Preferred Title:

Soke

Began training: 1982

Styles/Arts:

Hall of Fame Award:

2018 - 30 years

2024 - 40 years

Other Awards:

Inductee into Original World Martial Arts Fall of Fame, 2013

Email:

Location:

Canton, CT

Dojo:

Website:

Biography:

Soke Nahid Farzinzad was born and raised on Tehran, Iran. She began training in 1984 with her husband, Kaicho David Farzinzad, the founder of IKU and Kidstrong Foundation. In 1993 she earned a third-degree black belt under Masutatsu Oyama, the founder of Kyokushin Karate. She is one of only five women worldwide, and the only from the Middle East to hald this degree. To earn this degree, she opted for the 30 man kumite rather than the women’s standard of ten.

Soke Farzinzad is co-founder of IKU and serves as Chief Instructor of the IKU Honbu. Soke Farzinzad is past Chairwoman of the Iran Kyokushinkai Karate Association; served as chief instructor of International Kyokushinkai Union (IKU) in New York and Hartford, CT; and served on the Board of Directors for the Kyokushinkai Foundation. She is currently the World IKU Women's Committee Chairwoman as well as a member of the Autism Move, Inc., Board of Directors.

She is also the owner and CEO of Shihan Skin Care where she developed her own all-natural skin care line.