CORE Taekwondo Performance Center

10.6 mi

Great concealed carry experience--both in terms of classroom training and shooting proficiency…read morequalification. The guys are super helpful and knowledgeable; always willing to offer support and suggestions for all levels.

Quest Martial Arts Raleigh

(4 reviews)

2.3 mi

We really love QMAR!!! We stumbled into martial arts because our children fell in love with ninjas…read more So I googled "Ninja schools in Wake Forest" and that is what began our journey with QMAR. I am surprised how FUN the classes are. I appreciate that Sensei Bryan incorporates character training and life lessons even for our little kids (simple things like taking care of people's things or doing hard things without complaining). He has been a big inspiration to our daughter and our son can't wait until he is big enough to join classes. Mask wearing and good hygiene are practiced - ninjas protect health! We are so happy to be part of the QMAR community and highly recommend it to other families who want their kids to learn life lessons with good friends.

My son goes here and absolutely loves it. Sensei Brian and Sensei Katlynn are great - they are…read morefirm, kind, patient and fair. They are also a little funny, so if you're a parent waiting for your kid, you'll surely have a chuckle or two.

Sensei Bryan leads our Mighty Dragons kids in a memory and focus game.

Empowering and positive environment

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Mindfulness and meditation practice

Inmortales MMA, Self Defense & Fitness

3.1 mi

Challenging, fun & technical work. You will learn a lot at this gym! This is a TOUGH gym but very…read morewelcoming. The coach really knows his stuff! He's got some excellent fighters. One of the top best gyms out there to learn The Art of Muay Thai.

From the owner: Muay Thai, MMA, Boxing, Kickboxing, Grappling, Wrestling Personal Training, Kids Classes & more!read more

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Rogue Studio

13.2 mi

I love training with Caity and Alex! They are not only wonderfully warm, welcoming individuals, but…read morethey are both excellent instructors. I picked up Krav Maga in my mid-40s because I realized I'm a "freezer." I needed to learn how to retrain my brain to act in dangerous situations. I'm petite, about 5-feet tall. I was skeptical at first that I would be able to physically compete with someone much larger than me until I saw Caity fight. We are close to the same size, and she is a fierce, agile fighter as well as a fantastic instructor! Whenever we are practicing a technique in class that is likely not suitable for someone my size, Caity always has another tactic to share so I can discover what works best for me. Alex exudes passion and excitement that is contagious to his students. He is sincerely concerned with helping each student, regardless of skill level, not only improve every time they step into his class but also have fun and build confidence. Caity and Alex both possess a natural ability to provide feedback and instruction without undermining confidence, which is one of the most crucial characteristics of a good teacher. I've never left one of Alex or Caity's classes without feeling better about myself and looking forward to the next class. I'm willing to drive an hour or more to train with Caity and Alex because they offer a challenging, safe, fun environment where I feel comfortable letting go of my personal insecurities in order to learn and become more adept and confident at protecting myself in the event of an attack or dangerous situation. I also love that Rogue offers other forms of fitness such as yoga and strength training. Caity and Alex have created a space where I can grow stronger and healthier mentally and physically. Rogue feels like a second home.

From the owner: We offer the following Specialties: Krav Maga - Complete…read moreself-protection system Yoga (11:11, HIIT, Restorative, and Yin focuses) Small Group Fitness classes (Fit-X, Pound, Pilates) Private Appointments (1 on 1 or small group) Personal Training Sign up for a Free Class!

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Carolina Fighting Arts

1.6 mi

Quintin is a fantastic instructor. He has been one of my instructors in Krav Maga for over 5…read moreyears. If you a looking for really effective self-defense, but also want a hard workout you need to check this school out.

Fight Flow Academy

(9 reviews)

11.9 mi

The trainers here are excellent they really push you to your full capability. Everyone is treated…read moreequal and fight flow has a great learning environment. You feel like family/team.

Been going here for about 9 months and it is by far the best gym in Raleigh. The head Muay Thai…read morecoach, Johnny Kru, is one the best coaches I have ever had. He really understands the sport and is passionate. You would be very lucky to have him as your instructor. The other coaches are all also amazing as well. Great place all around.

Self defense for women at Fight Flow Academy

Brazilian Jiujitsu with coach Scott at Fight Flow Academy

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Heritage Jiu Jitsu

(2 reviews)

2.8 mi

We decided to give the afterschool classes at Heritage Jiu Jitsu a try, and we've absolutely…read moreenjoyed it. Coach Jamie has a childhood education degree and has been teaching kids for decades. We think this brings in a firm and supportive atmosphere in comparison to other martial arts gyms we've visited but were afraid to really commit. We would recommend Heritage to anyone.

