Valley Martial Arts Center

First of, Shout out to SENSEI NICK!!! Our 5 year old has been part of VMAC for the past year and he absolutely loves it! We tried other places and he just didn’t «feel it» after he met with Sensei Nick he said, he wanted to be” part of this team”. There was an immediate connection with Sensei Nick and he absolutely loves it here! We have seen immense improvement physically, mentally and emotionally. Its definitely a nice group of kids and parents. We have made great friends here and hope to be part of this growing family for a looong time!

I can’t explain what it is but after every class when I sit in the car, sore and sweaty, take one more sip of my water and reflect on the last hour in my head, I realize how fortunate we are to be able to work with such wonderful human beings. It’s the vibe and the energy of the these folks that drives us to come to class week after week and wanting to learn more and sponge off as much information as we can so we can be better problem solvers on the mat and outside of of the dojo. Jiu Jitsu has helped me be a better father, husband, friend and a leader at work. It’s the camaraderie and the positive attitude of the staff that brings us back to the class every week.
Just want to thank the staff at VMAC for creating a sanctuary for all of us.
They have Tuesday classes for white belts (beginners). It’s a small class, instructed by Casey, one of the coolest guys you’ll ever meet, super chill and friendly, caring and precise with his instructions. There are some blue belts who show up regularly and assist with beginners. I’ve heard stories from other schools where guys with enormous egos show up and intentionally physically hurt white belts. I have never experienced that here at VMAC. Everyone is respectful towards one another, especially towards white belts.
It was a serendipitous moment when I walked into VMAC for my first kettlebell class with Yogi Steve from Outlier Strength and realize, my all-​time favorite comedian works out at the same gym. I’m a long-​time listener of the Church of what’s happening now podcast and a huge fan of Joey Diaz’ so when Yogi Steve was on the podcast and talking about kettlebells I decided to try them and see what the fuss is all about. I heard about their walk-​in kettlebell class on Tuesdays and I just showed up. There I was, standing next to the funniest guy alive, breaking a sweat and getting swinging bells. I’ve heard Joe Rogan talk about Jiu Jitsu for years and have been contemplating going to a dojo and see what it is but have been procrastinating it. After a few kettlebell classes I I ended up meeting Jon Budd and several other Jiu Jitsu instructors and I got such great vibe from the staff that I ended up signing up for Jiu Jitsu. I find it funny how through social media you meet so many great folks and do things you never thought you’d do in your life.

Awesome place! My long time good friend PJ trains here, every time I visit Southern California from my home in the Bay Area I always want to workout here at VMAC and do a drop-​in workout. The Instructors and members who belong to this facility are super friendly & beyond intelligent with Jiu Jitsu and Etc. techniques. You will leave every class feeling amazing from a FUN/​awesome workout and you will also leave with plenty of new technical information you learned to think about after every class. I highly recommend this Valley Martial Arts Center hence VMAC. The comradery is pretty darn cool and I would categorize as family like, the people are fun to workout with and they will definitely make you laugh a lot too.
Thank you VMAC!
Danny

Great Kali program led by 2 well-​known Dog Brothers, versatile Pekiti-​Tersia-​based curriculum with heavy emphasis on stick, knife, and empty-​hand training. Besides Filipino Martial Arts, training dabbles in Silat, Muay Thai, Kabri Kabrong. Great conditioning and sparring in Kali class as well. Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu program is awesome as well, led by a Jean Jacques Machado black belt. Great conditioning and training as well as great beginner class. Awesome atmosphere and vibes in all classes and unbeatable rates, considering quality of education and training.

I was looking for a local Kali class, specifically knife fighting, and was incredibly lucky to have found Valley Material Arts Center. Their class times work great with my schedule. Awesome instructors, and relatively small classes for a lot of one on one instructor time. The more experienced students are really helpful too. Affordable prices you can pay month to month probably make VMC the best all around deal in the sfv !!!

