We really love the little Dragons class. Our kid was so shy and reluctant but thanks to the super…read morededicated, friendly and experienced owners/teachers there he overcame his shyness and we generally see great improvement in his confidence. There are both boys and girls and it is a very nice community. Highly recommend for any child. End of August they do camp few hours a day which is a lot of fun for kids, and a break for the parents!

We recommend this place 1000% perfect! The patients, the kindness, the care they showed our son…read moremade us smile made us tear up! We are beyond thankful for helping our son! If your child is sensitive, if your child needs an extra push this is the place for them! Thank you all so much again for taking the time. We appreciate you all!

Educating, teaching, loving environment. Amazing instructor. I highly recommend this place. As a…read moreparent looking to find a place with personal growth in mind and motor skills improvement the with discipline and care, I am completely pleased. Very flexible hours and and not complicated make up lessons make our scheduling easier. I highly recommend.

I've been taking my son here for almost 4 years. I could not be happier with the Masters and staff.read more

I have two teenage boys (a senior and a freshmen in high school) that have been training with…read moreSensei Mac since they were each about 4 years old. They are continuing their Shukokai journey at the Pearl River dojo, currently getting ready for a World Tournament in South Africa. Each of my boys has benefitted from their training with Sensei Mac in ways that every parent would want to have their child learn. Sensei Mac has given them the confidence and strength of character that they would not have had, if they were not exposed to his tutelage and the experiences the Kimura Shukokai Karate has exposed them to. While there may be other places in and near Pearl River, NY that teach martial arts, none can come close to providing the opportunity that is afforded by this internationally affiliated community that feels like family. Sensei Mac has developed many World Champions, of which my older son became one in 2012. Yet, I treasure that achievement less than the extended family attachment that my children have found in the Pearl River, NY dojo. As a parent, I could not recommend more the Shukokai Karate Center in Pearl River, NY to everyone - young and old.

The Mac Albus Shukokai Karate Center in Pearl River NY is something very special in the sea of…read moremartial arts centers. Grading of belts is earned by the student and there are no contracts. Regional and international competitions are available to all students ( every age group) with a very high success rate but mastering the art of Shukokai Karate is at the core of Shihan Mac's teaching style. It's a way of life as well as a great workout.

I had just realized that my daughter, a new kindergartner, was getting home from school full of…read moreenergy and needed a constructive outlet for it. I hadn't given it any serious thought yet when I came across an advertisement for Elite Chinese Martial Arts Academy in a glossy circular I was leafing through as I ate a bowl of cereal. Why not call and find out what it's all about? I left a message and got a call back quickly and was invited to come let my daughter try a Tiger Team class (for the pre-K through early elementary ages) to see what we thought. My daughter loved it, and still loves it two months later, three times a week. Elite Chinese Martial Arts Academy is, as the name says, a Chinese martial arts school. Kung fu, tai chi, Chinese kickboxing, and weapons training for adults are all part of the curriculum. There are classes all through the week for young kids (Tiger Team), juniors (older elementary through teens), and adults. Sifu Reynolds, who operates the school and teaches the Tiger Team classes on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, is a young man himself and the kind of All-American good guy you feel you could naturally count on to do the right thing in a crisis. (Sifu, I learned, is a Chinese word meaning master and is a title of respect for a student's kung fu teacher.) Beginning students can join in from their first class. Sifu Reynolds makes sure to give every student the necessary attention for them to assimilate and advance. Everybody learns (even the parents watching) and all the kids have fun. The Tiger Team classes are only 30 minutes long, but wow! do they ever accomplish a lot in that time. They warm up, stretch, and do some strengthening exercises like push-ups and sit-ups. New students quickly learn common exercises like the Monks' Punching Drill and Punch, Palm, Hook. Over the course of a couple months, students learn a full set of stances, blocks, punches, kicks, and defensive maneuvers like how to escape from grabs and holds. In addition to general fitness and kung fu skill building, Sifu Reynolds very thoughtfully and effectively teaches the children respect for their peers and adults, self confidence, discipline, concentration and focus, and good manners in social situations. I feel like we're getting a lot more out of this program than we ever expected, and it's totally affordable. My daughter has made a lot of progress in just two months. She's much more focused and coordinated now than before we started. Knowing what I know now, if it ever came down to a choice between keeping my cable service or continuing at ECMA, I'd cancel the cable in a heartbeat. Other details, let's see ... There's a seating area for friends and relatives to watch classes. Uniforms are provided. They offer a deal where the whole family can join the school for a fairly small incremental price over the cost of a single person (my daughter is begging me to start classes). There are social events sometimes, like the kung fu Halloween party for kids coming up my daughter is so excited about. They sometimes have free public workshops like keeping safe from bullies, and paid workshops like Hsing-I Chinese mind-body boxing (no idea what that is, to be honest). There are other martial arts schools in the area teaching other styles, and no doubt many of them are also very good. But before there was anything else, there was kung fu. And this particular school of kung fu has been a great benefit to my little girl. An added bonus for us is it's right around the corner from where we live. Couldn't be happier.

ECMA in Pomona NY has been a blessing for me over the years, keeping me in tip top shape while…read moreteaching me life saving techniques if I were to find my self confronted by violent situations. Everyone there is kind and courteous, setting the standard of mutual respect between students. It is this atmosphere that has made Shaolin Kung Fu my favorite martial art form. Tai Chi is also available at ECMA 3 times a week, and a variety of seminars in Kempo, Suai Jiao, Hsing I, Wing Chun and many more to help round out your practice.

The best instructors and the best program for my kid. Teaches discipline and focus which are…read moreimportant for young kids. All the instructors are positive and teaches with enthusiasm. Highly recommend to any kids.

