From wheelchair to the mats-…read more And despite my cognitive processing delays Professor Tony, Coaches Tanya, Don, Luci, and Anne have never treated me as "limited." They and the fellow students lead with incredible patience, walking me through techniques until the "dots connect" with no judgment. This community fosters a "keep showing up" mentality, helping me prove that physical and mental challenges don't have to stop you--they help you demonstrate what is possible.

Amazing Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy! Friendly and knowledgeable…read morestaff. Super clean facilities. Incredible vibe from the students. Big shoutout to Jeff, Colleen, Marco, Marquis, Frances, Ethan, Ian, Tonya and of course Professor Tony! Much respect for allowing me to train and feel welcome. If I forget anyone by name, I apologize for forgetting your name. Just know you made the academy a great place to visit!

We love Colorado Martial Arts Academy. Jesse and all of the instructors are wonderful at what they…read moredo which is teach martial arts to kids of various ages with a level of patience, responsibility, joy, pride, and excitement that goes beyond expectations. We have two girls in the program and I joined as an adult and we couldn't be happier. They not only offer classes, but sometimes additional opportunities to participate in events like charity tournaments, parades, and more.

The Quiet Power of Mastery: My Encounter with Sensei Scott at the U.S. Olympic Training Center…read more By Dr. Garfield Johnson, 3rd Dan USA Judo In the winter of 1992, I found myself on the tatami at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs--an environment saturated with the relentless spirit of Olympic ambition. At that time, I was not just a judoka; I was a struggling, unhoused athlete clinging to the fading edge of a dream. The do (path) of judo is often austere, demanding total commitment--physical, mental, and spiritual--and I had given all three, with little to shield me from life's harsher throws. It was in this crucible that I first encountered Sensei Scott. We met during randori, that beautiful, unscripted form of sparring that reveals both technical fluency and psychological resilience. Randori is where the art of judo is laid bare--where kuzushi (balance breaking), tsukuri (fitting in), and kake (execution) fuse into an expression of pure will and refined technique. It was amid this flow that I felt, rather than saw, the unmistakable presence of mastery. What struck me most wasn't the precision of his nage-waza (throwing techniques) or the seamless transitions into ne-waza (ground techniques)--though they were impeccable. It was the revelation, only later confirmed, that Sensei Scott was visually impaired. Here stood a blind judoka not merely participating but teaching and leading at an elite level. This, in itself, was a profound kuzushi--a breaking of assumptions. In judo, we are trained to seek advantage through the redirection of force, to use our opponent's strengths against them. But what Sensei Scott embodied was a redirection of perceived limitation into undeniable strength. His condition was not a deficit--it was, in judo terms, a shinten (progressive transformation), a turning of adversity into mastery. Sensei Scott's approach to instruction was steeped in kihon (fundamentals), but also adaptive, deeply intuitive, and intellectually rigorous. His command of tai-sabaki (body movement), his sensitivity to tactile feedback, and his ability to perceive tempo, rhythm, and intent in randori placed him within the upper echelons of judo pedagogy. He was, and is, a shihan in the truest sense--not merely a master of technique, but a cultivator of character, resilience, and possibility. For any prospective judoka considering where to train or whom to emulate, understand this: elite judo is not solely defined by podium finishes or belt ranks. It is measured in seiryoku zen'yō (maximum efficiency with minimum effort) and jita kyōei (mutual welfare and benefit). The Denver Judo team coaches, and Sensei Scott embodies these principles with every grip, every word, and every correction. He is not just a coach--he is a living testament that the randori of life, with all its unpredictable attacks and falls, can still be navigated with grace, adaptability, and unwavering resolve. It is without hesitation that I place Sensei Scott and the Denver Judo coaching staff among the most elite and proficient judo coaches in North America. His kata may be unconventional, but his ippon seoi nage, tokui-waza--his specialty technique--is his unshakable spirit and transformative mentorship. To step onto the tatami with Sensei Scott is not merely to train. It is to keiko (engage in reflective practice) with a master whose vision transcends sight--and whose judo transcends limitation.

Came down to Denver Judo and was largely disappointed. I had…read moreprevious judo experience and the reviews for this place was overwhelmingly positive, so it really caught me by surprise by what I saw. Firstly, it was disturbing how many lower belts were coaching. This concerning because 1) inexperienced judoka teaching other inexperienced judoka could be a safety concern- yellow and green belts have no business coaching , yet that's exactly what I saw... and secondly 2)There is a very high level of aggressive behavior within the club itself with the members, almost like a military hazing mindset- this has it's place, but what it turns into is anyone who isn't instantly 'popluar' gets ran off. God forbid if I let my kids come to a place like this. Save the competitive aggression for competition, not instruction, and keep the coaching to experienced sensei- not just anyone with a higher rank than the next guy. The curriculum is fairly basic. Sadly, it needs to be said that this school really caters to the "PARA-lympic" judo community, which is a different competition pool from college, nation and olympic level competitors.There is no nice way of saying this, but this is a primer judo club for people with disabilities. while there are a good number non disabled athletes... the roots of this club are the Paralympics.. and I'll let you draw your own conclusions if this club will suit your needs. Lastly, I notice many injured competitors. Too many. This place is a firm believer in overtraining to build toughness, which is probably accounts for the very high injury rate. All that being said, I do think the 'punch card' is an excellent idea and I wish more judo and martial arts clubs in general had something like that. I hope that was helpful for anyone wondering about Denver judo. I'd love to be more positive, but they charged me money and I have certain exceptions with 'for profit' judo clubs. I paid money, this is my opinion based on attending several classes, and they can take that as they will.

