I have been coming here 2 years now. Great trainers, great people, great facility. Some classes are…read moremore of a workout, and some classes are more about technique (it all depends on which instructor is teaching that day). They have a lot of knowledge, and you can share a dialogue about different moves and questions you have. I feel safer walking around the streets of Chicago knowing that I can defend myself. Plus, the owner Jeff usually has some good stories if you show up to class early.

Let me begin by saying that while I love how you feel and look when you work out consistently, I…read morejust can't muster up the motivation to make myself do it! I dislike running, and I push myself harder when working out with a group. Clark and I wanted to take some type of a workout class together...him acting as my new motivation to get in shape. When it came down to decision time, we were between yoga and Krav. We decided to check out Krav since both of us knew what yoga was, and the rest is history. I NEVER feel obligated to come to class - I always want to go! (This is NOT normal for me!!!) We began attending Krav Academy around mid-March and have thoroughly enjoyed it every step of the way. Not only am I getting a great work out in, but I am learning how to get out of a dangerous situation quickly and safely. My funds are limited, but I can certainly justify this work out as it is not merely to "get in shape." The Academy is hosted by FFC Old Town, which is a fine enough facility itself. What I really appreciate is that the Academy is SEPARATE from FFC, so I do not pay for an additional membership at the gym (great news for people on budgets!!). There is a $100 equipment fee when you first sign up and the unlimited monthly package is $130. I believe there is an option for a 2 classes per week membership, but I certainly recommend going w the monthly. As for the instructors: all are seriously great. Ivo and Erin in particular do an exceptional job at demonstrating, explaining, and teaching different moves and defenses. It is obvious that Ivo has been doing this for a very long time and is very passionate about it. While many can be considered a "professional" in something, not all can teach. Ivo makes things so easy to learn and keeps it fun! He pushes you, teaches you, and jokes with you. I've quite literally never met a teacher or coach that has been able to teach me something new as Ivo has taught me Krav Maga. As a previous reviewer wrote: the instructors here are incredibly helpful. They want to teach you and take on a genuine interest in your improvement. I typically need a lot of help going through drills and getting better at them, but I have not felt like I've been a burden to anyone teaching there. People in class are always friendly and it is easy to join and feel welcomed. It helps a lot that the other students in the class that have been there for a few months also help instruct you and help you improve. I seriously cannot write enough good things about Krav Academy. I have a ton of fun, I'm learning how to keep myself safe, and am getting in better shape than I have been in the last 7 years! Everyone involved is seriously great and I really look forward to continuing my involvement in Krav Maga here!

This dojo has been amazing for both of my sons. There are two Sensei's - Gerson and Shaza - that…read moreare professional, caring, disciplined and fun. They know every single person by name, command respect but teach such wonderful meaningful classes to the kids, and have a true passion for their craft. We could not be more satisfied with this Martial Arts dojo. Highly recommend!!

They are incredibly skilled, patient, and passionate about teaching martial arts. Their approach is…read morethe perfect balance of discipline, fun, and motivation. The facility is clean, well-organized, and has a positive, encouraging atmosphere. The instructors do an amazing job of working with students of all ages and skill levels, helping everyone feel confident and capable. My child has gained so much more than just martial arts skills -- they've learned respect, focus, and confidence. What sets Fonseca apart is the sense of community. The instructors genuinely care about each student's progress and celebrate their achievements. My child always looks forward to class and leaves feeling proud and energized.

What a great find! I started taking classes, at the age 44, with my son, age 5. The instructions…read morehave been awesome and it is great fun to exercise and grow in defence knowledge and discipline with my son. They offered us two free classes to try it out and see if my son like it before signing up. The Summer special prices are not to be beat anywhere, Come check it out! You're never too old to start!

