I had always wanted to take a martial arts class and when I was ready to do so, I did some research…read moreand found that there was a very reputable gym close by. I could have taken the 30-day free trial, but after one class, I decided to join for a full year and have just recently re-signed for another. Up until this time I have concentrated on jiu jitsu but will be adding kickboxing shortly. For those contemplating whether to join, Training Grounds is an excellent destination for a number of reasons. As with any new venture, there is always the intimidation factor, but immediately, the friendly demeanor of both the staff and students put me at ease. Master Wil does a great job of putting training plans together and after demonstrating a move, works with every training pair to provide input, encouragement, and helpful tips. His enthusiasm is evident and his teaching skills are top notch. Along with Wil, the support staff has been excellent as well. Over the past year, I have trained with many different guys (and girl) and everyone has been great. Regardless of experience and skill level, everyone is willing to help each other to further their knowledge and improve their techniques. This is a product of Wil cultivating a family environment at the gym. When I first joined, my goal was to learn to better defend myself and get into better shape. My flexibility, strength, and cardio certainly improved and as part of a healthy lifestyle, has helped me drop 25 lbs and 7% body fat. If you are looking for a gym or are on the fence about joining, stop in and check it out. You won't be disappointed.

Solid BJJ gym with a welcoming atmosphere. Coach Wil is a knowledgeable instructor who explains…read moretechniques clearly and makes sure everyone understands what's going on, regardless of experience level. Classes are well-structured, and there's a good balance between instruction and live rolling. People here are respectful and focused on learning. Overall, a great place to train whether you're new to BJJ or have some experience already.

Over the many years I have trained here, the instructors have continued to show their dedication to…read moreteaching martial arts while supporting students' goals and expressing concern for student's well-being. Though I trained and learned various martial arts as a child here at KRU, I currently attend Muay Thai classes and love it! Every class is a chance to learn something new; with different perspectives that Master Ace, KRU Kris, and staff provide in their lessons about various combat sports. (Muay Thai, boxing, Kali, etc.) I would recommend KRU Training to anyone interested in martial arts!

I've had the fortune of training with KRU for well over a year now. Training here has brought me…read morenew insight to my own skills as a martial artist, different cultures and different people. This is the exact kind of environment you need when you want to grow and learn while expanding your skill set. Every coach is fantastic and will motivate you to reach and surpass all of your goals.

The best instructors and the best program for my kid. Teaches discipline and focus which are…read moreimportant for young kids. All the instructors are positive and teaches with enthusiasm. Highly recommend to any kids.

This place has terrible business practice. My kids have been going here for 1 1/2 years for…read moreTaekwondo. We recently wanted to switch them to Jujitsu and went for a free trial. My kids were a bit hesitant to switch after the trial because they felt that it was rough. We asked the instructor, JP, if we could have another free trial before we decided if we wanted to switch over to Jujitsu or stick with Taekwondo. However, their response was that Master Doug felt that one trial was enough for (2 six year boys) to decide whether it was a good fit or not. So basically, you are saying that a six year old boy can decide in 1 class if this is something he wants to pursue. If that were the case we would see a lot of kids quitting after trying something once. And another thing you are telling me is a loyal customer of 2 kids cannot try it again until they commit to a membership. Don't tell me this is not about money and they are concerned about the "kids and family not trusting the program". So please spare me your response to my review that this is about trusting the program! Since this is how they treat loyal customers, save your money and go elsewhere. Other places in Westwood and even close to Westwood are more than happy to offer 2 free trials if you are not sure. What a waste of time and money!

I have trained at a few gyms and NVBJJ is my new home. Professor Carl has a structured curriculum…read moreand shows advanced techniques since he is still training and learning with top level guys. The crowd here is competitive and will get you where you want to be.

Professor Carl Massaro is easily one of the greatest instructors I've ever had. I know it seems…read morelike a polite thing to say about your professor, but Carl Massaro is the REAL deal. High level instruction in a beautiful facility conveniently located in Northvale, N.J., combined with instructors and coaches who go above and beyond at a moments notice. Regardless of what your goals are, this is the room you WANT to be in. Renzo Gracie Northern Valley has become a home away from home for me, and my training partners have become family. I love and believe in the art I learn, and it's all thanks to prof. Carl and the staff at Renzo Gracie Northern Valley.

