I LOVE this class! I have been training overall for a…read moreseveral years and this Capoeira Angola Quintal Gowanus class keeps me engaged and challenged. The instructor Jimmy, or by his Brazilian name- Monitor Zoinho, is very fun, upbeat and introduces unique methods of teaching Capoeira. He is a very high-level Capoerista, yet knows what a beginner, or an intermediate student needs. The group is kind and welcoming, and the studio is conveniently located by the F, G and R trains, in the beautiful and chic neighborhood of Gowanus. There are lots of good places to eat at after class, which the group often does together. This also helps bond the group. The studio itself is big and clean with nice floors. I definitely recommend this class for newbies as well as experienced Capoeiristas!

I only took one trial class here, but I got a really good first impression. There were two Shifus…read more(teachers). They taught some basic ideas about self defense which immediately just made sense to me. They taught some really good techniques to block punches, as well as different ways to throw punches and kicks (which are not what I'd naturally do). They had good mats, equipment, and protective gear to practice these techniques on other people (and I think that's important, as I don't believe that just practicing punching thin air is enough to help train yourself for a real fight situation). They also went over basic ways to try to calm situations down and try to avoid fights. It's a fairly small class (less than 15 students, I think) so you get a lot of individual attention. They were very clear and polite. I decided not to sign up for two reasons: 1. The prices were more than I personally could comfortably afford at this time (I don't wish to state the precise price here, myself, if it's not posted on their web site). 2. They have a rule that all students are required to wear masks at all times during practice. And although I respect caution for Covid, I personally feel that I need the freedom to breathe to the fullest whenever I'm exercising. But I otherwise loved this place a lot. I regret that those two above factors kept me from joining.

I am so grateful to have found Brooklyn Wing Tsun. Sifu Ethan is a wonderful teacher who has…read morecreated a challenging and supportive environment. This school is also a part of the City Wing Tsun association which means you have the opportunity to interact with a large community of teachers and students from around the city. If you are thinking about learning a martial art or are just curious about Wing Tsun you should not hesitate to come by.

BJJ & Prof Lu has changed our lives. My son Ethan's (8) was getting bullied at school, so we…read moredecided to put him into BJJ. Prof Lu has been a positive role model & mentor for my son. He has given E strategies to handle everyday conflicts, as well as, skills to compete at BJJ competitions. Prof Lu's ability to break down skills, relate to kids and to encourage FUN is in a class by itself. He has given me peace of mind that my son will be able to handle situations independently and he has given my son the confidence needed to navigate this unpredictable world. We love BJJ & Prof Lu!

My 13 year old expressed interest in Martial Arts over the summer and we spent some time looking…read morearound for something age appropriate for a beginner. Lots of great martial arts places seem to be around the neighborhood, but they look as if they cater to a younger crowd. We happened upon Mamba Martial Arts (the new location for this group - it's at 367 5th avenue) and stopped in to speak with Master Gordon, the owner and one of the teachers at Mamba. She was extremely encouraging and offered us trial lessons in both Jiu Jitsu and Tae Kwon Do. They have classes for people of all ages - young classes, teen classes and even adult classes and family offerings. My son LOVES it. Mamba has a great structure where they encourage as many visits a week as possible by offering a monthly access rate to an unlimited number of classes. My son attends 2x a week for Tae Kwon Do and 1x a week for Jiu Jitsu. They are terrific classes, he comes back sweaty, relaxed and self-confident. They are positive but firm instructors and they really are making great progress. He's eager to go each and every time and we are thrilled to recommend them.

Love Master Gordon- she is amazing with my two boys. She is an Olympian and has a great heart and…read morewonderful way with kiddos. Definitely glad that we picked Pure Energy over others, been a great choice!

I recently grabbed a groupon for kickboxing and have come to 5 of the 10 classes. I really enjoy…read morethe teachers and the class size is pretty small (8-15 people normally). They start the class off with a little warm up. You jog around the room, high knees, butt kickers followed up with planks or lunges. After a few stretches you grab your gloves and bags and get to work. It is definitely an interesting work out. From what I can tell, the instructors are pretty good at getting to know what you need to work on so you are not overwhelmed with instruction. After making sure you punch and kick without hurting yourself, they start to work on how to make each hit land harder and more efficiently. Even when you have a complete brain fart and cannot hold the string of moves in your head, just look at them pleadingly and they will happily go over it again with you personally! I love the workout and feel stronger even after just a few classes once a week. The first class they did try to sell us on signing up. We told her that we were not interested in coming more than 1-2 times a week which would make the unlimited a little pointless. She quoted us the price for a "class pass" package of 35 or 65 classes that you use throughout the year. A few classes later, when we inquired again, the price had jumped up SIGNIFICANTLY. I would have signed up for the 11$ a class price but 18-20$ is a heavier load for my bank account. It is too bad bc most of the other locations only offer unlimited packages which would not be cost effective for me. I definitely have not felt pressured like some other reviews have mentioned but the price increase definitely gave me pause and unfortunately, I doubt I will sign up long term. I just will get the most out of the remaining groupon classes.

