My 3rd grader has been attending classes here for a year, and the kids program and coaches are…read moreoutstanding! The coaches genuinely care about the kids and their safety and progress. Staff are passionate about Jui Jitsu and it shows. My son has muscle-tone/ coordination issues and coming here has been a game changer for him - His confidence has soared. He works hard, gets much needed strength and focus exercise, and takes so much pride in his progress. Highly recommend trying it out!

This gym has a great community feel. Everyone is very friendly and always trying to help each other…read moreget better since we all remember what it feels like starting out as a beginner. The instructors are all excellent, very knowledgeable and patient. And FWIW, both the kick boxing and BJJ classes have a pretty wide age range, and both men and women, so all are welcome.

Coach Jake Furney has been my son's BJJ coach for almost a year now and my son loves it! I asked my…read moreson to stick with a physical activity for a few times a week and he decided to do BJJ and it was a choice that he really is proud that he stuck with. Coach Jake has been such a positive influence on my son and makes training fun, explains the art well, and most of all is VERY patient with his students. This is a rare trait to find and I'm happy to say that I hope he sticks around long enough for my son to keep advancing in his belt classes. I highly recommend taking MMA classes with this gym, due to the professionalism, patience, and discipline that it offers. We lucked out with finding such a great gym to train in! Thank you Coach Jake and Coach Charlie! You guys are great!

I walked into Charlie's in June 2015 having never done any kickboxing. I was a skinny 37-year old…read morewoman looking for a good workout. I am so glad I went in that first day. I continue working out there 2-3 times per week. The staff and other students have been incredibly welcoming and encouraging since my first day. I have seen visible changes in my body and am much stronger with better endurance. I cannot recommend Charlie's highly enough.

Zach helped me realize that my instincts are not going to be useful in a dangerous situation, and…read morethis type of training is critical to prepare me. He is a great teacher with experience to back it up. I appreciate his sensitivity to the content and trauma-informed approach. I walked away with multiple defensive tools to utilize in different situations and feel relieved and safer with this knowledge.

Zach was an amazing teacher! My daughters both took the class with me, age 16 and 8. They learned a…read morelot, and as a mom, I feel better knowing they have some knowledge of self defense. It was a bonding experience for us and a good way to approach a difficult subject on how they can stay safe and aware. Zach was kind and relatable, making us feel instantly at ease. He did the perfect teaching technique where we listen to what he has to say first, then he shows us an example, and then we try it ourselves. We practiced a good amount of time on each move so that we could absorb it. He infused a little humor into the class and kept it interesting. We felt very powerful and prepared by the end of it, which was truly a relief and an accomplishment. I highly recommend this experience! My daughters and I still talk about it and practice what we learned. - Renda Palo

Great introductory course for those that want to be more aware and practice hands on skills. Two…read morehours was the perfect amount of time for this course. The class started right into some hands on stuff...bring a water bottle it can be a workout! The practice sessions really made me more aware of the areas I need to improve in. I'm ready for level 2!

I have been attending NOVA Self Defense regularly for the past three months. Saturday mornings are…read morenow one of my favorite parts of my week! Evan and the assistant instructors are very good about giving constructive, targeted feedback. I feel that I have learned a lot of new things and had plenty of opportunity to fine-tune the basics, which has helped me build up my strength. In class, we learn to protect ourselves and fight back. When we learn new techniques, Evan breaks down the psychological aspects before moving into the how-to, enabling a full understanding of the why you are learning this. The real-life scenarios continue to be a helpful, and above all, safe way for me to try out what I've learned. Some of the other reviews have mentioned the work out at the end of class. This is no joke. The workout is the best! We do circuit training with some combative stuff thrown in, like palm strikes, elbows, and knife-dodging. Evan encourages you and will even work out with you. I'm not even a fitness freak (ugghhh I hate the gym), but this workout rocks. For those who are feeling iffy about the class and the amount of combat that takes place, please be assured that Evan always encourages you to find a way out of a physical altercation. This is an attitude that I have always appreciated because at the end of the day, I'm a lover, not a fighter. This class is just teaching you what you can do if you are left with no choice or caught off guard.

My first Gracie Combatives session today, with Ben, was just awesome. I went in somewhat nervous,…read morenot knowing what to expect, but all that anxiety went away in about 3 seconds once the session with Ben began. For me, this session was both challenging and enjoyable at the same time, which I think is what the optimal experience can be. I learned and practiced several techniques, the process was intellectually stimulating, it was a solid physical exercise, and I learned more than I thought I would. Throughout, Ben showed good care and checked in with me many times ("any questions about this?", "how do you feel?", "is this too much?"), and gradually increased the difficulty as I practiced the techniques. In short, this session was awesome. I'm grateful to Ben for today, and I can't wait to go back again!

