I went here as someone who is very overweight, out of shape, with a hip replacement. I was nervous…read moreas heck to workout anywhere because, lets face it, we don't want to be judged even if we are trying to better ourselves. As soon as I walked in I felt welcomed. Everyone was so kind and supportive. You go at your own pace and they encourage you non stop. Krav Maga is now my favorite and I look forward to the classes. Your first two classes are free.... So check it out at least! You wont regret it.

I have been on this crazy journey to find a good place to teach me to fight. ( I secretly have…read moreambitions to be the next Holly Holmes :) What you get here is down and dirty and practical. From my very first class I got a workout and left with applicable skills, which is extremely hard to do! The first class I took was the Krav Maga. I was a little intimidated at first, being the only one in the class that didn't have some kind of belt, but the other students and Zane, the owner and instructor, made me feel really welcome. Just to be clear, what I am looking for is to be actually able to deploy moves, not just run through drills, and Zane gives you that right from the beginning. We worked on disarming a knife, two person attack, and kicking drills. The other class I have attended is the Women's Self Defense class. This is taught by Michelle, Zane's wife. I think every woman needs to take this class! We learned that pony tail grabs are a common attack point and how to disable someone that attacks in this manner. Repetition makes perfect but what I like is that after one class you have enough grip on the fundamentals that I feel like I could deploy some version of it. Great place!!

this academy has a very positive and inclusive environment. the professors and coaches are always…read morewilling to help you learn. they bring excellent skills and deep knowledge to bear when teaching

our son has been going to Muay Thai here for over a year and it's been a great experience. would…read morerecommend this place.

The first time I walked into Abq-Kickboxing -MMA I was struck by the feeling of the place...it felt…read moreREAL...the first workout I had was so intense I nearly didn't go back. The second one I took a friend for support...I survived and have been going for nearly two years! Started with a couple days a week (on the intro plan) and now go 4-5 days a week for the bag workouts...in nearly two years I have never had a workout that was the same! They are intense, fun and totally addicting! The coaches/instructors are all highly skilled at what they do and very approachable, willing to answer questions and watch that you are executing the moves with proper technique. My goals have never been to lose weight here, but I have gained alot of muscle tone, stamina and strength. I usually stick to the bag workouts, but have also tried some of the "focus fit" and "savate" classes. They offer a lot of Muay Thai and MMA classes too. I love that the gym is very family friendly and LOCAL...yup, not a chain folks....check them out if you are looking for authentic kickboxing or MMA in Albuquerque! Abq-Kickboxing-MMA offers two free classes to check out the gym and staff...highly recommended. Plus they are in the same business block as Villa Myriam http://www.yelp.com/biz/villa-myriam-albuquerque if you need some pre-workout caffeine.

Unassuming, replete with character and proudly gritty, this stout lair of sweat and stamina is…read morebound to be the birthplace of the next great fighter in ABQ. The locale is entirely alien: just another storefront in the midst of another boring strip mall, walking in the door delivers something akin to a modern-day Rocky training complex, the kind of arena where Adrian isn't just sitting in the corner cheering her honey on, she's laced up in the ring, sparring and whipping the bastards to pieces. Combat sports have entered a new era, folks. The ladies are seriously into this competition, and we're not boxing, we're throwing elbows and push-kicks and choke holds. ABQ Kickboxing provides all the ammunition necessary to be a Bad Ass. A truly local resource, the facility and staff are the small dog in the franchise fight; they simply don't have the monetary resources to supply the shine and sheen of the box gyms. Here, the walls are plastered with sponsors who support 'em, much of the equipment is well worn or in need of repair, there aren't any fancy machines, just a few dumbbells and kettlebells and medicine balls, it's a hodgepodge and the instructors do what they can to utilize 'em into the workouts. Workouts run 45 minutes, a big plus in my book, just about perfect for the overworked professional. The floor matting is thick semi-absorbent foam, akin to the stuff a baby could crawl on, great for your feet, which is important because you'll be kicking the bags barefoot. The bags are full-size, they drag the foam, something I generally prefer to UFC Gym (but the benefits are debatable). Workouts run the gamut, but the average routine involves a mix of bag work, stations, ab routines and virtually no stretching. Best you arrive early and get yo'self limber before the lesson. And dig it: participants are asked to clean up after their own mess after the punishment is dealt, just a squirt bottle and a towel. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm a sweaty bastard, I give a new definition to someone who can make it rain. Here, I also clean up my dollahs. Aside from the classes, there's a boxing ring (ground level) and a grappling arena, there's plenty of instruction for those who want to take the plunge. They offer two free classes for the newbies so you have no excuse, go check it out. One bathroom, something of a downer, and a lot of the square footage is occupied by a front desk area that probably should be half the size to accommodate more equipment. Overall, I return to the opening paragraph theme: this is the place where ABQ's next big thing will train, compete and ultimately find fame. The gym absolutely bleeds Eye of the Tiger. Go check it out, and don't get discouraged if your first workout doesn't do the trick. Try another. I did and I'm hurtin'.

