I dropped in twice. First time I didn't stay for any training as the instructor said he wouldn't be…read moreinvolved that day. He said that was typical for weekends. Came back on a weekday and stayed for training... he was barely involved in training that day. I understand how someone might think he is rude but I wouldn't go that far, really he just comes off as checked-out and not interested in his gym / business. The session is about 1/3rd combat sport related. The other 2/3rds is light cardio drills you can do in your own home. The other attendees are more willing to help and with that I would say this place serves more of a sparring club than a serious training gym.

The Yard and Yoshi are excellent. This review will hopefully be helpful as an update to how class…read moreis run (since class has changed a little). First my background: I've trained Muay Thai for two years (first time was in April of 2022). I've trained at 7 gyms: FLMT (Florida Muay Thai , OC MT, Team Oyama, Classic Fight Team, Rising Suns Thai Boxing, NELA Combat Fitness, and Boxing Works. My home gym for the last year was Boxing Works under the instruction of Coach Bryan Popejoy, where I trained 3-4 days a week and did one on ones once a week for about 3 month. I would've stayed there however I recently moved to Northeast LA (Highland Park) and the drive to Torrence for BW was too much (about an hour to an hour and a half drive there and 40 minutes on the way home). Whereas the Yard is a 6-minute drive from me with ample sessions. Second, class style: Classes are Monday through Friday: 8-9:30, 10-11:30, 4-5:30, and 6-7:30pm and then two sparring classes on Saturday from 9-10:30 and 11-12:30. As far as I'm aware, Yoshi teaches each class and he does an excellent job. At other gyms, I feel much more advanced then I do at the Yard. Lots of basic bad habits that I got into are getting fine-tuned and corrected. A typical class is organized in four parts: (1) Cardio: A five minute round of jump ropes and then a 30 minute cardio session where we jog, sprint, do knees, teep across the mats. (2) Bagwork We then do several rounds of shadow boxing where Yoshi will make small adjustments to our form. From there, we all go on the heavy bags and practice whatever we want to work on for several rounds while Yoshi works one on one with us on pad/mitwork. This is where I think the Yard shines. If you go to a class with few students, you are essentially getting a free one on one. When you're not working one on one with Yoshi, you are working the bag. (3): Drills/Sparring From there, we work on a specific technique through partner drills and then light technical sparring. Yoshi is very attentive as he goes around and makes adjustments and suggestions. On Fridays the technique is clinch focused; which is really great. Many gyms in Southern California lack emphasis on the clinch. (4): Burnout/core work: We end with 3 minutes of ab/core work and then a minute plank. Sometimes we will burnout with skip knees on the bag. Overall: An excellent choice. I can't speak to how it would be for a beginner, as I came with two-years of experience. I imagine it would be a great place to start. Potential cons: I do not see people doing drills on thai pads (where one partner holds pads and the other hits). Typically, a Muay Thai class is 1 hour. At the Yard, it is 1.5 hours. Which means its a little more demanding. At this point, I cannot train every day even if my schedule allowed it because my body and cardio is just too shot. I imagine with time, that'll change.

I've been doing Muay Thai for 14 years, give or take…read more Most of that time was spent doing it one-on-one with trainers, which was awesome for personal attention and scheduling, but expensive and hard to stay consistent with. But they were able to be patient with me, to explain things repeatedly--I'm very visual and super literary but much less intuitive when it comes to athletics--and this helped me learn the basics of the art of Muay Thai. And then my last trainer got too busy to keep going. So I tried a bunch of Muay Thai gyms, never really finding anything that matched the return I got from 1-on-1 training. Then one day I spotted NELA Combat Fitness on a Figueroa corner and got intrigued. I tried a class and loved the energy of the space. Highland Park is a wildly creative area, and the experience at NELA Combat Fitness mirrors this: The people are diverse, upbeat, inclusive and very dedicated to the art of Muay Thai. You might find a 50+ year old like me training with someone in their early 20s, and this dynamic is always approached respectfully. Ed, the owner, is a true gem of a human being: warm, funny, and with deep history with and knowledge of Muay Thai, and he teaches with a razor sharp eye and the communication skills to help keep things safe and to level up your game. The gym itself is spotless, well-designed and comfortable. One way that the absolute courtesy with which the gym operates shows up is when we go return Thai pads or kick shields: cleaning wipes are shared and pads are stacked in an orderly way. Every teacher approaches class a little differently, but if you show up, know that you are in for a wonderful workout that is easily tailored to your skill level. The music is always different and always good. You will be inspired to push yourself beyond your limits, outside of your comfort zone. You will grow, you will sweat, and you will learn. And you will emerge a stronger person. And about Muay Thai overall? It's the best. I feel elevated and calm afterwards, able to take on anything life throws my way with compassion. That's the irony - punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing it out for an hour actually makes you a calmer, kinder person. Your baseline is reset and your cardio and strength gets better and better. I truly feel like I've found a gym that I want to stay a part of. Thank you, Ed, and thank you NELA Combat Fitness community.

