Coach Robert isn't just teaching our kids how to kick and punch--he's shaping who they become as…read morepeople. What impresses me most is how he weaves life lessons into every class, helping them develop discipline and respect that carries over at home and school. The way he encourages each child to push past their comfort zone is incredible. He seems to know exactly when to challenge them and when to offer support, always believing they can achieve more than they think possible. When our kids wanted to perform at the school talent show, Coach Robert went the extra miles to help kids design and perfect their routine. That kind of dedication is rare and so appreciated! If you want a martial arts program that builds both skills and character, look no further. Your kids will thank you!

My daughter started going to Ernie Reyes West Coast since she was 6 years old, now she is 7. The…read moreamount of focus she is obtaining is amazing. When she first started her focus was maybe 5 mins. That has increased to about 10 now of good focus. Every day she loves going. It's martial arts all day, every day. Even when on vacations she loves practicing what she has learned. I'm so grateful for how patient Robert is with my daughter. Just watching classes as a parent you want your child to just pay attention and work, but he redirects her wiggles into the martial arts, gets her to change her focus back to the move they are doing. Very very patient and kind to all students. Robert is the ideal instructor, teacher, and mentor for your child to have. Each class he always has a teaching. For example, respect for your family, teachers, and school. Focus the eyes, mind, and body. He helps guide his students to deciding what is right and what is wrong. Not to use martial arts at school, focus on being kind to others, discipline on what you do and be present in life. Sometimes he does meditation breathing at the beginning of class. I have noticed that my daughter sometimes will do that at home now too. Excellent practices that Robert teaches. Even things like make your bed every morning. One of his teachings is to not care about the small things, but care about building the relationships around you. I love how there are buddy days, the belt testing is fun, just all around so much fun and so inclusive for the whole family. I highly recommend for children and adults. Can't praise Robert's teachings enough.

I hate how the people are so mean and rude and also why to they just have to have bad service like…read morewhy?!!!!??

Elite Taekwondo Center is one of the Bay Area's foremost taekwondo studios, headed by one of the…read morecountry's most distinguished instructors, Grandmaster Kwangil Bae. If you're looking for quality instruction, ETC is a no-brainer. Grandmaster Bae is a world-class instructor, athlete, and international referee. He was recently appointed Head Coach of the AAU National Poomsae Team and is always up-to-date on the latest rules/regulations due to his connections at Kukkiwon (World Taekwondo Headquarters in Seoul). As such, you should expect only the highest level of instruction, as well as incredible opportunities for growth that can't be found at other Bay Area martial arts studios. Joining ETC (or GM Bae's other studio in Palo Alto) is akin to attending a top university like Harvard: you get as much out of it as the effort you put in, but your ceiling becomes much higher due to the availability of resources. For reference: I began training with GM Bae in Palo Alto as a blue belt, having transferred from another studio. Under his guidance, I reached the rank of 3rd-dan black belt, won medals at NorCal State Championships and the US Open, became a nationally-certified referee, and attended seminars led by world champions. GM Bae has an innate talent for teaching, and he has both an incredibly nuanced sense of the rhythm and aesthetics of poomsae (forms) and an intelligent understanding of sparring tactics. He designs exercises and describes physical motions in a way that is informative and easily accessible, and he truly embodies the spirit of taekwondo as not only a sport, but also a lifestyle. Elite Taekwondo Center offers classes for all ages and types of students, from beginners to nationally-ranked competitors. In terms of teaching style, GM Bae instills a strong sense of discipline and respect within his students, yet always makes sure to treat us with genuine warmth and care. There is a palpable sense of community and respect within the studio that has been crucial to my personal growth, and as an assistant instructor, it has been a pleasure to see even the youngest students mature into sharp, talented individuals. I really can't stress enough how valuable of an opportunity it has been to train with Master Bae - he is truly a one-of-a-kind instructor.

Our child went to WVMA. All of the instructors were great,…read morebut the place just got more and more crowded. There are just way too many kids in a class for the size of the place. SUPER crowded! And the more and more crowded it got, the more and more chaotic the floor got and that led to less and less instruction for the kids. I wish it didn't get so bad, because we really liked it there! They desperately need to limit the class size!