Amazing, amazing place. The professors are extremely nice and the training partners are all top…read morenotch. I've been coming here sporadically over the last few months. I commute a lot for work, and up until last week wasn't actually a 'Gracie Barra' member. Despite this, these guys would always let me come in for a roll or classes... and more often than not - for free! Seriously, this is one of the best places you can go for learning. Jiu jitsu is a tough sport and when you have access to great people, multiple world champions and great vibes - you can't go wrong!

Went once for their first "free class" and they didn't let me train bcs it was a lvl 2 class and…read morethey didn't "know my experience level". I've been training for a while now (2 yrs) and they didn't even let me get on the mats to at least show where I'm at. Never been to a gym that rejects a new member

NMSK is my dojo of choice. NMSK is one place that tailors the training to the individual. I have…read morehad the pleasure of experiencing NMSK both from a students and parents perspective. I have been immensely pleased with both avenues. Training at NMSK as an individual allows me to push past limitations and obtain a discipline that I can apply to many aspects of my life. From a parents perspective training for children at NMSK is especially rewarding because the discipline and encouragement learned gets deeply ingrained in their personalty. I can see the distinct differences in reactions to situations of my child compared to his peers. The Dojo has a family atmosphere when compared to other schools that have the feel that there are cliques with the school. Everyone is interested and very willing to help someone succeed and provide encouragement and motivation. The instructors possess a wide view of the martial arts and are extremely knowledgeable in a wide variety of applications of the arts that the Dojo focuses on.

Great Dojo, Sensei Randy is not just a instructor is an inspiration for the kids and students, and…read morethe students are not just instructed they are loved! I have not seen the passion that Sensei Randy have for teaching Karate

Absolutely love the community here at Blackmans Championship Martial Arts. My daughter loves it ,…read moreand looks forward to every class. Great schedule, great classes, and great instructors.

Our son was criticized for having a Gospel verse on his black belt…read more After spending around 5 years at Blackman's, including becoming Legacy Program members, we've come to learn who the Blackmans really are. If you want the short version we'll say this: They believe they are the be-all and end-all of martials arts in Albuquerque and will attempt to bully, harass and intimidate anyone (staff, students and even parents) who do not toe the line and show unconditional loyalty. If you want the longer version, read on... In order to earn a black belt, you will be required to sign your child's rights away via a non-compete agreement (Image 1, 2 & 3) The Blackmans will not disclose this until just a couple of months prior to the black belt test after you've already spent thousands of dollars and countless hours to get to black belt. They do this purposefully because they know at that point you won't say no. The agreement positions your child as an employee (Image 1, Sec. 3). The reason for the non-compete is because Phillip believes he owns the copyright on taekwondo forms and wants to prevent any potential competition across the entirety of martial arts, even disciplines he doesn't teach (Image 2). While his "student manual" is indeed federally protected, the law says that the forms and movements therein are not copyrightable. We managed to navigate not signing the non-compete because our son's paperwork was not reviewed until after the May 2026 black belt test. After the black belt test we were told by Brooke and by JohnMark that his embroidered black belt would be withheld until we capitulated to their demands and signed away our minor child's rights. So instead, we ordered a custom belt for our son that has his name and his favorite verse from the Gospel of John (John 8:12). During an early September 2026 meeting involving Phillip, Kristine, JohnMark as well as me and my wife, Kristine told us we were the only parents in 30+ years who refused to sign the non-compete. She was not happy about it. JohnMark was critical and dismissive that our son opted for a Gospel verse instead of Blackman's name. JohnMark's dismissiveness of our son's desire to have a Gospel verse on his black belt stinks of religious discrimination. We were told tradition demands that black belts wear the name of their dojang to show it off with pride to other schools. But who are they showing it off to? The Blackmans don't even attend competition with other schools. Instead they have in-house tournaments that will cost you more money for participation trophies. And you'll have to pay for those participation trophies four different times in order to get a black belt. For too long we've watched the Blackmans and now JohnMark, bully, defame, and intimidate students, instructors and other staff members (both current and former). We've watched the Blackmans threaten frivolous lawsuits against former employees. Even parents have been accosted and had their loyalty questioned. They seem to forget who is paying whom. Before the Blackmans try to refute what we've shared, in the interest of transparency, please know everything in the review is backed up with either documented evidence or supported by their own words on audio recording. Finally, think twice before believing the 5-star reviews. Phillip pays for them every testing cycle by offering a cash or gift card raffle in exchange for 5-star reviews.

