Both of my daughters have had very positive experiences at EBJI. They started as beginners and over…read moretwo years, they each developed body awareness, mental toughness, and camaraderie with their peers. The instructors are skilled and supportive. I appreciate that this organization encourages their older more experienced students to become leaders to the younger ones. Most of all, I appreciate the friendly and supportive community at EBJI, and always look forward to connecting with other parents.

My son attended this dojo for over a year, consistently showing up and putting in effort. Despite…read morehis commitment, he was never promoted, even to half yellow, while I noticed other kids who attended less frequently or who seemed less focused did receive promotions. According to their online system, my child had about 68 hours of verified instruction, yet still no advancement. From what I observed, promotions sometimes appeared to happen faster for children whose parents were more involved in dojo activities outside of class. For example, I saw families volunteering their time or providing other support, and those children seemed to advance more quickly. In my case, we were not involved in those types of activities, and I couldn't help but wonder if that played a role. Behavior standards also seemed inconsistent. I witnessed my son being told his behavior was a reason for not advancing, yet other children -- including some who were regularly reminded to focus or who disrupted class -- were promoted. At the same time, I often saw my son working hard, staying engaged, and following instructions. I'm not the only parent that felt this way either. There were also some teaching methods I personally felt uncomfortable with. For instance, I once heard comments directed at kids, such as calling them lazy, that struck me as discouraging rather than constructive. While some families may see this as tough coaching, it didn't align with what I wanted for my child. In the end, I felt the promotion process was unclear and discouraging for my son. Eventually, I decided it was time to move on. This is just my personal experience, but I think other families may want to carefully consider whether this dojo's style and values are the right fit for their child.

My name is Jocelyn Cheung and I am twenty seven years old. I have been at Golden Lion Martial Arts…read moreSchool since I was sixteen years old. (2000) My reason for sticking with Golden Lion is because everyone is family and has always cared about me and each other. We mingle with each other by having picnics, movie night and not to mention we mingle with other students from the whole Plum Blossom Federation by competing in Tournaments and other cool events. Even though we have fun and joke around, practicing at Golden Lion is tough. They train you well and make sure you understand and practice correctly. It's not just about doing the moves, but the lower the stance the better. They train you hard even though it's tough, because, "No pain no gain," is what Sifu always says. Why would you want to go somewhere to train and just "DO" the work without "REALLY" knowing it?" Waste of money and time. You might as well get a great work out and come home feeling really good. Not to mention," it's not a waste of money by doing so." I wouldn't be at Golden Lion for twelve years already if I didn't like it there. I get good vibes from not just the people, but the work out. Yes, I admit, I have skipped classes, but you know what? Its one hellova miss out. Skipping a kung fu class session just makes it worse because the donut you had that day would still be in your system and that just means those calories are stuck there. I can't stress it enough to say that being at Golden Lion is one of the best things in my life. Also, if having problems outside of Golden Lion, just being at the school has nothing but happiness. Its not Choy Li Fut that I love & practice, its Golden Lion that makes me want to stay and learn Choy Li Fut.

Today, mindfulness/ meditation 5 minute apps are very popular to help with stress…read more However, many people do not realize that the outer body movements of Tai Chi Chuan are the perfect compliment to moving the inner chi energy throughout the body which helps when practicing mindfulness/meditation. The meditator needs this movement to strengthen the body and to help open the psychic centers to be most effective. A one hour session at Mountain Lion includes Qigong warm-ups, meditation/ breathing to calm the mind, and drills performed slowly to help students cultivate deep concentration and mind/ body co-ordination for balance. The instructors are constantly watching to ensure that each move is performed properly to prevent injuries. In addition, they are knowledgeable about how each move affects different parts of the body so movements during the hour will engage the whole body. This does require effort and a commitment, but the goal of attaining health, longevity, fun, and inner tranquility is worth it - especially for the 50+ crowd. To top it off, the instructors and classmates continually give positive feedback on what you are doing correctly to boost your confidence. My only regret is that I didn't start the Tai Chi Chuan practice at Mountain Lion when I was much younger. Nadine Oei

