I've been doing Muay Thai for 14 years, give or take…read more Most of that time was spent doing it one-on-one with trainers, which was awesome for personal attention and scheduling, but expensive and hard to stay consistent with. But they were able to be patient with me, to explain things repeatedly--I'm very visual and super literary but much less intuitive when it comes to athletics--and this helped me learn the basics of the art of Muay Thai. And then my last trainer got too busy to keep going. So I tried a bunch of Muay Thai gyms, never really finding anything that matched the return I got from 1-on-1 training. Then one day I spotted NELA Combat Fitness on a Figueroa corner and got intrigued. I tried a class and loved the energy of the space. Highland Park is a wildly creative area, and the experience at NELA Combat Fitness mirrors this: The people are diverse, upbeat, inclusive and very dedicated to the art of Muay Thai. You might find a 50+ year old like me training with someone in their early 20s, and this dynamic is always approached respectfully. Ed, the owner, is a true gem of a human being: warm, funny, and with deep history with and knowledge of Muay Thai, and he teaches with a razor sharp eye and the communication skills to help keep things safe and to level up your game. The gym itself is spotless, well-designed and comfortable. One way that the absolute courtesy with which the gym operates shows up is when we go return Thai pads or kick shields: cleaning wipes are shared and pads are stacked in an orderly way. Every teacher approaches class a little differently, but if you show up, know that you are in for a wonderful workout that is easily tailored to your skill level. The music is always different and always good. You will be inspired to push yourself beyond your limits, outside of your comfort zone. You will grow, you will sweat, and you will learn. And you will emerge a stronger person. And about Muay Thai overall? It's the best. I feel elevated and calm afterwards, able to take on anything life throws my way with compassion. That's the irony - punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing it out for an hour actually makes you a calmer, kinder person. Your baseline is reset and your cardio and strength gets better and better. I truly feel like I've found a gym that I want to stay a part of. Thank you, Ed, and thank you NELA Combat Fitness community.

If you're looking for a place that combines killer workouts with a welcoming community vibe, look…read moreno further! NELA Combat Fitness is IT! I was so pumped after my first class ever, I signed up straight after. Being a beginner myself, I was happy that everyone here took the time to show me how to do the moves. The kickboxing class was intense in the best way possible - a hard but awesome workout that left me feeling like a total champ. I have a long way to go in my journey, and girl I know it, but I couldn't have found a better place to go to. The owner, Ed, is incredible. You can really tell he cares deeply for the community as he's not just running a top-notch gym, he's building a fitness family. He was motivating and supportive, pushing everyone to give their best without ever losing the fun vibe. Shoutout to Derrick too for teaching me the moves in my first class! I can't wait to make this my new home for kicking and punching my way to a healthier me (and to release some after-work stress too)! See you on the mats!

The most non-commercial real deal Muay Thai kickboxing facility. In a male dominated sport I am so…read moreimpressed with the awareness of all Instructors with their students within the four walls of class & how they partner students up appropriately by skill level,it's mostly male dominated, but everyone treats you with the upmost respect, including holding you accountable to ensure that you give your All even as a female. I have never felt more comfortable and empowered in my life: I'm used to coach Ariel, who is amazing, and I dare to venture out to and today had Coach ED IN GLENDALE, when I arrived, I thought maybe I was in an advanced class and Coach Simmy held me accountable to believing in myself that I belonged in that class most importantly that I was capable. I don't know if it's the mission statement. I don't know if it's the core or business objectives of MTK, but the blueprint is clear from their NOHO location to Glendale. WINNERS WIN It takes a lot to impress me. I pay money not only to learn the skill, i you pay for the experience. Worth every penny. And you SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA KICKER! lol

I just finished my first class here and it was amazing. Very informative so I felt like I was…read morelearning a lot while also getting an insane workout that kicks your ass. It's not a boring commercial gym at all. Very real and raw. Coach Simmy was awesome and Jennifer at the front desk was so helpful!

