I have been training with Master Cheng for 5 years on and off and wasn't comfortable with virtual…read moretraining during Covid so stopped and am 60 years old. He would not let me do Kung Fu until he saw I was in shape and ready for the intensity. So I have been doing Tai Chi seriously again for past year and practice almost every day at 6:30 am. I have 1 private session weekly with Master Chong and he's definitely old school but what he teaches is very authentic. I can see how people l can get turned off by the cost and sometimes bluntness but you get what you pay for and need to understand that he comes from a different era and culture. Many real masters won't even teach students until they prove they show enough desire. I have seen schools that are like factories and Master Cheng is picky, and not for everyone. If you need a lot of hand holding then I would go elsewhere. I started Kung Fu after waiting like 5 years and I could never have handled it until I was in very good shape and got more advanced with Tai Chi. Kung Fu is great and painful but much different than Tai Chi. I do both now, with Master Cheng but it's tough and it's small classes with very individual focus. I like the old school authenticity, but can see how some would not feel comfortable but you don't go there for belts and tests. If you want to learn from Master Cheng then trust the process and realize that you aren't going to get a warm and social experience like at other schools. The language barrier can create some frustration but they are good people and it's like going to a doctor, which I am, and all my referrals liked the training immensely and I feel that you need to be flexible and agile when working with Master Cheng. He really won't work with people who aren't serious about training. I can go on and on, but I am empathetic to some of the negative comments, but his style isn't for everyone. I hope this is helpful since Tai Chi has truly changed my life in many ways and Kung Fu is very exciting for me now! Hope this helps! David

I stumbled across these reviews and I feel I have to share my perspective. I think Master Cheng's…read moreTai Chi instruction is the best I have encountered. I have studied Pai Lum, Hung Gar, and Tai Chi off and on for about 29 years (I'm 47). I have left the hard styles behind and I have no interest in competition; for the sake of my aging body I just want to learn Tai Chi, but I am only interested in instruction that incorporates the fundamental martial art with application, correct postures and alignment, etc. I have a schedule that makes regular class attendance difficult, so I cannot describe the group classes. I have been scheduling private lessons periodically for a couple of years with Master Cheng. While the progress is slow as I am a not a great or even diligent student, I believe this is authentic, valuable instruction and it's benefited me greatly. It's not easy to get comfortable with paying for a class you can't observe, and perhaps if I hadn't coincidentally known a former student of theirs that I could talk to, I might have walked away with a similar impression as the negative reviewers. I think I can see where they're coming from. This is not an easy path to take (either signing up, or the training!) It's something of an old-school tradition, I think, to not make it particularly easy for the student. As someone who dabbled in instruction a long time ago, I learned that if you bend over backwards to teach martial arts, you'll get a lot of casually interested students who won't progress or stick with it. If you know that you really want to learn traditional Tai Chi, I think you can get it here. I hope this review is helpful to someone.

I would NEVER recommend this place to another parent…read more My son was seriously injured while in their care after another child struck him in the eye with a stick. And to be clear, this did not even happen during karate instruction. The children were outside playing when this happened. After my son was injured, he went to an adult and told them he had been hurt. Despite that, I was never called. No one notified me that my child had suffered an eye injury. No one contacted me and told me that I needed to come get him or have him medically evaluated. There was not even an incident report provided to me. I found out how bad it was when I arrived to pick him up. My child was crying, had his head down, was visibly injured and was struggling to open his eye. As a mother, it is infuriating to know that my child looked like that while under the care of adults and no one thought it was important enough to CALL ME. I had to take him for medical treatment, where he was diagnosed with an eye injury that required continued medical follow-up over the following months. Eye injuries can have serious consequences when they are not evaluated and properly treated, and I am grateful that I took his condition seriously when the people responsible for him apparently did not. Then I was left with the medical expenses. I ultimately had to hire an attorney simply trying to hold someone accountable for what happened to my child. That process was made even more difficult because of issues surrounding insurance coverage. Meanwhile, there was never a meaningful effort from this business to take responsibility, assist with the medical expenses or make this right. What makes this even harder to accept is that I have continued seeing the individual associated with this business picking children up from my son's former elementary school. After everything my child went through, I have never received the level of remorse, concern or accountability that I would expect from someone entrusted with children. And the effects did not end when his eye healed. Time has passed, and my son STILL does not want to do karate again. Something he once participated in has now become associated in his mind with being hurt and with how that experience was handled. As his mother, that is something I cannot simply overlook. Children can get hurt. Accidents happen. That is not even the most disturbing part of this experience. The unacceptable part is a child suffering a significant eye injury while in your care, telling an adult that he is hurt, and his parent STILL not receiving a phone call. The unacceptable part is having no proper incident documentation waiting for that parent. The unacceptable part is leaving a family to deal with months of medical follow-up, medical expenses and legal action while showing so little accountability afterward. A business caring for children should understand that supervision, emergency response, documentation and immediate communication with parents are not optional. My son's safety was placed in their hands, and based on what my family experienced, I deeply regret ever trusting this place with him. Parents deserve to know this before deciding where to leave their children. This place was horrible to my family, and I cannot recommend it under any circumstances.

