I was a student (and part-time instructor for Saturday lei tai and "Little Panda" kung fu) for…read moreseveral years under the tutelage of Master Joe Dunphy and his shifus and was so pleased to learn that the shifus who teach here have since continued his legacy with the Iron Fist Chinese Martial Arts & Fitness school, named in honor of "Iron Fist" Dunphy. I have many fond memories of Master Dunphy and the US Martial Arts family, and my time spent studying at this school. The shifus who run this school are extraordinarily knowledgeable about martial arts and their instruction is of the highest caliber. They are examples of excellence and do much credit to the memory and legacy of Master Dunphy, the school itself, and the study of the internal and external systems of tien shan pai. (For clarification, my initial review of the school contained a reference to USCKF, the United States Chinese Kuoshu Federation, which is now known as USKSF, the United States Kuo Shu Federation.)

I have trained in several styles of martial arts and two different styles of Kung-Fu. The training…read moreI had received while attending class here was by far the best. The head instructor took special attention to individuals and trained them in a way that fostered positive growth. There was always a focus on effective self-defense and very little of the "dance" moves that make other martial arts training less effective. The style taught here is Thai-Shan-Pai and from my experience, it is highly effective for anyone to use against an aggressor. I couldn't recommend this school enough and we still be going here if I lived in MD. If your looking for solid training, regardless of age, sex, or size this is the place.

I wanted to thank Deandre and Gavin for first inviting me to train at this gym when I first met…read morethem in Tatte off Rockville pike. I was Training at Yamasaki at the time and went to the free sessions and open mat at standard. I was struggling with mental health issues at the time and Greg and Noah and the rest of the crew were as patient as anyone could be. This gym is an Extremely skillful gym. I've spoken to Greg multiple times about jitsu in general and I have not spoken to anyone nor listened to any YouTube video with that level of intellect about the sport. Thanks for being patient with me, and the time invested in me as I never paid Greg a dollar between the 7 free sessions they offer and open mat, but I learned priceless knowledge. Hearing Greg tell the story about how a prince of Saudi along with the Gracies started the ADCC was awesome. Thank you all, and sorry for any misunderstandings while I struggled with mental health issues at the time! God bless. OSS.

There's no better BJJ gym in the DMV and arguably in the US. The only other schools that produce…read morethis level of fighter are B Team and New Wave. If you want an atmosphere full of dedicated, focused people- this is the place. I switched from another local gym and my game has improved significantly in a fraction of the time. Greg is a wizard and an amazing coach/ person.

This place is absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough…read more I began taking private lessons at Taichi Kung-Fu Academy to augment my other martial arts studies, and I ended up absolutely loving this place. Sunny and Justin are extremely knowledgeable and talented, and they are able to teach a wide variety of styles and techniques - lessons never get boring. Along those lines, a lot of the forms and skills here are extremely tough, but both Sunny and Justin can break things down and make them digestible and understandable. The facilities here are really nice, too. The main room is massive, and they also have an extremely well-stocked gym. Everything feels clean and professional. I'd strongly recommend checking this place out.

Very good, supportive coaches who balance fun and rigor well. Many friends to be made of all agesread more

Should start off with admitting that I'm a Jiu-Jitsu addict. Further, I'm a small framed…read more30-something male. So visiting other academies can be intimidating. When traveling to Gaithersburg for work, I saw there was an academy reasonably close to where I was staying. Professor Noel was incredibly hospitable and encouraging for me to attend the classes. The academy itself is very clean throughout. The drilling or fundamentals classes were great in that they're both a good working and emphasizing drilling technique to perfection (drillers make killers as the saying goes). The advanced class that I attended immediately applied to something I've struggled with. With the requisite rolling, I found the students calm and technical with their sparring habits. Finally, the students themselves - across the belts - were friendly and inviting. I would definitely visit again as well as recommend Foundry Jiu-Jitsu as a place to train if you live in the area.

One of the very few places I miss in Montgomery County, MD. I have practiced judo and Brazilian jiu…read morejitsu in my teens before coming to the US, but since my skills were getting rusty, I tried several schools and The Foundry was the best fit for my skill level. I was not trying on to getting back to competing again, but to feel that empowerment and camaraderie among who practice this martial art. Perfect for every skill level. Great and knowledgeable instructors. Wonderful introduction for children to teach them discipline, respect, and being gentle with self and others. I highly recommend this for everyone who wants to be in tournaments, self-defense and fitness.

This is a superb, first class training facility! BBMAC has excellent instructors and the sense…read morecommunity is unmatched. This school has been a staple in the community for many years, and you will feel right at home! Your peers will push you to do your best, and you will grow as a team. Whether you are an absolute beginner, or a seasoned martial artist/athlete you WILL find something here for you, and you WILL find something IN you!

