Maxercise MMA Academy

8 months ago I was stuck in a rut. 33 years old, 230 lbs, drinking and smoking all the time, barely active at all. Something needed to change, so I decided to give Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu at Maxercise a try.
Needless to say I was extremely nervous– the closest I’d ever gotten to any type of contact sport was in the Marching Band back in College. But I knew in order to get in shape I needed to change bad habits, and in order to do that I needed discipline, so I signed up for 6 months and decided to give it every ounce of effort I could muster.
It was the 2^nd best decision of my life (my wife might read this…)
The staff is friendly and helpful. You can tell they genuinely love the art of Jiu-​Jitsu and simply want to help students understand and excel at it. The same can also be said of the students. Where I expected to find macho tough-​guy attitudes, I found humility and respect.
8 months and a LOT of hard work later I am 190lbs and the fittest I’ve ever been. Every day I look forward to training because I’m not just «working out,» I’m learning interesting, challenging techniques while developing important self-​defense skills.
Maxercise has helped me gain a discipline and confidence that continues to grow and affect all aspects of my life, and I am thankful and excited that my journey has only just begun.

So pleased that I found this place!
My wife and I found Maxercise on accident. We were looking for good summer camps for our 5-​year old daughter that were not overly expensive. Originally, we were interested in Maxercise because the weekly rate was so incredibly reasonable. They offered our daughter a free demo karate class. She fell in love with it! «Can we go back tomorrow!!!»
Twice a week, she would go, and always so excited about it. She was learning discipline, getting exercise, increasing her confidence, and making friends.
After asking around (instructors, friends, and other martial arts people I know), we decided that jiu jitsu would be best for her in the long run… for a girl in the city… to also know how to defend herself (worst case scenario, if she ever had to.)
She switched to jiu jitsu classes. She is now up to 3 1-​hour plus classes a week. Still loving every minute of it. She has been in 2 tournaments already, and placed 2^nd twice!!!
One of the best things about Maxercise is the sense of family. They have really taken her under their collective wing. They all have her best interest at heart, teaching her, caring for her, pushing her, etc.
The positive traits they are instilling in her will be with her for life. That is priceless.

Best mixed martial arts gym in Philly!

Very impressed with this place, and John the owner/​instructor of the jiu jitsu program. I train in California and was a visitor to the school for a night. Many schools try to «teach you a lesson» by putting you against only their best students. John realized that I was there for fun, and was extremely accommodating. It’s obvious after one day that training there that this is the type of place that students of any level can come and feel comfortable with the flexibility of quality competition, exercise and fun.

Horrible! I took my son there to try karate! They use hard pressure sales tactics to make you commit to a yearly membership. He’s 4! I cannot commit to a sippy cup let alone an overpriced kids karate program. At first i was told we can come any day they offered karate for his age. We went diff days which fit into his schedule. Each class was overcrowded and poorly instructed — very little karate and more of 25 minutes of free play (crab crawls etc). Soon after enrolling him I got a ph call saying he can only come 2 x a week and on preselected days! THIS WAS NOTHING LIKE THEIR ORIGINAL PITCH! the facility was cramped and old, you’d hear loud banging from the jujitsu upstairs which terrified my son. I sent a letter to cancel membership and have been harassed by their billing department. You need to come in to sign paperwork? Really? Really? Ever hear of email? It’s 2014 but certainly you cannot tell by the way this biz looks or how it is run. They do everything in their power to elongate and make difficult canceling of membership. There are far far better places to take kids to learn karate than maxercise. It’s horribly disappointing to be treated so poorly by a local business. I will make sure everyone in my mommy circle is aware of their deceptive tactics!