My daughter started in kindergarten. We instantly saw improvement in balance, confidence and social…read moreskills. She's now finishing 2nd grade and still absolutely loves going to karate. The camps are amazing also. They offer them on school holidays and during the summer. 10 out of 10!!

Great karate schools for kids. Very organized curriculum and great staff. My son has loved it since…read moreday one!!!!

Great concept, very unethical business practices. I wish I could have stayed as it seems it would…read morehave been a great way to get in shape and join a community, but it's not worth it. They'll start you off with $180/month but have a clause in the contract that gives them the right to charge you $1000/month without your consent. That is ridiculous! I called to get this situation rectified and to get this clause out of the contact (that I didn't even know I was signing--they generate a signature to contracts without your consent), but the owner never responded. I guess he was hoping he'd get away with it!! Shameful!!! Also, it's ALL locations that are owned by the same guy. Not just the Sandy Springs location. AVOID THEM ALL!!!

This place is a hidden gem…read more First off all, it really is hidden. If you don't know to look for it, you'll drive right past. Once you turn into the parking lot, the gym is down a hidden stairway on the left. As a member, you have a choice to sign up for boxing, strength & conditioning, Muay Thai, kickboxing, or jiu jitsu classes. The trainers push you hard, in the best way. By and large, they move around the room keeping an eye on everyone...making form corrections and gently encouraging to push yourself further. They are accepting of members of all shapes and sizes, and seem to take in consideration the physical and strength abilities of each individual. There is a great variety of DBs, KBs, BBs, and cardio machines (much bought in the past year) to use on your own and on your own timetable, if you choose. You also have the option to take classes at any of the other five locations, for added variety. The Sandy Springs location has the added bonus of having a dry sauna for post-workout "cooldown". The truth is that I have gym at home with much of the equipment found here, but I will never be able to get the results I get by coming to this gym. Having a trainer (most have been there several years) to push you past your preconceived limits is priceless. Add to that a great group of other participants (all on various journeys of their own) to offer additional encouraging words or fist bumps. I feel that the monthly fee is pricey, but I believe it's still in line with what most other gyms of this type charge. And the fact that they have continued to purchase new equipment (small and large), shows that they are willing to continuously invest in what they have to offer. Ultimately, Team Octopus - Sandy Springs has become a home-away-from-home. I, regularly, look forward to seeing the trainers and my new friends there...and to seeing the physical and mental limits that I'm able to push (or be pushed) past. After some soul-searching, I decided recently that there was no better investment than my physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and purchased a lifetime membership. T.O. may not become as integral part of your life, but it just might. Give it a chance, it might change your life.

Overcharge you and make you sign contracts they don't honor, The owner is complete douchbagread more

Edit: they continue to find new ways to harass me. They are threatening legal action…read more Bad reviews happen to businesses who don't provide good customer service. Scaring people into removing their reviews is a terrible practice. I bet that for every negative review you see there are 10 who were too scared to post. --- Despite being blocked & them thinking the review was deleted (it's not) they continue to find ways to demonstrate how horrible they are. No wonder my friend who is a trauma survivor was scared and petrified to speak up about their awful business practices. I would go into more specific detail, but then they will know who they are & will harass them as they harass others who speak up about how they treat people. Disgusting.

Ive been going here since I was a little kid and it's amazing the instructors really bring out the…read morebest in all the students while still keeping it challenging even as a white belt they don't make it a walk in the park and you also build up genuine muscle it's my favorite place ever

Pleasantly surprised with this school. Not only are they incredibly affordable, but they have a…read moregreat system to keep young ones motivated. There are 4 main teachers. It is a family owned dojo. It's an incredibly popular dojo. I very much like this place. They focus on on all the great aspects of martial arts. Respect, listening, customs, etc. I have background in Shaolin Kenpo and Japanese Kendo. Taido is a Japanese Okinawan style Karate. It has far more "flashy" movements than what I'm normally accustomed to, but I believe that is a good thing in this day and age. Still the basics are very good.

