Summit Wushu Academy is unlike any other martial arts school that I have seen. My son started at 4…read moreyears old and now as a 5 year old has shown immense improvement in a variety of skills. Sifu Phillip and Sifu Peter provide a fun environment to learn but instill values that are often lost in programs today: respect of teachers, respect of self, respect of peers, independence, high expectations, hard work and practice, and overall discipline of the mind and body. My son has learned how to be more respectful, work hard for things he wants, all while learning Traditional Wushu. His confidence has always been high, but he has learned an understanding at his age of his abilities that is gentle, caring and respectful of others. He is also learning regularly how to work as a team. As an adult my wife and I have begun taking evening classes where we are learning the basics. I'm beginning overweight, out of shape and not flexible, and they have been fantastic! While I can't always keep up, they keep the expectations high for me, while at the same time help to make modifications that will improve my ability as I strive to catch up with those that are well beyond my ability. Sifu Phillip and Sifu Peter are extremely encouraging of those of us jumping in as adults, showing a lot of respect, making it fun and challenging, and keeping expectations high.

Let me just say, I LOVE THIS PLACE…read more Where to start? First, it is very hard to find a facility that has high-quality carpet, high ceilings, and enough space for competitive Wushu athletes to train. Summit Wushu Academy has all of that. Second, it is even harder to find qualified Wushu coaches who are not only energized and knowledgeable, but also top-tier athletes and competitors themselves. This is very rare. Phillip and Peter Dang have keen eyes and can bring out the best in any student. They have a well-rounded curriculum and are not interested in just cycling students through, they want all their students to shine! Regardless of your age, sex, or level of experience, Summit Wushu Academy will challenge and inspire you to be a better martial artist.

They aren't kidding when they say things like "ego free" or friendly. Definitely want to sign up…read morewith them. Went with my teenage daughter and she was into it too. I'm glad they exist!

I highly recommend Lightning Hand Academy because they teach techniques that can be used for…read morepractical, real world self defense, it's a great workout, and the school has very good, supportive community feel. Full disclosure - I studied with Lightning Hand regularly from early 2016 until August 2017. In July 2017 I met someone in Washington, dated long distance, then moved so I wasn't able to make time for martial arts. I thought I had written a review for LHA 4 years ago and just found that I had not, so I figured late better than never! I was primarily interested in practical self defense and a good workout. I was afraid of making the mistake of "studying the wrong martial art". The Wing Chun approach seemed practical to me - techniques are all standing up, emphasis is on close range & punching technique, early techniques are very simple which makes them faster to cement into muscle memory. Wing Chun doesn't do high kicks, which are flashy but high risk and in my opinion unlikely to be used in a real life self defense situation (by the time you know someone intends to actually attack you, not just posturing, they are inside kicking distance). LHA's class approach creates a good training loop in my opinion - warm up, discuss ideas and theory, practice smaller skill subsets - agility or striking drills, then integrate smaller skills into practical fighting application by sparring, repeat. Enough variety in techniques and drills to keep you from getting bored, but also comes back to basics frequently to make sure they are solid in your muscle memory. There can be BS (or fear of BS) around martial arts, but I felt LHA was a very low BS environment. All humans have egos, so Ray would regularly talk to the benefits of overcoming your ego, because it gets in the way of learning. Students are expected to teach each other by being good training partners, and held to this expectation. I was once corrected by Ray in I thought a very skillful manner. I was doing a drill with someone that is supposed to be about sensing and technique, but I was using muscle to overpower my partner. Neither of us were learning what we were supposed to be. Ray came over and swapped my partner out, and did the same exercise with me. He was pushing me all over, but I could feel that he was using better posture and technique, not muscle force. I was tiring quickly and he was barely exerting effort. He asked if I still feel strong. This was pointed enough that I understood his meaning clearly - knock it off! But also conveyed one to one so I was not embarrassed in front of the class. I got really clear from this teaching moment that I was responsible for helping others learn and resolved to be a better training partner. COVID has made a lot of things difficult, but I believe LHA is still operating, doing remote training. There is a lot in Wing Chun you can learn practicing solo with minimal equipment - forms teach correct movements, you can practice striking with a wall bag full of rice that will cost less than $30. The best training experience will still need another person, but maybe you can recruit a friend or significant other to train with you? If you're feeling cooped up and would like to try learning a new skill, there is no time like the present!

