My boy is 7 years old, and he was asking for months to do "karate." I finally relented, and WOW! He…read moreloves it. Goes twice weekly, and I am so happy for him. Master Charnley is firm, but humble and so kind. Even in the family class, he takes the time to work on each person's technique. He cares about the child's behavior at home, too. Even has them memorize home rules before they can advance. Highly recommend.

I am a mother of 5, grandmother of 6.When the kids all moved out, rather than being sad about my…read moreempty nest, I decided to do something good for myself. My close childhood friend gently encouraged me to start a class with her that initially I thought was an exercise class... There IS exercise involved, but so so much more. I began taking taekwondo here at Korean Martial Arts Family Centers in July of 2012. It keeps me off the couch and My husband doesn't have to carry my laundry baskets anymore. I love my dojang and can hardly wait for the days I get to go. My instructors are all amazing and very patient with me and the other class members are kind to me and it has actually turned out to be very fun.

In a word: Empowering. I'll admit that upon first hearing that my wife had signed us up for this…read moreclass, I was apprehensive that it would be an uncomfortable experIence. IDK Perhaps it was just the name. C.O.B.R.A. sounded so macho. But with all the dangers in the world today, it seemed prudent to take a self-defense course. Any apprehensions I had were immediately dispelled the moment we met Theresa Norris. (Apparently no relation to Chuck Norris. However, it is said that the dark is afraid of Theresa Norris. So who knows for sure. ‍ ) But seriously, Theresa is just awesome! She is smart, skilled, professional, warm, friendly, witty, and just an overall class act. We learned so very much from her in a relatively short amount of time. One of my (many) favorite parts of each class was reviewing what we'd learned previously. It was fun to "test" on what we'd retained and (sometimes even) practiced between classes. Invariably one or both of us had forgotten a certain move or two. Theresa was always happy to show us and let us practice again--until we had it right. Sometimes it would come down to just not having 100% understood the move to begin with. So review time was very beneficial. Another part that I really liked was learning interesting human physiology traits. For example, learning how we humans have comparatively little strength in our arms once they are just behind our body's centerline. Facial pressure points were interesting to learn about as well. The only part of each class that I "didn't like" (but thoroughly appreciated) was the scenarios where Theresa was the "attacker" and we were the "victims." I'm just naturally kind of a jumpy person. When we'd start each scenario, I was always anxiously thinking, "Oh no, what is she going to do this time--and can I really fend her off/disarm her?" Even though I knew it was all just for practice, it was still a bit unnerving to imagine it as real. (I guess that was all part of what she described as "constantly pushing those fear buttons.") But thanks to Theresa's teaching, we were able to defend ourselves virtually every time. If you're still reading this review at this point, I'll just close by saying that this C.O.B.R.A. class is a must for every woman and really anybody who wants to give themselves a fighting chance should danger find them. Honestly, I felt so empowered after the very first class. And each successive class gave me just that much more knowledge, practice, and confidence. Loved this class!!! Money sooooooo well invested.

I have wanted to do a self defense training class for the staff at our company for several years,…read morebut I could only find martial arts classes. I was so excited when I found Gig Harbor Self-Defense. COBRA training was perfect for us and Theresa was awesome! She even came to our location which allowed us to take less time away from work. The class was very hands on and Theresa was extremely knowledgeable. She made it fun and relevant with real world scenarios. Our staff loved the class and it was a great team building experience that made all of us feel so confident. It also was great for all levels of physical ability. I plan to take my college age daughter to classes when she is home this summer.

This gym has a lot of potential, but ownership is disappointing. Communication from the owner is…read morepoor, instructors and staff are often not paid on time, and concerns are frequently dismissed. The facility needs serious maintenance--several issues feel unsafe and have gone unaddressed. Overall, it seems profits are prioritized over staff well-being and student safety. Proceed with caution.

The good is bjj is great. The bad is their bang muy Thai is a joke and need improvement. I would…read morenot trust my child with them or their muy Thai skills and knowledge. The instructor Mike is average and his female assistant Madison is below average. She needs to look for another job. Hopefully not a cop or CO. THer Customers service is average. Overall only go there for Brazilian jujitsu.

These guys are awesome and family friendly. If you want to go harder and train w higher level…read morefighters they're here too.