If you're looking for a place that combines killer workouts with a welcoming community vibe, look…read moreno further! NELA Combat Fitness is IT! I was so pumped after my first class ever, I signed up straight after. Being a beginner myself, I was happy that everyone here took the time to show me how to do the moves. The kickboxing class was intense in the best way possible - a hard but awesome workout that left me feeling like a total champ. I have a long way to go in my journey, and girl I know it, but I couldn't have found a better place to go to. The owner, Ed, is incredible. You can really tell he cares deeply for the community as he's not just running a top-notch gym, he's building a fitness family. He was motivating and supportive, pushing everyone to give their best without ever losing the fun vibe. Shoutout to Derrick too for teaching me the moves in my first class! I can't wait to make this my new home for kicking and punching my way to a healthier me (and to release some after-work stress too)! See you on the mats!

Been coming here 4 years and it feels like my home away from home. They are welcoming from day one…read moreand the coaches are high level. The owner Savant was a top 10 featherweight in his prime and always pays close attention to each student. Coach Chris though is light work every time

I cannot stress how much I loved my time at Fight Academy Pasadena. I had been training for 5 years…read moreat different gyms (jiu jitsu) before finding Fight Academy and I stayed there for the last 2 years I was based in LA. EASILY the best training, community, vibes, and biggest improvement in my fitness and combat sports training was here. Savant leads an amazing team of coaches!

This is hands down the best gym in Los Angeles. I've trained at a lot of gyms in the area, so I…read moremean that. Background: I've been training pretty consistently for about 6 years. When joining a gym, most people are looking for three things: 1. Great coaching 2. Safe competitiveness (no ego sparring) 3. Friendly community Mana checks every box Coach Al is a master at this fighting game. He doesn't favor any particular style and will make sure you become the best technical fighter in this city. He genuinely wants every person in the gym to become the best fighter they can be and will invest the time and energy to help you reach your own personal goals, whether that's getting in great shape, becoming a sparring superstar, or competing. Every coach at this gym carries that same energy. All of them are warm, knowledgeable, and detail oriented. The community speaks for itself. Go look at their Instagram and you'll see all ages, all genders, beginners to top level fighters. The coaches do a great job integrating everyone. The sparring culture here is great. Coaches emphasize communication and playfulness. You can go at whatever level you want. If you're looking for competition, there are (friendly) monsters at this gym. If you want to go light, you can find that too. If you come to Mana, you will become a better fighter.

Team Mana Muay Thai is a fantastic place to train. The sense of community with the members is…read moreunmatched. My friends and I went in for a trial session and had the best time - absolutely plan to continue one day.

Boxing gym in the heart of Little Tokyo with: -A clean…read morefacility -World-class coaches; Especially Rudy and Junior, who really care about boxing -Plenty of Bags, a boxing ring, and a small gym, this has everything you need. -A great culture. This place is beginner-friendly, a great place to learn boxing, and you aren't "cannon fodder" in sparring.

Great new gym. Nice and clean location…read more The trainer Rudy is super knowledgeable and you can tell he respects and loves the craft. There aren't many places where you can walk in and get training from someone who trains boxing world champions.

The most non-commercial real deal Muay Thai kickboxing facility. In a male dominated sport I am so…read moreimpressed with the awareness of all Instructors with their students within the four walls of class & how they partner students up appropriately by skill level,it's mostly male dominated, but everyone treats you with the upmost respect, including holding you accountable to ensure that you give your All even as a female. I have never felt more comfortable and empowered in my life: I'm used to coach Ariel, who is amazing, and I dare to venture out to and today had Coach ED IN GLENDALE, when I arrived, I thought maybe I was in an advanced class and Coach Simmy held me accountable to believing in myself that I belonged in that class most importantly that I was capable. I don't know if it's the mission statement. I don't know if it's the core or business objectives of MTK, but the blueprint is clear from their NOHO location to Glendale. WINNERS WIN It takes a lot to impress me. I pay money not only to learn the skill, i you pay for the experience. Worth every penny. And you SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA KICKER! lol

I just finished my first class here and it was amazing. Very informative so I felt like I was…read morelearning a lot while also getting an insane workout that kicks your ass. It's not a boring commercial gym at all. Very real and raw. Coach Simmy was awesome and Jennifer at the front desk was so helpful!

It doesn't getter any better than getting trained by Coach Yager. He's a professional MMA fighter…read moreand knows what he's doing. I've never taken any previous boxing nor martial arts classes before. Coach Yager is patient and makes learning the techniques easy for me. Just after a few weeks I'm already seeing results. The gym is clean, the other members are super friendly, and the atmosphere motivates me to want to train hard. The P.A.R.K. M.M.A. has helped me develop a love for this sport. I always leave happy and highly recommend becoming a member!

From the owner: THE P.A.R.K. MMA is a fun and exciting place to train mixed martial arts for all levels…read more Professional Amateur Recreational Kickboxing

Yay! I get to be the first review! Coach Jojo is phenomenal. I especially love and appreciate her…read moretraining because of the attention to detail, form correction, patience and just her overall investment in us. I feel physically and mentally safe with Coach Jojo and that contributes to my progress, focus and health. She has the perfect balance of encouragement and accountability. Train with her!!! It's life changing

From the owner: Technique-focused boxing sessions that are fully customized to your goals and experience level -…read morethoughtfully designed to help you level up and build your skills in striking, defense, and footwork. Personal training in strength, resistance, and mobility training, designed to help you feel better, strengthen mind and body, and see results you can be proud of. Here to support you in your movement journey so that you can be consistent, trust the process, and enjoy the journey.

