Seido is a traditional Japanese style of karate. A number and variety of classes are taught seven days a week - ranging from foundational through advanced techniques; self-defense; kumite; and meditation - mornings, afternoons and evenings. All classes are taught in a brick and mortar dojo - dedicated to classes and events only at Seido. The curriculum is extensive and the instructors are committed to the progress of all karateka. If you are interested in - or looking for a community to join to work toward becoming more balanced and centered in everyday life - Seido may be of interest to you. read more

I have been training at Seido Karate for many years and my daughter also trained here from an early age all the way through high school. Seido operates an excellent, welcoming dojo and is easy to get to as it is centrally located near a lot of public transportation. Seido karate practice develops both the body and mind. Not only for building strength, endurance, and mobility but also for developing confidence and a positive outlook. This is a traditional Japanese dojo where you will learn practical combat skills. However, the culture is also very supportive and it's commitment to courtesy and respect attracts a diverse student body. I highly recommend this dojo whether you are looking to return to karate training or if you are just starting out on your karate journey! read more

I've been training here for many years, and it's been a wonderful experience. Seido is a serious dojo, with an emphasis on technique and on teaching students of every level the physical and mental elements of traditional Japanese karate. Members can take an unlimited number of classes, which are offered throughout the day, and the teachers are excellent. The feeling at the dojo is friendly and welcoming, and as a woman I really appreciated the respectful atmosphere and large number of high-ranking women. I have found many true friends here, and I highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a great karate school in New York City. read more

I have been training at World Seido Karate for 34 years. When I step on to the dojo floor all the stress from daily life leaves my body. Being able to train under Kaicho and Nidaime is a blessing I do not take for granted. A true authentic dojo run by a sincere family dedicated to teaching Karate for all! Seido is worldwide and I now have many wonderful friends around the world as well as NYC and throughout the United States. If you are considering a Karate school, consider that I and many others started with Seido in their 20's and still train in their 60's. read more

my son loves World Seido! He has been attending classes here for about 18 months now. The staff is like an extended family And they are amazing with young kids. There is a great balance of discipline, hard work and fun. read more

I started Seido Karate in 2017. I didn't really know much about Karate, other than what I've seen on TV. Besides the physical aspect of training, my mental state has improved tremendously. This is a traditional karate school, where we learn to be better contributing members of society. We are taught to respect and honor to those who have earned it and ourselves. We meditate on purposeful topics to improve our wellbeing. I highly recommend it. 10 out of 10!!! OSU! read more

I have been bringing my daughter to the 23rd street dojo for the past 7 years. She is currently a junior black belt. Training with Kioshi Greg, Sensei Simon and the other Sempi's has helped her grow into a strong, confident and smart young lady. I highly recommend Seido because it's a very family-friendly dojo with very caring instructors. My experience here as a parent has been nothing but positive. My son has also been training for past 3 years. read more

World Seido Karate - Karate Near Me - New York, New York

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Seido Karate is a martial arts school like none other. The setting is spacious and calm and most impressively, the atmosphere is friendly and respectful without the aggressively macho attitude one may expect in a martial arts setting. While Seido is steeped in the traditions of the Japanese martial arts, its founder, Kaicho Nakamura emphasizes the importance of everyone, regardless of age, gender or ability, to benefit from the study of karate. A class may include students with varying degrees of agility along with senior students who have been training for decades--everyone is included and encouraged to do their best and help each other. Lest you think that the training is soft, I assure you it is definitely not! The classes are high energy and may push you to your breaking point, but it's an amazing experience to work out with a group to find that you can achieve far beyond what you would be capable of going at it alone. One of my favorite aspect of training at Seido is the mental stimulation of constantly learning new facets of the art. The Seido system efficiently teaches techniques and with regular attendance you are guaranteed to improve. To learn the more in-depth aspect of karate, there are seniors who are always willing to teach and give pointers. There is a sense of humility even among the highest ranking seniors--there are regular students in their 60's and 70's who have been training with Kaicho for over 40 years-- that is inspiring. As a 43 year old who was never into health clubs or exercising--I never thought that karate would be my path to physical and mental well being, but Seido exceeded my expectations of what a martial arts school could be. My training has helped me with my insomnia, depression and the daily stress of living in the city. It has made me more confident in my body but also more patient and less prone to negativity. If you are looking to take up a serious exercise regimen in a positive atmosphere, I'd strongly recommend Seido Karate. read more