Highly recommend Heritage Jiu Jitsu with Coach Jeremy and his assistant coach Jamie! I have 2 sons…read morewho attend their classes and have gained so much more than just learning the practice of Jiu Jitsu! They have learned about discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, courage, patience, and friendship. Coach Jeremy is knowledgeable in working in with kids of all different ages, levels, and personalities. Having a child with special needs can be challenging to find the right person to work with them, but Coach Jeremy is absolutely amazing with him! I highly recommend his class for anyone looking to have their child in something more than just a "sport"!

My youngest son receiving his belt

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Master Chang's Martial Arts

(12 reviews)

9.2 mi

My 7 year old autistic daughter started taking classes when she was 5 years old. At first she…read morestarted as a Tiger Tots and has since earned 10 belts at Master Chang's Taekwondo. We feel like family rather than just paying customers. That makes a big difference in keeping up motivation to keep going.

We joined Master Chang's Martial Arts' North Ridge location 6 months ago, and it has been the best…read moreexperience we've had with an activity for our child. Master Y Kim is an amazing instructor, capturing and keeping the kids attention with fun exercises and learning experiences. He knows every kid by name, seems to genuinely care about their progress and is great at recognizing where kids need extra help. Ms Petra is always there with a smile on her face to greet children and parents alike, and to make sure the kids have the best time. No matter how busy she is, she always makes time to ask how you are doing. The program at Master Chang's blends taekwondo instruction with character building skills and experiences. The staff and class helpers foster an atmosphere of positivity, support, and respect amongst the kids in a fun and engaging way. My child looks forward to every class he goes to, and this is the first activity where he hasn't complained once about going, or asking when it will be over. We recently also had his birthday party there and it was super fun for all involved, including even the parents who got to participate in the taekwondo lesson, watch a performance from the talented demo team of students from this location, and hold boards while their children broke them with the skills they learned at the party. Parents let us know how much fun their children had and commented on how engaging Master Y Kim was specifically. I highly recommend anyone to try out taekwondo classes at Master Chang's and specifically this location.

Family style intro class!

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Beginners class warming up!

Lion of Judah Academy

7.9 mi

I have been working with Quintin Byrd since April of 2023. In that time I have taken both classes…read moreand private lessons. Quintin teaches men and women of all ages, including children and teenagers. I saw that he tailors his teaching approach to a student's age, maturity and physical ability. I am probably his oldest student at 75. As a bit of an outlier I am taking private lessons with Quintin rather than in a class though I started out that way. Quintin's approach, to me, is very impressive. He teaches how to deal with the range of confrontations from situational awareness, recognition of anomalous behavior and making distance, deescalating verbal confrontation up to the maximum danger of bringing down someone who is trying to kill you. These techniques include practicing situational awareness and making distance, subtly getting into fighting position while attempting to deescalate (if that looks like a reasonable first response), using 'light hands" when someone gets with arm's reach or head butting distance, staying off an attacker's center to make it more difficult for them to rush you. When there is no alternative to violence for you to survive, Quintin teaches you those places on the human body where even very large strong men are vulnerable such as the left side of the neck where the vagas nerve is located, and a strike there can cause an attacker to collapse. Learning Krav Mags as Quintin teaches it is not just about learning to perform efficiently Krav Maga techniques from level 1 up to 1st Dan. The key word in teaching people how to be violent when necessary is necessary. This means a student who may use Krav Maga as a lethal defense must be aware of their own inner state and their desire to satisfy their ego if insulted. He requires his students to understand the legality of their actions and how to explain to the police or in court the rationale for what they did to the other person. Quintin also made us aware that concealed carry insurance will cover legal costs for a student who uses Krav Maga to defend themself. Just because an attacker tried to kill you does not imply that he/she or their relatives won't sue you in civil court even if you are not charged with a crime or are exonerated. He made sure that we know that concealed carry insurance may save you possibly as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs. Good to know. This may be scary stuff to contemplate, but for me Quintin is helpful to me as a mentor and a friend. If you are going to learn Krav Maga you don't want to use it because you are in a bad mood. Your state of mind is more important than you might think for two reasons: 1) don't create a fight when you don't have to; 2) use Krav Maga efficiently even when your mind might tend to be super stressed if you are attacked. Quintin has taught me and continues to teach me that a generally peaceful state-of-mind in one's life makes one more efficient when using Krava Maga. Be it for situational awareness and making distance or to use lethal force. I find that what teaches me helps me deal with the stresses of everyday life. I am grateful to have Quintin as a teacher and, yes, a mentor.

From the owner: We are a Christian Martial Arts program that incorporates biblical principles with self defense…read moretechniques. We offer adults and kid's self defense classes along with boxing classes for all ages.

