This is an excellent school for learning the principles of tai chi, as taught by the classics. The…read moreteacher, Martin Inn, has produced two editions of the tai chi classics, and in his teaching, he refers to them consistently. Learning from him, one always has the sense that he is simply a vessel for the tai chi tradition. At the same time, it is clear that his knowledge is based on a steadfast personal exploration of the principles of tai chi. I myself have studied at this school since 2005. Before then, I had spent three years practicing yoga. I decided to switch to tai chi for many reasons, and 12 years on, I feel it was the right decision. It has given me more awareness in my physical movements and perhaps in my sense perception. Most importantly, it has taught me how to relax. To truly relax is much harder to do than you might think. You'll start by learning the form from a senior teacher. Doing so will take 6-10 months. During this time, you will face physical challenges, most significantly building up strength in your thighs. You will discover the paradox of relaxation: that the more you relax, the more leg strength you require. If your hands are habitually cold, you will find that taking this class will warm them. You might note this phenomenon with interest. After you learn the form, you will join the main class. You'll be attending the class 2-3 times a week, each time going through the form twice and then taking a lesson on one specific point from Martin. From this point through the next few years, you will, as a beginner, move your body externally--that is, using your muscles--as you have done your entire life. Gradually, you will learn how to relax. Each stage of relaxation will open up new levels of understanding and create new physical challenges. Eventually, after at least a few years, when you relax to do the form, you will begin to feel the stirrings of something new within your body, probably first in the arms. It will feel as if a subtle fluid is moving through them, making them lighter, animating them. This, presumably, is chi, or at least one form of it. You're still a beginner, but you're beginning to understand what people mean when they talk about chi. With continued practice, you will continue to relax and start to realize the significance of a phrase from the classics: "The mind moves the chi, the chi moves the body." In other words, you can move your body with chi (as a beginner, very slightly) instead of with muscles. When practicing the form, your body acquires more of a floating quality. Very interesting. Of course, you are still a beginner. Perhaps at some point you will join the push hands class and see what it is like to try to push with Martin. You'll experience the difference between a martial art based on strength and speed, like karate, and a martial art based on softness and energy, like tai chi. Perhaps you will reflect on the significance of this difference for understanding nature and evaluating human behavior. Learning tai chi from an experienced teacher is a fascinating journey. Martin is an excellent teacher, and also a demanding one. Lay your ego at the door. You will get as much from this school as you are willing to put in.

I highly recommend this school for anyone interested in studying T'ai Chi seriously. It is a very…read morevibrant school, teaching beginners and advanced students, and has been in the same SOMA location for over 20 years. Martin Inn (owner, main teacher) is very accomplished both in the health and martial aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. A shortened, 37 posture form in the Yang family style, as modified by Ch'eng Man Ching is taught in the school, as well as a sword form and San Shou. So there's lots to learn and it's a real workout too!

Taking Tai Chi classes from Sifu O'Connor and he really takes the time needed to focus on the…read morefundamentals, which is critically important in any martial art class. He's careful to teach how to avoid "tai chi knee" and break down the forms both into their components and explain/show how the fundamentals are present in every movement. The school is new to the area so the class sizes are still small and you get a lot of 1:1 attention. Location is great it's an easy block or two from Van Ness station.

I want to start of by saying that the Instructor, Sifu Jacob Alexander, is an excellent martial…read morearts teacher in every possible way. He thoroughly knows many kung fu systems, as well as Yang Tai Chi, and how to use them. He has trained extensively in MMA, kickboxing, boxing, wrestling, and Silat as well. Jacob can show you real techniques to protect yourself in any situation, even from a crazy, aggressive attacker. I called Jacob just to train in Tai Chi forms. In one lesson, Jacob taught me the first half of a Yang Tai Chi form, and all the fighting applications for it. Just one lesson blew my mind! You can use the techniques from Tai Chi to throw people, put them in joint locks, take out their legs, knock them completely off-balance, and really protect yourself. Traditional Tai Chi can be used for attack and defense, and has amazing body mechanics and ways to use leverage. Most Tai Chi instructors will never show you these applications, unless you have been training with them for years. I also want to mention that Jacob is very honest and real. He puts his ego aside, and just wants to teach real martial arts. Jacob will ask you what you want to learn, and he will put together a program that he feels will benefit you. He will show you real techniques that will work in a real street fight. And he will show you how and why it works. He can show you strategies that will work on any type of fighter, even if they are a skilled boxer, wrestler, jiujitsu practitioner, etc. If you have any questions, he will show you the how and why on the spot! Of course, it is up to you to practice and make the teachings your own. If you want to learn real martial arts and how to use them, train with Sifu Jacob Alexander. Even if you are an experienced martial artist or fighter, he can show you how to take your skills to the next level. I would highly recommend recommend Sifu Jacob Alexander to anyone who wants to learn how to defend themselves.

