It's a small school. The classes are small. Each student gets close, loving, personal attention…read more The school is flexible, giving new students a chance to check it out before making a big commitment. I can't overstate what a positive impact Amherst Martial Arts has had on my 13-year-old son's life.

Amherst Martial Arts, a taekwondo school, is a really special space in Amherst. It has been…read moreoperating for more than 20 years, educating countless children, as well as hosting summer camps (taekwondo, swimming, and horseback riding). It's the complete program: philosophy, strength, forms, and practical application -- self defense and sparring. The strength of this program is not just in the excellent and serious instruction, but in the warmth of the community. The children are kind and supportive to each other, an attitude fostered by the teachers. The children and teens really form relationships with each other. The school is a labor of love for the instructors; they haven't raised their rates in years, because they want to keep it accessible. At some other places that I've seen, the programming aimed at kids can feel like a mill, processing lots of kids, keeping things fun but what are the kids actually learning? I've seen some kids' martial arts programs described as "belt factories" or "belt mills", where the belt tests are meaningless, and the kids aren't actually learning the forms, much less the philosophy and mental disciplines. No matter how skilled the adults are, they have to take teaching kids seriously -- not just as entertainment for the kids and babysitting for the kids. That is the opposite of Amherst Martial Arts, which feels like a cross between a school and a home -- the best kind of home, where everyone is working together, learning and improving and supporting each other. The kids have a lot of fun -- there are lots of opportunities for games and silliness -- but they also learn to buckle down, concentrate, try harder, improve. I've seen kids come in, too shy to kick at all, gain confidence just from the gentle, non-judgmental opportunity that comes again and again in a session, until they start finding their own ability to move and then start putting their all into it. This is huge for girls especially who may not have been given social encouragement or support to yell, kick, punch, roll, etc. The instructors are great at knowing how to relate to different kids at different levels: kids sometimes need gentle encouragement, sometimes sternness and seriousness, and often humor, and helping kids have fun AND then buckle down to focus and learn is a real art.

FAA is a fantastic gym, I've been a member for around 3 months and could not ask for a better…read moreenvironment to learn kickboxing/mma. The head trainer is a super friendly guy who is extremely knowledgeable and wants all his students to succeed. I would highly recommend FAA to anyone looking to learn kickboxing/MMA regardless of skill level everyone is welcome.

Best gym in the area. Jeremy is an amazing coach and gives everyone the same attention no matter if…read moreyou're a pro fighter or a beginner. Everyone at the gym is very welcoming and makes you feel like part of the team. I've been there for 5 years and have never had one bad experience.

The staff is friendly and professional, all the BJJ students there are nice and considerate, and…read morethe atmosphere is laid-back. The teachers do a great job of breaking things down, answering questions, helping you learn and progress, and working to keep everyone safe. The students are friendly, nice, polite, and take good care of each other (some new ones off the street need some training sometimes, but it's rare). Highly recommended.

Great instructors and a welcoming environment. Communication has been great too. I would definitely…read morerecommend Team Link to others.

Spirit of the Heart has been my second home for over 20 years! To me it is not just the best…read moremartial arts school I have ever trained in, but also an incredible community of people who are there to help push you to be the best you can be. Classes are always unique and challenging, and I still feel like I am learning something new every time I walk in the door. In my life I have also trained in Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido, and Brazilian Jujitsu, and while there are things I have loved about all of these arts Silat, and Spirit of the Heart's method of teaching it, remain a step above everything else I have experienced. Whether you are looking for serious martial arts training, a new fitness program, or community I cannot recommend Spirit of the Heart enough.

I first started in a demonstration class at the Greenfield YMCA. I had never thought of martial…read morearts as my "thing", but Spirit of the heart has changed my mind. I've never been the most athletic or coordinated person, but the instructors here have been incredibly patient and kind. If you want to get in better shape, become more coordinated, and learn a little self defense, this is definitely the place to start!

This establishment is no good for the children. The staff here calls the children liars when the…read morechildren comes to them for help they call them a liar ! Ken himself called my child a liar ! I asked him if he was serious , he responded YES! My child went on to get hurt because the staff failed to do his/her job ! His answer was " the child is known to be a liar ! " He said this to me himself today when I called to make a complaint! We as mandated reporter are not supposed to dismiss a child claims because we dislike the child ! That's what the staff member did, because I was on speaker at the time this event happened!! I know what happened! Ken wasn't there (of course) because I asked to speak to Ken at the time ! Unfortunately you & your staff failed as a mandated reporters ! Worst of all the owner rather call the child a liar ( who went to his staff member for help ) to make things right !!! A simple I'm sorry I'll make sure I'll handle it ! ( not that my child is a liar ) because that's what he did ! Shame on this establishment! The staff member was out of line & because of his staff member a child WAS hurt who knows how many others ! A child he called a lair today !!!! Beware of this establishment!!! If your child comes to them for help , they will call your child a liar & claim they care !!!! I take no pleasure in making this yelp , however my child was hurt not his ! could have been prevented! Instead he called my child a liar ! And more parents need to be aware before they make the choice to bring your children to them . All we wanted was to make him aware of what happened. he decided to call the child ( who was hurt after the staff member failed to do their job ) a liar ?! you sir failed as instructor & a protector of the children , this sir is not Honorable!!!! You took the art to protect not to cover up ! This establishment is the reason our children won't come forward! No matter what you convince yourself sir of , it will never change that a child was hurt after your staff member called him/her a lair and did not report it ! Ken himself told me my child is known as a liar! Wow wrong response to an irate parent whose child was hurt & who called you for at least some concerns ! Thats what this comes down to & he failed to understand that!! He can respond like he did on the other review. Unfortunately that will never change that a child was hurt your staff member called could've done the right thing but they didn't! They decided to call the child a liar ! Shame on you Sir . You failed the children you claim to care for !

