A world-renowned karate expert is kicking his way into DeKalb.

A.J. Nanay has opened a karate studio at 201 N. Fourth St. and is preparing for a grand opening in about a month.

Nanay said he decided to open a studio in DeKalb because “one of my students was asking me to open a school here. He figured it would do good, but when I did, the student moved to Denver.”

Nanay holds the rank of Sixth Degree Black Belt, and has been teaching professionally since 1968. In 1969 he won the World Karate Federation National Championship.

He is internationally known as a karate referee, and has worked with Chuck Norris and “Super” Bill Wallace.

“The proudest moment in my history with karate came when I coached the United States Children’s Team to victory in Europe in 1985, 1986 and 1987,” he said.

Karate is often misunderstood by the media, especially in the movies, Nanay said. “Movies are for entertainment and shouldn’t be taken seriously,” he said.

Nanay said the art of karate is the harmony of mind and body: the unity of thought and action. “Here the art is studied for self-improvement as well as self-defense,” he said.

People experienced in aerobics or swimming have a better chance to excel in karate because they have more flexibility, Nanay said.

“Your whole body becomes like a rubberband with karate. You don’t have to be that strong, you just have to understand how your body works,” he said.

Jeff Carne, a 22-year-old math major, has been taking karate lessons from Nanay for nine months. Carne always has been interested in martial arts and Japanese culture. Both his brothers also take karate, and Carne said “they used to beat me up so I thought I’d fight back.”

Carne said karate “teaches discipline, gives you self confidence and is a welcome break from your studies, too.”