I met Andrea, the owner, when I was shopping around for a martial art (and secondarily, a place to…read morelearn it once I settled on one). We got to talking, and I expressed my concern that I would be the odd "man" out in a martial arts school where everyone else was stronger, fitter, faster, and, well, male. Andrea invited me to her school to join in on a class and see that there were women--a plurality of men, women, and children--who practiced together. Everyone in the class was warm and welcoming. The folks I trained with made me feel like I had been coming there for years rather than having just stepped nervously across the threshold.

I recently signed my 3 year old daughter up for karate, 1 day a week. She absolutely loves it!…read moreSensei Andrea & Sensei Tina are great with the kids, and my daughter instantly knew that she had to listen and follow the instructions. Typically I don't stay for the whole class, I drop her off and come back to watch the tug of war competition, or her final skills evaluation and am always impressed by how much she attained! This is a great place for kids to learn not only how to defend themselves but to build self confidence and control. Not to mention make friends, because all the kids have been very nice and friendly to my daughter. I highly recommend : )

My son trained with Alex getting the basics of self-defense before leaving for college and he…read morereally liked it and felt he learned a lot. I wanted him to learn how to defend and flee, not get into a altercation with anyone. It worked out well.

From the owner: one-on-one self-defense training in Natickread more

Master Sarah and her team are fabulous. My son has been having an incredible time with this…read morestudio. They work really well with the kids and also offer adult classes. They are teaching life lessons and well as the martial arts.

Jerry was knowledgable and prepared us to deal with all types of situations to protect ourselves…read more Everyone should use him!

From the owner: Best self defence teacherread more

Would recommend this place to any lady in Boston. But make sure you understand that there are 10…read moremodules, so you shouldn't expect to become a self-defense expert in one class. What I enjoyed the most was actually not the 'fighting' part, but the part where we sat in front of the whiteboard and discussed how to best avoid the attack. Will be attending the other modules for sure. Wake up at 10am on Saturday, your safety is worth it. PS - If you have a car, I recommend driving here. Parking is free, but T is a little far and the walk is unpleasant.

Super welcoming and respectful. Even if you're nervous for your first class or a little anxious…read morebecause you're trying something out of your comfort zone. The coach and the team make that feeling go away instantly. The team has a great sense of humour and team chemistry you'll feel like you're at home within your first few weeks. You'll feel very welcomed and respected. Classes will be something you look forward to every time and will always end with an incredible feeling of being proud of yourself.

I've had a great experience training with the guys at Sambo 7…read more Due to the multi-faceted nature of Sambo, it's a great discipline for practitioners of other marital arts to learn new techniques that will round out their skill set. For individuals who are newer to marital arts the instructors know how to meet you where you're at, so that you will get stronger and learn how to defend yourself. The skills you learn can help you complete in multiple sport rulesets, such as Sambo, Judo, or Jujitsu. Point being no matter who you are you will likely learn something new and get stronger. Andrei and Nikos are knowledgeable, friendly and driven. They are incredibly experienced and have been great instructors. I've been practicing here for over two years and look forward to every class. I would highly recommend coming by and joining us.

I am 58 years old. I have been involved with martial arts since I was 8 years old. I have been to…read moremany schools over the years. I have been to some mediocre McDojo's and I have been taught by some of the best teachers in our area. I have to say that Pence Self Defense Academy is the best school that I have had the pleasure of attending. They have all the amenities that a good school should have but what separates them from their competitors is their uncompromising love of the art that they teach and the passion and dedication they have in passing the art along to the students. They love what they do and it shows. We have a lot of fun in the process of learning and the classes are open to everyone in a friendly and non judgemental environment. They offer anyone a free trial period. If you do not believe my review then try it out for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Great Academy for young and old ran by incredible martial artists my grandson is7 years old and it…read morewas the best thing for him .

