It’s been two years since Robert Harp opened Harp Karate in downtown Washington. Harp, by his assessment, said business has been moving in the right direction in that the dojo has been attracting the right kind of people.

His definition of the right fit for his dojo is fluid. He’s pretty firm in requiring that children interested in karate be at least 10 years old because of how quickly his classes move. Other than that, his goal is to attract people that are genuinely interested in learning the martial arts and are willing to become a part of the Harp Karate family.

“The group we have here is very close like a family,” Harp said. “We communicate wonderfully … That’s what I really like about it. Instead of coming, paying, exercises and leaving, we can talk to the parents and the students a little more one-on-one about health issues and problems.”

Harp said he works with many people that are suffering from some sort of physical ailment. He urges those that may be interested in karate but aren’t in top-notch physical condition to give it a chance anyways.

Your knees hurt? Let’s work on punching. You can’t make a fist? That’s fine. Practice your forms. You have limited flexibility? Don’t worry because karate will improve that.

“When people think about karate, they think about the movies,” Harp said. “They think about how high can you jump and how many boards can you break. Not everybody can do that. To others, coming here is more therapeutic for their mind as well as any ailments.

“People tend to shut down their lives because they can’t do one thing. You’re supposed to take your strengths and build on that, not attack a frailty and wear it into the ground. If you can’t use your right hand use your left hand.”

For those that are weary about giving it a shot, Harp encourages them to try a free class. If they like their first class, he generally offers them a couple more complimentary lessons because he wants them to be sure about it.

“If they have a problem, I say, ‘let’s see what you can do,’” Harp said. “At the end of that day, the end of the week and the end of that month, you will not be the same person. Other people will see the transformation and you will see it, too. If the school is willing to work one-on-one, then you’re going to have a strong school.”

Harp stresses karate’s mental benefits just as much as he does the physical benefits. He takes pride in the family atmosphere; that the simplistic white walls, hardwood floors and faint scent of incense make up a sort of happy place for his students.

“We want this experience in the dojo to be a positive, soothing, nurturing kind of deal. Things are difficult … If there’s something on your mind, it’s got to be addressed to get it off your mind. That’s why one-on-one or in small groups, we can float in and out of each other’s head and be able to focus.”

Harp also offers plenty of self-defense classes for women. His philosophy is to make his students ungraspable by teaching them to escape literally any kind of hold.

Whether it’s teaching self-defense or trying to help students improve their physical and mental wellbeing, Harp has set out to better the quality of life in Beaufort County. That, after all, is his primary objective. He cares about the business aspect of the dojo in that he wants it to thrive so that he can continue to help the community.

“It’s not all about money,” Harp said. “Students appreciate that. To be completely honest, sometimes I forget about money and they’re late with a payment and they remind me. That’s what I love. They should be thinking about that. Not me. It shows a lot of character from the students.”

As Harp Karate thrives, so too will his students, which is what really matters to Harp.