While visiting Santa Barbara for a week, I was fortunate enough to train at Paragon's main location…read moreand it lived up to its legendary reputation. I had the honor of taking a class with Franjinha himself, as well as one with James. Both are phenomenal instructors who teach with incredible clarity and precision. You can tell they have a deep understanding of the art. I enjoyed the more intimate classes at noon. It created a great "good vibes" atmosphere where it was easy to connect with training partners. Everyone was super friendly and eager to roll. The training was challenging and technical. It's an amazing place to learn and grow your jiu-jitsu, and I felt very welcomed as a visitor. Can't wait to come back on my next trip!

I don't know how else to say it, but this gym has changed my life for the better! I even sought out…read morea new job to make sure I could pay the membership--worth every penny. I started out kickboxing, and have now trained jiu jitsu for the last two years. The sport is amazing, especially for women in regards to self defense and self confidence. And the instructors are dedicated, extremely proficient, patient, motivating, and fun. As a few others have noted in their reviews--Paragon becomes family! If you've been on the fence about trying boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, or jiu jitsu (GREAT kids' classes for anti-bullying!), start a trial today. You won't regret it--believe me!

This place is so awesome to learn martial arts! My daughter (8) and I (45) train here twice a week…read moreand are amazed at the family friendly vibes. Thank you for teaching us hapkido in such a fun way, Master Austin!

I did the 6 week Kut challenge and I feel so much better than I did 6 weeks ago. They give you all…read morethe tools you need to succeed. I was able to go to so many classes and I feel much stronger for it. The nutrition guide was a bit difficult for me because I am a pescatarian and it is very meat heavy, but they had seafood options, it was just repetitive, and I'm not much of a cook (even though they give you a foolproof guide). Therefore, I had a little trouble and veered a few times, and I am sure if I didn't I would have had even better progress. You get what you put into the challenge. All the instructors are super nice and helpful. They will come up to you during class to correct technique and make it a point to have contact with you at every class you attend. They are also great about reaching out and asking if you need any help with nutrition or classes. I was suppose to receive weekly emails, but the program head had some personal matters arise and a few things fell through on that end, but the classes were always available and it was a lot of self accountability. If you can commit to 6 weeks of trying to better yourself, this is the place you want to go to!

Just went for the first time and I'll be definitely coming back!…read moreGreat, inviting atmosphere, very knowledgeable and pleasantly informal. Master Yun and everyone else was very encouraging and helps you get started. Great studio!

I was a little worried when I put my son in the children's praying mantis class because he has…read morenever taken a kung fu lessen before. It turns out Master Yun teaches kids one-on-one based on their individual level. My son has since built a lot of confidence and he loves his praying mantis lessons!

Man this place is special. Not only is coach mike a Great fighter and teacher but also a great guy!…read moreWhether you are just getting started or a veteran this place is great. expect to find a community here, a lot of guys are there often some every day and it shows. Go in trust coach, give it your all, enjoy every moment, and you will not regret any of it. Ps. Jiu jitsu guys 10th Planet santa barbara trains there goated school and goated team.

I came to Valhalla as a student in May of 2021, and am forced to leave this negative review due to…read morewhat I believe to be Mike MacDonald's abuse of the SB community and his students. The intent of this review is to leave my impression of his gym as a person who has trained at multiple gyms; I believe Mike has purposefully incurred brain damage on new students for the purpose of exacting personal revenge on them for perceived slights. I also believe that he takes efforts to evade sanctioning bodies designed to keep people who train in martial arts safe. Anyone who comes to train at Valhalla should be aware of what I believe to be Mike's views on accountability and there are photos below as evidence for my claims. I was training at Valhalla in 2021 when a new student visiting from outside the country came to the gym in October 2021 who argued with Mike about how much money he should pay to train at Valhalla. I was told by Valhalla administrators that this "low ball" attempt from the student was something that Coach Mike was not happy with. This student was very new to the sport and I believe that Coach Mike was aware that he was not skilled enough to compete in any kind of sparring tournament. Despite this, Mike allowed this new student to compete in an unsanctioned sparring tournament that occurs often at Valhalla. This student was paired up against one of Mike's star pupils, and was knocked out three times within a couple of minutes. This new student was so inexperienced, he did not even know to ask someone to be his cornerman for this event. All of this potentially because he "lowballed" Mike; This is not how new students should be treated. In the days following the tournament, I reached out to an administrator at Valhalla (Roxanna Bina) to get the contact information for this student who had taken so much damage. I was the only person to reach out to this student after the tournament to ensure he was okay. This was just one example; other examples include holding one night tournaments where some competitors will compete in multiple fights without an actual doctor present, as well as 200 lbs men being paired against much smaller women in sparring tournaments where knockouts are commonplace. Mike continues to hold this tournament without matchmakers, without medical personnel, and continues to evade letters from the CA State Athletic Commission regarding the nature of his tournament. When I told Valhalla administrators that they should have the sign up sheet for the tournament include a "cornerman" checklist so that they could make sure every single person in the competition had someone with them, I was told that this would make the tournament seem more "official" and that this would invite further scrutiny from the CA Athletic Commission. This backwards logic ultimately doesn't serve the best interests of the people competing in the tournament. There are bodies like the IKF that hold tournaments with registered nurses, multiple judges and matchmakers, and in general have some official accountability. I believe that Mike doesn't want to make the monetary investment to do these things, and would prefer to have free reign over the entire process. As someone who has trained at multiple MMA gyms, I would advise people to look into other gyms in the area for sparring purposes. I believe that Mike views new students as cannon fodder to give easy experience to his more experienced pupils and believes himself to be above the law. I believe that he will continue to allow the safety and well being of his students to take a back seat to his pride and lack of willingness to make the monetary investment to ensure that sparring tournaments held at Valhalla are safe and fair. I believe that he will remove anyone from the gym who tries to bring this to his attention. I will be contacting the CA State Athletic Commission with these same concerns and hope that they will hold him accountable for his actions. If you want to train martial arts in SB, I believe that you can do better than being taken advantage of by Mike MacDonald.

