Website: https://zanshindojonashville.com/
Zanshin Dojo is a martial arts school located in Midtown Nashville, Tennessee, within walking distance of Vanderbilt University. The dojo offers instruction in traditional Japanese karate and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, along with self-defense and mixed martial arts training. According to the school, Zanshin has been a trusted and respected martial arts school in Tennessee for over thirty years, and it states that it became Nashville’s first Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in 1994 under Rickson Gracie. Classes are offered for all ages and experience levels.
Services
The school teaches several disciplines and programs:
- Gracie (Brazilian) Jiu-Jitsu
- Wado-Ryu Karate
- Self-defense
- MMA (mixed martial arts)
- Private lessons (referenced through the contact page)
Zanshin describes its Wado-Ryu Karate program as sanctioned by US Eastern, Brazilian, and Japanese Wado-Ryu Karate federations. The school notes that, over its thirty years in Nashville, it has taught students from around the world, and that many of its students have gone on to become black belts, tournament champions, school owners, and lifetime practitioners.
Stated features of membership and training include no restrictive contracts, onsite parking and showers, a training area cleaned after every class, bilingual instructors, family discounts, and classes for all ages and experience levels. The school presents its programs as suitable both for beginners with no prior experience and for advanced practitioners looking to continue their training, and it offers private lessons for students who want individualized instruction in addition to group classes.
The Gracie Jiu-Jitsu program traces its lineage to Rickson Gracie, and the school positions itself as Nashville’s original Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school. The karate curriculum follows the Wado-Ryu style, a traditional Japanese system, with the school’s federation sanctioning cited as evidence of its standing within that tradition. Self-defense and MMA round out the offerings, giving students options that range from traditional martial arts forms to practical defensive skills and competitive training.
About
The head instructor and founder is Eric Silver, described as a seventh-degree black belt in Wado-Ryu Karate and a fourth-degree black belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, who has been training since 1971. The site states that in 2022 he was awarded the title “Renshi Shihan” (master) by the Japanese Wado-Ryu Karate Federation. Additional instructors listed on the school’s instructors page include Derrick Reynolds, Hank Quillen, and Don McElhiney.
The school notes recognition including being awarded Best Of Music City in 2021 and 2022, and it displays recognition associated with the Nashville Chamber of Commerce.
Location & Contact
- Address: 1917 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37203 (entrance in back)
- Phone: (615) 485-2143
- Instagram: @zanshindojonashville
- Facebook: zanshindojonashville
Additional Information
The school provides online registration through Kick.site. Class schedule details are available on the school’s schedule page, and the site maintains a frequently asked questions page along with a contact page for inquiries about pricing and private lessons. The website also includes a partners page in addition to its instructors, schedule, FAQ, and contact pages. The dojo emphasizes a welcoming environment for new students and a no-contract approach to membership, and it notes that its Midtown location offers convenient access for students near Vanderbilt University and the surrounding Nashville area.
Profile compiled from the company’s official website (zanshindojonashville.com).