Nak2 has been an incredible experience so far. I started the Gracie Combatives course a few months…read moreago, never having done it before, and have left every day smiling. Great place to learn and it is an incredibly welcoming community for someone new. Would highly recommend giving it a shot!

I was looking for something, ANYTHING, to get my teenager into. We have a rule in our home that…read moreyou must do something active, one activity at a time, but you have to be doing something. Well this all went out the window when the pandemic hit and our then 5th grader was stuck home for essentially three years. Around the two year mark we tried floating ideas by them, they tried to go back to basketball, nope no interest. So when I found Z-Ultimate I was convinced that this would be another hit and miss - but boy was I wrong. First of all going into this place they were SO warm and welcoming. They focused their attention on my child and not me, and made sure they understood what was going on and what the process would be. When my kid told me this was the place they wanted to be, they walked me through the pricing in a very clear and efficient was and scheduled out our personal lessons on the spot. In addition to all the above they are so cognizant of anxiety and great with personal pronouns. I cannot thank Z-Ultimate enough for their dedication to my child.

Perfection reached.....great instructors, great place, Perfect at rescheduling lesson. ABSOLUTE…read moreCINIMA!

My 7 year old started Han Mu Do in late August of 2024. I've been looking around to find a…read moredefensive style of martial arts for awhile (I wanted him to learn Aikido or Hapkido). I saw this place being recommended by many of the local moms in the Maple Valley/Covington Mom group on facebook, so I checked out their website and found that Han Mu Do incorporates Aikido/Hapkido in their teaching! I contacted Washington Han Mu Do for my son to attend the trial class. My son loved the trial class, and he wanted to continue (He is one of the most undecisive kid on this earth, and him wanting to continue is a big deal). It's been almost 2 months since he started, and he loves the classes. The environment is very family friendly and they teach the kids respect and discipline in addition to martial arts (which my son needs badly). Their prime location is also what sealed the deal for us. They are located within close distance from the local elementary schools, which makes it convenient to take my son to the class after picking him up from the after school program. In the same center, there is Taco Time and McDonalds just across the street for easy dinner after the class.

Long time customer…read more Good place if you want a workout other than the gym and kickboxing. Not so great if you want a mix of the physical and mental, yin and yang, contrary to the yin-yang symbol incorporate into their logo. While Han Mu Do is a good form of martial arts, the Maple Valley location is the only location in Washington State. You will likely start over if you leave. With only a few licensed instructors, mature students are often relied upon heavily to lead lower students and classes. Favorites are compensated, others are not. As a result, the schedule is not reliable due to leader availability. Unlike Washington Han Mu Do, other martial arts studios often include some aspects of Asian philosophy, such as an active focus on the balance between mind and body, meditation as part of the session, and understanding that spirit and body need to be in harmony. This studio is about forms, sets, and workouts. Repeat. Overall, a good cost to experience ratio when compared to a gym or other exercise place. But is that really what you wanted to do when you join a martial arts studio?

I really enjoyed Joanne's 6-week self defense class for women and highly recommend it! I…read moreappreciated that it was more than just the physical moves, but also how to verbally set boundaries (like saying no without apologizing!), and red flags to look for. Some of the info was a refresher, some brand new. I also appreciated that alternative moves were suggested, like for folks with bad knees, or the guidance for a woman using a cane. Everyone can benefit from this class! To answer the questions most people asked me: The class is kept to a small size, about 12 people. It's only for women, trans, and non-binary; no men. Folks in the class ranged from teen to 60s--I loved seeing mothers and daughters taking the class together. About half of the physical practice involved a punching bag dummy, and the other half involved hands-on practice with classmates, which was necessary, helpful, but also a bit awkward at times. But, I got over it, and got a lot out of it.

I loved taking Joanne's class. Each week, I learned something new! While the physical moves were…read moregreat to have under my belt, the cerebral lessons were just as helpful (i.e grooming behaviors, setting boundaries, how to say no). We had a small group so class was more conversational and we could ask questions anytime. I highly recommend Joanne's class if you're thinking about brushing up on your self defense skills or are not sure where to start! I now feel more confident out in the world after taking this course. Thank you for all that you do!