Sifu Daniels is an exceptional martial arts instructor. I had the privilege of training under him…read morefrom 1985 to 1990, and his teachings have had a lasting impact on my life. His skill, patience, and dedication to his students are unmatched. I hold him in the highest regard and deeply regret not being able to continue my training with him. Sifu Daniels is truly a master of his craft. I remember Sifu telling my class that we should not brag about our practice and if he ever heard that we were bragging (think Johnny Lawrence in the karate Kid 1) that he would take away our rights to wear of Fire Dragon School T-shirts. He would tell us to leave our egos in the glove compartment of the car when we got there. This really resonated with me. My brother thought it would be funny to grab me and put me in a bear hug, saying, "come on, let me see some of your stuff." I refused many times but he persisted and was taunting me. Finally, to get him to stop, I used a move that Sifu Daniels taught us in class and got out of the bear hug quite effortlessly, stunning my brother. He signed up for classes right after that and became a student of Sifu Daniels also. We eventually both had a good laugh about that time.

From the owner: Fire Dragon School of Fighting Arts is located at 4162 Library Rd in Castle Shannon, PA. Offering…read moretwo disciplines in which to train. The first is a southern Chinese Kung Fu style known as Hung Gar and the second discipline is boxing from Thailand, known as Muay Thai. No-matter what your reason for training in the martial arts, visit us before you make your final decision. See how our classes are conducted, observe a class, and talk to the students. You will find dedicated, intelligent, highly motivated people who are disciplined, respectful, and very serious about their training, but enjoy a good laugh along the way. You will see that they are highly skilled in empty hand, blade, contact weapons, and firearms. You will also see a sense of friendliness and brotherhood that is a rare commodity in most schools.

A real Judo/TKD School, with tradition and years of knowledge passed down through Grandmaster Kim,…read moreA true Judo icon and mentor. I had the privilege and honor of being one of his students growing up through middle school and into highschool.. now at 38, I want to achieve black belt rank. They are the best.

My son has been here for almost 4 years. We pay $105/month and can go to up to 3 classes a week so…read moreit's really a steal with that cost average of $9 a class if come 3x, $13 average for 2x a week. They have class as a group but do get one on one attention especially when noticed as needing more individualized help with new moves or new student. The belt promotion is based on when the staff feel they are ready to move up. New belts $60, uniforms are around $40 I believe (only need new uniforms when grow out). My son is 8 (almost 9) and is a blue belt. He goes to two classes a week 6-7pm on Mondays and Wednesdays. The staff are really great and know each kid by name, super helpful. The older kids/black belts help teach the younger. It is a family owned business here for years probably decades, they also have a North location run by the grandmaster's son. His grandsons are the primary instructors right now at this one. I got into it for the self discipline, self defense and elder respect it encourages. My son really likes it. It's year round. Masks used at all times right now. There are many poomsae (movements exercised as if there is an imaginary opponent) to learn and with each belt, one must demonstrate the number of these required to move up. They also spar at times and many exercise drills as a group. They do offer a free class to try out before joining. You can do taekwondo and judo, think the monthly rate for both is $150/mo.

I purchased 2 36-month Black Belt programs (for me and my son) at Nam's Korean Karate School and…read morepaid in full at the time of signing a contract. This payment plan enticed me to save a significant amount of money on the program over time vs. other payment plan options which were presented. Two months later, due to unforeseen circumstances, I needed to move 500 miles away to a different state. Although the contract stated that no refunds would be given after 3 business days, they were willing to provide a partial refund. Unfortunately, it took several communication attempts and the amount offered was negligible, not reflective of their pricing structure, and presented as a final decision with no room for negotiation. Please note that at the time of this review, I am still unable to resolve this issue with the business. For those of you contemplating joining Nam's Korean Karate School (or any martial arts studio in this area), please learn from my experience. I suggest researching the 1997 Commonwealth Fisher v. Tiger Schulmann court case (argued in 2001) which ruled that these businesses are not required to comply with the Pennsylvania Health Club Act because they do not meet the definition of a health club ("a person, firm, corporation, organization, club or association engaged in the sale of memberships in a health spa, racquet club, figure salon, weight reduction center or other physical culture service enterprise offering facilities for the preservation, maintenance, encouragement or development of physical fitness or physical well-being.") The PA Health Club Act provides certain protections to consumers entering long-term contracts and can be found in its entirety online. It is my understanding that some martial arts studios in PA willingly comply even though they may not be required to by law. After all, the physical health benefits of martial arts are becoming increasingly well-documented, and "martial arts, such as karate," is specifically recommended as vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise for adults and children in the most recent (2008) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans set forth by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Even at the time of writing this review, this business's own Yelp page lists "physical fitness" and "improving strength and flexibility" among the specialties it offers. If I had purchased a membership somewhere that elected to follow these regulations, then I would have received a fair refund under my circumstances (i.e., moving more than 25 additional miles away from the facility). Be a more informed consumer than I was. For example, as you shop around for a dojo, you may want to ask if they willingly comply with the Health Club Act. Or, if you have already entered a contract, you may want to find out whether the business is adequately bonded (which would protect you in case a business closed or filed for bankruptcy) - a question I wish I had asked prior to handing over a large sum of money. Otherwise, if you find yourself in a situation like mine, without sufficient consumer protection in this area, you may need to seek help from agencies like your credit card company, the Better Business Bureau, or office of the Attorney General. Please note that this review is solely based on my opinion that I have encountered poor customer service and unjust business practices in dealing with Nam's Korean Karate School. It is not related to the quality of instruction or environment. We only participated for 2 months, and while we were quite satisfied during that time, it was not a sufficient amount of time to provide a meaningful review on that aspect of their business. I hope this review helps others in making a well-informed decision about whether to enter into a contract with this business.

