Joining Redzovic Jiu Jitsu 6 months ago has truly changed my life. I was badly out of shape, always…read morewanting to do better - but failing constantly to get started, stay committed, or make real changes. I keep the "free trial class" tab open on my browser for 6 months before coming in - I was nervous I'd be too out of shape, too old to get started, just no good... Then I finally hit a breaking point and decided to just try one. While very very hard and extremely humbling - I was hooked right away. Felt incredibly motivated to get better... the kind of motivation you can only achieve by being repeatedly choked, swept, and submitted by people much smaller than you. Professor Greg and Coach Sandino have provided me consistent encouragement, education, and drive - they are great coaches, and if you are just starting out, their "fundamentals" weekday classes get ton of 1:1 instruction and depth. I've lost weight, improved my fitness levels, and generally feel a much happier and more confident person. Also been able to bring my 6yr old daughter along with me. She loves the kids classes, the hands on attention from the coaches, and learning self defense and discipline. I strongly recommend coming in for a trial class - the gym is welcoming, a great community, with tough competition but support along the way.

I love this place! The instructors are great, everyone is kind and there's no macho tough guy…read moreenergy. Everyone wants to learn and get better and there is a true sense of camaraderie. It's a cool mix of young and old, male and female and again, an overall great vibe. They also seem to go out of their way to keep the place clean which is vital for a BJJ gym. I am very glad I joined and I plan to continue for a long time.

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Fantastic place to train. World class instructors and a safe environment. Highly recommended.read more

I have been coming here 2 years now. Great trainers, great people, great facility. Some classes are…read moremore of a workout, and some classes are more about technique (it all depends on which instructor is teaching that day). They have a lot of knowledge, and you can share a dialogue about different moves and questions you have. I feel safer walking around the streets of Chicago knowing that I can defend myself. Plus, the owner Jeff usually has some good stories if you show up to class early.

Let me begin by saying that while I love how you feel and look when you work out consistently, I…read morejust can't muster up the motivation to make myself do it! I dislike running, and I push myself harder when working out with a group. Clark and I wanted to take some type of a workout class together...him acting as my new motivation to get in shape. When it came down to decision time, we were between yoga and Krav. We decided to check out Krav since both of us knew what yoga was, and the rest is history. I NEVER feel obligated to come to class - I always want to go! (This is NOT normal for me!!!) We began attending Krav Academy around mid-March and have thoroughly enjoyed it every step of the way. Not only am I getting a great work out in, but I am learning how to get out of a dangerous situation quickly and safely. My funds are limited, but I can certainly justify this work out as it is not merely to "get in shape." The Academy is hosted by FFC Old Town, which is a fine enough facility itself. What I really appreciate is that the Academy is SEPARATE from FFC, so I do not pay for an additional membership at the gym (great news for people on budgets!!). There is a $100 equipment fee when you first sign up and the unlimited monthly package is $130. I believe there is an option for a 2 classes per week membership, but I certainly recommend going w the monthly. As for the instructors: all are seriously great. Ivo and Erin in particular do an exceptional job at demonstrating, explaining, and teaching different moves and defenses. It is obvious that Ivo has been doing this for a very long time and is very passionate about it. While many can be considered a "professional" in something, not all can teach. Ivo makes things so easy to learn and keeps it fun! He pushes you, teaches you, and jokes with you. I've quite literally never met a teacher or coach that has been able to teach me something new as Ivo has taught me Krav Maga. As a previous reviewer wrote: the instructors here are incredibly helpful. They want to teach you and take on a genuine interest in your improvement. I typically need a lot of help going through drills and getting better at them, but I have not felt like I've been a burden to anyone teaching there. People in class are always friendly and it is easy to join and feel welcomed. It helps a lot that the other students in the class that have been there for a few months also help instruct you and help you improve. I seriously cannot write enough good things about Krav Academy. I have a ton of fun, I'm learning how to keep myself safe, and am getting in better shape than I have been in the last 7 years! Everyone involved is seriously great and I really look forward to continuing my involvement in Krav Maga here!

Authentic enchiladas 10/10!! Friendly service and delicious food, this place is a gem. Will…read moredefinitely return.

Love this neighborhood dojo! My child has been doing well and I love the mix of skill levels that…read morecome to their class. Even though we are still a white belt we get to work with and learn things that the yellow, green and blue belts do as well. This place is a real community and very supportive, amazing instructors!

Great people. Great training. Tough training (which is how I like it). Shihan is a very…read morequalified instructor, and when Shihan isn't teaching, the Sensei he has is just as capable. The only reason this isn't a 5-star review is that this isn't the most accessible dojo. The schedule for adults (when I went) was limited to three days a week and it ended rather late at night past 10:00 PM. It was hard to catch a bus back to the EL. Be prepared to pay cash only, but well worth it for the instruction you get. Very friendly atmosphere. To dojo jest bardzo polskie. Polacy są tu bardzo mile widziani.

I met Leslaw in European Massage Therapy School, he is an outstanding and passionate instructor and…read morementor. Whenever given an opportunity to attend continuing education class, I grab it! His lovely wife also instructs Chigong. This place is just good for the mind, body, soul!

