They aren't kidding when they say things like "ego free" or friendly. Definitely want to sign up…read morewith them. Went with my teenage daughter and she was into it too. I'm glad they exist!

I highly recommend Lightning Hand Academy because they teach techniques that can be used for…read morepractical, real world self defense, it's a great workout, and the school has very good, supportive community feel. Full disclosure - I studied with Lightning Hand regularly from early 2016 until August 2017. In July 2017 I met someone in Washington, dated long distance, then moved so I wasn't able to make time for martial arts. I thought I had written a review for LHA 4 years ago and just found that I had not, so I figured late better than never! I was primarily interested in practical self defense and a good workout. I was afraid of making the mistake of "studying the wrong martial art". The Wing Chun approach seemed practical to me - techniques are all standing up, emphasis is on close range & punching technique, early techniques are very simple which makes them faster to cement into muscle memory. Wing Chun doesn't do high kicks, which are flashy but high risk and in my opinion unlikely to be used in a real life self defense situation (by the time you know someone intends to actually attack you, not just posturing, they are inside kicking distance). LHA's class approach creates a good training loop in my opinion - warm up, discuss ideas and theory, practice smaller skill subsets - agility or striking drills, then integrate smaller skills into practical fighting application by sparring, repeat. Enough variety in techniques and drills to keep you from getting bored, but also comes back to basics frequently to make sure they are solid in your muscle memory. There can be BS (or fear of BS) around martial arts, but I felt LHA was a very low BS environment. All humans have egos, so Ray would regularly talk to the benefits of overcoming your ego, because it gets in the way of learning. Students are expected to teach each other by being good training partners, and held to this expectation. I was once corrected by Ray in I thought a very skillful manner. I was doing a drill with someone that is supposed to be about sensing and technique, but I was using muscle to overpower my partner. Neither of us were learning what we were supposed to be. Ray came over and swapped my partner out, and did the same exercise with me. He was pushing me all over, but I could feel that he was using better posture and technique, not muscle force. I was tiring quickly and he was barely exerting effort. He asked if I still feel strong. This was pointed enough that I understood his meaning clearly - knock it off! But also conveyed one to one so I was not embarrassed in front of the class. I got really clear from this teaching moment that I was responsible for helping others learn and resolved to be a better training partner. COVID has made a lot of things difficult, but I believe LHA is still operating, doing remote training. There is a lot in Wing Chun you can learn practicing solo with minimal equipment - forms teach correct movements, you can practice striking with a wall bag full of rice that will cost less than $30. The best training experience will still need another person, but maybe you can recruit a friend or significant other to train with you? If you're feeling cooped up and would like to try learning a new skill, there is no time like the present!

Sifu Sky and his family have created a structured, disciplined, welcoming environment for children…read moreto grow their martial arts practice. The growth I have seen in my son over the past two years has been a beautiful transformation to watch.

Kung Fu been the best thing we've done for our daughter. Not only does she have a healthy outlet,…read morebut she is building incredible skills and amazing relationships with other members. Classes are taught with so much care and positivity that she comes home tired but also with a full heart. When you sign yourself or your child up for these classes they aren't only learning to protect themselves, but they are also learning when to use them, they are learning g integrity, responsibility, and to respect themselves along with others. We see the effects outside of class too!

My step-son attends taekwondo classes here twice a week, partially to give him an additional place…read moreto burn off some of his energy, but also to ingrain the concepts of respect, discipline, personal achievement and focus. I'm happy with the improvements I've seen in his behavior after class, even if most of the lesson's impact fades away within a day or two. Thankfully, another class is right there on the horizon! Tuition is reasonable, and there are plenty of available time slots for the various programs. Attendance in any time slot is *not* mandatory, at least for the Tiny Tigers program: you're free to bring your student to any available class for their program, throughout the week, depending on your schedule and flexibility. That's a nice touch that's not always offered at other dojangs and dojos. The staff at World Class Martial Arts somehow manage to corral more than two dozen kids at the same time, hold their attention for a half hour, and even impart some lessons (both physical and mental), with a reasonable amount of success. Sure, sometimes a child (often mine! haha!) will require some individual attention to get them to follow instructions and get them back on track, but the "sabom" (instructors) here are quick to notice distracted kids and move to intercept them, often dividing the troublemakers into groups separate from the more attentive students, and giving them personalized instruction. It's a good system, and it works! Gam sa ham nida!

Our son is in the Tiny Tigers program and he loves it. Master Lee, Master Yun and all the…read moreadditional teachers are fantastic. Supportive of the students yet firm. Teaching respect, patience and other life skills all through Taekwondo. We looked into other martial arts types in the area (jiu jitsu, mixed) but our son was not interested in them. World Class Martial Arts Taekwondo was the winner for us. Their space is pretty fixed in size, but I wish the changing area was organized better. There is always lots of congestion in this area making it hard to get into and out of uniform. Due to rain and cold we prefer to change there than to wear the uniform in the weather and in the car.