About
Machida Karate Academy offers group and private classes that include Machida Karate, self-defense, grappling, and throwing. The program includes Little Dragon Kids classes, Youth Samurai Kids classes, Teen Tigers Teens classes, and an Adult Program, with 1-hour classes taught by two senseis who teach skills and also include play in the lesson structure.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Programs follow a monthly rotational calendar with flexible class schedules and 1-hour classes; families can try one week free.
Machida Karate Academy is led by 6th dan Shotokan black belt and professional MMA fighter Chinzo Machida, who oversees the Machida Karate Academy Headquarters, the Machida Virtual Dojo, the Machida Associations, and a professional MMA team. Machida Master Yoshizo Machida holds the 8th dan in Shotokan Karate from the Japanese Karate Association and is president of JKA Brazil, and he founded the first Machida Academy in Brazil in 1980. In 2016, Chinzo and his brother Lyoto Machida, a 3rd Dan in Shotokan Karate, 2nd Dan in Sumo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, founded Machida Karate Academy in Lomita, CA. Takehiko Machida, a 5th Dan in Shotokan Karate and founder of the Machida Fight Fit chain of gyms, manages the Machida Fight Fit brand and his father’s Machida Academy in Brazil.
Machida Karate is a methodology focused on self-defense that uses Shotokan Karate as its foundation and includes grappling and throwing in its curriculum. It incorporates Bushido values such as resilience, a healthy and strong body, courage, and honor, and it revived techniques like elbows, knees, hooks, and grappling, combining them with distance management, timing, and precision. The Machida family has dedicated over 50 years to teaching karate and has been successful in Shotokan Karate tournaments and professional mixed martial arts competitions.
Many instructors at Machida Karate Academy are UFC champions, and the academy describes its instructors as top class, very skilled, patient, nurturing, and extremely qualified. Families describe the instructors and staff as friendly, knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and good at working with kids, and they describe the environment as family friendly with a welcoming atmosphere. Parents report that their children enjoy the classes, including Little Dragon (4–6 years) and Youth Samurai (7–11 years), and that teens and adults also participate in training. Multiple parents and students note that the facility is clean, modern, bright, and well maintained, and that the class schedule is flexible, with the option to attend a different class during the week if one is missed.
The academy’s mission is to foster the development of Machida Karate by empowering practitioners to master effective karate techniques for self-defense and by guiding them to reach their full potential through personal development and continuous learning. Testimonials from parents and adult students describe the program as combining traditional martial arts with newer practical techniques and mention that classes include fun games for younger children that work on coordination, balance, and awareness.
Last updated June 27, 2026.
• Ages: 4–18 years old
• Schedule: Programs follow a monthly rotational calendar with flexible class schedules and 1-hour classes; families can try one week free.
Machida Karate Academy is led by 6th dan Shotokan black belt and professional MMA fighter Chinzo Machida, who oversees the Machida Karate Academy Headquarters, the Machida Virtual Dojo, the Machida Associations, and a professional MMA team. Machida Master Yoshizo Machida holds the 8th dan in Shotokan Karate from the Japanese Karate Association and is president of JKA Brazil, and he founded the first Machida Academy in Brazil in 1980. In 2016, Chinzo and his brother Lyoto Machida, a 3rd Dan in Shotokan Karate, 2nd Dan in Sumo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, founded Machida Karate Academy in Lomita, CA. Takehiko Machida, a 5th Dan in Shotokan Karate and founder of the Machida Fight Fit chain of gyms, manages the Machida Fight Fit brand and his father’s Machida Academy in Brazil.
Machida Karate is a methodology focused on self-defense that uses Shotokan Karate as its foundation and includes grappling and throwing in its curriculum. It incorporates Bushido values such as resilience, a healthy and strong body, courage, and honor, and it revived techniques like elbows, knees, hooks, and grappling, combining them with distance management, timing, and precision. The Machida family has dedicated over 50 years to teaching karate and has been successful in Shotokan Karate tournaments and professional mixed martial arts competitions.
Many instructors at Machida Karate Academy are UFC champions, and the academy describes its instructors as top class, very skilled, patient, nurturing, and extremely qualified. Families describe the instructors and staff as friendly, knowledgeable, easy to talk to, and good at working with kids, and they describe the environment as family friendly with a welcoming atmosphere. Parents report that their children enjoy the classes, including Little Dragon (4–6 years) and Youth Samurai (7–11 years), and that teens and adults also participate in training. Multiple parents and students note that the facility is clean, modern, bright, and well maintained, and that the class schedule is flexible, with the option to attend a different class during the week if one is missed.
The academy’s mission is to foster the development of Machida Karate by empowering practitioners to master effective karate techniques for self-defense and by guiding them to reach their full potential through personal development and continuous learning. Testimonials from parents and adult students describe the program as combining traditional martial arts with newer practical techniques and mention that classes include fun games for younger children that work on coordination, balance, and awareness.
Last updated June 27, 2026.
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