So. I have gone to Guard UP, since i was in fourth grade. Fourth grade was a very hard time for me, and going to guard up that year, ultimately changed my life. I've read the other reviews, and the person who said that there son didn't "Learn, and develop" I'm frankly shocked. Everyone i know who ever went to class at Guard Up, has learned something that can seriously help them in life. I myself, learned so much about myself, thanks to the absolutely wonderful instructors, and staff. I've grown as a person so much thanks to Guard Up. The classes at Guard Up are all run by great people, that enjoy teaching the kids, as much as the kids enjoy learning (which is a LOT) The classes are a big part of Guard Up, but the greatest part of the business, is it's absolutely excellent residential or res camp. Residential camp is a camp which is currently in Westford MA. This camp has given so many kids opportunities. Kids that maybe are a little shy, at camp can lead their peers in whatever they do best. I've met kids who excel at story telling, and thanks to the grade A+ counselors that are hired, flourish and have the best time of their lives. I've personally gone to the camp for three years now. Some kids want to be heroes, and fight the villains, and excel at combat (which is extremely safe). And a huge in between of kids, and the camp caters to all of them.This camp is so awesome that i can't find enough adjectives to describe it. People come from all over the USA to participate in this camp. I touched on it previously, but the counselors there are people that love what they are doing, and love working at the camp, and frankly you can't get a better environment to learn in then when everyone there loves what they are doing. This camp is absolutely phenomenal. It is so great that for the past three years, I have not stop thinking about camp, and all the great friends that i made, and look forward to making. I'm not kidding either, it is almost always on my mind, writing this review i am having flashbacks, of a huge variety of moments. From battling monsters, to negotiating with my fellow heroes, and the occasional enemy, to sitting around just talking to some of the greatest people on the face of the earth. I have met so many amazing people at Guard Up that have majorly impacted my life. The fact that I'm sitting here writing this review as a student, should speak volumes in of itself about this place, and what it does for young people. I've grown into a shy quiet boy, to a confident leader, who stares down adversity with ease, and people tell stories at camp about my heroism, and when i first went to Guard Up i was shy and a follower. Thanks to them i am a better person Now by now I've probably rambled on, but it should only go to prove the greatness of this place. If you ask anyone who has really experienced the place, I'm sure they'll have stories to regale you with I truly cannot recommend Guard Up enough. If you're reading this, you should go grab your phone and call to schedule an intro class. read more

I am extremely surprised to see some of the low ratings and mean-spirited comments posted here for Guard Up Family Swordsmanship. My feeling is that, like many things in life, what you see depends on your personality and your point of view. And some of the folks posting negative comments on this page are also posting negative comments for almost every other business they encounter, so please take what they have to say with a grain of salt. I believe that it is time for a Guard Up Reality Check here on Yelp. Do you just see people running around whacking each other with foam swords? Then maybe you aren't paying attention to the spirit of the game. If your child has attended classes but you haven't seen any growing and learning on his part -- is it at all possible that this has something to do with your child, and not the facility? If your only experience with Guard Up was at a loud and disorganized birthday party, you need to remember that most of the party guests don't attend Guard Up full-time, and that they are not a reflection of a typical Guard Up student. And if you've had complaints about the professionalism of the staff, did you speak up, hopefully directly to the people involved? No one is perfect, and all of us deserve a chance to correct our mistakes. Guard Up is a place where imaginative kids (and adults) can enter into a fantasy world. There isn't another place like it for active, highly-imaginative kids who are not interested in typical team sports like soccer, softball, etc. Guard Up's classes emphasize fair play, "knightly" manners and sportsmanship. They Honor The Game at Guard Up, and this involves much more than just following the rules of the game. Honoring the game is a life lesson that most people would do well to learn. And Guard Up's teachers manage to be fun-loving and also maintain discipline at the same time -- not an easy feat. My own son has attended Guard Up for almost 3 years. I have seen him grow in confidence, skills, and responsibility. He has become a well-mannered, hard-working and pleasant young teenager, and much of that is due to the amazing role models he has been exposed to at Guard Up. At Guard Up he has found a place where he can fit in, and where all children and adults are welcomed, regardless of skill level, personality, or even good manners. Guard Up works with everyone who comes in the door, and does their best to help each person enjoy their experience there. I've had three years of watching children go in and out their doors, and I can tell you that most of them are on their way to becoming adults that we all would be proud to know. They honor the game at Guard Up. And we would do well to follow their example. read more

