Intro : I have been part of many gyms throughout years of Jiu Jitsu training…read more I have trained under Rafael Formiga from Soul Fighters in Danbury, CT. Roberto Abreu "Cyborg" from Fight Sports in Miami, FL. Steve Ficca from Odin's in Las Vegas, NV And eventually I moved to Dallas and joined Marcelo Garcia. Teaching ( a bit about the Instructors) : Rob Ables: After getting a free lesson under Rob Ables, I decided to sign up immediately. I did not need to visit other gyms. The way he teaches is definitely incredible and refreshing to see. He is a true master. He cares about the students and will make sure to show you variations based on your age, body type, limitations, etc. He understands not every student is the same. Not all of us have the same goals in life. I have met many gym owners who usually are great competitors, but lack in the teaching department. Rob Ables is a master, a teacher, a coach. He has taught me many valuable lessons, and often times they were just slight modifications to things I was doing that made a world of difference. I have never seen a more selfless coach, he has never turned me down or any other student when we ask him to show us something after class is over. Not only him but the other coaches there are absolutely amazing. Dan Butterfield is also a treasure filled with wisdom. Inside and outside of the mats, he's compassionate, wise and extremely good at the gentle. art of Jiu Jitsu. He's a father figure to many. He's always glad to help and assist students. Kevin : he's a new coach that started teaching just before I moved away from Dallas , but his classes are absolutely fun and he has no ego. He will spar with lower belts and let us test ourselves. Being that he's very competent at Jiu-Jitsu, it's great to have someone at his level allow us to practice. School Philosophy: The Marcelo Garcia philosophy is basically to rely on technique above all else. We are taught to maintain our competence, respect and integrity once we step away from the mats as well. Training Partners: They are absolutely great. I have never had issues with anyone that had been coming to the school for a while. All my partners were respectful, took great care of me, had great awareness and are not "out to get you", they quickly became true friends. It was pretty comforting to find such a great school with really down to earth, respectful partners. They also have a plethora of seasoned competitors that will definitely push you if you so choose, it's definitely good to push yourself against the very high skilled active competitors here. I always learned something new every time I rolled with them. Conclusion : This is as 5 stars of a Jiu Jitsu school as it gets. Everything about the school is great and I'm very thankful to having been a part of this academy for roughly 2 years. I dearly miss it and have no doubts anyone who cares about good jiu Jitsu will love it here.

Rarely am I inclined to post a review on a place that I frequent. After all there is a lot at…read morestake with posting an honest review; if people realize the exceptional quality of instruction and the feeling of family and support then more and more prospective students will show up. What happens then is unknown; a bigger jiu-jitsu "family" , more friends, and training partners to improve my bjj game? Who knows? So I must choose my words carefully... here it goes... Marcelo Garcia Dallas is simply the bast place to train in Dallas TX. It is not uncommon to see instructors from other schools coming in to catch a lesson from Rob. The cadre of instructors is more than capable of covering a wide range of bjj styles, from old school to the new school with leg and ankle attacks. I am constantly impressed with all the different approaches the students have. It is easy to find a favorite training partner in any class and the owner does a great job of encouraging a sense of family. If you can judge the quality of an instructor by his/ her students then MGD instructors are "top shelf". Oh, they even have a "Ladies only" class taught by the toughest women on planet earth. There an honest review.

I am extremely disappointed at Fortis MMA and 24 Hour Fitness Rockwall for their support in Steven…read morePeterson; aka "Ocho". DO NOT SIGN UP. YOU ARE WARNED. Timeline below: Sat June 29, 2024 - My husband and I wanted to sign up for MMA sessions. I walked into the location inside the 24 Hour Fitness Rockwall and asked for private session pricing. I met Steven "Ocho" Peterson at that moment and I really wish I hadn't. I had no idea that I would be scammed. Sun June 30, 2024 - Our first session with Ocho was at their Dallas location. This went so well that we decided to sign up. Wed July 3, 2024 - Based on his session rate; we PREPAID all upfront for both of us on Sunday July 7 for $2000. Over the course of a A LOT of rescheduling; we only utilized 2 sessions and our balance is now $1800. Sun Aug 11, 2024 - I showed up for our session ON TIME and was gas lighted as I was waiting for my session to begin. I waited for 45 minutes and Ocho NO SHOWED. He then messaged me stating that it was my fault and he did show up. There was another trainer there that even asked who I was waiting on. I left. Then demanded he paid us back our PREPAID $1800. Sun Aug 18, 2024 - Ocho apologized (see screenshot) and took accountability. However; he had already utilized the money. We accepted his payment terms. TODAY Sat Feb 22, 2025*** - He has now GHOSTED us and REFUSES to make his last payment of $270. This is the ULTIMATE SCAM. DO NOT SIGN UP. YOU ARE WARNED. DO NOT SIGN UP. YOU ARE WARNED. DO NOT SIGN UP. YOU ARE WARNED. DO NOT SIGN UP. YOU ARE WARNED. I have attached screenshots of the text messages for CYA proof. Again; I am sorely disappointed that Fortis MMA Lakeside and 24 Hour Fitness would even back up, support, and promote someone like him. Where are your morals? Where are your principles? Why would you take advantage of female? Why would you take advantage of innocent couple? All good - God will take care of it.

They have a legit number of professional UFC fighters in this gym. Respected throughout the…read moreworld-wide MMA community

Awesome Gym with a great team and staff. My favorite part is that it isn't one of those gyms that…read moremakes you feel bad for being new. There's more of a focus on growth and learning.

I've been to a handful of martial arts gyms over the past twenty years and this is one of the best,…read more Professional, well run, a great mix of styles and workout intensities. The instructors are approachable and know their stuff, and the fellow students are respectful and easy to work with. This place is a great find!