You can't get any more real here!…read more Master Saohin has held the PABA Champion in 2 different weight classes. Muay Thai Champion in Bangla, Thailand as well as S1 Championship in Phuket Thailand. Master Saohin holds a combined Boxing and Muay Thai record of 88 fights with 70 wins, 47 knockouts, and 18 losses. Master Souhin has also fought for the WBA World Championship two times, WBO World Championship one time, and challenged many title holders of WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, WBF IBO, OPBF and fought Lumopine and Rajadomnern Champions in Thailand. Not all fighters make great coaches, but Master Saohin excels at both. He's taught in Thailand at Tiger Muay Thai, but also he taught Muay Thai and Muay Boran. His Muay Thai style is strongly influenced by his boxing, which I love. He's also a Muay Boran instructor. He just traveled back to Luktupfah Muay Thai and Muay Boran academy in Bangkok to renew his certifications. Anytime I train with him, I learn new things. He brings a different perspective to the sport and movement that is priceless. Besides being a really great instructor/teacher, he's also one of the kindest people I know. His heart does nothing but grow for Muay Thai. In his teaching and everything else, his love for the sport shines through in all of his actions.

After the two initial semi-private trial classes my 7 year old was extremely excited to start…read morekarate. Unfortunately the actual group classes where nothing like the trial. He was not given the attention or direction he needed. He was ignored, told to practice some move alone, or told to be quiet and just watch and follow along while he felt lost. I repeatedly told the owner that my kid was overwhelmed, confused, left alone, and bored. Each time I brought it up, the only response was "well he can quit but you still have to pay because you signed a 6 month contract." The experience of my child was of no importance to them, only the money which they'd get either way. They never addressed or acknowledged any of our concerns. We carried on for a couple months but it only got worse with my kid getting so anxious and crying/begging not to have to go to karate and asking everyday after school if this was a day he had to go. We wanted him to learn discipline and self confidence but this experience was the opposite. I still think he would thrive at another dojo but now he is too traumatized to try again, and we're stuck paying these folks. Stay away from Steve Curran.

Our now 8 year old, a VERY energetic and sometimes focus-challenged young guy, has been attending…read moreclasses here for a few years- from their Little Dragons children's program into their youth program, training with the older kids and adults. I started off fairly skeptical, but this place has 100% won me over. I have watched the growth in our son, the other students, and the younger instructors- the typically high school aged black belts are usually the instructors for the youngest students. It has been amazing to watch all the students there grow into their responsibilities, to begin taking their training seriously, to gain a strong understanding of respect, and to engage in difficult activities and use failure as a learning tool and not a defeat. You earn each stripe on your belt, and the owners and instructors have high expectations of all who walk through the doors. But those expectations are backed up by support, solid instruction, and recognition of achievement. Couldn't be happier with the program.

Master Ramirez, including Master Eddie were so good in teaching the fundamentals of Taekwondo…read more Sadly we moved out of state and our new Masters are impressed with my daughter which resonates how good she was taught. Would recommend Twin Tigers 100%!

I highly recommend Twin Tigers Taekwondo! They have a great program! We initially started with the…read moreintroduction 4 week course to see how our son would do, and he loves it, so we signed him up for more! we travel from Olympia to take his class! Price is reasonable as well! Master Ramirez is wonderful with all of the children teaching them confidence, discipline, and respect. He motivates the children with a kindness and patience while making classes fun and engaging! We will continue training with Master Ramirez.

This gym was my second home for a couple of years. I loved this place. I loved the people…read more My observations while training here... -Gym and equipment was always clean. -Coaches were knowledgeable. -The students were super cool! The people I trained with made it feel like family. -Kids/Jr's program was amazing! My children absolutely loved it. I watched in astonishment as my kiddos kept progressing! Looking to train? Stop by 253BJJ! I'm definitely glad I did. Mike Gayle @thebjjoiler

My dad has trained with Michael Proctor for a few years now. They have been trying to get me into…read morethe art ever since my dad started. Finally, when I went to college, I decided I needed a new hobby so I decided to train jiu jitsu [In the town I went to school]. When summer came along, Michael Proctor and his team took me in with open arms. Since joining his academy, I have come to find a second jiujitsu home where I am always welcome. Some specific notables for this gym? 1. The techniques are very.... technical, as they should be. Michael Proctor really does know the art. He knows how important the little details are and he instills that knowledge in our training every day. Also - a side note with Michael and his techniques: If Michael sees one person needing help on specific escapes, positions, or submissions, he will cater the class' curriculum for that person. He does this for everyone, not only his shining stars. 2. VERY CLEAN FACILITIES. Michael makes sure the mats are always clean. I wouldn't be surprised if he told me that he mops the mat multiple times after just one training session. He takes a lot of pride in the team's hygiene, emphasising the importance of handwashing, shoe-wearing, and gi-washing. 3. The energy in the room is always positive. It is not uncommon for the class to start off with a few jokes. Michael keeps it light and it makes a fun environment to train in. People feel like family when they come in because they are treated as family. I highly recommend this gym to anyone who has a bellybutton.