Zenki Dojo has become my home away from home. When I'm not working, eating, or sleeping I'm at…read moreZenki training Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Zenki is part of the Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu network and all belt promotions are handed out by Rodrigo Gracie. Sensai Tim Santos along with Greg Hall, and Gavin Atkins, are great Jiu Jitsu instructors with a long history on the mats. The other schools in the network (Neutral Grounds in Long Beach / Pat King in Northridge) are also good places to visit and train. Neutral Grounds instructor, Evaldo Lima, also makes guest appearances to teach once in a while. Zenki offers many other classes, and they look great, but Jiu Jitsu is my thing. Even though I have dabbled in some cross fit, yoga, and personal training. Community is a big part of Zenki. Many of these people are great friends and it feel like family. Zenki isn't the largest or most up to date facility, but the size adds to the charm and builds character. See you on the mat. :) oh yeah.... Free yoga on Sunday!

This place is awesome!!! What a legendary neighborhood gym for everyone of all walks--all ages,…read moremale and female alike, all creeds and colors. Come here and learn how to be powerful and defend yourself.

Absolutely recommend! First of all would like to say that…read morethis place will definitely motivate you to do your best. Thanks to amazing coaches and amenities available you will be able to achieve your goals quickly. The space is big and can accommodate decent amount of people. Do not hesitate go to Taejo

My girls , 9 & 11, just finished their first week here. They love coming and look forward to it…read more They are smiling during and after class. The coaches are great , patient and funny. My kids have no experience at all but I see they learned so much already In just 3 days. The only thing, Parking is a bit of a struggle. But other than that this place is awesome everyone is so welcoming. My girls get very sweaty In 45 minutes. We love it!

I practiced Yang taijiquan for several years until I saw a demonstration of Chen taiji (tai chi) by…read morethe incredible Master Chen Bing. From that moment on, it became clear to me that I wanted to follow his style and lineage. To my great fortune I found Master Bosco Baek, Master Chen Bing's disciple and headmaster at Chen Bing Taiji Academy in Los Angeles. I cannot recommend CBTA strongly enough for students of all levels. The school has received many accolades for its excellence and authenticity. I have found Master Bosco Baek to be a dedicated and informative teacher who cares deeply about his students' success. He is not only an excellent teacher, but in addition, he is a highly accomplished practitioner, as well. I have traveled literally thousands of miles to study with Master Baek and I can honestly say that my training at Chen Bing Taiji Academy is the best I have ever had!

This academy is probably the one that only exists in the states. Master Baek's instruction is…read moreauthentic as same as Chen Village. I have understood the real Taijiquan must have hardness and fastness including slowness and softness. If you are looking for real Tai Chi practice, this is the school you have to go attend. I have done modern and health Tai Chi, but this school is different totally. Master Bosco Baek's Cannon Fist is fantastic to watch so is his push-hands.

As a resident living nearby, I personally witnessed them harassing a delivery driver who had parked…read morein the wrong spot. The dark-haired "kung fu master" arrogantly shooed the delivery driver away. In Eastern culture, those who practice martial arts should be tolerant of the weak, not bully them, so I don't recommend you choose this place.

Professor Won is an OG. Probably a descendant of a rooftop korean (google rooftop koreans if you…read moredon't know what i'm talking about), he is great at giving clear directions and introducing people to the fine art of BJJ. His favorite words include "oss!" "stack stack" and "porra" and that's how you know he learned from the greatest. I've been going for more than a year and am addicted - you will sweat, you will learn, you will make friends. Oss!

When I was looking for a way out of my ordinary routine I managed to find National Wushu Center…read more Here I began to study Changquan - a northern style of Chinese martial arts also known as "Long Fist". I've had experience with eastern martial arts such as karate, however I never practiced Chinese wushu before. At this school, you will learn the fundamentals of this art in its true and authentic form. Coach Matthew, carrying on the legacy of coaches Eric and Debbie, holds an incredible passion for wushu. He will convey the utterly rigorous and precise forms of this art to each student in a clear and intelligible manner. Coach Matthew's mastery is awe-inspiring and motivates students to sharpen their skill at each class. He is without a doubt a very talented wushu master and a very talented teacher. After training at National Wushu Training Center for a couple of months you will find yourself a part of a community all united by a single devotion to wushu. This will give you that one third space everyone is in search for. It's a circle where friends are made and relationships are built. Practicing graceful and powerful Changquan comes with challenges but at Coach Matthew's class you get to overcome not just your physical limits but learn how to take a break from whatever may be troubling you in your life. It's strengthening and therapeutic. You will never feel like a failure at the class. Coach Matthew will make sure to guide you thoroughly through every combination, routine and even smallest movement that is there with great attention and attitude. Training here doesn't require a lot. The classes are very affordable. You don't need to get into a fascinating physical shape prior to taking your first class. All you need is to show up. At least once a week. And then Wu ("martial") Shu ("art") can become your real lifelong Kung Fu.

