I was a student (and part-time instructor for Saturday lei tai and "Little Panda" kung fu) for…read moreseveral years under the tutelage of Master Joe Dunphy and his shifus and was so pleased to learn that the shifus who teach here have since continued his legacy with the Iron Fist Chinese Martial Arts & Fitness school, named in honor of "Iron Fist" Dunphy. I have many fond memories of Master Dunphy and the US Martial Arts family, and my time spent studying at this school. The shifus who run this school are extraordinarily knowledgeable about martial arts and their instruction is of the highest caliber. They are examples of excellence and do much credit to the memory and legacy of Master Dunphy, the school itself, and the study of the internal and external systems of tien shan pai. (For clarification, my initial review of the school contained a reference to USCKF, the United States Chinese Kuoshu Federation, which is now known as USKSF, the United States Kuo Shu Federation.)

I have trained in several styles of martial arts and two different styles of Kung-Fu. The training…read moreI had received while attending class here was by far the best. The head instructor took special attention to individuals and trained them in a way that fostered positive growth. There was always a focus on effective self-defense and very little of the "dance" moves that make other martial arts training less effective. The style taught here is Thai-Shan-Pai and from my experience, it is highly effective for anyone to use against an aggressor. I couldn't recommend this school enough and we still be going here if I lived in MD. If your looking for solid training, regardless of age, sex, or size this is the place.

Should start off with admitting that I'm a Jiu-Jitsu addict. Further, I'm a small framed…read more30-something male. So visiting other academies can be intimidating. When traveling to Gaithersburg for work, I saw there was an academy reasonably close to where I was staying. Professor Noel was incredibly hospitable and encouraging for me to attend the classes. The academy itself is very clean throughout. The drilling or fundamentals classes were great in that they're both a good working and emphasizing drilling technique to perfection (drillers make killers as the saying goes). The advanced class that I attended immediately applied to something I've struggled with. With the requisite rolling, I found the students calm and technical with their sparring habits. Finally, the students themselves - across the belts - were friendly and inviting. I would definitely visit again as well as recommend Foundry Jiu-Jitsu as a place to train if you live in the area.

One of the very few places I miss in Montgomery County, MD. I have practiced judo and Brazilian jiu…read morejitsu in my teens before coming to the US, but since my skills were getting rusty, I tried several schools and The Foundry was the best fit for my skill level. I was not trying on to getting back to competing again, but to feel that empowerment and camaraderie among who practice this martial art. Perfect for every skill level. Great and knowledgeable instructors. Wonderful introduction for children to teach them discipline, respect, and being gentle with self and others. I highly recommend this for everyone who wants to be in tournaments, self-defense and fitness.

I've been traveling out of town and this is one of the best BJJ gyms I've visited so far. There's a…read morevery healthy culture and community at Groundworks. The instructors (Chris and the two Seans) teach a very modern approach to BJJ. Instead of just showing a position, practicing it a few times, and then sparring, they have us play games to really drill in the position and how it connects to the overall picture. I have found this style to be extremely beneficial as a beginner who is still trying to understand the fundamentals. One of my favorite things about the gym is the strong sense of community. On Thursdays we go out to a Mexican restaurant after class and travel to other gyms. Whether you are new to BJJ or have been practicing for a while you'll be sure to find an awesome community and phenomenal training here at Groundworks. OSS!

This is an excellent place to train. I dropped in for an open mat and met a lot of people across…read moreall belt levels. Everyone was super friendly, welcoming and more than willing to teach me some new tricks. The gym owners themselves were very warm-hearted people and offered to roll with me as well which was tremendously helpful. Facilities were super clean and plenty of mat space for a bit crew to roll. Would give this place an 11 out of 10 and recommend to anyone looking for a place to train while visiting DC or even begin their jiu jitsu journey.

My teenage daughter and I were looking for a physical activity we could do together, and liked the…read moreself-defense benefit that Krav Maga could add. We had never taken a class, but I had read about CDK Krav Maga and we decided to give it a try. It was a great decision (especially as we have tried many different types of classes). We met with the owner DJ who took real time with us -- listening to our goals and explaining how Krav Maga builds confidence and practical self-defense skills, especially for women. We took a complementary class. Everyone made us feel so comfortable. The classes are instructional, not competitive, and people go at their own pace, which is something we also liked. The instructors are great. David worked with us initially and was knowledgeable and encouraging. DJ's wife Emma made the onboarding process so easy and welcoming. They were also incredibly flexible in helping us find a class schedule that worked for our busy lives. If you're interested in Krav Maga, CDK is a great place.

