There are a few things I feel that make the heart of a great MMA gym:…read more1) Experienced Coaches who love what they do (Teaching you!) 2) The sense of camaraderie that comes with humble participants who train together. And..3) A positive atmosphere where all are welcome! This is how I would describe Northshore MMA. I encourage anyone looking to sharpen their mind, body, and spirit through combat sports to give this gym a try.

We started at this gym 3 years ago with my two young daughters taking jiu jitsu. I joined over a…read moreyear ago. Jiu jitsu has done more for my mental health, than all the years I poured into yoga. As a more petite person, it's empowering knowing I can defend myself. I like the owners of the gym, and those in my classes. Plenty of ladies in class to practice with.

My daughter Nahla has been coming here for almost two years. When she first started we would do…read moremitts at home and she did okay. However after a year or so of training, her punches were on point, and her form had dramatically improved. Her confidence has also reached a new high, definately recommend trying one of their free classes.

Great school for people looking to start jujitsu and those who have trained for years. The students…read moreare friendly and the professors are extremely helpful. The atmosphere is fun and you're always going to get a great work out when you go in. The gym is always clean and ample space for training. Come in and take a class and see for yourself!

This is an amazing martial arts academy! I marvel at the family dynamics within this academy. My…read morekids have matured into young leaders of tomorrow thanks in large part because of Woodinville Martial Arts. Woodinville Martial Arts cares about not just you as a student but you as an individual. As an adult student, we have a great time. I have been gently pushed beyond what I thought, or what society felt, I could do and it has led me to push myself even more. If you are looking for a martial arts that will make you feel welcome and like you are part of the family then look no more...this is the place.

I started training at Woodinville Martial Arts in 1997. Having experience as a teacher, I found the…read morecurriculum at WMA to be very straight forward. You learn your hand techniques, foot techniques, forms, Weapon self defense/form, and self-defense. Everything is sequential and relevant to real world situations. The instructors and senior students are excellent instructors, encourage you to do your best, but most of all, very patient. They know that we all come to class with different skill sets, and they bring out the very best in each of us through encouragement , step by step instructions, and review. As with any skill, you observe, start slowly trying to repeat the motions, help each other through the learning process, realize the application of that technique, and then practice, practice and practice. Once you have demonstrated mastery of that skill, technique or form, you are encouraged to help others within the class. The classes are structured based on age. From children as young as 4(?) to students as old as 75 plus! We train in our groups and classes. Adults train together, Teens have their classes, Children have their own class times, etc... With in the classes, it is not uncommon to have students of similar belts work together to master their skills. We all are familiar with Martial Arts Schools who say they are Black Belt Schools, no mercy, that kind of stuff, but Woodinville Martial Arts is different. Every student has the opportunity to learn, to test, and to advance in ranking. The owners, who are also the instructors, know that people learn at different rates, and surprisingly, have lives outside of school. There is no pressure to test, but if you decide to do so, you will get all the help you need in order to reach your goals, I enjoyed training here so much, I enrolled my 6 year old son. He thoroughly loved it, and by the time he was a 9th grader, he was an experienced Black Belt! He got there before me! Having just retired from the Northshore School District as a classroom teacher (44 years), I know quality teaching when I see it. I have seen nothing but respect, and kindness from the Instructors and Senior Students toward all members of the school. From the training classes, testing, outside of school activities and friendships made, you will be hard pressed to find a Martial Arts school that is any better.

Coach Jake Furney has been my son's BJJ coach for almost a year now and my son loves it! I asked my…read moreson to stick with a physical activity for a few times a week and he decided to do BJJ and it was a choice that he really is proud that he stuck with. Coach Jake has been such a positive influence on my son and makes training fun, explains the art well, and most of all is VERY patient with his students. This is a rare trait to find and I'm happy to say that I hope he sticks around long enough for my son to keep advancing in his belt classes. I highly recommend taking MMA classes with this gym, due to the professionalism, patience, and discipline that it offers. We lucked out with finding such a great gym to train in! Thank you Coach Jake and Coach Charlie! You guys are great!

I walked into Charlie's in June 2015 having never done any kickboxing. I was a skinny 37-year old…read morewoman looking for a good workout. I am so glad I went in that first day. I continue working out there 2-3 times per week. The staff and other students have been incredibly welcoming and encouraging since my first day. I have seen visible changes in my body and am much stronger with better endurance. I cannot recommend Charlie's highly enough.

Zach helped me realize that my instincts are not going to be useful in a dangerous situation, and…read morethis type of training is critical to prepare me. He is a great teacher with experience to back it up. I appreciate his sensitivity to the content and trauma-informed approach. I walked away with multiple defensive tools to utilize in different situations and feel relieved and safer with this knowledge.

Zach was an amazing teacher! My daughters both took the class with me, age 16 and 8. They learned a…read morelot, and as a mom, I feel better knowing they have some knowledge of self defense. It was a bonding experience for us and a good way to approach a difficult subject on how they can stay safe and aware. Zach was kind and relatable, making us feel instantly at ease. He did the perfect teaching technique where we listen to what he has to say first, then he shows us an example, and then we try it ourselves. We practiced a good amount of time on each move so that we could absorb it. He infused a little humor into the class and kept it interesting. We felt very powerful and prepared by the end of it, which was truly a relief and an accomplishment. I highly recommend this experience! My daughters and I still talk about it and practice what we learned. - Renda Palo

A truly amazing Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu community!…read more I've been training at Evergreen Karate & Jiu Jitsu for about a year and a half, and I can honestly say it's one of the most supportive and friendly BJJ programs I've ever experienced. The coaches are incredibly knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about helping every student grow--no matter their skill level. This gym has become a huge part of my life. Both of my kids now train here too, and watching them gain confidence, discipline, and new skills has been amazing. The team here feels like family, and I can't imagine not having this community in our lives. If you're looking for a welcoming place to train Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu, build confidence, and be part of a positive, encouraging environment, Evergreen Karate & Jiu Jitsu is the perfect choice. Highly recommended!