I studied with Sifu Chris for a period of several years a while back. He was a superb teacher, very…read moreknowledgeable, easy going, and able to transmit information very easily. I also like that his approach is very grounded and practical. My schedule got a little crazy and I wasn't able to take class from him. I recommend him very highly to anyone wanting to learn Tai Chi.

YES! Say "YES" to…read moreTai Chi with Chris Nelson! Not only is he steeped in knowledge of the physical, mental, spiritual, and metaphysical aspects of this wonderful martial art, he is such a skillful, graceful practitioner and an UTTERLY AMAZING TEACHER, with patience, intuition, and an abundance of enthusiasm and good humor. I came to his classes through a series of happy accidents and a quick Google search once I finally figured out what I needed: Tai Chi in Silver Lake, oh YES! Hidden Tai Chi?!? So cool! I started attending classes nearly two years ago as a step in the process of trying to fix my semi-broken body, psyche, and my whole historical self, wanting to change my self-image, my internal conversation about who I was and what I could and couldn't do...and there was this kind, joyful, and patient man in the park, sitting on a blanket, and ready to go to work with me and anyone/everyone else who showed up, I don't know how I could recommend Chris and his classes more: he listens to everyone and makes gentle, non-judgmental assessments of his students (who may change from week to week), and then provides the perfect class, on the fly, every time, giving us exactly what we need, always encouraging us to move beyond our comfort zone. I go to Chris's classes feeling excited and hopeful; I leave feeling fulfilled, enriched, and grounded. The lessons I've learned with Chris have seriously changed my perspective and given me skills that I value highly. I am so grateful to have this wonderful teacher in my life!

Takai Mine Taekwondo is a wonderful school and environment for young, middle age, and older…read morestudents. My personal experience has been nothing but full satisfaction and outstanding leadership and quality of teaching. I can only say, Grandmaster is such a kind hearted individual who loves and cares for her students. Her integrity and experience only speaks for itself. I have known and been a student of Takai Mine Taekwondo and have learned so much and given assistance with anything I every needed. I love this school and will always be part of their family and teachings. Ruby Red New Mexico Award Winning Artist and Student

There is a lack of adequate leadership. Disrespect from staff and students that's tolerated which…read moreperpetuates problems. Students don't learn motivation or respect and what could be a great school, is now lacking in integrity.

As the years keeping adding on (almost 55), I realized I needed ways to maintain (ok, I have to…read moreregain) balance and flexibility. Martial Artistry has been my key to assist in achieving those goals. I tried numerous gyms, but would quickly get bored - same equipment, same routine. But at Martial Artistry, there is always something new to learn, and goals to work toward. I love the class format, wonderful instructors that provide encouragement and help. Sifu does an incredible job of instructing, motivating and encouraging in a superbly professional manner. While I am a student with more age than the average student, the program is structured so that all can advance and achieve at the level desired, in a very organized, fun environment. It is fun for me to watch the kids class and see the enthusiasm, self discipline and physical training they are developing - what great skills to cultivate at young ages. I look forward to many years of training at Martial Artistry - helping me to maintain and improve my health, flexibility, balance, self discipline, and enjoyment of staying active, while learning the beautiful art of Kung Fu. I recommend Martial Artistry to anyone wanting to participate in an activity that promotes physical activity, conditioning and encompasses the wonderful art of Kung fu teaching respect for self, others and personal growth. Ann

Martial Artistry has been the best investment for my two sons in their Little Dragons class. We…read morestarted going originally as an alternative to Occupational Therapy for my older son. We liked the school so much we enrolled our younger son once he was old enough to join the class. I look forward to the day when they graduate to the adult class and I can start attending classes with them.