My daughter just recently began classes here. The vibe is positive, supportive and respectful. I was pleasantly surprised that there was no pressure to sign up or commit to anything. When she took a trial class, I hesitated to give my phone number for fear they'd call me and offer me a great deal on a two-year membership or something, like a health club I once checked out. Mercifully, they let us make all the moves. They offer adult classes at all levels and other things like Pilates in a big, nice space. The waiting area can get a little crowded and chaotic, though, when lots of kids are around. read more

This is the only authentic and completely legitimate karate dojo I know of in North America. I know because I've been searching for a good one for my kids in our area. You don't buy your belts here. You go for promotion when your instructor knows you're ready, not after you pay for a number of classes. Ranks are significant achievements. No 8 year old black belts (unless they earned it.) No distracting graphics or patches on your gi. No pressure, no stereotypes, no nonsense, only real karate at your own pace. As a teen I took classes with adults of all ranks. Completely affordable. Honestly, the cost could be anything, I'd pay it. The philosophy is completely focused on spirituality, community, and self growth. The absolute best community of students and teachers anywhere. Every. single. person. is. exceptionally. kind. I trained at Honbu for 12 years through the 90s, received my shodan, training under Sensei Gil (I watched him go from shodan to yondan. It was highly inspiring that even my teacher was training and ranking up) and continued until I left the area for school. I desperately want to go back. The impact it has had on my life is very significant, and I love that today I was able to rediscover it online and can share this enthusiasm with the world. I will be looking into attending the Westchester dojo and sending my kids as well. read more

I've studied Seido Karate (with Kaicho Nakamura, Jun Shihan Walter and Sensei Gil) for over two years during the 1990's and ended my training with a green belt. Without giving away the "experience" of learning Seido Karate and passing the belt promotions (esp. green belt), I can honestly say my training at the 23rd Street dojo was challenging and fun. Most of all, I've met alot of great and interesting people. I would recommend Seido Karate for anybody interested in learning a form of martial arts for exercise, motivation or as a hobby. The dojo is multi level and spacious. The programs are reasonably priced, taught by experienced black belts holders and the class schedules are convenient and very kids friendly. Osu... read more

There's a good reason I've been attending for 17 years. The classes are stellar, the teachers even better. Lead by a true karate master Kaicho T. Nakamura, this school teaches karate-do, how to improve yourself through much more than kicking and punching. Key training in awareness, focus, kindness and discipline. Great, encouraging fellow students to train with from pee wee to students over 80 years old. 7 days a week from 7 am to 9 pm on weeknights. Basics, stamina, endurance, fighting skills, even yoga are offered. read more

I've been going to this karate dojo for over 22 years. I started going there after leaving another dojo after a long time with them. Seido sparked my interest because it has many classes all day every day. Then, once I joined I not only loved the abundant class schedule, but training under a world renowned true master has been an amazing experience. Many great martial artists are the outcome of this dojo. I highly recommend it. read more

I started with Seido a few years ago, having studied Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan as a teenager for 6 years. With so many martial arts chains out there just looking to make a buck (franchise expansion, charging huge rates, selling you this and that)... I have to say that, these days, Seido is a very unique dojo, teaching a real traditional martial arts, and not one of these "profit machine dojos" that come and go. Kaicho and Nidaime (the founder of Seido and his son) teach many of the classes themselves, and run the dojo as a really positive place to learn, with students helping each other no matter what ability level, gender, etc. The dojo itself is run more like a family business (the rates are very reasonable), and a place that serves the community (there are special programs for the blind, mentally disabled, winter coat drives, etc.). On the training side, Seido Juku is a far more disciplined and intense martial arts than I was ever used to with Moo Duk Kwan; and while I did achieve cho-dan in Moo Duk Kwan, no offense to that form, but if I am ever fortunate enough to reach the black-belt level in Seido, it would really feel like a major life accomplishment. So to sum up: if you are just looking for just any gym to go work-out and only focus on physical training, you can get this at Seido, but you'd be missing the point. Seido is an ideal environment to learn martial arts at your own pace, but more importantly, to learn a martial arts form that encompasses not only the physical (endurance, kumite, etc), but mental (meditation classes) and more traditional (kata) elements of the martial arts. It's a really special place, and I feel lucky to have found it! read more