We really love the little Dragons class. Our kid was so shy and reluctant but thanks to the super…read morededicated, friendly and experienced owners/teachers there he overcame his shyness and we generally see great improvement in his confidence. There are both boys and girls and it is a very nice community. Highly recommend for any child. End of August they do camp few hours a day which is a lot of fun for kids, and a break for the parents!

We recommend this place 1000% perfect! The patients, the kindness, the care they showed our son…read moremade us smile made us tear up! We are beyond thankful for helping our son! If your child is sensitive, if your child needs an extra push this is the place for them! Thank you all so much again for taking the time. We appreciate you all!

Great atmosphere and supportive environment for everyone involved in martial arts training. Highly…read morerecommend trying a class in your near future.

The #1 spot in the area for LEGIT Training. Top notch BJJ, Muay Thai, Wrestling and more. This…read moreplace will change your life for the better.

I had just realized that my daughter, a new kindergartner, was getting home from school full of…read moreenergy and needed a constructive outlet for it. I hadn't given it any serious thought yet when I came across an advertisement for Elite Chinese Martial Arts Academy in a glossy circular I was leafing through as I ate a bowl of cereal. Why not call and find out what it's all about? I left a message and got a call back quickly and was invited to come let my daughter try a Tiger Team class (for the pre-K through early elementary ages) to see what we thought. My daughter loved it, and still loves it two months later, three times a week. Elite Chinese Martial Arts Academy is, as the name says, a Chinese martial arts school. Kung fu, tai chi, Chinese kickboxing, and weapons training for adults are all part of the curriculum. There are classes all through the week for young kids (Tiger Team), juniors (older elementary through teens), and adults. Sifu Reynolds, who operates the school and teaches the Tiger Team classes on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, is a young man himself and the kind of All-American good guy you feel you could naturally count on to do the right thing in a crisis. (Sifu, I learned, is a Chinese word meaning master and is a title of respect for a student's kung fu teacher.) Beginning students can join in from their first class. Sifu Reynolds makes sure to give every student the necessary attention for them to assimilate and advance. Everybody learns (even the parents watching) and all the kids have fun. The Tiger Team classes are only 30 minutes long, but wow! do they ever accomplish a lot in that time. They warm up, stretch, and do some strengthening exercises like push-ups and sit-ups. New students quickly learn common exercises like the Monks' Punching Drill and Punch, Palm, Hook. Over the course of a couple months, students learn a full set of stances, blocks, punches, kicks, and defensive maneuvers like how to escape from grabs and holds. In addition to general fitness and kung fu skill building, Sifu Reynolds very thoughtfully and effectively teaches the children respect for their peers and adults, self confidence, discipline, concentration and focus, and good manners in social situations. I feel like we're getting a lot more out of this program than we ever expected, and it's totally affordable. My daughter has made a lot of progress in just two months. She's much more focused and coordinated now than before we started. Knowing what I know now, if it ever came down to a choice between keeping my cable service or continuing at ECMA, I'd cancel the cable in a heartbeat. Other details, let's see ... There's a seating area for friends and relatives to watch classes. Uniforms are provided. They offer a deal where the whole family can join the school for a fairly small incremental price over the cost of a single person (my daughter is begging me to start classes). There are social events sometimes, like the kung fu Halloween party for kids coming up my daughter is so excited about. They sometimes have free public workshops like keeping safe from bullies, and paid workshops like Hsing-I Chinese mind-body boxing (no idea what that is, to be honest). There are other martial arts schools in the area teaching other styles, and no doubt many of them are also very good. But before there was anything else, there was kung fu. And this particular school of kung fu has been a great benefit to my little girl. An added bonus for us is it's right around the corner from where we live. Couldn't be happier.