I dropped in twice. First time I didn't stay for any training as the instructor said he wouldn't be…read moreinvolved that day. He said that was typical for weekends. Came back on a weekday and stayed for training... he was barely involved in training that day. I understand how someone might think he is rude but I wouldn't go that far, really he just comes off as checked-out and not interested in his gym / business. The session is about 1/3rd combat sport related. The other 2/3rds is light cardio drills you can do in your own home. The other attendees are more willing to help and with that I would say this place serves more of a sparring club than a serious training gym.

The Yard and Yoshi are excellent. This review will hopefully be helpful as an update to how class…read moreis run (since class has changed a little). First my background: I've trained Muay Thai for two years (first time was in April of 2022). I've trained at 7 gyms: FLMT (Florida Muay Thai , OC MT, Team Oyama, Classic Fight Team, Rising Suns Thai Boxing, NELA Combat Fitness, and Boxing Works. My home gym for the last year was Boxing Works under the instruction of Coach Bryan Popejoy, where I trained 3-4 days a week and did one on ones once a week for about 3 month. I would've stayed there however I recently moved to Northeast LA (Highland Park) and the drive to Torrence for BW was too much (about an hour to an hour and a half drive there and 40 minutes on the way home). Whereas the Yard is a 6-minute drive from me with ample sessions. Second, class style: Classes are Monday through Friday: 8-9:30, 10-11:30, 4-5:30, and 6-7:30pm and then two sparring classes on Saturday from 9-10:30 and 11-12:30. As far as I'm aware, Yoshi teaches each class and he does an excellent job. At other gyms, I feel much more advanced then I do at the Yard. Lots of basic bad habits that I got into are getting fine-tuned and corrected. A typical class is organized in four parts: (1) Cardio: A five minute round of jump ropes and then a 30 minute cardio session where we jog, sprint, do knees, teep across the mats. (2) Bagwork We then do several rounds of shadow boxing where Yoshi will make small adjustments to our form. From there, we all go on the heavy bags and practice whatever we want to work on for several rounds while Yoshi works one on one with us on pad/mitwork. This is where I think the Yard shines. If you go to a class with few students, you are essentially getting a free one on one. When you're not working one on one with Yoshi, you are working the bag. (3): Drills/Sparring From there, we work on a specific technique through partner drills and then light technical sparring. Yoshi is very attentive as he goes around and makes adjustments and suggestions. On Fridays the technique is clinch focused; which is really great. Many gyms in Southern California lack emphasis on the clinch. (4): Burnout/core work: We end with 3 minutes of ab/core work and then a minute plank. Sometimes we will burnout with skip knees on the bag. Overall: An excellent choice. I can't speak to how it would be for a beginner, as I came with two-years of experience. I imagine it would be a great place to start. Potential cons: I do not see people doing drills on thai pads (where one partner holds pads and the other hits). Typically, a Muay Thai class is 1 hour. At the Yard, it is 1.5 hours. Which means its a little more demanding. At this point, I cannot train every day even if my schedule allowed it because my body and cardio is just too shot. I imagine with time, that'll change.

LAKO has become a sanctuary-like place for me. it's a fun and supportive environment with great…read moreenergy in the air. They play the best music to get you moving and each time I walk out of there with a big smile on my face and feeling so grounded and grateful. Yuichi is a gracious guy and the staff and coaches are amazing people who do a great job of motivating others, and making everyone feel like part of the pack. They offer numerous daily group classes, excellent private training, open gym with great equipment, training camps, and kids classes, just to name a few. They also participate in various community supportive efforts from animal advocacy to families in need, to toy drives....they do it all. Not sure what else one can ask for from one place. Thank you guys, much love

There is no other place in NELA like LAKO. Don't let the fact that it's a boxing gym intimidate…read moreyou. Everyone there from front desk, to trainers, to the other members are not only friendly and welcoming, but they make you feel strong and empowered every time you walk through the doors. And you leave feeling even better. The classes are suitable for people of all skill levels and you have your choice of boxing, kickboxing, bootcamp and sparring. The trainers are top notch (shout out to Justin!). If you're looking to get in a workout between classes, they have cardio equipment and weights. There's a recovery room for sports massage and compression sleeves, etc. Rates are competitive, bathrooms are always nice and clean, music always bumping and if you're lucky you'll get to meet Koko the mascot :)

