Best gym I've ever trained at. Great introductory Bjj class for beginners and advanced classes for…read morecompetitive athletes

This martial arts studio is open and welcoming to all people from every walk of life and skill…read more Whether you've never stepped inside or onto a mat all the way to competing at the top level, I cannot put into words how welcoming the owners and students are here. The kids program is the best run BJJ class anywhere in the lower mainland and quite possibly across Canada. Students are drilled with the basics until they are become second nature and executed without any flaw. The program is instructed in a manner to allow the every child to understand the philosophy of various techniques in a manner that relates to their language and comprehension. The kids competition team competes locally, across Canada, in the United States including the most prestigious event in the world... The Kids PANS in Southern California annually. I LOVE THIS PLACE!

On Saturday, October 11, 2014, Gracie Barra Vancouver & Raz Chan Fitness presented Women's…read moreSelf-Defense Seminar as a fundraising event for Battered Women's Support Services. Seventeen women attended and it was excellent!! Much gratitude to Raz Chan, Anica Simon, Max Rathburn, Norm Leung, Andrea, Robert and Carla. It was excellent!!

Before coming to Gracie Barra, I had already been a hardcore MMA fan for years. That said, I'd…read morenever really trained in martial arts before and the few attempts were awful: I tried wrestling in college, but the program at my school consisted of doing around 600 crunches and countless push-ups while rarely actually receiving any instruction on techniques. The judo program I tried was filled with "alphas" who were more intent on putting new guys through the floor more than anything else. As such, you can understand my hesitation about joining a martial arts gym again. It was something I was naturally curious about but, given my prior experiences, extremely nervous. So after doing a LOT of research about all the various schools in the Vancouver and Richmond areas, I settled on Gracie Barra and now, a year later, I cannot imagine having chosen any other gym. One thing that really sets GB apart from other gyms is how beginner friendly their method of instruction is. New students are paired off with more experienced students who are more interested in helping and encouraging more than anything else. If you're not in the best physical shape or have never trained in a martial art, this is hugely beneficial. It'll encourage you to keep going and ensure that you keep getting better, learning all the time. GB emphasizes the "family" aspect, which means that all the students are there to help each other grow, not crush each other to satisfy their egos. Because of this, GB has a really, really positive atmosphere that makes it easy to learn and that'll keep you coming back until suddenly, you realize that you're not the new guy anymore. That's another thing too: Gracie Barra has fantastic people. Whether it's the instructors or your fellow students, these are all people that you'd genuinely want to hang out with. Even if it wasn't at all something you were expecting or looking for when you joined, you WILL end up making friends here, from all walks of life. I cannot overemphasize how huge a boon this is, especially for beginners. The bottom-line is this: if you're really interested in martial arts and want to get in shape, give this place a try. It doesn't matter if you're grossly out of shape or laughably uncoordinated and clumsy; GB WILL make you better without EVER annihilating you or making you feel badly about yourself. If you're nervous about trying a martial arts gym, there is nothing to fear about GB: just great people and great instructors. As for the technical aspects: Gracie Barra's bread and butter is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and there are students and instruction at all belt/skill-levels, with classes divided accordingly. There are also classes for muay thai, boxing, and conditioning. The average Gracie Barra class follows this structure: Warm-up (5-10 minutes genuinely geared to WARMING YOUUP, not making you puke) Technique 1 (usually a takedown, demonstrated, then drilled back and forth with a partner) Technique 2 (something on the ground, either a transition, escape, or submission) Technique 3 (again, something else on the ground, generally a natural extension of technique 2) Sparring So yeah, if you're at all interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or curious GO TO GRACIE BARRA! You will not regret it. There is no gym that is more supportive to your growth both as a person and as a martial artist.

Faulks Jiu-Jitsu has phases 1 through 3. Where a phase is based on a combination of age, size,…read morematurity, ability, and ambition of the students. I have been training at Faulks Jiu-Jitsu since 2014. I joined to train with my son when he was ready to move to the "Phase 3" classes. He had been training for about 4 years prior under Sensei Darren and the previous owner (Sensei St. John) in the "kids" classes. I am a Sensei in the dojo and teach some Phase 3 classes. I also sometimes help with the earlier phase classes. That said, I am not an employee. I am a paying customer just like every other student. Faulks Jiu-Jitsu is an outstanding place to learn self defence. We are a mixed martial art style that is both practical and effective. We train our students to protect themselves and stay safe. Even though we teach self defence, which is violent in nature, our dojo is a place of kindness and community. If you take a look at the picture gallery on our website ( faulksjiujitsu.com/galle... ) you'll see a lot of violent techniques on display, but also a lot of smiles and camaraderie. Students at Faulks Jiu Jitsu practice not only solid self defence, but general fitness, and mutual respect. Finally, I feel the need to explicitly address comments made by the reviewer "Erika B". I cannot speak for this reviewer's experience, but I can speak for my own. My son (Sensei Ben) is transgender. You can find him on our team page: faulksjiujitsu.com/team (I'm Sensei Brent BTW). If Faulks Jiu Jitsu was not supportive of acceptance and diversity, neither my son nor I would be here.

Super disappointed at the lack of compassion and understanding of diversity in this place. I would…read morenot recommend this facility to people who are looking for a safe and all encompassing space for their child. In this day and age of inclusivity I expect MUCH better.

