Best gift I've ever received. My daughter took the teen class and I will be signing my granddaughter up for the teen class as well. The impact and lessons are still with me decades later. Don't let finances hold you back, they can help with that. The confidence and empowerment you receive is priceless, powerful, and permanent. This is a life-changing experience. read more

I still think about this place/training and want my young daughter to come here for teen training. I came to my classes back when I was very scared because of something that had happened. It was difficult, but I left feeling empowered! read more

Just did the 6 hour Day Long Intro class. I have zero complaints. It was trauma-informed, well organized, well-run, practical training. And we had fun! It reminded me of a day at summer camp. Definitely coming back for the more advanced classes. read more

An invaluable service, run by the kindest, most thoughtful people. Bless you for what you do.

Signed up my daughters for a 3-hour intro class before going away to college. They seemed to find it useful & learned a lot.

I took the intro class a few weeks ago with Kathy and it was so much fun. We met in person in Oakland with about 16 other students. I found out about Impact after reading The Gift of Fear which I highly recommend for anyone who is interested in keeping themselves aware and safe from predators. I decided to take the class because of all of the hate crimes happening in the AAPI community. I also wanted to get a refresher course from when I took a self defense class in college many years ago. We used the entire 3 hours learning and practicing various tactics including knowing all of the vital pressure points and how to properly protect yourself in real world scenarios. Ryan was a champ wearing the suit so we could really hit as hard as we could. Greta, Kathy's assistant was also really enthusiastic and kept the momentum going. I heard that they are also trying to make it more accessible for people with disabilities so contact them if you are interested. These classes are quite valuable. I'm thinking of continuing once I get more funds. This is a national program so even if you're not in the area, the curriculum is based on martial arts so just google Impact Self Defense in your area. I thought it was well worth the money I spent. You're better off turning your body into a weapon rather than carrying pepper spray or using your keys as a weapon. I feel much more confident when I am out and about. read more

I am impressed by this class. My children took their Teen Impact course and it is, hands down, the best self defense class I've ever seen. Now I'm looking to sign myself up, as it's been a few years. Cannot say enough good things about how wonderful the instructors were and how confident my children are now with setting boundaries in worst case scenarios. read more

All my life I behaved and believed as a strong woman and never did I imagine that I would lose that "believed strength" in the face of fear. I took an intro to self defense course at Impact which is a 3 hour course a few weeks ago and I was mind blown at home little I knew about my own body and my fight or flight response. The instructors know this, and train you to fight the attacker AND control your adrenaline so you can defend yourself enough and get to safety. I cannot recommend it enough, especially for women who have culturally served to bear the brunt of violence both mental and physical. Please do yourself a favor and sign up, even if you feel you're strong. There will be things you will learn that will make you stronger and smarter if God forbid you're in a situation. One of my key takeaways was how important it is to establish boundaries and saying No loudly is one of the best ways to do that. The other big thing in the class is you get to practice punches on the instructor who dresses up in scary protective gear to get your adrenaline pumping. It is nerve racking when the chosen victim (student) is you. Highly, highly recommend for everyone who wants to take responsibility for their own body and own safety. read more