I was also surprised by the review. My boys, ages 14 and 12, are in their 5th year @ Guard Up. Guard Up has been a positive experience for our family. My oldest just told me the other day " Mom I will always be grateful that you enrolled us in Guard Up!" The interaction between the instructors, staff and my kids is important to me. I can't say enough about the classes and the instructors. They have had the same core pool of instructors for the past five years. They are great role models for the kids. Through their efforts, the kids utilize their imagination, building their leadership and social skills; writing skills (points and powers class) and historical knowledge. They look forward to class every week; NEVER have they stated "i don't want to go to class" in five years. That's testimony in and of itself. These same instructors are part of the residential camp. I know them (they've always been very receptive to any interaction with me); the boys know them - it truly is a win-win for the boys and myself as a parent. They interact with kids at all levels - demonstrating the three tenets of honor, compassion and courage. Tenets we practice at home. And we all know 'play' is vital in a child's formative years. It may seem like all they are doing is swinging the foam sword, but there is SO MUCH more to it -- strategy, thinking - all under the tenets of honor, compassion and courage. To have 'play' build character as they grow.. it's been great to watch. My youngest had a history project, in which he had to write a 10 page report on a historical figure and then portray the character (dressed up, speech, etc). He 'performed' in front of a roomful of parents, flawlessly. Everyone did a great job, but it was clear he was comfortable (no note cards etc). I do believe his experience with the Points and Powers class played a role in this. My older son's Middle School history teacher was thrilled with his knowledge of history and quote 'profound' thinking around historical events. I would encourage anyone to speak to Meghan, Adam or any of the instructors with any concerns or feedback. Meghan and her staff have always been receptive to any feedback and are always willing to address them read more

5 Stars just aren't enough! Like many Moms nowadays, I was searching for a program that would make my 12 year old son want to step away from the video games and get him moving and interacting with actual people. Finding a good fit wasn't going to be easy. He'd tried one competitive sport after another.... Rugby, Flag Football, Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, but wasn't really happy competing in that way. He enjoyed competing in games like Stratego and Chess instead. I luckily stumbled upon Guard Up while searching for a Summer camp program. From that 1st introductory class, he was all in! He's happily enrolled in just about every class offered to his age group including Fencing (with real Fencing foils), Points and Powers, Ace Nerf Class, Historical Weapons and most recently the Stage Combat class. He looks forward to the Live Action Role Play involved in the Points and Powers and the Nerf Ace Class. He totally gets into building his own character, deciding on his powers, strengths and weaknesses, and carrying out his role within the story to achieve his team's mission. The Nerf Swords and Blasters are great tools that add to the fun. He's absolutely fascinated by the Historical Weapons program where he learns when the weapon was used, why it was designed a certain way, it's purpose, who used it..... etc. Then using the foam swords, they re-enact battles, all the while learning about history in a way that's exciting. His newest class is Stage Combat. It's here that we've seen his inner actor emerge. He's become so much more confident and actually recently decided to audition for his Middle School's upcoming play. Before Guard Up he never would have entertained the idea. As you can see, I can't say enough good things about the staff and programs at Guard Up Burlington. Their enthusiasm is infectious! read more

The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and I've become good friends with a few of them! Do not take the dated reviews as an indication of how they presently run...I can't imagine anyone at Guard Up! telling each other to "make something up" to tell a parent...they're extremely professional and work hard to help anyone who needs it! I've been taking T1 fencing classes here for almost a year and have had nothing but fun the entire time. As for cost ($86/mon) I can't speak to the birthdays or youth classes, but as far as the adult T1 class is concerned I feel like I'm getting my money's worth at $21.50 per class with a discount on either a set of gear OR the intro fee. I got the gear and it's good-quality stuff! The classes are an hour long and include warmup, drills, and 30 min of open fencing. Each class is designed to teach a different aspect of fencing...for example, one week we would practice disengages, and the next week we would move on to less-frequently used parries. It definitely feels like an accelerated class, but it's important to keep in mind that it's an introductory class designed to get students accustomed to fencing and to the point where they can fence anyone and have an idea of what they're supposed to do. Moving up to T2 will provide a more focused environment for fencing competitively as well as practice using electric fencing strips and gear. Fencing's a great workout, and the T1 instructor (Brian) does a great job of engaging the class and keeping us active. Historical Weapons I've tried a few times and haven't been too interested, but it's definitely is a great option if you're into history or battle tactics. It's a workout as well, but the boffer weapons take away some of the realism I was looking for when I came to GU. read more

