I trained at Serao for over two years and greatly enjoyed my time there. The only reason I've left…read moreis because I moved out of the Bay Area. I believe the kind of environment Serao has fostered is genuinely unique. It's inclusive, caring, and casual. You're treated like an adult. Instructors will push you hard and there is of course basic etiquette and respect, but no one is preaching life lessons or expecting you to bow and grovel at their feet. If you want to show up and go hard, you can. If you're a parent squeezing in classes whenever your schedule allows, that's just as welcome. Nobody makes you feel like you don't belong either way. This gym became a third space for me and I will miss everyone I trained with. Highly recommend to anyone considering BJJ, whether you're competing or just want a great workout and a good group of people.

I trained at Serao for 1.5 years while getting my master's at Stanford. This academy has a special…read moreplace in my heart as it is where I started my BJJ journey - I've learned a ton here and signed up for my first two competitions while training here! I mainly attended the no-gi & wrestling classes, but both the gi and no-gi instruction was great. On the surface, Serao is a friendly, humorous and fun place to train for hobbyists. People are nice, it is kid-friendly, and bad behavior gets rooted out immediately. Leo goes out of his way to create a safe training environment (he'll match sparring partners himself) regardless of skill, size, or gender. The instructors are great and care about your development. Underneath the surface, you'll find a small, tight knit group of competitors that train intensely and compete at an extremely high level. There's something for everyone here, I'd highly recommend it and as a bonus, parking here is extremely easy and accessible. Will miss this place!

I was in town for work and dropped in for a class. Clean facilities with dedicated changing rooms…read moreand a large and open mat space. The 1hr class dove straight into a short sequence, breaking it down into digestible pieces. The last 20 minutes or so of class was live sparring. Friendly instructor and students- great vibes.

This is a solid gym. I had the pleasure of training during one of their open mats yesterday. The…read moreblack belts are friendly and very knowledgeable. Practitioners work hard and inspire others to become better. Very spacious mat area. There are changing rooms, extremely clean restrooms, and a conditioning space with free weights, a squat rack, kettle bells, etc. Will try to update with more pictures later. Thank you JG academy!

We absolutely love Taekwonkids. Our family has been part of the Taekwonkids community for the past…read morefour years and we feel incredibly fortunate to have found such a special studio. The instructors are caring, encouraging, fun and genuinely invested in each student's growth, not only as Taekwondo students, but as confident and resilient young people. They take the time to get to know each child and create an environment where every student feels supported and valued. What truly sets Taekwonkids apart is the strong sense of community they foster among families. Events like the Winter Festival and Summer BBQ bring all of the families together and make everyone feel welcomed and connected. The positive and supportive atmosphere has helped our children build confidence, discipline and perseverance. We are so grateful to be part of this community and cannot imagine being anywhere else. We wholeheartedly recommend Taekwonkids to any family looking for an exceptional program.

This place rocks with community feeling that every kid needs while learning respect, gratitude and…read moreof course a martial art and self defense . Elizabeth , who is at the front and answers the phone is brilliant . It's because if her professionalism and warmth that got us to do a trial . My 9 yo is connecting with the staff and wants to come back . TK kids makes that connection and also helps the community when needed. I'm a fan and my daughter enjoys the studio. Win win for our family and a true investment into her as a respectful, kind, goal oriented adult . Sign up now like we did.

My daughter has been a student here since 2020 and will soon be testing for her black belt. She…read morehas thoroughly enjoyed her experience here and has gained confidence in her physical abilities over that period of time. Master Joseph creates an atmosphere where young martial artists can thrive and grow. We recommend exploring this studio if your child has any interest a martial art.

Student Review: At Sky Family Taekwondo the trial class is free. It's fun, teaches discipline, and…read morehas kind coaches. I have learned a lot plus I have performed, received medals, been to Stanford for events, and learned from international taekwondo masters. At SKY, I have made many friends, and I had the choice to do Poomsae instead of sparring.

