We started my son at a national chain school which was MUCH more expensive (by a factor of 10)…read morewhere he learned less than here a Mt. Scott Community Center. The instructor is a seasoned professional who takes time with each student and gives them the instructions they need to master their forms and skills. I only wish that we had saved our cash and started him here in the first place.

These are the classes held at the Mt. Scott Community Center, and they are wonderful for all ages…read more Our daughter started going about a year ago, and my wife and I were inspired to join up as well. Mr. Loeffler is excellent with children and treats everyone with respect. He has a very positive attitude and instills discipline and hard work while still managing to keep a smile on his face after a full day of classes. He has a true gift, and I feel lucky to have him be a part of our community. The prices are perfect for our budget, at $35 for ten 1-hour lessons. The classes are also very flexible, which is great if something unexpected comes up at the last minute. If you miss a class you can make it up on any of the other days it's offered and at any location. If we can't make the Tuesday night class at Mt. Scott, we can simply show up on a different day at the Montevilla or East Portland community centers and take the class then. There's free testing once a month, and Mr. Loeffler helps everyone make the progress they are after. Some people practice a lot and go to classes multiple times a week, and those people can be a Green Belt after one year and a Brown Belt after two years. Most people go at a slower pace, and it's totally up to the individual. It's a great experience for kids, and gets them away from video games for a little while. As an adult, my wife and I have found it to be the perfect exercise routine, and a lot more fun than going to the gym. I couldn't recommend it more!

Bettencourts TaeKwonDo and Hapkido has excellent instructors who are patient and committed to the…read moreadult and children classes. All of our kids take TaeKwonDo, one of them takes both TKD and Bong Soo Han Traditional Hapkido. We have noticed improvement in each of them in their own ways. The programs here have improved and challenged our kids physically, mentally and emotionally, as each are at different levels in their life. They are finding it rewarding to engage and focus with the program. The programs are taught separately. The hapkido program is intense and fun. This program teaches falling, joint locks and throws in a self defense manner. All of the traditional hapkido philosophical principals like non-resistance and circular motion and the water principle are integrated into the program. Overall its been an excellent experience for kids and adults with learning new skills, improving fitness, building family togetherness, morale, commitment and motivation.

In the beginning we were very satisfied. But then, our son's interests changed to music. We were…read morenot allowed to end our contract for black belt classes. My son absolutely detested going to class but we made him go because of our contract. We tried to explain this to Grand Master Bettencort. The response always went back to the contract we signed. We explained that with our limited family budget ( my husband is permanently disabled) we felt our funds would be better spent helping our son pursue his music and band interests. We were lead to believe that Bettencourt's was not about the money, but about the kids doing something they are compassionate about. We finally quit paying and were sent to a collection agency. We paid them to protect our credit, but only to protect our credit. A word of advice, if your child is interested in classes here, do not sign a contract

As a student, I am thrilled to recommend this school and its staff. I have trained at several…read moreschools over the years and this one stands out for several reasons: 1. It is very welcoming and supportive; the community is strong and friendly. Some schools are very businesslike, or don't encourage students to be friends outside of class; this one is the opposite! 2. The style is very eclectic. You will learn to punch and kick, but you'll also learn to use weapons and to move in several different distinct ways. This style of martial arts has a lot to learn and challenges my mind and body every class. 3. Speaking of challenge, this class is a full body workout. I never step off the mat without getting really sweaty. The teachers make time to encourage you to drink water frequently during class. 4. This school and community are extremely inclusive. There are at least any many women and trans students as men; frequently men are in a drastic minority. There is no "bro"/macho culture here as there is in many other schools. While it is somewhat expensive for the number of classes (2-3/week at least as a beginning adult student) you get access to compared to some other schools, the pricing is not a secret (it is shown on the website and the staff will be happy to talk with you about it), I feel it is worthwhile based on about 10 years of training in other schools (even ones that cost less and had 10 classes a week).

I have trained at One With Heart since 2019 and the community and the excellent teaching keep me…read morecoming back! I love the workout I get and even if I've had a bad day, I always feel better after class. The school was also a great source of stability and community for me during the pandemic, and I will always appreciate the strength I gained from my teachers and classmates during that time. Highly recommend checking out an intro!

This dojo is just amazing. We have a 3 year old who just started taking group classes and we can't…read moresay enough good things about Sensei Brendan. He is absolutely amazing with the kids and makes the classes fun and productive. We can't wait for the adult kickboxing classes to start! Highly recommend if you're looking for a new karate dojo.

My wife and I were looking for an outstanding martial arts program for my 9 year-old son and we…read morecertainly found it with White Tiger Martial Arts! Classes are through the Portland Community Centers, either SE or Mt. Scott, same instructor and experience either way. The cost is very affordable. "White Tiger Martial Arts" was the way to go for us! First-rate instruction at a very reasonable cost.

