The head instructors - Scott & BIll are two of the most patient, polite instructors I've ever…read moreencountered. This is not at the expense of focused, aggressive, demanding training that truly creates top-notch athletes in the sport of MMA (mixed martial arts.) You only need to drop by once to know this place is legit. If you look at their fight records (e.g. the last AFO in Braintree, SSSF went 5 for 5) you'll see what I mean. If you have any trepidation, fear not - they'll train at any skill level of absolute beginner who's just looking for fitness to pro fighter looking to make it to the next level.

The owner Scott Lockhart is the very BEST in every way! Knowledgeable, helpful, skilled. Great…read morepersonality. Their fit fight program is the BEST on the South Shore! You won't find a better place!!!

It does not get better than Keidy as far as CrossFit coaching goes. She is unbelievably motivating,…read morefriendly and a genuinely *amazing* human being. She coached me for almost a year and a half before opening her own box (gym) up in Mansfield and I finally made the drive up to work out with her again. (Absolutely worth the drive and more) Not only are she and her partner Chris incredible athletes and coaches, their facility is beautiful: clean, modern and bright. If you're looking to get in better shape, check out CrossFit First Down, you won't be sorry!

Everyone is super welcoming! The programming is also great. I highly recommend this gym if you're…read morelooking to make some great friends as well as in shape!

This is actually a response to the owner, because I could not reply to the comment that you made. I…read moredo not use my real name on yelp for this specific reason. But I was a member at your gym and everything I said was true. You have two bathrooms in the right hand corner of the gym, a ring in the middle, weights to the left. I was a member there for a while and your gym is not good. So you will not find my name on your registry or whatever, but my review still stands. If you're a real boxer, this is not the gym for you.

Best gym around! The classes and trainers are awesome. It's family friendly, so I don't have to…read moreworry about the baby while working out. Everyone I have encountered in the gym is super friendly. Most important the workouts will kick your butt, but have you coming back for more. Try this place out, you won't regret it.

I have read all the reviews below and bad is expected with the good. So far I have met with Sensei…read moreHoward and was able to ask a few key questions because I use tools like Yelp to help guide me not make up my mind for me. I feel very strongly to make sure anyone else basing decisions solely on these reviews know that this dojo is NOT ANTI GAY. They are VERY LGBTQ friendly and frankly were horrified that statement is out there for public consumption. We will be going back and taking advantage of step two. Keep you posted!

I was intrigued by Krav Maga because of the tenent, "anyone can learn it." After years of being out…read moreof shape and overweight, I decided to give it a try and found ABD on the web. I've stayed away from "traditional" martial arts because I have flexibility issues as well, but I saw people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels doing Krav Maga. The staff and instructors have always been supportive and helpful. If an instructor notices I'm having trouble doing a certain move, they are quick to suggest an alternative. For example, I can't kick quite high enough to reach someone's waist (yet), so they suggested I aim for the knee instead. I've never felt pressured to buy anything or sign up for a long term contract. I signed up for black-belt training because I wanted too, and I look forward to the challenge. I disagree with the"McDojo" comment. In my opinion promotions should a balance between proficiency and motivation. Remember, not everyone is a natural jock or an athlete. Does that mean the rest of us who are not should sit on the couch for our lives? If you only promote those who are the most proficient, the less proficient get frustrated and quit. As with most things, it seems like a bell curve with most falling toward the center, not a line in the sand. My limitations have taken me longer to get where I am, but I still got there with practice and support. I earned my rank with sweat, fatigue and determination. I am proud of it.

I have been a student at NEMAD for over 7 years and I believe this dojo is a gem. A traditional…read moreschool for learning an art for the sake of learning an art. A place where I have been treated respectfully throughout my journey from white belt to black belt. I have gained physical skills, but even more I have developed confidence that I never would have found elsewhere. While not the right fit for everyone, I highly recommend checking them out.

New England Martial Arts Dojo is a traditional Shotokan Karate School with a long History of…read moreinstruction and students, dating back to the 1960's. The senior instructors have over 30 years of experience which allows for a full range of instruction from beginners to more advanced students. I've trained with this School for 20 years and have continued to gain a better understanding of martial arts techniques and consciousness. I recommend this School for students of all ages.

