Shotokan Karate Academy

At Shotokan Karate Academy, each instructor embraces the traditional ideas of martial arts. Practicing karate since 1978, owner Ehsan Malaki has spent decades learning and teaching martial arts.

“The biggest misconception in karate is that it is about self-defence. While that is an important element of it, karate focuses more on personal discipline, confidence and control,” says Ehsan. “It’s about empowering yourself and trusting yourself in any situation.”

With that in mind, Ehsan has adopted many traditional practices in his studio, which is something he learned from traditional masters. “One problem with many North American martial arts centres is that they solely focus on self-defence,” he explains. “I’ve tailored this program to look exactly like the program in which I was trained. Not only will it improve your health and physical fitness, but, in my experience, it has improved the daily lives of my students.”