I can’t speak about the actual programs here, but thought it was important to share my experience.
First of I called about summer camp wanting information the only info I was given over the phone was «approx» costs & they wanted me to come in to talk about exact costs & get more info.
OK of course I want to see the place I’m considering leaving my 7 year old.
So OK they only had one appointment 2 days later.
During that two days I got several calls to make sure I was coming & was reminded I could sign up at my appointment.
This place is in the worst possible part of the city for parking & I can’t imagine what a nightmare pick up & drop off would be for Summer Camp. There is a parking lot right next door but I parked there at 4pm for about 20 mins & it cost me $ 14.
When I arrived the receptionist «told» me to complete the paper work.
My response «we’ll I’m not sure if we are signing up yet, we just want to look around & find out more info» that was respond with a roll of her eyes and a «taaaah»
We were them kept waiting for about 15 mins for the «sales» person, who finally comes out & doesn’t even bother to introduce himself but greets us with you need to fill this out do we can decide what class level your son will be at“
Again I say well we would just like to look around first & get more info…
His response well I’m not showing you around until you complete it.
Now for those of you who are thinking maybe it’s some sort of legal waiver it was NOT I looked over it, it was a form for all our personal information etc.
Certainly would not be leaving my child at a Summer camp with pushy, pushy sales people.
It’s seemed more about getting me to sign on the line & hand over my credit card than providing information about summer camp.
Ahhhhh no thanks!

I have been attending Maxercise Kettlebell classes twice a week for a month. A 30 minute session but you definately get a good workout in a short time. Hurts like hell but it’s worth the pain. They also offer other classes in martial arts for adults and children. The staff are friendly and the instructors are great.

Super place to learn and get into shape with an understanding and experienced staff. Amazing BJJ program!!! Clean and well priced… Best in town hands down…

Have been taking BJJ classes at Maxercise for over 15 months now, my original 5 star review still stands! Can’t imagine where i’d be without Maxercise!

When you mix passion, integrity, an amazing location and the best professionals in the business you get Maxercise. John and Maggie are amazing to work with and their dedication and spirit shine through everything they work on. I would recommend that you embrace your goals and let them know what you want to work on. From their Kettlebell program to advanced Jiu Jitsu they’ve got you covered. Start your journey in this friendly, supportive environment.

Offers a various range of classes as well as private instruction. Clean and modern establishment.
I am taking private kettle bell lessons and my workouts are AWESOME. Definitely worth the value :)
Been kettle belling at Maxercise with Maggie for about 6 months now, almost 2 days a week. I am definitely stronger and have lost inches!
Everyone at the gym is knowledgeable, encouraging, helpful, friendly, and professional, from the instructors right down to the help desk.
It’s not one of those gym that makes you feel intimidated because everyone is super fit (i mean, they ARE SUPER FIT) but for me, it just makes me feel comfortable knowing that soon, I too will be super fit!
Maggie is a tough but fair instructor who pushes you because she knows you can do it. She never nudges past your capabilities but she likes to test the waters to see how you are progressing.
She never lets me flex my QUITTING MUSCLES!
John and Maggie are Gold medal winners in competition and in my book, for running a fantastic facility. I do recommend it to anyone looking to tone up with kettle bells or for their jiujitsu, judo, martial artsy programs for sure!

My daughter has begun attending summer camp here, and I’m really impressed with the facilities and staff. She’s been interested in martial arts for a while, and this is her first formal instructtion. I think she may have found her sport. One of the female instructors, Maggie, is a Ju Jitsu world silver medalist! Amazing to have her as a role model. Reasonably priced as far as summer camps go. Hope to get the word out for others to try!

Training at Maxercise is the best decision I’ve made in a long time. The instructors, staff and members go above and beyond to create a warm atmosphere where everyone feels welcomed immediately. It’s like training with family. The training itself is incredible. The instructors, John, Maggie and Mike are all very technical, yet they’re gifted teachers who are able to communicate difficult concepts to a complete beginner. Starting in January, I began to dedicate myself to really working on my BJJ and attending class regularly. Since then, I’ve lost 15 pounds and my comfort and skill on the mat has increased dramatically. That increase is the combination of hard work and great instruction. I highly recommend that anyone interested in Gracie Jiu-​Jitsu, self defense, or just getting into great shape should stop in at Maxercise and give it a try. You won’t regret it!

I had moved here from NYC looking for a good Philadelphia Judo and Jiu Jitsu school. The guys at Maxercise were great. They have enough classes per week for me and even got me involved in kettlebell training which is really a great supplement to the martial arts training. The quality of teaching and workout partners is as good as I’ve seen in a more personalized environment. I’ll continue to train here and get in more shape with my training partners and teachers!