My girlfriend and I just took the 6-hour full day course and we were blown away by how good it was. I've done some Krav Maga and MMA (kickboxing + BJJ) and I was looking for full force training and adrenalized scenario training. Those other styles don't generally allow you to train full force at the beginner levels, and even when you start sparring at the intermediate levels it's not full-force as you can only really go full-force if an instructor is suited up in the full padding, as they do at IMPACT. There's a HUGE difference between practicing strikes at 25%-50% force against opponents (as you have to in most beginner/intermediate "martial arts" classes) versus training at full-force against a padded mock attacker. Once you do the latter as they do at IMPACT, you'll never want to go back to training with partial-force, as it's just not nearly as realistic. Also, other styles of self-defense do not tend to train in full adrenalized scenarios. Let me tell you, when you see that guy in the full suit coming at you, with the scary-looking helmet, you feel your adrenal fear response kick in- and if you're not training to work with your fear response, you're not really training self-defense. I did not find that other "self-defense" classes, including Krav Maga and MMA/BJJ, adequately modeled what it would be like to be in the adrenalized state of a real-world attack. IMPACT modeled it well. Even simple scenarios like the mock mugger not respecting your space got the adrenals running and you got to learn what it was like to make split-second decisions about escalating to use force in that fight-or-flight state. Dawn was a friendly, caring, great instructor who is clearly passionate about helping average people be safer in the streets. She made it approachable and accessible. She's a very nice person and not a super "tough" seeming person on first glance, so to see how much she kicked a** in the demos made it feel like this was learnable and accessible for anyone. (Sometimes you learn self-defense from some 6'4" dude who looks like he just got out of the Navy SEALs, and you wonder if the technique's he's demo-ing will really work for you lol. This is not like that at all.). There were a LOT of beginners in the class who noticeably improved and gained confidence over 6 hours. The 6-hour class focuses on three of the most common scenarios you'd likely need self-defense in - a single assailant without a weapon menacing you and invading your space from the front, someone grabbing you from the back, and verbal boundary-setting with someone who is coming up to you and causing problems but is not an immediate physical threat yet. They focused on helping you getting into a "ready" stance quickly, and discerning when escalating to physical defense was necessary. And once necessary, on using heel-palm strikes to the face, knees to the groin, and hammer-fists to the groin (when grabbed from behind). These are basic moves that anyone can learn. Unlike Krav Maga, where they are teaching you a million different complicated movements requiring fine motor skills for every possible scenario right away, this focuses on simple bread-and-butter strikes that will cover you in the widest range of situations the average person may find themselves in, and which do not require fine motor skills (as techniques requiring fine motor skills go out the window for beginners, under a real-world scenario and thus would give a false sense of confidence). My biggest takeaway was that, once you've set a verbal boundary loudly, like "Stay Away!" and they're still getting closer, they've already demonstrated that they're not willing to respect your boundaries and force is justified if they keep getting closer. It's really simple when you see it/practice it, but amazingly, most other martial arts classes I've taken don't train you in these basic concepts of discerning when to escalate to physical force - they assume the attack is already underway, whereas in the street you may not get attacked immediately, you'll probably have someone verbally messing with you for 10-30 seconds first (what's known as an attacker's "interview" process) and you need to make split-second decisions under a fight-or-flight adrenalized state whether if/when to make the first strike. If you don't train in that split-second decision tree, you might escalate to physical force too early, when you could have diffused it verbally and/or are not legally justified to use force, or too late, after they've already make the first strike. You want to make the first strike, but you have to do it at just the right moment in the escalating situation, and unless you train (as IMPACT has you train) you're likely going to get it wrong. I couldn't recommend this course highly enough. Everyone should take it! You'll feel WAY safer after one day, even if you've had significant "martial arts" training that didn't do full force or scenario/adrenal training. This is the way. read more