I've been going to Box Around for about a month now and my only regret is that I didn't start…read moresooner. I had some preconceived notions of what a boxing gym would be and I couldn't have been more wrong. All of the people training at Box Around are great people. Bud Lakin, is a great trainer and an even better person. I came in totally green and after a month I can move around in the ring pretty decently and hit the bag the proper way. The boxing training is great for someone like me that doesn't like to just run. I get a great cardio workout every time I go and I've already lost about 6 pounds of flab. I really can't stress enough how good the atmosphere of this gym is. There's no swearing and yelling, just a bunch of people training that are very supportive of each other. My kids are a little young to bring in the gym, but once they're a little older I will bring both as soon as I can. The price is more than reasonable especially considering the attention you get from Bud. If you have always been curious about picking up boxing even if it's only for fitness and confidence, Box Around is an awesome place to go. A quick side note, I called about 3 to 4 gyms trying to get some info up front and Bud was the only person to call me back. I'm very happy that he did, I wouldn't want to train anywhere else. Here is the link to their site, the posted one doesn't work at the moment. http://boxaroundboxingclub.com

I will preface this review with why we decided on boxing for a 5 year old - My 5 year old son who…read moreis very small for his age was being picked on by some older children, and once I saw this with my own eyes I decided it was time to teach him how to stand up for himself and give him some confidence that would allow him to grow into the person he is meant to be. (not beaten out of him by bullies) My son after 5 weeks- He knows the proper stance, how to properly throw a punch, hit the heavy bag, balance shadow boxing on a tire, and even hit the gloves in the ring. Bud Lakin is firm but kind, quickly gaining my sons respect. He has given my son a new level of confidence. My son is able to handle the corrections Bud makes to his stance or rhythm because he knows Bud is helping him and knows it comes from a good place. The lessons are reasonably priced and really the best money my husband & I have ever spent (we both agree). We are doing twice a week on Tuesday and Thursdays and each time the lesson is over my son is amazed how fast the hour and a half went and eager to stay longer. The gym has other children around 10-14yrs old in at the same time, and they are kind and encouraging to my son and polite and respectful to myself. There are also usual a couple of other men and women training who are also friendly and make us feel welcome. Last week Bud had my son work in the ring with a grown man...the man was on his knees so he was eye level with my son and allowed my son to practice his boxing skills on him, bobbing and weaving to make it a real challenge for my son teaching him how to move like a boxer . It was a real highlight for my son. Also, with the children, there is NO contact, meaning my son does not ever get hit. These lessons really build his confidence and keep him safe. My husband plans on taking lessons once he gets a few days off from work. Bud is teaching my son lessons that will stick with him forever. These are life skills in this tough society we now live in. I highly recommend this gym for anyone interested in learning the art of boxing, I enjoy watching Bud Lakin work with my son and the others training. It is like watching a master teacher. You can see he does it for the love of boxing, not the money.

Very welcoming and friendly. Clean gym with friendly members and the owners are very helpful and…read moreengaging. Plenty of equipment and platforms for your weightlifting needs!

I was visiting Massachusetts over Christmas and was looking for a weightlifting gym where I could…read moretrain. Mary answered the phone when I called and invited me to come by. Im super glad I was able to find this place! When I got there, she warmly greeted me and made sure I had everything I needed, even asking me if the music was to my liking (it was!). This is an extremely well-equipped weightlifting gym with 8 full size platforms, Olympic bars, bumper plates, power racks, blocks, and chalk stands. Thinhs were super well organized, even down to the order to the plates. Throw in a few Hookgrip / ATG / USA Weightlifting banners and I was good to go! The first thing Mary had me do were some overhead squats on a vibrating plate to loosen up my muscles. Afterwards, I got on the platform and did a few snatches with just the bar. She mentioned there would be a class soon and, not wanting to miss out on coaching, I gladly agreed to take the class. Mary was super attentive and gave her full attention to watching each lifter perform the complexes she programmed. Each lift was videotaped on an iPad, and between lifts, Mary reviewed the footage with me 1 on 1 to identify issues with my form. I could see exactly what she was talking about, and fixing these problems really helped me extend and catch more confidently. Needless to say, I absolutely love this visual approach to coaching, and her advice was very easy to understand. I only wish that I had more time to spend at this gym. Their drop-in rate is $20, or $30 to drop-in and take a class, which I think is very reasonable given the quality of the coaching and how nice the facility is. I'll definitely be back to visit when I am in the area again!

The staff is very professional and knowledgeable. They helped my daughter gain the confidence and…read moreskills she needed to excell in cheer. Large spacious gym with lots of new equipment.