First off, I've been training in different martial arts (TKD, Hapkido, Eskrima, and Brazilian Jiu…read moreJitsu) off and on for over 25 years. What brought me to this school was my 9-year old daughter. I wanted to find a good traditional martial arts school, where she would actually learn proper strikes, kicks and technique. My daughter never had interest in learning any martial arts and the only reason I was able to get her to try a class was because she had a friend that trained there. We met with the head instructor Dave, who gave us a run down and brief history of the school, which has its roots from Zange's Martial Arts, a school that has taught people in Chicago martial arts for over 35 years. While we were talking, I noticed several kids in the class warming up; all were focused whether they were practicing kicks, a form with their Kali sticks, or just stretching. We tried the class and my daughter loved it. I decided to take up martial arts again at 45 years old and signed up as well. My 12 year old son heard that his sister really enjoyed the class and he signed up as well so we now train as a family, which is something that Kickin' Around really encourages. Dave has students set their sights on receiving their black belt but tells you up front that it takes time and a lot of work to achieve that goal. Students here earn every belt that they test for and there's no rush or pressure to take a promotion test, which from my experience with different martial arts schools is an indicator of a good one. Solid martial arts instruction in Hapkido, Tae Kwon Do and Kali(Filipino Martial Arts) at very affordable prices.

These classes perfect for anyone who is interested in training kickboxing. The instructors take…read moretheir time with each person individually and helps you excel your kickboxing career.

Hands down one of the best tkd schools... master lee is awesome. His instructors and students are…read morethe best. He really loves what he does and he loves teaching it to not just kids but adults too. This school is definitely the one to consider for your kids and yourself..

I trained here a long time ago (I think 1990 or 1991 when I began) when it was in Skokie and then…read moreCicero. Rick Sollo was both an inspiration and a mentor to me and taught me authentic muay thai as he was taught in Thailand by the great teachers of his day. Rick has trained a whole lot of champions and some word champions. Best place in Illinois for sure as far as quality instruction goes. This place has a 35 year old history people--that is tough to find. I emphatically endorse Aiki.

Quite possibly the best place on earth…read more I've never written a review for anything, but you best believe I'm going to wax poetic about this place. You can't ask for a better place to train muay thai in the city of Chicago. This training facility has been my second home since I started here. It's one of the only authentic muay thai facilities near Chicago. A lot of places claim to train muay thai when they actually teach a glorified version of kickboxing. If that's what you want, great, but for real muay thai and amazing instructors, Aiki is the place to go. This is one of only two gyms in Cook County certified with the U.S. Muay Thai Federation, and the owner, Rick Sollo is a force of nature. This place has trained champions. If you want to take your fight career seriously they will get you in shape. They're also incredible with beginners as I started out with no martial arts knowledge. Dario, one of the trainers, took the time to make sure I knew the basics and sent me videos and training skills to practice. Here's the rundown. Reasons why you should train with Aiki: small classes, intensive training, experienced instructors, authentic muay thai, regular seminars with internationally renowned thai champions, excellent mix of pad work, bags, and conditioning, supportive environment. Most places will run you around $80-$100 a month. You pay half that with Aiki for more one on one training in a small gym environment. What this means: You'll improve quickly and leave class sweating, exhausted, and feeling awesome. If your goal is to fight, they will get you there. Just want a good workout? You'll get the best one of your life. But more than anything, Aiki's community is the warmest group of people. It's always hard walking into a tight-knit gym for the first time, but the Aiki family will welcome you like you've been there for years. Come check out this amazing muay thai gym in Rogers Park. If you're like me, you'll catch the muay thai bug and never look back.

I have been a member here for just over a year and my experience has been overwhelmingly positive…read more Jay and his team of higher belts all give expert instruction and the classes are a good mix of technical drilling and physical challenge. I try to go daily if I can. As an older guy, it's important to find the right team. In 2023, I managed to train over 200 hours with this team while rolling in a safe but demanding environment. I'd recommend this academy to any one!

Best jujitsu gym I've been to since I started a few years ago. Been to a lot of gyms and this one…read morehas been the best atmosphere and training partners. Varying levels of "intensity" so always people at your level to roll with. Awesome instructors and solid group of brown and black belts that come in even for the fundamentals class.

