Tri-Valley Karate | Goju Ryu Karate for Kids, Teens & Adults in Pleasanton

Why families train here

We're a traditional dojo with a warm, family feel. Parents train alongside their kids, beginners train alongside national champions, and everyone gets real attention from Sensei.

Strength & fitness

Conditioning, core strength, balance and endurance. A real workout that builds week by week.

Flexibility

We stretch in every class, with yoga-style poses, so everyday things like lifting your kids or groceries get easier.

Confidence & discipline

Respect, self-control and focus, practiced on the mat and carried into school, work and home.

Family friendly

Small classes, a close-knit group and 30% off for a second family member. Train together.

13

Medals at the 2025 USA Karate Nationals

Nine Tri-Valley Karate athletes, ages 9 to 17, competed in Fort Worth, Texas.

4 gold 5 silver 4 bronze

Read the story

Our programs

Every student is welcome to try a class first, so you can see if it's the right fit.

Sensei with his family, all smiling in karate uniforms

Ages 6–10

Youth Karate

A focused, fun class just for kids, built on etiquette and good habits as much as kicks and punches.

Respect, compassion and self-control
Dojo etiquette, including cleaning up after ourselves
Basic stances, strikes, kicks and forms (kata)
Uniform included with membership

Adult and teen students with their instructors in the dojo

Teens & Adults

Teen & Adult Karate

Get in shape, de-stress and learn a complete martial art. It's never too late to start: our students range from teens to their 70s.

Alternating focus on kata (forms) and kumite (sparring)
Self-defense, breathing and body conditioning
Kids 6+ may join adult classes with Sensei's OK
Optional tournament training for those who want it

What a class looks like

Bow inLine up, dojo etiquette
Warm upGet the body moving
StretchLimber up
ConditionStrength & endurance
BasicsKihon & moving basics
PartnersPads, drills, kata or kumite
Cool downStretch & bow out

Class schedule

Train up to three times a week. For kids, we suggest twice a week to see steady progress.

Monday

6:00 – 6:55 pmYouth (under 11)

7:00 – 8:15 pmTeens & Adults

Wednesday

6:00 – 6:55 pmYouth (under 11)

7:00 – 8:15 pmTeens & Adults

Saturday

9:00 – 10:15 amEveryone: Youth, Teens & AdultsYouth finish at 9:45 am

Youth Teens & Adults All ages Members: see the online calendar →

One simple rate every month

No surprises and no contracts. Pick the plan that fits your life.

Start here

2-Week Trial

$79 for 2 weeks

Come to as many classes as you like for two weeks
Wear loose clothing and bring sandals
Bring a full water bottle
Come ready to have fun (and be pushed a little!)

Book my trial

Gold

Unlimited classes

Unlimited classes, up to 3 a week
No belt testing fees until brown belt
Brown belt and up: $50 per promotion
Best for kids and anyone serious about progress

Call 925-272-8348

Monthly plan

Silver

5 classes a month

Great for busy schedules
Five classes each month
Not recommended for youth under 11

Ask about Silver

No enrollment fee
No initiation fee
No deposit
No cancellation fee
30% off 2nd family member

Call or text 925-272-8348 for current monthly rates. Belt promotions are held every 4 months, after about 30 classes. Passing isn't automatic. You earn it!

Meet your instructors

Over 60 years of combined karate experience, and a real love of teaching beginners.

Sensei Sanjit Mandal (left) and Sensei John Crose (right) wearing medals at the USA-NKF Western States Championships — Sensei Sanjit Mandal (left) and Sensei John Crose (right) at the 2014 USA-NKF Western States Championships.

Sanjit Mandal · Chief Instructor

5th Dan (Godan) · JKF Goju Kai & Goju Ryu Seiwakai

Training in Goju Ryu since 1989; black belt at age 15
3× USA-NKF National Kata Champion (2014, 2018, 2018)
5× USA-NKF New England Champion
USA-NKF licensed referee since 2001
Trained in Japan, France, Hawai‘i and Mexico

Read Sensei Sanjit's story

Sanjit started martial arts in 1988 and began Goju Ryu a year later under Sensei Hiroshi Sakumoto, training four to five times a week. He earned his first-degree black belt at 15 and his second at 17, competing in kata and kumite as a junior.

When his Sensei passed away in 1997, Sanjit was inspired to keep training and to teach. At 19 he founded the Northeastern University Goju Ryu Karate-do Club in Boston, coaching students to national titles and over 250 medals, ahead of schools like Harvard, MIT and Brown.

He has tested before panels of senior JKF masters in Japan, Mexico and the U.S., earning his 5th dan in both the All Japan Karatedo Federation Goju Kai and Goju Ryu Karatedo Seiwakai in 2018. Often the oldest competitor in his division, he keeps competing to show that quality of training matters more than age.

