Krav Maga DC

Awful business practices, do not sign a contract with them. They do not communicate anything, when they closed the location on H Street they told students the Friday before the studio would be closed for a week which turned into a month. The level up seminar was scheduled at an alternate location that we were then kicked out of because they did not secure the location. They never sent email up dates, they had rumors of instructors quitting, the owner retiring, and selling our contracts to another Krav Company.
Worse experience with any fitness program.

I was INCREDIBLY disappointed by this company. I followed the instructions… After I had already paid for my intro class, I called and e-​mailed several times to set up an appointment. Nobody ever responded back to me. I was ready to set up a long-​term relationship and now I will go elsewhere. That is NOT a way to treat paying customers, and I know as a fellow small business owner! I would STRONGLY suggest going ANYWHERE ELSE if you want to work with a professional company. Very disappointing.

616 H Street NW location has been closed. The new location is Bancroft Elementary School, 11 755 newton St NW, Washington DC.

I would say most of the other reviews are spot on. The sales tactics here are a little strong, and may be a major turn off (unless you look at it as a business), but the quality of the training is great. I had never done any martial arts in my life, but tried KMDC out through a Groupon. My 2 intro lessons had me hooked. It was the perfect change up from my existing cross fit like routine, and actually gave me some practical skills in addition to a great workout.
The gym is bare bones, you get Krav and that’s it. The locker room is small, the sink faucet is as likely to spray you as it is to clean your hands, and the single shower is not enough for the number of sweaty bodies leaving each class. The cost is what you should expect to pay for martial arts inside or around a big city, but there are other options out there that offer more for the money.
Jayme and Gian are awesome. You will learn how to fight, and you will be constantly challenged. You will get stronger, faster, and will build better posture. The location is prime if you take the bus or metro, but parking is terrible.

My wife and I took about six months of classes to prepare for our trip around the world. After three months, we took the test to go from level 1 to level 2 (yellow belt) and succeeded. It was hard, our bodies never got abused that much but it was well worth it and really fun.
There are almost only good things to be said about Krav Maga DC and the people who work there. There are two things my wife and I did not like. Firstly, we didn’t appreciate the pressure we received to sign up after the trial class in order to get a good deal. We ended up signing up, of course, but were left with a bitter feeling at first. Secondly, we didn’t appreciate the fact that they required us to buy KMDC shirts, pants and hand wraps while they did not made it mandatory for everyone. Most times, most students would wear non-​KMDC clothing. I did have to pay $ 80 for mine and my wife got a deal.
With that said, all four instructors are great and the front desk staff is very nice and helpful. Although the membership cost is hefty, you get what you paid for. We mostly trained with DJ, Jayme and Gian. All three were good for different reasons.
DJ, as lead instructor, is the most knowledgeable. He explains each movement the most accurately and emphasizes on each step. He spends more time helping you fine-​tune your technique than any other instructor. DJ is also very personable and patient.
Jayme is the most energetic and kick ass. She covers more materials in each class than DJ and Gian and therefore spends less time fine-​tuning the technique but more time practicing it (if that makes sense). She often mixes practicing a movement with fitness exercises, for example, she would have us alternate ground fighting and throwing kicks with running on the mat, doing push-​ups and jumping jacks. She knows how to get you tired while forcing you to fight which is something we should all get used to because fighting conditions would rarely be ideal.
Gian is the most versatile instructor. He divides the time learning, practicing and recaping movements equally. So we cover a lot of materials but really learn to do each movement. He’s also the most attentive: when we shadow-​fight or practice a movement, Gian would take the time to observe what you do and correct you on the spot. He also gives excellent warm-​ups.
In conclusion, my wife and I loved KMDC and we plan to continue our training once we are done traveling. We miss going to class and seeing the other students all of whom are great people.

I absolutely love training here. The instructors take the time to make sure you are building the basics before moving on to more complicated movements, but you are always being pushed. I think the price is fair for DC, especially considering all of the classes it gives you access too. Self confidence is most definitely a result you will see.
Your first couple of classes will be hard as you acclimate, but stick with it and you will see results.

