The Best Martial Arts in Kansas City

Thatchers' Training Center

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"I have been training at CFL's temporary location on and off for about 18 months now. Having just announced acquisition of permanent facilities here in Lawrence, CFL promises to become the premier spot for fitness and performance training in town.Thomas, Kyle, and Andrew are fantastic coaches, incorporating contagious enthusiasm and energy with the Crossfit methodology and up-to-date certification and education.Membership at CFL is mostly young 20-somethings, but there is also a strong core of more mature athletes and athletes-in-training. Regardless, everyone I've met there has been friendly, supportive, and excited.If you are inexperienced with Crossfit, expect a friendly welcome, and be ready to jump into the most efficient training program I have encountered.For visiting Crossfitters, come grab a WoD and make some new friends!"

iXL Martial Arts

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"We love going to IXL! They have friendly and dedicated staff who help all of our kids (and me) with our training. Not only do they teach American Taekwondo Association (ATA) classes, but also sparring, combat sparring, even Krav Maga. If you come often and put your effort in, you will get in shape and learn to defend yourself at the same time. There are lots of expenses with this program so be prepared for that but as a result, you will find a clean and professional gym, dedicated instructors and quality classes. Not to mention, there are several national champions at this school and if you train with the best, you'll become the best."

Akka Karate USA

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"A great place to learn martial arts, self-confidence and self-respect. The people are friendly. The instructors are personable and helpful. This studio is very family and kid friendly. I'd recommend anyone looking for martial arts training to give the studio a call to get more information."

AKKA Olathe Martial Arts

★★★★☆ 3.9 (12)

"My son (4) started taking classes at AKKA a few months ago and I couldn't be happier with our experience! The. Little Dragons class he attends twice a week helps him with his coordination, following direction and focus while helping him burn energy, have fun and learn good sportsmanship. I think he's developed in all of these areas which is a testament to his amazing teacher, and other teachers who actually take the time to get to know ALL the kids, even if they aren't teaching their class. Seeing how many of the older kids who have been practicing at the dojo much longer than us, interact with my son and the other younger kids, encouraging them and even helping them learn sometimes is so wonderful to see. If you're looking for a fun, engaging activity that will help your child develop physically, mentally and emotionally, I can't recommend them enough!"

KOMA Taekwondo+

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I've been in the education industry my entire adult career. I've got to tell you this is an amazing to learn a martial art. The instructors keep the kids motivated. My son was 8 years old when he started He is soon to be 12 and will acquire his black belt 1 month after his birthday!"

Aikijuku Dojo

★★★★★ 5 (7)

"This is a great place to learn about Japanese arts, both musical and martial. Sensei Neil Segal has built a warm and welcoming space where you can train in a healthy, respectful, and uplifting manner. Sensei Segal has a genuine love of aikido and a passion for sharing aikido with everybody. This is a special place where you can study aikido as much or as little as is right for you. You will get great training, both practical and theoretical. Aikijuku Dojo features world class guest instructors as well as a dedicated and talented group of local teachers. You can focus on the physical aspects of aikido to build your strength, flexibility, and spirit. And you can use aikido as a gateway to explore the unique and fascinating Japanese worldview.Great training, a warm and friendly group, a comfortable space, and the mysteries of Aikido. What are you waiting for?"

Tiger-Rock of North Overland Park

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"If you're looking for a martial arts academy for yourself, your children, or a loved one, look no further than here. I am very familiar with the quality of martial arts education that Tiger Rock delivers, as I have two kids who have been students for years. I, myself, have been a student of martial arts for decades, and I know a top-tier academy when I see one. I personally know the instructors at the North OP location and believe me when I say that these are some of the finest martial arts instructors the metro has to offer.Specifically for kids, Tiger Rock has special programming to develop important life values such as reaping what you sow, respect, community over consumption, good sportsmanship, and so on. Besides learning self-defense, these are just a few of the many important elements of life your kids will learn at Tiger Rock!"

