I have been training with Sifu Stanley Jue for about a year and a half. I trained for a few years…read morein a different lineage of Wing Chun . I also have over 30 years of involvement with the arts and have black belts in Karate and Ju Jitsu ( 1rst degree and 6th degree respectively, plus some other stuff. Having been around for a while, one develops a knack for determining if someone is the real deal. I have trained with some amazing high level martial artists. Sifu Stanley may perhaps be at the highest level I have ever trained with. He is also an awesome guy. The training is now semi private with much individual attention.

Sifu Jue has been my Sifu for many years. I feel very fortunate to have found him. I'm a senior (Gu…read moreLao) Wing Chun student and I've practiced continuous sparring here for many years. If I had to defend myself, I could. For me, Wing Chun and continuous sparring are practical, useful, interesting, and effective. Sifu Jue teaches authentic, traditional kung fu in the traditional Chinese way ~ the way Kung Fu classes were taught in China past and present, and integrates his own method. This school is not a franchised business or part of an organization with a standardized curriculum. Having practiced Wing Chun under 2 previous teachers, I can say that Sifu Jue understands Wing Chun very well, is an excellent practitioner, and is an effective teacher with an ability to teach anyone. Over the years I've witnessed many people in his class develop into surprisingly good fighters. Sifu Jue knows many things but is a modest instructor. Everyone is comfortable learning here. As with anything, if you commit yourself you will continue to improve. Note: I chose to learn Kung Fu because I knew it offered something additional that modern fighting arts do not. There are the tangible benefits of self~defense, strength, and fitness, that come with training of any kind, but kung fu offers much more.

I had some trepidation as an older beginner in BJJ but coaches and members at Broadway have been…read morevery welcoming and supportive. The coaches run well structured classes and also go out of their way to give individual feedback and answer questions. Definitely not a place for wimpy mentalities or whiny attitudes, but if you're looking to challenge yourself it's very rewarding right off the bat.

Very friendly staff. I would recommend. They let me try out a class for free. Very knowledgeable…read more staff.

i've been on and off studying muay thai for nearly 5 years now, with a pretty significant lapse in…read moretraining due to a recent surgery, but i've had my fair experiences with fighter gyms in both vegas and boston. i like this gym, i LOVE the fact that they give student rates AND that they do NOT have a contract commitment. You can definitely sign a contract, but it's not required and i like that i've never been pressured into taking a contract. CSB is located on the 2nd level of the beacon hill athletic club in the north station location. it's pretty rad because when you join CSB, you also have full access to the normal gym to do your thang if you're into it. the classes and trainers have been great. maybe it was just a vegas thing, but the people going to these gyms in vegas always seemed verrrrrry douchey and more concerned with looking "tough" rather than getting technique down and getting into better shape. i don't get the douche vibe at all here, the trainers are very real, and care about 2 things, your safety and getting your technique to improve. students alike have been very cool, there's a good mix of people just starting out, competition level students, and everything in between. everyone's eager to help, and no one makes you feel stupid or intimiated if you're just starting out or are new to one of the arts. i haven't had anything but good experiences here thus far, just wish they would add krav maga so i could try that too :)

This gym is absolutely fantastic. i have been training there for about a year. First day I arrived…read moreI was welcomed by the two black belts, Phil and George. Generally in Jiu Jitsu/MMA gyms you get a lot of attention in your first class and once you sign up you don't get anywhere near the attention they lead you on to receive. This was not the case here, from trial class to a year in, I've received the same attention, it's equally spread out consistently. The instructors are knowledgeable and kind, the training is hard but very welcoming to all. All of the instructors have competed professionally in their respective arts and have different styles of both martial arts. The gym is also an excellent marriage between a fight gym and a casual one, there is 0 pressure to compete but if you want to you, you will be supported 100%. All in all, if you want to get fit, learn how to defend yourself or compete in BJJ/MMA/Muay Thai, this is the gym to go to.