I've never been to a place like this before, where everyone treats you like family. I was very…read moreworried about putting my son in classes but all my worries went away when I saw everyone in action. The instructors have so much patience and are so fun with the kids. I've never seen so many people care for kids the way they do as if they were their own...it's definitely a safe place. They also teach my son discipline and get him the exercise he needs while making it fun. Definitely check this place out!

I just landed in Dallas for a work conference. I had been looking for a place to train while I was…read morein town. Had a blast dropping in at the noon Thursday class. Lots of guys training, and everyone was very welcoming. Professor Martins treated me just like one of his students and I appreciated the hospitality. The guys were all really good, from blue to black. Speaks volumes about the level of instruction from Professor Martins! Will be back soon!

Top tier training here. So much mat space, a sick mural wall, and powerlifters in the back doing…read moretheir thing. I stopped by Bushido for two days to drop in and get some rolls in, as I was in town for a friend's wedding. Professor Carlos is very technical in his instruction. We learned modern jiu jitsu, from killing DLR hooks to coming up on a single leg from the DLR. It is clean, good jiu jitsu. The school is newer so there's going to be a breaking in period where more and more people come, but I am sure they will come. If I'm ever in downtown Dallas or the design district again I will be coming here to keep getting my ass kicked. Their open mats also look popular, I hope to stop by again.

I came in looking to get my kids into jiu jitsu. We ended up finding a family gym where they take…read morepride in our accomplishments and help us through the mistakes. I highly recommend this gym for anyone wanting to take jiu jitsu or work out. Regardless of your age, weight, or gender.

We took my 12 year old grandson here and the staff and trainers are great! He is really slimming…read moreup, is working hard and is gaining confidence. We highly recommend KO Empire!

From the owner: Angel DeJesus is a distinguished figure in the world of boxing, boasting a career that spans over…read more20 years in both professional fighting and coaching. Recognized for their dedication and expertise, Angel brings a unique blend of experience to the world of fitness. As a personal trainer, they offer a dynamic and results-driven approach tailored to busy professionals seeking top-tier fitness guidance. Angel's commitment to excellence extends beyond the ring, making them the ideal choice for business professionals looking to elevate their fitness journey. With USA Boxing certification and a wealth of knowledge, Angel DeJesus is your trusted partner in achieving your fitness goals.

Professor Stephen Hall is without a doubt one of the best instructors in the DFW area…read more The members here are very warm and welcoming. They are patient and willing to help out anyone who comes in the door. The environment is positive and the atmosphere is calm, combining to create a pleasant experience. Don't wait! Try it now and commit to dedicating yourself to a healthy, active lifestyle. As an athlete, professor Hall holds numerous IBJJF championship titles at the black belt level, representing team Alliance Jiu-Jitsu, the team that is 9x IBJJF world champions.

STEVE HESS is a ROCK STAR TRAINER!…read more I am entering my 60th trip around the sun. He has taken me and made me stronger with the ability to not even consider my physical age, but to embrace the age/health of my body. When I came to him, I was hobbling on my knee...thinking I would have to have knee surgery AGAIN....for the third time. With his expertise, he has changed that scenario completely. No need for surgery and I am stronger than ever. He is very knowledgeable about the body, nutrition, and health. He is a walking advertisement for what it looks like to be healthy...and shares that knowledge with everyone he trains. No matter what your age, its possible to be the very best you can be. My recommendation is to RUN, don't walk to him, and have Steve Hess change your health, your body and your life!

Steve is a great trainer. Easygoing, knowledgeable and attentive, he is very focused on client…read moregoals and is quick to adapt workouts as needed. He is constantly adjusting his workout plan based on my feedback throughout the session, which is a hallmark of excellence. He also genuinely cares about his client and sees our success as his success. I would absolutely recommend him.

Great for a workout or kids party or a Super Bowl party! Awsome patio. Very engaged owner.read more

Finding a strength training gym is a lot harder than it looks. I wanted a place where I can wear…read morenormal clothes, and where there would be a consistent pattern for improvement. That ruled out "studios," as well as places with cross in front of fit where I've randomly run 3 miles even though there's been no running prep in the last few months -- been there, done that, and got the injuries to prove it. I also wanted a place where working around injuries wasn't a big deal. I know how to modify a lot, but I need instructors who know enough to be okay with mods and can assist when my knowledge is lacking. I am happy to say that Felipe, David, and Mo made all of that work. Add Oakfit's involvement in the community, and this was a great place to work out. But for billing and customer service issues, this would have been a five star review. They forgot to bill me a few months, resulting in a first bill that was huge. Then, they didn't stop billing me when they said they would after I canceled (logistical issues got in the way of my workouts). On all sorts of admin stuff, Ronnie was oh so responsive by email -- even telling me when my last bill date would be. When I realized that I had been billed the month after that date, I emailed Ronnie again. Crickets. After a week, I called my credit card company to dispute the charge and all was fixed within a day. Given the fact that a lot of people fear gym memberships due to sleazy billing practices, I was very sad to see these problems. And, then, after the credit card company contacted Oakfit, Ronnie read this review and finally responded to my email about the extra bill. He told me the extra bill was an honest mistake due to not turning off automated billing, not a manual charge as the credit card company had said. So, I edited that fact out of the prior paragraph and put it here. Notice what's missing? No apology for the billing mistake. No apology, or even an explanation, for not responding to my email. Instead, Ronnie blamed me for not contacting him by telephone. I suggested that an apology would be appropriate and received a response by email within an hour than none would ever be forthcoming. I'm confused about how he thought ranting at me was an appropriate customer service response to this review or a billing issue I couldn't get fixed through him.