Hero Martial Arts

★★★☆☆ 3 (2)

"We absolutely love this place! Our daughter is not only getting stronger but also improving in many aspects of her life. They teach values and excellent technique! Master Butler it's truly an awesome leader that cares for his students. Highly recommended!!"

Professional Self Defense

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"We have only been doing this a short while, but my kids are very eager to attend class 3-4 nights a week. I can see them teaching respect, self discipline, fitness, and confidence. We have zero experience with martial arts, but this place opened near our house so we gave it a try. My kids love it."

Tendou Martial Arts Academy

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Grand-Master Tendou is the undisputed Grand-Master of TANG-KEN-RYU-JUIJUTSU, meaning that you will get American Kenpo, Tang-Soodoo and Jujitsu training. Grand Master Tendou, is a 3 time World Champion in his day, thus know people such as Chuck Norris and Steve Muhammad (Wesley Snipes Instructor and the Founder of the BKF). This Master has over 50 years of Martial Arts Experience. Master Tendou Martial Arts Academy is very much involved in the Youth, of Wyondotte County, while having served the community over 15 years in Kids Zone, teaching Kansas City, Kansas, Public School students the Martial Arts.Whether you are a child, in adolscence or a grown person, it does not matter. You will get the best, the Martial Arts has to offer. If that is not enough, Master Tendou also teaches the Combat Application of Tai-Chi. This tremendous arsenal of knowledge and love of the Arts has also changed my life. I have been one of his students since The 1990s,young and troubled in urban KCK, traveled the world as a soldier, 6 years within the United States Special Operations Command, and yet have not met a Master or Instructor as knowledgeable. Grand Master Tendou, as the name implies, is a 10th Degree Black-Belt, and is internationally accepted an Master. Whether in Japan, Korea, Europe (Gemany, Italy, Spain, Ireland) or Vietnam, he has demonstrated great resilience and bushido. They say you are not accepted a Master until invited to sit at the table among real masters, he has been accepted to sit among other 10th Degree Masters and practitioners."

Olathe Karate Academy

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I highly recommend OKA. I've been training there for almost 9 years - it's a great dojo, challenging but supportive environment, with something for all ages from 3 to 70! The Palmers have created something special"

Blue Springs Jiu-Jitsu

★★★★★ 5 (6)

"Blue Springs BJJ is a wonderful dojo that makes you feel welcome right from the start. They do a great job of teaching with many instructors that know how to teach in a variety of ways so everyone has a chance to learn. They keep a clean dojo and ensure that the students are always safe. I have been attending here for over a year and have been so glad to call this place home."

AKKA Karate USA

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"I can only speak to the class for the 5-8 year olds but I do see bits and pieces of the other classes and I am impressed with what I see for older kids/adults.Signed our 6 year old up here as we had been having some minor discipline issues at school along with issues overreacting to small things. This has been great for him so far and after 3 months we are seeing improvement. Honesty, courtesy, respect and discipline are the core tenants. The instructors are great enforcing those tenants while making the kids feel good about themselves and work to try harder in a fun environment."

Shogun Martial Arts Center International

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"Excellent martial arts school with various forms of martial arts taught. A very diverse and welcoming school with all ages attending. There are two very large dojo's and great teachers. The owner is a superb martial artist and is very involved with all who attend. The training opportunities are extensive and produce a well rounded martial artist. The black belt testing is very impressive and I have been to many schools to know the difference in quality. Two of my adult children (black belts) have been trained here since they were young and are thankful for all the experience and instruction they have received. Highly recommend!"

Kindred Protective Arts

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I have been studying with KPA for almost 5 years now. Kevin and Jackie are excellent instructors who go out of their way to make sure you understand the material, relate the training to real experiences and demonstrate the differences between the art and combative applications. In addition they have worked with me because I have an artificial knee...they have helped me to conform Arnis to they way I move which has helped me to form my Arnis. Lastly Kevin and Jackie are very respected in the FMA community.. they seem to know everyone and I have personally seen several Grand Masters speak very highly about their skills and teaching methods. I'm proud to be one of their students and would highly recommend Kindred Protective Arts for any of your FMA training."