His teachers include:

Seiichi Fujiwara, 8th dan Seiwakai & JKF Goju Kai
Leo Lepinski, 8th dan Seiwakai & JKF Goju Kai (passed away 2018)
Vassie Naidoo, 8th dan Seiwakai, Santa Monica
Jim Pounds, 7th dan Seiwakai, Austin
Johnpaul Williams, 6th dan Seiwakai, San Francisco

John Crose · Instructor

3rd Dan (Sandan)

2014 USA-NKF Western States Champion (18+ and 35+)
Former member of the AAU National Team
Competed internationally for the U.S.

Kind words from our students

Parents, kids and adults of every age.

We are very lucky to have a dojo like yours in Pleasanton.

Pleasanton mother

I really like your teaching style and enthusiasm. The class size is not very large so one gets really good attention to details from Sensei. Your patience for novices like me is commendable.

Pleasanton engineer & dad

Karate is my best insurance against aging. Training with kids a third of my age is truly challenging and gratifying. Try it and you won't regret it.

Romy Olea, Sandan, age 58

Outstanding instruction. Dedicated, trustworthy and competent instructor.

Pleasanton physician (dad & son both train)

My daughter changed from a different style of karate when we moved to Pleasanton. Thanks to Sensei, who made her comfortable in her first class, she quickly adapted.

Pleasanton mother

I never think of age as a factor. You are as young or as old as your mind tells your body. Karate has been a great benefit in keeping me fit.

Joe Palminteri, Shodan, age 76

Supportive environment, close-knit group and awesome instruction.

Contra Costa County deputy & dad

Read our Yelp reviews Follow us on Facebook

Our style

Goju Ryu: the hard–soft way

Goju Ryu comes from Okinawa, where Chojun Miyagi blended Okinawan karate with Chinese martial arts. It's a close-range style that balances power with flowing movement and focused breathing. We're proud members of the All Japan Karatedo Federation Goju Kai and Goju Ryu Karatedo Seiwakai, one of the largest karate organizations in the world, headquartered in Japan.

剛 Go

Hard: strength, speed and powerful technique from the hips.

柔 Ju

Soft: circular movement, breathing and flexibility.

History, kata & dojo etiquette →

Questions? We've got answers.

Still curious? Call or text us at 925-272-8348.

Do I need experience, or to be in shape?

Not at all! Beginners are welcome. Most of our students had never done martial arts before, and if they had, it was years ago. You don't need to be in shape either. Classes start slow so you can learn the basics, and we'll get you in shape together. Just be ready to work up a sweat.

I'm 30 (or 40, 50, 60, 70). Am I too old?

Age isn't a factor. Goju Ryu focuses on breathing and coordinating it with your movements, and we stretch at the start and end of every class. Many students say they feel younger within a few weeks.

How young can my child start?

Our Youth classes are for ages 6 to 10. Kids 6+ can also join adult classes at Sensei's discretion, case by case, since every child is different. We encourage every child to try a class first.

What should I wear to my first class?

Loose, comfortable clothing, sandals for walking to the mat, and a full water bottle. If you already have a plain white uniform (gi) from another school, you're welcome to wear it without patches. Please arrive 15 minutes early on your first day.

I've trained before. Do I start over as a white belt?

Maybe. Ranks vary from one dojo to another, and we keep a high standard. Talk with Sensei before your first class and we'll figure out what's fair.

How do belts and promotions work?

Promotions are held every 4 months, after about 30 classes. How fast you progress depends on how often you train, in class and at home.

"Karate is like boiling water. If you do not heat it constantly, it will cool." — Gichin Funakoshi

Is karate good for women and girls?

Absolutely. Women excel at karate on a level equal to men. The only place men and women are separated is in tournament divisions.

Is there a risk of injury?

Safety is our top priority, and we have a great track record of keeping members injury-free. You may get the odd bump or bruise from conditioning or sparring, but rarely anything more. Our training actually helps prevent injuries as we age.

What's the difference between karate and taekwondo?

"Karatedo" means "the way of the empty hand." Both arts use hands and feet, but Goju Ryu focuses on closer range, using hands, elbows and knees more. If you've done taekwondo, you're welcome here! You'll still get plenty of chances to kick.

Start your $79 2-week trial

Two weeks of classes for just $79. Send us a note and we'll help you pick the right class. Or just call or text. We love hearing from new students.

925-272-8348Call or text · 92-KARATE-4U
info@trivalleykarate.comWe check it all day
1040 Serpentine Lane #203Pleasanton, CA 94566

Proudly serving Pleasanton · Livermore · Dublin · Danville · San Ramon

Stronger body. Calmer mind. Karate for the whole family.