Let me preface this by saying the classes were great. The instructors were amazing, helpful and very encouraging. The problem for me was pricing.
I agree with other reviews, the price was high, but I think if you really want to learn how to defend yourself, it’s worth it. My problem was with the fact that I was told by Al that I was being offered a discount, and a few weeks in, I hear him offering other people a way better deal.
I am a student and don’t have that much money to throw around, after explaining this to Al, he offered me a ‘discount’. Almost 2 months later while in class I heard him offering other students another ‘discount’, except their deal would have saved me over $ 450 for the summer. When I asked him why I wasn’t offered this deal, he said it was a different circumstance. I followed up via email to see if I could get the same discount he gave the other students. He said he could not and this left me feeling cheated. Hence I decided not to return.
Thus whilst I would like to emphasize the instructors there are truly great, and will teach you lots. Just beware of special ‘discounts’ as it might not be the deal you think it is…

I’ve been training at KMDC for 9 or 10 months now – my husband has been training there for longer. Yes, it’s expensive, but in my experience, most martial arts studios are pricey. Seeing my monthly membership fee get deducted from my account also motivates me to get my rear end to class.
I think the instructors are excellent and the classes teach you practical self-​defense skills in addition to giving you a good workout. The instructors usually do a good job of straddling the line between slapping you around and being encouraging (otherwise known as «tough love») and some classes are going to be a lot harder than others based on your experience and what they’re covering that week.
People keep making negative comments about the sales pitch that the folks to KMDC make to prospective new students. People, they’re a small studio that wants to stay afloat – of course they’re going to want to make a sale. They didn’t even have to try that hard with me because I already had my husband to tell me how great it was.
There was also another comment on focusing resources on lower-​level students. A lot of new students don’t have martial experience, so it would make sense that the instructors would want to make sure they learn the fundamentals before progressing to higher levels. I think one of the things they do right at KMDC is that they make sure you know your stuff before testing up into higher level classes.

I have completely mixed feelings about this place after taking an «intro» class today. I think your opinion of this training center will depend on what you want out of it. I wanted a fun, intense, physically challenging fitness class that taught real-​life self defense skills. And actually, that’s what it was! The instructor was great, the students were of all ages and abilities, I got plenty of good exercise, and I actually learned some real self defense techniques! So the class itself was great.
I ended the class thinking that I would definitely be interested in future classes, and with a busy work/​personal schedule, I thought I could aim for a class per week. That would help me achieve my goals of some exercise, some skills, and most importantly, a stress reliever and way to have fun. I was excited!
The problem came in the inevitable «membership discussion» after the intro class. The manager set down with me, handed me a schedule. He said that while having fun is inevitably the most important thing, that Krav Maga «requires a commitment to the program, or it won’t work». I noticed that the paperwork said that «Students are required to attend two classes per week». I asked about this, noting with my schedule, that’s not something I wanted to commit to. No one had told me those were the requirements to join. Once per week sounded right for me.
He immediately said, «well, we really can’t keep talking further if you’re not willing to commit to the program. It wouldn’t make sense for me to take your money.» And then he walked away.
I appreciated the honesty, and I guess if you’re wanted to be a Krav Maga rock-​star, then yes — you will need to commit to a twice-​a-​week program (which is the same approach I have seen in similar places like Cross Fit, etc. Why is it always all-​or-​nothing?).
For the rest of us, who want to have fun, get some exercise and balance our personal fitness with a variety of other life pursuits, it’s clear we’re not as welcome. I have enough work, personal and volunteer commitments in my life — I’m not going to «commit» to a fitness class schedule. Sadly I left thinking about the fun class I just took, that I wasn’t welcome to join in the future.