POW Martial Arts

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"I've been involved in martial arts for over 20 years.I found Pow Martial Arts 3 1/2 years ago. It's been the best experience. These guys have a great attitude, instruct in a way that let's you understand the why and really focus on teaching defense, not just how to score points at a tourney. Great with children and adults alike.If you have ever thought about martial arts, check them out."

PRIDE Martial Arts

★★★★☆ 4 (3)

"My son has been attending here since last year. He signed up for Bully Prevention. We are very happy with it. He's 10 now. First, the main teacher, Mr. Palmer is really impressive. He always remembers all the kids names. There can be like 20 kids and 3 new kids and he will call all their names out like he's known them forever. Palmer is great with the kids. They love him. He can speak their language. There are times he is correcting my son's moves and my son won't even get mad about it. When I try to correct them it's an ordeal. So, I really appreciate his connection with the kids. There are other students and teachers in the class getting trained to teach by Palmer. They are all very patient and help with over flow. Palmer recently had a child, so he's had to transition some of his classes and it's all gone smoothly. He is still there most of the time though. He seems to really love his job.I wasn't really looking for some serious martial arts place for my son to attend. I just wanted to try it and see if he was even interested in the first place. Some could say these classes aren't super strict or they let the kids get away with not having moves perfect, just little details, before moving them further. I really don't care about that. The kids are having fun, there are some very young and have all the moves memorized. So what if a foot isn't bent correctly or if a leg isn't completely straight or bent in certain stances. We are talking about 3-5 year olds here.If my son wants to continue with another teacher in the future to learn a more strict routine, then that's up to him. Right now he's learning some amazing moves, defense, and self pride. He loves going, he loves his teacher, and at the end of the day he is getting a lot of exercise and discipline. Saturdays are nuts! They work those kids. Every student pushes themselves to better themselves at their own pace and Palmer communicates that. All he really asks that you memorize your routines and moves, paractive, keep a good diet, be confident, and be respectful.Also, I wanted to add, they have a toddler room with toys, so if you have to bring a really small one to practice there is a place to sit with them and entertain them, if needed."

Self-Defense Global KC

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"I cannot say enough good things about this Krav Maga facility. I was visiting for a month and only paid for a month which they allowed and then went to all the classes that I could and soaked up so much incredible knowledge that will be so helpful. I knew I needed to get better at basic hand to hand combat and take down skills for a self-defense situation and this program and instructors were all incredible. After taking this class I definitely want to get punching gloves & gloves and continue the skills in the future. I highly recommend anyone to join and Try them out."

Vava Jiu Jitsu

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Vava was immediately welcoming! I was passing through for a couple of days while traveling for work and decided to attend the morning BJJ class. Everyone on the mats was respectful and trained hard! More so, Vava's teaching was top notch. There was a level of independence that was intertwined with personal touches that made learning fun and challenging! I will be back the next time I'm in KC. Thank you Faith and Vava!"

Glory MMA & Fitness

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (4)

"I went here for Muay Thai classes. The instructors are good at the art but these classes are not designed for beginners. They don't spend time to show you technique. I enjoyed the classes as I took beginner classes in Colorado and intended to keep going but my work schedule started to conflict with class times. When I tried to call and cancel they told me I would have to pay 6 months before they would let me out of their system. I was told when signing up that it would only be the rest of the month from cancelling time and 1 extra month. when I brought this to his attention he said, "oh well I guess I can go back to my old policy, if you pay me 3 months right now I'll let you out of my system." I guess I find it odd that he will tell you one thing, try to enforce another, then when you call him out he tries to get over on you still...(This is the counter guy not the owner BTW. The owner is a really cool down to earth guy). The BJJ classes looked good so if you are looking for a good MMA gym this is a good place to go but make sure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into before you sign anything. The whole contract is over an iPad so ask to see the fine print."

