We love Zen Dragon!!!! Our son has been coming since he was 3 (now 7) and now our daughter (3) has just started!! We love the focus on foundation, community and building strong minds and bodies!! The Sensis' are great, especially with children who are young and starting out (and maybe need a bit more attention and direction!) and we love the fun events like Ninja night where they can bring friends! read more

Master Jennifer's dojo is a treasure of the PNW. Her team is incredible, each bringing their own aspects to the martial arts journey that leads to a well rounded experience and education. Sensei Amanda is so welcoming and great at teaching forms, Sensei Raven is incredible at helping students embrace a growth mindset and Sensei Taye has a breadth of knowledge he can easily break down into digestible terms. Master Jennifer fosters inspiration in her students in their techniques and exploration of philosophy that is applicable inside and outside of the dojo. Students here are friendly and welcoming, and losing ~40 pounds in 6 months through the exercise doesn't hurt either. If you're curious, try out a class. You won't regret it! read more

As a woman in her early 40s, fresh out of a tough divorce, this is just the place I needed to find. In the last year I have gained confidence, self-defense skills and belief in myself. I highly recommend it for you and also for your children, it is fast becoming an important community to our family. They are patient but know how to get you to try things, and are inclusive and accepting of all types of people. I look forward to going to my personal session and also to group class every week. From my 13 year old daughter: Z ultimate is an amazing place. It acts simultaneously as a gym, a community, and a hobby. Everyone is welcoming, regardless of your rank or experience. The instructors treat you with kindness and don't push you past your boundaries. As a result of this, you learn fast, and enjoy it. If you are looking to try martial arts, Z ultimate is the place for you. From my 11 year old child: Z ultimate is a hardworking community made for people of all ages to learn self defense. I go to Z ultimate and find that it not only makes me physically stronger, but also makes me feel stronger inside. I recommend going to Z ultimate and learning, and it is not scary on your first day, don't worry; they are a very welcoming community to join. So I recommend Z ultimate defense studios to you. read more

Zen Dragon Martial Arts - Self-defense Classes Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I've been taking my kids here for I almost four years. They're very easily distractable but the great teachers at this place really help them focus, and they've been making steady progress since they started. The dojo is open now with social distancing rules in place, but even during the start of the pandemic, we were able to delay a couple classes and make them up later using either zoom lessons (which work better than you would think) or socially distanced lessons in the park. If you're looking for something to keep your kids engaged until things open up again, this is worth signing up for. (I think they have adult classes to but I can't speak to that). read more

My children have learned respect, focus, and other skills along with fitness and self-defense. When I pick them up after a class, they are remarkably different children, more present and self-confident. The instructors are wonderful, in particular, they enjoy Sensei Jaron who is a source of inspiration for them. My 11-year old son told me that when grows up, he wants to be Sensei Jeron. The annual regional tournaments are great. My kids had to get over being anxious to compete. Over the years, they've won huge trophies and they've also experienced defeat, learning to cope with big emotions and with how to win and how to lose with resiliency. My kids have been going for several years and have goals to become black belts. read more

The instructors are wonderful to work with. They tailor the private lessons to meet your needs and help you improve on an individual basis. The group lessons are excellent workouts and offer you the chance to work with people of all ranks. I've been going to this dojo for four years, during which time my physical and mental health have both greatly improved. Now my son getting the benefit of their instruction as well, helping him improve his focus and discipline. Highly recommend this dojo and its instructors. They're amazing. read more

Jennifer is awesome! She requires respect while making learning fun. The kids learn good form while building self confidence. Two thumbs up for Z-Ultimate in Ballard. read more

$175 a month for two 1hr group sessions and one 30 minute private lesson a week. The instructors work so well with children & adults. They really work well with your availability when scheduling classes. Kudos for kind instructors, tough lessons, & AIR CONDITIONING! ahhhhhhh :} read more

My son Joshua V has been coming to this studio since it opened in August 2010 and he loves Sensei Jennifer. The best martial arts studio in Seattle. Come down and see the studio it has a very welcoming atmosphere and you will feel like family here. read more

Zen Dragon Martial Arts - Self-defense Classes Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have been a student here for a while and find Sensei Jennifer's method of teaching Kempo to be incredibly effective. Since the dojo offers private lessons, it is much easier for students to get more one-on-one attention from the instructor. The facility is spacious and well-maintained. Highly recommended! read more