This is a great place to learn Hapkido. Hapkido is a korean martial art that uses fun stuff like…read morekicks, strikes, and joint locks to immobilize your opponet. Hapkido is easier to pick up and use than some other martial arts and they aren't above teaching you some quick and dirty ways to ruin someone's day (which I will leave to your imagination). Master Kevin is the main guy and he is really down-to-earth and patient with total rookies like myself. The hours are great - they have classes seven days a week and evenings. The first class is free and if they see someone new they'll teach some quick, easy-to-learn self-defense stuff along with the regular class. Even if you don't sign up, you will have a new trick or two up your sleeve in case you ever need it. Try it out!

Truly awesome martial arts!!! This is Hapkido as intended without crazy aerials designed to woo…read morecrowds of S. Koreans or writers from Black Belt Magazine... a good indication that a Hapkido school is actually teaching something else. Here the emphasis is placed on learning the techniques correctly intertwined with basic street knowledge and a good dose of common sense which is refreshing. Master Kevin has been teaching Hapkido since he was in his teens, holds his BS in Education, has years of experience bouncing Chicago nightclubs and performing security/bodyguard work for major names in the Hip Hop world, and is now the premier instructor for the Jung Ki Kwan Hapkido in the Midwest. This is a man who understands fighting, self-defense, and the psychology of what happens in a confrontation and is able to teach why the techniques work based on his experiences rather than just teaching material without ever having tested its practicality. Now that I have been training here for the last 6 months, I can't imagine studying Hapkido under anyone else. Also available are classes in Kuhapdo which is a Korean sword style as well as women-only classes in Self-Defense and the new female instructed FitCut class that focuses heavily on core strength through the use of the sword, cardio, and coordinated movement. As Mark noted, Hapkido is a Korean martial art and is commonly translated as "the way of coordinated energy/power". It is also frequently described using words like "dynamic" and "eclectic" because it combines so many different types of response that are all based on redirecting your opponent's energy and returning it in a circular motion, typically along with a final strike or series of strikes intended to end the fight. In addition to basic strikes and low kicks, you learn joint locks, pressure points, throws, and some weapons at more advanced levels. Finally, Hapkido is not a Korean version of the Japanese Aikido whose techniques typically end short before leaving the realm of defensive measures. Simply put, Hapkido is street fighting which also helps distinguish it from competitive arts like Karate, Tae Kwan Do, Kickboxing, Judo, or BJJ. I have nothing but respect for other arts but competitive martial arts generally consider our final strikes "dirty" or "illegal" because they focus on how to score points in a match. In my eyes, if you're in a real fight, I'll skip over anything designed for competitive back-and-forth point scoring and do whatever I need to in order to walk away in 1 piece. Realistically, that may simply mean running but if my back is against a wall, this is a martial art that just may save my neck. This is a great school. Pricing is fair and Master Kevin will never try to get you to sign a lengthy contract. To my knowledge, he doesn't even have contracts other than asking that you let him know 30 days before leaving. Also worth noting, the entire syllabus is available on DVD in English being performed by the current Grandmaster in Korea (http://jkkmedia.com) and is a great way to supplement the material you get in class and reinforce your understanding so that you can train at a more accelerated pace. Check out the International Hapkido USA website (http://jungkifamily.com) for class times and any additional information.

My son is 16 years old and he recently received a Black Belt for Tae Kwon Do under the instruction…read moreof Master Aguirre. Not only has my son excelled at an invaluable sport, but it's given him more confidence in himself and it's been a great character builder. The classes also include a excellent exercise routine. Master Aguirre not only cares about your physical performance, he cares about your well being as well. He's very patient and knowledgeable.

This school is great for anyone seeking self-discipline, confidence, physical fitness and…read moreself-defense skills under a caring and watchful Master, Master Aguirre. You get to learn awesome techniques starting at the white belt level and build up your flexibility and strength along side higher belts. The style is a mix of Tae Kwon Do, kickboxing and Muay Thai elbow and knee combinations (close-range combat). Even though you must learn traditional techniques, the Master's various technique approaches prepare you for self-defense in the streets, with respect and confidence at the top of the chart. The kids' classes are full of happy faces and proud parents in the audience area. A great plus is there are no Belt Promotion Test fees -- other schools can also increase fees as you move up.