I’ve been a member here for quite a while, give or take about five years. I’ve seen a lot of changes at Maxercise, and I can say that they have been for the better.
I’m primarily a jiu-​jitsu student, but I do kettlebells also. The instruction has the rare combination of intensity and friendliness. The grappling program has a lot to offer new students, but has enough veterans to challenge experienced fighters too.
Maxercise feels like my second home, and I can’t recommend it enough. Check it out and I promise you won’t be disappointed.

I’ve taken BJJ classes at 3 different places in Philadelphia… been going to Maxercise for about a year, and think it’s by far the best I’ve been to.
The reason why I like Maxercise so much is because it’s a very friendly learning atmosphere, the instructors are patient, and the class sizes aren’t overcrowded.
Other places I’ve been to had a lot of great things about them, but the problem was either that the mats were slam packed (hard to roll without banging into someone) or the students were super hardcore and intense (not a bad thing, but that’s not my preference).
Maxercise has a good mix of beginners and veterans (many of whom have some very impressive tournament credentials), a wide age range (from high school kids to executives), and perfect class sizes.
I’d highly recommend it.
Wish I started going there from the beginning. To be honest, the only reason I didn’t was because when I was looking places up on Google, I assumed the name «Maxercise» was an aerobics place or something like that (which is most certainly is NOT).

Without a doubt, one of the best martial arts gyms anywhere in the philadelphia region, and arguably the best strength and conditioning gym in the region as well. Absolutely love the kettlebell classes, theyve changed my training game on so many levels, and i recommend them to anyone trying to find a new way to stay in shape. Dont waste your time on a gym with instructors who have no real knowledge; save yourself the trouble and join maxercise. Totally worth the price of membership.

I’m not a member of the gym so I can’t speak to a long term perspective. I checked out their kettlebells program because it’s one of the only ones in the city. And I checked out their muay thai program.
The kettlebells program is solid. 30 minute classes are a bit on the short side IMO, but other than that, they do a nice job of going through a good KB workout. They require two sessions one-​on-​one with a trainer going over KB fundamentals before participating in classes. This is a great idea because it means that people don’t walk into the class clueless. And the rates for the training are quite reasonable.
The MT program is, in my opinion, an afterthought. They are known for their BJJ teams, and I think they offer MT so that they can bring in MMA fighters. Maybe I saw them on an off-​night.
The biggest deterrent for me was its sheer cost. Definitely an expensive gym, though if you start adding on multiple programs, the costs overall decline. But a KB-​only membership was like $ 120/​mo and if you wanted to do muay thai as well, it went up to like $ 160. Considering that most gyms run $ 50-​$ 60/​mo, paying twice that for two 30-​min KB classes per week seemed a bit much. If you can go 4 – 5 times a week, it might be worth it.

Maxercise is one of those little gems that once you find it, your torn between telling everyone so that they can experience it too and the desire to keep it all to yourself so it doesn’t get too over-​crowded.
I come here for their Kettlebells & gym but they also have several other martial arts programs (Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai & Judo). They’re like concentrated weights or cannonballs with handles. Apparently, Maxercise was the first gym in the US to feature kettlebells and every instructor here has years of experience in teaching and using kettlebells. For the first time in my life, I have muscle definition in my arms and shoulders. I love it!
Gym– it’s small and unassuming but I feel more comfortable working out here than anywhere else in the city. Nobody bothers me and I don’t feel like I’m getting checked out by the guys. Everyone here is just focused on getting in shape and I’ve never felt judged for my flabby thighs or my girl-​gut.
Personal trainers– Reasonable rates, each instructor will develop a personal fitness plan for YOU and not some weird outline that they expect you to change your daily life for. For instance, they’re not going to demand that you buy a medicine ball or kettlebells for your home, you tell them what your goals are and what you have available (as in, not at the gym) and they’ll work around that. Ask for Alma, she’s a godsend. She’s helped me lose weight and stay on track, something that I haven’t been able to do, well, ever.
PROS– several different packages to choose from, very friendly, NOT a meathead gym, SUPER woman-​friendly
CONS– no pool, no kid’s classes