Sensei is great and works well with both adults and kids in the class!!! My son loves it!!!read more

I started practicing karate at this dojo about 3 years ago, and the time has gone by so quickly I…read morecan hardly believe it. I have made some great friends here and I think it really speaks to the quality of Sensei Tomiyama-- not just as an instructor, but as a guy who lives the philosophy that he teaches-- that really talented and compassionate people come to practice here. I can also probably say that I'm in the best shape of my life since joining, and that no two classes are ever the same. I could go on and on, but let me just end by saying that if you are considering learning an authentic martial art taught by a dedicated practitioner, you could do yourself no harm dropping by the dojo to try out a class and see what its all about.

I went in for a trial as I want to find a place to train but wasn't sure which dojo to join. The…read moremat fee is $15 for a one off session which is comparable to other locations. I've had practically zero martial arts experience aside from some wushu when I was a kid. Everyone was very nice and patient. The sensei and even other students that I practiced with were great teachers. What I really appreciated was how they would explain why you take a certain action and how that has an impact. It helps me remember better and makes it a more wholistic learning experience.

Prior to joining this dojo, I had never taken any martial arts classes other than self-defense…read moreseminars (2 hr course by campus safety patrolmen and women). I wanted to be active in a sport where I'm engaged physically and mentally, and so I started looking up different dojo in SF. I started classes in February 2009 at Pacific Aikido Center, with a Tue. & Thur. evening commitment. I practice regularly with other novices as well as with higher ranked brown & black belts. The people I train with are great, and so are the instructors. The dojo is run by Shiohira Sensei, who teaches classes on M, W, F. Other black belt sensei-instructors teach on Tu, Th, Sa. During class, we warm up and stretch, then we pair up with various classmates for 45 minutes. Both the sensei and partner-in-training go through techniques with me, with repetition and often with specific guidance on ways to improve. The instructors and classmates are incredibly patient and kind. Everyone is here to improve themselves and help others, and we all improve at our own pace. While it's amazing to see what the higher-level practitioners of Aikido can do, every once in a whie I look back and am amazed at what I've learned in my year at the dojo. If you have always wanted to take martial arts, Aikido is a great art to begin your practice. I recommend this school to any beginner.

Ving Tsun by any other name (Wing Chun) is still Ving Tsun…read more I finally dived in and started my training at the school after a little help from purchasing a living social deal that was good for one month. it's been so great I just recently paid for my 5th month. (Next paragraph for Wing Chun Geeks) ---------------------------------------------------------- The schools lineage runs strong. Sifu Victor, the instructor had 2 instructors himself. His first instructor in Philadelphia (Pete Pajil a battle tested Sifu) as well as Grand Master Moy Yat an Artist. (Look them up.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (Back to my experience so far) The school is all you can eat kung fu since it's open 7 days a week. I would come everyday if I could. The Sifu lives close to the school so he comes in pretty often. The school is a welcoming coed community where the older students work with newer students. There are no sashes or formal uniforms. You do have to earn your school shirt though. I really like the structure of teaching/absorbing kung fu. The structure for my training was that they would send an older student for 15 min to work with me or refine what I've learned. After 15 min I would get to work with another older student. I would go through about 4 or 5 older students depending on who was available. So it was almost 1:1 teaching from my point of view for the first 3 months. There is also conditioning but I want/need to do it so I can improve my endurance while training the fundamentals. The school is the right choice for me because I wanted to learn Ving Tsun and it's finer details. I also wanted to learn an effective martial art that I could grow into as I get older since it's not about brute force or strength. Also who doesn't want to learn what's behind the 1 inch punch ;) (Answer: My sifu's horse) As an additional benefit to joining the school they share some of their space with yoga instructors and students are allowed to take a couple classes a month as part of my membership. I plan on sticking with Ving Tsun Sito as long as I am able to.

