Americas Finest Self Defense Academy

Tae Kwon Do is considered to be the most effective fighting art ever developed. It is a physical science, where each move carries maximum power, speed, accuracy and balance. Literally translated from Korean, Tae means “foot” or “to strike with the foot,” Kwon means “fist” or “to strike with the hand,” and Do means “discipline” or “art.” Therefore, taken together Tae Kwon Do means “foot, fist, art” or “the art of kicking and punching.” Modern Tae Kwon Do is a unique form of martial arts that combines the flowing movements of numerous Chinese styles with the quick movements of various Japanese systems.

Since 1960, this dojo has been shaping fighters across every age and background—from curious kids to seasoned law enforcement professionals. The crisp winter months bring a particular energy to the mat, with the focused intensity of training contrasting beautifully against the quiet season outside. Operating as the Miyama Ryu Hombu Dojo, the school channels decades of experience into judo, ju jutsu, and karate instruction for anyone ready to step onto the floor.

Kyoshi Paul Sookdar, a Fifth-Degree Black Belt and co-founder of the Kenshikai Karate Association, has been studying martial arts for over thirty years and teaching for over twenty. He began training at the age of six at Jerome Mackie’s school in New York City, and after two years moved to the Kyokushin school of Kaicho (Grandmaster) Tadashi Nakamura at 14th Street in Manhattan. Here, he first found his love of traditional Japanese style karate based upon the principles of discipline, self-respect, and courtesy.