Unlimited Martial Arts NYC — Local services in New York

Edit: 2 years later and still very happy to call this place home

I just reached my one year anniversary at UMA and couldn't be more happy/proud. The core philosophy to "Be Unlimited" is in the name of the school and they practice what they preach. I thought it seemed ambitious to offer so many different martial arts under the same roof but I quickly learned how each art can feed into one another. Each instructor is not only a highly qualified martial artist in their program (and often of many) but also an excellent instructor. They offer transparent pricing and a very low commitment contract so don't be shy.

Sifu Phil Cruz has assembled a super team of mentors to guide you on your journey. He runs a gym based on community, inclusion, respect, and continues to innovate on techniques and offerings. I highly recommend taking JKD classes, the philosophical foundation of the school, with instructors Phil, Kristen, and Hannah. Within JKD you will get a large breadth of tools to use to make you a multidimensional martial artist. Kru Paul runs a top notch Muay Thai and boxing program with the CV to back it up. Midway through my journey to date, I started doing BJJ with coach Fernando and I regret every day I delayed joining his program. Each instructor gives you a diverse perspective with an average of 20 years of experience at the highest quality instruction. They love and care about what they do and what their students are capable of achieving. This atmosphere is instilled into the students (your training partners) and is highly contagious.

When you put in the work, you do not only learn how to fight/defend, you can also learn to be a better listener, learner, partner, and version of yourself through self reflection. I highly recommend this school and am deeply grateful for the people...

I first visited Unlimited Martial Arts close to a year ago to train in self defense and to learn a new martial arts system, and UMA has quickly become a second home to me. It's a perfect place for someone who wants to explore the multi-disciplinary training philosophy of the late Bruce Lee. The classes are windows into different world cultures through movement, be it Filipino Martial Arts, Wing Chun, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, or Muay Thai. I love that I am creating my own practice by taking skills from each of these disciplines that work best for me.

The cofounders, Phil Cruz and Anthony Fontana, are top-notch instructors in technique--they have very high standards for their students, but at the same time they are patient and generous with their time, especially with beginners like me. What sets this school apart is the strong sense of community: Cruz and Fontana have created a positive and supportive environment that carries over into the attitude of their students. No matter who you are or where you come from, you will feel welcomed by others when you walk in. If you're looking for a martial arts school that will push you to train hard while also maintaining a positive learning environment, then UMA...

UMA is the first gym I've gone to and stuck with for more than a year in... maybe my whole life? I came in just to do a few boxing classes and ended up hooked. Sifu Cruz and Sifu Fontana are both patient and helpful, but won't hesitate to push you if they know you can take it. I still feel like a new guy at the gym but the more veteran members are one of the most welcoming groups of people I've been around, especially for beginners like me who knew nothing coming in. Come in with the right attitude to train hard and learn and you'll be surprised at where you can get. On another note I have literally no idea what the few negative reviews are complaining about, there isn't a single instructor in the gym who has an "ego problem" or something. If you've actually been to the gym you'd know that the main problems are sometimes ConEd screws up the heat and you get to train in a hoodie (the cold is nice tbh) and if you jump rope in the wrong spot sometimes you whack a ceiling beam. Little quirks are part of the charm. See y'all...