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Fantasy Lake Adventure Park

4.1

(22 reviews)

6.1 mi

I loved this! There's something for everything it's very family friendly too. If you're an adult…read morethis will take you back to your childhood. I can see how this is an all day affair. The life guards were very attentive. This is the perfect summer time activity or even date. We brought a cooler with sandwiches and Gatorade, you'll def want to utilize that perk of bringing your own cooler. I really like that you also can buy admission without waterpark access , different strokes for different folks! Everyone's covered and considered in their ticketing

Such a fun place to take kids or if you wanna be a big kid yourself! I like how they have teenagers…read more(maybe some college kids) working there. They're all so friendly and welcoming! Gives them an opportunity to earn some money during the season. We got the aquabana as they call it, for half a day (4 hours) and it was worth it ! We didn't swim but the kids did and they had a blast! You're able to bring a cooler with food and drinks ( juice, tea, soda, water. No alcohol) they have a food truck on site, as well as a "dirty soda" stand. Flavored sodas with cream (very popular in Utah but slowly making their way to the east coast) as well as a first aid bungalow. Everyone gets a life vest but kids under 18 MUST wear theirs at all times! I like that rule! Keeps the kids safe. Of course the teens working there are certified lifeguards just in case! They also offer scuba classes/lessons at the quarry. Would I come back? YES! Maybe one day I would try the courses and swim or paddle board but the go around it was nice relaxing and letting the kids live carefree in the lake!

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Optimist Park and Pool

4.2

(15 reviews)

10.3 mi

So glad Jessica teaches, aerobics, core exercise. Tuesdays…read moream. And Thursdays. Check out the schedule. Also power house at milbrook . Thanks Jessica

Optimist is a great community center for indoor pickleball. They have 3 courts for open play and a…read moregood variety of hours open. The bathrooms and parking are good and the staff are nice. I took classes here with Ken and Tom and learned a lot. I will keep returning.

Optimist Park, Raleigh

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Optimist Park, Raleigh

Sandling Beach at Falls Lake

4.8

(6 reviews)

11.8 mi

The beach is spotless, with no trash anywhere. You'll see a few hair ties and bottle caps, but…read morenothing major. The sand is coarse because of scattered pebbles and bits of wood, so bring floppers for comfort. The water is clean and safe. Two large buildings are available for changing and showering. Picnic tables sit under the trees, and grills are open for cooking. The park has multiple trails, a children's playground, and it's dog‑friendly for walking. Entrance fees: $10 per vehicle, $5 for seniors.

Sandling is a man made beach within Falls Lake State Park. They charged $10 for the holiday…read moreweekend entrance fee. Sandling is accessible to the fire pits for barbecuing and is very small. Perfect for families and small children. You can access the beach on Creedmoor Rd. This was the perfect place for a convenient beach day 4th of July weekend. It saved me the 4 hour trip to Bear Island. I arrived early around 10:30 a.m. and there were no crowds. We camped out near the showers and bathrooms. This park is perfectly lined with trees in abundance. Perfect for barbecuing. We enjoyed our morning picnic and the water was very relaxing. I appreciate how clean the sand area was and the garbage was well organized as well. I brought my mother who is 72 and I had concerns about the proximity of the restrooms and showers and overall access. I was relieved to discover how convenient the beach access was for those with mobility impairment and disabilities. There are no pets allowed and no alcohol permitted. I watched the park rangers escort someone with a pit bull to the parking lot to return home and a woman was asked to dump out several beer cans. You have been warned. They run a tight ship here. I plan to return throughout the remainder of the summer months.

View of the beach from the sand. (Cloudy at this time)

Lake Beach

Beachfront

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Destiny Dance Institute

4.3

(11 reviews)

0.6 mi

My daughter just completed the hip hop summer class and I am so impressed by how this whole…read moreinstitute is run! Hats off to the enthusiastic teachers! Compared to other dance places we've been to...this is by far the best. Plenty of seating for parents. Monitors up for you to watch your kiddo. And everything so organized and well run. Thanks DDI and I hope we'll be back soon for more!

After being at this studio for ten years here are the reasons I would not recommend it…read more 1. . If you're looking for a studio with an owner who doesn't have a backbone this is the studio for you. 2. If you're looking for a studio that allows volunteer parents to discipline students without the other child parents being present this is the studio for you. 3. If you're looking for a studio that allows kids to rip masks off other kids faces with no consequences this is the studio for you. 4. If you want a studio where kids are allowed to come to class after being home from school the same day with fevers this is the studio for you. ( This happened multiple times and the administration did nothing) my child had the kid who came with a fever cough in her face and thought it was funny. This is the studio for you. 5. If you're looking for a studio where you volunteer over 600 hours in one year and are still treated like crap by the owner this is the studio for you. 6. If you are looking for a studio where parent volunteers basically manipulate to get what they want for their kids and are allowed to get away with whatever they want even lying and having other families ask to leave the studio ( after ten loyal years) this is the studio for you. 7. If you want parent drama, bullying ( by students and parents), and false accusations made about you that are never even investigated this is the studio for you. WFYB I give 4 out of 5 But DDI 1 out of 5 This studio has changed over the years and not for the best. If you are taking recreational classes you will probably be fine but if your child is asked to join any of the companies I would be very concerned.