GENERAL ASSESSMENT Our overall assessment is that Shaolin…read moreInstitute does an amazingly successful job fulfilling its promise as a learning experience for both the body and mind. As we have so far experienced it, Shaolin Institute indeed teaches a "way of life" in which students can experience gratifying physical achievement, whether in Tai Chi or Kung Fu, while also exercising and expanding mindfulness. One of the most appealing aspects of Shaolin Institute is the frequent reference before and after classes regarding how specific cultural, historical, medical, and scientific achievements are directly relevant for learning and appreciating martial arts. TEACHING ASSESSMENT It is impressive that Shaolin Institute exceeds expectations in basically every category used to evaluate teachers. Below are our summaries of Shaolin Institute's multifaceted teaching strengths. CURRICULUM * SI teachers follow the SI curriculum. * SI teachers choose activities for each student relevant to the SI curriculum and each student's level of achievement. * When feasible, SI teachers sometimes helpfully group students together to learn and practice as a group the forms they have previously learned. INSTRUCTION * SI teachers provide direction so that each student knows what to focus on during class. * SI teachers present new forms clearly and logically, and helpfully demonstrate new forms. * SI teachers provide feedback and re-teach forms when necessary. Teachers provide opportunities for students to practice new forms both with and without supervision. MOTIVATION * SI teachers show genuine concern for the students. * SI teachers project a positive, encouraging tone for the classroom experience. * SI teachers establish a level of difficulty, suited for each student's level, which encourages success. SI teachers provide good verbal praise, as well as critique as needed. COMMUNICATION * SI teachers always demonstrate enthusiasm in what they are teaching. * SI teachers explain and demonstrate forms clearly. * SI teachers respond graciously and substantively to questions. EXPECTATIONS * SI teachers communicate expectations to students. * SI teachers listen to students' feedback during class and adjust their teaching pace and content accordingly. * SI teachers encourage students to participate inextracurricular community opportunities, which isimportant for the students' confidence as well as the school's exposure. METHODOLOGY & MATERIALS * SI teachers often vary how they conduct classes, for example by describing the forms, including their origins, applications, etc., and/or by physically demonstrating the forms. Both methods are helpful, especially for students who learn in different ways. * SI teachers sometimes provide supplemental resources, such as video recordings of the classes, which can be exceptionally helpful for students who want to practice at home. EVALUATIVE ACTIVITIES * SI teachers monitor and give feedback on student progressduring each individual class. * SI teachers give oral evaluative comments, as well as sometimes grades or scores. * SI teachers are available for and sometimes proactively create opportunities for one-on-one progress discussions with students. CLASS ENVIRONMENT * SI teachers clearly communicate requirements for attitude and behavior, notably by emphasizing the SI student creed and the rituals of class beginnings and endings. TEACHER-STUDENT INTERACTIONS * SI teachers make an effort to know each student as an individual. * SI teachers routinely work to promote positive self-image in students. * SI teachers routinely create a classroom climate in which students are encouraged to grow and assume personal responsibility for their growth. LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR * SI teachers are observed routinely cooperating graciously with their teaching peers, demonstrating authentic respect for one another. * SI teachers are often observed sharing ideas and methods with their fellow teachers. * SI teachers are observed regularly seeking to advance their own growth. This continuing education, observed by the students, is motivating to the students and demonstrates how we are all learning and growing.

I went to China with Shivu in 1993. We trained at the Shaolin Temple. He is the real deal. We still…read morestay in touch 30 years later!

I'm a mom of a martial art student at KSMA. Yesterday was the last of a 3 session women's…read moreself-defense (SD) course that was offered, and I'm so glad I did. I've taken one day SD course before and almost immediately forgot everything. Part of it, I think was because it complicated and involved some movements I didn't think I could do in a crisis. Unlike the other experience, the course that I took at KSMA was focused avoiding and getting out of the situation before an altercation could really begin. What Sa Bom Nim Beaty taught was how to feel more comfortable and confident with using our own body as protective and defensive tools. I really enjoyed the training, got a decent workout, met other women wanting to learn and share which was powerful, and by the end of the course, I wanted to learn more. What's also great is that he has equipment that you can use to get a realistic idea on what it feel like to hit a person. One key reason why I am glad I took this course is because of an incident that occurred this evening, which prompted me to write this review. My son and I were leaving an event and I saw something very odd about where we were. It was dark, inbetween a large building and a wooded area. We were about to walk past a car parked near a large dumpster when I saw a light flash. I was talking on the phone while crossing the street, then i notice a man near where we walkig who looked very odd. He was walking in front of us but yet still pacing himself along with us. I ended my call a d told the caller I had to focus. I put my phone away, chambered my keys in one hand and was prepared with the other. My son, to my surprised had turned off his music, was just as alert, and we quickly walked to the car and left. It may have been nothing. I may have over reacted, but once I got home and processed all that had occurred, I realized I used the awareness approached recommended by Sa Bom Nim Beaty in the course, and was prepared to try out the other skills, if need be. For that, alone, I am grateful, and would highly recommend the Women's Self Defense course, as well as any other program offered at KSMA.

There are so many positive things to say about Kick Start Martial Arts! It's been really tough…read morefinding an extra-curriculum activity that my son enjoys. However, he immediately fell in love with KSMA and so did we. Master Beaty has put together an amazing program. We feel so at home here. The program is very well organized and the studio is always well maintained. Master Beaty truly cares for his students and it shows. There's a perfect balance of instruction and compassion. Thanks so much to Master Beaty and the entire KSMA team for a job well done!!!