Gracie Barra La Cañada has been great to my boys. Coach Alec and the coaching staff are supportive,…read moreknowledgeable, and great with students of all levels. We especially appreciate how welcoming they are to visitor like my two boys. They have joined the Friday comp classes and were immediately treated like part of the team. It's a positive, respectful environment where they feel comfortable learning and growing. Highly recommend this academy for any family looking for a BJJ school.

This place is everything . My kid also loves the classes here . She is definitely making dad proud…read more. I love it here too . I can't wait to earn my next belt .

The most non-commercial real deal Muay Thai kickboxing facility. In a male dominated sport I am so…read moreimpressed with the awareness of all Instructors with their students within the four walls of class & how they partner students up appropriately by skill level,it's mostly male dominated, but everyone treats you with the upmost respect, including holding you accountable to ensure that you give your All even as a female. I have never felt more comfortable and empowered in my life: I'm used to coach Ariel, who is amazing, and I dare to venture out to and today had Coach ED IN GLENDALE, when I arrived, I thought maybe I was in an advanced class and Coach Simmy held me accountable to believing in myself that I belonged in that class most importantly that I was capable. I don't know if it's the mission statement. I don't know if it's the core or business objectives of MTK, but the blueprint is clear from their NOHO location to Glendale. WINNERS WIN It takes a lot to impress me. I pay money not only to learn the skill, i you pay for the experience. Worth every penny. And you SWEAT LIKE A MUTHA KICKER! lol

My friend and I came in for our free trial class I'm fairly new to Muay Thai and she's has 5 years…read moreof training under her belt. The gym knew both of these things going in. I understand that pad conditioning is a real and valuable part of Muay Thai training, coaches will hold or hit pads to build a fighter's tolerance to impact, sharpen reflexes, and simulate the unpredictability of a real exchange. That's a legitimate, time-tested method, and I went in expecting and respecting that this sport involves contact. What happened here wasn't that. Within the first 30 seconds of class, during the cardio warm-up jog, before any pad work, drills, or instruction had even started, the instructor came up behind my friend and struck her on the back with a pad, completely unprovoked and with no warning, no context, and no setup that this was a conditioning exercise. She turned around and calmly told him not to hit her like that. His response was to grab his things, walk out, get in his car, and drive off. He never came back. He left a room full of students, including a near-complete beginner with no instructor for the rest of class. Sucker-hitting someone from behind during a warm-up jog isn't conditioning, it's just catching someone off guard, and walking out when she objected isn't discipline, it's a tantrum. Another staff member stepped in and taught the rest of class, and she later texted me offering me a complimentary private training session with her to apologize for such a poor experience. I accepted as I wanted to give her a second chance and take advantage of an opportunity to hone my skills. A few weeks later, when I showed up to the session after confirming with her the day before, I found out she had forgotten about it, and was more than a half an hour away. I felt completely disrespected as I'd left work early, driven over, and reserved time for her to make amends for the gym's previous mistake. It was silly of me to give this establishment a second chance as once again my time was disrespected and wasted by unprofessional behavior. What bothers me most is what an experience like this does to someone's first impression of the sport. Muay Thai should be accessible to everyone as it's a discipline built on technique, respect, and gradual trust between student and coach, not intimidation. Experiences like this that can quietly push people away from a sport before they ever get the chance to actually learn it. That's a real loss, because this sport has so much to offer when it's taught well. I have been encouraging other women, and the LA Muay Thai community at large, especially beginners, to not give this place your time or money.

LAKO has become a sanctuary-like place for me. it's a fun and supportive environment with great…read moreenergy in the air. They play the best music to get you moving and each time I walk out of there with a big smile on my face and feeling so grounded and grateful. Yuichi is a gracious guy and the staff and coaches are amazing people who do a great job of motivating others, and making everyone feel like part of the pack. They offer numerous daily group classes, excellent private training, open gym with great equipment, training camps, and kids classes, just to name a few. They also participate in various community supportive efforts from animal advocacy to families in need, to toy drives....they do it all. Not sure what else one can ask for from one place. Thank you guys, much love

There is no other place in NELA like LAKO. Don't let the fact that it's a boxing gym intimidate…read moreyou. Everyone there from front desk, to trainers, to the other members are not only friendly and welcoming, but they make you feel strong and empowered every time you walk through the doors. And you leave feeling even better. The classes are suitable for people of all skill levels and you have your choice of boxing, kickboxing, bootcamp and sparring. The trainers are top notch (shout out to Justin!). If you're looking to get in a workout between classes, they have cardio equipment and weights. There's a recovery room for sports massage and compression sleeves, etc. Rates are competitive, bathrooms are always nice and clean, music always bumping and if you're lucky you'll get to meet Koko the mascot :)

