Building Real Skills for Real Life in Parkwood, Philadelphia
Your child doesn’t need another screen, another practice that feels like a chore, or another activity they beg to skip. At Action Karate Parkwood, every class is built around real movement, real growth, and real fun for kids who are just starting out and adults who are ready to challenge themselves.
Adult Martial Arts Classes
Real fitness meets real discipline. Adult classes at Parkwood teach practical self-defense, build strength, and sharpen mental focus. All in an environment that respects where you are today and pushes you toward something better.
Kids Martial Arts Classes
Built for ages 7 and up, our kids’ classes teach more than kicks and blocks. Students learn to listen on the first ask, respect the people around them, and push through hard things. These are skills that show up at school, at home, and everywhere in between.
Ninja Sharks Ages 3 to 6 Classes
Big energy, tiny feet, and a whole lot of heart. Our Ninja Sharks program is designed specifically for young children who are ready to move, play, and start building focus and coordination in a safe, structured setting. Miss Kat Gallen, a 2nd Degree Black Belt who spent over a decade as a classroom teacher and administrator, leads this program with genuine expertise in early childhood development.
Special Needs Martial Arts Classes
Every student deserves to grow. Our instructors at Parkwood are trained in inclusive teaching methods using visual, verbal, and tactile cues and working with IEPs to make sure no student is left behind on the mat or off it.
Birthday Parties
Ditch the bounce house. A Parkwood birthday party means your child and their friends get a real Action Karate experience defined by high energy, big smiles, and a memory they’ll actually talk about at school on Monday.
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What Parents in Parkwood Keep Telling Their Friends About Us
The families who train here don’t just stay. They send their neighbors. And they all say roughly the same thing: this place changed something in my kid. Here’s why.
The Parkwood Martial Arts Facility
A 2,700 sq ft space built for serious training and serious fun. Big enough for every student to move freely. Small enough that nobody gets lost in the crowd.
1-on-1 intro session · 2 group classes · Free uniform · Money-back guarantee
No commitment. Limited spots available!
Meet the Team
Choosing a martial arts school is about more than the curriculum. Here’s why Parkwood families train with us.
Rooted in Parkwood Since 2003
Action Karate Parkwood has been training families in this corner of Philadelphia for over two decades. That’s two decades of belt ceremonies, of watching shy kids become leaders, of sending students into the world with more confidence than they had the day they walked through the door. This isn’t a branch that opened last year. It’s a neighborhood institution.
Miss Kat Gallen has been teaching at this location for 11 years. That kind of continuity means your child builds a real relationship with their instructor, not a revolving door of new faces.
Voted Best Martial Arts School in Philadelphia. Not a self-nomination but a recognition from this city’s families that something real is happening at this school.
Parkwood has long welcomed students with additional learning needs. Miss Kat’s background in inclusion models and IEP support means this is a school that actually knows how to teach every kind of learner, not one that just says it does.
Our Senior Demo Team competes and wins. And every student at every level is trained with the same attention to detail because the habits built in class translate directly to results on the mat and in life.
— Instructor Kat Galen, 2nd Degree Black Belt
1-on-1 intro session · 2 group classes · Free uniform · Money-back guarantee
No commitment. Limited spots available!
We're Right in the Heart of Parkwood
Action Karate Parkwood is easy to find and even easier to love once you’re inside. We sit between Dollar Tree and Citizens Bank, right near Philadelphia Mills Mall, the landmark most Parkwood families know better as Franklin Mills.
Philadelphia Mills Mall (former Franklin Mills Mall)
John Hancock Demonstration Elementary
Steven Decatur Elementary
Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush High School
Families from John Hancock Demonstration Elementary, Steven Decatur Elementary, Fitzpatrick Elementary, MAST Charter Schools, and Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush High School train with us regularly. If your child attends school in the Parkwood, Torresdale, Holmesburg, or Mayfair area of Philadelphia, there’s a good chance their classmates are already on this mat.
Our Role in the Community
Action Karate Parkwood has been part of the fabric of this neighborhood since 2003. We don’t just operate in the community. We show up for it. Our current Black Belt candidates are completing community service projects as part of their Link in the Chain requirements, a program that ties martial arts achievement to real-world contribution. And our Senior Demo Team represents Parkwood with pride at regional tournaments, earning recognition for skill, discipline, and teamwork.
Upcoming Events & Programs
From school workshops to summer camp programs — we’re out in the community every week.
FAQs Got Questions? We've Got Answers. Here are the things Parkwood families ask us most.
Learn More about Our Programs