The Best. My two boys are little dragons, they love this place. Master Ken, the owner of CFMAF, is…read morea great trainer and is great with kids and finds unique way to each child. They offer summer program and after school program. During summer camp my kids went to many different field trips and loved it. Its great especially when you are a working parent and can't spend every sunny day outside with kids. I would recommend this center to everyone (not just kids, there are adult classes too)

I have attended this school before, my son does now and I hope to again. My opinion of this school…read morehas not changed much in 10 years. The people who teach and run this school are very passionate about Chinese culture and traditions. They go to China once a year to learn and deeply love Kung fu. I am Eurasian and have deeply hated euro Americans taking Asian culture and selling it as their own. I can't say that about this school because they know more about and love Chinese culture more than I do. A few years ago I had the honor of doing the website for the actor, Laurence Mason. He was one of the last people to train with Brandon Lee while working on "The Crow". He said Brandon was the most zen peaceful person he ever met but could kill everyone in the hanger in about 15 min. He said that the best teachers he ever had were "dangerous hippies" like Brandon. I agree with him and the teachers here have a very similar attitude to what he described with Brandon. They teach peace, respect, focus and how to stop a fight with least effort. Best school I have ever known. So yeah go to this school and get a copy of "The Crow".

My son has been going to this wonderful Kung fu studio for years. They have provided for him a…read moreperfect balance of discipline and hard work within a nurturing environment. I love that he gets physical exercise as well as training in breathing and meditation. The community of instructors and classmates has played a crucial role in his development from childhood to teenager, all within a caring and respectful environment.

This review is long overdue. I found myself at Amherst College this summer and wanted to continue…read moretraining in jiu-jitsu. While I found other gyms nearby, I committed to NESF for a month. Training is entirely no-gi, Stacy was accommodating and very nice about me coming in to check out some of the other MMA classes. Bring cash and you will get a discount. Dave, the jiu-jitsu professor was a total badass - knows what he is doing and focuses on technique. He wants you to get it right and will push you and call you out if you are slacking off. From the skilled jiu-jitsu practitioner to the beginner, I highly recommend this gym. You will learn and improve your game. I trained with both beasts and beginners. It was a welcoming and positive environment. Training in no-gi has become my favorite was of training now. It's been 3 months training like that and my guitar-licking fingers are happy about it - Thanks NESF!! ProTip: there is a Valley Bike Station right outside the gym, easy to go in and out of the gym if you do not have a car and/or don't want to wait for a bus.

This is an excellent and professional school with highly skilled and all around great instructors…read more They know their stuff and are very good at helping both new and experienced their students develop their skills. They are quite welcoming and very reasonable with their pricing. Excellent gym for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, Wrestling, and MMA!

My kids had their birthday party this past weekend IPD Jiu Jitsu and had an absolute blast! Todd…read morewas organized and had several activities to keep the kids engaged. They also attended his summer camp last year and will be attending this year. Todd is a great guy and runs a great business. Highly recommend!

Come here for kickboxing and always have a blast! Todd is super welcoming, friendly, and…read moreprofessional. The facility is clean and the setup is really nice and they truly care about you and always so personable. Definitely worth checking out if you want a small community feel for your workouts.

I LOVE AMAA. It's true. I currently have four kids enrolled here, and will have five as soon as…read morethe toddler is old enough to become a little Dragon. Master Brian and Master Nancy are awesome, they have been teaching for over four decades and this isn't just another belt-factory out looking to make quick cash off of unsuspecting parents. They care about their students and teach with dedication, patience, and attention. They focus not just on form and power, but on discipline and respect. The students here either all are just really good eggs or they've picked up a lot in their learning, because they are helpful and respectful toward each other. This is most definitely a Taekwondo school worth your patronage. We love it here!

Loved this location ! Staff was friendly , easy check in and lots of great items for sale . I love…read morethe blue lights in the room as well as the chill Vibe . Perfect to visit while I was in town

Here is an update from 2.5 years of weekly pure barre: i still love it; I still go weekly…read more Celebrating 100 classes was a real milestone and celebrated in a way that simply feels Good- and a photo if desired. I must admit that in my almost 60 years never Once (really) was a physical accomplishment celebrated and i felt celebrated without being whelmed by it. I am more flexible, stronger for sure, able to move in ways I couldn't even when young & fit & active. I don't live in california, not sure why the system insists that is so- live here local to the studio. Come, give pure barre a try! Don't be afraid of the shake (after a while it becomes a goal to Find the Shake in your workout).