Can't say enough about this place! Run with a staff of highly talented martial artists, and the head instructor is absolutely phenomenal. The place is always clean, and they just upgraded to new floor mats for training! Great for any age! read more

Found this amazing team On yelp. Very helpful and extremely welcoming. My son is 5 years old and he can be a goofy character (always smiling and making jokes) . He mentioned he wanted to try karate so I Brought my son for his first class and to my surprise , the first practice class was at no cost. He loved it and learned the first lesson. We look forward to going back! Definitely recommend! read more

I moved my 11 year old daughter to this dojo from the dojo she had been attending for 5 years (same company different location) and we couldn't be happier. All of the senseis at this dojo are disciplined and have high expectations but are also clearly focused on helping each student achieve their best. All of the students leave class with smiles on their faces because the senseis seem to see EVERY kid. The senseis at Norwalk have renewed my daughter's love of the discipline . The practice gives her confidence and determination to achieve goals. The friendly atmosphere and attentive instruction has really helped her grow in skill and technique. I couldn't be happier with the many ways the senseis at Norwalk have impacted my daughter. read more

My son who was diagnosed with autism has been attending here for over 5 months and I have seen a massive change not only on his social skills but as well on his attention skills. Sensei Marcos is great with the kids and all of the senseis as well! read more

I started attending classes here just a couple months ago and the community here at this dojo is incredibly welcoming and patient, especially for newer students. You'll definitely learn a wide variety of skills, from self defense, sparring, disarming techniques, and of course martial arts forms and techniques. Sensei Marcos and the people here truly want to help you out and will encourage you every step of the way. Sensei Marcos is amazingly skilled and knowledgeable so you're bound to learn something from him, even outside of martial arts. Training here has been hard work and you will be pushed to your limits so be prepared! But do know that, in doing so, Sensei Marcos will help you reach that potential of yours. read more

Very professional. Great with kids. Highly recommend. They worked with our students on initial self defense lesson. Students went away having fun and feeling empowered. read more

Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios - Self defense lesson - Martial Arts Near Me - Norwalk, California

I came back after 10 years ago when I trained from white to blue-green belt, and I am totally loving it still. The camaraderie you build with your fellow students, getting trained by one of the most coolest Sensei's ever (Sensei Marcos) I always have a good time when I come here, just like back then. You not only train physically, but it's a mental and possibly spiritual journey as well. Sensei has such a great outlook on life and an amazing personality, he makes every session always fresh/new/engaging and I constantly feel like I'm leveling up each time I attend. Norwalk for life! read more

Love training and teaching here ! Martial Arts for all ages ! It's great to learn and have fun at the same time !

We just started my two sons (ages 7 and 5) in the younger kids program. It's been 2 months but I won't lie, I should have posted a review in the first visit due to HOW much we LOVED Sensei Marcos from the getgo. Sensei Marcos the primary reason why we love this place. He is very good with kids (no, not in a creepy way) and even seems to make the adults watching/waiting laugh too (which if you are anything like me, waiting for our kiddo's activities is OFTEN...and also mind numbing). From the first visit, he offered both my children a "one month" free trial which was 3 days a week attending AND a free semi private 30 minute lesson (per week!!). Now that it has been a few months, I've noticed that each class has the same flow to it. However, he changes up the specific stretches and activities which seems to keep ALL the students interested. They always have a blast. Something I find REALLY cool is his attention to detail with the students. One time before a class, the kids were talking about "Would you rather...". Sensei Marcos heard, and incorporated it into his class. It's things like that that make us LOVE this studio. I've also noticed at each class, he pops out of his studio to shake hands with each parent. It makes us feel like family. I will add to my review about the actual Karate when the boys have been here for longer!! But I think everyone should take their kid here for Karate, discipline, and fun! read more

Our daughter has been a student here in 9-10 years, and has earned her black belt degree and some tournament success. However, the martial arts aspect is not the only thing we're mostly thankful for but the self-confidence, self-discipline, drive, focus, respect, and all the positive influence Sensei Marcos (who is great with kids) and his instructors/assistants have employed on our daughter and the rest of the students. read more

I can't say enough about this place. Sensei Marcos is amazing - he has won my kid over and that's hard to do, believe me. He's patient, caring, and supportive but very firm. He makes sure the kids know about respect, honor, and discipline. I am really impressed with Sensei. My son is competing next weekend and will be testing for his Yellow belt in 2 weeks - mind you, he's been with Sensei since 8/30 so he's making great progress. If you've been looking for a dojo for you or your child, look no further - Sensei Marcos runs a tight ship and you will be very pleased. read more

If you are looking for a Karate school that will build up confidence, mental focus and discipline. Z-Ultimate in Norwalk is the place and the BEST! The Dojo is clean and well organized. The Instructors maintain a high level of excellence and professionalism. Everyone is respected equally despite of age, gender and rank. Sensei(s) are very friendly, approachable and very accommodating. I've been taking my daughter (7 years old) at Z-ultimate in Norwalk for about 2 years and she absolutely loves it. She's always excited to attend her classes, look forward to belt testing(s) and tournaments. So if you are looking for a karate school, check out Z-Ultimate in Norwalk, they have the best Dojo and Sensei (Marcos & James). read more

