Raising the Bar Martial Arts

The masters and students made our experience very special. My son has a few attention challenges…read moreand social anxieties- we found this studio and saw that learning about taekwondo helped provide focus and confidence in my 4yr old. Thanks to the Masters that provide a healthy and fun environment for learning and growing.

Studio is a little out of date and needs some TLC but all the masters & instructors are phenomenal…read more They're patient, kind, and treat every child the same. My kids love being part of the K Martial Arts Family.

APEX House of Grappling

This will be my third review of APEX. I did one when I first started, a couple months in and now,…read moreafter 1 year of training. APEX is truly a special place. It is more than a gym, more than good training, it is like an extension of your family and a band of training brothers. There is not another gym like this around and I stand on that. Coach Nick Spacek is the best grappling instructor in the Chicagoland area. Black belt in Jiu Jitsu, black belt in Judo and high level wrestling, on top of 20 years in the sport. You will be very hard pressed to find a coach like that who teaches every class and works with students individually. It just doesn't happen that often. Nick truly cares about his students and their progression through the sport. Whether your a grappling competitor, an MMA fighter looking to improve your ground game, or a 40 year old hobbyist like myself, he works with you and you will learn. He has a laid back vibe and is really good at breaking down the basics. His students compete and they win. I've mentioned it in other posts but the kids program here is the best in Chicago area. I truly believe that you will not find a better place to take your kids. They will get in shape, be disciplined , have confidence and the skills to handle any situation thrown at them. They will not only have skills on the mats, but they will be on the path of being a good human and citizen. If you want your kid to benefit and take something away from a hobby/ activity, look no further. I always hear people say "I'd love to do Jiu Jitsu." All it takes is for you to walk into the door and try. Try a week of classes and see for yourself. You won't regret it, you'll only benefit from it. See you on the mats.

I can't recommend this gym highly enough. Nick is an exceptional instructor with literally two…read moredecades of grappling experience. He motivates and challenges students while also making classes fun and accessible for all levels. The beginner classes are excellent if you are just starting out or want to refresh on the basics. Nick always focuses on safety and ensures that everyone has appropriate training partners based on their skill level and size. As a woman, I have felt welcomed at every class. Whether you are looking for just good workout or want to compete at the highest level, APEX is the place.

Yongin Martial Arts

4.5

I train here in the adult classes, which consist of a form of Martial Arts called Hapkido. Look…read moreI'll explain why I picked this place, I looked around for about 3 months at different locations, types of fighting, and teachers. Let me state one thing I'm not saying that this school is better than any other in the area or that the other schools are not any good. I have respect for all forms of self-defense. This is just the location that had everything that I was looking for, the classes are sometimes small which is good for one on one training with the master that runs this place. This is something you have to go and experience for yourself so stop by and ask questions, the instructor is highly qualified and knows what he's talking about. Final thought if you wanna know a fighting style that get straight to the point if you ever need to defend yourself this might just be the place your looking for.

I bring my oldest son (8) here for tae kwan do and he loves it. The Master is great, are his…read moreassistants and the price seems fairly reasonable compared to other schools in the area.

Uflacker Academy

4.4

(19 reviews)

My son being an only child was extremely shy and hesitant when dealing with other kid. Physically…read morehe was very skinny child. Combination of the above effected his confident level not just socially but his ability to perform in front of group. In 2014 I enrolled him to Uflacker Academy based on great word of mouth. It was a miracle to see the changes . His confidence level went through the roof . He became respectful and confident, to a point where he asked me on his own to compete in a tournament . Beside the fact he won because of great teaching . What was I most happy and proud was his confidence and his ability to know what he is truly capable .

I enrolled my son beginning of 2024. My son instantly love it and is looking forward to his…read moreSaturdays Jiujitsu. The lessons are age appropriate. The staff are knowledgable.

Tutaj Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

(6 reviews)

I trained with Tutaj Bjj years ago. Had an amazing experience with this gym. Was able to medal at a…read morecouple of tournaments because of how well I was instructed. John's a Great coach, the gym has a great atmosphere. I highly recommend training with John Tutaj.

