This place is really great. They are consistently highly ranked and after visiting, I see why…read more I went for self defense classes and found them to be dedicated to helping me get what I wanted. I attended a first session that happened to be fairly advanced. They followed up with me afterward and I told them that I was looking for something different, so they invited me to try another class the next week, and offered to work with me individually before the class too. I was so impressed by that personal touch, as well as how knowledgable and dynamic all the teachers are. I would absolutely recommend this place. Unfortunately I am unable to commit at this time because they charge by the month, not by class, and they want a 6 month commitment for self defense (which makes sense, to make you learn it well). Because I travel for work and am not in town all the time, it doesn't make sense financially, but if I were around and really wanted to get into it, it would be a great deal: for the flat fee, you can attend as many classes as you want. It's a great community of people there, and I really do hope to have the opportunity to take classes there if my situation changes.

This is one of the best Brazilian Jiujitsu in the north east. The owners are some of the highest…read moreranked black belts around. The rest of the instructors are very skilled and great teachers. This place is great for all levels of jiujitsu. You will feel safe and welcome to the balance family.

If you are interested in Kendo and Iaido - the Japanese Budo and Martial Arts - this is a genuine…read moreDojo you can find in Philly area. Come and give it a try - hopefully you will enjoy and join this lovely family here.

When I just moved from Japan, I was looking for the place where I can keep practice Kendo, since I…read morehave practiced Kendo more than 10 years and it is my life-sport. I got the recommendation to visit this dojo from my friend who knows well about Kendo in the US. I was very impressed by the way how kendo is practiced and taught in this dojo with respects to the tradition of kendo. I cannot find the more friendly, inclusive culture and authentic kendo learning place like here.

A great way to exercise, gain flexibility, blow off some steam and meet some positive folks, this…read moredojo has been here for over 40 years under the leadership of Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki and now with new blood from his nephew Hiro Okazaki. My dad trains here with my daughters and me. There are classes for kids after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4:45-6:00 and Saturdays at 11:00. There are also classes for adults MWFSS at 11:00 AM and evenings M-F at 6:15. They train in and study authentic Japanese Shotokan karate. Some classes are for advanced students. They also sell uniforms, belts, gloves. The wooden floor, tin ceiling, mirrors, ceiling fans and knotty pine paneled walls make for a real old school dojo feel. The roar of your classmates KIA! will give you the energy to finish the class. Better than yoga IMO.

From the owner: The ISKF is a traditional Shotokan Karate organization, founded by Master Teruyuki Okazaki, who…read morestudied directly under Master Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate. The ISKF is rich in tradition, but continuously moves forward to bring all countries together to follow these same guidelines. We specialize in the instruction of both children and adults. No prior Karate experience is required.

Located in University City VIII Limbs is a warm and inclusive Muay Thai gym that offers boxing,…read morekettlebell training, and of course Muay Thai. They offer a quick start program that is cheap and a great way to dip your feet into the sport. A shirt and gloves comes with the two week package. The owners, Charlie and Kate, are experienced coaches and both have fought before. Charlie has a really vibrant personality and always has a smile on his face. Kate is a bit more of a drill sergeant so there is a good balance between the two. Assistant Coach Mary Bee is a great addition to the staff as well. She's fought several times in Thailand and is an active competitor in America. She has a real passion for teaching and has a wholesome demeanor making her very approachable. Mary teaches a weekly LGBT class which really helps the gym be inclusive. The membership of the gym is quite large so if you're looking to make friends this is a great place to go to as well. They have a large fight team as well for those of you looking to enter the ring. That of course isn't mandatory though. On the downside the fight team is pretty green but since the gym is only about 4 years old that is to be expected. With reasonable prices, good coaching, and lots of people to work with VIII Limbs is a good spot for those of you looking to enter the world of Muay Thai.

If you live in the Philly area and want an inclusive and fun gym to build strength I would…read morerecommend 8 Limbs. Unfortunately I didn't get to work with them long but the intro class was great. Seems like folks who frequent there really enjoy it. I didn't feel too overwhelmed by the class size. They do ask you to take your shoes off so make sure to wear socks if that's a thing for you...

Sometimes things happen for a reason...I was out walking my dog, and was walking by a training gym,…read moreand had seen someone talking to one of the instructors. I had planned on working out that evening, and asked about their Jui Jitsu class. I was more looking for wrestling/grappling at that time, not realizing what was ahead of me. I came back that night, and one of the instructors, Tim, was teaching class. His students were top notch training partners. I was sold after rolling with Tim; It took me just under a minute to realize this guy really, really knows what he is doing. As in I was getting tapped out left and right, but with real technique, not just getting thrown around like a rag doll. Aside from that, class was run intelligently, and the level of knowledge really shows up when you have a technical question or problem with technique. Since then, I've been at the Gracie Philadelphia location, and it just gets better and better; the more I learn, the more fun training is. All the people I've meet have been super awesome and super cool to train with. I feel as comfortable there as I would in my own living room. And, like many said, they way class is run, they attract people who know how to properly train in a safe environment.

Best Bjj Gym in Philly! Doesn't matter if your experienced or a beginner, this is the spot!!read more

I've been taking the adult Monday/Thursday class offered by Guy for several years. I highly…read morerecommend our class for adult learners of all skill levels. I started as a white belt and am now working toward yellow.

This is such a great class. We started by sending our kids only, and then realized it would be…read moregreat for the whole family. Guy manages to teach to all levels in the class at the same time. I see progress every class, across our whole family. It's a bright spot of our week!