It's intimidating to even walk by a dojo much less enter it. Everyone inside must be hardened into rocks and must have trained to punch themselves out of a buried coffin like Kill Bill. Right? Not even close. We discovered this place through the website and went through their free 30-day trial period. After emailing Sensei Marcos, we scheduled to start our trial. It was definitely intimidating walking up to the door. But once you're through, you are greeted with smiles and friendly faces all around. Everyone knows what it was like to walk through the door for the first time and were very supportive. While we clumsily tried to keep up, we had a lot of fun going through exercises and self-defense lessons. You actually learn something cool and applicable even in your first class! The overall tone wasn't what you see in tv and the movies; Sensei Marcos makes sure everyone has a good time while still maintaining discipline. Honestly, even if you are remotely interested in self defense, picking up a hobby, trying to lose weight, bulking up, controlling stress, etc., you have to give this place a shot. It may not look like much from the outside and it may seem intimidating, you won't regret it. The only downside we faced was the monthly cost (which is, on average, higher than most competitors in the area). But due to the quality of lessons we received, we could see why people signed up and found Z Ultimate worthwhile. read more

I love Sensei Marcos. He is the best instructor I know. He knows his stuff and he's great with students of all ages. He has taught self defense to my daughter for several years. I also was taught by him before I had my son. I can't wait until my son is old enough to go. read more

Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios - Come in for training - Martial Arts Near Me - Norwalk, California

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Sensei Marcos is a wonderful teacher and mentor for kids and adults alike. He consistently has more kids winning trophies at the tournaments than many other dojos, even those with a much higher number of students. We have had two boys train with him over the last 12+ years and would highly recommend his dojo. read more

Sometimes people ask me if I'm scared of Sensei Marcos Rubio. I am not. I am only scared of things that could potentially hurt me. I've been training for 4 years now under Sensei Marcos and while he's exposed me to a fair share of pain, he's never hurt me. To hurt me, he would have to break me down into something lesser. Sensei Marcos has only ever built me up into something greater. He has my eternal gratitude and respect. If you're serious about becoming better, this is the place for you. read more

I like this dojo because Sensei Marcos is great with kids/young adults. He is able to keep a class of students (age: 12-17) engaged and focused. The school's martial art is (to generalize) is a stand up fighting style. It teaches a good amount of strikes and joint locks. Sensei Marcos trains his students on ground defense/wrestling. I like this because you will never know where a fight might start or end. He, every so often, does a "bully proof" class in the kids and young adults' class. Sensei Marcos and his staff are very friendly and helpful. I feel safe leaving my child here while he learns respect and discipline from a fantastic school. read more

I have been training with Z-Ultimate since 2010. I transferred to Z-Ultimate at Norwalk 6 months ago. I'm so glad to be part of this dojo family. I love it here. The people are super nice, caring, and support each other. Sensei Marcos is a 4th degree black belt and a first-rate instructor. He continuously critiques and polishes our techniques. He takes the time to explain the underlying principles, strategies and teaches beyond what's in the curriculum. In the adult class, we do grappling once a week which is not part of the regular curriculum. His classes are fun and never feel like "work". This dojo is a safe and fantastic place to train. It is always spotless. The students have good control and are respectful to each other. The assisting instructors are terrific and never hesitate to help, even when they are attending class. I highly recommend this dojo -- great atmosphere, great people, top-notch instruction read more

Sensei Marcos and Sensei James do more than instruct. They teach you the classical method of shaolin kempo as well as survival real self defense approaches. This dojo provides for the students great discipline , boosts self-confidence, and provide the knowledge and training for self defense. These instructors address serious issues such as bullying in schools for children, and women's self - defense, read more

This review is for the Zumba classes on Monday 9-10pm, and Tuesdays/Thursdays 8:30-9:30pm....Great! Super fun! A mixture of music from salsa/hip-hop/pop/country! The teacher is so nice! read more

Great way to meet new people, lose weight yet gain muscles, and to test your limits.

My son has been coming to this dojo since a year after it was opened. We followed Sensei Marcos here from another dojo. Best decision we've ever made. Both senseis work well with children and adults alike and are EXTREMELY knowledgeable. Don't walk, run, here for an awesome Karate experience. Worth 10 stars. read more

My son has been going to this dojo for years and loves it! His skills have improved,as well as his self confidence. The instructors are caring, supportive and encouraging. I highly recommend the Norwalk Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studio! read more

I love this Dojo. Sensei Marcos is an amazing instructor. Most importantly the student interaction here is second to none and at ALL age levels from what I have seen. Students are encouraged to treat each other like family and it shows. There is a general positivity to this school that I haven't always experienced in my past training and it makes for a fun experience every time. I love training here every time I get the opportunity~ read more

Joining the Norwalk Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studio has been a great addition to my life as well as my children's lives. The Sensei's know their material and teach it in a way that both adults and children can understand. They genuinely care about their students and work very hard to help us achieve our goals. In addition to teaching self defense, they also talk to the children about bullies, grades, self-control and becoming well rounded adults. read more

I love Z-Ultimate Self Defense Studios in Norwalk and highly recommend them for Martial Arts Training ! Chief Instructor, Sensei Marcos Rubio, provides a positive, creative, and fun learning environment for people of all ages ! His Team of Instructors, Assistants, and Students follow in his footsteps with the same philosophy. As a result of such a positive place to train, his Studio has grown over the past 10 years and classes are customized for the Tiny Tigers, Juniors, Young Adults, and Adults Classes. Martial Artists learn a variety of things such as Kempo, Kung Fu, Weapons, Jiujitsu, Sparring, Defense Techniques, Katas (Forms), Club Techniques, and Knife Techniques. Students also participate and win in Tournaments each year ! Overall this is a cool place to train and everyone here cares about helping each other to improve and grow to their fullest potential. Anytime anyone asks me about where to train, I feel confident about referring them to Sensei Marcos due to all the positive vibes from his Dojo ! Many thanks to Sensei Marcos for providing such a great training environment for the students ! I'll continue to spread the word ! read more