John is great my son sammy has learned a lot in less than half a year has a lot of times available…read moreand it's the fairest amount per month we've payed.

Karate Unlimited

(1 review)

Karate Unlimited USA is a great way to have fun, meet people, socialize, learn self defense, stay…read moreactive and character building. Stop by Saturday, there are three classes 8:45 AM 9:45 AM and 10:45 Am and join us! Get ready to build a new you.

La Grange Fitness

4.2

(5 reviews)

Great workout facility with lots of equipment! The gym is kept spotless by the employees and…read moremembers- there are ample antibacterial wipe stations for you to grab a wipe and clean the machines after use. They have decent hours to come workout. The locker room is also kept nice and clean, and has lockers that you can self-program daily so you don't need to bring a lock! I have showered there- the water is hot and the pressure was good but the curtain is way too small for the shower! There was no way to have full coverage so I ended up doing a little dance to stay hidden the whole time I showered. I don't think many use the showers so it wasn't like I was seen by anyone, thankfully. They do not offer towels, so bring your own for showering! They offer some good classes with nice variety too- arrive early to guarantee your spot! (You will get a colored ticket to claim your spot in class). The fitness studios, though, get way too cramped due to the popularity of classes. I would think they should just offer less tickets to class or try to move them to one of the park district studio areas or basketball court! It's a great place overall and a great deal on price per month too.

Beautiful facility, and my personal trainer, David, is fantastic. He has really helped me with my…read morelow back. I am so, so much better. I can't say enough about the cleanliness and helpfulness of everyone there!

Cermak Family Aquatic Center

3.5

(39 reviews)

I don't live in the suburbs, and I don't even wish I did, but every so often you discover one of…read morethese amazing places . . . The Cermak Family Aquatic Center is awesome. A holy-grail destination for summer days with kids. They have a lazy river full of innertubes, and giant 2.5 foot deep pool with a play structure and various splashing items, plus a splash pad, and a junk food concession. It is neither a real swimming pool nor a water park. Not a real swimming pool because the deepest part of the pool is 2.5 feet deep. Not a water park because there's no actual waterslide, though there is a slide ... into the water -- if you grasp the distinction I'm making. But as a consequence this means that you can feel much more comfortable giving even young kids a decent amount of freedom (obviously not too much! be safe!) and generating the kind of wet, chlorinated, hot, happy, exhausted summer day that you may have grown up with as a kid. Chicago is a big city of rich amenities, so there are not a ton of things that I say are clearly worth a 45 minute drive from my house, but this is one of them.

Located inside Forest Preserve District of Cook County; Cermak Woods. Free parking for customers…read more Wonderful recreational area to enjoy with your family and friends. This is a well designed water recreational area. It has been changed, upgraded and redesigned throughout the years, but still here providing a great relaxing service to this community and visitors. You can grab a towel at the nearby Marshalls, and sunscreen as well. Plenty of grocery stores and restaurants nearby if you would like to enjoy a picnic with your family as well. Enjoy this wonderful experience.

Cypress Cove Family Aquatic Center

3.3

(35 reviews)

First time here, my daughter & I enjoyed ourselves. We got there 25 mins before they opened, glad…read morewe did because 10 mins after we got there, a long line was forming. You're allowed to bring your own food & drinks (no alcohol) I recommend getting there 20 mins before or get there at 2:00 when all the summer camps start leaving. I'll definitely go back!

I'm not a Karen, but today I was forced to be. Today, me and my church group went to get some food…read moreduring the adult swim. A good time to have a snack break. I ordered 3 things. A pizza, a smoothie, and a frozen strawberry lemonade. Classic mistake. I just get my pizza, and I go, "Huh, maybe it's just busy." I couldn't be more wrong. I stand there, for 20 more minutes. At this point, I'm a little confused. I start seeing the people behind me get their food and walk away. BEFORE I GOT MY SMOOTHIE AND LEMONADE. My church friends at this point had gotten their food already and finished eating, and i'm still waiting. I decided to ask the lady about it. She nods, and I assume she is grabbing my drinks. She brings back a pretzel. I ask one more time, just to be sure she heard me. She has the AUDACITY to come back and ask me what I ordered. AND ROLLS HER EYES WHEN I TOLD HER I GOT A STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIE AND A STRAWBERRY LEMONADE. Eventually, 10 minutes later, she gives me my strawberry smoothie. But the strawberry lemonade is nowhere to be seen. Ten more minutes later, she comes back with a NORMAL lemonade. I ask anyone if they ordered this, they all say no. So I assume the lady messed up my order and gave me a normal lemonade. At this point, I'm tired and want to get back to my church friends. So, I take the lemonade and walk away, enraged with my experience.

