10 out of 10 recommend Gracie Barra Chantilly! My husband, our three kids (14, 12, and 10) and…read moremyself all attend classes here multiple times a week at different levels. Not only has it been great for our physical fitness, but it has been awesome for the mental challenge and the bonding that comes with a family participating in the same activity. The Professor and Coaches do an exceptional job training the kids and keeping them safe. I would say one of their strongest attributes is the way they pour words of encouragement into the kids (and the adults), helping to build their confidence and self-esteem. I have always felt safe attending classes and always look forward to going. (Highly recommend doing this with your spouse, if possible!)

My son has struggled with ADHD for most of his life and GB has really turned his life around. He…read morelistens better, more confident, and disciplined. He also has so much fun at jiu-jitsu. The place is super clean and family oriented. Most importantly, the professors are champions (literally). Highly recommend!

I've been going to Silverback for a couple of years now and it's the best self defense gym with…read moredifferent class options (Krav Maga, Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, & more) multiple times and days. You're definitely going to find something that works for you! The gym is a warehouse with plenty of parking around it. Just make sure you don't park anywhere that says do not block (you would think people know, but you'd be surprised ). The owner, Sean, is very kind and helps walk you through all of the options that you have for classes. You can tell he really cares about all of his students and is easy to talk to. Additionally, everyone else in the gym is extremely welcoming and friendly. They make sure that you feel like you are part of a team even if it's your first class. If you are looking to switch gyms or try something new, this is the best place to try it!

I'm very disappointed with my experience with Silver Back Academy. I have been trying to contact…read morethem regarding my gym membership because I moved out of state and am no longer able to use the facility. I tried calling the phone number listed on their website, but the number is out of service. I also contacted them through the email address provided on their website and received no response. I even attempted to reach them through social media, but again, I received no response. I understand that memberships may have specific policies, but it is extremely frustrating when there appears to be no reliable way to contact the business to discuss an issue or get guidance--especially when I am continuing to pay for a service I can no longer use. I would strongly recommend that the academy provide customers with a reliable and responsive way to communicate with them, particularly for membership-related issues.

My son enjoyed the place until the owner, Scott, lost his temper and tried to intimidate my kid…read more It's a shame too, bc there are some great ppl that attend, Scott later sent a dismissive apology text about not realizing he lost his temper on a child at the time. But it's too late and I now wish I'd never trusted him with my son,

I have practiced at several BJJ centers. There is something special about Scott and his gym. To me,…read morethere are two fundamentals for choosing a gym. First, how good are the instructors at teaching? Owning a black belt is irrelevant to whether you can explain moves effectively, showcase moves effectively, and develop a training regimen that matches individuals and their unique personalities and skill sets. On this front, Scott and his team are exceptional. Good communicators. Patient. And they possess that rare ability to deconstruct moves into simple to follow sequences. Second, what is the culture of the gym? You can have an exceptional set of teachers but the culture could be unhealthy. A gym can be too competitive, with men and women trying to prove their mettle and worth by berating each other and hazing newbies. A gym's culture can show shades of misogyny, racism, ageism, and degrade students who lack sufficient strength, stamina, speed, agility, and general wit and ease. On this front, I have never been to a gym with a healthier, friendlier culture than Centreville BJJ. It starts with Scott and extends to all of his staff. I have seen how they interact with superior athletes, non-athletic teams, men, women, boys, and girls. The staff here makes an effort to be open, receptive and friendly while providing the serious discipline and training that is desired. To go one step further, Scott worked with my wife to create a one day workshop for our teenage daughters and their friends on self-defense. It was fun. It was serious. It was thoughtful. And the girls learned several moves to protect themselves that are still in their arsenal today. I give my strongest recommendation.

I had the impulse today (not for the first time), to thank Frank for his patience. I decided to…read morewrite this long overdue review instead. To begin with, Phantom has a culture that is friendly, competitive, safe, and welcoming to every level of skill and experience. I started two years ago as a 36 year old woman, with no previous martial arts background. I never felt dismissed or ignored. Frank paid as much attention to me on day one as he would to any other member. I have never been afraid I was going to get injured on the mats, or that my partner would be a bully, because that is not the culture that Frank has developed. I am small, but I can train knowing my partner and I will play games based on good positions rather than just size and strength. Members greet each other and make small talk before class. There is no visible drama. Frank's instructions when demonstrating are clear and precise. His lesson plans are clearly thought out, and often build on previous units. I appreciate that he is punctual, and that he doesn't waste our time with filler stuff like conditioning or a prolonged warmup. It is all dense learning and drilling, followed by training. Additionally, I have never met a business owner who was so generous with their time. He regularly stays late after class to monitor and assist students who want to continue to drill and train. He has given me additional assistance and instruction whenever I have asked. I'm not special in this regard. I believe he is genuinely invested in his students development, and will match the time you are willing to put in with his own. Finally, this is one of the cleanest gyms I've ever been to. The mats are sanitized at least twice a day. The bathrooms are clean. The atmosphere is modern. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to give it a try.

My husband has been going here for over a year and loves it. He says there's professional trainers,…read morestructured (and open/sparring too) training and is an overall a high quality academy. Recommend for anyone - not sure of the age limits but it looks like they have all types of weight classes. Go in and ask for "Frank" the owner and he will get you set up!

