Nubreed Martial Arts Academy — Attraction in New York

I rarely write reviews, but when I do it means the business and their people are so awesome that I actually took time out of my task-filled day (honestly, where does the time go?) and to pour my soul (a bit intense I know) into supporting the business.

SHORT REVIEW: Nubreed Martial Arts Academy on 14th Avenue in Whitestone, NY is THE BEST and ONLY place one should train at. Forget the other places, just go to Nubreed.

DETAILED REVIEW:

Those who know me know that I have pretty high standards when it comes to spending my hard-earned money that I work so hard for. I will literally dispute $1.00 on principle, but if the service/product is worthy, I will gratefully give my full support and loyalty, pay full price without question, or give that 50% tip (truth).

So, you can take my word for it -- Nubreed Martial Arts Academy in Whitestone, NY is the best and only place one should train at. Well, you can also take the words of students who have been attending for 10+ years or more... that works too.

I've been to a few MMA schools and gyms before I attended Nubreed. I never continued for long because a lot of these places lose sight of the fundamental principles in martial arts - physical and mental spirituality, positivity, and respect for others. Consequently, some students at these places unleash their inner bullies. So, if you want a place that reminds you of aggressive UFC face-offs, then keep reading this review so you can change your mind (and find some peace lol).

I guarantee you will feel a strong sense of said peace as soon as you walk through the front door at Nubreed. It's no secret that we are blessed with an abundance of choices in this country. I often go down really long, dark rabbit holes with my comparative research. However, I didn't need to do that with Nubreed - I just knew right away (when you know, you just know).

A critical component of any decision should always be the people behind the business. The integrity of the founders and leadership defines the integrity of the business and its employees. The owners of Nubreed, Sifu Luigi and Sifu Chan, are no exception. There are pretty good reasons why they are so highly respected and admired. Both are truly honorable and ethical people and run a really tight ship with inspiring efficiency.

Without turning this into a gushing saga (too late lol), what I really love about Nubreed is the encouraging and positive environment. They really nurture your spiritual, mental, and physical growth. At the end of class, Sifu Luigi will often give some pretty inspiring words of wisdom.

The Instructors are so-times-infinity amazing. All the instructors, including Sifus of course, are awesome human beings, patient, and really great at teaching. I'm a challenging student because I'm highly analytical and data oriented. I can honestly state that Nubreed is helping me improve dramatically.

If anything, go to Nubreed because of the friendly students and strong sense of community as well as how Nubreed will enrich your personal and professional life.

Happiness experts say that everyone needs something to look forward to. Well, Nubreed is my one and only go-to happy place where, truly, everyone knows your name and they're always glad you came ("Cheers" fans and older people will get this). In all seriousness, it really is a safe and happy haven. For one blessed hour of my day, I get to escape, forget this crazy world, and restore my faith in humanity.

If this review hasn't convinced you, then try one class for FREE. See all the above for yourself in addition to the inviting, shiny spacious space that always smells so fresh and clean, the octagon, boxing ring, changing room, oh-so-lovely and peaceful lounge (I love arriving early and decompressing/meditating here while mindlessly trolling social media), Wing Chun wood...

Let me start by saying, I rarely sit down to write reviews on anything but I am sure there are many people ut there like me who may be looking for something to "get them going" so if I can motivate and inspire anyone it is worth it! Let me also add, I am not an athletic person, I have never really competed in any sports..I was always known as the "skinny" frail one in my group of friends . I was the person everyone came to when they needed advice or a positive perspective on something but not the one you would pick for your team:) I have joined several gyms throughout the years just to feel healthy and boost my energy but always lost interest pretty quickly since I wasn't trying to lose weight, I always bought into the excuses I told myself... I am just too busy, work is demanding and I'm tired, too much to do at home, I have a daughter to take care of/no time for me, its too expensive, I'm already healthy its ok if I don't exercise, and the list can go on and on....you get the idea. I knew nothing about marital arts training other than what I was learning from my 8 year old taking taekwondo (and all those Bruce Lee movies I watched as a kid!). I decided to look into some type of classes for adults. Thats when I came across Nubreeds website and decided to register for the free trial class. From the first time I spoke to Jessica on the phone I was eager to learn more. I went in for the class and loved it and I even bought my daughter along to watch! After meeting with Sifu Luigi and seeing how passionate he and his partner Sifu Alex were about the type of environment they created, I decided to sign up right away!I was so excited and I figured, it would be worth the money since I would be getting several valuable things out of it.... improving my overall fitness abilities, learning self defense techniques and meeting new like minded people BUT I also knew I would be held accountable to showing up and not falling into my "famous" excuses of the past! After all, I had a pretty bad track record! I can honestly say, for the first time in my life I have found an activity and place that promotes the healthy lifestyle I have been trying very hard to develop and maintain and I look forward to each class! I will admit, I feel lost quite often and sometimes look around and wonder what am I doing here, can I really handle it BUT I get so much support that there is no way I am giving up! Its an amazing feeling each time I complete a class and I have not once felt too tired or lazy to come in. No excuses! The owners are great, the instructors are amazing and the students are positive, motivated, genuinely nice people who all help and support each other. This may not be the place for incredibly competitive cut throat type of people who dont care about anyone but themselves but it is the place for positive minded, motivated and ambitious people who enjoy giving back as they progress and who want to continue to develop themselves in every way! When you walk in to Nubreed, it doesn't matter if you are a white belt or a black belt, everyone is friendly and supportive and you will feel at home. Everyone has their own goals and they do not need to be the same. I encourage anyone to give it a try, young or old, women or men, at any stage in life,whether you are looking to be a black belt or just want a new way to stay in shape, it doesn't matter. I am 42 years old and in the best shape of my life and I am just getting started! My goal is to feel bettter in my 40's than I did in my 20's and 30's and I am already there! I am slowly progressing and I am amazed at how much I have already learned and so excited to think of what else I can accomplish! If you are still on the fence, I encourage you to come in and see...

I really have to say how impressed I am with this business. I've attended martial arts schools for myself, and I thought I new what a "good school" was. For some years, I had taken my daughter to a Shotokai school in Bayside, and they were decent, but my daughter was scared by the sparring, and she quit.

After some time, losing hope in her restarting something she was so good at, we took her for trials at two stores in Whitestone. The first was absolutely horrible, and I won't even say the name of the business. The second was NuBreed.

You know when you can tell that Ownership knows everything about their business, cares deeply, and puts their entire soul into it? And on top of that, you can tell that they manage their employees with great respect? THIS is that business.

I was impressed initially by how beautiful the dojo is, in multiple rooms, as well as how clean it is kept. I was impressed by the reception I received (and the reception area itself), the various styles of martial arts that are taught there, and the friendly-but-serious rapport that the staff have with the students. I think I was most impressed by the initial meeting that an Owner requested of me. It was to speak about my daughter, her personality, any quirks, and things that we'd like them to work on with her (behavior, discipline, confidence, etc).

Through their years in business, owners Luigi and Alex have discovered precisely what works, what does not, and how to continually improve. My daughter has had her ups and downs over the last couple of years there, but they work her through it. And just recently, she's begun sparring again. Luigi told me that it would be introduced in a way that's fun (which was hard for my daughter to imagine). Lo and behold, she says she thinks she kind of likes it!

Through the hard times when COVID hit, and there were only remote classes, I never once asked for a discount. This is a business that MUST stay...