I can't say enough wonderful things about the Impact Bay Area Women's Basic three day course!! A year and a half ago I was walking home from the bus stop (during the day) and was violently mugged by five young men. Aside from the physical pain I experienced, the incident left me feeling scared, helpless, and frustrated that I didn't know how to act differently to prevent the attack from occurring. After that I was constantly hyper vigilant when walking in San Francisco, afraid that every person walking by me or behind me could become an attacker. I took the Impact Bay Area women's basic on the recommendation from my therapist and I couldn't believe the difference three days made in my confidence, my outlook on life, and my overall mental health. There are a couple key things you need to know about Impact Bay Area before choosing to take a class there. 1. The staff at Impact Bay Area is amazing! From first contact with the administrative office to the completion of the class; the staff is so warm and welcoming and really meets each student where she is at both emotionally and physically. They make sure that any woman who wants to take the class can, despite any financial limitations. They offer scholarships and never turn any person away for lack of funds. Heather and Dani did an amazing job as whistle instructors and created a safe and welcoming space for all the students. Rudy and Tim were awesome suit instructors (assailants) and really worked with each student to perfect her technique to deliver the maximum damage in any fight. Trish, our assistant, was a wonderful person to have on the side lines and was quick with words of encouragement or a hug when needed. It is obvious that this group of people are passionate about what they do and really enjoy helping women become empowered with the skills they need to set boundaries and protect themselves. 2. Any woman can take this class, no matter your size or strength I know a full contact class is intimidating and many women felt like they wouldn't be strong enough to fight off an attacker. The instructors did a great job of gradually increasing the intensity of the class so that each student was comfortable. They taught us each move by showing it, having us practice into the air, then demonstrating with the suit instructors very slowly, and then we would use the techniques in a fight simulation. I couldn't believe the power that many women developed in the course. Small petite women who were only 110 pounds were able to fight off the 200 pound assailants, not through brute strength, but through the leveraging techniques that are taught in class and the targets that we are taught to strike at. 3. You can cry and fight at the same time One of the things that I was really nervous about taking this course is that I would be an emotional wreck the entire time. The thought of being held down by an "attacker" was scary and I wasn't sure how I would react. During the fights the whistle instructors are on the mat with you, coaching you through your next moves, and the suit instructors (the assailants) are super aware of each student's physical and emotional limitations. At anytime if you want to stop the fight you can say so and they stop immediately. There was one fight that I started crying during but I was able to channel my fear and anger into fighting off the assailant and once it was over Trish was waiting for me with a huge hug and held me while I let my tears flow. 4. You will be inspired by the women in your class I loved spending three days surrounded by a group of wonderful warm brave women. Their strength and resolve to get the most out of the time we had together helped strengthen my resolve. I was so proud to watch us all improve and support each other through the process. 5. Every woman should take this class It doesn't matter if you have been assaulted before or not. This class teaches us how to set up clear boundaries that will deter most assailants and the skills needed to physically protect ourselves when verbal boundaries don't work. The instructors teach us all kinds of interesting facts about how women who have taken a self defense class are less likely to be assaulted than women who haven't. For women who are assaulted, those who fight back actually receive less serious injuries than those who comply with their attacker. I definitely recommend this course for all women. The strength and confidence you feel afterward will astound you! read more

I took the Women's Basics 3-day course, and I can say without hyperbole that it changed my life. We learned how to defend ourselves not just physically, but emotionally as well. We learned how to set boundaries and hold them. We bonded in a very real way. I now feel stronger and safer no matter where I am. And no one can take that from me. read more

I recommend that everyone take the 3-day basics course with IMPACT Bay Area. I first heard about them when they provided a free Intro to Personal Safety Class online when violence against the AAPI community was escalating, and finally had the time to fit an in-person course in my schedule. I learned a variety of techniques that I wish I had known when I was attacked, as well as how much strength my body has even when I am emotionally and physically exhausted, all in a safe and supportive environment. You will not get hit, and the instructors will work with you and won't let you give up until you have hit them with enough force to get away. It is an empowering experience. For those who are worried about the cost, there are scholarships and sponsorships available. read more

IMPACT has done a phenomenal job modifying courses so that it can be done virtually via Zoom or safely in pod groups - all while maintaining the integrity of the course content and design. I recently joined the Grounding and Adrenaline management virtual class, which taught me healthy coping skills to get through the pandemic (or life in general!). I know they also offer private virtual classes for business and groups. Might be a great team building! read more

Took the 3 hour intro class in September 2018. It was excellent, I wish the class was longer! The instructors are wonderful--they are encouraging, inclusive, supportive and trauma-informed. In addition to yelling and setting verbal boundaries, we learned how to fight back in these situations: -Assailant walking towards you, getting in your face, blocking your path -Assailant grabbing you around torso from behind -Assailant coming at you when you are lying down/seated For those who are trauma survivors like myself, this class, while totally empowering, can be emotionally draining as well. Going through the adrenaline highs/crashes of the simulated attacks was challenging. While fighting back and delivering strikes, there were times when I was overwhelmed and wanted to cry. But hearing the instructors and other class members cheering me on made me feel so supported, so that I could keep on striking and kicking until the assailant retreated. Another thing to point out -- since this was an intro class, the padded assailant takes the blows and does NOT fight back. In a real-life situation, the assailant would not be as compliant! Advice to students: stay out of dangerous situations to begin with, stay HUMBLE about your fighting abilities and KEEP TRAINING! I would complement IMPACT classes with MMA training to learn fighting technique. read more

