This studio is absolutely fantastic - you can feel the positivity, encouragement, and history of…read morethe community and the capoeiristas. Very beginner friendly. I can't wait to go back!

The Capoeira Spot is fun, safe, and engaging envirnoment for learning a beautiful martial art. The…read moreteachers are nurturing and supportive in my development and growth.

I had the pleasure of dropping in at Underworld BJJ in Washington DC…read more Alfredo Atencio and Alex Dowd were coaching. Both were attentive to their students and displayed mastery of what they were teaching. I ended up sticking around for about 2.5 hours and got more than a few rolls in and tightened up some half guard techniques. Before each roll the other students asked if I had any injuries, which I found really considerate. Thanks for being such a great gym to visit! Things to look for that are important in a gym and my rating: Cleanliness: 5/5 Culture: 5/5 Quality of instruction: 5/5 Price of drop in (30$): 2/5 (I feel like anything more than 20$ is a lot... but, I was still happy to train despite the cost.)

Absolutely outstanding school. The instructors had so much to teach; entire place was friendly had…read moreI had a amazing time.

This place is really great and the Senseis have a real gift with children especially Sensie Sean…read more I'm so happy to have found this place.

One of my items on my bucket list can now be marked as 'in progress.' #4) Earn a black belt in a…read moremartial art discipline. I've been going to Urban Kempo since July 2014, and love, love, love it. I've become obsessed. Urban Kempo is more than a dojo; it's a place to workout, a place to make friends, and because of the dedication and hard-work the Owner/Sensei has put into his business, it's become a community meeting place with dedicated and loyal members. As a recent west coast transfer with no familiar ties, I've finally found a place where I feel accepted and at home in my new environment.

Trained here for almost four years and was approaching my shodan test. I used to think of aikido as…read moremy organizing principle. That all changed when a third-degree black belt instructor dropped me on my head. He was showing off for his buddy, the chief instructor. Both those men are no longer at this dojo, but regardless I cannot train any more as I used to - following my concussion, I tried to come back (after time off for recuperation). But after weeks/months of headaches, and trying various sorts of accommodations, my doctor strongly recommended that I discontinue training. Aikido may be called the "art of peace" and its practitioners may say that good ukemi will neutralize any throw. But it is still possible for a careless person to injure you badly. I used to think (see my previous review) that if I spoke up, was careful about whom I trained with, and practiced diligently, it would protect me from harm. Not true. Being a good driver does not always save you from the bad drivers. (I decided to update my old review, after much time and thought, so that newcomers will have a more complete picture. It's hard to ask questions of people who have left.) As with any endeavor: caveat emptor. Do your research. Visit multiple places and compare them, before you choose. Ask around - what is the reputation of the place you are considering? What is their record for follow-up when someone gets injured? How long have the most senior students been training at this place? Are classes made up of mostly newbies - i.e., does the student body turn over regularly, or are there a lot of stalwarts? How many black belts come to practice regularly? (an indication of whether the place continues to offer room for growth, once that first black belt has been attained). How often is the chief instructor present and instructing? What precautions are in place when junior (smaller/younger/inexperienced) students train with senior (stronger/faster/aggressive) students? How long has each teacher been teaching? (Being a skilled practitioner is not always the same as being a good teacher.) Pick your partners (and teachers) carefully. (Even if everyone says "but he's such a nice guy!" - if you break a collarbone because he attempted a too-ambitious throw, you will be the one in a sling, not the nice guy.) How often does the dojo host community events? Do senior staff/teachers show up for community events? I have visited from time to time. (I still hang out socially with many friends from here.) With all my heart I still miss the practice and the community I used to have. But I have had to step back from both.

NEEDED to find a social outlet for my 5-year old grandson while he is on an extended visit from out…read moreof state. NEEDED to find a safe, social, in-person way for him to spend time and energy with little people his own size. So perfectly pleased to have found DC Aikido --- perfect fit. He was hooked from the first class. 3x a week - in the dojo - with 30 minute sessions is exactly the right prescription. Right across the street from the Red Line Metro --- and free parking garage for drivers like us. The most important part: The instructors are amazing. Patient like saints but with an eye toward discipline. Great instruction at the 5-6 year old level mixed with discipline and exercise. The classes are very disciplined for spacing, too --- all of the students and staff are good about wearing their masks and keeping the students on "their own square" to keep social distance norms intact. So sorry my grandson is going home at the end of this month. Thank you, DC Aikido!

Stopped by Testudo while in National Harbor for a conference so my hubby and I could get some Jiu…read moreJitsu in. I was only able to drop by once for the women's class and adult class after but my husband was able to go several times and had a great time. Great people. Professor Ervin was great and made us feel welcome. Seemed like he had a nice organized way of instruction and used class time efficiently. We walked in as the kids class was wrapping up and it looks like he is great with the kids. If we lived here we would definitely make it our dojo.

My very sweet and wiggly ADHD child was only enrolled for a month before they kicked her out…read morebecause she couldn't follow instructions 100% of the time. Coach Ervin also made an example out of her during class for something she didn't actually do (but he thought she did). We were willing to work with them, but they clearly were not willing to work with us even though they talk a big game about their experience with kids.

Very fun and interactive place to learn martial arts, masters are very understanding and really…read morehelp you learn, I really recommend checking them out

The best martial arts school I've seen in the DMV! Master Mohammed and Master Edrees are excellent…read moremartial artists and dedicated teachers who put the growth of their students above all else. They strive to help each one of their students build confidence, push themselves, and be the best PEOPLE they can be. Whether you're a beginner or just new to the area and out of practice (like I was), you're guaranteed to find what you're looking for at Panthera :)

US Wushu Academy has been around since the late '80s, founded by a husband-and-wife team, Coach Pei…read moreand Coach Guifeng. Both are super famous and highly-respected and -regarded in the martial arts. The academy offers wushu, sanshou free style fighting/self defense, Chen-style taiji, and Yang-style taiji classes. I've always been curious about taiji, so it was such a treat to attend a demo class and presentation of Coach Pei! He is extremely personable, hilarious with a wonderful sense of humor, has a soothing and calming demeanor, super knowledgeable, and really a master of his field. He is a patient teacher, and he really gives the background knowledge and history of the arts, showing connections and the relationships. We learned how to find our center, walk the 'correct way,' and breathe deeply. A total educational experience! I can't wait to check out more of his classes!!! +ask for Coach Pei! :D +wushu, sanshou, and taiji class offerings +family-owned and -operated +another location in Gaithersburg

I have been taking tai chi classes here for about 6 months. This is definitely a good school with…read moredetailed instruction.

Posting my review again because I had a whole fiasco with my yelp account and it was deleted…read more I trained private lessons in Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) sporadically with Gus over 2022 and 2023. My lessons were sporadic due to my move, car issues, and general scheduling conflicts on my end. My sessions with Gus were great - he is super patient, kind, and an excellent teacher. My years in grappling have taught me that there are many people who are very good at their chosen discipline who also make crap teachers. Gus is not one of those people. He was even great with my pre-teen niece who joined for a few lessons. I really appreciated my time learning with Gus and feel that it set me up to continue my training even after I moved away from the area. Note: I was originally wary of going to Gus, since my preference was to learn Filipino Martial Arts from someone who shares Filipino heritage, but Gus is respectful of the material and so knowledgeable about the history of FMA. He made many great "homework" recommendations that helped me grasp the truly amazing context behind the development of Filipino Martial Arts. I am glad that FMA is being taught and spread by someone who cares about it!