I was on a vacation trip to Scottsdale and dropped into a few academies to train Jiu Jitsu with…read morefolks in the area. I'm a Black belt with thirteen years on the mats, so I've been to many different locations over the years and have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly out there. Professor Ximenes was a relaxed, friendly guy and said, "Of course!" when I asked if he was amenable to me training with his 9 am class. No mat fee, no drama about uniform. Solid jiu jitsu instruction, which I'd expect given his competition pedigree. I got to roll with his students and with him. Again: no drama, no ego. An excellent class and a great start to my day. Thank you to Professor Ximenes and his students for welcoming a fellow jiujiteiro to their academy.

Absolute honor to train at Alliance bjj. It has been a life…read morechanging experience! My 7 year old son has been training bjj with Thiago for about a year, and I have been back in jiu jitsu at Alliance for a few months now. The training environment is awesome! Thiago and his team of coaches are great instructors. Their instructions are explained and demonstrated in detail for both adults and kids' classes. My son enjoys training at Alliance bjj! It has been great to see his personal development. The training environment is based off respect, kindness and hard work. I consider myself lucky to train with such a skilled instructor!

Everyone wants to be a badass at some point, don't they? I had been wanting to get back into…read moremartial arts for some time. Since AZ Combat Sports offers new students a free first class, I joined Ms. Official Badass Grace O. in an evening hour-long Muay Thai session of punching, pivoting and sweating. After filling out the necessary paperwork (A form basically saying don't sue them If you get hurt practicing, etc.), I was given a tour, and introduced to many cool and experienced students in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu-jitsu), MMA, and Muay Thai. The class started with some cardio (Jump rope), then moved on to stretching and some muscle strength exercises. Since everyone else was not a newbie, the assistant instructor then gave me an individualized intro class where I learned the basics of punching while the others practiced kicks and punches with a partner. Since I used to take kenpo, a lot of the muscle memory I've retained doesn't fit into the style of Muay Thai fighting, at least where striking and hand movements are concerned. The instructor was patient though as he guided me through the different moves. I have to say I was a little disappointed I didn't get to kick anything today but I understand that you gotta start with the basics if you want to build a solid foundation of skills. Compared to a krav maga class I took a few years ago, I liked the atmosphere here better, and I appreciated the personal instruction. While the krav maga class has you jump right into action, practicing attack scenarios, the Muay Thai class focused more on form so that the punches and kicks you deliver have the most bang for your buck. I'm still debating whether to get back into a more traditional martial arts or more of a combat sport like Muay Thai, but if I do decide to go into Muay Thai this is the place to be!

Arizona Combat Sports is AMAZING! The staff is so incredibly kind and talented! All the coaches…read moretake the time and effort to help improve your skills and will answer any of your questions! I was so lucky to find this place and I just want to say that if you're interested in martial arts, specifically Jiu Jitsu or Muay Thai, LOOK NO FURTHER! This is the spot! Thank you for everything AZ Combat.

August is an excellent trainer, does not matter if your a beginner or an experienced athlete he…read moreunderstands how to connect with you at your level. I Highly recommend checking him out.

I loved it! The trainers are well versed in their skill and great at breaking down new material to…read morebeginners, like myself. I enjoy the fun environment and look forward to learning new skills every workout.

I've been training at Kiko France Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over five years, it's truly been one of…read morethe best decisions I've made in my 20s. Kiko is an incredible instructor--technical, patient, and genuinely invested in every student's growth. The culture he's built is welcoming, disciplined, and supportive. I've met some of my best friends on these mats, and it's become much more than just a place to train. They also have outstanding kids and women's programs that reflect the intentional, high-quality environment here. If you're thinking about starting Jiu Jitsu or looking for the right academy, this is it.

Best bjj place in the valley! This place offer the best coaches and lesson to anyone. Super nice…read morestaff and clean facility as well.

My wife and I decided last October 2025 to take a free first class at EVKM for a date night. I…read morefirst spoke to Keith the owner on the phone who was friendly and encouraging. I had some concerns mand explained I might not be able physically do the class. Im not 20 years old anymore and am short one wash board stomach lol. I thought I might be to old ( in my mind Im 30 :), but my body is 54. Keith said to come in and give it a shot its free to try it. He also said to come and do what you can there is no failure to try. My wife and I took an introductory class on a Friday evening. Everyone was very nice from the minute we arrived, with no pressure and no "Im better than you attitude" . Everyone of all ages was smiling, friendly and encouraging. The facility is second to none with all the cool pads and mats and work out punching bags. It's a large space with good lighting and is well taken care of, bathrooms were clean as well. It is obvious from the moment you enter the building that they take pride in thier space as much as thier philosophy and practices. We got right in to to our 50 minute class starting with the owner himself, Keith (a black belt), showing us a basic fight stance. Then a female instuctor named Amy took over with a basic warmup consisting of jumping jacks, jogging around the padded mat and stretches etc. She then taught us to punch correctly and we learned how to break out of a choke hold. I was amazed at what you can learn in 1 hour with a quality well spoken instructors that actually cares if you "get it" or not. My wife also liked the class. After the class ended we had a post meeting with Keith where he gave us the run down on options for memberships and pricing. It all seemed fair for what you get and access to so much skilled training. I've owned my own small business for 27 years so I can appreciate fair, but still needing to make a profit pricing to keep a good business going strong. If its to cheap the business won't last and if its to expensive no one will pay the high price. After a couple days I called Keith and signed up on a limited basis at first because I honestly didn't know if this was something I could commit to with my work schedule and responsibilities for running my own business. My wife liked the class and hoped to do more, but has some serious neck and ankle issues from past injuries and felt after thinking about it more that she would be better off to do something more geared toward her physical restrictions. However she whole heartedly encouraged me to continue to go if I liked it and so I did! I started with one class a week at first and then over the course of a few months realized what a physical and mental benefit Krav Maga was adding to to my life. I made time in my life for the training and now 5 months in I'm going 3 to 4 times a week and have added some running and home workouts as well. I have learned a lot and excited to learn more, there is years and years worth to material to learn so it is always a challenge every class. I also bought a Krav Maga book recommended by one of the instructors and have used it to review after class what we learned and practice on my own. I found that doing some of the techniques in my pool is great practice and the water gives resistance to the moves and forces you to go slow and be more precise...and its relaxing. The long and short of it is East Valley Krav Maga Self Defense and Fitness in Tempe is worth every penny and I would say if you are looking for something to get fit other than going to a sweaty gym with everyone parading around like peacocks this might be just the fit you are looking for. It's never to late or to early to make positive life changes and take care of the most important thing in your life ...YOU! Once you help yourself you can then help others in many ways from a place of both mental and physical strength!

