to try to reach your goals “if you don’t succeed the first time… Keep trying and never give up”. I was amazed that an 8 year-old child could speak to a group of 20 – 30 people with no fear. Another example of this was at a graduation at the Bandera School this year. Our son talked to the students and parents about his struggle to break a brick during his 3rd degree black belt test and how he kept trying and eventually succeeded. \r \r We are so pleased that our son has been involved with Talamantez Karate and the things he has learned from yourself and Mister T. It is rewarding to watch our son begin to teach other young students as they first begin their journey to becoming a black belt. It is also exciting to hear him talk about wanting to continue on with his karate and become an instructor like Master T and Mister T. Recently, we have seen some negative things written about Talamantez Karate online and we felt the need to write this review to share our experience of almost six years with your school. The journey our son has taken while becoming a black belt has been an investment of both time and money, but we believe it is an investment that will reward him throughout his lifetime. We have recommended the school to all we know and we will continue to do so. \r Pros: Instructors that really care about their students. Cons: A little expensive, but well worth it. more

About 7 years ago I was in terrible shape. I was operated on for a tumor in my head the size of a lemon. I had a high B/Pressure (we're talking stoke level). My kidneys were shutting down. I had high Cholestorol and I was 30lbs. over weight. The doctors had me on all sorts of medications. I had never taken anything more than Asprin before then. Shortly after my surgery Our kids received a pass for a free month of Karate classes, they wanted to check it out so we took them to a small place on West avenue to see what it was all about. There we met Master Talamantez. Wow! He is intense but, something seemed right. We ended up signing the kids up for classes (free) and it was all over from there. The Kids loved it and Master Talamantez suggested that My wife and I join them. With in two weeks we had signed up the whole family for a 36 month program. Yeah it was a little more than we should have spent at the time but you know, Our oldest daughter started doing better in school and our youngest became more confident. She was allways the quite one. My wife and I got in better physical shape and after about 6 months I was able to get off all of my medications, with doctor approval. Man, what ride it's been. I worry like most parents should, about the safety of my Girls, but you know I feel that they can now make right choices and defend themselves if they have to. Thanks to Master T, Mr. A. Talamantez, and Mr. Talamantez Jr. Mr. Perez, and all the other instructors we are all high ranks now and we're a really tight knit family. A family that kicks together stays together you know. Parents you must look at the big picture and to the future of your family. Thank you Talamantez Karate for a life changing experience. Pros: Discipline, Focus, Concentration, Fitness Cons: Not enough time in the day to attend more. more

Me being a LONG time student, I know how these people are. They have special classes that teach ""instructors"" how to con people. They take us to sporting events and get us to sign people up and bother people when they are trying to do things, they are hard solicitors. He has a marketting individual that we would meet with every sat. to go over soliciting tactics and practice on people to get them to sign up. He would NOT let me off the phone when i told him I want to cancel. He would call me every day saying stuff like ""Hey I ran into your friend at the store he says you should stay with us""and one time he brought my fiance into by saying ""I called you but your fiance answered and said you should stay with us""...even though me and my fiance both have different phones. I got conned into signing a $6000 contract..yes..$6000 I had to pay about $350/month. I injured my hand, and they said they would work with me, I went and got my medical release, but before I know it, I have a letter in my hand saying I had to pay $6000 in a few weeks or it would be turned over to account services.WHAT?!?..My injury made me really think and realize how money hungry they are. I was a student there for about 8 years a long time ago, when karate actually meant something to them.now its all about money. I see 5 year olds that are black belts that cant even stand up straight or throw a simple kick. Just because you train a child to say YES SIR 50 times in 1 hour doesnt mean he deserves his black belt. The reason why he promotes so fast is because with every rank up, he increases the monthly payment and makes the parent think that they are getting into a ""better"" program. Only thing different is MORE of a work out, which I can easily give my own kid at home. And he makes you feel like S%^& if you dont sign, like if you do not care about anything or anyone else. If anyone wants more info, email me EMPERIALMASSACREatYAHOO. Do not let these people con anyone else...they are money hogs. Pros: Close to hom Cons: Money hungry people who give no real instruction more

I, like most of the members of Talamantez Karate know for a fact that even though we are paying for the lessons and the weapons, money is not the only reason the instructors/owners are there. So many children today have no positive role models on a day to day basis. As a parent I need a positive role model for becoming a better leader to my child. I want my son to face challenges and strive to do better every day. Not whine and demand fairness ( life is not fair, get used to it now) The instructors teach that it does not matter what happens in the world around you but it does matter how you react to it. You decide to be a leader. \r I am sorry that the other people feel slighted by their experiences, but take responsibiltiy for your choices. You didn't stick around long enough to see what was really going on. Young people becoming strong capable individuals. Thanks to Mr. Talamantez and Mr. Perez at the Bulverde location, my son has something to brag about - his abilities and his self confidence and most of all , being part of a fun family. Pros: Fun, challenging, family oriented more

