Best martial arts centers in Birmingham: find options near you

Just started my very young children at Black Widow (6&8). I am highly impressed in their progression within the 4 PT lessons they have had. My son and daughter have learnt more in these lesson than the year they spent at another academy. The technic, method and communication they use is fantastic. A personal mention to Zayrab their teacher/coach….. absolutely brilliant! Tempted to start lessons myself! Thank you and very highly recommend if you want to learn or teach your children proper fighting/defence skills.

WARNING – AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
I trained at Black Widow Martial Arts Academy for nearly a year, and honestly, it was a total disaster — but only after Coach Taylor left. He was the only proper coach there decent guy, and the reason he left? A disagreement with the owner Yogi, who couldn’t handle criticism and probably got offended. Typical behaviour from someone who clearly values his ego more than the safety of his students.

After Taylor left, the place went completely downhill. There were no qualified instructors most of the time, just random students leading sessions — people with barely a year of experience themselves. That’s not safe, and it’s not what you pay for.

Sparring became dangerous fast, the classes became super overcrowded and we’d barely fit in the room, Yogi never cared. Everyone was going full power, ignoring the original 20% rule, using the wrong gloves (some people with 12oz and 14oz instead of 16oz), and worst of all — no headgear allowed. Injuries became normal. I personally got hurt multiple times, and when I raised concerns, they were ignored like it was no big deal. + Coaches never observed the sparring they just went to the back and chilled, we’d be sparring on our own for half the lesson unsupervised and you wouldn’t learn anything new, the coaches would only guide us through the warmup and then disappear

Yogi — the greedy owner — only cares about one thing: money. He hides behind a 12-month contract, refuses to cancel memberships even after serious safety concerns, and pretends to “investigate” complaints but clearly doesn’t lift a finger. The guy’s not a coach — he’s a scammer.

And just when you think it couldn’t get more desperate — he forces current students to write fake 5-star reviews just to cover up how bad the place has become. So if you see anything positive on here, it’s likely done under pressure if its a student I guarantee you.

This gym is a complete scam it’s dirty and small, also run by someone who doesn’t care about martial arts, progress, or student safety — just his bank account. Stay far away from Black Widow Martial Arts Academy it’s not a gym it’s business.

Trust me.

I couldn’t be happier with our experience at Black Widow Martial Arts! This is the second member of my family to train here, and the positive impact on my 5-year-old son has been incredible. The instructors are not only highly skilled but also patient and encouraging, creating a wonderful learning environment.

My son’s confidence has skyrocketed, both inside and outside the gym. His fighting abilities have improved significantly, and he’s also made fantastic new friends. The supportive community at Black Widow Martial Arts has truly made a difference in his development. I highly recommend this gym to any parent looking to boost their child’s confidence, skills, and social connections.

The best Muay Thai gym. Coaches are great, and very helpful. No faults and it’s very clean, would 100% recommend for anyone!

This is boxing gym is perfect.I’ve joined here 4 months ago and I even moved up a band, the staff are nice as well and it’s worth £50 a month 🙂

Amazing club. Coaches are high level. Teaching skills are on a top level. Totally recommend this club . My son is 8 years old and he is really happy to be part of this team . Thank you

Great gym! Been going to this gym for the last 5months. The staff were welcoming from the start. Made me feel very comfortable.

I go to this gym with my 2 sons, 12year old and 14 year old. Good way to spend time with my boys and they they look forward to going to there lessons all the time.

Got nothing bad to say about this gym. 100% recommended!

I rarely write 1 star reviews as I prefer to raise issues directly in the hope my views as a paying customer can be taken on board, but here we are.