What's more exciting than learning Ving Tsun (aka Wing Chun) Kung Fu; the same type of Kung Fu…read moreBruce Lee learned from Legendary Ip Man (aka Yip Man)? ANSWER: Learning Ving Tsun Kung Fu from Master Victor Chung (aka Moy Yook) who studied directly under Grandmaster Pete Pajil (Moy Bah Hugh) and the venerable Grandmaster Moy Yat (1938-2001) who studied directly under IP MAN! Sifu Victor Chung emphasizes the maintenance of "Traditional" Ving Tsun Kung Fu and is very generous with his time in lectures and in hands-on training. From learning Ving Tsun Kung Fu, I've gained a considerable amount of Knowledge in Self-Defense, the meaning of Kung Fu, Family, and Culture. I've also gained a newfound respect for Ving Tsun Kung Fu! Thank You Sifu & VTS Family!

Felt a need to update this page given the last review was posted 11 years ago (!!!) and a lot has…read morechanged post-pandemic. I am new so I cannot give any details on the quality or nature of the training. I attend classes for the sake of practicing energy and breathwork, for grounding, and for some self-defense. The teachers will adjust to your needs. Currently, I believe the schedule is MWTh classes at 7pm, Saturday weapons practice at 11am (usually outdoors at GGP), and Sunday classes at 1pm. Different instructors take turn teaching. Mondays are for belt test prep so it's good for beginners. Overall, everyone has been kind and gentle. They are very welcoming of new members and you can always observe a class first.

I am a woman who has been training in Aikido for 16 years and I've been at City Aikido for 13 of…read morethem. I got my start with another teacher who was one of Nadeau sensei's students in the North Bay, and when I moved to San Francisco, I joined City Aikido. As soon as I walked through the doors and into Nadeau sensei's class, I was hooked. One of the first things I noticed right away was the powerful and energetic atmosphere of the classes. This is largely due to Nadeau sensei's emphasis of O'Sensei's Process, and it's one of the aspects I love about training at this dojo. I've found that the Process has helped me to reach a center of power that I can draw from not only during my training sessions on the mat, but also out in the real world. Aikido is an immensely therapeutic and transformative physical art. It's also a whole lotta fun! The head-teachers at our school are all highly skilled (5th, 6th, 7th degree blackbelts) and each bring their own embodiment of the art into their classes. In each class you will practice a variety of techniques and you'll train harmoniously with different partners at a variety of levels. We have classes every weekday in the evenings from 6:15-7:15 pm (fundamentals/all levels) and 7:15-8:15 pm (intermediate/advanced). We also have noon classes. And for you early birds, we even have morning classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:15-8:15 am. I teach on Monday mornings and would love for you to come join me. Aikido is a great way to start the day! Stop by the dojo. Check it out. Hope to see you on mat.

This studio offers a contemporary take on a traditional and deadly martial art: "Wing Tsun"…read more If you want to get in shape while learning practical self-defense in the worldwide recognized kung fu style popularized by the recent "Ip Man" movies and originally practiced by Bruce Lee before he created his "Jeet Kune Do" then this is the place for you! Sifu Joseph Mah is a certified practitioner of the International WingTsun Association (IWTA), a comprehensive teaching system developed by Ip Man disciples Leung Ting and Elmond Leung. To truly learn the close-combat art of Wing Tsun requires hands-on application of the system's arsenal of techniques, and that's exactly what you will receive during the many classes offered throughout the week.

One of the best clubs I've ever joined in my life! You don't…read moreneed a background in martial art; Sifu Josep and the rest of the students will patiently guide you during each lesson. It is truly and enjoyable group and community. Each class is going to challenge and engage you, definetely recommend it. Something that I really appreciate is that you get the chance to learn a bit about the history of Wing Tsun, which gives more subject to what you do in each class. Definetely recommend! Lessons last 2 hours and happen around 3 times a week.