Great place to learn Karate. Very nice instructors. Helpful owner. Going to start taking lessons…read moreagain.

I have been going to Bartman MMA since November 2011, and have loved every minute of it. If…read moreanything as I've grown, I've craved the teachings even more, now going 3 classes per week. I started out at his other location in Bethesda, joined the "Women's Kick Ass" class and Brazilian JiuJitsu classes here in Glenmont too. It's amazing, Greg and Tori (Women's class co-teacher) are amazing at what they do. They have been doing it a long time and you can tell. Not only by their technique, but their true passion for the sport. Anytime Relson Gracie is comin to town, they're there, for support, to give accolades, to LEARN. Aside from being great people, they are great teachers too. They communicate clearly, are happy to show moves in slow motion, from different angles, and hear your questions at any time; I am often guilty of saying "so...I was watching TV, and saw this move on Criminal Minds..." They teach students of all kinds-shapes-and sizes. They have a kids class too, so you know what that means... if they can keep the attention span of little children and teach them how to protect themselves....they're super coaches! What you really learn is how what they teach you depends on using your body to your advantage. It doesn't matter if you're big or small, strong or "room for improvement," it's a matter of physics... like working your body angles, pivot points, and leverage.... like calculated chess moves. I've learned self defense for the street, and proper grappling moves as well. The other bonus I've taken away is the mental aspect learned through all this. JiuJitsu is a calm of mind activity. Yes, you may rolling around on the ground, defending yourself, breaking a sweat (which is also a good cardio workout), but you're also trying to keep your mind at neutral. You don't want to waste all your strength in a battle for bronze (especially if you're my size, you'd often lose that fight). You don't want to tense up either. You stay calm, you keep in mind you are worth fighting for and there is always a way out of this. You "turn on your spidey senses" to feel where your partner/attacker is grabbing you, and use your skills to maneuver around their grasp. Seriously--mind included--it's a full body workout. 3rd to last fun fact/tip: Greg and Tori hold seminars for private groups too (good for team-building activities, safety lessons, birthdays, maybe even bachelorette parties.... the moves I've learned, have definitely gotten me out of some tickle wars with my husband). 2nd to last tip of awesomeness: If you prepay for a class, or combination of classes, in bundles you get a discount! Be sure to ask when registering (because after this adoring review, how could you not sign up :-) am I right). Okay, the real last tip/fun fact: Students are also welcome to open mat Thursday nights for more practice!!

Been training with Greg at the adult BJJ class for a week now, and it's been the best training…read moreexperience for me so far. Warmups aren't too difficult but they get your joints ready for drilling and sparring. The techniques are taught in a clear, step-by-step manner that has both street safety and sport effectiveness in mind. There isn't any aggressiveness but everyone trains respectfully and there are plenty of purple belts who have helped me really hone in on details. Everything is handled in a way that pushes you to strive for detail-oriented jiu-jitsu while respecting your training partner.

Joanne Chang is a tremendously patient teacher of Tai Chi. She teaches at two locations: In…read moreKensington and Rockville. Beginners are welcome, there is a wide variety of students and I find everyone to be very friendly and supportive of each other. Yes Tai Chi has a foundation in self-defense but it is also tremendously relaxing and energizing. If you are looking for a new way to improve your health and well-being I urge you to give this a try. There's no better teacher. Joanne's teachers are a direct lineage from Cheng Man-ching who created this "short form" style of Tai Chi. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I've been taking Tai Chi classes on and off for a number of years. These classes are the right size…read morefor me to learn and improve. Combined with a fun and supportive teaching style that focuses on fundamentals as well as advanced application means a great experience for beginners and those like me wanting form correction. I'm more relaxed and energized after each class so I always look forward to the next class. My work schedule means I have to miss some classes and they are incredibly flexible about making up classes. There is an optional Saturday session which is like a free extra class. Convenient to Rockville (Wed) and Kensington (Thu & Sat.)

Institute of Tai Chi Arts (ITCA) was established by the late Master, Tom Tang in 1992. It is a…read morefederal-registered non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Tai Chi Chuan and help members improve their health and learn an ancient martial art in its pure form. The Hwa-Fu chapter of ITCA includes Cheng Man Ching's 37 form, Yang's long form, sword, push hand, san shou, and joint exercise. Members meet at Wootton High School on Sundays, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, from September through Memorial Day. There is also a summer camp. Hwa-Fu's membership fee is very inexpensive, $45 for one semester (September to January). All of the instructors and support staff are volunteers, receiving no compensation. The instructors are dedicated to passing on the knowledge of the late Master Tang. Membership is open to the public and all are welcome. Experience in Tai Chi Chuan is not required. Tai Chi is an excellent form of exercise for everyone, particularly seniors. For those interested in studying an ancient martial art, Tai Chi offers significant benefits and applications. It can also complement other martial arts studies.