We used to attend regularly but stopped due to an incident involving my son who is autistic. At the end of the kids classes they hand out ‘reward’ stickers (let’s not think about how the kids that rarely ‘win’ these feel), and on one particular day my six year old son was ‘chosen’ for this in front of a packed class, which was great because he always used to mention that he never wins. So imagine being six with a different outlook of the world around you when you’re abruptly told by Neil that you can’t have it because your shorts were not the purchased uniform version, in front of the whole class so he was sure to be made an example of. As an adult I’d be embarrassed, never mind a six year old child with autism. He quietly sobbed to himself all the way home that evening and was never enthusiastic about attending after that, even though he previously looked forward to it. Despite this being some years ago & having thankfully moved on from here, as I pass the place regularly I’m reminded of the experience as a parent. I did bring it to Neil’s attention but the response was very much in keeping with that experienced by others who have raised criticisms with him.

We used to travel over 25 minutes to get there and with classes for kids being close to rush hour, it being on a very busy stretch of road with little to no local parking, being told you can’t come in for being a few minutes late after such a long drive was very disheartening. You do get a sense of trying to join a closed community in that regard as for some it was not an issue. Maybe applicants from those that don’t live locally shouldn’t be permitted.

Neil, you could’ve earned 5 stars BUT you have the wrong attitude on. So I’m letting everyone that reads this know that you only deserve 1 star because zero rated isn’t an option.

I have recently started PT sessions with Mushy. I can honestly say he is an amazing trainer. Very knowledgeable and professional. He really will push you to your limit and get the best out of you. He is very supportive and will help you to achieve your goals!
Mushy has made me feel confident and has helped me focus on my fitness journey. Would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to get fit!

My daughter has been at uska since she was four, I have seen a huge development in her progress over the course of 2years, her stamina, discipline and skills have significantly improved. Most importantly she enjoys every lesson and looks forward to it. The instructors have been very supportive.

My daughter has been training here for over a year and her progress has been amazing! My eldest daughter recently joined too!!
The coaches and junior coaches are all fantastic and add something special to the team at USKA. Neil is a fantastic coach and works amazingly well with the NINJAS, he ensures discipline and progression but through fun and laughter- a combination that works great for children that age. Whether you just want to improve fitness or go on to potentially fight USKA is a great club to join. You can see and feel everyone there is a team, and every child is welcomed and cared for. My daughter really needed something to teach her discipline and focus and this club was the perfect place for her!! Fingers crossed USKA has a little world champion in the making

Great place for kids to train and have fun! Both of my sons love it and look forward to their ninja class every week. All staff are very friendly and great with the kids. Kids are rewarded with a sticker at the end of the class if they have deserved it which is a great idea to keep kids motivated. Also like the fact the class also has junior coaches and take part in the races! Highly recommend joining your children here !

USKA female division is unmatched – highly professional yet friendly atmosphere. I started classes as an adult which would have been daunting, but I always felt extremely welcome. I have been attending for 2 years now and have managed to progress very quickly in a short amount of time – with 5 belts, 2 competitions (2nd and 3rd place) and even my first fight! Could not recommend more!

USKA is the go to place if you want to train in martial arts! It’s been a year since training here and me and my daughter love it. We attend the female-only classes and it’s great. No age restrictions and everyone is welcome amazing in terms of inclusivity

Had an awesome training session at Eagle Kickboxing Academy. Big shoutout to Alex and Claire. Both are excellent people. The session included a solid mix of fitness work, drills, and technical sparring. Alex provides sharp tactical advice that helps elevate your game. Highly recommend this place!
– Conrad

such a lovely place with fantastic people!
I have started kickboxing just a few weeks ago with no prior experience and I was a bit intimidated by the expertise of others, however the members were really kind and encouraged me to practice more and train harder!
shoutout to Alex for always helping me with techniques and motivating me whenever I feel like giving up 🙂
The best thing I have done so far this year.
Would absolutely recommend to join.

##Outstanding Training Experience##

I’ve had an incredible experience at Eagle Kickboxing Academy, especially training under Lukasz Lukawski. He is by far the best trainer I’ve ever worked with. His techniques and the way he breaks down each move are exceptional. What stood out the most is his patience—he takes the time to focus on your development without ever rushing the process. Highly recommended for anyone serious about improving their skills in a supportive and professional environment.

