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.

The prices for this is insane. Not even Uriah Faber gym in Sacramento charge as much as these guys…read more Definitely would pass. Salinas is know to have struggling working hard families so to have prices like this here is a slap in the face to the community.

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

We have two kids enrolled here, and we've had a wonderful experience so far. The instructors are a…read morekind, welcoming family. My kids have really benefited from the emphasis on discipline and respect, and the environment is inclusive and supportive. We especially appreciate the schedule that allows our kids to learn both American Kenpo and Jiu-Jitsu every week. Since joining, they've gained so much confidence and developed great skills. We appreciate the dedication this dojo has to its students and the community, and we look forward to keeping our kids enrolled for years to come. Highly recommend!

Martial arts institute is awesome! My son started in January 2026 & 6 months in he has learned &…read moreimproved so much! They teach respect & his confidence now is through the roof when it comes to defending himself. They offer Kenpo Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu & even Zumba classes for the adults. I highly recommend this place, it is family owned, they are so welcoming, skilled & passionate about what they do

I used to attend here and the instructors have their favorites. I was also 10 and a yellow stripe…read morewhen they had a black belt/boxer 30 year old spar me.. they didn't have her wear gear but I was a child and I was hit hard.

The teacher does not live by example, don't train there one of the worst places to train .read more

Great place to learn Martial Arts. Outstanding instructors and are very knowledgeable.read more

Mr C. is the last of a dying breed in the world of Martial Arts!…read moreOnce you learn the basics, your next step in progression would to learn from a grand Master like him on the advance techniques. Located down at the Salinas, Filipino Hall, upstairs.

*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