I was a student (and part-time instructor for Saturday lei tai and "Little Panda" kung fu) for…read moreseveral years under the tutelage of Master Joe Dunphy and his shifus and was so pleased to learn that the shifus who teach here have since continued his legacy with the Iron Fist Chinese Martial Arts & Fitness school, named in honor of "Iron Fist" Dunphy. I have many fond memories of Master Dunphy and the US Martial Arts family, and my time spent studying at this school. The shifus who run this school are extraordinarily knowledgeable about martial arts and their instruction is of the highest caliber. They are examples of excellence and do much credit to the memory and legacy of Master Dunphy, the school itself, and the study of the internal and external systems of tien shan pai. (For clarification, my initial review of the school contained a reference to USCKF, the United States Chinese Kuoshu Federation, which is now known as USKSF, the United States Kuo Shu Federation.)

I have trained in several styles of martial arts and two different styles of Kung-Fu. The training…read moreI had received while attending class here was by far the best. The head instructor took special attention to individuals and trained them in a way that fostered positive growth. There was always a focus on effective self-defense and very little of the "dance" moves that make other martial arts training less effective. The style taught here is Thai-Shan-Pai and from my experience, it is highly effective for anyone to use against an aggressor. I couldn't recommend this school enough and we still be going here if I lived in MD. If your looking for solid training, regardless of age, sex, or size this is the place.

https://youtu.be/g90i2epDE8U…read more I just completed the 3 week course with Sifu Michael Speights! Learning from him is more then learning an form of self defense, learning from him increase OVERALL self improvement! You body and mind will be inspired and tested as you learn one of China's greatest art forms. He's the real deal, and his teacher was taught by the REAL MASTER YIP MAN. I am humbled, and eager to continue.

Sifu Mike is a very knowledgeable. His genuine enthusiasm for Wing Chun makes him a great teacher…read more With him YOU WILL WORK HARD and become an overall better person in the process.

Let me start by saying that if I could give more than 5 stars to a place, this would be it. Shifu…read moreChris and his wife manage and instruct students in this family-owned dojo. Shifu (master in Chinese) Chris is an excellent teacher. He has been doing martial arts for almost his own life, and he is very knowledgeable. He had spent 13 years in China working with different masters. As a result, he is an expert in different styles of martial arts such as Chinese boxing, Kung fu Shaolin. Following his mission to keep Shaolin kung fu alive in the US, he started this dojo in VA. Currently, they offer two free sessions to let people experience the school before joining. I joined this class after participating in two free sessions. The environment and students in the dojo are great. Everybody is friendly and respects each other. From a covid standpoint, everybody wears a mask throughout the class, and there are sanitizers for both hands and equipment. Each session includes warmup, practicing the basics, form, partner work, and meditation at the end. Shifu Chris changes the structure of the class and always has new activities and challenges in each session. After two months of going to this class, I already feel really accomplished. I am able to do basic techniques and self-defense. It had even effects on my day-to-day life and helps me to be more focused. I recommend this class to whoever is looking for martial arts or even looking for a fun and effective workout class.

Wonderful experience, great exercise, friendly classmates. The sessions have everything I enjoy --…read morestretches, warm ups, boxing, defense, individual and partner work, meditation, some qi gong... lots of variety and progressive mental/physical challenges so you're never bored and always growing. I started this class three months ago feeling very out of shape -- and as a total beginner to martial arts. Now, I feel like I have energy enough for classes, plus I'm starting to hit the gym more too and feel less stressed during the work week. It's definitely the kind of work out that isn't a chore -- it's energizing. Come take the two free lessons and try it out for yourself to get hooked too. Shifu Chris and Weiwei, who assists, are patient, thoughtful teachers who care about culture, health, and overall wellbeing. Class is always a positive, welcoming environment.

This is my favorite Chinese Mix. My friend Sam noticed this academy was present in our township and…read morepromptly examined the premises of the establishment; Sam verified that this is indeed a top notch/chief place of business.

I enjoy learning from the excellent staff . I feel challenged but encouraged . My balance has…read moreimproved 75 percent . Bonnie Bowers

This is an outstanding school and I am extremely happy I found it…read more My health is really what drove me to try this place out. As I got older, I started developing back problems. I did a ton of research on ways to strengthen my core, and Kung Fu repeatedly came up as a recommendation. Reviews like the ones here helped guide me to the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute. I was hesitant to take on Kung Fu as a middle aged adult. I had always considered martial arts as a younger person's sport and didn't want to be the older new guy in a sea of 12-15 year olds. My experiences at JGSI have totally eliminated that misconception. The classes are diverse in age and experience levels. The instructors are patient and adjust their teachings to the individual they're working with. The other students are warm, welcoming and extremely supportive. The classes themselves are challenging, but rewarding. They focus on concentration, stability, meditation, and strength with styles rooted in both traditional Northern and Southern forms. The school is well rounded and teaches multiple styles and solid technique, as well as real life applications of the forms. They also stay true to the culture of Kung Fu and support the history and tradition that has made this art form so great. It doesn't matter if you are looking for self-defense or exercise, discipline or focus, you can find each of those and more at the Jow Ga Shaolin Institute.

I took a intro session last week Tuesday, 28 Oct 2025, and was blown away. I'm surprised no one has…read morewritten anything for the past 5 years, but Mike, the current Sifu, is a master of Wing Chun, in the authentic Moy Yat lineage, Ip Man's final student. You can trace his lineage and instruction directly back to Ip Man. So.. if you're looking for authentic, properly taught, Wing Chun, this is where you should go! Looking to join in a few months, my wife if giving birth in a week.

I've been a student of Sifu Brad for close to five years now and am truly impressed by this elegant…read moresystem. It is a system that promotes physical, mental, and spiritual health. I've learned that being able to relax is of utmost importance in many aspects of daily life. I couldn't have imagined at the start that training in a martial art could foster such a peaceful mindset!

This class is really great especially for the price. You get authentic Southern Mantis Kung-FU for…read more$10 a class. The instructor is very patient with the students and there is no pressure to have had any previous martial arts experience, which I do not have. It's fun, you learn a lot and get to really practice learning the technique. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who is interested in learning and does not want to feel pressure in being a certain level or having prior experience.

On Tuesday (5/7), one of the school management (not the manager) approached me and asked me about…read morethe previous review I posted on Yelp. We had a conversation about the issues. And the school agreed to work on it and would try their best to communicate better in the future. On Sunday (5/12) the school manager invited me to meet and we had a conversation about the other issue. She apologized, explained the situations, and promised to do her best together with parents to make the school better. I appreciate all the efforts the school had made to solve these issues.

Like the focus on training by Shaolin monks from China, with careful attention to meditation and…read moremental aspects of practice. Sorry to say not many can hope to become as skilled as the monks, but the mental and physical journey toward expertise is no doubt beneficial. Thankfully the monks and management set outstanding examples.