I've been doing Muay Thai for 14 years, give or take…read more Most of that time was spent doing it one-on-one with trainers, which was awesome for personal attention and scheduling, but expensive and hard to stay consistent with. But they were able to be patient with me, to explain things repeatedly--I'm very visual and super literary but much less intuitive when it comes to athletics--and this helped me learn the basics of the art of Muay Thai. And then my last trainer got too busy to keep going. So I tried a bunch of Muay Thai gyms, never really finding anything that matched the return I got from 1-on-1 training. Then one day I spotted NELA Combat Fitness on a Figueroa corner and got intrigued. I tried a class and loved the energy of the space. Highland Park is a wildly creative area, and the experience at NELA Combat Fitness mirrors this: The people are diverse, upbeat, inclusive and very dedicated to the art of Muay Thai. You might find a 50+ year old like me training with someone in their early 20s, and this dynamic is always approached respectfully. Ed, the owner, is a true gem of a human being: warm, funny, and with deep history with and knowledge of Muay Thai, and he teaches with a razor sharp eye and the communication skills to help keep things safe and to level up your game. The gym itself is spotless, well-designed and comfortable. One way that the absolute courtesy with which the gym operates shows up is when we go return Thai pads or kick shields: cleaning wipes are shared and pads are stacked in an orderly way. Every teacher approaches class a little differently, but if you show up, know that you are in for a wonderful workout that is easily tailored to your skill level. The music is always different and always good. You will be inspired to push yourself beyond your limits, outside of your comfort zone. You will grow, you will sweat, and you will learn. And you will emerge a stronger person. And about Muay Thai overall? It's the best. I feel elevated and calm afterwards, able to take on anything life throws my way with compassion. That's the irony - punching, kicking, elbowing and kneeing it out for an hour actually makes you a calmer, kinder person. Your baseline is reset and your cardio and strength gets better and better. I truly feel like I've found a gym that I want to stay a part of. Thank you, Ed, and thank you NELA Combat Fitness community.

I have been coming here for about a month and have nothing but great things to say about the gym…read more Always clean and tidy plenty of equipment available. Coach Ed is amazing this gym is truly for all levels from beginners to more experienced. & everyone there is super welcoming and more than willing to help. I totally recommend checking the gym out!!!

Throughout my years on this fitness journey, I've never come across a business with owners and…read morecoaches as kind and welcoming as those at Crowned. They truly set the bar high! I first discovered them through their Valentine's Day special (14 days for $14). At first, I thought there had to be a catch--because let's be honest, most gyms have one. But not Crowned! Everyone here is so genuine, which is exactly why I had to purchase more sessions! The classes are fun, the coaches are fantastic, and the atmosphere is unmatched. Plus, a special shoutout to Jade, who goes above and beyond for the holidays--making the experience even more special!

Yes, my son loves taking classes here. Andrew is so inviting and helpful, he assisted us when we…read morewalked in to see how the gym was and my son felt really comfortable which is so important for me. The ambiance is clean, organized and up to date. The equipment is very nice and cool. I might even take some classes.

I'm not a political person by nature, but if I could make one thing requires for all, it would be…read moremartial arts training. I began with Villari's as a 16 yr old and immediately became hooked. It didn't take long to notice I became more flexible, stronger, disciplined, proud of myself, while learning techniques to protect myself and escape a dangerous situation. You can participate in tournaments and learn additional things like weapons. They have classes for children and adults, private and co-ed and I have known so many who have left and come back to it because it makes that much of an impact in your life. In particular, Master Armen is not only a legend within the organization but he caters lessons to each individual or group that are part serious, part humorous, but extremely valuable. Contact the studio for a trial class and trust me on the process going from white to black belt and maybe even beyond. You will not regret it and have so much to gain.

Very satisfied with the teaching method. Clean and friendly…read moreenvironment. Highly recommend it.

This place. Oh, this place. It houses something special. If nothing else is helpful about this…read morereview, know that I LOVE accompanying my kids to class every time - not one of those activities that have a parent feeling like "oh, man- we gotta go to _____ againnnn". I plan on joining up once I get the thumbs-up from my doc (my body is a bit broken at the moment). My two kids (ages 11 and 6) have been attending classes for two and a half months now, attending an average of 3-4 times per week. The adjectives I would use to describe this dojo are profuse and positive... welcoming, sincere, encouraging, challenging, supportive, community-building, kind, conscientious, warm, and empowering. Each sensei brings their heart and flavor to the class. Here are some of my favorite aspects of how the dojo is run: Students learn how to operate in community with others through teamwork and mutual teaching/learning. Families are encouraged to participate Students learn that there is something to learn from every person, and something we can teach every person Yes, it's super self defense- AND can be profound metaphor for almost anything positively-connoted that you can think of. I've witnessed these kids (and other students here) develop physically, emotionally, and mentally - and it's only been two and a half months.

We couldn't be more grateful for this place -- and for Mark Arnott, who has built something truly…read morespecial here in Eagle Rock. My son is AuDHD and has historically struggled to push through hard things. In just four months, the transformation has been remarkable. He's learning to understand his body, building real resilience, and beginning to grasp what it means to both give and earn respect. That growth doesn't happen by accident. Mark runs his dojo with warmth, kindness, and genuinely high expectations. Simple things -- like his habit of telling students to say hello to someone they don't know -- go a long way toward building a real sense of community. And it shows: the parent couches are always full, and it's become one of our favorite places to connect with other families. My son is progressing beautifully in his skills, but honestly, what he's gaining beyond the mat matters just as much. We're so glad we found this place.

This is where you EARN your belt, not just GET a belt! Hard work and dedication is what it's all…read moreabout. Bruises, sweat and soreness is true confirmation you're doing something right. Professionalism and integrity is what will make this gym thrive. Professor Dan is an exceptional human who has a heart of gold and treats every person with the highest level of respect and truly believes whether your a black belt or white belt, everyone is here to learn. The benefit of this gym being small is you actually do get the training you need to succeed in your jujitsu career. Don't believe me? Just let the WAVES guide you!

Dan Spence is one of the warmest and most knowledgeable Jiu-Jitsu professors I've had the privilege…read moreof training with. His technical skill is remarkable, but what truly sets him apart is the way he encourages students to develop their own style. I deeply appreciate how he tracks my progress, holds me accountable, and pushes me to improve. This is more than just a BJJ school--Dan is building a community of people who not only love the sport but genuinely care for one another. The investment in each other's growth, both on and off the mats, is undeniable, and I can't think of a better place to be to grow as a fighter and as a man.