Love the discipline. The teaching of morality and respect are great ideas that have longevity and…read morebenefits. The spiritual aspect is most important.

Great place for learning kung fu, shifu pays individual attention and interest in every child. My…read moredaughter has learned so much from them. She came after a long break but shifu made sure she catches up and participates in elite competitions. I'm very happy with her progress. Very sincere people.

We have two kids studying under Master Zhao and have been fortunate to be part of this amazing…read moreschool for over two years. Master Zhao's love for kung fu and teaching makes his classes fantastic learning experience. He loves kids and somehow manages to maintain that magic balance of discipline/authority and encouragement that strikes the right cord with our kids: they see him as a huge authority yet are not intimidated and look forward to their classes. Master Zhao knows every student by name and cares about his students. One of our kids changed school and ended up in a toxic environment that impacted his kung fu. Master Zhao and Sylvia noticed the new unusual behavior and talked to us on a number of occasions to make sure our son was ok. The classes and levels (belts) are structured such that we can see month by month how much stronger, more agile and skilled our kids are becoming. A mix of different levels is very beneficial for the less experienced students as no belts aspire to the while belts, yellow belts get excited about advancing their skills to be able to do what purple belts can do, etc. The belts are earned, Master Zhao holds the bar and doesn't lower it. So when kids earn their belts, they feel very proud because it is a big achievement. We also really like the camaraderie and friendly environment in this school. Both Master Zhao's and Sylvia are kind, patient and respectful. And that vibe absolutely transfers to the students. More skilled students can help less experienced ones, which creates great learning opportunities for both sides. Lastly, Master Zhao's summer camps are truly wonderful. Kids learn weapons, play games and just have a great time. We were really impressed how much they can learn in a week. We feel incredibly fortunate that our kids can learn from a teacher of such a caliber, coming from the centuries of the best in the world traditions.

Before you go: bring sandals!! Only bare feet are allowed on the Judo mat. Help keep it clean for…read moreeveryone! I came to try an Adult class on Monday night. Monday is skills, Wednesday includes some sparring. Sensei Chuck was very welcoming to the new people even though everyone else in the class was already experienced! For our first lesson we were also able to borrow gis and belts which were very clean. Chuck gives clear instructions with an emphasis on safety. He made sure that we were throwing and falling safety. You can tell that he is dedicated to making the class a safe place to be in. Overall, I learned a lot from my first class and felt very comfortable with the instructor and students despite having never tried Judo before. I will come back again when I need a good workout, and I highly recommend anyone who is interested give CJ Judo a chance!

Chuck and Shozo know there stuff. Speaking on the Adult class, It is a judo class with a BJJ…read moreatmosphere. What do I mean by that? Well....Everyone is super friendly and welcoming! There is no tension, everyone wants to roll, and it's a productive environment. Sensei Chuck is very humble too. He introduced himself just as Chuck :). It is in the Same building as Crossfit, so if you do Crossfit, you must do this. This is a good way to get in shape while learning a good skill at the same time.

All 3 of my boys train here tkd/BJJ/wrestling. I do the adult BJJ class. I appreciate the casual…read morevibe and the exceptional instruction. It's clear coach Bill and their team genuinely enjoy coaching. They're real students of the game studying tactics and strategy practiced by the best. I am grateful my family and I found this place. My kids have gained so much from being here. If you're considering joining foor either your or your children my wife and I give modern training academy the highest of recommendations.

My five-year-old son started with Modern Training Academy mid 2024. We were introduced to the gym…read moreby family friends Darren and Grace. They have three boys that are simply amazing in the art form. We started to attend and immediately recognized the skill level of the coaches, MASTER Evon, Coach Scott, and Coach Mike. They have taught my kid the discipline of the art, the respectfulness that comes with their style of training and the patience and perseverance used to teach and groom to all those that attend! Myself and my wife feel especially blessed to have their coaches in our lives and have groomed my son to be excited, involved and experienced, especially in the art of taekwondo along with the other classes they offer that include jiu-jitsu and wrestling. If you are looking for a gym, whether you are a younger child, teenager or an adult, I highly recommend this gym. The coaches are very keen on teaching the students the art and appear to have a very experienced successful background from a high-level and have been coaching for many moons. If you are not a student and are interested in any of these art forms please check this gym out. It will help your kid to grow, get skilled in the art of self-defense and become more disciplined along with really having a great time. Never a dull moment at the gym! I really wanna commend MASTER Evon and Coach Scott along with Coach Mike for their dedication to the students as they never miss any time when it comes to practice and motivate the kids to be great and want to do well. Many thanks to Modern Training Academy...you gotta check it out.