Located in a very nice part of the city near historic Rittenhouse Square, Aikikai of Philadelphia…read moreis an extraordinary dojo with an amazing array of instructors. Sensei Roderick Johnson is very patient, precise, and detail-oriented in explaining all of the techniques. He is big and strong, yet fluid and graceful in all of his movements. Dr. John Porter's classes pack a plethora of techniques in a short period of time. He incorporates fun exercises in our training to allow us to think outside the box. Carlton Harris' classes, like Sensei's, are also very structured and blend power and precision in all of the techniques. I wish I could take more of Carlton's classes, but the day of the week doesn't work for me. Ed Shockley is a weapons master. He is so very humble in person, but when he's on the mat, he radiates energy. His Aiki weapons classes feel very much like yoga, linking the mind and body as one. John Holt teaches the weekend children's classes. His classes always blend fun activities with the serious stuff like movement and ukemi. The dojo community includes a rich blend of people of all ages and ethnicities. Everyone here is very kind and passionate about Aikido and the senior students are all very approachable and willing to explain the techniques to the junior students. I think that fosters the best kind of learning environment when both teachers and senior students help the junior students grow. If you are thinking about studying Aikido, you can sit and watch our classes to see if it looks like something that resonates with you. However, once you begin, you must understand that your training will take time and patience on your part. Everyone progresses at different speeds and understand that you are placing your trust in people who've experienced what you are about to experience in your training. This is not like many forms of karate where you train to achieve a black belt in a short period of time. Aikido takes a long time to get to an advanced level and even when you get there, you realize there is much more to learn.

I took my 6 year old here for kid's Aikdo at her request (they have Saturday morning classes. The…read moreSensai is very nice and the instructor Suleman, is funny and a skilled martial artist. My child, however, is a little too young still - so we'll be back again when she's older. Meanwhile there is also a Karate Studio (unafilliated) next door that teaches Shotokan. The Dojo is well used and well appointed with plants along the windows. If you or your child want to study Aikido, this is a great place to go.

I was looking for a martial arts school that would both engage my mind and develop my body, and I…read morehave found it at Kuntao. The Kuntao Martial Arts Club offers a mix of martial arts empty hand and weapon self-defense skills, taught in a friendly and supportive atmosphere. Unusual and challenging workouts are also part of each class, and enable students to develop their bodies while they are developing their fighting ability. I would recommend this school to any adult looking for something different and challenging by way of a martial arts program.

I am proud to be a member with this club and its community. The discipline, confidence and…read moreconnection I find in this club extends out through every aspect of my life on a daily basis. We have a lot of fun and congregate a lot of respect for these arts so far that it feels like I have joined an international and historically rich family.

The gym is great and I'm happy. I'm a member, but there are a few issues that come up daily…read more 1) As many have noted, access to the gym is difficult. The elevators are not great and often only 2/3 work. I think more transparency would be nice. 2) Showers start to flood within 30-seconds. It's gross and I, again, wish there was some transparency on why this isn't addressed. 3) The lack of outlets. This one is most frustrating as it seems to have the most straightforward solution. No outlets under the table in the library? Come on guys. Get a power strip or something please. Outlets by more seats on the 3rd floor mezzanine and terrace would be game changing! Please

I quite enjoyed my time at he Bellevue for a while that it's done a complete 180 in the last…read moreseveral months. The good: Very big and nice facilities with amazing great variety of equipment. A TON of group fitness classes if you're into that including free reformer Pilates classes (if you can get in.) Issues (that are unacceptable in general or just completely insane to have at the membership price point...these are things you deal with a budget gym or someplace you go for free): Constant elevator issues which cause lines and long wait times during peak hours. And for the last 6+ months they've only had two of three functioning if that. You know it's an issue, fix it for goodness sakes. Good luck if you rely on parking here. The entrance are closed half the time causing you to have to detour for a good ten plus minutes to get in and then exiting you're stuck behind trucks delivering in the alley they've left "open" for you to get out. And yes the validate but they randomly increased the price from $11 to $12 one day. Not a huge deal but why not tell members in advance? It's just sloppy. The sound systems are suboptimal for group classes especially in the HIIT studio. It is a vibe killer for sure. The spa that we were promising was coming soon when we joined in November of 2023 is still nowhere to be found. The locker rooms are adequately maintained but there are so many privacy issues. Often there are signs that there will be men working in the women's locker room. And the phone use is NUTS. People are on video conference calls! How is this allowed?? The cafe hours stink for early birds. If I'm done with my workout before 7am and I want coffee, I'm SOL. It's also insanely expensive. I cannot speak for the food there because I won't eat it after I saw a mouse in the cafe area while I was working from there one day. Treadmills are constantly broken. They added a bunch and now there's somehow less available because they cannot seem to maintain them. Out of service for a day or two is one thing but it goes way longer than that. Good luck and Godspeed accessing an assault bike or a ski erg between 10:15 and 2pm on weekdays. They're fully monopolized by the turf class and the HIIT studio is used for classes including mat Pilates (??) Generally speaking maintenance seems to be an issue. A pedal was hanging off one of the two assault bikes on the main floor this week when I was using it. A tread was sticking a few weeks ago when I started to run on it. I couldn't strap my foot into a rower the other day. It doesn't seem like it would be too much to ask that they keep their eye on this. I do feel like it used to be under control but had fallen off a cliff recently. Too many people here are shooting footage for social media. I cannot complete a workout without being concerned I'm in the background of someone's selfie-video or photo shoot. Hotel guests have full access to the gym. It adds to the insane crowds on the weekend and needs to get in check. Many of the trainers and instructors are great but a handful of trainers that either do personal training or turf classes are flat out RUDE. I was treated disrespectfully and even bullied by one of them while minding my own business just trying to complete my workout. This is embarrassing for the gym and needs to be addressed. Ultimately, I could no longer justify being a paying member with so little care shown by management about the member experience. Perhaps spending less time posting less on social media and more time listening to an addressing member feedback would be helpful.