Shihan Nahid Farzinzad

IKU Headquarters Chief Instructor & Connecticut Branch Chief

Shihan Nahid Farzinzad immigrated to the United States in 1994 with her husband, Kaicho Farzinzad, and oldest son Mohammad to flee the perils and oppression that plagued their home country of Iran. Shihan started studying Kyokushin Karate under the supervision of her future husband (Kaicho Farzinzad) after graduating high school in 1983. She earned her black belt in 1986.

Then came the Iranian Revolution, which changed everything. This left some women oppressed, powerless and in the home serving their husband and raising children. As a strong and independent woman, married to a man who believed everyone should have the opportunity to learn and be powerful, Shihan and her husband, Kaicho, sought to change the laws so that women could be allowed learn and practice Kyokushin Karate.

Women could now learn Karate in Iran from Shihan as long as they wore head coverings and no men were present in the class. Many, many women took advantage of this opportunity. Classes were always full. Shihan watched their technical ability, personal sense of power and self confidence grow. It was a very rewarding experience for her and for her students, who had experienced such a loss of freedom within their society.

To further her abilities, Shihan continued to study Kyokushin Karate, the most powerful form of Karate, in Japan. She earned her third degree black belt on 22nd of July 1993 in Tokyo, Japan. Because she was a woman, the requirements were a 10 man fight for 3rd degree black belt, however, Shihan did not take the women's challenge, and she fought and earned this black belt using the same standards as a man. This meant that instead of a 10 man kumite (hand to hand fight); she fought 30 men, after one and half hours of physical strength testing and technical demonstrations! Again, she succeeded.

                                                                                                        Shihan & Kaicho Farzinzad 

Eventually, Shihan went on to earn her 4th Dan in 1999 and 5th Dan in 2002.

After she came back to Iran, she started encouraging women and girl's participation in Kyokushin.
When you meet Shihan Farzinzad, you may be surprised at her calm and sensitive manner. A woman with such accomplishments and experience, one might expect her to be arrogant, but you will never see this in her. She demands the best from her students, who always feel that they are working and accomplishing to their full potential. Her experience and style brings her students to a new level of awareness, ability and power. It is instilled in them subtly yet with permanence. 

Currently, Shihan Farzinzad teaches Kyokushin karate to students of all ages at the IKU dojo in Canton, CT.

Shihan is married to Kaicho David Farzinzad and has 3 children that are all black belts in Kyokushin; Sensei Mohammad, Sempai Reza and Sempai Pegah.