I met Andrea, the owner, when I was shopping around for a martial art (and secondarily, a place to…read morelearn it once I settled on one). We got to talking, and I expressed my concern that I would be the odd "man" out in a martial arts school where everyone else was stronger, fitter, faster, and, well, male. Andrea invited me to her school to join in on a class and see that there were women--a plurality of men, women, and children--who practiced together. Everyone in the class was warm and welcoming. The folks I trained with made me feel like I had been coming there for years rather than having just stepped nervously across the threshold.

I recently signed my 3 year old daughter up for karate, 1 day a week. She absolutely loves it!…read moreSensei Andrea & Sensei Tina are great with the kids, and my daughter instantly knew that she had to listen and follow the instructions. Typically I don't stay for the whole class, I drop her off and come back to watch the tug of war competition, or her final skills evaluation and am always impressed by how much she attained! This is a great place for kids to learn not only how to defend themselves but to build self confidence and control. Not to mention make friends, because all the kids have been very nice and friendly to my daughter. I highly recommend : )

I had always wanted to study Aikido and thought that inexpensive classes at a smaller place might…read morebe the move. I signed up to take six weeks of classes and it was generally alright for my first couple of clases. I didn't enjoy having to set up the mats and move everything out of the way due to the space we were working with but I'm a team player so I went with it. When it came to learning, there were certain fundamentals I was having issues with. One of them is a forward roll -- almost like a somersault but you tuck your head in a particular way and roll on your shoulder. I did not grasp how to do what I was supposed to do. I asked for help. I asked for more help. I was given the same instructions repeatedly. I just needed to know where to put my body so I did this right. I'm not a small person so I was concerned for my own safety. Despite being uncomfortable with what I was doing, I relented and did what I thought was a forward roll..what's the worst that could happen? The noise my shoulder made sounded like a bag of ritz crackers being stepped on. The pain grew substantially hours after that. I emailed with the Sensei, Heather, about my issue and she wrote me back. Twice, calling me the wrong students name. When my shoulder was still in massive pain a week later, I pulled the plug and emailed Heather that I wasn't coming back and wished I'd received proper instruction. I heard nothing back. Not even an I'm sorry. Months went by and then I got a LinkedIn connection request last week. Save yourself the trouble and do not give this organization your time or money or you will regret it.

I moved to Boston a little over a year ago. I continue to travel back to CT once or twice a week…read moreto teach and train at my home martial arts studio. I've missed having a community in Boston, so I decided to try this school. Aikido is related to one of the arts I practice (Hapkido) and I have always wanted more time to explore the Aikido side of the art form. I registered online and left a message saying I was coming in for a trial class. The Sensei was late which given the snow storm last week is understandable. What followed, I cannot explain. I was never welcomed by Sensei Randolph, not during or after class. She never asked about my previous training, how I found class or if I was interested in returning. I have trained in the martial arts for nearly 10 years and have never felt so unwelcomed in another school as I did here. In our school if we had a visiting student of any rank from another school or art form, we actually would stop and inquire. We would ask about their training, level of comfort and experience. It is just a simple code across art forms, especially with a visiting black belt of which I am one. I am an easy going human being who is genuinely curious about other martial art forms and absolutely do not subscribe to the competition that my art form is the better one. I genuinely think Aikido would have been an awesome addition to my current training. In addition, I found the style of instruction to be stiff, unclear and unfocused. I didn't find it to be physically safe either. I can see exactly how another reviewer was seriously injured and did not receive any follow up or even basic care and concern. Please train in a martial art, try Aikido or any other art that suits you, but do it at a school that is safe, inspiring, and holistic. Do not train here. I do not say that lightly.

I've been taking capoeira here for almost three years (Capoeira Gerais, taught by Contra-Mestre…read moreCoreba), and my review for that magnificent class can be found elsewhere. This review deals strictly with the facility and what it offers. There are a wealth of classes here, taught in a studio that boasts hardwood floors, a padded boxing ring, heavy bags and a weights area. I've seen folks train in Hung Gar, work with swords, and work in MMA. It doesn't feel like a big place, but there are often multiple classes going on at once and everyone has their own space. Also important to note is that there are two bathrooms with showers (both kept very clean) as well as private changing areas. These, combined with the friendliness of the instructors and visiting teachers there, combine to make a very relaxing and familial atmosphere.