Recently I decided I wanted to learn how to defend myself instead of going for the best on the off-​chance (I hope) that I get attacked. So, I thought, what better martial art to learn than krav maga? I find the Israeli special forces quite terrifying.
The facility is nice and very convenient for metro riders, being situated basically right above the China Town metro. The locker rooms are small and bare bones, fine.
I took my first introductory class on a weekday night. The instructor was great, I sweated way more than I thought I would, learned a lot, and was pretty sore after — a good sign! My second class was on a weekend morning. Different instructor, she was great as well! I learned some different moves and was sore in different places than the first time — awesome!
Where it fell apart for me was their marketing approach. Holy aggressiveness, batman! Maybe it’s just me but I do not appreciate feeling guilted/​pressured into things. If I like something, and can afford it, then I’ll do it. Simple as that. There was the sales pitch after class one, followed by an email with a ton of positive reviews copied and pasted in it — really?! I got a text reminding me of my next class that I’m pretty sure I didn’t authorize. If I was able to afford the gym I’m pretty sure I would still have gone elsewhere. The marketing was a HUGE turnoff.
Also, the gym costs close to $ 300/​mo, or $ 200ish for a long contract. What. I want to blame overhead costs. That is an absurd price for me to pay.
I loved the classes and am continuing to search for an appropriately priced gym for me with less of an over the top in your face obnoxious sales pitch.
If that and the price don’t bother you, I say go for it!

ok, i have mixed feelings about this place. I took classes here for almost 3 months, usually once or twice a week, and then dropped out after a serious injury.
On the one hand, i loved the classes and its intensity. Its a great workout, and it forces you to learn to fight or flight, as the case might be, to maximize your chance of survival in the event of an attack. Self defense is a great thing to learn, and the teachers are tough but knowledgeable — as they should be.
But what you have to realize is that most people doing this at this studio are in their 20s or early 30s, and usually in pretty good shape. Most of the students already work out several times a week, and this was one more thing they added to their fitness repertoire. Its true that anyone at any age can learn krav maga, but in reality very few people in late 30s or 40s show up at these classes in this studio — its a relatively young crowd. They also say its a great way to get in shape — and reality is, its a great way to improve your fitness, but its better if you are already in somewhat decent shape considering how intense the classes are and the younger makeup of the students. Anyway, at the time, this was my primary workout, and i was older (late 30s) and overweight, so i was struggling more than most. The day i got injured — i think the instructor did the warm up in about 12 minutes instead of the usual 15. That did not bother anyone else, but i think that was enough to be a problem for the older, less in shape me — during one of the kicks, i felt this terrible pain and pretty sure ripped something in my calf. I was on crutches for 3 months after that, and in physiotherapy for a few more months, relearning how to walk, climb stairs, run etc. So my advice is — if you are little bit older and not in great shape, consider taking this as a supplement to a fitness régime, but not as your only way to get in shape. And also consider doing your own warmup routines before and after class every time — just to make sure you are going to be alright. I wish the instructors had been more careful and explained to students what the risks of injury might have been and how to prevent those — but these things can and do happen sometimes, and overall i did love the classes when i was still taking them.

They just want your money. Awful instruction. They have a program that they follow to a tee (read: classes are boring), but then I never feel like I have enough of a chance to really practice what they teach. It’s a weird vibe at this center. I feel like the instructors care about their jobs, but we’re all stuck in this absurdity where the center is literally only interested in your money. And don’t even get me started on Al, the owner. If you want to learn krav maga and not hate your life while doing it, go elsewhere.

This studio is in a great location and they offer a fantastic program. I have been a student at KMDC since March 2012 and I love it! I took my Yellow Belt test to pass into Level Two after about six months of training and I try and go in 2 – 3 times a week. The studio is very «women friendly» and one of my favorite instructors is a woman named Kelly who can take on ANYONE in there!
The training is tough, but gets you in great shape and truly prepares you to defend yourself: both physically and emotionally. I highly recommend checking out KMDC.

I enjoyed the introductory class. It is a good work out and very practical. Probably you are wondering how much it is. The cost is 295/​month. This includes as many classes as you can take. If it were less costly, I would surely join. I just can’t justify paying that much when there are other options.

Pros: Metro accessible in the heart of the city.
Cons: Recommend shopping around since this center charges 280% more than their competitors. The other training centers are equivalent, if not better, at instructions and facilities. Class size tends to be larger. Parking is troublesome.