Totally love this club Eagles kick boxing ❤️ I found them when I was working away in center birmingham as could not get to my usual training sessions
They have been so so welcoming and so lovely .even as I am just a drop in as and when I am working in birmingham.
.The training is brilliant very well taught by a brilliant trainer Alex
a good all round mix of fitness drills sparing bags & techniques a good balance all round
.The gym has brilliant facilities also showers too .
I highly recommend them and I go there every opportunity I get .
Thank you Alex and Claire

A fantastic gym to train in. A big shout out to the trainer Lukas. These are very knowledgeable and experienced trainers who are committed to helping people achieve their goals. I look forward to continuing my training here.

Great place! Been training with coach Łukasz for a while now – a great amount of skills taught. The gym is also well equipped and in an excellent location. Would highly recommend

This place has changed my life taking me from a homebody to someone who enjoyed going out and training. It’s a fun environment and a very friendly one. No one will judge you and you’re going to learn to be able to defend yourself and strengthen your mental and physical challenges. I recommend this place as I’ve been to multiple but no gym is as suitable as this one.

Excellent Martial arts centre. I gained my confidence to start boxing again after a break for a few years. I love these sessions including bootcamp. I feel they have had a positive impact on my well being and fitness. Mark and Laura (the coaches) are excellent and have enabled me to build resilience, while making it fun.

Mark and his team are the most brilliant coaches. The 8 weeks of training for student fight night were surreal and would recommend for anyone out there trying to push themselves. Not only was the training great, it created a little community and I felt so welcome there having never boxed before. Thank you!

My son attended Defense Lab for a couple of years and thoroughly enjoyed his time there. Coach really encouraged him to come out of his shell and the classes look like a lot of fun for the kids. Would recommend for shy children.

Mark is a friendly, accomodating and passionate teacher, he took me step by step through the basics of the Defence Labs system which I was very impressed with the effectivity of, its great for all ages and fitness levels and I highly recommend this as ones first choice for practical and efficient self defence training.

Mark and others were great! I had 8 weeks training here as a beginner for a fight and felt very prepared for the night. The training was good fun and Mark also tailored advice to the person, which was very helpful.

Mark and Laura are brilliant!!! They engage children well and teach them at their level. Both teachers offer a lot of encouragement and have built my daughters’ confidence.

Sifu (Mark Poleon) is excellent, explains why and how from both a scientific and natural body movement perspective. This is the first atmosphere I have ever trained in where it is both relaxed and professional at the same time with extremely high expectations and a great bunch of people to train with. You immediately get the sense of a serious, non-posturing atmosphere with real focus when you train there. I can only recommend this. You learn both the martial arts aspect as well as the immediate relevance and application for defence on the street

Temple Martial Arts is an amazing gym! I’ve been training here for 3 years and it’s always welcoming, clean, and supportive. Coach Keele and Coach Bianca are fantastic—they push you to improve while building your confidence. Highly recommend to anyone looking to train in a positive environment!

What a great place to send my young 4 year old who has been attending for a few months now and my intentions where to keep him active, build confidence, discipline and socialise with other children. He has already achieved yellow belt and is really proud of his achievements and so is the rest of the family and his teachers. The coaches are great at yardley Keeley, Bianca and the various other coaches that do attend. It’s a welcoming atmosphere and I know my child is in safe hands. The coaches know each individual child and there parents and always at the door for a quick chat regardless of the weather.

Great to see coaches helping my son who needs assistance sometimes and even some of the older children who will approach me after the sessions letting me know how my lad has done.

I’ve attended 2 presentations since my lad has joined and the respect all children share with eachother is immense showing appreciation to all the children being awarded their new belts.

Bianca has also supported us in assisting my lad with speaking up abit more and engaging abit more and will regularly share my lads progress with me.

