I moved to the Twin Cities in early June, so I haven't been here all that long. But I have spent a…read morelot of time at a bunch of other martial arts places including FLO MMA in Chicago and Pacific Ring Sports in Oakland. So when I say this place is something special, I really mean that. For the boring setup stuff: The do jahng itself is effectively in a converted loading dock, so there's a crazy amount of space for classes to be held. The flooring is setup using semi-foam stuff like children's playmats, but it's almost as solid as normal wood flooring or carpet without being hard if you were to actually fall. Easy to jump on stuff, that kind of thing. Standard blue mats are brought out for added safety and comfort for falling / rolling / throwing when those particular drills come up. Various equipment that you'd see in any other boxing or martial arts studio, with weapon racks for the upper-belt forms and training (Not touching without permission kinda goes without saying). There's also a pretty good viewing area for parents to see their kids in class if they would like, but please be mindful of people working in the space, since your voice does travel. For the KSW-specific stuff: SBN Steffen and SJN Nicki are pretty great people in general with a pretty nice sense of humor about, well, everything. As someone who goes primarily to the adult class at night (Which starts at 8PM, so even if you get stuck at work it's fairly easy to get to, I don't interact with the kids that often, but the kids themselves are surprisingly well behaved during things like belt tests and the monthly promotion potluck. Which goes into the atmosphere. One of the things that I never really received in my other martial arts classes was something beyond, for lack of a better phrasing, form and technique drilling. KSW here has a strong emphasis on the traditions of KSW as well as making sure you're generally just a good person. Adult class specifically (I'm pretty sure the kids do this too, I just can't speak from experience) starts off with a discussion of the topic of the month (Last month was integrity, the month before was courage), and SBN typically breaks the topic down in small parts over the course of the month while relating it to something either personally relevant or more topical (The last integrity discussion he read The Oatmeal's Columbus Day comic, citing Matthew Inman as his integrity hero). It's actually my favorite part, and I have a feeling it's what contributes to the overall controlled tempo of the environment. The last reason I love this place relates more to my wife than anything else. She has spent a large portion of her life doing and teaching group fitness and personal training, yet after a fairly poor Tae Kwon Do experience at our undergrad, she refused to even entertain martial arts (in short, higher-belts exerted poor control when sparring and there was "punishment" not by pushups but by belt hitting and punching). So the first week I went, she was completely terrified about starting martial arts again. What if they were mean? What if it's too hard (Which I find weird, because she invents absurd tabata workouts all the time for herself)? Since we started going, she absolutely loves the workout intensity, bringing a lot of the things she has learned into her own workouts. Both of us completed our first belt test this weekend. She's excited to do more, and is more than willing to keep going even if I'm not there. Seeing that change is more than a simple 5-star review.

I had a great first workout at St. Paul Kuk Sool Won. Compared to other schools I've tried this one…read morewas very organized and the classes were a lot of fun.

I had an awesome time visiting here from Texas. Super friendly, clean, and welcoming environment…read more They have a great thing going on here!

Absolutely fabulous. I've been going here for 8 months and the people there are really nice, a…read moreblast to good around with and they are all so helpful including the staff and instructors are all hilarious and very helpful and good at what they do, everything is always clean and pretty. I highly suggest this place rather it's for mental health, to get in shape or if you want to learn how to defend yourself. Why not for all three, try a free class I guarantee you will enjoy it !

While this is technically a gym focused on Jiu Jitsu and Judo, I go for personal training. It's a…read morelittle old gym with old (albeit functioning) equipment, but it's zero-fuss, zero-pretension and the community is amazing. I'm so glad I was introduced!

This is a family oriented gym, that is very welcoming and wants to know who you are. Also..they…read morehave an amazing instructor's that will teach you techniques that you thought you could never do. It makes you become more focused and wiser in life. I really love this place.

He Said: My oldest child has been taking lessons from this…read moreacademy for a couple of years. I am really impressed with the life lessons the instructors have taught my kid (and the other kids). Respect, discipline, and other good characteristics are part of every class. Kids train to level-up their belt and there are tournaments to showcase what the kids have learned. Hwa RD also has an after school program, but my kid does not attend the program. Pros: - Great instructors and teachers - The academy teaches good behavior Cons: - Classes are paid upfront, which can be more than families can afford - Sometimes email responses can be slow

My children train here, and we love the mix of martial arts instruction and discussion about…read moreleadership and responsibility. The owners/leaders care deeply about the academy's mission and the students. The range of classes, afterschool care, and summer camps is excellent.