I didn't want to write a review of this place until I went elsewhere for comparison. As far as this…read moreplace goes, it wasn't right for me but the people there where very kind and welcoming and I appreciated their openness towards me. On the other hand, I don't think I was able to grasp on and learn anything during the class because it wasn't very structured and we didn't do any exercises that would build up to some sort of combination or form. Instead a lot of what we did were improvisation and I didn't have enough knowledge to even do improv of moves. I was also confused about who the instructor of the class was because it looked as if two people were running the class. It was nice to try this place out and have a free run at it but I wanted something that was structured and had a more systemic way of doing things. I didn't wanna pay a lot for something that didn't have structure to it, so if you are looking for something that's more open minded and improv, this place might be for you!

The people is what makes this studio great. It is however hot an over powered by the music from the…read moregym below. I feel extremely welcome there and the teachers are great. I wish them great success. The other students are very welcoming as well. This I my first capoeira class so I have no other studios to compare it too. It is clear they mingle with bother Denver studios to keep the scene alive b

This Dojo is the real thing, authentic, living, evolving Karate taught by true masters of the art…read more The Ninomiya family, headed by Kancho (Grandmaster) is full of true peaceful warriors, bushido samurai. They have all competed at very high levels and know their techniques inside and out and are as open and generous with them as possible. Train with them for a while and you become family. Unpretentious, no egotism, no macho, just excellent martial art with a sterling lineage. If you want to learn real Karate go here, you will not regret the descision. They also teach great yoga there, and have an interesting variety of conditioning classes, great for the whole family.

Both of my children attend classes here. One 8 and one 6. The amount of respect,restraint,…read moreconfidence they have gained here can not be measured. Thank you Kancho, Mike,Kiochi, Jota, Ryota, Louis and Psi. Visitors also...I hope I didn't leave anyone out. I would give more stars if I were allowed to. I can not speak more highly of a place that I am very glad to have my kids involved with.

My 3 boys recently started to attend here, we came from a different TKD school that we've been with…read more6 years. We commute 30 mins every class for the boys to attend. I love the class structure. Each class are broken into smaller groups based on their belt level and will have small sessions with each masters. These smaller groups gives the opportunities for your child to get seen. It's a very family oriented center. They hold different events throughout the year and even have parties to bring the TKD community closer. My boys loves the challenge to achieve their black belt. Don't expect to become a black belt over night, it take motivation and perseverance to get there.

I had my son enrolled in the black belt program, which required a big lump sum upfront ($4500)…read more After a few months into the program, my son started losing interest, and it was a struggle to make him go. Master Shawn convinced me that he would address such issues and help the students overcome it, however, nothing changed after I brought it up in meetings with Master Shawn. After attending for another few months, we decided to leave the program and had a meeting with Master Shawn, who promised that he would work out a partial refund. Half a year later, we're still waiting to hear from him, trying to reach him to receive any kind of refund to no avail. We haven't completed even half the program, we returned all the equipment, and had an impression that Master Shawn was the man of his word, who promised to partially refund the payment. I don't like leaving negative reviews, but when the business isn't following up on their promises, isn't responding to phone calls and isn't trying to help its customers, that business isn't deserving of a good review.

First time to Denver to visit friends and took a tai chi class at RMM. Master Clarke breaks down…read morethe movements to make it easy for anyone to learn - "tai chi by numbers." There are people there who've been students of Master Clarke for decades so he MUST be doing something right! Great place for families to learn together as well (and they do). Highly recommended!

Highly recommended...one of Denver's hidden gems. I have known and studied under Christophe for…read moremany years. He is both an amazing martial arts instructor and an amazing human being. He really approaches his training from a holistic point of view, working on not just the body but the mind and spirit as well. Christophe has helped me get in shape and learn some cool skills from a world-champion master, and has also helped me to learn to identify and conquer what gets in my way spiritually and emotionally. They work with kids and adults with a number of different programs, from general fitness to martial arts, to dance. Check them out...you won't be disappointed!

Amazing. I thought it impossible for me to learn Tai Chi, but found a teacher I could listen to…read moreand follow in Marek. He broke down the movement in a way that made it easy for me to connect with and implement. More importantly, he incorporates what I call "continuous relaxation and awareness" into every minute of his instruction. Learning to relax as I learn the movement has gotten me past my mental blocks that previously prevented my learning and enjoyment of this art. Highly recommended!

This martial arts studio is excellent in every way. The facility is well-designed, functional and…read moreaesthetically pleasing. Marek, the instructor, developed his superior martial arts skills through extensive study in China. I have worked as a professional educator and evaluator in a variety of fields and settings, and I can attest to Marek's outstanding teaching skills. He is exceptionally knowledgeable about the appropriate sequencing and scaffolding techniques to help students at every skill level. He is able to adapt his methods to the learning style of the student. In addition to his professionalism, Marek is patient, friendly, kind and humorous. With extra perks such as drum circles and sound healing and meditation...the learning environment at Eclectic Ground Martial Arts is warm & welcoming, stimulating and fun.