It’s more than must kickboxing.

Thank you to the yardley team

See you Sunday!!!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Both of my kids absolutely love attending kickboxing classes at TMA. The coaches, especially Keela and Bianca, are fantastic – patient, motivating and really skilled at getting the best out of the children. My daughter especially adores Bianca, who makes every session fun while also helping her grow in confidence and ability. The coaching is top-notch and it’s great to see my kids enjoying themselves while learning discipline and fitness at the same time. Highly recommend!!!! TMA

I started my son here at temple martial arts about 2 months ago and he absolutely loves it. He loves coming back to show us what he has learnt in class. We are happy with he’s progress at the moment.

My son started when he was 8 training at the rednal group and now he’s 11 and trains at the Northfield group. He smashed his way through all the kid belt gradings and is now currently smashing his way through the adult belt gradings. Although he’s had loads of different coaches over the years, he currently trains under Coach Keele and Coach Bianca who are prepping and training him hard ready for his 3rd fight night in November 2025. His end goal is to represent Temple in Thailand like Coach Keele did. They are all amazing coaches and teach their craft in a way where’s is fun and exciting with learning new skills to.

Such a lovely a team. I had a few reservations in sending my kids (4&5) to the classes at Temple due to a bad experience at another place. I reached out to Zahra who has been wonderful. She’s been really supportive particularly with my son who lacks confidence. Zahra gives me reassurance and I love that the team adapts to the children’s level and abilities. My kids leave the classes feeling happy and I’m so glad I came across Zahra’s classes. I know my kids will thrive here.

We’ve been attending this martial arts class for a over a year now, and I couldn’t be happier with the experience for my 4-year-old son. The instructors are not only skilled in martial arts but also wonderful with children. They know exactly how to engage young kids and make the classes fun while teaching them valuable skills like discipline, respect, and focus.

The class is designed to be age-appropriate, with plenty of movement, games, and fun activities that keep my son excited about coming each week. He’s already showing improvement in his coordination, listening skills, and confidence. I also love how the class encourages teamwork, as the kids often pair up for drills and practice together.

Overall, this martial arts class has been a fantastic fit for my son. He’s learning new skills while having fun, and I’ve seen positive changes in his behaviour and confidence. I’d like to give a special mention to coaches Elroy, Sim and Xantia. Highly recommend it to other parents with young kids looking for an active and positive environment.

Been training here since I moved to Birmingham is an amazing place good teachers with lots of experience. The health and safety is very good teaching me lots of safe ways to enhance my skills. I been here now 6 moves and learning so much privates with the professor Norby wicked teacher. I have been brought into a great community oss

Great place to train. I trained here for 5 weeks while visiting from Texas. My wrestling and Jiu Jitsu greatly improved in the short time I was there. Coach Norbert is very friendly and always goes out of his way to help. Whether you are an expert grappler or someone new to Jiu Jitsu, this is the place for you.

Fantastic gym. The coaches are incredibly skilled and dedicated to seeing their students improve, giving everyone the time irrespective of skill level. Gym is very clean and places a high importance on cleanliness. Can’t recommend the place enough.

For years I have been struggling to find a place where a covered woman can train proper Jiu Jitzu without men coming in or watching. Now I train at pro Jiu Jitzu and for the first time I feel I am making proper progress.

Thank you so much, Ram, I always look forward all the week to the lessons with you, you are an amazing teacher !

Highly recommended for girls and ladies!

The Pro Jiu Jitsu team in my experience are amazing people and they really take the time to study each student individually. This has really assisted in my growth often confronting me with skilfull frustrations to improve my BJJ. It’s so much more than just method and drill system routines, they really care about their students. At the moment I train in the women’s only class with Ram but I’ve also trained with the guys and I’ve always felt welcome and comfortable on the mat.