I have been a member here for almost a year, and I love this place. The main focus here is on the…read moremartial arts classes (it's the home of Nam Pai Academy) so the machines and weight room are always free. I can come here any night after work, get dressed, get my workout done and be out of here and home at a reasonable time. I used to belong to Superfitness in Quincy because it's closest to my house, but try to go in there after work and jump right on a machine--not possible. They do not have many machines (basically one or two each of all the major ones--elliptical, treadmill, and bikes), but it doesn't matter because you never have to fight someone else for the one you want to use. There are TVs all over the place, which I've never seen anyone use. I'm sure they would let you use them, but I've never asked. The gym also offers free Wi-Fi to members, and there are two bathrooms with showers. I also like that my kids are able to come with me and just hang out and eat dinner and do their homework while I work out.

The Wah Lum Athletic Association is one of the oldest full-time kung fu schools operating in…read moreBoston's Chinatown. It's main goal is to promote the study of the Chinese Martial Arts and for the development of physical, mental, and general well-being of students. Training includes kung fu exercises, hand forms, weapons forms, self-defense applications, sparring, as well as the philosophical aspects of Wah Lum Kung Fu. Students are taught at the rate of their own abilities, and in this respect, a high standard of quality is maintained.

I have studied at Shoshinkan for a few years now. It's amazing how much we've grown and how much…read moreI've learned in spite of the challenge of Covid. Sensei Shaffee is flexible and open. We have studied on Zoom. We have studied in parks. We have done our new years Keiko Hajime--making the same number of sword swings as the current new year--together on a member's roof. Shoshinkan is strict and consistent about Covid safety when we meet in the dojo, so we have all stayed healthy. These last couple of years, I've learned what it truly means to be a marital artist and a samurai. Shoshinkan dojo is a great place to train and learn.

From the owner: Shinkendo martial art Instructionread more

I wish I found Everybody Fights FiDi sooner when I moved to Boston !…read more Everybody Fights gets you in/out for a HITT workout. At the beginning of each class, the instructors encourage anyone new to the gym or to them to introduce themselves to the instructors who will explain what is about to happen. Everybody Fights promotes its community atmosphere, and I have felt that since my first class. One instructor had come up to me after my second class with her and not only told me I had done a great job in class but also remembered my name ! In comparison to other gyms in the area, I like I can take unlimited classes for $159 (in comparison to others who offered only 8-class pass for +$200). The FiDi location does have towels, showers, lockers included. I mostly go after work to Everybody Fights, but will travel from Allston if I want a weekend workout and find the gym worth it to travel that distance.

As a disclaimer, I didn't do any boxing but went for EBF's ROAD class, which is treadmill + various…read morestrength moves. Get ready for the inevitable comparison to Barry's, the benchmark I use for any class that combines those two things. Where EBF is better: --I really appreciated the smaller class format where it's only a few students (less than 10) and the instructor. Relatedly, the other people taking the class were very nice and there was more of a community feel than the vibe in Barry's where you basically keep your head down and do the workout. --The area with the treadmills had so much natural light and a view of the street, whereas the Barry's red room is dark and can get claustrophobic if you're myopic like me and can't always see where the treadmill edge in front of your feet ends. --Not only did the instructor demo each move, but if you forgot, you could always look up at the screen to see the moves listed. --Really liked the quick warm-up before the running started. Where Barry's is better: --The treadmills at EBF were on the older end and took some time to get up/down to speed. Now that Barry's has upgraded to new Woodways, I could feel the difference. --The programming at Barry's for the strength component was a lot more varied - in the ROAD class, we only did 2-3 ab moves (and each were super short) and six strength moves (including a bear crawl on the treadmill that had me legit gasping). I'm the sort of person who prefers quantity but if you prefer doing the same moves in multiple sets, go with EBF. --The instructor's cue-ing could have been clearer. For most of the treadmill intervals, we were told how long each was but I love a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown and there were moments where I had no idea how long was left without sneaking a peek at the timer on the screen. I also don't think the interval where we were all-out sprinting and then jumping on the rails is safe when you have people side-by-side on the treadmills. Overall I'd stick with Barry's but I'd give the boxing classes at EBF a try.