I have been taking kettlebell class. Yogi steve is a great teacher! He makes workout very fun that I keep want to go back every tuesday although I have to suffer with muscle pain at least couple of days after the class.
Dojyo is very clean and big. Have kitchen, two bathrooms, locker rooms and a shower.

Fun and friendly group to get your roll on with. Everyone has been great and supportive for even the most out of shape of us. The teaching process is slow and methodical yet comfortable.

Got through my first day,
I questioned what i got myself into, although the teacher and fellow student both motivated me. The cardio killed me but i blame myself for putting myself in this situation.
Great Motivation, Atmosphere, teaching and overall friendly people! Great first impression.
Coming from a background of Muay Thai and Judo in college, by far BJJ is difficult for me being a beginner and also my health and condition is horrible. but in time i would overcome this obstacle and put myself in a better condition.
I plan on staying and continuing my training at VMAC. by far for me the best decision i made!

STICK WITH IT
You might like it =)
I love the Kali classes here. While most people go for BJJ or boxing, you may overlook the beautiful Filipino Martial Art of Kali. While taking classes here, I have learned a lot about stick fighting, knife fighting, and hand to hand combat.
They are very in-​depth and thorough with their teaching.
Mondays and Thursdays are taught by certified dog brothers instructors.
Wednesdays provide awesome conditioning and a chance to gear up and spar.
The facilities are very clean!

located around the corner from the north hollywood metro station is valley martial arts center. offering adult/​kids karate, adult/​kids brazilian jiu jitsu, and kali, vmac offers what could be the best value in martial arts in the greater los angeles area.
adult bjj program review–
first off, bjj is not easy. it’s one of the most challenging activities i’ve taken up. you need to come in with the right attitude, expect to make many mistakes, and learn to manage your ego. after months of learning defense, learning awkward movements, and getting familiar with bad positions, then bjj gets extremely fun and incredibly rewarding. you slowly build up your jiu jitsu arsenal through drills and live training and soon you’ll be combining movements and counters together and begin to make sense of things.
besides the physical chess battle that is jiu jitsu there’s the increase in fitness that everyone who trains jiu jitsu benefits from. personally, i’ve lost 20 pounds since i begain training 3 yrs ago and have kept the weight off. jiu jitsu will have you using your entire body and you will have sore muscles in places you didn’t even know had muscles.
the bjj program is also priced at about half of what other schools are charging with the head instructor being a jj machado black belt and a pan-​am masters champion. if you’re at all curious about jiu jitsu, you owe it to yourself to come in and try a free class.

I joined this dojo in its infancy, 5 and a half years ago, and not once have I though of leaving the place.
It’s top notch instruction, spacious training area, and family like feel keep me coming back as often as I can make it.
Over the years I have progressed in shotokan karate, grown as a person, and made life long friends. And it’s only because this place, with all of its attributes is worth 10 stars.

GOOO VMAC!!!
Not long ago I was too, part of those lost souls who used Unilocal to find my first Dojo to train in and VMAC became the one! I started in February and have loved it ever since! The instructors there are really great, all of them have such vast knowledge and are very eager to teach those who are willing learn. Everybody there, is there for the same goal and I cannot stress how awesome the atmosphere is there! During class everyone is very focus and concentrating but after class we all joke around.
For $ 60 a month and as many Karate classes as they offer, you can’t beat that! SERIOUSLY! I plan to be here for a long time and recommend that anyone looking for a well kept professional atmosphere with vast knowledge come to VMAC! Even your first class is free! You will really enjoy a good workout and getting that stress out at the same time!
VMAC!

I’ve been training here for over three years now and am still loving it. As one of the first members of the gym I have had an opportunity to help teach the new kids jiu-​jitsu classes as well, something that has been as fun and rewarding as every other aspect of the gym.
We have a group of solid practitioners that consistently take home medals at competition and are genuinely nice people. I’ve made a lot of friends and can’t wait to see what the following years will bring.
I’ve seen this humble little program turn into an amazing school that I am proud to be a part of.