This place has terrible business practice. My kids have been going here for 1 1/2 years for…read moreTaekwondo. We recently wanted to switch them to Jujitsu and went for a free trial. My kids were a bit hesitant to switch after the trial because they felt that it was rough. We asked the instructor, JP, if we could have another free trial before we decided if we wanted to switch over to Jujitsu or stick with Taekwondo. However, their response was that Master Doug felt that one trial was enough for (2 six year boys) to decide whether it was a good fit or not. So basically, you are saying that a six year old boy can decide in 1 class if this is something he wants to pursue. If that were the case we would see a lot of kids quitting after trying something once. And another thing you are telling me is a loyal customer of 2 kids cannot try it again until they commit to a membership. Don't tell me this is not about money and they are concerned about the "kids and family not trusting the program". So please spare me your response to my review that this is about trusting the program! Since this is how they treat loyal customers, save your money and go elsewhere. Other places in Westwood and even close to Westwood are more than happy to offer 2 free trials if you are not sure. What a waste of time and money!

Master Cha is truly a fantastic teacher and great with the children in his classes. I have seen my…read moresons develop not only their Taekwondo skills but also his mental training has significantly improved my sons focus and behavior.

About 25 years ago I started my martial arts training with Master Cha at his original location in…read moreRidgewood. During that time I strained my back working outside as a young student-in explaining this to Master Cha, he encouraged me to learn how to breathe...So, I would spend classes sitting in a corner focusing only on breathing; those lessons served me very well for the rest of my life and allowed me to progress as a competition fighter with other instructors that focused purely on physical training. If you want thoughtful, wise instruction for your kids or for yourself as an adult new to martial arts look no further, Master Cha is a first class human being. And make no mistake, his lessons carry over to the street in case you find yourself in a corner and must fight your way out which is handy. To me, this has happened very rarely as his first lesson was to cross the street if I saw trouble in front of me. Smart man.

I had always wanted to take a martial arts class and when I was ready to do so, I did some research…read moreand found that there was a very reputable gym close by. I could have taken the 30-day free trial, but after one class, I decided to join for a full year and have just recently re-signed for another. Up until this time I have concentrated on jiu jitsu but will be adding kickboxing shortly. For those contemplating whether to join, Training Grounds is an excellent destination for a number of reasons. As with any new venture, there is always the intimidation factor, but immediately, the friendly demeanor of both the staff and students put me at ease. Master Wil does a great job of putting training plans together and after demonstrating a move, works with every training pair to provide input, encouragement, and helpful tips. His enthusiasm is evident and his teaching skills are top notch. Along with Wil, the support staff has been excellent as well. Over the past year, I have trained with many different guys (and girl) and everyone has been great. Regardless of experience and skill level, everyone is willing to help each other to further their knowledge and improve their techniques. This is a product of Wil cultivating a family environment at the gym. When I first joined, my goal was to learn to better defend myself and get into better shape. My flexibility, strength, and cardio certainly improved and as part of a healthy lifestyle, has helped me drop 25 lbs and 7% body fat. If you are looking for a gym or are on the fence about joining, stop in and check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Solid BJJ gym with a welcoming atmosphere. Coach Wil is a knowledgeable instructor who explains…read moretechniques clearly and makes sure everyone understands what's going on, regardless of experience level. Classes are well-structured, and there's a good balance between instruction and live rolling. People here are respectful and focused on learning. Overall, a great place to train whether you're new to BJJ or have some experience already.

Gorilla Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy is THE best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu gym EVER!…read more Very home-like, heart-warming and super friendly gym. Always welcoming! A superb environment to learn new fighting skills, whether it's MMA, Muay Thai, BJJ Gi, or No Gi, or BJJ Competition.. AND Some more! ++ the knowledge is here! Proven by actions! and we all already know that knowledge is power! Professor Mike Wilson is a great professor and a highly skilled and knowledgeable instructor!!! Setting the new bar for high standards! In fact, Every instructor I've ever had in this gym is beyond amazing. Always dynamic and learning new things. Seminars are always on point! The amount of arsenals and ammunition (fighting knowledge) under Mike's belt is beyond amazing, and one can only hope some of it rubs on to you.. from which he has no problem teaching you any of his techniques. The Gym is top quality! Not only in its cleanliness thanks to Professor Mike Wilson who cleans the whole gym top to bottom DAILY, but also its Graffiti and art on the walls are phenomenal, with beautiful mats and protected walls and beams, and just protection all around. Also, another HUGE PLUS is that Rolling with partners is always safe! 99% of people here roll with consideration for their partners.... I Don't know the other 1% lol. But here, its all about improving technique! applying it gracefully without hurting your partner is THE Biggest plus you'll ever find in a BJJ Gym. After all, joining a BJJ gym is like joining family.. you gotta choose the right pack of wolves to roll with! or in this case, the right troop of gorillas! haha By far the best gym in the area! I drive and commute about 40mins to get to class... even though there are plenty of other gyms closer to where I live... that's how much I like this gym, the instructors, the environment, and the sparring partners. Join TODAY! You won't be disappointed! 5 stars is not enough!

Incredible community, tremendous instructors, safe rolling in sparing culture, cleanest, most…read morehygienic gym around!

Wonderful dojo. Sensei is calm and incredibly patient w the kids. Other teachers especially…read moreYvonne sensei have been equally amazing. Our son is one of the smaller kids in his school -- he gained confidence learning aikido that helps him stand tall w his peers. They also do a wonderful job creating a community.

Whether you want to learn to practice Zen or martial arts, or maybe both, if you're in the area,…read morethis is a place to check out. Friendly environment with highly experienced instructors make this a great place to practice this beautiful and dynamic art.