I am also surprised by the reviews here for guard-up. I can only assume that it's because they are old reviews and things have gotten better. Also kids birthday parties in general are a scam everywhere. Buy a cake, let them throw waterballoons in your backyard. The kids don't care either way. The sooner we all get on-board with this, the better. But my review is about the classes. I have had a great experience so far. I've been looking for activities that suit my 9 year old son's temperament and engage his imagination. I found them through a promotion on Boston Central. I got a call from Elise shortly after. She asked me detailed questions about what my son was into, what video games he played and what my goals were for him, in order to find the right class for him. Because of my schedule I took her second choice for him points and power. When I walked in a genuinely friendly guy named Chris introduced himself and showed us around. During class Brad, one of the Directors, also very open and friendly, asked about my son and made sure to engage with him after class. He also followed up with me later to find a better class for him. While I realise they just want us to join, I have never had this level of personalization at the various martial arts and dance schools my kids have tried. We tried the Nerf class a couple of days later. This was much better. The teacher Chris is calm funny intelligent and speaks respectfully to the kids, a seemingly out of style technique these days. Definitely check this place out if you have an active and imaginative kid. read more

I have a 7-year-old and we do classes at Guard UP and had his birthday party here. He loves it because he has a blast. He loves the story lines that the instructors create and doing battle with foam swords. I love how tuned in these instructors are. From the first time I called, I was impressed at the questions I was asked about his interests and habits and whether he had any sensory issues that might, for example, make the fencing gear difficult for him to wear. I always get helpful feedback and phone calls outside class just to see how he's doing. It's head-and-shoulders above other classes and camps we've done. His birthday party was "totally epic." Twenty kids had a raging good time. At pick up, there were choruses of "Can I have my party here!!??" My son is not athletic. I have to cajole him to go to karate. Anything with a ball, forget it. But he's the one shoving me out the door to go to Guard Up! It's plenty physical, but it's also creative and strategic. When I saw a gamesheet they were using at the start of a class, I got a migraine, but my son instantly picked up what powers did what, how many points they cost, how many it left him, etc. I wish they had a location closer to us. We drive 40 minutes to get there. But totally worth it to see him scrambling out of the car to go play. read more

My kids have been taking classes and attending camps since 2005. They started off with Historical Weapons, which combined historical information about various countries with their fighting styles. My son, who is now 14, takes classes there 5 days a week, including their Junior Instructor Training Program - which is their leadership program. He has so much more confidence & poise (there was a "recital" for all classes & I was pleasantly surprised at how my somewhat introverted son was able to stand right up and do a presentation to a room full of strangers!) My son is a bit of a couch potato, but with all of physical activity in his Guard Up classes he is in excellent health. Both my kids (my daughter is now 16) also attend the overnight camps - they've never missed a single session. My daughter is now a "Monster Camper", which is the camp Counselor-in-Training program. Again, seeing my kids develop strong "real life" skills that seem, at first glance, completely unrelated to sword fighting or camps is a very gratifying thing. Some of my kids closest friends are kids they met in classes and at camps. This place plays a huge part in their lives in so many positive ways. It was the best investment I ever made for my kids. read more

Be warned - no refunds! I purchased a x-mas gift certificate for my husband to take some fencing classes here as I thought it would be something he may be interested in (he currently takes martial art classes) but he was just not able to commit to a class (Burlington is a bit of a drive for us). So I called the company to inquire about a refund (there is no return/refund policy posted anywhere on their site - if there was, I would accept this as bad decision on my part and move on, but I thought there may be a chance considering the circumstances) and I was told there is no refund. I asked to talk directly with the owner/manager and was told he/she would call me back. I got a call back from the same person (receptionist?) and she told me again - no refunds. I was surprised and really thought they would consider it since I'm sure not many people ask for refunds, and this was my fault thinking my husband may want to try it - but it was too difficult to get to the class with his work schedule. I even offered to mail back the fencing foil that they mailed me in advance (that I paid to ship initially!) and they would not accept it. Just a warning to be 100% committed before you sign up! read more

Can't say enough about this great program and the wonderful people who run it! Sent my step-son to the Zombie Nerf camp this summer and he can't stop talking about it. He is already begging us to do it again next summer. He's been to a number of camps over the years and he has never responded to one with nearly the enthusiasm with which he has responded to this! The folks who work there are clearly invested in the creative life of each kids day and it means so much to the kids. Our little guy made friends and said each day was better than the next. Additionally, my father in law had major health issues just as we were supposed to be starting our kiddo up at their camp, and they were so helpful and understanding at helping us to work around our suddenly changed circumstances. I also spoke to a number of employees over there as we sorted things out and one was more helpful and kind than the next. Kudos to those who run this place for hiring terrific folks and for running a wonderful program! Made our 8 year old so very happy this summer! We hope we'll get in again next year!! read more

