I cannot say enough about this karate dojo! My daughter has been going since she was 4 years old…read moreand is 11. She is advancing through her belts the way a real proper dojo should. They have to go through test, show an understanding of honor, respect and fortitude. The school does not promise to advance your child to blackbelt in a few short years if you sign up for their membership. It's impressive to see the longevity of students who have stayed with this amazing school. I cannot say enough about the sensai/teachers. They are the absolute best I have seen in training, support, kindness, respect and all without humiliating or screaming at your child. They hold the students accountable for their actions with wisdom and explanations. I actually have put off the thought of moving from the area just to keep my daughter in this facility. I have also taken the kickboxing classes myself to get in physical shape for my job and I dropped 30lbs in 2 months! I've grown to love the staff and the familiar faces that I've watched grow up here. They take the classes seriously, but have this incredible way of adding humor and fun and adjusting the levels of seriousness to the proper age groups. The little kids love the staff, and learn about respecting them and each other as well as their parents. I highly recommend coming and at least trying one class, whether it's for your child or even yourself in one of the adult classes. Best decision I've made for my young child to show her what it is to stick with a good program through her life and earn rewards, (advancing a belt), and to continue even when tired, (like after volleyball practice). I would give them a 100 stars if I could for what they've done so far.

AWESOME! The instructors, the space, the kids are all great. The program promotes self…read more improvement, integrity and fun. Kicking boxing for adults is also great!

My son and I have been looking for a new martial arts studio for a while and we think we've found…read morethe right one with Watsonville Taekwondo Academy. He's been training since he was two but lacks the structure and discipline that is important to move forward. He wanted to find a place where the kids actually practice and spar together and where he can prepare for competitions. He's never been able to do competitions as his last dojos didn't support that. We heard about Linda and the other instructors being good instructors and so nice so we dropped in randomly one day (no appointment). Fortunately, we got the time right and were still able to observe/check out their healthy mind and body warm-up. Then we enjoyed watching the kids spar with each other, safely with tons of pads and such, practicing their kicks and punches. It was great and my son is happy. Watsonville Taekwondo Academy is a cozy lil dojo that's tucked behind Bud's Barber Shop, in the Ace Hardware and Staff of Life parking lot. Other things we liked - the space is so clean! And the kids seem really kind to each other and disciplined. My son says he wants to go every day. Definitely see ya there!

I had known a cousin that trained at this studio a while ago. When I was a kid I wished that I…read morecould have gotten the exposure to this kind of community. The parents were always supportive, the masters or teachers were great and communicative. I remember how cool it was to see new skills become a part of their arsenal while training. (Jump front kick is so cool)In my case, seeing my cousin grow to become a better human was actually really dope because it helped set a foundation of respect and hard work to later benefit their future. I guess when my kids are capable I may think about enrolling them.

Martial arts institute is awesome! My son started in January 2026 & 6 months in he has learned &…read moreimproved so much! They teach respect & his confidence now is through the roof when it comes to defending himself. They offer Kenpo Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & even Zumba classes for the adults. I highly recommend this place, it is family owned, they are so welcoming, skilled & passionate about what they do

We have two kids enrolled here, and we've had a wonderful experience so far. The instructors are a…read morekind, welcoming family. My kids have really benefited from the emphasis on discipline and respect, and the environment is inclusive and supportive. We especially appreciate the schedule that allows our kids to learn both American Kenpo and Jiu-Jitsu every week. Since joining, they've gained so much confidence and developed great skills. We appreciate the dedication this dojo has to its students and the community, and we look forward to keeping our kids enrolled for years to come. Highly recommend!

Absolutely amazing instructors. Very professional. Clean. Respectful…read more I genuinely feel like my child is learning a craft and many skills that will be carried throughout life.

As a beginner, I've had an incredible experience at Monterey Martial Arts so far. I found the…read morecohort that Michael has organized to be very welcoming, very compassionate, and very dedicated to practice. I received helpful guidance during my sessions. And although they were intense and challenging, I felt safe and energized. I'm looking forward to gaining empowerment, strength, and toughness. IMO this is an awesome place and well worth your time.

For almost 2 1/2 years, my kids (now 8 and 11) have been attending class twice weekly here with…read moretheir teacher Michael Yerzy. As a teacher myself for many years, I highly respect Shifu Yerzy's passionate and consistent approach to instruction. The students learn self defense to last a lifetime, exercise routines and stretching techniques to last a lifetime. And at the foundation Shifu Yerzy teaches an honorable and moral approach to physical training which will prepare my kids to stay safe and protect loved ones. Every class ends with a reminder "We are here to learn, not to fight." It's been a positive and rewarding experience for my family and many others!

My kids have been part of the Kugtar MMA family since 2019, and I can truly say it has been such a…read morepositive experience for both of them. Over the years, they have trained in Tang Soo Do and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and have had the opportunity to learn from so many wonderful instructors, especially Maa'm, who has had such a positive impact on them. She is an amazing instructor and a genuinely great person. You can tell that she truly cares about every one of her students. She gets to know them, believes in them, encourages them, and wants to see them succeed not only in martial arts, but in life. Maa'm can be tough, but that is part of what makes her such a great martial arts instructor. Martial arts isn't always supposed to be easy. Maa'm knows when her students are capable of more, and she pushes them because she believes in them. Her toughness comes from a place of caring and wanting her students to become stronger, more disciplined, and more confident. I have personally seen a tremendous change in both of my children. Before joining Kugtar, my son was being bullied at school and struggled with standing up for himself. Since becoming part of Kugtar, his self-esteem and confidence have grown tremendously. Seeing him learn to believe in himself, stand up for himself, and know that he has the skills to defend himself if necessary has meant so much to me as a parent. If you are looking for a martial arts school where your children can learn how to defend themselves while also building confidence, discipline, respect, and character, I highly recommend Kugtar MMA.

Excellent coaches. They teach the children to be disciplined. I don't have to worry about anything…read morebecause I know my son is in a good training environment. The work Maan and the coaches do is excellent.

Best dojo ever!!! The sense is sensible and displined. He is a great instructor. I would recommend…read moreit to everybody interested.

So glad we found this dojo. Sensei is the best and he builds great rapport with his students. My…read moredaughter is a little shy but the kids are welcoming and the parents are also just as kind. 10 out of 10. I just hope that Sensei doesn't retire anytime soon so she can train under him for years to come.

Having experienced other BJJ gyms that "teach" you 1-2 moves then throw you onto the mat the "roll"…read morewith little to no experience, I was hesitant to give it another try. My buddy attends this school, and finally convinced me to give BJJ another chance, as the Gracie Academy was different than all other trial-by-fire gyms I had attended. I enrolled in the 10-day, no hassle trial that included a BJJ gi and white belt. Over those 10 days, I was able to attend 4 classes and haven been going ever since. Tom (the black belt instructor) is very knowledgeable, and will take the time to listen to your question and address issues until you understand what is being taught. I highly recommend you come join us on the mat!

My daughter was nervous her first class but Brendon and the instructors were awesome and went out…read moreof their way to make her feel welcomed. She had an amazing time and learned a couple of moves her first class. She immediately got home and practiced said moves on her dad. She left the class feeling happy and proud of herself.