Martial Arts Schools in Madison

“I have been a part of this community for the past 2 and 1/2 years of my life and in that time not only my skills in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai have improved but I was able to be build connections with so many parts of the distinct Madison's groups that truly represent the city. Team Curran is a place where discipline, hard work, and community become contagious aspects of life, because the people there understand that life demands of you a great deal and having strong, determined people backing you up whether it be on the mat or outside of it can be a life changing type of support, they will make you feel welcome and work with you to be as successful a martial artist you desire and are willing to be.“

“MKG Madison is a fantastic gym. Best instruction in the city and incredibly friendly people. Guro Josh is super knowledgeable and Coach Mark taught a great grappling course! Very self defense oriented, but still always made it fun to train.“

“I love training at Foundations because of the inclusive atmosphere. I tried a few gyms before finding Foundations and really loved that at Foundations, everyone is genuinely so happy to be there and there's a super welcoming and inclusive vibe, especially for lgbtqia+ folks and women. It doesn't matter your skill level, the instructors are all very knowledgeable and able to adapt the lessons to meet you wherever you're at and help you train to meet your individual goals. I feel very lucky to be part of this community and to continue growing my jiu jitsu skills here. I highly recommend this place and often bring new friends to try jiu jitsu out here!“

“A friend of my son got him started at this school early in 2024. I liked what I saw while watching classes and decided to join as well. I have been a student of the program for about 1.5 years and am very impressed with the structure and culture of the organization. Since then my daughter and wife have also joined and we all enjoy participating as a family. Master Masaki places great emphasis on the importance of community to the organization and it shows. The student body consists of high-caliber people including many adults, parents and otherwise.

This school demonstrates and establishes high expectations for itself and its students. I have been particularly impressed with the school’s program of continuous improvement. Belt tests are conducted monthly, and Master Masaki uses the tests as feedback to tweak and refine the curriculum. He also runs an optional competition team which he uses to gauge his athlete’s performance (and the school’s curriculum) against other styles and schools at tournaments. He stays abreast of industry trends and innovates upon the curriculum with modern developments in biomechanics and kinesiology. He has also developed a strong stable of instructors built around the core team of himself and directors of each dojo.

Master Masaki and his excellent leadership team encourage athletes to focus on effort and learning. He has overall minimum benchmarks for belt ranks but largely measures students’ success based upon their own individual progress. He encourages students to try their best, and if they fail, to try again. He and the instructors identify and call out incorrect technique but do so constructively and respectfully, with emphasis on how to improve the issue. Students are never shamed but learn from their own and others’ mistakes. This approach not only improves performance but also nurtures character and integrity—qualities that extend far beyond the dojo.

The schools are led with a balance of discipline, empathy, and compassion, creating a safe and supportive space where students feel valued and respected. It honors the historical origins and traditions of Shotokan and Tae Kwon Do while incorporating modern philosophy emphasizing inclusiveness and respect for other students, instructors, and self. Master Masaki’s commitment to equity and inclusion is smoothly and subtly executed and fosters a strong sense of belonging within the program. Representation of females, minorities, and marginalized populations throughout the organization is higher than industry norms, demonstrating the inclusiveness inherent to the culture.

Maintaining high quality instructor engagement, equipment, and facilities has real monetary cost. However, the program provides options to manage cost barriers and increase equipment availability. There are several tiers of fee structure allowing students to invest as much into as they want to get out of the program. The superior quality and high level of service provided by the directors and instructors well justifies the fees associated with membership.

With a proud heritage, passionate staff, strong culture, and clear vision for the future, this organization is top tier. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in pursuing martial arts.“

“I started learning at Soyokaze Dojo a few months ago, and my journey has been great so far. As someone who was born and raised in Japan, I had never experienced anything this respectful and authentic here in the States. It didn’t take me a second to feel comfortable enough to embrace learning with an open heart, thanks to Brandt Sensei, Senpai, and the warm, welcoming atmosphere. I can’t recommend Soyokaze Dojo enough. It’s a place where you can strengthen both your mind and body in a truly respectful and supportive environment.“

“My 15 year old son has been in High School wrestling for a couple years now. My son decided that he wanted to also take Jiu-Jitzu lessons, we called a few places & we decided on choosing Fight Prime. He joined Fight Prime in the beginning of September 2023 & he instantly fell in love with the place & the people, I am always welcome to sit in there & watch, being supportive & I have the exact same feelings about the place as my son does. Everyone in the place is so nice & helpful & respectful, the coaches have the best patients, they will take time to help each person individually showing them moves & teach them that for any 1 move there's at least 1 counter move. I tried to stump 1 of the teachers asking about a counter move for a certain move & he actually showed the class 2 counter moves. The coaches are always willing to take anyone's questions & so far I haven't heard anyone of them give the answer, "I don't know." My son competed in his 1st. competition in the Dell's & walked out with 2 - 2nd place medals. I can't say enough good things about Fight Prime, I recommend anyone to join, please give it a try out, I'm sure you won't regret it.“

“I saw Underground Self-Defense when I passed on State Street all the time but I didnt register for the Women Self Defense's class until Sep 2022. I have always wanted to take a self defense class. The course I took was accelerated 2 week course, with 4 hour each. The materials are super informative and interesting. The instructor, Ms. Trisha Vanatta made the class to be a safe zone for discussion. It is super important as the class discusses some important themes relates to the modern world. Ms. Trisha also really cared about her students as she constantly checked on us the whole class time. For the physical part, both Tyler and Orlando gave details feedback on our move, what is right/wrong, how to best perform the moves with highest casualty and lowest injury on us. I am so glad I found Underground Self-Defense. It is a must-take for every women on this planet. I am so glad that I support a local women owned business as well.“

“As an adult, it's been great learning martial arts in such a welcoming environment! Would highly recommend.“

“Our son has had an excellent experience here, all the staff is so kind, fun, and knowledgeable. We would highly recommend!“

“I love this dojo. Everyone was so kind and welcoming to me, a beginner. A real, authentic community of amazing martial artists that are also holding true to the principles of the art. Ten stars ❤️“

“Both of my kids attend the Little Tigers program. The instructors foster a great sense of community, with just the right amount of structure and discipline for the age group.“

“This is an amazing dojo! Zoe is a fantastic instructor and person that does a great job breaking down the kata and explaining the purpose of each movement. I was so lucky to find them, which they make very easy with an excellent website, while I was in town for a business conference. Everyone is so kind and accommodating. They helped me knock off a bunch of rust from 10 years of not training due to life and locale changes. I also got to train with Ben who is also great instructor. They have different instructing styles, which was instrumental in helping me remember far more than I thought I would after so long. Training with them makes me want to move to Madison!“

“My granddaughter went there 4 her martial art class and she really enjoyed going there and she like it. I'm so glad that I went there 2 see her.“