The most practical curriculum on self-defense out there. Highly recommended. It is going to require some stark self-reflection and might bring up some feelings around past trauma. But it's a safe and supportive environment. read more

I recommend IMPACT to everyone I know. The class was incredibly empowering, and I feel so much more confident setting boundaries and within my own body. I feel so lucky to have been able to learn in such a supportive and safe environment. read more

Amazing organization that teaches memorable, practical self-defense techniques, combined with confidence building, and even healing. Highly recommend! read more

Took their 3-hr intro class and it was so fantastic, I signed up to take the full 20-hr class. They've been around for decades and know what they're doing. Most of their classes are in San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda (at martial arts type sports places, padded floors etc). They're starting to offer more classes in the Peninsula, South Bay and North Bay. They have classes for kids and teens, as well as adults, and for particular groups like gay/lesbian/trans. You don't have to be an athlete -- the moves they teach you, almost anybody can do. My class had women of all ages and backgrounds, including a 70-something-yr-old who'd had surgery, a pregnant woman, a woman who was getting ready to travel alone overseas, a woman who had a restraining order against her ex, a woman who'd been mugged, etc. (people shared that info voluntarily, you aren't required to tell anything about yourself that you don't want to.) The instructors did a great job of teaching the skills while making sure not to overstress anybody who was sensitive or getting a little freaked out. You can always stop or take a break if it gets to be too much. They also do private classes so if your school or business wants to offer one, they can do that. read more

IMPACT is amazing. I've taken several classes with them - a free intro, Basics, Beyond basics, and Multiples. Their classes, the first one especially, were truly life-changing. They increased my confidence and caution at the same time. I love the amount of research they put into their techniques. I can't recommend them highly enough. My only complaint is that they don't do classes for men or mixed (men and women) very often. I wish they offered that more for my male friends. read more

This is going to sound like hyperbole, but it's not. This class changed my life. I learned how to defend myself against an attacker while scared and tired. This is not theoretical defense. This is the class you may have seen pictures of -men dressed in giant suits with weird heads. This is all padding to protect their bodies and ours so that we can learn to fight Full Force! Most other classes will teach you some techniques to practice by stopping before you actually finish the technique, or practicing in the air. This is wonderful in theory, but when we are attacked and full of adrenaline, we lose our fine motor skills and memory for technical things. This is why so many self-defense classes have failed during real life attacks. I have respect for self-defense in all it's forms, and believes they're all useful in some ways. This is the one that works when we are frightened, tired, weak or sick. Impact classes are designed to use muscle memory in an adrenalized state so that if we are attacked, it just kicks in without even thinking! In fact, I know this is true because even when I didn't mean to kick the assailant during a regular drill, I did anyway. It happened automatically. My body did it without my brain thinking about it all. And that's exactly the kind of training that is reliable. I can't begin to say enough about the instructors I had. The woman who did most of the teaching seems to have been born to do this job. She has developed A very high level of teaching skills along with a truly encouraging and compassionate personality. The men in the suits are true allies to women and all of them are making a real difference in the world I continually arming women with the confidence and ability to defend themselves. read more