I recently joined this dojo for self improvement and to learn the sacred arts of Budo. Here they teach JKA Shotokan-​Ryu Nishiyama-​ha and the instructor are very patient and hands on.
Thus far they are to make sure that White belts get a balance of practical knowledge and key core fundamentals to make the form correct and strong. The sensei will correct the slightest of mistakes and do it without belittling you or public humiliation to get the point across.
The student body is varied, Half of the students are white belts but the veterans are Green, Brown, and black. Each student is very open and very friendly, I attribute this to the example of the instructor. No bullying and no disrespect to be seen or perceived.
This is a traditional dojo so each student shows respect toward the Sensei and the linage by bowing and Rei. Mokuso is also practiced here at this dojo. Twice a day, before class starts and when class ends.
Prospects are welcomed to try the first class free. Guest from other dojos are welcome at a small fee.
I haven’t done any trials since I do not qualify just yet so no review on testing. I am unsure on what to expect, or even where it is located so I will leave that info blank.
*** DOJO FACTS****
*The are two bathrooms, a main sitting area for guest. a mat floor which is kept clean. A section of punching bags, test dummies and a pull-​up bar.
*There is an small assortment of weapons from Shinai to Bo.
*There is a recreation room where students can get refreshments and dialogue while they wait for the class to begin.
*Pillars are located down the center of the Dojo so you will have to compensate for movement and area awareness.
* Finally there is changing rooms for both women and men. They are side by side and cozy. The walls are thin as well so you can hear each other pretty easily, the plus side is that because of the high level of respect each student has for one another there is no troubles with changing or gossip.

My friend and I are really interested in trying out karate. So, we were looking at affordable places that also exude quality. Reading the reviews on Unilocal,it made us excited to try out our first free session.
When we arrived at the dojo, it was VERY clean. We spoke to the manager about jumping in a karate class and he gave us a quick tour of the area. He is really laid back and friendly.
The dojo has two restrooms, a kitchen, and two spacious changing rooms. We met our sensei of the day: Taichiro Kaijima and he’s SUPER NICE and extremely helpful! My friend and I both being the only two females in the session felt completely comfortable and safe even when we sparred with the other male students.
When Taichiro explains how to properly execute a punch or kick– he explains the dynamics of ‘why in karate we punch or kick in that fashion’ and what not to do when punching or kicking. It really helps learning this way because we know why we are doing it, what not to do-​which helps us keep the proper form and how to properly execute.
With a handful of people doing an instructed strike, Taichiro was able to catch a mistake by an individual and help shape their body to do it properly. He is absolutely amazing!
After the class is finished, we bowed to show our respect and learn traditions of shotokan karate. We spoke to the other practitioners and they were all different belts and super nice! During sparring sessions, they also help you when they see an error. And nobody in the dojo says or does anything with anger, super strictness, or force– they are all helpful, really nice, and there are also a lot of smiles in the place.
My friend and I are definitely joining this dojo at the end of the month since we have a hectic schedule. Can’t wait to practice shotokan at Valley Martial Arts Center!
OSU!

We wanted our 4 year old daughter to be in a sport activity that was fun but also taught some discipline, we found that karate was the perfect solution.
Searching around the area for such a place, we found VMAC. The first couple of trial sessions was pretty intimating for our daughter. She only watched and didn’t feel comfortable enough to participate. Sensei Nick is patient and really understands how to work with kids. We weren’t sure our daughter was going to enjoy it enough to continue. Once she really participated in a couple of full sessions, she come to really LOVE it. Sensei Nick’s positive influence has made it easy. She has so much fun we even practice the moves together when we get home. It’s a great way for her to get exercise, learn how to control her body, have some discipline, and most importantly, have fun. Karate is definitely not going to work for all kids but we will continue with her as long as she loves being a part of it.
Overall our experience has been A+++++

ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE QUALITY BEHIND THIS DOJO! I came from Colorado with 3 years of traditional korean karate background and visited about 5 dojos before I found VMAC. From the minute I walked into the dojo I was welcomed and comfortable & saw the traditional simplicity of the dojo aesthetically and internally through technique. Sensei Taichiro is one of the most respectable martial artists Ive been honored to train with, not to mention completely humble about being a World Champ (3x? i believe). Sensei Aiko (also an incredible competitor and won gold at many tournaments) and Sensei Jon’s classes are very different from Taichiros so it is refreshing to have different teaching styles and focus points. Their passion for karate shows uniquely.
This is NOT a dojo for you if you want to earn a black belt fast. Sensei will never let you pass a test with sloppy technique or lack of connection between your breath and the body. You must remember that martial arts is a way of life, not just a sport. Just as in yogo, you must practice the same techniques and build upon them with time. It takes dedication and hard work & Sensei is very supportive in and outside of class.
What is even more respectable about all the Senseis is that this is not their main business. They have normal jobs and they take their spare time to teach and train.
Also, we are a family. The adults hang out outside of class or after class and everyone is so different, from all walks of life. Very eclectic group of students.
I couldn’t be happier and I couldn’t imagine a more respectable/​talented dojo to be part of… yep i just teared up.
i love my VMAC family.
:)

This Dojo by far has exceeded my expectations and was glad that we found a place for my 6 year old son to learn not only karate but also to respect his fellow classmates. When he first started karate class he was a very shy 5 year old and this open up his confidence to speak up and enjoy the way of life. I would definitely recommend anyone interested in learning karate to take a look at this dojo first, once you practice here you would want to go again, and again :). A big plus also would be that it is affordable!

I train in Valley Martial Arts (VMAC), learning Brazilian Jujitsu and Escrima (Filipino Martial Arts — AKA: stick/​knife fighting). Why did I chose VMAC?
Before joining VMAC, I did my research around the Los Angeles area. I interviewed and visited several gyms that charged between $ 130 — $ 180 a month, some allowing only two classes per week in a month. Just because the head trainer (s) was some UFC coach/​fighter/​superstar.
Then I realized, I’m just a beginner… I won’t 100% comprehend what’s being taught to me by the guy who trained GSP/​Lidelle/​Silva. I’m not trying to be a UFC fighter. I’m just trying to learn and understand this new martial art. Regardless if you take the afternoon or evening classes, you will get quality instructors.
I’ve taken a few classes on BJJ before and familiar with the ego/​machismo that breed in some of those gyms. Not in VMAC. It’s more of a family to learn technique and grow together. As a beginner, it’s a great time to join VMAC, there are a large amount of white-​belts whom you can develop and grow with.
Filipino Martial Arts Training ([FMA] Escrima/​Kali/​Arnis)
The instructors (Pappy Dog and Poy Dog) for the FMA are wonderful teachers. A pair of humble guys who share their knowledge and experience regarding stick/​knife fighting. They are members of the (NoHo) «DOG BROTHERS,» who have been featured in National Geographics and other TV programs for their ability to test the techniques they teach.
The classes are relaxed and friendly, despite the nature of the system. It’s an extra fee, but you get a discount if you become a member of VMAC. The training is a wonderful self defense technique in addition to BJJ. Ask about it when you visit.
If you don’t know what Escrima is… just watch the fighting technique in «Bourne Identity» and «The Hunted.» You can also google it.

Where can you get black belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lessons for $ 60 a month? Most people would say «nowhere», and in most cases that’s true. But, at Valley Martial Arts Center (VMAC) it’s a reality. I joined last year and this place has quickly become my home away from home.
VMAC is more of a family of martial artists than just another club trying to get every penny possible out of you with 25 different martial arts being taught by some ex MMA fighter no one’s heard about. The prices are low because its run by instructors who have dedicated their lives to martial arts and want to teach them at affordable prices. So get off the couch and come in for a lesson, first one is free, you got nothing to lose but that unsightly gut you got goin’ on there!