From the owner: Gain Confidence Here! Learn traditional Tang Soo Do from…read morecertified Instructors. Children & Teens: We make discipline, focus, physical fitness and learning Tang Soo Do for Children FUN!  We will improve your child's home and school performance! Adults can improve strength and flexibility, relieve stress and tension and learn self-defense.  You will improve work place and home performance with energy and a positive mindset!   Families can train together with our 50% OFF family deal, remember,  "A Family that Kicks Together, Sticks Together!" Our Yelp deal is for a 3 Weeks Course which includes FREE Uniform.

Wouldn't recommend, called them twice to simply get a price for the AT training. All I ever got…read morewas; someone will call me back. No one called me back! Not good business practice-when someone is inquiring to give you money-you do everything with excellence to get it-unfortunately, now when I talk to my friends who wanted to train with me for the AT training-we'll have to tell others to consider somewhere else-up your game PKA Karate!!!

I go here for adult kickboxing, so that's what this review is for, but the coaches are the same and…read morethey are incredibly supportive and encouraging and seem to have a great relationship with the younger karate students. Anyway, I started going to PKA ("ilovekickboxing.com" is the kickboxing program) from a Groupon I got in the summer when I was looking for a change in my work-out and to have some fun after recovering from a back injury. The website seemed cheesy and over the top, but also friendly and the deal was great (they also have a great start-up deal outside the Groupon deal - check the website for info). I called and Jeff answered the phone, was super friendly off the bat, and signed me up for a class a few weeks in the future, to make sure there would be room for a newbie so that they could offer feedback and attention. So I waited the few weeks, didn't have too much expectation, honestly, but interested in checking the place out. I was blown away by how challenging but doable the workout was - it really offered me everything I wanted: cardio, strength training, coordination and balance, time for personal focus as well as paired workouts to create a real sense of family over time, and plenty of guidance and help as needed without people breathing down your neck or that "drill sergeant" feel of some personal trainers or classes. After class I got the shpeal about how to sign up and save money, but I held off at first because I wasn't sure how I was going to feel in a couple days (again, the old back injury), but I came back a couple days later and again had a blast, and signed up for a package. Over the course of the past couple months I've grown to really like and admire my "tribe" of ILKB folks, their camaraderie, passion, dedication, and friendliness are all top notch. Recently, I slipped on the ice on my way home from work and dislocated my shoulder. When I informed the gym's Facebook page of my accident, Kohm (one of the trainers, who also teaches the kids) reached out to me to offer to put together a workout that does not involve the arms or shoulders, and has helped me monitor my nutrition online, so that I can still work towards my fitness goals and keep my strength and endurance up while I recover. I definitely recommend this place to people looking for a place to work out some aggression, learn some great self defense moves, burn some calories, gain some muscles and confidence, and get into great shape with a great group of people who are all working together. Really, I can't say enough great things about them.

We had been having a rough time finding our 5 year old son an activity that he enjoys and feels…read moreconfident participating in. We decided to join following a buddy week we were invited to bc he fell in love and I could just tell he enjoyed it! The class is amazing. It takes a special person to be firm while teaching preschoolers and his instructor Ms. C is absolutely the best! I am truly amazed each week while I watch him do something he enjoys and can't wait to see him excel in confidence and respect as time goes on! I have no doubt kinder karate can make that happen!

From the owner: Kinder Karate® specializes in martial arts classes for the 3-6 year old age group. Classes are…read moresmall, high-energy, with manageable chunks of information that the kids can process and remember. Kids will love learning in our fun environment! Kids make great strides in language, social skills, patience, and focus, and learn these concepts not as abstract thoughts, but in a concrete "show me" behavior-based way. Locations in Belle Vernon, Bethel Park, Pleasant Hills, and McKeesport/Elizabeth.