It is astonishing that 1 in 3 women are assaulted. No matter how strong one is or the martial arts knowledge someone may have it is quite different than being put in a heightened adrenaline state where you must protect yourself. I took this class in Alameda and the instructor Dawn and her assistants were all excellent! I think it is wonderful they offer a class like this for women. It teaches boundary setting and street fighting in the situation of being attacked. We practiced front fighting, on the ground and what to do if someone attacks you from behind. The class I went to was a group of women of all different age ranges. You are never too young or too old to learn to protect yourself! This class may be triggering for someone with past assaults since they use a man in a body suit to practice attack scenarios. Some verbal language may be used to heighten the adrenaline to work on not freezing in a situation of an attack. If you decide to give Impact a try it is a safe environment and everyone I encountered showed compassion and support of one another. Great class! read more

I am shy, having a body that is smaller than an average woman, I can't run fast. I always thought that I am an easy target that could be attacked by anyone. I always afraid of walking anywhere alone or staying home alone. I was encouraged by a dear friend to take the Women's Basic class to overcome my fears. The thought of spending 3 full days in a class did scare me. However, my friend assured that I will learn so much and having so much more confident from this class. After the 1st day of taking this class, I already gained so much more confident, I was able to walk on the street that night without the thought of running or the thought of someone can come and attack me. After the 3rd day of the class, when walking with 3 female friends to dinner, there was a male stranger who happened to walk on the same direction as us, right behind us, singing and behaving abnormally. Normally, I would walk faster, trying to avoid any kind of troubles and tell all my friends to walk faster. This time, I was ahead of the group, noticing that stranger, I walked slower to be the last in the group, putting myself closer to that stranger.... Good thing, nothing happened. After a while, I realized that I did that unconsciously. This class indeed giving me so much more confident to fight off my fears, it also made me feel that I can protect myself and others around me. Not only the class taught you to fight off physically, they also taught you to fight off verbally. I always think that I would not know what to say or too scare to tell someone to back off, now I am glad that I have learned something that fills that gap. The staffs and the environment were very welcoming. I can't say enough good things about that. impactbayarea.org also offers scholarships for those who cannot afford the full tuition. I highly recommending everyone taking this class. This indeed is a life-changing experience.... read more

This is a self-defense course and so so so much more. I just finished my Basics class in San Francisco. A friend introduced me in 2010 and I had been eyeing the program for the last few years. It was definitely intense, but I can honestly say I wish I had taken this course years ago. I feel much clearer with my own boundaries and better able to ensure safety in my life... both of myself and others. You learn "state dependent" responses to a whooooole bunch of terrifying scenarios and leave on Sunday knowing how to handle the most common of them and knowing how to better manage your stress response. The course is broken down into well-considered modules, the instructors are incredibly well-trained, and the staff is made of basically the best kind of people. You will go to scary places within yourself during the course, but they create a safe space and path to come out stronger. I can't recommend this organization and Basics course highly enough. I wish all women could take it. I have a newfound respect for my body and what I'm capable of... aka KICKING ASS! Thanks to the SF July Basics team for such an amazing experience. read more

I've never had a "born again" type fervor until I took the Basics self-defense course. I was singing the praises of Impact Bay Area (formerly known as BAMM) and trying to get every woman and teen girl I knew or met to take a class taught by this nonprofit organization. The course was a gift from my partner, and it's the best gift I've ever received. A year later, I went on to take the course "assailants with weapons." I cannot recommend Impact Bay Area highly enough. Not only do you learn good boundary setting, which comes in handy every day, but you also learn deescalation tactics and practical fighting techniques that work (through muscle memory) in real-life situations, such as rape or being harassed at a bus stop, or being attacked by someone under the influence of drugs (and is not receptive to pain). Everything is taught in a caring, mindful and respectful environment. Taking self-defense is like wearing a seat belt while you ride in a car. Look at the statistics--do you want to take that risk? I feel much safer and less worried now having taken these courses--I know that my muscle memory will kick in during a variety of situations. Read the success stories and check out the fights on the Web site. The classes ain't cheap, but what you learn is priceless. read more