The focus at the Mountain Warrior academy is on functional self defense, but even more so on…read moreintegrity and your overall health as a person; the teacher is lives his kung fu, and is a passionate advocate for working toward your best potential. Sometimes the lectures on "applying kung fu in your daily life," are more inspiring than the workouts and technical training! On of the things I like is how strong the school community is, and how welcome new students are made to feel. A culture of mutual respect is fostered by the teacher, and carried through by the students. Four stars. It's a unique school that puts your growth as its highest priority.

From the owner: Martial Arts Training, Kung Fu, Escrima, Kali, Jeet Kune Do, Kickboxing, Boxing, Wushu Forms,…read morePadded Weapons and Performance Team Training and Nutrition

As a black belt myself, it is very important for me to have my kids attend a martial arts school I…read morehave faith in, and I am thankful we found Dragon Star Kung Fu. From the very first class and on, we felt comfortable and welcomed. The instructors and the other families at the school are friendly and treat everyone like family. I feel the instructors provide a good balance of structure, technique, life lessons, discipline, and fun in their classes. Our daughters have been at Dragon Star Kung Fu for almost two years now, and they've told me they plan to earn their black belts and beyond!

What a great environment for kids and adults to learn self-defense. My children and I are taking…read moreclasses, and we have learned so much over the years. It is a great school! Highly recommend!

i feel sad to leave a poor review of a place i've never been, but therein lies the problem. i want…read moreto learn Muay Thai, and i've been checking out places all around town, looking for what "feels like home" to me. i'm also not experienced in any fighting arts, so it felt important to me to try several places. sadly, it seems classes at Portland Thai Boxing are so full or overflowing they can't manage to get back to me, or they don't care/don't want my business for some other reason. i've tried emailing them twice (one week apart) from different email addresses. i've also tried DM'ing them on Instagram. they seem to have the time to make IG posts and stories but haven't bothered responding to my DM. i would have jumped at the chance to sign up for their unique 6-week fundamentals program. this place was recommended to me by a friend who is a local fighter and very passionate about it, but i guess i'll never know.

Very disappointing experience with Portland Thai Boxing…read more I wanted to train while I was visiting Portland and PDX Thai Boxing seemed like an awesome spot. I emailed the gym to ask about waivers/drop-in fee but didn't receive a response. I figured I could handle everything when I got the the gym. Once I got to Portland I decided to take the 10am Monday class. After spending the money to take a Lyft to the gym, I get there and no one was at the front desk. Someone pointed me towards one of the coaches and I asked him about a drop-in fee. The coach informed me that PDX Thai Boxing doesn't do drop-in's because of Oregon Covid policies. Apparently I was supposed to sign up for some online portal that would've let me sign up for class. Since I didn't sign up, I couldn't train. The coach informed me that there was a phone number I could call to talk to someone and then asked me to leave the gym (he wasn't mean or disrespectful about it). I called the number and got a voicemail. The coach was doing his job and the policy is this policy, but it sucked to get turned away from the gym. I should've called ahead, that was my mistake. Overall, the whole experience felt really bad. The worst part is that the gym looked really nice! If you're looking to train here make sure you call ahead or you might get turned away.

nothing but positive things to say. we have a little one but it seems like they have something…read morethere for everyone. Their instructors have unmatched patience with my very high energy little!

From the owner: Find out why so many people in Hood River turn to Hood River Martial Arts for their martial arts…read moretraining. Parents just like you have discovered how to maximize their child's potential and accelerate their development. Request more information or get started today with our exclusive online only offer.