Rehm Park and Pool

3.2

(24 reviews)

This pool is horrendous, the locker rooms are dirty (as well as the pool) very crowded with…read morechildren from day care, loud obnoxious raunchy explicit rap music being play on the speakers! and on top of that it is break the bank expensive!! the Forest Park aqautic center is a much better bet, it is far more clean quiet and cheap

I love this park. 2 different playgrounds that my son can play in. Very clean and people are always…read morefriendly there. Location is perfect for us also

Max Aquatics

3.6

(13 reviews)

My 3 children took swim lessons…read more Pros: the teachers and staff are all very nice and relate to kids well. They have a nice area where the kids can play/relax after class for a few minutes. They use the whole lane of the pool to teach which maximizes swim time. The teachers sometimes have them "group swim" instead of ONLY individual swim which maximizes swim time. They also are very prompt with starting and ending on time. Cons: the teachers they have are not consistent, and so they don't know your child's swim level, and the skills worked on that week is random (whatever the teacher wants to do), so there is a lack on consistency. I also wish there was an option for parents to sit inside the pool area instead of only the option to sit outside of the glass. Overall, I would go for another lesson, but wish for more consistency in skills learned each week.

Been taking my daughter to swim classes here for a couple of years. We were excited to graduate…read morefrom the baby classes, which is 30 minutes of just getting the kids used to being in water and most of the instructors we had did not seem too engaged in the class. Once we got to the 3-5 classes, the instructors were great and my kids loved it. However, we had 2 weeks in a row where, first, my 3-year-old fell in the water and was picked up by another instructor who was walking around the pool. Then the next week, during the last 5 minutes of "play time," my 4-year-old slipped off the wall and was fully submerged and flailing in the water. The teacher (who is great) was with another child. I don't know how long my daughter was under water (it felt like forever), but it was long enough for all five parents watching to bang repeatedly on the class and yell for someone's attention, since the door to the pool is locked and we couldn't get in. Finally, an instructor walking around the pool noticed and grabbed my daughter. During both incidents, the "lifeguard" did not notice either girl and made no move to help either time. After the second incident, we removed my daughter's from the class. I spoke with the manager, Jackie, who was great, discussed how there is no way that should be happening, and offered a full refund. Then she had the supervisor, Marty, call me. He made the situation much worse by repeatedly discussing how young children don't listen by the pool and it causes unsafe situations. I agreed with him, acknowledging that my 3-year-old fell in due to not listening. But my 4-year-old is very nervous by the water and tends to be a very good listener. Despite mentioning this, Marty again discussed how children don't listen and cause an unsafe situation by continually jumping in the pool on the own. Even if my daughter was not listening, there should be no reason a child is fully submerged under the water with no one (especially the lifeguard) noticing until parents finally get their attention by banging on windows and yelling. Marty made the whole experience worse by his attempts to explain why the situation occurred and helped me feel more confident in my decision to transfer the girls to the new Foss swim school (which is also much bigger and cleaner).

Herrick Lake Forest Preserve

(45 reviews)

Went for a nice walk and really enjoyed it. The trail was well-maintained and perfect for a…read morerelaxing stroll. There's also a small lake on the property that I believe is open for canoeing, which adds to the peaceful atmosphere.

One of my favorite preserves to walk around especially if you prefer a preserve with a nice lake…read morescene. Can get busy during the weekend, but several paved trail paths and places for both biking, walking, fishing, and animal-watching. Trails can be taken in a way where you can range from 1 mile to 10+ miles of walking/biking. Bathroom available in one of the parking lots.

Raising the Bar Martial Arts - martialarts - Updated July 2026

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