Our boys have been coming here since they were little and they have learned how to spar and defend…read morethemselves, but that's actually the least important of the things that they have learned from Peter and the other teachers. They stress that self defense is like an "insurance policy" and you should always avoid a confrontation if possible. Honestly my wife and I often talk about how Peter teaches life lessons and confidence as part of his process, and we quote him at home. I think we learn life lessons just from being in class with them! These are the lessons that they carry with them in almost every other activity and situation that they face. Kids are so busy nowadays and it's easy to overload their schedule but WMAA is something that we really find is worth every minute and every penny because of how good the teachers are with the kids. 5 stars.

My 10 year old son and I started attending World Martial Arts around 6 months ago. It's been an…read moreabsolutely amazing experience and I would highly recommend Peter's classes! * Peter's classes have provided an amazing opportunity for me to bond with my son. We attend all classes together with other parents and children, and we are learning together, being challenged together, and growing together. * Peter's classes have helped my son to grow both his physical skills as well as his mental focus, motivation, and confidence. Prior to joining this class, my wife and I struggled to find a sport or class that my son was drawn to or excited about. After just a few classes with Peter, our son shared he loved learning martial arts. Peter's classes developed my son's internal motivation and desire to grow and develop. * Peter has created a safe, respectful, and fun environment. Peter encourages people to do their best and challenge themselves, but encourages each individual to grow at their own pace. He makes sure everyone treats each other with respect. * Peter show tremendous care and really invests in the development of every individual child (and adult!) in his class. I'm always amazed at how much he really looks to understand and support every child and their individual needs and challenges.

I dropped in on a Thursday evening for their "Ecological Approach Training" class and I'm still…read morethinking about how good it was. Instead of the usual "let's smash for 90 minutes" vibe, the session was 100% focused: warm up with purposeful movement drills, 30 minutes of high repetition positional work, live rounds with specific rules and immediate coach feedback, then a cool down with breathing and recovery. Zero ego, zero injuries, maximum progress. I left feeling like I actually leveled up instead of just surviving rounds.

Professor Mikey is a great instructor that has built a great training room for athletes of all…read moreages. Definitely check it out if you are looking to train jiu-Jitsu and learn a more modern take on the sport as Mikey is always keeping up with the latest technical innovations in the sport.

Restarted at MT after a 6 yr hiatus. Trained w Ryan a bit at Fairtex 15+ yrs ago. He's awesome and…read moregenuinely spends time to try to make you better. It's an incredible workout and practical to.

Update: I'm still…read morehere - 6 years later. Ryan continues to provide a high quality, intense workout. There are now afternoon classes available which offers a bit more flexibility since the evening classes get full. It's amazing to see how much Ryan has grown his business. Even after all these years, you can see that he is still very passionate about teaching. Everyone is still super friendly, supportive, and helpful. This is a true testament to the brand that Ryan has built at T2 Muay Thai. Thank you, Ryan - I know you don't hear it quite enough.

Attending the Hiruko martial arts school for the past 3 yrs. earning my third black belt, watching…read moreit grow to the over 200 students. The growth is driving changes from the mom and pop school to needing to hire employees as well as manage time and projects better. The instructor's wife controls this part of the business. She teaches occasionally as well. They are planning on moving soon to Midtown Palo Alto (2741 Middlefield Road) for a larger space and "better demographics", but may be able to keep the Los Altos location as they have two more years on their lease.....who will be teaching where? (info in public records) Classes are composed of 10-15 min. warmup, 20-35 min. instruction/practice, 5 minutes closing. Very young students are regularly led in physical games the last 10-15 minutes of class. Be careful in allowing your info to be posted on the website/parent's forum. It has been used to send unwanted and negative emails. Gossip is tolerated causing rumors and conflict. Policies for resolution aren't in place. The "head instructor" Jonathan, while terrific, is leaving Hiruko in the Summer for college. Overall, for kids in need of afternoon activities locally, Hiruko provides a nice place. At $149/month (+ $65 annual "comm. fee), it's mid-level price is reasonable. Hiruko attempts to teach "life changing" concepts to all students which may or may not align with parental views. Some students have been offered "scholarships" to Landmark Forum (see Wikipedia). The "master instructor", while earnest in his efforts, sometimes misapplies language, is wordy and difficult to follow for children and adults. Parents should be attentive and help their children through confusion, frustration and double messages. Validate the feelings of the child and maintain a solid view of reality. Be wary of medical advice. Black belt candidates are required to achieve certain levels of fitness, some of which are extreme (i.e. 50,000 push ups over a 6 month period or 277+ per day*). As adults or parents, keep in mind that YOU have the final authority in what is safe. *Requirement from 2009 Black Belt candidate documents. (This is an update from my original review in 2006.)

