My kids questioned my sanity for starting Krav Maga at 80 years of age... But the experience has been fantastic. Coach Britt takes the time to thoroughly explain and demonstrate the techniques. My fellow students are more of a community, supporting each other to the max. Interspersed with the physical and mental training is the camaraderie (and in my case teasing... as the "Old Man" it comes with the territory) associated with being part of a team. The sessions include adults of all ages and experience levels, so no one feels awkward; you immediately are welcomed into the fold. read more

Apex Krav Maga (partner of Soulcraft Martial Arts- same training facility) in Hamden CT and its head coach Britt S are amazing! Our 13 yr old son had been attending the kids self defense class for 2 and half years. The environment is very friendly and family like, very comfortable. Our son learned a lot and most importantly it helped him with self-confidence at school as he is of average size. Then he moved to the more advanced class. World class ! The coach Britt is a world class master for practical real life self defense, knows how to train very well, energetic, makes each session very interesting, engaging. Truly God sent coach. Highly recommend for kids, teens , adults. Time and money well spent ! read more

Been training here for three years and so far I'm very satisfied with the level of instruction and full schedule of classes available. I started with BJJ, but soon added Krav Maga and Muay Thai. Every now and then I'll do MMA for fun. This gym feels like a second home and it honestly keeps getting better. On top of having an even balance of gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, no gi, and striking classes, they've recently added judo and fitness classes. The overall environment is very chill and welcoming to everyone. It's definitely not a roided out tap out bro gym. Also, unlike some gyms I've attended, there's no prejudice against other BJJ lineages. Cross training with other BJJ gyms is welcomed and encouraged, as are visiting BJJ practitioners from anywhere. Since signing up three years ago, I've never had any billing or payment issues. I'm suspicious of reviewers who say they have. I've attended and paid for a number of martial arts and fitness type gyms and the policies at Soulcraft are the same ones you'll find at most other well run gyms. In my experience, they've actually been very reasonable. When an injury forced me to stop training for a month, I explained my situation and was not charged for a month. My main reason for writing this review was to share updated photos of the gym facilities. The photos on yelp were pretty old and the gym has changed a lot since then. read more

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Came in to try a class with my friend and we loved it! The place is inviting and the staff is great. The class was a lot of fun, a great workout and the instructor was awesome. I will definitely be back to try more classes. read more

I practiced Muay Thai at Soulcraft BJJ from Nov. 2012-Feb. 2013, and found the experience generally positive. Some classes were definitely slanted towards more high-intensity cardio/movement, and others more focused on technical understandings of fighting techniques, which was a good blend for people genuinely interested in applying these skills in actual fighting environments. For me, though, as someone more interested in the fitness aspect of Muay Thai, it probably wasn't the best spot to be. For someone looking to acquire applicable self-defense, or if you are interested in competing in fights in CT or elsewhere, this is a great place to check out. My only real complaint has to do with their billing policy. Upon realizing I couldn't afford the $100/month for two classes a week schedule, I was charged an additional two months after cancelling. I understand that as a small business, it is necessary to have solid, reliable income, but when new people are joining, I do not see why charging a cancelled and no longer attending member is required or even correct. Yes, you are informed of this policy when joining, so perhaps I should blame myself for not paying attention. Still, it doesn't sit right with me that I was charged for two months ($200) after cancelling due to not being able to afford it. Anyway, best of luck to Soulcraft, and it does have a good bunch of people, so I think they'll keep going strong. As an added bonus, you can also join Elm City Crossfit which is adjacent to the studio and get a discount of $25/month at both. Overall a good experience and I'm glad I was a part of it. read more

Cost of BJJ class is $150 per month for 6 month contract and $140 per month for a year contract. The staff are friendly and motivated. A great place for any serious martial artist that wants to compete. read more

Unprofessional staff and unimpressive venue. To their credit, the instructors teach martial arts very well, but some of them need to polish their personal skills. This happened a while ago, but I was assured that signing up for a free 30-day trial would not cost me anything, as long as I didn't come to practice after the 30-day period was over. My work schedule got busy and I stopped coming to practice within the allotted time period, but when I checked back a few months later, I supposedly owed them two months' worth of fees. The management denied the error on their part and I had to forfeit the money just to get the situation off of my hands. This was a scam, not good business. You can definitely find other good dojos in the area that value honesty and integrity. read more

An awesome training facility. Brad and his coaches will make you feel right at home. It's an ego free environment and everyone treats each other as family! read more

Me and my wife drive over an hour each way to train here with coach Britt. Absolutely the best Krav Maga in the state of Connecticut! Awesome facilities, abundance of space and friendly staff. read more

Unfortunately I only got to train at Soulcraft for a short period of time due to getting a job across the country and having to move, but this is truly a great gym. I've trained in quite a few BJJ gyms across the country and Soulcraft has all of the elements in common with other great gyms. You will not find over-inflated egos and out of control meat heads here -- training and sparring is approached with the humbleness, respect, and technical detail that is needed when practicing an art that is designed to effectively and efficiently incapacitate your opponent. Whether you're someone looking to get into shape while learning truly effective self-defense, an experienced martial artist looking for a "for life" gym to make their home, or an MMA or BJJ competitor looking to get their skills and toughness sharpened, the gym has something for everyone. I am truly bummed that I have to leave this gym as it's a place that I can see myself staying at for a very long time. If you're reading gym reviews right now because you have it in your head that you want to give BJJ or Muay Thai a try, do not hesitate to head over to Soulcraft. It can be a life changer. read more

Soulcraft is a great place to learn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The staff are super-friendly and knowledgeable. Brad is a great teacher and instructor. Soulcraft has created a safe and welcoming environment which is reflected in the type of people who attend classes. You will have a hard time finding another gym with a better community and inclusiveness. A great place for any skill level. read more

Awesome place to train with great coaches and teammates! Everyone trains hard and is really cool to each other.