This review is no fluff. I've been taking BJJ for 3 years and Kali for 6 months. This is one of the…read morebest schools that teach via curriculum rather than all out rolls that leave you wondering what happened. That's not to say you won't roll, because there is plenty of that. But you'll get a full understanding of what and why you're learning the moves. It's the same with their Kali instructors, who have 10+ years of experience each. You won't be disappointed. Ps they have a free week trial with a free Gi. Ask for Peter when you get there, he is the man and very welcoming.

It's rare when you get an opportunity to learn Jiu Jitsu under this level of a lineage. I…read morepersonally know multiple people (both instructors and students) from One Spirit, and I'm nothing short of impressed. The environment is professional, clean, and best of all, very welcoming! Pedro Sauer is a legend, and he has created an amazing legacy of grapplers around the world. It's an honor to know and have a connection with One Spirit! If you are in the area, and you are looking for more than just "a place to train," then I highly recommend you check them out! Amazing BJJ School!

When I first started searching for a gym, this place stood out with the a good online presence and…read moreI liked that. I submitted an inquiry, and that same day, a coach reached out to me. I've been here ever since over a year now! I came in knowing nothing, but working one-on-one with Coach Zach helped me build a solid foundation and grasp the fundamentals of BJJ and MMA. The personal sessions also helped me fast forward my progress and discover who I was in my training. I'm incredibly grateful for all the coaches Zach, Wyatt, and Calvin for everything they've taught me. Their coaching styles are consistently encouraging, patient, and intentional. You can tell that they have poured out a lot into the students here by the way they remember your progress, push you with care, and treat every small win like it matters. They really care. They care not just about technique but about you as a person, and that makes all the difference. If you're thinking about joining, do it you'll be in good hands. The sense of community is warm and authentic, making it easy to stay consistent and actually enjoy showing up.

You are not gonna regret this. I have been going for 4 months now,and i never looked back!…read moreThis gym has been opened for many years, the inside is used but clean, the management are very attentive to cleaning, ( i even saw them mopping few times ) and safety, Lauren, Zach, Colt, Nadya , John and everyone else are very welcoming, willing to help you and show you the right way. I chose to do Boxing and conditioning, but i end up also doing Ultimate Training which is a compressed work out, better than any Gym i have been. I also have a trainer ( Zach ) who i work out with weekly, i learned a lot about my limits and my resistance levels, and i feel 10 times better than when i started, i highly recommend it, just sign up, and i promise you will like it. Don't let the punching bags intimidate you, you gonna end up loving those things;)

This is a scam!!! I rarely write reviews, but after emailing back and forth the owner, I still…read morecan't get them to stop charging my credit card. I canceled the membership for my son, but they forced me to keep paying an additional 3 months. And even after those 3 months they're still charging my credit card, even though the owner, Steve, clearly stated in the email he sent me that they will no longer charge me. This is not only terrible business practice, but totally illegal, period. I'll see you in court.

Be wary of signing up here. They have a cancellation fee which will cost you three months worth of…read moreyour membership. The owner is all about money and won't make exceptions for anybody. They have an additional $30 "insurance" charge every year as well. With prices starting at $99/mo for 4 classes/month all the way up to $180/mo for unlimited, it can be extremely pricey - especially for the level of instruction you're receiving. To be honest, there is no check in system so you could just sign up for the basic package and show up for more than 4 classes a month. Nobody would check up on it. The unlimited classes are meant for students to be able to take whatever class they want. (CrossFit, Muay Thai, Boxing, Jiu Jitsu are all offered here) However, the head coaches frown upon you for straying from your core classes so there is rarely any crossover between students. Regardless of which membership package you sign up for, Capital has multiple locations, any of which you can cross train at throughout Maryland and Virginia - Alexandria, Takoma Park, Lorton, Loudoun, and Fairfax. The CrossFit program offers a good workout, but there is negligent detail in using proper technique. I would be cautious of completing a lift for the sake of time or simply to complete it. However, they do have a well equipped CrossFit area. The owner may be a Royce Gracie black belt but just take one of his classes and you'll see that things don't add up. Roll with him even! Having rolled with high level belts, a high ranking blue belt is more qualified to teach. There is more emphasis on everybody being friends (and Capital being more of a social club) than being actual training partners/improving your game. A lot of chit chat in classes with minimal attention to details and technique. Beginners are often left to be helped by other white belts. The general manager is not very pleasant to deal with and can turn potential members away just by his attitude. He is also the head striking coach but has no credentials to back this up. Beginners are thrown into class with no instruction on how to throw a proper punch or kick and expected to be able to keep up with the rest of class. Again, beginners are left to learn from beginners. The head coaches at Capital are more concerned with how they look than teaching their students sound technique and it shows with their fighters. While their facility is extremely nice and well kept, kids run rampant here and neither the staff nor the parents keep them in check. Kids are often zooming around on scooters, playing catch, toys are scattered all over or they're just running throughout the gym. For potential members checking out Capital - I recommend doing your research on the instructors and beware of the 5 star reviews here. The owner often asks his members to post reviews to boost the gym's reputation.