New England Self Defense

Dont know how they get a positive review… went by, place was locked up during their operating hours, so I called, no answer, left 4 messages iquiring, not one returned call… you tell me what that leads one to believe…

It really is as good as it gets.
Ive been in the greater worcester area now for 15 years. I trained in martial arts when we lived in metro west, had a back injury, children and left practice for a while.
I tried several studios in the area for martial arts training, to be blunt most were bad in terms of product. It was essentially a day care product. So I find this place, its Krav Maga not an art I was familiar with but there was a 2 week special so I try it. Here are 5 reasons why it gets 5 stars:
1. Instruction: Brian knows his stuff. I dont say that lightly, I trained with 2 world martial arts hall of fame instructors in the past. That out of the way he’s a normal guy, and genuine you arent going to get a sales pitch or pressure.
2. The Art: Krav is a solid situational martial skill. Its so much better than traditional Kata training. you’ll see the application right away.
3. Class sizes: 1 – 10 tops. That isnt to say there couldnt be more as far as I know there are no restrictions in place but average 5 people a class Im getting pretty focused training.
4. No contract: This speaks for itself, its month to month and the price is reasonable. Good luck finding a similar deal in worcester at another studio.
5. Fitness: I walk out of there every class drenched in sweat. Im not only learning (and relearning) good fighting technique but Im getting a great workout as well.
Bonus: The composition of the class is solid, professionals, blue color, students, Dr’s its a nice mix. There are also other fitness classes offered, for me Im there for fighting technique but there is more to do if you want it.
Conclusion: You arent going to find a better school in Worcester county for good real world combat situation training. This guy has all the right elements, persona, no contract, right class mix and size and a proven art.
Disclaimer: I am a student, but I waited months to make an assessment. I dont give 5 stars out just to be a great guy. I looked into a lot of schools, I did the research.

My name is Stu Fuller. I had the pleasure of having Brian as a student back in my Parker Kenpo days… and now as an instructor in my new adventure in Krav Maga! I’ve taken 3 classes now, and am signing up with my son. There aren’t many people I would trust teaching martial arts to me and my son. I’ve got my Black Belt in Kenpo, am a full-​time Police Officer, and Firearms/​Defensive Tactics instructor. I know what I want. Simple and Effective self-​defense training combined with solid fitness training. Brian’s ‘New England Self-​Defense’ does EXACTLY that.
Take the 2 week trial. You have nothing to lose… except maybe some weight. ;)

I’ve been taking Krav Maga classes at New England Self Defense for a little over a month now. Prior to starting these classes, I had no martial arts experience (although I have had a lot of previous experience with organized sports and group exercise classes). I started primarily because I was looking for a good stress outlet and wanted to get in shape — and it’s been an overall great experience.
The instructor, Brian, does a wonderful job of balancing encouragement with pushing everyone to and beyond their personal limits. The focus is always on working at your personal max, modifying things as needed but working to get better. For example when I started I could only do modified push-​ups, but now I’m moving to full push-​ups (with Brian’s help and encouragement). The classes are small enough that there is a lot of personal attention, which is really helpful for learning new techniques. Additionally, there is a highly motivating atmosphere. During sets, the students (as well as the instructor) encourage each other on.
The classes are designed so that you can jump right in and start with any class — no waiting for a set cycle to start or having to commit to going specific days of the week to learn the basics. This is particularly useful since my schedule can be irregular and a bit chaotic. The classes themselves typically start by tiring you out, and then the technique focus is at the end. Since I came in with no experience, all of the techniques were brand new to me. But the classes are structured so that you see the same techniques on multiple days (generally in different combinations). So even though you may only focus on a specific technique in a specific class, you get the chance to practice it (and get feedback on it) at most classes. But at the same time, there is enough variation that I don’t get bored.
The facility itself is no frills (it’s a self-​defense gym, not a spa…), but it is clean and functional. Plus there is plenty of parking. As a warning, it can be confusing to find the first time because its actually located behind James St. I recommend checking it out on a map instead of just plugging it into a GPS to see how you need to drive behind on Ludlow St to get to the building.
I’d also like to note that it was incredibly refreshing that there were no high pressure sales tactics like many other gyms. I took advantage of the 2 week free trial, and not only was there no «must buy now» sales pitch, but when I decided that I wanted to continue with the program prior to the end of my free trial, I was assured that there was no rush to sign up and that I was welcome to finish out the trial before committing. I’m also a big fan of the month-​to-​month no contract pricing model.