ZENTAI Martial Arts

ZENTAI Martial Arts offers Early Skillz for ages 3 to 4, with listening skills, coordination, following directions, and social interaction. It also offers Basic Skillz for ages 5 to 6, Core Skillz for ages 7 to 9, Extreme Skillz for ages 10 to 14, Teens Martial Arts for ages 15 to 17, and Adult Martial Arts for ages 18+.

Programs

• Early Skillz — 3 to 4 · Kids martial arts program focused on listening skills, coordination, following directions, and social interaction.
• Basic Skillz — 5 to 6 · Kids martial arts program focused on attention, basic discipline, social skills, and self-confidence.
• Core Skillz — 7 to 9 · Kids martial arts program focused on confidence building, focus and concentration, teamwork, and mental and emotional development.
• Extreme Skillz — 10 to 14 · Kids martial arts program focused on leadership development, personal responsibility, advanced techniques, and mental and emotional resilience.
• Teens Martial Arts — 15 to 17 · Teen program focused on physical fitness, self-defense skills, mental toughness, and a structured outlet for energy.
• Adult Martial Arts — 18+ · Adult program blending Taekwondo, Karate, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and Krav Maga.

At a glance

• Ages: 3–18 years old
• General schedule: Kids programs (ages 3 to 14) run at all four New Jersey studios. Teens and Adults classes are offered at Belleville.

About the provider

ZENTAI Martial Arts opened in 2016. The program says ZENTAI means "whole" in Japanese and states that it develops the complete person: body, mind, heart, soul, and spirit. It also says it is building leaders, not just martial artists. The leadership team is Grandmaster Allen De Pef1a and Naomy De Pef1a. ZENTAI says it is ranked #1 martial arts school in North Arlington and Bergen County and #1 in all of New Jersey, and it lists awards including Best Martial Arts School in New Jersey by BusinessRate and Best of 2026 Skillz Center of the Year.

• Birthday Parties — Games, entertainment, real martial arts moves, full setup and cleanup.
• Summer Camp — Full summer care or weekly sessions with martial arts, games, leadership challenges, and other activities.

Book Your Free Trial Class; no commitment required; 30 minutes. Parents are welcome to stay and watch or drop off during class. ZENTAI says it offers age-specific classes from age 3 through adult.

What families say

“Ridge Road is 4 minutes from our house in Lyndhurst. My son has been going for a year and he stands up straighter — literally.” — Anthony G. · Lyndhurst

“My daughter was being picked on at school. Six months in at ZENTAI North Arlington and she's the confident one now. Worth every dollar.” — Rachel V. · North Arlington

“We cross the bridge from Kearny three times a week. The Ridge Road instructors get boys — they know when to push and when to let them be seven.” — Luis F. · Kearny

Last updated October 21, 2026.