“Having never been involved in any form of martial art training, the Shining Mountain Dojo’s (SMD) Ju Jutsu program was completely new territory for me. Fortunately, what first seemed like a great opportunity to learn something new developed into an excitement I found myself looking forward to from week to week. Even as a beginner I found the program far from intimidating as the class environment encourages students to “do better” without pushing them to succeed. Finding that balance was one of the things I was most unsure about when walking into my first class and one of the things I feel most confident about today in continuing with the program. This is a testament to Shihan Hoggart and Sempais Mics and Scott. The way they teach not only makes the Dojo an enjoyable place to be but their skill level and interest in teaching with their students (not at them) raises the learning experience to a higher level. Despite learning to love Ju Jutsu for the art itself, I am convinced that it is the dedication and commitment that the SMD Sensei put into their classes that allows me to get so much out of them. The program no longer feels like something to try, rather something to work towards, and with the support that the SMD has demonstrated from the start, something that even beginners can find success at.”
Nikki Solano