I still had a personal Training class and for some reason instead of making sure this is scheduled when they take all of your info they tell you after the fact that you have to personally come in just to schedule the class.
I still would love to go to this place if htey got the $$$ aspect of it taken care of.

I was very excited to start working with the Krav Maga DC group. I will admit, the training is top-​notch, but I’m severely disappointed in their billing set-​up. I was unable to attend after one month, and I had already paid a two month membership fee. I can count that off as a donation for a great cause in my mind.
Unfortunately, I was distracted enough by my medical issues to forget the 30 day cancellation policy, so I had to pay another month’s fee. I spoke with the national office expressing my desire to cancel, and they said they could not help me, I had to speak with the branch. The branch will only accept a written or emailed cancellation, which I sent and they apparently never received.
Now, a month later, they are charging me again, and telling me that I will have to pay another partial month because it is now the middle of the month when I was surprised by a call from the national office requesting payment.
Moral of the Story: DO NOT attend classes unless you are CERTAIN you will be attending them on a regular basis and for more than 2 months, otherwise you will regret it.
I wish I could love this place, but I should have paid attention to the people warning about fees.
UPDATE: They are continuing to charge me monthly fees. Please be wary of this school.

Avoid.
Expensive, not worth it.
No showers. Small locker rooms.
The worst part is the owner. The owner will try and nickle and dime you for everything. He’s a little creepy and wears these short shorts that have his balls hanging out when he’s giving intro classes. The contracts he has you sign are convoluted and it’s like pulling teeth to cancel your contract. In order to even sign up to be a student you have to pay for two months in advance. Avoid this place at all cost. Other options are
1.
2.
3.
Most of the veteran students have left KMDC for one of these other places listed above. Don’t become a victim. Don’t goto this place.

I trained here for about a year and a half. First at the Jewish Community Center, and then in Chinatown when they opened it up. Krav Maga is more than just a workout, it’s real-​world self-​defense. It is a hybrid of a bunch of other martial arts like Muay Thai, Judo, and Boxing. It was created for Jewish defense forces in Isreal to defend themselves against their surrounding neighbors. There are no «forms» or «katas» to practice and move on the the next level. You learn practical moves to handle certain situations that threaten your physical well being. The techniques are easy to learn and apply. If you were to study something like «Aikido» or even «Jujitsu», it takes a while to learn and master the technical movements. Krav Maga gets down to the nitty gritty — how to stop the physical threat, pummel your attacker (no shit, you are taught to just beat them down and once they’re down, beat them some more or run).
So unlike the other Martial Arts where you’d be a sportsman and not touch the «forbidden areas» of a person, Krav Maga will have you gauging eyes, kicking balls (and not the kind on a soccer field), and straight up dirty fighting.
Again, the heart of Krav Maga is self defense. If you’re out on the street and are threatened to the point where physical contact is inevitable, you have to be prepared mentally to do some harm to your attacker. Remember «The Karate Kid»? «The enemy deserves NO MERCY!» It’s kinda like that.
That’s why when you take the classes, you will feel like you’re in a bootcamp. They are designed to make you get in the mindset to be aggressive and expel a lot of energy to be able to stop an asshole on the spot. So you will get in really good physical shape.
Here’s a quote from Bruce Lee — «One can have all the skill in the world, but if one is not in good shape, you will get your ass kicked». Okay, so I modified his quote just a teeny bit, but you get the point.
If you are a person that needs to have your own private locker, air condition going while you work out, don’t like being spoken-​to-​loudly by a coach because your feelings will get hurt, are afraid of bruises, or just want to get fit like Richard Simmons — Do not come here.

I’ve been a member for about 18 months (i took 6 months off). 1^st the negatives, the gym could be a little larger, small locker rooms and that’s about it. Everything else is positive. If you want to lose weight & get into the best shape of your life this is the place to go. If you want to learn how to defend yourself in a difficult situation this is the place to go. If you want to go to a gym where people actually talk to each other this is the place to go.
On a personal note i lost 20lbs in my 1^st 3 – 4 months
I am also a former college wrestler and and now am in the best shape of my life.