I had been wanting to take a self-defense class for some time and so I finally looked on Yelp to…read moresee where to go. I found Personal Safety and clicked the link to their website to find out more information. I really liked that they trained police officers and bouncers in addition to civilians, and sent an email to find out more. Marcus replied letting me know they usually have a women's self-defense seminar one Saturday a month, in addition to classes on most days. I had a few other friends interested in taking the seminar too, so we were able to set up a Saturday morning class within a few weeks. He sent me some information on what the class covers (situational awareness, boundary setting, striking essentials, etc...), and what we needed to bring (ID, sneakers and comfortable clothing)/not bring (jewelry and valuables) with us. When we arrived we had a little trouble finding the building because they had mentioned it was near Gold's Gym and we were on the wrong side of the parking lot then...but I am notorious for getting lost and most of my other friends found it OK. We checked in and got started right away. Marcus was giving the lesson along with a bouncer that worked at a club downtown. After two hours, we were confident in our ability to eye flick, arm chop and kick a possible attacker where it would really hurt. We laughed, we apologized and we learned a lot! We were actually practicing on each other, and I kept apologizing for arm chopping and chucking balls at my friends. At the end of the course I mentioned how I wish I had taken something like this years ago, and they should include it in every college orientation. And we decided we'd come back in a few months for an additional seminar that building off of what we've learned. I'm so glad I found Personal Safety LLC through Yelp, and finally got around to taking a self-defense seminar. That evening I was already showing my friends at a party what we learned, and karate chopping and apologizing once again!

Please take note that I have NOT taken a class with Personal Safety…read more Rather instead, they hosted and sponsored an event with Not-Me! Self Defense and Urban Skills & Safety Workshop. The facility is located right next to Arlington Heights and is relatively easy to find. They are located upstairs of the building in case you get confused when you walk into the suite. There's ample parking in the adjacent lot. The facility is super clean and has a nice amount of open space to learn in. The staff are super professional and make sure that your paper work is all in order before getting started (well for liability reasons and such). Marcus Lincoln, the owner, was extremely helpful in answering questions I had regarding taking classes here. Apparently they actually help train law enforcement and government officials, bouncers, corrections officers, security guards and more. They also offer a specific woman's personal safety class every morning on Saturdays from 9-10 am, which I am considering. But due to my current financial situation, this will have to wait a few months. They offer a monthly membership similar to a gym, but they don't have any contracts that you're obligated to stay in which is nice especially if you decide this is not for you. I watched some of the girls and guys go through their classes while I was doing my self-defense and it can get intense! And like I said, I'm really interested in this especially when it can not only save your life, but it really helps develop and build your body.

Checkmate teaches self defense, mostly Jujitsu (small circle), Judo, some kick boxing and mixed…read moremartial arts training (separate classes / instructors). I've been training there for a few years, lost 50 lbs, and made a big improvement in my life. It is casual, informal, supportive, geared to the individual. Focus is on self defense that's reasonable, effective and safe. The head instructor has a 5th degree black belt, and his top student is a 2nd degree black belt, and with Manchester PD and fire arms instructor.

I just recently started taking classes here after looking online for quite some time. Not only do…read morethey offer a wide range of martial art styles, but each class is suited for people of any skill level! Everyone I talk to there has been going for years!!!! I can definitely see why. I look forward to each class and find I am more motivated and energetic. You will not be disappointed!!!

This is a great, down to earth place with friendly people. Very few weight slamming muscle heads…read more Good assortment of free weights, nautilus type machines, and cardio equipment (I recommend the espresso bikes). Good assortment of classes too. it's a 24/7 place so you can work out on your time.

I love Stow Fitness. Let me count the ways…read more 1. An old-style gym. Nothing fancy, just tons of weights and machines. The best staff, and as a tribute to Dave, the owner, many have been there since the last century. 2.I walk into the locker room and am transported back sixty years to my high school locker room. It's the familiarity; what I don't miss is the group shower. 3.No nonsense. People are there to work out, and no one sits on a machine scrolling through their phone. In fact, people are exceptionally courteous. "Are you done with that?" My answer is, "There are another sixty torture devices I can use." One more plus. More women use that gym than men, and the men who do don't gawk. If they do, they are gone.