We enrolled our tween-age kids at Karatedo Shinyokai in October 2019 for two reasons: they needed…read moreexercise, and this was the closest dojo. It turns out that we are fortunate to have found one of the best teachers I've encountered, in any subject. Mark Sensei teaches traditional Okinawan karate in a way that is still fun and engaging for typical California kids. He expects a lot from his students, yet is dynamic, understanding and fair. This dojo transitioned seamlessly into virtual classes on Zoom as soon as the shutdown began, and these virtual lessons have been going as well as anything possibly can at this time. The opportunity to engage daily with a group of peers, even virtually, has been priceless. The kids have learned so much beyond punching and kicking: discipline, culture, the value of working hard towards incremental goals... The more senior students help the junior ones with instruction and feedback, and their self-confidence and engagement is something unusual in the average young person. Our kids spent eight weeks in Summer Camp and got to try their hand at so many other fun activities: shodo calligraphy with brushes and ink; various traditional weapons like nunchuks and sticks; even making their own sushi and somen to eat "with" their karate friends! I myself joined the Adult classes in March, and they have helped me in so many ways that I've made this training a priority in my life. Not only have I lost 12 pounds so far :), but there are so many other benefits I was not expecting: better stamina, better mood, a new community of friends, and the mental exercise of learning complex kata. The expression "it's never too late to try something new" has never seemed more meaningful. Karatedo Shinyokai: cannot recommend highly enough!

My 6 year old son takes classes from Sensei Mark and loves it. He looks forward to every class and…read morethe atmosphere is great for boys and girls of all ages. Sensei Mark is fun, patient and informative and offers his students more than just self defense, but a positive way for the kids to carry themselves in all aspects of their lives. The older or more experienced kids help out the younger, newer students in a very postive caring manner that is very impressive ; and fosters a environment that stresses students supporting each other and improving ones technique by also being a good teacher to one another. My son has shown an increase in discipline, self control and confidence. My wife and I are very pleased and highly recommend Karatedo Shiyokai.

After researching and visiting some aikido schools in the area and I decided to attend this school…read more The place has a great learning environment. It's subtle but I feel an inner zeal to learn from instructors who have dedicated their lives to the beautiful art of aikido. Most impressive thing is that Nick sensei sub-communicate a balance between softness(suppleness and yielding) and alertness while teaching aikido techniques, which is pretty rare to find. Instructors share all their wisdom and years of experience with aikido for you without holding anything back and you can use it anyway you want in different aspects of life. Students train with other students from different age groups and gender which is deeply interconnected with the balance between suppleness and alertness. It's cause while training with different people during the classes, one naturally finds a balance between the two. Since aikido is considered as the most spiritual martial art and this is reflected while training here like learning without words, conscious breaths, introducing gap between thinking while bowing etc. Although they seem to be way too traditional sometimes with some of the things they sub-communicate to the students, still it's a good school. Along with that it's Pretty spacious. Also you can find many hot girls in nearby dance studios.

I decided to check out Aikido for the first time about six months ago, and the welcome, warmth, and…read morekindness I encountered at Shusekai kept me coming back. From day one I felt allowed -- even encouraged -- to have no clue at all what I was doing. As such, my practice has deepened and improved in a most organic, delightful, and surprising way. The basics classes I attend emphasize practice, not mastery, so I feel utterly free to take risks and try things countless different ways under the guidance of the extraordinary Nick Walker Sensei. Nick and the other teachers are wonderfully gifted in both the art itself and how they teach it: from a place of deep skill infused with great lightness and humor. It's rare that most people on the mat aren't at least grinning (and more often laughing -- the smiles you see in the photos weren't just for the camera!). Also, as students advance, they naturally morph into trusted teachers and guides for the newer students. The coolest thing about Aikido is how it translates off the mat: there are inherent lessons about grounding, assertiveness, commitment, what is and isn't worth our energy ... and lots more. It's also a subtly killer workout and a fantastic integration of mind and body. Most exciting for me is the weekly women's class recently begun by Azzia Zur, the spectacular dojo manager and teacher, whose infectious energy makes it impossible not to love learning this stuff. Practicing with all women has a very different and special quality -- if you're a woman looking to start a practice, this class is the perfect gateway.