PJJ is a great place to train. The atmosphere is great, and everyone is treated with respect regardless of their experience, age, gender etc. Norbi is extremely knowledgeable and I am surprised at how much I have improved over the last 12 months – all thanks to Professor Norbi and the other excellent instructors. If you want to train somewhere that has excellent instructors, fellow students that will help improve you everyday, and a lovely new gym, this is the place ☺️

My 8yo son Aaron (Mini-me) is very happy and proud to be part of this fantastic team, the staff is very professional and friendly, Thanks to Norbert from Pro Jiu Jitsu the method and practice of teaching is just top level!!

Not a local Muay Thai gym to me but well worth the 30 minute journey. Regular classes are on daily with high quality session led by coach Cody. He’s been training me since the beginning of the year and constantly pushes me to work harder. I’ve seen so much improvement in that time. Excellent atmosphere to train in, and amazing value for money. Cannot recommend enough.

K-Star is a great place for all individuals & ages. The resources are top quality & the team/members even more so. Cody is a top class instructor that engages with all in his sessions. His techniques are at a high level but he manages to simplify things for those that aren’t as advanced. It is well worth the 45 minute trek

Great gym ,great atmosphere, and equal and fair opportunities to learn.For my first 4 months of training I’ve spent the majority of my time with Cody who is a great coach he takes the time to make sure you understand and can do a task properly.Equally he was just as good with my five year old daughter when she used to train.
Gene another great coach who also knows his stuff he likes to work you hard and always has something new to show you.

An amazing Muay Thai gym with a wonderful atmosphere and the best coaches and staff. Shout out to Cody Reeves, a brilliant coach, simplifying everything making it easier to learn and always looking after us since day one.

Superb Thai kickboxing gym with a super friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Steve, Axe, Gene and Cody provide excellent coaching and are always happy to answer questions and provide insightful feedback. My two boys have benefited greatly from their instruction at K-Star and the gym has been instrumental in turning them into fit, confident, young men. I can’t rate the club highly enough.

Kstar is an amazing institution that helps and assists in my well being and health. They provide key knowledge of Muay Thai and helps me keep in shape. Cody provides insightful info about the sport and helps me improve and is a key part of kstar and for my learning.

I’ve been here for around 4 months now mainly heading in for Thai boxing , and I have to say I love this place , from the way people fight to the way the coach’s train and push you to your limits and know when to calm down it’s an amazing place for stress relief, exercise, self defence and discipline… love to axe ( miss the man ) and Cody cause they have help me level up my Thai skills !! OWWEE

Great atmosphere, room full of intelligent technical killers.

Coach Dani has built a great environment of healthy competitive learning with a big focus on supporting the local youth.

Coach Israr is extremely beneficial passing down key concepts in an extremely memorable manner.

Highly recommended.

Good place for different type of self defense and for competition. Very nice atmosphere and my son loves it. Been coming here over 2 months and has never said I dont want to go. Would recommend.

Absolutely thrilled with the MMA gym! Not only do they teach the technical aspects of martial arts, but they also instill discipline, respect, and self-confidence in every child. The coaches are patient, skilled, and truly passionate about what they do. My children looks forward to every session and has grown both physically and mentally since joining. Highly recommend!”

I love aura mma because coach qudrat hes very nice and they are very welcoming

Great school for BJJ especially. Very passionate coaches and even more passionate students. Everyone is friendly and the time I have spent here has been nothing but enjoyable.
Now as I am becoming a father and moving from the area, I have had to depart Aura MMA but the progression I have made in the year I have been there has been outstanding.
If you have the gift of time, join Aura and unleash your potential. You will learn more about yourself and what you are capable of. The beauty of martial arts is it teaches you more lessons than fighting.
Parents, if you have children, send them here, let their energy run wild and ultimately help them build discipline.

It has been a good run for now. Insha’Allah I can make more time in the future to come back.