For the past almost 3 months my son has been attending the four to six class. I have quite a few…read morethoughts on how awesome this place is and why, The caveat being that it relates to being a parent of a kid who attends. We watch from the car though! Also, given the below, I really believe that it's important. You know that I'm writing this on my own accord. I've never been asked to write a review, positive or otherwise. I'm just really happy with my experience and was very disappointed with the rating on Yelp. They deserve more than that The first thing I'd like to say is that the coaches are all awesome with the kids. When you walk into the gym they all greet the kids excitedly, when there's an accidental head but or a finger stepped on, they are there so quickly and are so skilled at turning the bad experience good with high fives, validation, and care. They took several introductory sessions before he joined the class to have a few short sessions with him and build his confidence. This was great because on his first day he walked in knowing Coach Brandon. Speaking of confidence, the program that they have for the kids that works them through merit badges has been really awesome for my son. We just made it through the first discipline series and the conversations that we had with our four and a half year old about what each stage meant were amazing and as parents we were super happy to see him thinking about what it meant to have a goal and then executing on it, for example. Is it the cheapest activity for my kid? No. But the value extends beyond that one class a week. And I'm so happy that we took the plunge. Oh, and everyone is very, very communicative about his progress and they are flexible when you need a makeup class so you don't miss out on the valuable time. I don't get that out of a lot of other things.. like soccer... Or preschool, haha. Haven't had a single negative thing to on, it hasn't ever been like pulling teeth to get him there. It's five stars all around.

So we originally signed up our girls (7 years old) last Spring. It took a bit for the girls to get…read moreinto a rhythm but soon they felt at home. Instructors were professional and great with the kids. Great way to in-still discipline and confidence for young kids. Kabir and the rest of his staff were great to deal with. We would have continued but with the new school year and other activities we were just spread to thin to continue for now. Highly recommend this place and the way its packed with participants, clearly shows a strong following. Would have scored it higher but will save that when we go back and sign up again in the future. Manj & Susan M.

I've been attending kickboxing classes at Isshindo and have had fantastic experience so far. As…read moresomeone with no prior martial arts experience, I thought Giju and the group/class were welcoming, friendly, supportive, and encouraging. Giju seems genuinely invested in helping students succeed at their own pace. The training is challenging enough to push me outside my comfort zone, but not in an intimidating way. The classes keep me wanting to come back even after a tough class, instead of just giving up completely. The class atmosphere feels safe, positive, and supportive, making it an excellent option for beginners who may feel hesitant about starting martial arts. It feels like a comfortable space to learn, a "no-judgement zone"! The studio itself is spacious, filled with natural light, and equipped with plenty of training equipment suitable for various skill levels. There is also ample free parking in the plaza, and the location is easily accessible by transit with nearby bus stops across the studio. Traffic in the area is generally manageable as well (quiet during midday). If you're looking for a martial arts school that balances challenging training with a supportive and welcoming community, I highly recommend Isshindo!

Great atmosphere and Giju Fathi is so knowledgeable and friendly. I take the BJJ and Kickboxing…read morewith my teenage son and we both love it! I would (and do often) recommend to anyone looking train.

I got a groupon to try the drop in class…read more Not bad, very small and cozy gym area. I was abit confused when I walk in because the reception area and the gym area are neck to neck. It is extremely sweaty and hot in the gym if you don't mind. I went for Monday class, there is not really any structure on the fundamental teaching (although the class description says it is adult fundamental Muay Thai class). The fitness class is good, it is a circuit and plus the heat, you will sweat like a bucket, excellent warm up for the Muay Thai class. I have done Muay Thai before so I know the fundamentals but it might be confusing for someone who has never done it before. The students and the instructors are super nice and friendly. Overall it is very bang for the buck you paid for the groupon. I would go again just because I like the challenges.

If you're looking for a great mixed martial arts workout without sass or attitude, check out this…read morelocally owned studio. I take the Muay Thai kickboxing classes but Budo also offers Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, Kyokushin Karate, X-fit conditioning classes for fighters and a variety of kids classes. The studio owners and instructors are all trained in and are practitioners of their respective disciplines, so they pay attention to and help you correct your technique. The skill set in the kickboxing classes range from newbies to trained fighters, so it's not intimidating if you want to try it out for the first time nor is it too boring if you're a trained fighter. I've definitely noticed an increase in my confidence and my fitness levels. But above all, the instructors and fellow students have made me feel more badass, which speaks loads about how much fun you have training here.

Excel Martial Arts has had a powerful positive impact on my son's life! 5yrs now and soon to be a…read moreblack belt! Highly recommend!

This is a very good martial arts experience for kids here. Autism friendly. Affordable. And they…read morepick up kids after school.

Our kids have been going to Sirota's for a couple if years now. They do an awesome job with the…read morekids. I highly recommend Sirota's.

The instructors that I was taught by were all great. This school also seems to do well with…read morechildren. And I think it's fantastic that they have a program specifically for the blind. When I was attending, they had lunch time classes during the week which was very convenient. I would have liked to see a bit more feedback from the belt grading process though. Everyone always passed their tests, with no critique offered for future development. I originally joined because I wanted to work on improving my kicks. I accomplished that goal, but was ready to move on to other skills offered at different schools.