Koma Taekwondo

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"While it's well-known in the community that KOMA is a great place for kids, it's great for adults too. After about a year and a half of my daughters going there, I decided to give it a try for myself. In just 6 months, I've lost a bunch of weight, gotten a whole lot more flexible and fit, and met a bunch of new friends. The morning adult class is a nice group, usually only a handful of students on any given morning."

Brazil Academy

★★★★★ 5 (8)

"I have trained in BJJ for 2 years, and in Karate/Kickboxing for 39 years. I have been to a lot of Schools and Dojos in many cities across the US. The Brazilian Academy has a very in depth Gi Jiu Jitsu program that has become invaluable to me as I develop in the sport. In the KC area, there are two places that I would recommend for BJJ training. I can't pick which one I like best, so I switch between them in rotation! If you are looking for solid BJJ training, then go here.My only complaint is that they do not advertise their programs and schedules well enough to promote everything that they teach! I would have found this place sooner if they did.Why BJJ? I am glad you asked, because now I get to ramble into how it has changed my life, and how I stumbled onto the Brazilian Academy.I got into BJJ two years ago because I stopped kickboxing and gained a ton of weight. I needed something I could do in my passion for martial arts that wouldn't give me CTE. I remembered how much hard work it was to earn a green belt in Judo back in the 1980s, so I found a school where I was working at the time that taught BJJ. I found that I had been missing this in my life! I was foolish to avoid the ground game until my 50s, but I chalk that up to the brainwashing of "stand and fight like a man" that old school Karate fighters pushed at you before the rise of UFC.I lost 75 pounds in the first year, and many of the "old guy" aches and pains have gone away. My flexibility is slowing returning, and every aspect of my life from chasing my grand kids around tunnels and trampolines to running through airports to catch a flight to hiking trails at altitude in Colorado has gotten easier and better!Since I started, I have been to 10 or 11 different BJJ schools around the country. I choose BJJ schools that also have a boxing program (for fitness and fun), but shy away from contact fighting. I collect knowledge, branded Gis (uniforms), and will likely never be promoted because I move jobs and change schools just before I might earn it. I continue to travel, and will continue to find a school in the next city I visit.However, when I am at home in the KC area, I want to train as hard as possible. I need a place with Boxing and BJJ, of course, and I found one that pushed the old school tenants that I am used to. Life was beautiful, util I ended up getting a serious illness that put me down for a while. To get back up, I looked for a fundamentals class that would be a little easier on my old body and new inhaler. I tried a few other places in town, and that is when I came across the Brazilian Academy.The class schedule is awesome with two morning BJJ classes starting at 6am, and 2 evening classes every day except Friday. I started with the morning class, because it was very small, and thus easier for me to recover. Since then, I take both morning and evening classes, then drive to the other school for their evening class. I seriously don't like either one better than the other, but the Brazilian Academy is the only one with a 6am and 7am class. I think training here is going to be an essential part of my competitive game (if an old rusty fellow like me can be competitive). I'd be in complete heaven if both the schools I love decided to move in next to each other... and further south closer to my house..."

Tiger Rock Martial Arts of Olathe

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"Awesome energy and leadership for the kids and adults. Great teaming experience, the board breaking ceremony was awesome. The kids learn so much"

Midwest Chinese Martial Arts Center

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (3)