The National Wushu center is amazing!!! I've been wanting to get into martial arts and what a…read morebeautiful introduction. A friend invited me to my first class and we had a ball! Very accessible for all levels and challenging for strength, balance, mobility, and movement patterns in the best way. Coach Matt is the best and infuses history into the lessons with the movement. Planning on making it part of my routine ‍

Good judo & great atmosphere. There is high level advanced training offered for more experienced…read morejudoka, but their beginners program might be the best in Southern California. Highly attentive instructors and detailed instruction for practitioners of all levels. Highly recommended!

Hollywood Judo Dojo - An Adult Perspective- I want to be…read moreclear about my background going in. I currently have around 15ish hours of hands-on class time at Hollywood Judo Dojo. I started over the age of 25, in decent shape, with prior experience in informal grappling and informal striking from my Navy years and training with my brothers (one of whom served in the Army). While none of that was formal or belt-based, it gave me a solid understanding of physical contact, balance, and pressure before stepping into a formal structured judo environment. Before committing here, I tried several other dojos. They were solid, but most were clearly geared toward kids, and adult classes often lacked enough adult bodies to train consistently. That's where Hollywood Judo Dojo immediately stood out--there's a strong adult training presence, with partners of different sizes, strengths, and experience levels, which makes training far more effective. Another thing I appreciate is the variety in adult classes. Different instructors emphasize different aspects of judo--some classes are more free-flowing, others slow things down to explain risk and injury mechanics, and others lean toward competition. Rather than feeling disjointed, it creates a well-rounded training experience. The other black and brown belts outside main instructors are respectful and generous with their knowledge. Across all classes, safety and partner care are consistently emphasized. That culture matters, especially for adults starting later who want to train consistently and longterm without unnecessary injuries. Instruction also focuses on fundamentals first, with no rush to flashy techniques. You're taught how and why things work before moving on. Progress here feels earned. Belts are not handed out casually, and the standard is clear. The overall vibe is chill, professional, and respectful, which says a lot about the dojo's culture. From a practical standpoint, the price is excellent compared to other martial arts schools (200$+ average ) especially considering the quality of instruction, training partners, and facility. The dojo is also conveniently located near the metro train, which is a nice bonus. Even with limited mat time so far, I've learned a lot. For adults--especially those starting later or coming from informal/mixed striking or grappling backgrounds--Hollywood Judo Dojo is a great , legitimate place to train.

The Yard and Yoshi are excellent. This review will hopefully be helpful as an update to how class…read moreis run (since class has changed a little). First my background: I've trained Muay Thai for two years (first time was in April of 2022). I've trained at 7 gyms: FLMT (Florida Muay Thai , OC MT, Team Oyama, Classic Fight Team, Rising Suns Thai Boxing, NELA Combat Fitness, and Boxing Works. My home gym for the last year was Boxing Works under the instruction of Coach Bryan Popejoy, where I trained 3-4 days a week and did one on ones once a week for about 3 month. I would've stayed there however I recently moved to Northeast LA (Highland Park) and the drive to Torrence for BW was too much (about an hour to an hour and a half drive there and 40 minutes on the way home). Whereas the Yard is a 6-minute drive from me with ample sessions. Second, class style: Classes are Monday through Friday: 8-9:30, 10-11:30, 4-5:30, and 6-7:30pm and then two sparring classes on Saturday from 9-10:30 and 11-12:30. As far as I'm aware, Yoshi teaches each class and he does an excellent job. At other gyms, I feel much more advanced then I do at the Yard. Lots of basic bad habits that I got into are getting fine-tuned and corrected. A typical class is organized in four parts: (1) Cardio: A five minute round of jump ropes and then a 30 minute cardio session where we jog, sprint, do knees, teep across the mats. (2) Bagwork We then do several rounds of shadow boxing where Yoshi will make small adjustments to our form. From there, we all go on the heavy bags and practice whatever we want to work on for several rounds while Yoshi works one on one with us on pad/mitwork. This is where I think the Yard shines. If you go to a class with few students, you are essentially getting a free one on one. When you're not working one on one with Yoshi, you are working the bag. (3): Drills/Sparring From there, we work on a specific technique through partner drills and then light technical sparring. Yoshi is very attentive as he goes around and makes adjustments and suggestions. On Fridays the technique is clinch focused; which is really great. Many gyms in Southern California lack emphasis on the clinch. (4): Burnout/core work: We end with 3 minutes of ab/core work and then a minute plank. Sometimes we will burnout with skip knees on the bag. Overall: An excellent choice. I can't speak to how it would be for a beginner, as I came with two-years of experience. I imagine it would be a great place to start. Potential cons: I do not see people doing drills on thai pads (where one partner holds pads and the other hits). Typically, a Muay Thai class is 1 hour. At the Yard, it is 1.5 hours. Which means its a little more demanding. At this point, I cannot train every day even if my schedule allowed it because my body and cardio is just too shot. I imagine with time, that'll change.

I dropped in twice. First time I didn't stay for any training as the instructor said he wouldn't be…read moreinvolved that day. He said that was typical for weekends. Came back on a weekday and stayed for training... he was barely involved in training that day. I understand how someone might think he is rude but I wouldn't go that far, really he just comes off as checked-out and not interested in his gym / business. The session is about 1/3rd combat sport related. The other 2/3rds is light cardio drills you can do in your own home. The other attendees are more willing to help and with that I would say this place serves more of a sparring club than a serious training gym.