Just an all-around amazing place to train whether you're just starting your Muay Thai journey or…read moreyou're looking to build upon it. They have the perfect mix of comfort for those that are new, I've been training here for a year now, and from the moment I walked in, felt at home and knew I was in good hands. The Coaches offer the perfect blend of technique, but also make sure you get a hard workout. You'll never leave there thinking you didn't do enough. Additionally, the community there is amazing. They push you while you're there and make you want to come back and better yourself. It's like a little family. Check out Coach Yannick for Private sessions or come jump in on a class (the 9am class if you like a challenge ;) ) See you there !

Great overall atmosphere. Very Family friendly with highly experienced trainers/Fighters if your…read morelooking to learn, compete or get a good work out in this the place to go. They have many classes through out the week for those like myself who have a crazy work schedule and kids schedule. No egos here great attitudes and work ethic from everyone.

Joseph, the owner and professor is great with kids and adults…read more He is passionate about his work and has a great sense of humor while still very serious about the art.

You'll almost always feel welcome here. Especially if you are a child, for example, a 12-year-old…read moregirl lost count of an exercise she was doing, and he snapped at her & asked if he needed to count for her! He will call the kids boy or girl rather than by their actual name to make them feel worse. He used the excuse that this is a rough sport to justify his abuse. He even laughed at a little boy who had accidentally gotten hurt and mocked his pain by saying, "Blood, sweat, & tears!" And he didn't even check to see if he was okay or tell his parents what happened to him, what if he got a bruise or god forbid was bleeding?! He views their failures as burdens for him rather than obstacles for them to overcome. And the curriculum is seemingly too random and doesn't focus enough on systems. He will sometimes pressure the good kids for no discernible reason; that makes no sense. So if you believe teachers shouldn't be held accountable but children should, then this place is for you! He couldn't even look me in the eye when he told me to trust his process, but he screams at a little boy to look at him when he is carelessly reprimanding him. He will use any excuse to scream at the kids instead of being more patient with them. My entire journey with him was boiling frog syndrome. All these kids he's tormenting with his childlike screaming and lies are gonna have broken brains, good job! It would be extremely helpful if he asked his students for feedback and found ways to improve his methods instead of losing his temper. He just drops random stuff on us and expects us to do it perfectly. He laughed when I misheard his instructions, and he enjoys humiliating his students in front of everyone and thinks it's good. He'd better get it right if he doesn't want his precious trophies to stop coming in. I have lost my temper here before I admit it. And maybe some kids who need to be pushed, everyone is different. But do you really want to take that risk with every kid? And yes, I overreacted when he posted an Instagram story where he joked about not turning on the a/c during a hot day of 2024. He also had this competition training technique, I think he called Red Alert, where if your opponent is being unfair and breaks your arm, he won't do anything about it. And the sweat test, which I previously mentioned. And as mentioned in my previous review, there was the 200 squats group punishment, but what I haven't mentioned about it was how he unnervingly laughed about the way the tears streamed down their face. That is a form of corporal punishment. And I can't abide that because it is immoral. He often lets the kids play a bit after class, and there was one time when a little boy was playing tag with his brother wasn't playing tag. And they acted like he hit him and threatened him 100 burpees if he did it again. Instead of hearing his side of the story and then Coach Nate mocked him for being scared of Coach Joseph. He has done kind things for them from time to time, but that's not going to cancel out all the harshness he has and still is inflicting on his students. Provoking hope amuses sadists. And I may have misunderstood Coach Martinez jokingly calling some kids liars. I also misjudged the capoeira/MMA coach; he is a good man who just has a really intense way of teaching. He used his dog to distract the students during one of the comp classes, and got mad at them for looking at her. It's an imbalanced power disparity. Then there is the matter of those martial arts camps he is a part of. The way he described them made it sound like he'll break the kid's spirits with pain to "help" them. Kids don't have the option to leave unless their parent(s) or guardians say otherwise. And he said, "We will do in a month what the parents won't dare do in a lifetime." Seems like he thinks he can raise them better. Hardly any kids will tell someone about this abuse since most kids don't do that. I should know, I've been there. They often don't know how to express themselves yet. He hates their innocence, and that fake smile and condescending laugh of his. He said no matter what I say about him, he won't hold it against me. All that talk of integrity, and this is how he acts. He called two young boys weak for having soccer practice every other week, something they can't control. He also mocked me in a direct message on Instagram for having a rough childhood and "taking it out on everyone!" Don't trust this man to respect physical boundaries either. He would often snatch away my headphones to check them out or caress me without my consent. He also forced us to ask a question, so I asked the first one that popped into my head. And it wasn't very good, and the next day he said he had a new rule. Where every question will go through him first before asking a guest coach. "Because some of you have been asking some really stupid questions." He says. That's a wonderful way to talk about your autistic pupil. He also gaslights a lot.