I am a massive M-Theory fan. I heard a lot about Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) being great for kids and…read morewas looking for something for my 4 year old son. M-Theory lets you try 2 classes for free and your kid can borrow a Gi. They make it easy to get going. They also have a kids class M-F and on Saturday morning, so it is easy to fit into the schedule. The instructors here are fantastic. They are direct in their instructions, firm in discipline and order - it is no-nonsense, but they are also kind, positive, and encouraging all at the same time. The result is that my son loves it. He is excited to go every weekend. He gets some energy out, he has fun, he is learning a sport, he is learning discipline, etc. As a parent, this is a win-win.

Really great first class it was a hard workout and I'll be back again…read more The instructors are really good. The class was not only fun but challenging and I learned a lot about jujitsu. wear comfortable clothes and I know that you're going to get sweaty they do not have a shower on site but they do provide water and have changing area they also have restrooms.

I've hesitated to write a review for Omulu since I consider this place as a second family, but now…read morethat Omulu has a Yelp presence, it's time! I started taking classes a little over 2 years ago with Omulu. I'd never done capoeira before and had maybe seen a video or commercial with capoeira to know know what it was. I came to class in reasonable shape, but I'm wasn't/am not an athlete. Nor do I have a martial arts background. I took to classes right away because the whole experience was so positive. Even though my opening moves were likely clumsy and off-balance, no one ever makes me feel like I'm okay for a beginner or should look for another hobby. Have you tried knitting, Kate? That positivity has lasted through training. Everyone moves at their own pace and is there for the love of capoeira and the community. Omulu is unique in that we don't learn only how to do the physical aspects of capoeira. We learn to sing and play instruments that are all part of the capoeira tradition. We are a group of people with varying abilities and that even a 7.5 pregnant person (me currently) can find a way to participate. If you're looking for a new fitness hobby, and a challenge, capoeira is worth a try.

My son has taken classes at Omulu for 5 months now and it has been an amazing addition to our…read morefamily! Right off the bat, every adult and child was nothing but encouraging to my son. He had never taken any sort of gymnastics or martial arts, so his body control was not stellar, but he was encouraged and cheered on as he learned capoeira. We never have to fight him to go to class. He loves every second of it and he feels so good about himself when he walks out. That's a big deal when you're talking about an 11 year old boy. We are so happy to have stumbled into capoeira at Omulu and it will definitely be a part of my son's life for many years to come.

Welcome to the gym Rocky could have trained at!…read more I had a good class here and our instructor was pleasant, friendly, and kept us newbies engaged in the class. These classes are extremely affordable and it's very convenient having on site parking. While these are great advantages, and you can pay by card in person and on the website, I'd really like to see them replace some of the floor mats and the equipment.

I attended the 3 hour Women's self defense class with my 19 y/o daughter…read more The class was well organized, registration process super easy. The 3 hours went very quickly because the structure was - see one, practice until we had it right, see another move, practice... At the end there was an opportunity to put it together, three male instructors were good sports about the women in the class practicing on them. For the first time I feel empowered to be aggressive, yell profanity and know I'm powerful enough to fight. Scarlet was the main instructor. She is serious, funny, skilled, engaging and smart. Truly a gifted instructor. The session took a grim topic and made it fun to learn. Super supportive. Highly recommend Krav Maga Self defense for Women. I'd probably go to other classes but I live in the western suburbs so it's too far.

The first time I saw the wooden dummy was watching Saturday Kung Fu theater as a child. Where I…read moregrew up no wing chun schools. It has been a dream come true to get instruction from Sifu Swift on Dummy Form and application.

I had been self training Wing Chun after visiting China years ago, after meeting Sifu Swift and…read moreseeing the authenticity it really brought joy to me in that my dreams can really be reached so close by. One of the only pure WingChun gyms I could finally find after years of visiting others in the past. The learning is paced well for each individual student, if you learn fast you will move on fast! If you like to take your time you can do that as well! It really builds character, confidence, determination as well as balance and hand eye coordination. I often find myself applying techniques I've learned out I the real world that doesn't involve fighting, from sensibility to overcoming obstacles, physical and mental!