Very kid friendly Martial Arts Studio. The training is authentic from the ancient Chinese Martial…read moreArts. The Shifu (Master of the School) is welcoming, patient, and stern with the students. Differently a great place to learn Martial Arts.

Shi Fi-- the teacher and owner who runs this place is amazing. He has small classes and…read moredifferentiates instruction for all students. He also has parent & children classes...meaning us parents who typically chart our children around and then sit and wait for them to finish, can actually participate and get in some exercise too. Me, I'm a 46 year old mother who has steadily advanced to a blue belt with his careful instruction which meets you where you are, and then teaches you how to move higher. My daughter, age 13, (and moving at a faster pace than me), has been challenged and is learning self-discipline. Every class is different and amazing-- this isn't a cookie factory martial art school. It's a real gem, and if you're lucky, you'll find it. :)

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

I can't emphasize enough how this school is nothing like the McDojos (aka commercialized martial…read morearts institutions) we see today. JGSI is true to the culture and traditions of Kung Fu, striving to preserve the art that has been carefully passed down for generations from highly esteemed grandmasters. I'm not kidding--it's the real deal. As a student, I've had the opportunity to train in self defense as well as learn a wide range of forms, (very unique!) weapons, and techniques specific to the styles of the school. **BONUS** students also have the chance to learn lion and dragon dance!! YES!!! Another plus is that the people are very personable and the instructors are very accommodating. They will guide you with your training needs and will push you to be the best you can be. Tight-knit almost family-like, the school makes a very enjoyable group to be around.

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.

I am an honest person. I prepaid for a year of lessons. I then had a serious back injury. The…read morecontract said 100% refund in my situation with doctor note. My doctor wrote a letter to the school. I called four times. I emailed four times. I visited in person four times. I kept missing the owner, somehow. Two months later I was offered a 50% refund. I took it as very expensive lesson as to the kind of business it is. And looking at other reviews, I see it seems to be a pattern. Really great school without business ethics.​​​​

The membership contract has a cancellation fee. You have to cancel 30 days before the start of the…read morebilling cycle to avoid this fee. This amounts to you having to pay for an entire month of membership even if you don't want to use it, which is a free charge for no services. Advertised as self defense but no real self defense training which is proven is offered. I am not talking about competitive fighting which everyone knows is not about causing and defending against intentional harm or injury, which is what is meant in the context of self defense. I base my rating of 2 on professionality in terms of unjustified fees, and on the undemonstrated claim of self defense.