Great coaches, friendly guys and a great gym included, love this place 100%

I have been going to the gym 6 month now. I have lost alot of weight.
In terms of skills I have improved so much. They have bjj, wrestling and mma lessons throughout the day starting from 6am.
The coaches are very helpful and the gym is very competitive and no one has big egos as we’re there to help each other.

I will definitely recommend anyone to this gym.

Try it out

I have sent my son to kick boxing and wrestling. The team is wonderful every one are friendly and he had lots of fun and good training. Stoped due tuition classes. Will join again

Best coaches and best MMA school in the UK. Im highly recommend.

THE best martial arts club in Birmingham and probably in the UK. You join the team , you join a family. Coaches have a wealth of real competition experience, so what you’ll learn is REAL fighting. They truly care and will correct your technique promptly , not allowing you to pick up bad habits. Fellow students are amazing and there is a friendly but focused learning environment. Regardless of your age group or fitness level you will fit right in .

Lovely place and great coach who is so good with the kids. My son has been with this club for 9 months now and being trained by coach Rustum (9x Champion ). He has made great fast progress and even won a,championship fight , this proves that coach Rustum is the Best coach as my son has made incredible progress. I would recommend this to all, you won’t be disappointed.

Excellent coach, comfortable environment for my boys.
My 2 boys started year ago. They have gained a lot of confidence. My youngest who is 5 also joined few weeks ago. He’s enjoying himself too.

As MMA has evolved, in the early days the dominant martial art was BJJ. As time went on and the sport reached the heights that it has today, it’s clear that there is a martial art that stands out as the best base, in my opinion, for any aspiring martial artist that wants to learn a base that is worth learning, and this is Sambo. The proof is in the pudding. The fighters coming out of Chechnya and Dagestan have in recent years been extremely dominant against all other martial artists of different bases, and the common theme is Sambo.

At CCC, you will have access to the best coaches that will allow you to develop your skills. Coach Rustam is a multiple time world champion in Sambo, so you are in the right place to learn what is in my opinion the best and most complete martial art on earth. And in addition, the rest of the coaches are also world class at what they do. They also offer boxing and Taekwando, so there is variety to add to one’s Arsenal if they so please.

I am very glad to be a member of this gym, and am happy to be amongst great coaches and the friendly environment that exists amongst everyone there. Whether you want to compete, or whether you want to come and learn skills that will be useful for self defence, CCC will meet your needs.

Amazing place to send youngsters or train yourself. Fantastic facilities and awesome vibe. Coach Rustum and the team are absolutely inspiring for my little one and he loves every minute! It’s easy to learn under such great role models on and off the mat. Keep it up!!!!

Okay gym to train, but fails in lots of areas, firstly they abit disorganised, they dont have a modern system for payments like kstars in perry barr, they dont do interclubs often, or at all, the way training is done good for fitness but not good enough for self defence, or in the streets, needs big improvements! Kstars much better in my view

I attend the women only sessions and it has been an amazing experience from the very first lesson. I enjoy attending every week and the coach pushes you very hard and wants the best from us. Thank you so much and I definitely recommend to anyone.

I have attended women only sessions and I have seen great progress. The coach pushes you hard until you get it right and the atmosphere is amazing. I also look forward to attending the lesson every week.

Very good gym treats me like his own son good teacher helped me find my self and also has a respectful and clean gym

Best MMA gym in midlands great coaches and experienced very happy to teach, the guys are all humble and friendly, real brothers the atmosphere is great you couldn’t ask for more in a MMA gym. It’s sad cuz I relocated and I can’t be there… wish the guys lots of success!

Absolutely the best gym around, I travel 35/40 minutes to go there, and take my son here. Why? Because its clean its nice the instruction is brilliant and the instructors great. I’ve not only got a gym I’ve made a life long friend and friends in the mats!

Come down, get healthy, get fit and have fun

I’ve had an amazing time doing kickboxing, I attend women only sessions. I’ve seen real progress and he pushes you hard. The atmosphere is great, I’ve loved every session.