This is one of the best Brazilian Jiujitsu in the north east. The owners are some of the highest…read moreranked black belts around. The rest of the instructors are very skilled and great teachers. This place is great for all levels of jiujitsu. You will feel safe and welcome to the balance family.

Balance studios is a wonderfully inclusive environment. My whole family has trained for 15+ years…read moreat their various locations and have ALWAYS felt welcomed. The confidence we have received from training with balance is priceless! The instructors are professional, world class athletes that train all levels with courtesy and consideration. The best in the city in my opinion!! Try a class and make your own decision, you will not regret it!

A great way to exercise, gain flexibility, blow off some steam and meet some positive folks, this…read moredojo has been here for over 40 years under the leadership of Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki and now with new blood from his nephew Hiro Okazaki. My dad trains here with my daughters and me. There are classes for kids after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:45-6:00 and Saturdays at 11:00. There are also classes for adults MWFSS at 11:00 AM and evenings M-F at 6:15. They train in and study authentic Japanese Shotokan karate. Some classes are for advanced students. They also sell uniforms, belts, gloves. The wooden floor, tin ceiling, mirrors, ceiling fans and knotty pine paneled walls make for a real old school dojo feel. The roar of your classmates KIA! will give you the energy to finish the class. Better than yoga IMO.

From the owner: The ISKF is a traditional Shotokan Karate organization, founded by Master Teruyuki Okazaki, who…read morestudied directly under Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate. The ISKF is rich in tradition, but continuously moves forward to bring all countries together to follow these same guidelines. We specialize in the instruction of both children and adults. No prior Karate experience is required.

We were traveling though and decided to stop here for a class. The instructor Mike Shorty was…read moreawesome. The techniques he taught were articulated very well. He and everyone else at the gym were very welcoming and even gave us tips on what we should do while in town. This is a great gym and if you're looking for a good place to learn jiu jitsu, I recommend you stop by and try a class.

Shorty's BJJ has been an amazing experience. We tried out at least 3 different gyms in the area…read morebefore joining this gym. It was BY FAR the best gym we have ever joined. It has a community feel to it, and it's not uncommon for us to grab a beer with the students and instructors. Mike has been wonderful from the start to end. He cares about all his students and has a phenomenal understanding of BJJ. Brittany has taught us a lot from a woman's perspective(woman's class on Sunday is ) This gym is NOT a bunch of agro dudes out to rip off each other's head, but this gym DOES have talented hard working competitors and practitioners. If competing is not your thing it's also just fun to learn BJJ as a workout and make friends. We are moving and not looking forward to find another gym and will be coming back to visit when we can.

If you are interested in Kendo and Iaido - the Japanese Budo and Martial Arts - this is a genuine…read moreDojo you can find in Philly area. Come and give it a try - hopefully you will enjoy and join this lovely family here.

From the owner: KENDO is originated from the experience of the samurai who trained to use “Nihonto” – Japanese…read moreswords in distinctive appreciation of the “principle of the sword”. It is believed that through learning Kendo one can gain an understanding of the “principles of the sword”. It is important to study the spirit of the samurai, which is related to these principles, and can be learned through rigorous training in the use of the sword. This is why the object of Kendo is refereed to being a way to develop the human character. – All Japan Kendo Federation IAIDO is complimentary Japanese martial art that focusing on the swift and efficient drawing of a Katana and executing a decisive strike, emphasizing precision, mental focus and the art of drawing the sword from a peaceful position. They are numerous Iaido koryu school in Japan, but All Japan Kendo Federation has unified Iaido school into Seitei Iai set of 12 techniques called Seitei Iai. Our school belongs to Jikidan Eishin ryu, one of many koryu practiced today in Japan with linage to mid-1500s to a swordsman named Hayashizaki Jinsuke. Kendo not a self-defense martial art and will not do much for you in term of defending yourself again street attack. So, why Kendo? We base our teaching on the principle of Samurai Swordsmanship • Kendo teaches you how not to cheat and lie. • Kendo teaches you how to fight laziness. • Kendo teaches you how to respect others. • Kendo teaches how to live with dignity.

Seems like a great school based off reviews. Would have loved to try it. However no one answers…read morethe phone when you call, no one replies to your emails and no one returns the phone call when you leave a message. I'm not even sure if this place is open.

