About Us

Our story

Small town dojo,
life changing results

Get ready to build up your child’s CONFIDENCE, SELF ESTEEM, AND POSITIVE ATTITUDE! Ichiban Karate NKY is a full service martial art course proudly serving the Hebron / Burlington, KY area in Northern Kentucky by teaching a traditional style of karate called Shorin-Ryu (Pine Forest Method). The Nintai Do system (which means The Way of Perserverance) is a comprehensive system that includes all the traditional Shorin Ryu self-defense techniques & training, body throws, take downs, pressure points, joint locks, and katas (forms).

We offer exciting growth opportunities for students in our Little Dragons, Kids Karate, and Adults Karate classes to including our Leadership Team and Junior Instructor Program.

“Think of an end as a beginning to something new, a means to start over, start fresh and everything else.”

Starting over can be scary, especially diving head first into something you have never done before. After the old location of Ichiban Karate School closed in December 2019, my heart broke for my own children and the many families who loved taking martial arts there for many years. I knew in my heart - their martial arts journey was not supposed to be over…not just yet.

How it started

With the support of my family, countless prayers for God to watch over our journey, and lots of hard work…..a new story began with Ichiban Karate NKY. A new company & owner, a new location, all new equipment, and the beloved instructors from the old dojo began building what we have today. I am forever grateful for the experience and opportunity to serve so many amazing families in the Northern Kentucky area. Now as we approach our 3rd year providing exciting and challenging martial arts classes for kids ages 4 - 17 years old and adults, I can’t wait to see what God has in store for the next chapter of Ichiban Karate NKY.
- Erin Meyer

A New Story Began

Soke-Dai, Christopher Foster

Chief Instructor

chief Instructor

MEET our instructors

Learn karate & martial arts in northern Kentucky from the professional, certified, and skilled instructors.

Soke has been a martial artist for 21 years. Over the last 16 years, he has been teaching as the Chief Instructor for Ichiban Karate School. He also teaches Stage Combat in the Theatre Department at NKU.

Shihan Kyle Curry began his martial arts journey at 6 years old under Shihan Ron Robertson and Renshi Cameron Robertson then continued under the instruction of Hanshi Hei Hitotsu and Hanshi Thomas Day.

Senpai Dai, Landen Meadors

Lead Instructor

7th Dan Nintai Do Shorin Ryu Karate

4th Dan Okinawan Kobudo

5th Dan Ji Kai laido

2nd in Command of Nintai Do Matsumura Shorin Ryu Karate System

Ji Kai Samurai

Member of US Martial Artists Hall of Fame

BFA Theatre Performance, Northern Kentucky University

MA English Literature, Northwestern State University

Soke has been a martial artist for 21 years. Over the last 16 years, he has been teaching as the Chief Instructor for Ichiban Karate School. He also teaches Stage Combat in the Theatre Department at NKU.

As an admitted "Star Wars" enthusiast, he has collected over 150 memorabilia including more that 25 lightsabers. Our Demo Team gets this honor of using these fun tools to entertain the public during performances. He credits his son, Joshua, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for kindling his love of martial arts.

Soke Dai, Christopher Foster

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Shihan, Kyle Curry

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

4th Dan Nintai Do Shorin Ryu Karate - Okinawan Empty Hand Combatives

Renshi title received 2017

3rd Dan Nin Tai Do Okinawan Weaponry

3rd Dan Ji Kai Iaido

IMSS Certification 2013

Inducted into the Brotherhood of the Bulldog (December 2014)

Campbell Military Combat Systems

Hand to Hand Combat Instructor Certification 2012
Blade Combat Instructor Certification 2013
Sidearm Proficiency Certification 2014
Rifle Proficiency Certification 2014

Renshi Kyle Curry began his martial arts journey at 6 years old under Shihan Ron Robertson and Renshi Cameron Robertson then continued under the instruction of Hanshi Hei Hitotsu and Hanshi Thomas Day. He joined the ranks of Ichiban Karate School in 2011 and has become the school's authority on combative techniques.

In his free time, Renshi Kyle works as the Chief Instructor for Curry Combatitive Arts and trains private security personnel, loss prevention, hospital, mental health, and school staff in Personal Defense, Positional Control, and De-escalation skills development.

Renshi Kyle is currently attending Northern Kentucky University for his Masters degree in Education

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Shihan, Kyle Curry

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

Jujubes icing croissant sweet gummi bears jelly beans gummies liquorice.

Sweet roll fruitcake candy gummies marshmallow. Sweet roll topping pastry.

Oat cake jelly beans marshmallow jelly-o. Bear claw chocolate.

Jujubes icing croissant sweet gummi bears jelly beans gummies liquorice.

Sweet roll fruitcake candy gummies marshmallow. Sweet roll topping pastry.

Oat cake jelly beans marshmallow jelly-o. Bear claw chocolate.

Senpai-Dai Landen has been training in Nintai Do under Soke Dai Chris Foster, and later including Shihan Kyle Curry, since 2010. Martial Arts training has helped him through difficult times throughout his life and has taught valuable lessons which can be applied on and off the karate floor. As an instructor, he is passionate about showing students this path and seeing them prevail and grow in their own way. For as long as he has loved martial arts, Landen has also had a passion for film and art of all kinds. He could talk about Spider-Man, Adventure Time, anime, pirates, Transformers, Ninja Turtles, and various aspects with someone all day.

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