I've been practicing Seido karate at Honbu (World Headquarters on 23rd St) for a little over a year now, and joining was one of the best decisions of my life. I wanted to get back into karate as an adult after having practiced a couple of different styles as a child. I found Seido to be the perfect balance of mind, body and spirit. I absolutely love training at Honbu and only wish I could attend more classes during the week. Training here is pretty affordable, and worth every penny. The dojo is clean and everyone is very friendly. Also, I regularly keep my belongings in an unlocked locker and have never had any problems. Lastly, I highly recommend any class with Jun Shihan David! read more

This is a Karate Dojo steeped in tradition. Kaicho Nakamura who was a primary student of Mas Oyama teaches both the physical and spiritual aspects of Karate. For the ability to study with such a sincere master of the art I consider myself lucky. He will push you to your full potential and the rewards are worth the difficulty. Many of the instructors have devoted their life to the study of Karate and you can feel it in class. After training there for several years, I've come to think of myself as part of a "family" at Seido. There is an incredible amount of support that starts in the training and extends outward. Seido has got to be one of the biggest dojo's in NYC as well. If you want to get into great shape and learn something as while you're at it, this is the place. read more

Great dojo! I started April 2012 and I never looked back. The staff and students are not only friendly but very helpful as well. It's a great source of physical and spiritual inspiration. read more

My husband and I trained at Seido Honbu many, many years ago and loved it. Honbu had great people, great teachers (Kaicho, the grandmaster is truly worthy of great respect) and a huge well lit dojo. I was never in better shape than I was then, plus I could (probably) kick butt. Many years later and middle aged, my husband and I decided to return. There are closer dojos but we went back to Honbu where many people remembered us. Same great atmosphere, new teachers but still excellent and accepting of all different levels. The space is the same but they have air conditioning now (sometimes they just turn on the fans). I decided to start again as a white belt and work my way up. I am again hooked. I never leave without feeling better. I have to admit though that the first few months were rough and I didn't know if I could continue. I am now however in pretty good shape and don't need to use Advils. Nidaime (Kaicho's son and vice chairman) and Senpai PJ are my main teachers and they give me a great workout AND keep the classes interesting. My son is also training at Seido and loves it. The children's classes are very good. The waiting room during the afternoon and weekends do get a bit crazy with all the parents and kids around. Way more black belts. Very reasonal fees. Still can't hear Jun Shihan Walter! Cons- lately the classes have gotten big, so necessarily the exercises have to be more restricted. I suppose a good time to focus on basics. I have looked at other schools - Seido is THE BEST. read more

Seido is a wonderful style for all ages and abilities including people with special needs, children, retired people and everyone in between.

I've been training at Seido for the past five years and appreciate the community here unlike other martial art studios that overemphasize fighting versus spirit. Many great instructors with a wide variety of classes. read more

If you are interested in traditional Karate this is the best dojo in the world. Physically challenging for sure but with an emphasis on personal discipline and spiritual growth. A unique opportunity to train under a true grandmaster. All levels of physical ability and age are welcome as long as you are prepared to give 100% and strive for more. read more

Simply the best karate dojo in NYC. I moved from Japan to train under Kaicho(grandmaster) Nakamura for 10 years. If you like to learn traditional Japanese karate, look no further! read more

Seido is a perfect place to learn karate if you are interested in more than just kicking and punching. I joined 5 years ago because I was looking for the complete experience - both physical and mental - and I found it at Seido. It's made me more rounded person....and I'm also less worried about being mugged nowadays! read more