I go to the Montrose location and I take the boxing with Mike and Freddy. They make it accessible…read morefor all levels and you learn REAL boxing. Great class. 10/10

Great gym, my son has been going for 6months and his confidence and skill have been sharpened by…read morethe great coaches at KDMMA

I've been training with Axel Gibson for a couple years now and his new place is awesome. There is…read moreplenty of room on the mats so there are no issues with bumping into training partners. The facility is really nice in a cool area. Axel's technique is cutting edge to say the least. Everything I thought I knew, Axel's approach usually has a much better sequence. You're learning modern Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that emphasizes control over the opponent so it translates very well into MMA and self defense and of course grappling tournaments. Axel is well versed in Muay Thai and MMA as well so any concerns outside of a grappling tournaments in terms of technique are easily addressed. He's one of the most well studied Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners I've ever been around and has answers within the meta and the traditional approaches.

I have been working with Jason, Head Instructor off and on for 10 years or so. He's a legit Machado…read moreblack belt. He is easy to work with, very technical in his approach, and great with children, I would highly recommend him to anyone interested in learning or continuing their experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Been coming here 4 years and it feels like my home away from home. They are welcoming from day one…read moreand the coaches are high level. The owner Savant was a top 10 featherweight in his prime and always pays close attention to each student. Coach Chris though is light work every time

I cannot stress how much I loved my time at Fight Academy Pasadena. I had been training for 5 years…read moreat different gyms (jiu jitsu) before finding Fight Academy and I stayed there for the last 2 years I was based in LA. EASILY the best training, community, vibes, and biggest improvement in my fitness and combat sports training was here. Savant leads an amazing team of coaches!

It doesn't getter any better than getting trained by Coach Yager. He's a professional MMA fighter…read moreand knows what he's doing. I've never taken any previous boxing nor martial arts classes before. Coach Yager is patient and makes learning the techniques easy for me. Just after a few weeks I'm already seeing results. The gym is clean, the other members are super friendly, and the atmosphere motivates me to want to train hard. The P.A.R.K. M.M.A. has helped me develop a love for this sport. I always leave happy and highly recommend becoming a member!

From the owner: THE P.A.R.K. MMA is a fun and exciting place to train mixed martial arts for all levels…read more Professional Amateur Recreational Kickboxing

Nacho is one of thee best trainers I've ever worked with! He's always professional with a bit of…read moredorkiness. Haha When I met Nacho I was recovering from a back injury due to a car accident. He taught me back stretches and back strengthening techniques that have help me soooo much! Before Nacho I would get back spasms randomly throughout the day but after a few weeks of working with him they've become non existent. It's been over 5years!! Nacho also worked with me through my first pregnancy and helped me maintain my strength. He was very knowledgeable when it came to questions I had being pregnant and lifting. The studio has a very cool energy to it and it's always clean and things are put away lol. Don't wait and reach out to Nacho at Fight & Science!!

Nacho's awesome. I've been training with him for a bit over 10 months now and truly cannot…read morerecommend him enough. I'd been dealing with a previous injury and wanted to safely return to strength training. He's made me feel so comfortable and has helped me make adjustments whenever a movement didn't feel quite right. I like that the workouts are quick and focused, and I feel so much stronger than when I started. Thank you for everything, Nacho!

Very comfy gym with lots of parking. It has a weight room plus tons of kickboxing equipment. I just…read morewent for my first class last Monday morning and I loved it! Not too small and not too big. Trainers were friendly and the vibe is casual although you will work and you will get tired. I recommend this gym to anyone who wants to try Muay Thai for the very first time. They also offer boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes and they sell gloves! What's not to like?

Defiant has become a second home. Coach Dan and the other coaches have created a friendly…read moreenvironment suitable for all ages at all experience levels. The members are also friendly and welcoming. The gym is an escape from the everyday and you find your purpose within the gym for whatever reason you decided to join whether it was to get in shape, learn techniques, or escape the mind. Defiant Aper!