Updating my review since our family recently moved away from Menlo Park. My daughter started taking…read morekarate at USSD alongside my son and they both loved it. Since I came to the night classes here as well as the women's kickboxing class, I've had plenty of opportunity to get to know the instructors (Teacher Caldwell, Teacher Willie, Jodi, Brian, etc.). They are not only all excellent teachers, but friends that our family will miss. Since this location hosts many classes, I'll break down the review into each class/instructor Karate: My kids (ages 5 & 7) just tested for their yellow belts here and are both eager to continue karate. They tell their friends about how much they love their class. I was so pleased with their instruction that a close friend started her kids training here as well. Teacher Caldwell is kind and patient with the kids, and Teacher Willie's energy makes him one of the kids' favorite teachers. Kickboxing: The women in this class have become good friends. I loved this class so much that I would tow my younger two children (5 & 2) to class when I couldn't get babysitting. Jodi is energetic and knowledgable and let my kids play (or held my toddler) while I trained, which is a rarity. Expect a hard cardio workout with a lot of focus on careful technique. Tuesday/Thursday night grappling/striking: I made this class less frequently than the others but was always glad I came when I could. Willie brings the same energy to this class that he does to the kids' karate class, and I appreciated learning not only from him but from the other class participants whose experience surpasses my own. Grappling is (in my experience) focused on BJJ and takedown techniques while striking is strikes/kicks. Both classes often involve sparring, which I've found to be one of the most helpful ways for me to put what I've learned into practice. Monday/Wednesday Urban Combat: An excellent self-defense/HIIT workout class. I left a detailed review on the Urban Combat Yelp page. Martial arts has become one of my favorite things to do, something I'm hoping to teach in the future, and a source of discipline and confidence in my life. I owe it all to the investment and mentorship I have received through this studio, and I will miss it dearly. If you're looking for a solid martial arts experience for your children or for yourself, USSD is as good as it gets.

The instructors are all well versed in their arts, and have a terrific appreciation for those who…read morecome to learn. From beginners to those more advanced everyone comes together in a supportive, and motivating, way that fosters challenging one another to improve themselves. I have had the pleasure of participating in both the Urban Combat, as well as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking to learn self-defense, as well as those seeking a wonderful alternative to an hour and a half at the gym.

I trained at Serao for 1.5 years while getting my master's at Stanford. This academy has a special…read moreplace in my heart as it is where I started my BJJ journey - I've learned a ton here and signed up for my first two competitions while training here! I mainly attended the no-gi & wrestling classes, but both the gi and no-gi instruction was great. On the surface, Serao is a friendly, humorous and fun place to train for hobbyists. People are nice, it is kid-friendly, and bad behavior gets rooted out immediately. Leo goes out of his way to create a safe training environment (he'll match sparring partners himself) regardless of skill, size, or gender. The instructors are great and care about your development. Underneath the surface, you'll find a small, tight knit group of competitors that train intensely and compete at an extremely high level. There's something for everyone here, I'd highly recommend it and as a bonus, parking here is extremely easy and accessible. Will miss this place!

My kids love going here! They have been in it for almost two years and it has done wonderful things…read morefor their self esteem! Thank you Coach Leo and Coach Gustavo!

We've had a fantastic experience at Tamayo's Judo. The Sensei is an excellent instructor, and he's…read morecreated a wonderful community of supportive parents. He's very good with the little ones and has many different levels of classes in addition to adult classes, including "Parent and Me" classes as well as classes for 4-6-year-olds to get them ready for transitioning to the more advanced classes. My son has learned a lot about Judo techniques, but also self-control, motivation, collaboration, teamwork, goal setting, and pushing himself outside of his comfort level. The Sensei is an amazing mentor and has tremendous patience and kindness for the littles. Highly recommended.

Great location in the heart of the bay area. The mats are super unique and have some sort of…read moresprings under them. It makes the throws much more comfortable. Coach Raul is a very experienced Judoka with a background in other grappling arts. I've learned so much from him and am excited to continue my Judo journey with him.

Exceptionally good training . I have trained in various styles in different cities over my adult…read morelife and can confidently say that this is the best overall training that I have found Effective and reality-based but without the edge some places have

I've been training here for 6 years and I still look forward to each class. Ive done martial arts…read moremy whole life (Karate, Boxing, BJJ) and none of them are like Urban Combat. This place is focused on real life and how those arts come together with actual common sense for dealing with potential situations. The classes include fun workouts, lessons in various martial arts / weapons, and film study on real situations. Brian is an amazing teacher - hes not lecturing from the sidelines, he is right there with you showing you how its done. If you are interested in learning actual self defense strategies separate from traditional martial arts - this is your place. Its a bay area hidden gem! Note - this place is in the Karate studio (parking in the back).