CDK is a fantastic community welcome to everyone: teens to 60+, women and men, those just…read moreinitiating their journeys to the experienced. It starts from the top with DJ's expertise and a commitment to excellent teaching that he instills in the cadre of passionate instructors - Erica, David, Tay, Ramon, Luke, Rachelle, Victoria, Anna, and Chloe. They all give it their best so you can be your best.

Joanne Chang is a tremendously patient teacher of Tai Chi. She teaches at two locations: In…read moreKensington and Rockville. Beginners are welcome, there is a wide variety of students and I find everyone to be very friendly and supportive of each other. Yes Tai Chi has a foundation in self-defense but it is also tremendously relaxing and energizing. If you are looking for a new way to improve your health and well-being I urge you to give this a try. There's no better teacher. Joanne's teachers are a direct lineage from Cheng Man-ching who created this "short form" style of Tai Chi. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I've been taking Tai Chi classes on and off for a number of years. These classes are the right size…read morefor me to learn and improve. Combined with a fun and supportive teaching style that focuses on fundamentals as well as advanced application means a great experience for beginners and those like me wanting form correction. I'm more relaxed and energized after each class so I always look forward to the next class. My work schedule means I have to miss some classes and they are incredibly flexible about making up classes. There is an optional Saturday session which is like a free extra class. Convenient to Rockville (Wed) and Kensington (Thu & Sat.)

I took a intro session last week Tuesday, 28 Oct 2025, and was blown away. I'm surprised no one has…read morewritten anything for the past 5 years, but Mike, the current Sifu, is a master of Wing Chun, in the authentic Moy Yat lineage, Ip Man's final student. You can trace his lineage and instruction directly back to Ip Man. So.. if you're looking for authentic, properly taught, Wing Chun, this is where you should go! Looking to join in a few months, my wife if giving birth in a week.

I've been a student of Sifu Brad for close to five years now and am truly impressed by this elegant…read moresystem. It is a system that promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health. I've learned that being able to relax is of utmost importance in many aspects of daily life. I couldn't have imagined at the start that training in a martial art could foster such a peaceful mindset!

I am an honest person. I prepaid for a year of lessons. I then had a serious back injury. The…read morecontract said 100% refund in my situation with doctor note. My doctor wrote a letter to the school. I called four times. I emailed four times. I visited in person four times. I kept missing the owner, somehow. Two months later I was offered a 50% refund. I took it as very expensive lesson as to the kind of business it is. And looking at other reviews, I see it seems to be a pattern. Really great school without business ethics.​​​​

The membership contract has a cancellation fee. You have to cancel 30 days before the start of the…read morebilling cycle to avoid this fee. This amounts to you having to pay for an entire month of membership even if you don't want to use it, which is a free charge for no services. Advertised as self defense but no real self defense training which is proven is offered. I am not talking about competitive fighting which everyone knows is not about causing and defending against intentional harm or injury, which is what is meant in the context of self defense. I base my rating of 2 on professionality in terms of unjustified fees, and on the undemonstrated claim of self defense.

Just wanted to say thanks for the time. Tried the trial sessions here and they were very skillful,…read morekind and respectful. Spoke to them the other day and we decided it wasn't the right fit for me based on my over the top personality. A great gym nonetheless, thanks Carlos and staff. Best of luck yall at ADCC. OSS.

It will be almost a year since our oldest son started jiu jitsu at Native. Logan has always been…read morequiet and sweet in nature. He already encountered enough situations in the first grade where we decided he needed to learn abilities to stand up for himself and develop self confidence. We wanted him to learn and experience what it means to be a part of a team, how to strengthen yourself from within, never get discouraged, learn from each other, how it's ok to stand up for yourself, etc. Native has become part of our daily lives now and we couldn't be happier with the impact on Logan's development physically and mentally. Logan takes regular classes, competition classes and private lessons and he loves every minute of it. He looks forward to his time at Native. Can't wait until we get our youngest to start! Native's culture of family, discipline and respect is exceptional. We LOVE each Coach, Mariely, and all the Family and kids who train at Native. When you're at Native, it's not just about your kid. It's about ALL of our Native kids inside and outside the mats. This is something that another Parent friend shared with me at Logan's first competition, that I will never forget! GO NATIVE!