I've been training here for about three and a half years. Sifu Chris is a great teacher. Patient,…read moredown-to-earth, and very knowledgeable. Before I started taking classes at the Wu Shu Studio, a lot of martial arts studios in Santa Barbara that I tried felt like "black belt factories". If that's what you're looking for, this isn't it. In my time there, I've learned more than I ever thought I could. Not just about American Kenpo, but in other arts as well. I can't recommend the place highly enough.

Really Great place for learning in a peaceful and non competitive environment.read more

Tried to enlist in a free trial class to see if I like the gym, was told sure no problem, gave them…read moremy name email address and phone number like requested. Thorough multiple venues,( instagram , what's app, their website) Been a week with no communication, I have zero desire to join anymore being treated so poorly. While they actively post on social media. What's app said they read the messages immediately after sending them. What's weird is years ago they were very receptive to me joining I just didn't have time. Now I have little time just want to transfer here possibly but they have horrible customer service now.

Awesome gym, can come in and workout at my own pace ... one of the only 24/7 mma / boxing gyms in…read moretown. Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a legit gym in town

Our kids enjoyed being part of this dojo. They have great instructors. We had both our kids…read more(different ages and gender) enrolled in classes. Since they started at the same level it was very convenient in terms of schedules.

I've been meaning, and wanting to get back into lessons for years ... Everything good, and none of…read morethe bad, is the best way to describe this martial arts school. None of the low-brow, bad technique, subpar tutelage offered by MMA schools. Learn what the martial arts are really about. Child and family friendly, a great workout and better way to burn off your stress. Don't waste your money on lessons elsewhere. This Tae Kwon Do influenced, Tang Soo Do school of martial arts is one of the best, anywhere, has to offer.

Best jiu jitsu academy in Santa Barbara by far, good coaches, and students that are really…read moresupportive .

First off I should give reference that I'm Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and have traveled and…read moretrained Jiu Jitsu around the world for over a decade. 10th Planet Santa Barbara is a world class Jiu Jitsu academy. I've trained with the head instructor Jeremiah Vance for many years now. I can tell you there are few instructors in the world with as much knowledge and teaching abilities as Jeremiah. He coaches UFC champions, Jiu Jitsu World Champions and at the same time beginners with zero experience. It doesnt matter if your out of shape and never done a sport in your life, Jeremiah will help you. If your looking to get started, look no further!

Suzuki Sensei and her students are patient, understanding, and friendly!…read more I felt very welcome during my first class. Since I was new to aikido, Suzuki Sensei and her students coached me through moves with patience and encouragement. My good work was rewarded with praise and my mistakes with comforting words. I understand many prospective students might be intimidated with trying aikido. Students are probably mostly frightened by making mistakes. Don't be afraid. Suzuki Sensei and her students are very understanding. They welcome mistakes. They aim to nurture those who are eager to learn.

I have been a student at AKSB for about nine months. It has been an amazing platform for my health…read more- physical and mental. I studied a different form of martial arts many years ago, and have a tried a few others since. I knew almost nothing about aikido when I began, having just heard it referenced in a book on "mastery," but it had stuck in my head. My first phone message was promptly returned by Lia Suzuki Sensei, who answered all my questions an invited me to come in for an "intro special," including 2 classes and a uniform. It turns out that aikido was just what I needed. It is really hard work, and I found that after about 30 minutes on the mat, it was all I could do to stay focused on my body flailing about, which took me right out of my stressed-out head. ASKB has classes for students of all ages, sometimes separating kids, teens, and adults, and sometimes of mixed levels. Once you pay your dues, you are encouraged to train as much as possible. One thing I love is that most classes are small (less than 10 people), which makes for a great workout and lots of personalized attention. I prefer it that way. I was never into gymnastics nor do I like tumbling. But from the very beginning, the teachers and students at ASKB meet you at whatever level you are at, teaching you to fall safely and (sometimes) gracefully. We talk a lot about being in "conversation" with your training partner, and it's a metaphor that extends a long way. As someone new to Santa Barbara, this was a great find for me. Reasonably priced, consistent, artistic, soulful exercise. Yes!

I had two amazing experiences with Amber at 805 Defense: once where she gave a presentation on the…read moreimportance of self-defense and "training without apology" and the second time where I actually got to spend two hours in a workshop called Punches and Pinot at Fox Wine Co, training on moves and techniques. Both were wonderful experiences! Amber is very approachable and knowledgeable. She made self defense important but doable. I'm grateful to now know which techniques I'm very good at and could possibly save my life one day. Thank you Amber!!

From the owner: Self-defense training on your schedule! 805 Defense is a mobile company offering self-defense…read moretraining to individuals, groups and corporations in fun and informative sessions without memberships or long term commitments. Contact 805 Defense and gain the skills and confidence to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm.