I trained at N1 for nearly a year before having to stop and it was a great experience. I walked…read moreinto the facility with no background in Muay Thai, or any other martial art experience except for a few karate lessons as a kid. By the time I left I'd learned a lot, met some great people, and found a new sport I love. The building is located in Little Italy and parking is limited to street parking or a large private lot that is right next door. The private lot charges $3 while street parking is free after 5:30. I found if I'd get there early I could get a spot on the street the majority of the time. The facility itself is very nice with two large rooms for classes, male and female locker rooms, showers, and a full size ring. For beginners they provide all equipment you need including gloves and pads but it might be worth buying a pair of wrist wraps when you sign up. The sign up procedure is very straight forward. Your first lesson is $20 and includes 20-30 minute one-on-one period with an instructor so you know the basics and can follow along with other level 1 students. After your first class, if you enjoyed it, you can pay month to month, or sign a six to twelve month contract. The longer contracts are cheaper on a per month basis and you get an additional discount if you prepay 6-12 months upfront. Plan on spending between $75 - $150 a month for unlimited Muay Thai, Boxing and BJJ classes depending on your contract length and any promotions they might have going on. All new students (that haven't studied Muay Thai elsewhere) start in level 1 and remain there for about 2-3 months until they have the fundamentals down and pass a proficiency check with the owner of the school. The classes themselves follow a basic pattern. You start off by skipping rope and doing situps for about 5-10 minutes followed by 5 minutes of shadow boxing. You shadow box in both a western and thai boxing stance and the Kru (instructor) will go around making corrections to your stance, punches, kicks, knees etc during this time. After the warm up is finish you'll pair up and do some various drills. Different instructors like to focus on different aspects which works great since you get to work on a variety of things on different days of the week. You general work in pairs doing various drills with thai and focus pads for 30 minutes. After that for the remaining 15 minutes you either do conditioning drills or maybe touch sparring. By the time class is over you'll be dripping with sweat and have a smile on your face. Class size varies widely and I couldn't figure out why. Some nights there might be 6 people others there might be 16. The instructors do a good job of keeping an eye on everyone regardless of size and they make sure to check in with you on just about every drill. When you're done level 1 classes you move on two level 2. Level 2 starts off the same way, skipping rope and occasionally shadow boxing but after that things start to change up. You are more likely to rotate partners throughout class and spar, or do complex drills. Everyone is expected to have a mouth guard, shin pads, and groin protector on for class as there is more contact between students than in the level 1 classes. While the level 1 classes were fun and did a great job of teaching the basic it was level 2 that i really loved. All of the instructors and fellow students are very helpful. There are no attitudes and everyone really wants everyone else to succeed and have fun. The instructors were all very approachable and willing to stay with students after class if you have any questions or need some help. They also offer private training, something I wish I'd taken advantage of when I was there. They also have Brazilian Ju Jiujitsu classes (gi and nogi) and western boxing. The BJJ classes were really fun but my enjoyment was hindered by my lack of flexibility. I'm sure it would have gotten easier had i gone to more than 10 classes but I was enjoying Muay Thai so much I always want to do that instead. The instructor, Pat, was really helpful in explaining the basics and since I was the only one in class with no previous grappling experience would often partner with me to help explain things better. Each class would include warm up, drills, and sparring and were always a good workout. They also have "competitive" muay thai classes specifically for people who want to enter amateur fights around Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto etc. I never attended any but from talking to people who did they focus much more on ring technique, and what to do in a bout. Most people who attend these classes also go to the level 2 or level 3 Muay Thai classes. Overall, I really enjoyed my time at N1, the instructors and fellow students were awesome and the quality of instruction was great. If I wasn't in and out of town so often these days I'd still be a member.

I keep finding myself back at N1 throughout the years, The staff has always been great, the…read moreinstructors will go over the drills in detail and will go around the class to point out and go over the specifics of the drill with you. I love the set up there, they have heavy bags through out the gym, there's a section of the gym where you can lift weights and a BJJ room. Been going there for years and there's a reason. The staff is fantastic and I have learned a lot there, the staff has been supportive in helping me reach my goals.

I never in my life would have thought I would be a butt-kicking, fierce lady who actually enjoys…read moreworking out, but this place, and my instructor Nick Denis, have actually changed my life. I started taking classes here a few months ago and have gone from a complete novice in Muay Thai Kickboxing to feeling confident, healthy, and able to defend myself. I take classes two times a week, and different packages are available. In addition to the MTKB class I also attend Nick's Fire and Ice class, which combines a half hour of intense conditioning work with 30 minutes of stretching/cool down poses. Nick is a retired UFC fighter and is fantastic at providing encouragement, support and pushing you to your limit. The classes are challenging, but many techniques can be done at your own pace and skill level. No matter what your level of fitness, you will feel welcomed and supported in this studio. Lal, the owner and traditional martial arts instructor is also a welcoming and encouraging instructor, and their energy really makes this place a great spot to work out. There are adult and children's classes (there's a summer class for kids going on right now!), and they currently have a beginners trial for $20. If you're looking for a fun and challenging workout, or have always wanted to try martial arts, I highly recommend this new studio.

The pros: - Good technique explanations…read more- Good studio - Great atmosphere - Less expensive than other martial art schools The cons: - Poor technique practice (most people in the gym are afraid of touching each other) - Classes are very short - (some) Black-belts have superiority complex, and treat newcomers disrespectfully. I've been told multiple times "don't stand there" or "got sit over there". This was done *during* class and no beforehand. - "McDojo" when it comes to belts. You have pay to get a belt with a stripe, belt with two stripes etc...

My first introduction to Krav Maga Ottawa was with their Women's Self-defense Classes…read more Unfortunately, the world is becoming a more dangerous place. Violent crimes in Ottawa have increased 20% over the last year. I wanted to do something to make myself feel safer, so I enrolled in their Women's Self-defense Class. It was amazing and I would recommend it to all women. At the time, they only had Sunday classes 1.5 hours a week for 12 weeks, but they are now offering another option of Monday and Wednesday classes an hour each day for 9 weeks. The cost is $250 plus tax. The focus was on common attacks against women: stabbing, choking, kidnapping, and sexual assault. The owner and main instructor, Laurent, is superb. He's really personable. I like how he shares stories in class and even makes book recommendations. He's very nice, and also very skilled (he's an Expert 3 in Krav Maga). The other instructors are also good, especially Sam. After completing the Women's course, I decided to join the regular classes. These are co-ed classes and all levels together. You purchase a membership and you can go as often or as little as you like. Classes are Sundays to Thursdays 1.5 hours in duration (except the Sunday class is only 1 hour). Membership is about $100-$140 a month depending on how many months you purchase at a time. I went 3 times a week for the first 2 months, but then had to scale back to once or twice a week because the classes were making me too sore. There was this girl who actually went 5 times a week! She was intense. While I felt that the skills taught in the regular classes were extremely valuable, I enjoyed the regular classes less than the women's course. The regular classes are much more intense and the students are much more hardcore. I consider myself fairly fit, but I'm also very short and very light (barely 5'0" tall and barely weighing 100 pounds soaking wet and wearing a wool coat, lol) I felt that I was roughed up much more than the average-sized person. I would fly across the room every time I held the shield for my partner to kick. I pretty much left every class with cuts and bruises and was in a perpetual state of soreness. I was not the only one getting hurt though. I witnessed someone get a fat lip and saw other students with cuts and bruises too. I heard about broken bones and huge hematomas. But these were rare occurrences for other students, for me it was every class, cuts and bruises. I once got a huge goose egg-like swelling on my forearm from blocking a simulated knife attack in class. My partner said "ouch, your bony little arm hurt me!" Well dude, your big muscular arm hurt me! And I don't see any marks on your arm, but I've got this huge goose egg on mine! Lol. Sure, I learned some awesome skills, and the moves do work (I tried some on my husband who's a foot taller than me and almost twice my weight, and also on my personal trainer who's wicked strong, and they were both really impressed) but I don't like always being sore, bruised and cut up, haha. So I'm super glad that I trained for the time that I did (6 months in total, including the Women's Course), and if they ever develop a Women's Self-defense Level 2 Class curriculum, I would take it, but ongoing regular classes are not for me at this point in time. Believe me, I've been lifting those weights at the gym and trying hard to jack up, but gains are slow. Who knows, maybe when I beef up I might give Krav another try then :) The training studio is in The Glebe where Glebe Fitness used to be. Street parking only (which is usually a pain in butt to find close by). Well, there's a paid parking lot near by, but I'm frugal so I would park 5 blocks away for free and consider the walk part of my exercise routine, lol.

Amazing experience training at this place. Laurent and Shane are the best guys out there! I took a…read morewomen's self defence course and I absolutely loved every single second of it. They push you to your emotional and physical limits and helped me so much throughout the twelve week course. Whether it be for this course, or any other, please invest your time and money into yourself! This team will make you feel stronger than you could ever imagine.