Very convenient how the only positive comment on this establishment is from one of the individuals complicit in the acts...thats right...an instructor at TFKC. I am embarrassed to have fallen victim to this scheme. Very ironic how the underlying message of honor is misrepresented in such a blatant fashion. He assured me that getting out of the contract due to my son's situation was no problem...guess what? Very big problem. DO NOT EVER WALK IN THOSE DOORS!!!! Pros: Only pro is proximity to my home Cons: Everyone employed their conned me! more

Be conversational: Write as if relaying your experience to a good friend. \r \r Be thorough: Mention your favorite products or services offered by this business, such as menu items, home delivery or spa treatments. \r \r Be local: Identify the neighborhood where the business is located and mention nearby attractions when relevant. Pros: Ex: strong margaritas, heated patio Cons: What are the drawbacks? more

We are also victims to this skam or con artists who calls themselves Talamantez Family Karate Center. My regret is not checking them out on the internet however, we were not given the opportunity to decide but it doesn't matter the minute you walk in you are their next victim. We did not realize it was a contract until after we asked for a copy of the form we signed and could not understand why we did not have an option to cancel. Believe me when I say they have done their homework! Mr. Talamantez has a son who is a lawyer and also owns one of the centers so he tries to intimidate you that they are doing the right thing. Just like the previous reviews, we learned right away that these instructors did not know what they were doing and my child was not getting the proper training or even the attention he deserved for $150.00 a month for 12 months. No one should be obligated to sign a contract for 12 months for a child that is under the age. I just can't believe this man, his family & staff can get away w/this as long as they have. Apparently they have been in business for 20 years and that is a long time. Not to mentioned the money inocent parents have spent, who only want the best for their kids. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO OTHER FAMILIES, WE WILL USE THE SAME CONCEPT FOR REFERRALS BUT INSTEAD WE WILL LET EVERYONE THAT WE KNOW & MEET TO KEEP THEIR KIDS AWAY FROM THIS KARATE CENTER. THERE ARE OTHERS WAYS TO MAKE COMPLAINTS AND VOICE YOUR CONCERNS BESIDES THIS WEBSITE LIKE THE TX ATTORNEY GENERAL. Rate ZERO Pros: none Cons: They con you out of your money w/out remorse! more

I was cheated out of $300.00 without my children even taking one class!! He was not supposed to charged my account!! After saying ""No"" three times, Mr. Talamantez himself consistently, aggressively pressured me until I gave in to him. He made me feel stupid for not giving him my credit card. He made it sound like I did not care about my children. While they were right there! Listening to his madness. Also in the room was one of his students. This is what he's teaching. How to hustle people out of their money. When we finally did attended classes all they did was exercise. Running in place, sit ups, and push ups anyone can do that. The worst part was the few minutes that they actually used the bags; there was no instruction! These kids were just going all at it. They could have really hurt themselves. There are proper ways to use the bags. They could have pulled a muscle, broken a thumb or toe. There was NO instruction! He promised small classes for ""Quality not Quantity"" but my kids were stuffed in that tiny room with 13 other kids plus three under qualified instructors.\r In one class of just warm up exercises; stripes or promotions were given to everyone in the class of all colors for no real reason! No test, No skill level or progress made. No explanation. What did they learn? What were the stripes for? To make the parents feel good. I saw yellow belts, orange, and even a green belt that could not even do a solid snap kick. That's white belt stuff. Sure they can say Sir! Yes! Sir! every 3 three minutes but what does that mean if they can't throw a decent gab, kick, or use a bag correctly? When I brought my concerns to Talamantez and his wife I was given attitude and and the run around. I was left feeling cheated and disappointed in myself for letting them take advantage of me. They are money hungry. They do not care about you, your kids, or the art of karate. They care about their pocket books. No Strars!! Cons: unprofessional more

Please do not get caught up in the whole hype of their baloney! Their actions speak louder than their words!!! Our family was unhappy with them and told them we weren't bringing our children anymore and they called us and wouldn't let us off the phone trying to convince us to stay. After speaking with other parents in different karate programs, the Talamantez Karate Center over charge for everything. They don't practice what they say they are trying to teach the kids in their program. I would never ever let my child in their door again!!\r \r PLEASE WALK AWAY!! IF I COULD OF GIVEN NO STARS THAT'S WHAT I WOULD OF DONE!! Cons: everything more

They pressure sell you until you finally give in & they won?t leave you alone until you do. Then you are locked in a ridiculous contract & they will not let you break it, even if you have a legitimate reason. So I am paying $200/month for 3 years & I cant even attend if I wanted to & they will not work with me. Don't ever go to Talamantez!!!!!!!!!! Pros: nothing Cons: everything more

you have to either sign a contract, or pay in full for a year, over $1000, even for my three year old!! Pros: same location for a long time Cons: children instructing class, short class times, pushy for money more