ECMA in Pomona NY has been a blessing for me over the years, keeping me in tip top shape while…read moreteaching me life saving techniques if I were to find my self confronted by violent situations. Everyone there is kind and courteous, setting the standard of mutual respect between students. It is this atmosphere that has made Shaolin Kung Fu my favorite martial art form. Tai Chi is also available at ECMA 3 times a week, and a variety of seminars in Kempo, Suai Jiao, Hsing I, Wing Chun and many more to help round out your practice.

My 2 little ones are currently enrolled here and love it. Here is the reason. Approximately 2 years…read moreago my son wanted to learn karate after being inspired from watching movies like the original Katate Kid, Jackie Chan, Bruce lee, Ninja turtles, we decided to enroll him in the Academy. But like all kid interests comes shyness and fear of failing. Getting him through the front door and meeting new people was a task in itself. This is where real professionalism takes control. One of the Sensei, or instructor, took my son in to the class and slowly introduced him to punching and kicking to raise my son's morale and that not everything is designed to fail, but to learn from it and do better every time. This can be seen in the pics uploaded. When my son broke his first board and receiving his white belt, he was scared no more. He started to talk more, meet new friends, learn more karate skills and techniques. As he time progressed, my daughter saw the things my son was doing in the Academy and she as well wanted to enroll. Although her jumping jacks resemble a a flightless bird flapping its wings, she too, like her brother was determined to do better. Two years passed and they both received numerous belts and escalated into different classes. Now all they can think about is karate this and karate that. And sometimes they use me as a punching bag to show me what they learned that day. Co-vid was dismal time during 2020. However, just like my kids, the Academy progressed and adapted. The Academy found new ways to keep our kids learning even from far away. Like regular school at that time, they created training through live zoom classes. It was great. They came up with ways improvisation where if the kids needed certain equipment to learn or practice, whether on/off zoom. The instructors were able to give each student "their time" to shine and show off their skills at home. When co-vid restrictions slowly died down, the Academy continued to make sure learning in class was safe for both student and instructors. They maintained the space requirement, with masks and before and after every session they allow time for themselves to disinfect the Dojo using some high quality cleaning machines. If you are looking for a place for your kids to learn. I strongly suggest this place.

Since I've been going to the new dojo I've lost weight, like 4 pants sizes. I was working in a very…read morestressful workplace & I needed an outlet. I'm normally pretty shy & keep to myself, but everyone from the staff to students are so nice & welcoming. It's such a positive environment. Every time I've had a question for Sensei Harnett she always takes the time to answer my questions. Her instructors are so professional & such good role models for the kids (& us adults lol). Although you won't ever ever see me at her 5am class (way to early 4 me). & its sooooo clean, that means so much to me

Everything. My daughter loves it there. She enjoys learning different types of classes that they…read moreoffer .

Great instructors and masters. I learned core life skills like patience, discipline, and…read moreperseverance. Would strongly recommend.

Huge recognition to the entire team at Retro Fitness in Tappan! I'm always greeted with friendly,…read morewelcoming faces that make the gym feel like an extended family rather than just a place to work out. The customer service is outstanding, and the staff always go above and beyond. A special thank you to Maddie (spelling?), Chastity and Bridget for always being so friendly and incredibly helpful. I've had exasperating experiences with Retro Corporate billing practices in the past, and they've facilitated this for me professionally and expeditiously. An extra shout-out to Pat (he runs the show at night) who consistently goes out of his way to accommodate members and is always willing to help with a smile. His dedication and positive attitude do not go unnoticed. In an area with such a competitive fitness market, exceptional customer service is what sets Retro Fitness Tappan apart. I appreciate you guys, thank you!

I have memberships in two other gyms as a perk due to a working arrangement. These memberships…read morecover my entire family. My son didn't care. His friends go to Retro, I begrudgingly set him up with a membership. The bonus? He can also go to the Retro in Pearl River. He loves this gym...which makes me love this gym, and now you can save time as I'm sure you will love this gym. Fantastic staff and everyone (even the other patrons) help, support and root for all, no matter your level of fitness. They will help you achieve whatever IT is that brings you to the gym. My 15 yr old son can easily throw me over his shoulders now... and I'm not small. Oh... one last thing, I have had one, so I promise you'll thank me after you slurp down one of their extremely yummy protein shakes! Enjoy the sweat! ...and the shake!