Mislead me on a contract. Paid for 6 months to secure the discount as I was away on holiday and was…read moretold the first class would be a trial class. I have spent the last 2 months attempting to be refunded, emailing with no response, calling with no answer. I have gone in multiple times to speak face to face. I am constantly redirected. Staff is very unhelpful. Scam. DO NOT SIGN UP. BEWARE. And 45 minutes for a class (20 minutes of which is warm up) is a joke.

100% Martial Arts and fitness is 100% dedicated to you. They help you feel good about yourself by…read moretraining your mind, body and spirit. Their mission is to provide personalized service that goes beyond what you have ever experienced before. From the friendly staff that knows every member by name to personalized digital records, they monitor your journey toward achieving your goals.

It may seem odd that a college has one of the most amazing gyms in the city, but I promise you if…read moreyou check out Algonquin's Fitness Zone, you will not be disappointed. I came here as a student, then as a staff member and still work out there as an alumnus. The front desk staff are always helpful, attentive and friendly and the change rooms are super clean and really spacious. And they have steam showers...NICE. The equipment and atmosphere is awesome. All of the cardio machines were changed out about 8 months ago so they're all in great shape and top of the line. For those of you who need to catch your shows but still want to work out - GOOD NEWS: each cardio machine has its own screen. Amazing.The strength training equipment is also quite good, and they have some cool machines like the rope pull and some super cool zero gravity thing (note my intense knowledge of the fitness industry...) and the staff are all super helpful and friendly. There are trainers on staff as well as group fitness classes that you can attend. Algonquin also has an add-on called the Impact Zone. The Impact Zone is right across the hall from the Fitness Zone and is a state of the art martial arts training facility. They specialize in Thai boxing, boxing, kickboxing, MMA, Krav Maga, wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and every time I walk by it's always being used. In order to get access to the Impact Zone you have to add $50 to your membership...which is a bit pricey for my taste. The only reason I'm not giving this fantastic gym five stars is because of the aforementioned price. For a community member (yes, anyone can join - it's not just for college peeps) it's $65 a month or $10/visit. If you're an Algonquin student, alumni or staff you can only get a four month membership or a one year membership, which can be an issue for people that want to join a month-to-month gym. Students are looking at $130/4 months or $260 for the year. Alumni prices are $160/4 months or $350/year. Staff are charged $180/4 months or $380 for the year. Despite the seemingly expensive prices, the one awesome deal that I come back to every year is their $35/month during the summer. Remember, the summer goes from May-August in the post-secondary world so this can save you a ton.

This gym is for weight lifting, with a few cardio machines. they don't have any cross fit equipment…read moreand room for interval training. The staff are protein shake pushers and have no knowledge of fight training or diet. The staff has poor cardio and the actual MMA or boxing classes are not enough to get fit and not recommended for intermediate fighters. I do recommend this gym for beginner body lifters but nothing more.

I've been going to OFF for five years now. Great training space, great instructors, great…read morecommunity. Covid protocols at OFF are above and beyond - no close contact or shared items, everyone is distanced in marked-off spaces and everything is cleaned thoroughly after use. It feels safer to me than a patio.

I just started and this gym is incredibly welcoming to newbies. Sacha is amazing, gym is…read morewell-maintained and the schedule is very very flexible. There's a free one week trial too.

OAMA abruptly cancelled the Taekwondo program at the beginning of June. They failed to let anyone…read moreknow that it was shut down and why. They are refusing to refunding the unused portion of the year long membership stating that they are losing money if they provide refunds (YES REALLY!). This is in violation of the Ontario Consumer Protection Act. If you do decide to sign up, do month to month, and make sure you get the cancellation policy in writing. I will never trust these guys. There are many in the same situation.

If you want to train in martial arts this is the place. They run it as a full-time business so…read morethere are classes as early at 7 AM to accommodate all sorts of schedules. Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai are what you get. Instructors are top notch and they have a fighter in the UFC. Lots of opportunity to travel and compete in New York, Hollywood, Brazil to name a few. But if you're not interested in competing that's not a problem. They have kids classes and some for those who are just interested in getting in shape. Students are great and a very friendly atmosphere

I used to visit a few weeks ago, but I haven't been back since, and here's why:…read more First off, it was super hot inside. They mentioned the vents were broken and that fixing them wasn't a priority, and I was struggling to stay cool in the waiting room. Second, and I think this is the biggest problem, is that the main instructor, who I won't name, doesn't let us drink water until about five minutes before class ends. Those are the main things I wanted to mention. Even though all of these things are a bit annoying, it is still a very fun place to learn taekwando Cheers, John Smith

I actually go to this academy at the time I'm writing this,and I really enjoy it and recommend you…read morego check it out as well. Capital taekwondo has experienced masters that also teach very well.