There are things that happen in your life that change how you define yourself. At the end of the 3 day, 24 hour Women's basics course I am now a more embodied, empowered and confident woman. We learned to trust our intuition, use our voices and use force if necessary to defend ourselves. The methods Impact will teach you are usable no matter what your age or physical size. As a group, we bonded, supported and cheered for each other. I feel like I am now part of a tribe of sister-warriors, not just my classmates, but all women who are tired of being afraid because they were never taught to defend themselves. The instructor and assistants were caring and supportive - and they could kick a**. Now I can too! Thank you Impact for changing my life for the better. I recommend this class to everyone. read more

I went to a 3-hr intro course with my 16 yr old daughter. We were both really blown away by the experience and wanted to do more. So we signed up for and took the Basics course along with my husband (her dad). It was amazing - and reassuring - for me to watch my loved ones tap into their inner strength with the powerful survival skills we were learning. As other reviewers have mentioned, we also learn to use our body language and voice to calm people down/de-escalate a potentially volatile confrontation and how to set our boundaries with friends and strangers. For me personally, I found out that even though I'm not as strong as I used to be and even though I have a bad knee, I CAN save my own life if I'm ever unlucky enough to be attacked. I plan to retake the Basics course because I think there's still more I'd like to get out of it and then later, I will probably do other classes. It's not an inexpensive program, but it's really different from any other kind of self-defense course. Martial arts are great, but unless you're an expert, they probably won't save your life. Impact Bay Area training WILL save your life. They have ways to get your adrenaline really cranked up so you find out what that feels like and how to work with it. My daughter says, "It was really empowering." I agree. read more

Like the other reviewers, I wish I could give Impact more stars than a mere five. I'm 41 years old and in average shape. I can't run fast. I've never done martial arts. My general plan of self-defense when walking through the Coliseum BART parking lot late at night (we live in the neighborhood) was to hold my keys in my fist and pray I remembered to hit the car alarm if I was jumped. Beyond that, I had no idea what I would do. NONE. I wasn't even sure I'd be able to scream and I sure as hell wouldn't have fought because I'd never hit a person in my life besides my sister when we were kids and even at seven I was better with words than with fists. In the Basics class on the first day, I could hardly make a sound. I was so nervous my teeth were chattering. The whole first day of class, I was terrified. The first fight that afternoon? I thought I would pass out. I was never quite sure I wouldn't run right out the front door and never come back. But Amanda, who is so INCREDIBLY supportive (without being a pushover), helped me believe that maybe I could learn this stuff. Tim and Rudy, the padded suit instructors, used exactly the right tone -- warm and caring when their helmets were off, and terrifying when their helmets were on (signaling Generic Bad Guy), allowing us to truly feel fear and fight through the fear anyway. It's more than a class in which you learn to fight. It's about learning to set appropriate boundaries in all parts of your life, and that in turn, builds your confidence in yourself. As a gay woman, I'm usually scared when I'm in public with my wife (which I actually didn't know was true until that feeling went away FOR THE FIRST TIME while taking the class together). Now I'm not. I'm in no way overconfident -- I'm not looking to pick a fight with anyone (even though kicking a padded instructor in the nuts as hard as you can, over and over, is WAY MORE FUN than it should be), but I believe that if something happened, I could protect myself (and others) about a trillion times better than I could have before I took the class. On the last day, I actually volunteered to do an extended fight in the public ceremony because I wanted to fight as long and as hard as I possibly could. It's easy to glibly say something is "life changing," but this is true: I'm a different person now. Impact Bay Area changed me, and I can't wait to take more classes (weapons! Multiple assailants! BRING IT), to assist, and to help Impact help other women in any way I can. read more

I walked into the class having never taken a single form of self defense. Up until Friday night, I had never used my body, voice, and intuition with all my strength. I had been afraid to find out if "it would work". I learned my strength does work. Most importantly, I learned this through my own body, in a safe environment with a supportive group of women. All women should take this course. Now. All teenage girls should have the option to take the course as a workshop in their school's gym class. Being aware and assertive is simply that important. I heard about this course in 2006, but took me three years to get the guts, set aside the time and money. The strength I got from Impact's Basics *full-force* self defense three-day class is *priceless*. read more

