Typical martial-arts classes start with a slow ramp up before students use their skills. But at Discovery Martial Arts, students are instilled with methods of self-defense from day one. Students of all levels and ages learn the time-honored skills of the ninja in Discovery's dojo under the direction of John Poliquin, holder of multiple black belts and student of grandmaster of To-Shin Do Stephen K. Hayes and ninjutsu grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi. During ninjutsu classes for little ninjas, aged 4–7; youth, aged 7–13; and adults, aged 14–immortal, budding ninjas are instilled with ancient-warrior disciplines as they discover how to thwart threats, such as schoolyard bullies and malevolent office temps, through efficient self-defense techniques. Besides the physical and mental fitness gained in lessons, young students also unleash their inner confidence and learn self-respect, the value of teamwork, and how to set and achieve goals.