Martial Posture is a great place for karate instruction. There is a wide range of students here,…read morefrom little teeny white belts as young as 4 all the way up to big tall black belts, and everything in between. Located at 21st and Chestnut, this is a convenient location for Center City residents -- close to parking, mass transit and many restaurants. Classes are held for each level on Saturdays and two days during the week (some M&W, others T&Th). For $99 you get eight lessons a month, which you can take whichever days you want. This flexibility has been very helpful. What really sets this school apart to me though is the excellent teaching staff. Mr. Ish leads the school and he's a great leader to both the students and his staff. Discipline is maintained, but never in a mean way, always with kindness or humor. Black belt students help with classes and often assist students who need extra help. Classes are small or split up into smaller groups, and each starts with a very good warmup followed by instruction which concentrates on a series of moves; teachers also show the students how the moves apply to actual combat. In addition to classes there is a sparring class for all ages. There is also a room for students before or after class where they can read, watch a movie or play computer games, do their homework or just hang out. There's a water dispenser. The classes are supplemented by summer camp weeks and there are after school programs and camps that often coincide with school holidays. I can't speak highly enough of this great school and the terrific job they do here.

This is a boxing gym and one of the instructors, Randall, has been boxing since 1989 and opened the…read moregym three years ago. We did a bag class which was a lot of punching intermixed with floor work including my most hated burpees. The class was challenging and educational. At the beginning of the class they wrap your hands and give you boxing gloves. The studio and gym space was large and did not feel crowded or hectic. I liked the fact that they had real gym equipment so even if there was not a class going on you could go there and work out. I was surprised to hear that they offered yoga and hit classes too. The gym is very affordable for all that it offers. We did an intro class but we are considering joining now. Thank you Randall!

I've been boxing off and on for a long time in multiple cities, and 10 Hands has been by far my…read morefavorite place to box. First of all, the community is large and full of people who are interested in boxing and MMA but are also friendly folks. It's also not dominated by a bunch of dudes, which is nice to see. The instructors are top-notch and willing to discuss technique, both in terms of offense and defense. Highly recommended for people who are looking to get fit, find community, and/or looking to learn combat sports. ** Also, I'm struggling to understand some of the negative reviews I've seen here. The facility is incredibly well-maintained and the management is professional.**

Fit Gym is on 44th and Chestnut and it's a good alternative if you're a college student nearby. I…read morecame here when Penn's gym was closed and while there are a few other gyms nearby, this one was by far the cheapest. I believe they're moving to a new location soon which will have parking. Their Facebook is where they make most of their updates: it has their most recent hours and they recently started having classes again. I'd suggest joining when they have a deal going on. It's a really bare-bones, old school workout spot. It has everything that you need to get the job done and that's pretty much it. Downstairs is where most of the free weights and racks are, while upstairs has the cardio and weight machines. Their equipment is pretty worn and by midday, their weights are arbitrarily reracked and scattered. Unfortunately they don't have a ton of lighter dumbbells to workout with. They do have a bunch of weights that are insanely heavy and I've never seen anyone go near them. All in all, the gym has enough equipment for you to get in a full body workout and it meets standard expectations. TLDR: A bare-bones, old school workout spot that has enough for you to get in a workout, but don't expect fancy new equipment or anything flashy.

For what it is, I'm super excited to be starting at this gym. While there isn't anything new or…read moreflashy, they've got the basics with some devoted patrons and class leaders. The spin classes look so fun and high energy, the Zumba glasses are packed with fun dancers and cool music, and there are enough weights to go around. The front desk staff member got us signed up really quick with no hassle, and we could start same day with the coupon I got. Had a nice hour long workout. Weirdest part is the flickering light in he bathroom, but that's not a problem for me. For now, I'm happy to be a member!

Absolutely love this gym and the community that it provides! If you want a high energy workout with…read moreencouragement to push your limits, this is the gym for you!

This OTF location didn't give me the best experience. Travelers beware, they charge a $10 surcharge…read moreto take a class even if you're an unlimited class member. There is nothing premium about this studio, they have the older treadmills that max out at 12mph. The dumbell racks are set up funny. The only saving grace was that the coach was good. To add insult to injury, the parking charge for just over an hour was $10 and the voucher they gave me was only $5. So I essentially paid $15 to take a class that should have been free. At a very mediocre studio at that.