I've been training with Professor Alberto for almost 2.5 years now. Joining Daruma Dojo changed my…read morelife. I was previously focused on only powerlifting, and although I thought I was strong, I was massively out of shape. I was looking for a place nearby, and have always wanted to train Jiu Jitsu after watching the UFC. Professor Alberto and all the coaches are professional and instructive. At the same time, Alberto knows how to motivate each student to achieve their goals. He doesn't have a cookie cutter approach, and knows how to squeeze the juice out of each person. Whether your goal is to get in shape, be more proficient at grappling, compete, or just have a community, it's highly likely Daruma would be a good fit. If you're in the Sunnyvale area, highly recommend you check Daruma out.

Alberto came highly recommended by our judo coach and he didn't disappoint. We took our 6 years old…read moreto his jujitsu class and she loved it. She was shy at first but Alberto and the coaches knew how to make her feel comfortable. We were able to watch the whole class and it was so fun to be there. All the kids were laughing and having fun while learning jujitsu. The dojo was very clean and had a great vibe. After class we bought my daughter a Gi and we will be back next week for more!

We have visited this Dojo two times a year for 5 years. Cal Kitura is the head instructor and is…read moreamazing. Usually there are 6 to 8 instructors and 30 plus students. Last time we visited, Han Sensei (Olympic silver) from Korea had a special class. The kids love it here. They have a rich history going back over 60 years. Palo Alto Judo also hosts one of the most prestigious Judo competition each year. It attracts the judo players that intend on advancing their Olympic careers as well as beginners. Judo here is great for beginners as well as intermediates and advanced. The class is separated into belt/abilities so no need to fear being over whelm

My son and I joined 6 months ago and we love practicing judo at this dojo. The instructors are…read morevery patient with kids (and adults). There are usually at least 10 kids, which allows them to practice with students the same age and ability. The club is a non-profit organization that started in 1952. After 70 years, they must be doing something right!

We've been a part of the Taekwon Tigers family for over 6 years. I can't say enough great things…read moreabout Taekwon Tigers and the incredible experience my daughter has had training here. It's a friendly and supportive environment. The instructors are not only highly skilled but also incredibly passionate about teaching. They take the time to ensure that each student receives personalized attention and guidance, regardless of their skill level. It's evident that they genuinely care about my daughter's development and progress, making every class both motivational and fun. The facility itself is clean and well maintained. I also love the sense of community among the students--everyone is supportive, encouraging, and ready to cheer each other on during classes and competitions. I highly recommend Taekwon Tigers.

The teaches are reasonable but the receptionist is rude and doesn't care. Communication is bad and…read moreeve misleading. Be careful with hidden fees. Monthly fee, belt test fee, even hefty test make up fee etc. It gets expensive. They will get your money.

I tried a few martial arts clubs before finding Tandez, and I immediately knew this was the right…read moreplace for me. I've now been training here for over a year. Before Tandez, I was with another club for seven years but wanted to explore something different. Tandez offers a range of martial arts, including Kali/Silat, Kali/Combat, Jeet Kune Do/MMA, and Boxing/Muay Thai. What truly sets this place apart is Sifu Tandez and his team of instructors. Sifu is a highly skilled, knowledgeable leader who genuinely cares about his students and their progress. The instructors are also exceptional--they're skilled, dedicated, and really know their stuff. I love coming here to learn; the training is practical, the atmosphere is friendly, and the group is always fun to be around.

I was really impressed with Sifu Adrian's level of expertise when I took his Self Defense seminar…read more It was free (a $75 value), so who can really complain? Upon arriving, I expected the participants to be entirely of newbies, but it was only me and another lady...and 3 other female students. The rest were strapping men. A lot of them... There was something intimidating when I was in the sea of academy students dressed in black. Grappling with a student scared me, but she was really friendly. The instruction of the seminar was very organized and informative, including a brief history of martial arts for us beginners. Initially, I was wondering how he could fill 4 hours, but there was no lag at all -- covering escape, submission, and pinning maneuvers. I wish I was able to pick up the moves as easily as others, but some maneuvers had a lot of steps to it and seemed a bit complicated for a non-active chica like myself. It was a Saturday afternoon well-spent. It was a little too much information all at once. I hope I have retained enough information to allow me to defend myself if I need it.