I couldn't speak more highly of Prepare Inc. I first took classes there over 20 years ago. Not only did I learn self defense strategies but I tapped in to hidden fears and past traumas and was able to work through them physically. Fighting with specific techniques and pounding the padded attacker with all my might was incredibly healing. Fast forward to 2016, my 11 year old took a class and was instantly feeling more confident in school and riding the subway alone. I highly recommend. read more

Prepare Inc isn't martial arts, I'm not sure why it's categorized this way. But they do offer self defense classes for all people - men, women, kids, teens. I signed up for a 20 hour womens' self defense class, it was 5 hours over 4 Sundays and it was intense but one of the best experiences I've ever had and incredible important. I didn't realize before taking the class, how vulnerable and unprepared I was should anything happen to me. Most people freeze and unfortunately, that hesistation could be the difference between getting away/saving your life or something happening to you. Prepare's classes do "prepare" you by setting up training sessions where they try to put you in that 'adrenalized' state - they set up mock attack scenarios and harassment scenarios that are about as real as you can get in a simulation and it really does get your adrenaline going. But by training you over and over again in how to deal with different scenarios (grabbed from behind, taken down, other unpleasant things), you engrain your responses and the correct techniques for dealing with each scenario in your muscle memory and hopefully, in the event that something does happen, you will just remain calm, conserve your energy, and be able to remember what to do and hopefully protect yourself and get away safely. The instructors and assistants are amazing and it just felt like a safe environment. Very supportive, no judgement and everybody was there for each other. It's really emotional and for some, traumatic, putting yourself in these scenarios and trying to train yourself physically and mentally in what to do and how to respond - but I have to say that my experience was very positive and I feel much more prepared at least that should something happen to me, that I would have the tools and know-how to give myself a chance to protect myself and hopefully save myself. I highly recommend taking their self defense courses. I will periodically go back for refreshers because I really think that this is such an important thing for everybody to know. read more

Life changing. It was the best investment in myself and my life that I've made. I think this should be a mandatory class for every teenage girl, and certainly something every woman should take once in her life. I came into the class having already had a few incidents in my life, and I've always regretted the way I responded (or actually didn't) to them. I went from knowing that I froze in certain situations to truly feeling like I now have tools and verbal and (if necessary) physical responses to any situation I might find myself in. I was unprepared for the emotional effects. I thought it would be a class all about physically fighting back, but I came out feeling empowered and strong, and I was moved to tears more than once in class. I highly recommend this to every woman living in NYC...or anywhere. read more

This course opened my eyes to the way that I want to be treated. I learned to recognize that I can say no to people and situations that make me uncomfortable. I feel so much more empowered to speak up and advocate for myself. I am now feeling agency and taking charge of my life. I have been thrilled to find myself having the courage and ability to speak up to people at home and at work in ways that I could not have imagined before.  I also feel much safer walking around the city knowing that I have the physical skills to fight back if I need to. Practicing actually fighting full-force against men in padded suits is an incredibly empowering and effective experience that got into my muscle memory and changed the way I carry myself. The instructors were amazing: kind, intelligent, supportive. I felt very safe the whole time I was there, such a comfortable, positive, and non-competitive environment. I loved being in this course. read more

I heard about this IMPACT training class by reading The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker. It was an excellent book (though a tad victim blamey) and when the author recommended IMPACT, I had realized that it was the same course recommended to me 10 years ago by a colleague right after I had been assaulted in college. I wish I had had taken my colleague's advice then but I didn't thinking it was just another martial arts class (it's not, btw). 3 more krappy assaults and a decade passes before I finally decided to sign up for the class. It was not cheap but it was worth EVERY PENNY. I like to think I am a confident person but after a string of bad incidents, I just couldn't fool myself into thinking it was just bad luck anymore. These classes prepare you for conflict situations in your life. Not just a random crazy person who attacks you on the street or in a home invasion (though they do a thorough job of making you feel a heck of a lot more prepared for that!) Surprisingly, it was the exercises that made you deal with workplace or personal relationship conflicts which were the most difficult (and not just for me, most of my class expressed feeling similarly) yet the most helpful. (And I didn't even realize I needed help on that front but wow- life changing- for the better!) So the part that everyone who has not been through the class focuses the most on is the fight simulations. Admittedly they are performed in a HIGH adrenal alert state. Kind of pit fight like, with the class whooping, cheering, and clapping. It brings up your fight or flight responses (even more so when you have fear of public speaking/acting/center of attention issues) and sometimes you are paralyzed or have slow reactions. Each time I've had bad things happen, I've suffered from that paralyzing fear... and this class most definitely helped me work through that. The next time I am assaulted on the street, you can be sure my response will be my elbow to their face or the knee to the groin. I finally feel ready and less like a sitting target. I'm more alert of my surroundings and not afraid to look to assess the situation. I will most def be going back for a refresher and am planning on enrolling my niece when she turns 7. This class is that amazing. If you are looking at these reviews and debating signing up. Take it, you won't regret it. My only regret is that I didn't take it sooner. read more

I've taken the Prepare course twice in my life: once in 2012 when I wanted prepare myself to travel abroad, and another time six months ago, 2018. I live in NYC. I tell people all of the time that this is the best thing I have ever done for myself, to take this class. It is a safe and warm environment and I saw how the instructors were understanding and helpful and adapted to the needs of the people taking the course. There was an extremely wide range of ages of people taking the course both times I went, and all genders are welcome. The most useful things I learned help me in my every day life, feeling comfortable to just tell that creepy Uncle that I prefer handshakes instead of feeling pressured to let him come right up against me, to walk away from potentially dangerous situations, and to walk with confidence and awareness. My soft, gentle personality developed a voice that gave me confidence in this course, and I learned to not be afraid to use my body in simple motions to defend myself. I feel like a strong capable woman now, and I try to teach others as much at I can from what I learned in that class. Every person, man, woman, and child, will develop awareness by taking this course. read more

This was a fantastic class with excellent instructors, a safe space, and invaluable skills taught. I feel much safer walking around the city knowing that I have the physical skills to fight back if I need to. Most importantly, this class opened my eyes to the way that people interact with each other and how I want to be treated. I learned to recognize that I can say no to people and situations that make me uncomfortable. I feel so much more empowered to speak up and advocate for myself. I am now feeling agency and taking charge of my life. I have been thrilled to find myself having the courage and ability to speak up to people in my family that I had not been able to speak up to before. read more