Evergreen Karate has been a wonderful experience for us!!! My son is 7 and is taking the Ji Jitsu…read moreclasses and absolutely loves it. The teacher is great friendly and fair, the other students are very kind and help direct my son in what to do when partnered with him. He is slowly building his confidence when wrestling students. It's a fun engaging class! Thank you!!

I was looking for something, ANYTHING, to get my teenager into. We have a rule in our home that…read moreyou must do something active, one activity at a time, but you have to be doing something. Well this all went out the window when the pandemic hit and our then 5th grader was stuck home for essentially three years. Around the two year mark we tried floating ideas by them, they tried to go back to basketball, nope no interest. So when I found Z-Ultimate I was convinced that this would be another hit and miss - but boy was I wrong. First of all going into this place they were SO warm and welcoming. They focused their attention on my child and not me, and made sure they understood what was going on and what the process would be. When my kid told me this was the place they wanted to be, they walked me through the pricing in a very clear and efficient was and scheduled out our personal lessons on the spot. In addition to all the above they are so cognizant of anxiety and great with personal pronouns. I cannot thank Z-Ultimate enough for their dedication to my child.

Perfection reached.....great instructors, great place, Perfect at rescheduling lesson. ABSOLUTE…read moreCINIMA!

Really great and professional program! The instructors Dylan and Jeff are highly skilled and…read moreprofessional. They take the time to make sure I grasp all the concepts before moving on. Overall great experience with the training sessions I have had here and look forward to continuing with them!

The instructors were super nice, very informative, and incredibly patient. We all had a great time…read morebut also feel like we gained the knowledge and tools to defend ourselves! This class is incredibly empowering! I feel so much safer when I am by myself and I am going to insist that all my friends and family take his class so they too can feel protected!

I really enjoyed Joanne's 6-week self defense class for women and highly recommend it! I…read moreappreciated that it was more than just the physical moves, but also how to verbally set boundaries (like saying no without apologizing!), and red flags to look for. Some of the info was a refresher, some brand new. I also appreciated that alternative moves were suggested, like for folks with bad knees, or the guidance for a woman using a cane. Everyone can benefit from this class! To answer the questions most people asked me: The class is kept to a small size, about 12 people. It's only for women, trans, and non-binary; no men. Folks in the class ranged from teen to 60s--I loved seeing mothers and daughters taking the class together. About half of the physical practice involved a punching bag dummy, and the other half involved hands-on practice with classmates, which was necessary, helpful, but also a bit awkward at times. But, I got over it, and got a lot out of it.

I just finished the 6-week self-defense class with Joanne Factor, and it was the best $200 I spent…read morethis year. No, wait, it's the best $200 I've spent in my entire life. You think I'm kidding? Think I'm being facetious? Nope. And nope. I'm being stone cold serious. This class taught me SO many mental, verbal, and physical skills to keep myself safe. I feel like a stronger, more confident, more savvy, and way more aware person after taking this class. All of that is worth way more than $200. IT'S PRICELESS. I loved practicing all the techniques in our class of six awesome women. I learned so much from Joanne; she's patient, understanding, strong as a tank, and funny too. If you're thinking about learning self defense, go to the Strategic Living site and read about the 6-week class. It's remarkable what you can learn in six weeks. This class is much better than just taking a 1-day class (though that's still worth doing that if that's all you can do). But if you can make more time in your life, please do. You can more readily absorb the self-defense principals and techniques in a 6-week class. I'm going to recommend this class to every girl and woman I know. If you're reading this review and live in or near Seattle, I hope you'll take it. You won't regret it!

The facility is clean, well-maintained, and overall a nice place to work out. My only confusion is…read morewith the name. When I hear "24 Hour Fitness," I naturally expect the gym to be open 24 hours. However, this location's hours are 5 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m.-8 p.m. on Friday, and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on weekends. This may not be an issue for everyone, but it caught me off guard. I showed up to work out at 9 p.m. on a Friday, assuming the gym would be open, only to find it closed and had to drive to the Lynnwood location instead. Other than that, it's a great gym--I just think the name can create some confusion about the actual hours.

This was my second visit, having last been here several years ago before COVID. Both times, I was…read morereally impressed with how clean and well-maintained the place is. CAVEAT: I haven't tried the pool, sauna, or jacuzzi yet since I don't usually come out this way (I normally go to the Issaquah 24 Hour Fitness near home), but the weight and cardio equipment here are in great shape--no "out of order" signs or cracked upholstery on the benches. So far, I didn't run into any of the issues some other reviewers mentioned. I would recommend that they should visit the Issaquah gym to get a better perspective/appreciation for the Bothell location. :) Case in point: from the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly by a big guy at the front desk (the manager, maybe?). As I was leaving, I complimented the same staff member about how much cleaner and better maintained this gym is compared to my usual spot in Issaquah. Another gymgoer overheard and chimed in--turns out he lives near the Issaquah location too but prefers coming here for the same reasons. Now that's an endorsement! For me the only downside is that it like other gyms, is no longer open 24 hours/day.