I have now been training at OYD for 5 months now. I don't usually write online reviews, but I have gained so much more than I expected here I thought I would share.
What struck me first when I joined OYD is the dedication of the instructors. They really take a deep interest in how you are doing - what your goals are, what particular problems you may be facing - and they clearly spend a great deal of time preparing each lesson and thinking about what each individual has to gain from it. As a teacher myself, I was really struck by the feeling that these people really cared about my progress, that each of them is motivated by wanting to improve the lives of others.
The curriculum at OYD is extremely well thought out. You'll have specific things you will be working on regularly, but there is always variety - you are always challenging yourself, developing new skills, and trying new things - whilst also developing on the core skills you need most. I don't think there has been a single training session in which I haven't learned something new, and there is a really clear curriculum that helps you see where you will be if you keep putting in the effort.
To be honest, when I first joined OYD I wasn't in great shape. I had been trying for a long time to get fit - but after a few weeks running or going to the gym or whatever else, I would always get bored or lose motivation. Each class at OYD begins with whole-body conditioning, which in the space of a month or two completely changed my fitness level. In addition to physical fitness that is common to any class, there is also a strong emphasis on 'internal' martial arts here - on breathing and energy. Although I have attended a lot of Taichi and Qigong classes elsewhere, this is the first time I'm actually feeling this really working, gradually deepening my focus and increasing my energy levels throughout the day. There is a wonderful balance at OYD between the internal and the external.
Finally, after trying all kinds of fitness classes, I realized the most important thing for me was simply to have fun. If I wasn't enjoying the vibe in a class, I would always burn out after a couple of weeks. I'm loving training at OYD, the people I get to spend time with there, and the wonderful variety of skills to learn. I just want to keep coming back.
I highly recommend Oom Yung Doe if you are interested in learning martial arts, getting fit, improving yourself, or just having fun and learning something new. read more