I came in with my son and his friend to scope out the studio and unfortunately left dissappointed…read more We were met with blank stares by the two instructors that were present. I asked about the program and they didn't have any helpful context to share about it but they told us to just stay and watch. In addition to the disappointment we experienced from the staff, the studio itself was disgustingly dirty. We switched seats because we noticed a layer of grime on the several seats and left early when we saw that it was a dirty studio throughout. I have already visited a few studios during my search and this is one I wouldn't recommend.

Avoid Batata Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu…read more My son (almost 12) has trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu for 4.5 years. We visited simply to evaluate whether this gym would be a good fit. Within minutes, it was clear the kids class was made up almost entirely of much younger, much smaller beginners. That's not a criticism--it's just not an appropriate training environment for an older, experienced kid who needs the right partners to develop safely. I asked if there were other classes or days with a different mix. I was told this was essentially it. So I politely said it wasn't the right fit and thanked them for their time. That should have been the end of the interaction. Instead, Mr. Batata himself--not just a coach, but the owner--became immediately confrontational in tone, stepped into my personal space, and began making assumptions about why we were considering switching gyms, as if we were doing something wrong by even looking. He then launched into how this "isn't just a business," implying I should somehow structure my life around loyalty to a gym--despite the fact that we were there for the first time and simply trying to make the best decision for my son. It was unreasonable and completely out of line. I calmly explained that we take this very seriously and that changing gyms is a big decision. That didn't matter--he dismissed it and continued with an aggressive, condescending tone. As I was leaving with my son, he kept talking at me, and another instructor joined in. At that point, it crossed from uncomfortable into completely unprofessional. No parent should have to walk their child out of a business while being talked at for simply saying "this isn't the right fit." The entire interaction left both me and my son feeling unsettled and, honestly, a bit icky. That's not something I've ever experienced walking into a jiu-jitsu academy before. This wasn't a misunderstanding. This was the owner reacting poorly to a polite "no," and doing so in front of a child. If this is the tone set at the top, it raises serious concerns about the culture and judgment being modeled in that gym. We walked in open-minded. We walked out uncomfortable. There are plenty of gyms that know how to treat people with basic respect. This is not one of them. Avoid

From the moment we stepped into the United Bay Area Karate Club, Sensei Joane greeted us with a…read morewarm smile and introduced us to the other families, making us feel right at home. This dojo is a hidden gem, especially for first-timers. The instructors are exceptional--with class sizes, they give every student personalized attention, ensuring they master proper techniques while building confidence and life skills like discipline and respect. What truly stands out is how Sensei Joane and her coaches connect with each child. My kids were shy at first, but their patience and encouragement helped them come out of their shells. Now, they're more confident than ever and really look forward to class! They strike a perfect balance of discipline and support, meeting kids where they are--whether they're quiet or full of energy--and helping them grow at their own pace. Sensei Joane teaches Goju-Ryu, a style that focuses on close combat, making it an excellent choice for self-defense. As a world-class competitor, she's led UBAKC students to become USA Karate national champions and earn spots on the National Team pool. She instills a strong work ethic and a drive to excel, all within a safe and structured environment. If you're thinking about martial arts for your kids, UBAKC is the perfect place to start. The welcoming community and top-notch instruction have made such a difference for my children--I know yours will thrive here too!

Sensai Joane and the UBAKC community have been amazing. We have 2 kids that are part of the dojo…read moreand we can see the growth they have achieved in the last 4 years under her training. Our children are more confident in themselves and have become close to their fellow athletes. We feel it is a welcoming community of parents and athletes alike.