If this was based off of classes and instructors, I'd give them a solid 4 stars. However, it's a 2…read morebecause of their dishonest sales tactics when getting you to sign up for a membership. I came here to join my friend as she's been taking classes and really enjoys it. I wanted to get into BJJ and Muay Thai as well, so decided to join her on the 3 class $19.99 special they advertised on their website to get a feel. After the first class though, they sell you HARD. - I voiced my concerns about lack of time due to work and possibly not being able to commit to 2x weekly for a full year, even though that was the best deal. I'd also be traveling from Astoria to Brooklyn, so that makes it even more challenging. They promised that if I were to sign up for the year, I can freeze my membership, downgrade to 1x weekly, or pay per class as needed. This made me feel better, so I decided to go for the annual contract - Needless to say, work immediately blew up and I was only able to make it to the gym twice over the last 2 months. I called the gym to downgrade my plan so I can just pay per class but was told they don't offer the option to pay per class. I know this is not true because my friend has brought guests to this gym before and they paid ~$30 each for a single day class. I then asked to downgrade to the 1x weekly option, but was told downgrading is not possible. I am only able to upgrade. - At this point, I was extremely frustrated since I signed up under the premise that I could downgrade at ANY time. I asked her to just cancel my membership. She told me I needed to email a different email address to process my cancellation. Once I got in touch, they offered to downgrade my plan, but it was too late. I wanted nothing to do with this shady practice, so I paid the $195 cancellation fee to get out of the contract. If you're able to commit to the full year, great. But if there's any chance you will need to change your plan, don't believe what they tell you.

Great affordable school with many pricing options…read more I've taken classes at multiple MMA/Martial Art schools, and this is one of the best, if not the best schools that i have been to. While your average MMA school will teach you the typical 1-2-3 kick combo, the instructors really emphasize movement and angles. Which is something I haven't seen taught at Martial Arts Schools.

I dropped in from out of town and the entire gym was welcoming and the training was great. The holy…read moretrinity of good people, good vibes, and good training

This is the ONLY place that makes me venture outta my comfty lil Queens 'hood into the strange new…read moreworld of Brooklyn. I really dunno why the Kung Fu students' reviews got filtered, but as a non-student who attended many functions, i hope this review doesn't get filtered -_- So i was here for their 10-yr Anniversary: Yup, Sept 2013 marked 10 years for Moy Yee Kung Fu! The first part of the event was held at St. Joseph's College with a Kung Fu show that all the students worked hard on for 2+ months! The routines and soundtrack was entertaining and inspiring. The students consisted of literally all ages and nationalities, and it was wonderful to see them unite under the same cause. The second part of the event was dinner back @ the school where i got to meet & greet everyone, and toured the school. It's very clean and spacious, and looks like a place with a lot of history and culture. [one of the] Bai Si Ceremony: "bai si" means when you become a disciple ("tou-dai") under the master (aka SiFu); this is different from being a student. Many of the disciple-to-be and students also put on demonstrations. The ceremony i attended (not sure if these are held annually or whenever necessary) was outdoors in the backyard area of the school where there's plenty of space for show and seating. My friends and i were invited to see my god-brother receive his disciple title and it was incredibly moving and we were very proud of him. I do believe there's different meaning behind the various color shirts they receive and wear (yellow / blue / purple / gray / etc), I guess you'll just hafta go to find out~ Columbia U. Club Showcase: This was the BEST event I went to. The venue was pretty (one of the halls @ Columbia U), as were the sound & lighting in the show. The kung fu choreography was power and quite beautiful. They showed many forms of Wing Chun, Tai Chi, fighting scenes, etc... earning loud applause from us the audience. A moment i remembered most was when their ENTIRE kung fu family (there must have been 50+ ppl) gathered on the stage for a HUGE group pic after the show finished. It was a warm memory even for someone who was there to spectate. I also went to a Xmas White Elephant Party that's held annually where all the kung fu students' friends & family gather for a night of food, drinks, strong eggnog, year-end review, and GIFT STEALING! It was a lot of fun, and Brooklyn's not all that strange to me anymore :)

If you're looking for a place to learn kung fu, look no further. I joined the school in 2017 with…read moremy 8 year old son and absolutely love it. It is challenging and very rewarding. Kids begin with Shaolin, while adults learn Wing Chun, and we practice all together at the Saturday morning class which is really fun. I'm also happy that we have been welcomed into a very warm, supportive, and diverse community of people, led by wonderful instructors and Sifu Henry Moy.

Martial arts can be a tough challenge for anyone, but every single person I have met who's walked…read morethrough the doors of this pristine waterfront academy has spoken of how the minute they arrive, they feel right at home. Gregor has assembled a world-class cadre of teachers, ALL OF WHOM are actually active in the competition side of the sport as well as teaching all belt levels. The attention each student receives is completely tailored to aid them in their particular journey, and the instructors go well above and beyond their mandate to make their students feel more like extensions of their own family. Closing, I have never encountered a better kids martial arts curriculum. Juan Quispe and Mark Marrero are brilliant with the little ones.

Gregor Gracie Jiu Jitsu is the best place to learn legit BJJ in Brooklyn. The instructors are…read moreAMAZING, extremely knowledgeable of their craft. The Academy is extremely clean, honestly the nicest Academy I've ever trained at. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming of new comers, veterans or if you're looking to get back onto the mats after a long break like myself. I cannot recommend this place enough, you won't regret it I promise.