I've been taking classes here for a little over two years and I've only now thought to leave a…read morereview lol. As you might guess, I really like it here! Everybody, both the instructors and the other students, is really nice and supportive. The instructor, Yuka, is a great teacher and gives a lot of personal attention. She also does a great job accommodating people's preferences and abilities so that they get the most out of their time here. The studio's super clean - Yuka uses one of those cleaning robots before every class, and the mats all get wiped down with sanitizing spray after each use. Personally, I take these classes to train for self-defense, and I like that that's what it's focused on. We train for common self-defense scenarios and all of the techniques are very practical. However, this is also a great place to practice Wing Chun for both cultural and fitness reasons! Can't recommend it enough.

I entered the studio late, but was greeted with kindness…read more The students, ages young person to elders,the fluid movements of the instructors, the ease and gentleness of the way they calmly and precisely encouraged students to mirror their movements was fascinating. I am so looking forward to my first class and the classes that follow for the opportunity to learn self-defense and gain strength in my body and mind!

I've been a student at Wen Wu School and a patient at Chung Hua Clinic for over 20 years. I have…read morenot found a more authentic place for Martial Arts, qigong and traditional Chinese Medicine that teaches virtue and merit along with Chinese culture and values. The teachers are rigorously well-trained, the Masters have decades of experience in their own practices and were extensively trained as 'indoor' students of their own Masters and the doctors truly care and use their expertise to heal and help your medical needs. This establishment embodies old school, traditional values and exemplifies how to live, work, heal, cultivate relationships, and do business in ethically and successfully. Highly recommend the school and the clinic!

Legendary martial art practice located in a humble area of El Cerritos. Team of excellent staff. I…read moremyself have never taken a class there, but have met the teachers in other settings - Buddhist temples, and community service. You are in good place. Worth a visit.

I've trained here off and on and I love it. The coaching staff is amazing. I have attended the…read morebeginner classes as well as the advanced class. The fundamentals class is very welcoming and taught in a very understandable way. The advanced class has world class champions,literally. I am very satisfied with this dojo. You won't find another like it. You have to check out the new dojo. They put a lot of love and effort into this place.

A truly wonderful beginning tumble class for active and/or shy toddlers. You can tell the…read moreinstructors love this place and what they do. They are so patient and engaging with the students. Both my boys have loved the tumble class. We happy to have found a wonderful group of instructors and new friends in our class.

I will start off by saying this is the most practical application of self-defense I have seen…read more Anyone can learn this discipline. It's pure self-defense and the training is based on balance and using your natural physiological and psychological response to fear and stress. Through training, students learn to use these responses in a powerful and explosive way. While it can appear rough, and frankly, it is in many ways, the staff and students alike are mindful and caring in the way they implement the tools they're teaching/learning. I sought out a practical school for my son to learn to defend himself and this is a perfect fit for him. Knowing that my son is entering his teenage years with the correct mindset about the reality of violence is priceless. The school is kid-friendly, but it's best if your child is able to focus for over an hour for it to really be a benefit for all. I'm a big fan of International Academy of Wing Chun!

My friend persuaded me to try it out, so I emailed them and they were really nice about letting us…read moredrop by and take a free class. It's very meditative, and they really care about being in the proper form and stance. Everyone there is really dedicated to the martial art, and believe in its benefits. Personally it wasn't my thing so I didn't go back (I was expecting more cardio/activity, and there IS a lot of standing around learning the form and all that). That being said, if you DO like it I think it's a small, intimate atmosphere that will provide lots of one-on-one help. If you're considering it, I would drop by and give it a try.