See all

My son has been taking classes here since they openned. He is 7 and has mild autism making these kinds of activities challenging for him. The instructors are so calm, patient, and professional, he has loved it from his first class and has gained so much confidence from the experience! His balance, agility, and body awareness have also improved. Sensei Jennifer is such a great teacher and such an honorable person. She has built a wonderful learning environment. Obviously, I strongly recommend this place! Sara W. read more

My wife & kids have been attending classes there for 4 years - and we love it. The instructors know what they are doing, especially with the young ones. My children look forward to going - which is saying something. They know how to direct and focus even the youngest of children, doing everything to ensure that they learn respect and patience as well as martial arts. As for adult learners: the senseis are excellent with them as well. I can't say enough about how much we like everything about the dojo. It is fun, convenient, and educational. It's a very welcoming environment, and the material taught is a combo of traditional forms and practical self defense techniques. The fees include group classes as well as a private lesson each week, which is what sets this dojo apart from most. According to my wife: "The private lessons are immensely helpful for beginners, for mastering a particularly difficult technique, or for advancing more quickly if you have had prior experience with martial arts. As much as I enjoy and would recommend the adult classes, my kids (ages 7 and 11) love the kids' classes as well. I have seen a tremendous improvement in both their physical skills and their behavior since they started, and they are genuinely excited to go to every class. Plus, the location is great - there is a garage for parking, and I can run next door to Trader Joe's to pick up groceries while the kids are in class." read more

We've been attending classes at the Ballard location for 8 years. We've had many senseis over the years and they are consistently positive, flexible and personable. My kids enjoy the challenging and engaging classes. I appreciate how hard they work to push each student to do their own best in a firm yet supportive way. read more

I have been a student at Z-Ultimate for the past year, and I absolutely love it! The senseis are all helpful, kind, clear and positive, while also making sure you are challenged. The combination of group classes and weekly private lessons helps you make the most of your time at the dojo. I have especially appreciated the dojo's attention to safety. I have continued to attend classes at Z-Ultimate while pregnant (currently 5 months along). The senseis have all been very careful to make sure my lessons are truly non-contact, and otherwise modifying lessons to make sure they are safe for me and my baby. (My OB approves!) Overall I have been thrilled with my experience here, and can't recommend this dojo enough. read more

Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios in Ballard delivers value for the money. They really care for the learning process of the students and always work with the parents to make sure their children will get the best possible experience. I'm very pleased that we found them. From day 1 they showed me they knew what they were doing making sure our objectives were aligned. All the instructors have shown to be very professional and caring. During this pandemic they quickly adapted to continue providing the same quality in martial arts training while following CDC guidelines. Sensei Jennifer is always very attentive and responsive to the students needs. read more

One of the best staff/teacher bodies I've had the pleasure of interacting with. They're super accommodating and the love of the martial arts comes through in every aspect of the school. Highly recommend for adults looking to train or get back into the martial arts. read more

My son has been taking classes at this dojo for over two years now and loves it! The instructors are exceptional: a just-right blend of focused, serious teaching plus some fun and games to keep the kids enthusiastic in every class. Each student attends semi-private lessons according to their schedule, where you get lots of careful attention in very small groups. The instructors are very helpful in organizing your schedule around school hours, other sport practices, vacations, etc. They also have some very well-run and fun community events like tournaments, Ninja Night for kids, and special classes in basic self-defense, etc. Sensei Andrew just taught a basic karate class with some Stranger Danger tips to a large group of kids at our kids camp and it was great! The kids were all ages, so it took some skill to keep them on track, but Sensei Andrew taught some basic strikes and blocks plus some common sense safety tips for kids to practice and discuss with their parents. I highly recommend Z-Ultimate Ballard if you are interested in learning martial arts. read more

My kids have attended this dojo for almost two years now. It was recommended to us by my child's physical therapist, and it has been the best therapy! The senseis push to build physical strength and mental confidence, guiding them to a level they often don't know they're capable of reaching. My other child tends to be very impulsive and when I asked him the other day how he feels when he walks out of the dojo, he didn't even take a moment to think about his answer -- he replied firmly with, "confident". Mission accomplished. :) read more

My 7 yr old son has been going there for a few months and he loves it! He says, "it's exercise with fun, and it gives me focus." We've been very impressed with how Sensei Jennifer and her team teach the kids karate skills and a focus that permeates into the rest of his life. The Ninja Dollars keep the kids motivated to behave well in class and my son loves adding the patches to his karate clothes! Thank you, Sensei Jennifer! read more

Fantastic!. My daughter has been taking lessons at this studio for almost a year now. She has learned so much in this time. The instructors are very dedicated, caring, and fun too. The studio is beautifully decorated with a warm and friendly atmosphere, read more