Charleston Krav Maga

I signed up for the 6 week course in women’s empowerment training. This class is no joke. The lead instructor Dave, is clearly an expert in hand to hand combat and he teaches just the right material to fight for your life should you fall into a bad situation. Be it a dark alley rapist or just a drunk, douche boyfriend pushing you around, this class will teach you what you need to hold your own. There are no promises that you will win, but you learn you have a split second to make a powerful move to break away and stun your attacker. From learning how to break out of a forward chokehold, a reverse chokehold to getting a large person off your chest in a straddle, I feel like my 105 pound frame stands a chance now. Dave and his fellow teachers are encouraging and push the students to give it everything they have. You will sweat, cuss and walk out of the studio feeling stronger. I wish I had taken a similar class earlier in my life.

So far I have only gone to two classes, so I’ll have to update this review after a few months.
First impressions: Love the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. It seems like the typical routine is a warm up first, a learning session where we focus on a technique, and then a period where we are allowed to have some freedom with a partner (which is my favorite part). The partnering gets changed up as a timer goes off every so often, and then class ends with a few words from the Instructor. Total time of class: 1 hour. The classes have had around 20 people each time, and there is a good mix of different types of people.
I think the only caveat is that there was a $ 50.00 enrollment fee that had not been mentioned until I was signing the contract. Maybe I missed it when looking at the paper slip/​brochure with their price breakdown, but I’m pretty sure I did not see it anywhere. They did give me a discount for being in one of their preferred customer categories (student, veteran, Roper, or MUSC), so that was a plus. But word of caution: the price that is on the paper slip for an individual ($ 85) is for 1 month only (unlimited classes), and you are required to sign up for a minimum of 3 months. So be aware, you really need to be convinced you’re going to stick it out for the long run.
That aside, they have been allowing me to borrow a gi top for practice until mine comes in through the mail, which is really nice of them. I followed their advice and showed up in sweats and a t-​shirt, which worked fine for the class (with the addition of the borrowed gi top).

I just joined, but I am having a great time! The staff and the members are so friendly and I always feel comfortable and motivated when I go in. I am currently learning Krav Maga and I am hooked! It is so practical, and they cater to all levels from beginner to advanced fighters who are training to fight professionally. They also have Brazilian jujitsu, weight lifters, women’s defense classes, and even kids classes! There are all kinds of people the go to this gym and it is very family friendly. Before you join they run a background check to ensure safety. They have options of joining one class, or a monthly membership option.
This is a no frills kind of gym. It has a warehouse, Creed/​Rocky movie feel. There are clean showers, and a few cardio and weight machines but they are a little run down, but lots of bags, and large mat space to work on. They have some parking but it is tight and gets pretty packed in the evenings when more classes are going on. I would recommend coming in to try a class or sign up for one of their series classes. The instructors are well trained and guide you through the steps. You will definitely get a sweat going!