Monterey Bay Taekwondo is a fantastic place for kids. Everyone is welcoming and respectful, the…read moreinstructors are incredibly helpful, and the convenient schedule makes it easy to fit into our routine. My son loves his lessons, and I highly recommend this dojo to anyone looking to start!

they simply told my family they no longer want to teach my son! let alone we are american korean! i…read morewish they had more patience! never again will i attend this place! i guess my money is not good here! hwang family

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.

*A love letter to my favorite place in the Monterey Bay area.*…read more If you are looking for a martial arts gym in the area that will introduce you to the art and take you to the next level, look no longer. Coach Mark is truly the best with whom I trained under and cares very deeply about helping students continue to realize their potential as human beings and as martial artists. I had my first class here Feb 2021 and was impressed with Mark's high level instruction, and the quality of my fellow teammates. The impression of a martial arts dojo for people who have never trained is that it is full of dangerous people ready to smash newbies. And while this is true for some gyms, Eliteteam Monterey is the type of place that will simultaneously push you to become better and empower you. It was through the coach and teammates' encouragement that I decided to compete, and if you are willing to learn the program and train consistently, you will be carried to another level with the support of a stellar coach and hard working team. Having trained at four different gyms since 2016, one learns to look at some details to understand the "health" of a gym: 1) The mats are always clean and are sanitized after every session. 2) Mark pays close attention to the organization, cleanliness, and vibe of the whole facility, so you feel right at home. 3) A shower is available for those on morning, noon, or evening training schedules and is stocked with "Defense" soap so that every person can keep the team safe with good hygiene (anti-ring worm, anti-staph). 4) This academy now has a Full Monday to Sunday schedule, with 6 AM classes, 12 PM classes, 4 PM classes, and 6PM classes. 5) It is a very inclusive academy and has classes for all levels, and women's classes 8-9 Saturday. 6) The coach constantly emphasizes fundamentals while helping you build skills, and then try them in live sparring under his close supervision so that everyone stays safe. 7) Striking classes are offered as well In addition to jiujitsu, I also benefited a lot from Coach Mark's advice about applying principles of the art in my professional and personal life, and how to improve my health. He provided me with strengthening exercises, cardio exercises, cool podcasts, and coaching at competitions, to help me build more confidence as a person and as a martial artist. Thank you coach Mark and the Elite Team Monterey crew. Catch you on the next roll.

I was visiting for a few days due to work and this was the highlight of my trip. Great vibe, I felt…read moresafe as a visitor, awesome technique. Thanks Coach Mark, and all the others of the team. Highly recommended

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.

Nick and Kathy (Sir and Maam) are energetic and inspiring. I am currently bringing a third child…read morehere. It is a trek from Marina but totally worth it. The kids get the skills and are able to build discipline and still have fun. Body Worx is the best

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.

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.

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.

Professor Rich has built an amazing program at the adult and kids level. Spent a year at the gym…read moreand gained a lot of jiu jitsu skills but most importantly I gained friends that felt more like family. I would highly recommend this gym to anybody new to martial arts that might be nervous to start and join a gym. Everybody in the gym is down to earth, helpful and welcoming. Every class is filled with great knowledge and competitive sparring if you're looking to compete, but everybody will take it slow and "flow roll" if you're looking to work on technique. Would recommend this gym not only for the atmosphere but size. There is always enough space and Professor Rich is able to give everybody individual attention if needed. I would have stayed at this gym for a much longer time if I didn't move for work but will always go back and I consider Professor Rich and the team my home team and close friends.

Been to about 5 different jiujitsu places and this one is one of the best. The instructor is…read moreamazing and the students all get along. A lot of great people in this gym. Prices are the best you'll find anywhere.

We were looking for an extracurricular activity for our two boys (ages 9 and 6) but were having…read moretrouble finding something that they really took to. They don't do well with someone yelling in their face and they're not big on sports. After asking around, we were recommended Mr. Sells Martial Arts. It's so nice that he offers a free, no commitment, one week trial to really see if the kid(s) enjoy the classes. After a week, our boys were hooked and look forward to attending every afternoon. Mr. Sells is so patient and knows his stuff. All the kids respect him and you can tell they all WANT to be there, they're not forced to be there. Mr. Sells will teach your child all things karate, but also sprinkles in some valuable life lessons with each class. None of that toxic masculinity stuff! Pricing is reasonable especially for how flexible the time/classes are. There's always going to be a class that fits your schedule and he doesn't make you feel bad if you miss one. I HIGHLY recommend this to everyone, but even more so if you have a timid/introverted kiddo. Try to get there a little early if you have questions, or call and leave a message, because classes start timely and he is busy with the kids once 3pm hits.

We've known Curtis since High School. He is a very dedicated, knowledgeable, well-qualified…read moreinstructor. Our 3 year old son feels very comfortable with Curtis in his class. For all the parents reading this, I highly recommend Curtis Sells Martial Arts for your kids, He is very gentle and nurturing, and your kids will surely love him. Also, Curtis Sells Martial Arts teaches LOVE, RESPECT, UNDERSTANDING, FOCUS, PEACE, and more to his students.

Took the free trail here. I love it unfortunately my work schedule doesn't allow me to keep going…read morebut a great place to learn self defense and discipline. Will have my daughter come here when shes older.

I am a former student here and it is a very great place to learn and demonstrate self defense.read more