I signed up for an interview to do the 6 week fitness challenge. This morning I got a text message reminding me of the appointment. I showed up to my appointment and was told that someone was supposed to reach out to me and tell me the challenge was filled. I never received a call. I was then told I could wait until June for the next one or join something else. Thanks for wasting my time. What poor business. read more

I just recently began training Muay Thai at Soulcraft, and have had nothing but positive experiences thus far. The coaches are all kind, supportive, intelligent and know how to have a good laugh. Whether it's combinations or technique, they pay close attention during a full class and check to make sure it's broken down in a way that makes sense for you and push you to get it done. After 3 months of training I never thought I would think about competition, but it's a goal I'm working towards within this year, and know I'll be in good hands with the staff at Soulcraft. Great people, facilities and overall environment. Highly recommended. read more

Soooooo... I actually never liked sports. Any kind. For a variety of reasons, the #1 being that I'm probably the clumsiest person I know. Notorious for it and notorious for not doing any kind of sports. Ever. I'd rather die than run. Having that in mind, my friends asked for proof once I told them I actually signed up for this gym. Thankfully, the owner had no issues with a friend of mine visiting a class and taking some. I've attended the Muay Thai classes for about 6 months and I really liked it. The instructor is great-pays a lot of attention to preventing unnecessary injuries (except for occasional sore muscle, I never had one). Took me a while to warm up to Jiu JItsu as my first impression was "this thing is A LOOOOOT of hugging random people you don't know while sweating like a pig". I brought a good friend with me for a free one month trial and that's when I started liking it. Again, the instruction was great. Yes, they make you run in circles and I still hate that part, but it's worth it. I hope they divide the classes into basic/non-basic levels as sometimes I felt that some of us beginners might have been slowing the class down. But even in those situations, everyone around was really helpful. This was probably the first physical activity I ever took up on a regular basis-it's fun, faaaaaaaar from boring and depending on your reason for doing it, you can see the results fairly quickly. I did it purely for self-defense (kill two birds with one stone: it's sports AND it's actually useful in real life). A few friends of mine (male, athletic) tested this out recently by (unsuccessfully) trying to bring me down to the ground, etc. Unless an advanced martial arts student attacks you, any woman will be better off with even the basic few moves from BJJ/MT. On that matter, surprisingly not many women around, but I never felt out of place-people are very friendly. The place is very clean-I was mildly paranoid about different infections that one can pick up from the mats, but I never got anything. You still need a shower after a class. Duh. read more

Recently joined Soulcraft and I have nothing but good things to say. Brad, the owner, is awesome. Before joining I had the opportunity to do a free trial class. I came in expecting a class and it essentially turned into a one hour private lesson with Brad. Super helpful and unexpected. There was no pressure to join, no sales pitch, etc. Just gave me the rates and let me decide. Rates were reasonable, the gym is clean and pleasant. Everyone is friendly and the atmosphere is supportive and relaxed. The classes are excellent and I've learned a lot in a short period of time. I've been very happy. Strongly recommend. read more

Oh, man. Where do I start? I LOVE Soulcraft! Growing up, I always had a love for martial arts, but my family never had the money to commit to more than one activity. Music lessons always won that battle. Now that I'm an adult, my boyfriend (a wrestler) and I decided to give it another try! The moment I walked in the door, I knew this was the place I wanted to train. As a woman, I was pretty hesitant to try out Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The concept of trying to out- wrestle men who were much bigger than me was a bit intimidating and made me feel out of my comfort zone. I was worried that I would be overpowered and scared away by muscly, testosterone-driven meat heads. I quickly realized how wrong I was! On the first day when we were asked to partner up, not a single person wanted to avoid "the noobie with a white belt", in fact I was quickly approached by a higher belt and he thoroughly explained every move we were working on until I was sure that I understood. From white belts to black, every single person in this gym is here because they love the sport and that passion emanates from floor to ceiling, wall to wall. The owner and head coach, Brad, created an atmosphere which promotes respect, kindness and the willingness to put others above yourself. Every student is a coach and there is always something you can learn from anyone on the mat. Not once did I feel like the upper belts were taking advantage of me, they are always willing to lend a hand when needed and if I'm on the right track, will coach me into completing that triangle or arm bar I'm struggling to finish. No egos in this gym! As a teacher myself (those music lessons payed off!), I really feel that the best way to retain knowledge is to process it and give that information back to others and Soulcraft promotes this every step of the journey. The coaches are top notch. Clear, concise and willing to go out of their way to help their students. The facilities are extremely clean and the mats are washed over and over throughout the day. Soulcraft also gives back to the community by running food and gi drives and also setting up movie nights, having fun events on holidays, putting together "family" outings and setting up awesome (inexpensive) seminars once or twice a month. There's always something going on around here! Above all else, it's the atmosphere in the gym that will draw you in. You can tell that the owner Brad is passionate about what he does, not only because he is in the gym from 6am until 10pm most days, but in the way he talks about what he does. That passion and drive is what makes this sport and this gym contagious and what makes every member keep striving to be the best they can be. I'm proud to call myself a member of the Soulcraft family and there's no where else I'd rather train! read more

I did the 6 week KM challenge and it was absolutely amazing. Everyone that works there is so helpful, respectful, encouraging, and friendly. All around a great place!! read more