This gym is a great place for girls to build confidence and strength! Sarah, the coaches, classes,…read morecamps, activities and students helped my 11 year old daughter build her confidence and strength. She was a shy and soft spoken person and became a person who is more confident and seemed to break out of her shell. She even had opportunities to help and teach others in her Ninja Girls classes Thank you G.I.R.L.S gym!

I came to this gym never having tried kick boxing and not being in great shape. I have never…read moreenjoyed working out, and this was the first place where I did. I felt incredibly welcomed and not at all embarrassed. The classes are extremely accommodating for all skill levels and the instructors could not be kinder or more encouraging. They foster such a wonderful atmosphere of learning and belonging while also providing an incredible workout. I'm so sad I moved away and can't attend anymore; every other class I've tried has been 95% workout/cardio and 5% actual kickboxing, but GIRLS Gym truly got into the fundamentals and know how while also providing an awesome work out! I will forever remember the incredible girls I met here and what they taught me.

As a parent and spectator at Ascent Martial Arts for two years, I had the pleasure of watching my…read moredaughter grow and thrive in such a supportive, family-focused environment. The sense of community is undeniable, and everyone genuinely enjoys their time there. It was so inspiring that I decided to join the class myself--and I couldn't be happier with the decision! The experience has not only been a lot of fun but also a fantastic way to stay active. Whether you're watching or participating, Ascent Martial Arts makes you feel like part of the family. Highly recommend!

One of the best decisions I have ever made for my children: Ascent Martial Arts has enabled my…read morethree children, ages 3/4-7, be more better people, with better minds, honesty, and strength. Their body and emotional wellbeing has been immensely impacted by our year (so far) with this ATA Family. I was so impressed with the growth of my children, that I joined myself. I looked at many other martial arts schools in the area, and this one was far more in alignment with how I want my children to grow -- where they learn self-belief, honesty, discipline and self-esteem. I have seen one of my more timid children become confident and able to speak in front of large groups. I've seen another one of my children become a leader with friends. I have seen another of my children learn how to calm their body and sit still. If you are looking to have your kids grow in mind, body, and heart, I hope you will check out this amazing school.

They aren't kidding when they say things like "ego free" or friendly. Definitely want to sign up…read morewith them. Went with my teenage daughter and she was into it too. I'm glad they exist!

I highly recommend Lightning Hand Academy because they teach techniques that can be used for…read morepractical, real world self defense, it's a great workout, and the school has very good, supportive community feel. Full disclosure - I studied with Lightning Hand regularly from early 2016 until August 2017. In July 2017 I met someone in Washington, dated long distance, then moved so I wasn't able to make time for martial arts. I thought I had written a review for LHA 4 years ago and just found that I had not, so I figured late better than never! I was primarily interested in practical self defense and a good workout. I was afraid of making the mistake of "studying the wrong martial art". The Wing Chun approach seemed practical to me - techniques are all standing up, emphasis is on close range & punching technique, early techniques are very simple which makes them faster to cement into muscle memory. Wing Chun doesn't do high kicks, which are flashy but high risk and in my opinion unlikely to be used in a real life self defense situation (by the time you know someone intends to actually attack you, not just posturing, they are inside kicking distance). LHA's class approach creates a good training loop in my opinion - warm up, discuss ideas and theory, practice smaller skill subsets - agility or striking drills, then integrate smaller skills into practical fighting application by sparring, repeat. Enough variety in techniques and drills to keep you from getting bored, but also comes back to basics frequently to make sure they are solid in your muscle memory. There can be BS (or fear of BS) around martial arts, but I felt LHA was a very low BS environment. All humans have egos, so Ray would regularly talk to the benefits of overcoming your ego, because it gets in the way of learning. Students are expected to teach each other by being good training partners, and held to this expectation. I was once corrected by Ray in I thought a very skillful manner. I was doing a drill with someone that is supposed to be about sensing and technique, but I was using muscle to overpower my partner. Neither of us were learning what we were supposed to be. Ray came over and swapped my partner out, and did the same exercise with me. He was pushing me all over, but I could feel that he was using better posture and technique, not muscle force. I was tiring quickly and he was barely exerting effort. He asked if I still feel strong. This was pointed enough that I understood his meaning clearly - knock it off! But also conveyed one to one so I was not embarrassed in front of the class. I got really clear from this teaching moment that I was responsible for helping others learn and resolved to be a better training partner. COVID has made a lot of things difficult, but I believe LHA is still operating, doing remote training. There is a lot in Wing Chun you can learn practicing solo with minimal equipment - forms teach correct movements, you can practice striking with a wall bag full of rice that will cost less than $30. The best training experience will still need another person, but maybe you can recruit a friend or significant other to train with you? If you're feeling cooped up and would like to try learning a new skill, there is no time like the present!