Natalia/Jorge & Angela are fantastic. Jorge is so experienced. He is fantastic with my special…read moreneeds son and gives him extra 1:1 time at no additional cost so he can keep up with the class. It is really helping my son's self esteem and strength. The kids in the class are very nice. There is a boy who is one year older than my son who looks out for him at the Middle School they both go to. They host special events like "bring your teacher", "bring a friend". They also will host movie nights at moderate cost which is wonderful for parents.

I cannot recommend KravZone highly enough, especially for parents looking to enroll their children…read morein Krav Maga classes. My experience with their kids' program has been nothing short of exceptional, hats off to the incredible instructor, Travis! From day one, it was evident that Travis was not only highly skilled in Krav Maga but also knew the knack of teaching and working with children. Whether a child was struggling with a technique or excelling at it, Travis was present very watchfully, providing guidance, support, and positive reinforcement. One of the things that stood out to me the most was Travis's ability to create a supportive and encouraging environment for the kids. Moreover, he has a unique talent for breaking down complex techniques into simple, easy-to-understand steps, making it accessible and observable for children of all skill levels. What stood out to me in particular was his own values, principles and attitude which in my opinion are of paramount importance especially while teaching life skills to others. Beyond his technical expertise, Travis also instilled important values such as team work, discipline, respect, and self-confidence in the children. Through his teaching, my child not only gained valuable self-defense skills but also developed a sense of empowerment and self-assurance that extends beyond the mat. Beth, who is also an instructor and helps with the front desk, is extremely patient and helpful with any questions and a great teacher herself from the classes I've observed! If you're considering enrolling your child in Krav Maga classes, look no further than Krav Zone!

Fantastic gym with some of hands-down the experienced and qualified martial arts experts I've ever…read moretrained with. There's punching bag/fitness classes for cardio + strength, or contact kickboxing & krav maga classes for self defense and sparring. If you're new, I definitely recommend starting with some of the beginner level classes to learn the basics. This gym is also very welcoming to women, with women's-only classes, a wonderful female instructor (Beth), and always lots of ladies attending every class.

I am relatively new to working out - 17 weeks of consistent exercise and still going strong! Let's…read morejust say I am on the large size, and I don't always feel comfortable dealing with fitness people, but this has not been the case at all with FIT. I am working remotely with their trainer Jeff. With a relatively small investment I have all of the equipment I need to transform my family room into a workout space each morning. I work out through face time with 3 other women, each of whom are in much better shape than I am. Jeff tailors a program for each of us, so that we are doing similar exercises at the same time fitting each of our needs. He has been particularly good at helping me find ways to continue to work out despite some knee issues. He is amazingly responsive. What I'm enjoying most is the balance in the workouts between strength training and cardio. By the end of every workout I really feel a sense of accomplishment and have worked up a good sweat. I feel that great feeling of having worked hard and accomplished something, but I don't feel so exhausted the rest of the day that my day is shot. I feel revved up rather than beaten down. If your looking for a way to workout from your home, I would give FIT a call. I find the cost reasonable. You don't need your own home gym just some weights, an adjustable weight kettle ball and a mat will get you started. I highly recommend.

Unparalleled expertise and a great atmosphere. Started going here in need of help stabilizing my…read morejoints after my second kid - they have slowly rebuilt me and I am so grateful to be able to start trying the activities that I was sorely (haha) missing!