While most parents may catch up on work or cheer from the sidelines while their children hones their karate skills, Washington Township dad Matthew York  decided to join in.

Five years later, York and his 11-year-old twin boys Patrick and Zachary are glad he did. All three marked a milestone in their martial arts training, after earning their black belts together at Champions Martial Arts’ Black Belt Extravaganza last month.

“Karate is something I did when I was a kid, but I never got the chance to finish and get my black belt. When I got [Zachary and Patrick] into this, I saw Champions had kids in one room and an adult class going on in the other room,” York said. “I figured since I’m going to be there anyway, it made perfect sense for me to get in there, work out and finish up a goal I’ve always want to accomplish.”

Looking back on the changes he’s seen in himself and his sons — he’s down 35 pounds, and with the boost to their self confidence, his sons no longer worry about bullies — York’s amazed at the impact karate had not just in their physical health, but emotional as well.

“It’s something that we can share together. It was a really nice journey to our black belts,” said York, who also now teaches classes at Champions. “It’s something that very few people actually finish up and do. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to achieve.”

Sensei Nick Dougherty, head instructor at Champions, said that only five students in the 12-year history of Champions have earned an adult black belt, and he couldn’t be more impressed with the time and hard work the Yorks have poured into their training.

“When you go through a black belt test, you want to quit. You’re doing so many different push ups, going through training sessions, sweating, getting injured, but working with a family, they’re push each other. The support is there and everyone goes through it together,” Sensei Nick said. “The Yorks have never given any type of excuse. Quitting was never an option for them.”

They aren’t the first family to come through his doors to learn karate together, but it’s becoming less and less common as time and financial restraints weigh on families. It’s a shame, the sensei said, since there are so many benefits to working together as a family.

“It’s more of an individual sport, but when you go through it with family, you’re always working toward the same goals,” he said. “It’s an amazing accomplishment.

While the twins are technically junior black belts now, they’ll now move up and join their dad in the adult black belt class. They’ll be eligible to test again for their first-degree black belt in two years, and York will be able to test for a second-degree black belt in three years.

It helped they had each other to push and keep going, York said, adding he would run them through drills of their techniques at home in their “mini dojo” in the basement, and in return they’d drill him just as hard.

“It’s been a fun trip. I’ve been helping them, but they’ve also been helping me as well,” York said. “It was one of the proudest days of my life, getting my black belt with my kids.”