Reviews of Shunato Karate and Fitness Center

I took my first kickboxing class February 8, 2014. I had known Sensei Kato for years and knew I was in good hands, but I was extremely nervous walking in. I've always been accident prone and clumsy, and kickboxing sounded dangerous. The warm and friendly greeting I received when I walked in quickly relieved my anxiety. I made it only 20 minutes through the 45 minute class. It was hard, and I hadn't brought my water bottle. I sat and talked with Tina while I re-hydrated and signed up for a monthly membership. I felt like I'd been hiking in the Sahara, and I wanted to do it again, and again, and again. It was so much fun!

May 9, 2015 I completed the Spartan Race Citifield Sprint as a member of Team Shunato, something I never dreamed I'd ever be able to do, and would not have been able to without the constant love and support from the entire Shunato family.

I celebrated my 2 year anniversary with Shunato by doing a 5K Run for the Wild at the Bronx Zoo sponsored by Shunato Karate.

Shunato is more than just another dojo. Yes, you'll learn karate, kickboxing, self-defense, and yoga in a safe family friendly environment, and you'll have improved focus, concentration, balance, and confidence. You'll sweat from EVERY part of your body, and you won't be able to remember a time when your muscles weren't sore. You'll slim down and tone up. You'll have more fun doing it than you can imagine. The best part? The people. It is truly a family, inside and outside of the dojo. You are accepted and loved for who you are, encouraged and supported for who you want to become. It is a life changing experience you won't find anywhere else.

After starting in a different school, my 3 kids have been attending Shunato Karate for several years. We've been with them since they were in their first location, and now love the bigger new school they moved into. Sensei Kato is a caring, kind and exceptionally skilled instructor. He treats every student with equal respect and has taught my children so much. In addition to learning the basics, getting lots of exercise and being held accountable to maintain high standards, students are given opportunities to develop leadership skills and confidence, which is something they NEVER experienced in the school we came from. I love that all the instructors including Sensei Kato, Sensei Omar, Sensei Jon and Sempai Ghazala continue to study martial arts, even though they all have many, many years of training under their belts. I highly recommend Shunato Karate to anyone who is looking for a well-run school, where kids will learn from professional, experienced instructors.

My kids have been attending classes at Shunato for a few years now. We transferred from another karate school in the area, and the difference is unbelievable. At the other school we were just going through the motions and it felt like it was always about the money. At Shunato, my kids get very personal attention and Sensei Kato is great. He knows every kid on the mat, what their strengths are and what they need to work on. He has tremendous patience and manages to get the best out of each individual. It's because he truly cares and doesn't just see dollar signs when he looks at the students. The other Senseis are fantastic, as well, and each one has outstanding credentials. They support the tone of the school and it makes for a warm and welcoming atmosphere. I can really say that Shunato is like a home away from home for my family and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great place to train.

Excellent variety of martial arts and fitness programs.

When The Shunato Karate Center first opened my 11 year old daughter was so excited to learn karate. Since than she has just blossomed and can't wait to go to class whenever she can. Soon after, my husband has jumped into the kickboxing classes and has also made a real commitment to attend at least 3 times a week and getting into shape. It took awhile, but I myself have now joined in the whole kickboxing scene. Sensei Kato makes class both fun and gives you a fantastic workout at the same time. You find yourself leaving class with a big smile on your face because you had so much fun while getting a great workout in! Our daughter also takes kickboxing for kids and she loves it as well. It truely doesn't matter how old you are or what shape you are in, if your looking to get in shape than Shunato Karate Center is the place for you! As you enter, you are welcomed to a calm, peaceful atmospher with refreshments and a wonderful staff. What more can you ask for?

I checked out many schools in the area before I enrolled my kids in another school in Oceanside. I was not completely happy there but my kids loved one of the instructors so I continued to put up with the situation. When Sensei Kato left to open his own school, there was no question we were going to follow. He has created a beautiful karate school. It's very clean and comfortable. The classes are well run and my kids can't wait to go to karate each day. There is such structure that both my son and daughter are progressing much more quickly now because they understand what is expected of them. They are allowed to ask questions and I find the whole atmosphere to be much more welcoming. And now after not working out for years, I started taking kickboxing and I feel great. Shunato has everything I want in a karate school and for less money than I was paying before!