I wish every woman could take this class. I am amazed at how much was covered in the four day Basics course I completed yesterday. The folks running this course were genuinely caring, invested, knowledgeable, and organized. So much ground is covered, I was so impressed by the program. An excellent combination of technique and the emotional/mental strength needed. Two months ago (BEFORE taking this class) I was attacked by a homeless man in Berkeley, outside my office while eating lunch. I froze and didn't do any of the things I always thought I would (throw an elbow, punch the groin - none of that came to me in my moment of panic). Fast-forward to this class post my traumatic attack: it's powerful getting to work with an "attacker" and feel what it's like to yell, or strike someone when you're in danger. I asked if they could mimic my attack during one of the practice fights. To be able to go through that again, feel the fear in my body again, but this time utilizing tools I was learning, was beyond empowering. I felt the same adrenalin and the same freeze, but the training and support helped me practice pushing through, getting my brain moving through that moment of frozen fear and into action. I'm not a petite girl, I'm fit and aware of my surroundings, but I was still attacked. Take this class and show yourself the same courtesy you do in other ways: You eat right? You exercise? You go to the salon for a nice hair cut? Treat yourself to the best self-care possible and get to Impact Bay Area! You fight for yourself every day in many ways, now add this to your list and make sure you really do know how to fight for your life. read more

I love Impact! The classes they offer - both in-person and online - are amazing. I've learned great skills for self-defense, self-care, and boundary setting. But I especially love the Impact culture - it's warm, positive, and creates instant community like no other organization I've interacted with. I'm so grateful for their work! read more

I rarely refrain from writing facetious reviews, but to get the seriousness of my point across, I'll try my best right now. Ditto to everything the other reviewer said. After taking the Basics class, I can honestly say that I feel safer and more confident about defending myself and having the right to defend myself. As cliche as this is, this class has changed me. P.S. They also have weapons, multiple assailants, and teens classes. Take them. read more

I'm not as eloquent as some of the others who've written glowing reviews here, but I can tell you, I agree wholeheartedly with all the positive things they say. Impact Bay Area has allowed me to be comfortable walking the streets of the Mission at night. Even the quiet streets that I used to avoid. I know that should someone approach me, should my heart start racing, I have the skills to both avoid and de-escalate the situation (if possible), and to defend myself if need to be. You learn to fight not just under ideal circumstances, but while you're tired; while your heart is racing; while some particularly nasty scenario is playing in your mind, and your body just wants to freeze. In the Basics course, I learned to fight my way through a situation when I'm genuinely frightened -- and to do so full-force, so I have those exact skills to fall back on when needed. While using the strongest parts of my body against the weakest of the attacker's. The courses are no walk in the park (tee-hee!) but it is 100% worth it. I've taken the Women's Basics course, and then three years later the Multiple Assailants course. read more

Impact is a practical self defense class that covers everything from verbal boundary setting to learning how to protect yourself from physical assault. They simulate different kinds of attacks so that if you ever need to protect yourself, you can think through your fear and choose the best course of action, be it running, shouting, or fighting back. Teaching me how to think through assault felt incredibly empowering. One of the core lessons is how to shout as loud as you can - scares the hell out of many attackers and can keep you from a physical confrontation. This was a hard lesson for me and most of the women in my class (who would have thought) and one I would not have thought to teach myself. Bay Area Impact was started by a women who was a black belt and found that when she was attacked, her training had not prepared her for a real assault. Sparing training is not the same as self defence training. This is an important class. This should be required for high-schoolers. Why they do not teach girls how to protect themselves is a mystery to me. read more

I only ever write reviews when things are REALLY good or REALLY bad. Everything Impact teaches is amazing. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I could not afford the full fee at the time and was given a partial scholarship. This enabled me to feel safe in my own body and world. This is the best gift you could give yourself or anyone you know. read more

0 stars i don't recommend at all. very toxic staff & environment. nosey staff with useless information. badly planned lessons that don't teach you anything. overall horrible. read more

