About Us
TAIFU SHOI KARATE DO is a family owned and operated dojo that has been located in the North Miami Beach area since 1999. Sensei Javier A. Vazquez has over 30 years combined experience in the martial arts and currently holds a fifth degree black belt. His wife, Mildred Vazquez, has received child care and development training and is working towards a degree in child care. Together they provide a safe, caring, environment where children can complete their homework, get exercise while learning valuable lessons, gain social skills and self confidence with the goal of becoming good citizens for our future.
Founded in Puerto Rico in 1970 by Hanshi Jose “Tony” Pabon Soke TAIFU SHOI KARATE DO is the union of TAE KWON DO (a Korea martial art), KUNG FU (a Chinese martial art), and SHOTOKAN (a Japanese martial art). TAIFU SHOI combines the essence of these arts in the following way:
- The strength and kicking ability of your legs from TAE KWON DO
- The ability to move with grace and style while using your opponent’s strength against himself from KUNG FU and
- The strength and speed of your hands combined with the strength of your legs from SHOTOKAN.
Karate is for everyone. Karate is practiced by the young and the not so young, by males and by females, and by those who are athletic and those who aren’t. As one might imagine there are many ways to approach the study of karate. For example, karate can be studied as a sport, as physical education, of a form of self defense. While the younger student might find certain aspects of karate easier to learn, such as those requiring athleticism and agility, while the older student might excel in other aspects that require mental focus and perseverance.
It is important to remember that you don’t need any special skills and you don’t need to be in peak physical condition to study karate. If you can move your arms forward and backward then you can learn how to punch, block, and strike. If you can lift your legs and move your feet then you can learn how to kick. If you can walk you can learn how to get out of the way of an attacker.
Karate is especially beneficial for women because it is a great equalizer between the sexes. Karate is also one of the most dynamic whole-body exercises you can find.