"Aparently, noone has left a recent 2019 review for this school and instructor. granted, this instructor may have a lot of knowledge, but he belittles his students. After taking classes with him for 4 months, He told me that he hated teaching the style which he had me sign up for. I also have a daughter which asked me if she could take lessons together. We both signed up for 2 classes a week. His assistant which was assigned to teach me frequently did not show up for classes. After the this month of this, when it was time to pay for the next month of classes, I kept my daughter's classes t twice a week, but lowered mine to once a week, since I had been paying for classes but not getting them d/t instructor not showing up. When I lowered my class time he told me don't bother with him anymore and it would be a waste of his time. It was a waste of my time taking off from work and paying for classes, and driving 30 minutes to his school, only to find out that my class would cancel. Advertising and getting paid for classes you don't offer can constitute as fraud, but I never brought that up. Also, there were other people taking classes at the same time, but the main instructor was teaching them since they had been with him for over a few years. This was very disappointing. The most disappointing part in all of this was that my daughter worked her butt off, only to be turned away since the instructor wanted to throw a fit. This does not show integrity nor a good moral compass. He also has sudden mood swings-some days he is okay to be around and others he will belittle those around him. Until he gets temper under control and show some integrity, we will not go back. Prospecting students- You have been warned!"

Samurai Club

★★★★★ 5 (2)

"Both my son and I were students of Sensei's previous dojo here in California. After a full day of school, the kids couldn't wait to get to Aikido practice with Sensei. Although his primary focus is to teach kids to defend themselves, he also develops their self esteem and respect for each other. He makes it fun for the kids so they stay focused and interested in what he is teaching them. In the adult program, Sensei was always there to spend time with each of his students to make sure we learned proper technique and movement in safe and sound manner. He is a fantastic Aikido instructor and a great human being. Our loss here in California is your gain in Kansas. I highly recommend you join Samurai Club today!"

Lee's Chinese Martial Arts Federation

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"I heard and read alot of positive things about this master sifu lee so i decided to let my son who was really interested in wing chun kung fu check this dojo out. This dojo and his teaching style far exceeded my expectations. The master sifu lee is the real deal. He teaches authentic wing chun and i don't think anybody else in this city is as good as him. My son now says he is inspired by sifu lee and out of the various styles of martial arts my son does, this by far is his favorite. I recommend this dojo to all who are serious about kung fu. This dojo and its master are by far the best around."

Dragon Family Martial Arts Center

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"What a cool place. Every Tuesday Tina gives free self defense classes for women. Now I'm not sayin' I'll ever be in the situation to use these types of skills, no, not me. I don't like danger. I don't want no part of it.BUT....you never know. So I decided to start attending self defense classes. They are on the same night as a kid's martial art's class.I'm fascinated with self defense, and items that could be nearly lethal. It seems I'm also fascinated with projectile weapons, this I understand. Small self defense weapons you can carry on your key chains, as long as you know how to use them are also worth having. Tina sells the items at Dragon Family.And Tina teaches you ways to use them. So that feeds my fascination with these kind of things. Last night I learned how to use a kubaton. Now I know I've no reason to buy a kubaton, but if someone came up to me in a parking lot and I was holding it, I'd go straight for the groin, or better yet the eyes. I really like this place. Her martial arts class last night with the kids seemed to be a great way for them to achieve some type of focus, and something to work for, which would be a new orange belt. It's also an excellent skill. Glad I found this place. Tina empowers women. Nothing wrong with that. Girl Power!"

Three Dragons Way

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"I have been learning Tai Chi for a few months at Three Dragons Way and have no complaints, I love it. This site teaches Chen style Tai Chi with a variety of course offerings focused on different skill levels. They also regularly hold workshops to focus on aspects of Tai Chi not normally covered during the regular classes.Gary is a master in Chen style Tai Chi based on the teachings of Chen Zhenglei, a 19th generation descendant of the Chen family that developed this style. He is very good at focusing on what students need and is able to break things down in a way that makes sense to beginners. He is also familiar in other martial arts disciplines and is able to use that knowledge to enhance his teaching of Tai Chi. He and his family provide a very warm and friendly atmosphere to train in that makes novices like me very comfortable and keeps me coming back. I always look forward to my Tai Chi classes here.If you're interested in learning Tai Chi this is the place for you."