This place is awesome. I was doing kickboxing and Krav Maga before covid hit and was 40 years old…read moreand I'm the best shape of my life. canceling was easy so I'm not sure what that review is about. if you want a great workout, this is the spot. keep in mind...I used to be 260 pounds and was 40 when I joined EVKM.

My grandson loves ATA, he's learning a lot! The owner and instructors are great! I recommend going…read morehere, great for many age groups!

Excellent instruction+ Positive energy…read more Follows rules for COVID! Each individual get's one on one time with the instructors! Great workout! Friendly staff!

I have taken 6 classes at KBX and I can already see a transformation, not only in my physique, but…read morein the way I think! They promote a lifestyle that improves physical and mental health! Signing up was the best decision I could've made for myself! The vibes are incredibly supportive and encouraging! The coaches are so talented and helpful! I am not typically the most coordinated individual, and they are patient with teaching me how to improve! I leave feeling like I can accomplish anything! Thank you for giving me a new passion for life!

Great atmosphere! The intro stirs are friendly and helpful! The coaches n support staff are…read morefriendly! Workout are great.....always breaking a sweat n keep my body guessing! Full body work out!!!

By far the best/most serious place to train MMA. I have not been able to find a dojo that compares…read moresince we moved away.

Permagrin... that's what my husband and I both had on our faces last night as we sat in awe at our…read moretwo kids in their very first karate class. Master Nick couldn't have been more personable with the kids as they were a bit shy when we entered his studio, but they opened up in due time and had a blast. I'm hoping this two week trial we signed up for is just the beginning of a future (or at least a couple of good years) of martial arts training. I can see already how these classes will teach confidence, respect, fitness, and so much more... Looking forward to what is to come!

A thousand thank yous to Master Nick, Master Tristan & team for the time they put into their…read moreathletes at Mountain View Karate. Whether you'd prefer classes in a clean and professional studio, over Zoom, or in a park setting- they've got you covered. Especially skilled with youth athletes. We are gracious to the staff here for not only welcoming us into this new world of tae kwon do but also for their ability to explain the importance of self discipline and the importance of working towards long and short term goals. There's no better deal in town for Karate; monthly dues, come when it suits you.

There's nothing better than being with a gym so long you get to experience all the growth that…read morecomes with it! Nikki & Nick have really built something special in Scottsdale. I haven't been at Bodi since the beginning but I have been a member for over 5 years and I definitely love that place! There are multiple options of classes that incorporate strength and cardio, yoga, heated mat Pilates and boxing (now Hyrox based class and straight lifting classes). They have expanded to 3 studios to offer all those classes, which is amazing! There's always a variety of exercises to hit the main muscles groups and the accessory muscle groups. The recovery room is super convenient to use after a class or on a rest day. Variety of class times to meet a large range of schedules. They truly value their members and community and are constantly finding ways to benefit the members even more. It can always be a little intimidating trying a new gym or class but I think they do a great job at trying to make everyone feel welcome & it's generally easy to follow along if feeling lost during a workout. The coaches bring so much energy & fun to the classes as well. Bodi is very affordable in comparison to other gyms (especially if you catch one of their sales around holidays). Class pass is another great way to experience some bodi classes. Definitely worth it to try at least once!!

I've only taken three strength training classes so far, but they've all been great. The workouts…read moreare effective, creative, and genuinely fun. I also love the layout of the gym it's clean, well spaced out, and the equipment is great. My only con so far is that, in my experience, the trainers haven't been very engaged with the class or offered much guidance on form. One of the things I love most about group fitness is when instructors hype up the room & shouting out members, offering motivation, or demoing the moves alongside the class instead of just in the beginning and I haven't really seen that yet. That said, the staff are all super friendly, the gym offers so much more than just strength training (which I'm excited to explore), and the playlists are a solid 10/10. If you're in Scottsdale or just want to try a new gym I highly recommend this one!