I recently contacted the owner, Pete, through their website to drop in and train while I was in…read moreChicago for business. He was very open about the idea (some gym owners aren't) and told me to download the class schedule off their website as it was modified due to Covid. After my visit I was pleasantly surprised by the level of Jiu Jitsu being taught by Pete as well as his students skill level. I was required to pay a small drop in fee, but it wasn't a big deal as I've been asked the same of several gyms I've visited. Overall I would definitely suggest you check out Rio Jiu Jitsu if you are in the Chicago area, I'm glad I did

So, to be completely honest I wanted my child to do martial arts but I didn't know the difference…read morebetween them all. Rio Jiu Jitsu opened up behind my house & I was still reluctant despite my husbands excitement to enroll our daughter there. Probably because I didn't know a lot about Jiu Jitsu. Well the first day we brought my daughter I fell in love with this place! Changed my mind in a second! They are so great there! Their kids classes are awesome! My daughter has grown so much in the short time she's been doing this! The coaches are so great with the kids! Firm but gentle. They give the children discipline & goals. I am so happy that we are there. There's a real sense of community there too. Everyone is welcoming! I can't wait to see my daughter grow there. She is determined to win a medal one day and I believe she can there!!

This is a great place to learn Hapkido. Hapkido is a korean martial art that uses fun stuff like…read morekicks, strikes, and joint locks to immobilize your opponet. Hapkido is easier to pick up and use than some other martial arts and they aren't above teaching you some quick and dirty ways to ruin someone's day (which I will leave to your imagination). Master Kevin is the main guy and he is really down-to-earth and patient with total rookies like myself. The hours are great - they have classes seven days a week and evenings. The first class is free and if they see someone new they'll teach some quick, easy-to-learn self-defense stuff along with the regular class. Even if you don't sign up, you will have a new trick or two up your sleeve in case you ever need it. Try it out!

Truly awesome martial arts!!! This is Hapkido as intended without crazy aerials designed to woo…read morecrowds of S. Koreans or writers from Black Belt Magazine... a good indication that a Hapkido school is actually teaching something else. Here the emphasis is placed on learning the techniques correctly intertwined with basic street knowledge and a good dose of common sense which is refreshing. Master Kevin has been teaching Hapkido since he was in his teens, holds his BS in Education, has years of experience bouncing Chicago nightclubs and performing security/bodyguard work for major names in the Hip Hop world, and is now the premier instructor for the Jung Ki Kwan Hapkido in the Midwest. This is a man who understands fighting, self-defense, and the psychology of what happens in a confrontation and is able to teach why the techniques work based on his experiences rather than just teaching material without ever having tested its practicality. Now that I have been training here for the last 6 months, I can't imagine studying Hapkido under anyone else. Also available are classes in Kuhapdo which is a Korean sword style as well as women-only classes in Self-Defense and the new female instructed FitCut class that focuses heavily on core strength through the use of the sword, cardio, and coordinated movement. As Mark noted, Hapkido is a Korean martial art and is commonly translated as "the way of coordinated energy/power". It is also frequently described using words like "dynamic" and "eclectic" because it combines so many different types of response that are all based on redirecting your opponent's energy and returning it in a circular motion, typically along with a final strike or series of strikes intended to end the fight. In addition to basic strikes and low kicks, you learn joint locks, pressure points, throws, and some weapons at more advanced levels. Finally, Hapkido is not a Korean version of the Japanese Aikido whose techniques typically end short before leaving the realm of defensive measures. Simply put, Hapkido is street fighting which also helps distinguish it from competitive arts like Karate, Tae Kwan Do, Kickboxing, Judo, or BJJ. I have nothing but respect for other arts but competitive martial arts generally consider our final strikes "dirty" or "illegal" because they focus on how to score points in a match. In my eyes, if you're in a real fight, I'll skip over anything designed for competitive back-and-forth point scoring and do whatever I need to in order to walk away in 1 piece. Realistically, that may simply mean running but if my back is against a wall, this is a martial art that just may save my neck. This is a great school. Pricing is fair and Master Kevin will never try to get you to sign a lengthy contract. To my knowledge, he doesn't even have contracts other than asking that you let him know 30 days before leaving. Also worth noting, the entire syllabus is available on DVD in English being performed by the current Grandmaster in Korea (http://jkkmedia.com) and is a great way to supplement the material you get in class and reinforce your understanding so that you can train at a more accelerated pace. Check out the International Hapkido USA website (http://jungkifamily.com) for class times and any additional information.

CHANGED MY LIFE FOR THE BEST! Peace Breathing For Beginners…read moreliterally changed my life. For $100 and 5 short and lovely weeks, Jennifer Kim and Master Kim and their method (Master Kim's Father's incredible method!) stopped my anxiety. The work Focused me to listen to what others are truly saying around me. I have been a better employee, leader, mom and woman. Love the Peace School. Honestly every human should take this course and the world would be a better place. I am a better human for experiencing this class. Please Take it! You will not regret.

I've lived a 5-minute walk away for years, and today was the first time I tried a yoga class at the…read morePeace School. The motivation was 1) feeling particularly stressed lately, and 2) more regularly biking to/from work lately - so I get plenty of aerobic exercise in, just not as much stretching. As a few other reviews note, the class (I did level 3 with my husband) was more about stretching and breathing, which is what I was hoping for. It was nice to un-tighten, and nice to give my mind a break on a Saturday morning. After class, the owner and that class's teacher, Master Kim, as well as Lydia (who works there) came over to talk with us, which was pleasant. We learned this type of yoga is more traditional, compared to the harder yoga workouts that are trendier these days. If you're looking for a place to show off your Lululemon and Insta' your practice, it might not be for you (though I'm sure you'd still be welcome!). But, if you want to unwind and stretch and rest your mind, this was a nice class for it. $10/class and drop-in makes it likely we'll be back!