I haven't stopped sharing my love for this organization. All of the trainers and staff are well trained and know how to guide you through the process. I transformed my internal world and got an amazing workout. My body wisdom increased tenfold. I'm not afraid to be as powerful as I AM. This is for all people who have ever feared or been attacked. You can defend yourself. read more

Hello! I think this may be only the 2nd Yelp review I've ever written - but I had to go out of my way to say: Impact Bay Area is incredible! This was a life-changing experience for me, and every single woman in my class made it clear they felt EXACTLY the same way by the time we wrapped up. Simply put, I can't say enough incredibly positive things about the staff, the environment, and above all else - the comprehensive, crazy-empowering training I received in their 3-day women's self-defense intensive class. If you had told me that I would have enjoyed spending 3 entire days in a gym basement learning self-defense, I would have told you that you were out of your mind. That said, I made a pseudo-resolution to knock out some things on my lengthy personal "to do list" this year. Self defense has been on that list for...15 years? I've definitely been thinking about learning it since high school - but never had the patience for any of the weekly classes I tried (martial arts, classes about techniques, etc.) All I wanted was to feel safe and confident when I walk the streets of SF - I didn't need to become a black-belt. Impact was exactly what I needed - in 3 days I learned everything I needed to in order to feel so much safer, more confident, and independent. If I could afford to, I would send every single woman I know - especially my teenage godchildren. If you are even sort of, kind of considering taking one of their classes, please hear me out - do it. I can absolutely promise you that you will not regret it :) read more

I just graduated from the Basics course with impact and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life! I have never felt more terrified (just in the beginning) and have never been able to watch that fear turn into strength, both within my mind and especially within my body. This class prepares you for all those terrible, worst case scenarios that we imagine as women and constantly fear. This experience was therapeutic, motivational, and epic in so many ways! I will be taking all of their other classes! read more

GO TAKE A CLASS WITH IMPACT! If you're reading this and on the fence, let me tell you... IMPACT changed my life for the better and it will change yours too. I can't emphasize enough how much I loved my experience. I first met IMPACT when an instructor came to my work place and gave a one-hour class. I was intrigued. I decided to try out the 3 hour intro class before signing up for the Basics (3 day/24 hour class) and found that I wanted to know even more. I took the Basics class in February 2018 and I LOVED IT. The instructors are supportive, realistic and empathetic. IMPACT taught me practical skills that I can take with me the rest of my life. It was empowering and I left with a sense of purpose and a greater confidence in my ability to remove and protect myself in tough situations. Whatever your background or physical ability, the instructors help you figure out the best way to tailor the moves to you. The pace is well-thought out and each move is incorporated into the next part so you have plenty of time to learn and master the skills. IMPACT Bay Area is also great because their courses address all kinds of experiences from boundary setting with friends, co-workers, or the pushy beggar to violent attackers. They have a range of classes including intro classes, classes for teens, LGBTQ, and women so you have no excuse not to take a class. There are payment plans and scholarships available so those are worth looking into as well if you need it. It is worth every penny. I repeat, it is worth every penny. You're worth it! :) read more

Took LGBTQ Basics class - best thing I've ever done for myself. I'm a trauma survivor and this class has been so empowering and and given me the tools I need to keep myself safe (and I feel like a total badass!). The class teaches physical self-defense as well as verbal boundary-setting, a lot of it tailored to the kind of harassment/assaults/bullshit LGBTQ people face. It gets scary-realistic, which is done on purpose so that students get experience with real-life situations and learn to fight during adrenaline-highs and through freeze-ups - these skills are in my bones now, I've got them for life. The instructors and assistants were extremely supportive and they all know their shit! Some parts of class are challenging and kind of terrifying, but you know everyone there is backing you up - my classmates felt like family at the end of class. I feel like if I do get harassed or attacked in the future, I won't feel alone, because I'll have my classmates cheering for me in the back of my head. HIGHLY RECOMMEND - for everybody in the LGBTQ community and ESPECIALLY trauma survivors! read more