I cannot speak to the birthday parties or fencing classes, but what I can speak to are the daylong Adventure camps that they hold on school vacation days, and the Wizards and Warrior indoor summer camp, and the outdoor Wizards and Warriors camp that is run by Guard Up! at a separate location. These adventures/camps have been such a wonderful experience for my 9 year old son. He cannot wait until the next one, and begs me to sign him up for every single school vacation day. It's like a video game come alive--he makes up a character and goes on quests and adventures. He learns teamwork, sportsmanship, and creativity. He has to use his brain to solve puzzles. My son has been to 10+ different kinds of camps over the years (sports camps, YMCA camps, expensive day camps in Danvers/Westford, cub scout camps, etc) and this one is his favorite by far. read more

My family absolutely loves Guard Up. My son started with their children's class when he was 5 and we've now been there 2 years. He has a great time running around with foam swords, "slaying" monsters and zombies! My daughter also took fencing at the facility, and I've tried some of their adult classes. We've had several birthday parties there, and the staff has been very attentive and wonderful-they helped with everything, and the kids had a great time. Both desk staff and instructors have been nothing but courteous and proffesional, and always ready to help. Guard Up is a great alternative to sitting in front of the TV or playing video games- their programs are imaginative and physical, a great combination. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants something a little different. read more

My family and I love Guard Up! The staff are incredibly helpful and friendly there. I have never had an issue or a question that I felt wasn't addressed properly and in a timely fashion. We have attended a few different Buddy Nights there and everyone had a great time. It is absolutely a great work out in addition to being a ton of fun. My nephew has been involved in different classes and activities there for years. There is definitely something there for kids and adults of all ages. I recommend Guard Up to everyone I know, especially if I know they are looking for something active and positive to get involved with. As far as I know they are still letting people come down and check out their classes and facilities for free, so there's no reason not to give it a shot! read more

I wanted to take a moment to tell you how much we appreciated all that Guard up did for my son's birthday party this past weekend.  My son was thrilled with the entire process and party.  He has such a active imagination, being part of the initial planning meeting meant the world to him.  Then to see the completed party based on his initial thoughts brought him great satisfaction.  The party was a blast, the kids had a great time.  The staff were exceptional with the kids.  When asked later that day how his day was.  My son, after thinking for a moment said "Amazing".  This is high praise from him, the party thanks to the staff could not have been more perfect. The party has been all the talk in the class this week. read more

I have known of Guard Up for many years and have always been pleased with how they take entertain my children. My kids have attended several birthday parties, winter break adventures and summer camps and have always returned with big smiles and many stories to share. I was please to learn that Guard Up launched their After School Program recently and my kids now are picked up at their school in Guard Up's van and delivered to the facility where they do their homework and then burn off their excess calories with sword games. The staff are always attentive to my children and seem very capable with working with several children at one time. Guard Up is a must see business! read more

Me and my cousin went here, it was absoloutly terrible! They stuck us in a class for a year with little children (we're teenagers) barely the height of our hip and that were FAR below our level. It was ridiculous. We barely learnt anything. The facilities smelt horrid. The equiptment they allow you to use gave me strep throat. I kept getting sick almost everytime I used their equiptment, so me and my cousin had to buy our own. The "changing rooms" are tiny, smelly rooms with a bench that multiple people had to change in at once. The only good thing is that our instructor was a really nice guy, and we felt bad leaving him. read more

I took an adult fencing class with Guard Up because I was looking for a fun way to get exercise. The instructor was very knowledgeable and supportive, and all the staff were super helpful! I'm in my mid-20's and had lots of fun, but there were lots of people older and younger than me who also had a blast! I definitely recommend Guard Up if you are looking to take up fencing or just looking for a fun way to get exercise. read more

Love this place , great instructors and there is nothing like it anywhere around if you want your kids to have a great time take a class or do a Friday night ( my favorite) they run around for 2 hours for 20 dollars how can you go wrong. Ps ;you can go do a date night or to the supermarket peacefully and know you child is in good hands and tired afterwards how can you go wrong , one way to start your weekend right read more

Not sure why my review for this business was filtered. But I have had a very good experience with Guard Up for the past 7 years. The after school program and camps (where most of our experience has been) are very good at getting kids active and using their imagination. The staff have always tried hard to work with our son, in particular, and we appreciate the difference their activities have made for him. read more