Krav Maga Nova

The two classes I took were alright, the rest of the experience not so much. After moving to Fairfax, traveling to the gym just wasn’t going to happen, so I asked to cancel my membership. The only option was to pay out the entire year or pay a $ 357 early termination fee. I don’t understand why any business would charge additional money from someone who is already a lost customer. Not a boon to the business long term.
After being charged the fee, I just got charged the regular monthly membership fee again. I recommend switching billing companies, because the one you’re using isn’t doing you any favors.

This gym is terrific. I’ve been attending about twice a week for four years now. I am currently a Level 3 student. So I’ve had the opportunity to see pretty much everything there is to see here, from social dynamics to beginner to intermediate/​advanced class instruction.
Let’s just say, there’s a reason I’ve kept coming back.
All of the instructors are well-​qualified and friendly. Pete is the head instructor. The quality of instruction his students get, as well as their safety, is top priority with him and it shows. When I began having panic attacks during ground fighting, I told him directly what I was dealing with. He was totally understanding and sympathetic, gave me some great advice and motivation, and thanked me for saying something to him (apparently many people will simply disappear instead of making their issue/​s known). My panic attacks are much farther apart now.
Krav Maga Nova is an excellent place to learn how to defend yourself. I cannot recommend them more highly. I feel like I have learned the skills to save my life, should I find myself in a bad situation. I mean, anything could happen, but I think I’ve got a much better chance than I did before. And that’s the whole point.

I have to say Krav Maga Nova is not where I will be training nor will any of my family or friends! So (most) of the instructors are great, knowledgeable and professional even capable. I attended several classes in the 3 days I kept my membership and loved it until I had Pete as an instructor. The first time in his class he hurt my shoulder; the next session I feel he purposefully hurt my elbow in an overly aggressive arm-​bar while working out. Giving him the benefit of the doubt I took a break for a few days to let it heal and came back to class. I was very disappointed to see Pete was again the instructor. This time toward the end of class there was not doubt in my mind that he was trying to hurt me. In a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ drill with a beginner against the instructor (Pete), Pete purposefully injured me again and made me tap-​out twice by aggressively held onto a chock until I tapped out 3 consecutive times. Out of the 6 classes that I took I was glad to be a student under all the other instructors. I enjoyed the classes and how the other instructors were (professional, instructive, knowledgeable, fun, energetic, etc…), but 2 classes with Pete and I instantly canceled my membership. I refuse to train under an instructor who is habitually cruel to others with less experience. Pete was a bully, abusive unprofessional instructor and a toxic leader. If Pete was not there I feel this place would be a good place to train (minus the lack of training space to student ratio) but he is the head instructor and not going anywhere so my business will be taken elsewhere! My recommendation is that if you want to learn, train, get in shape avoid any of Pete’s classes and attend classes where he is not instructing. The other instructors are great, but Pete (to me) seems to resemble John Kreese of the Cobra Kai dojo in Karate the Kid 1 with his abusive nature of entitlement. Pete wants to ensure you physically understand his superiority and dominance over everyone on the mat from the beginner to the experienced fighter. I am not paying anyone money to purposefully hurt me because of their manipulative superiority complex and I recommend you don’t either.

Teachers here are good, people are nice, but the space is too small and classes are always overcrowded. There’s hardly any space to train. You’ll find level five people in level 1classes, which is insane. Then there are these huge dudes who come solely to class to learn to beat other people up. When my contract ends, I’ll be looking for a bigger place with smaller classes.

Been training with these guys since 2011 and I can’t think of a better investment. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. It’s not easy, but not impossible to advance up levels. You WILL get in shape and learn how to defend yourself (silly forms do not apply here). Don’t be put off by the seemingly simple and repeated techniques; they’re practical, effective, and are easily utilized by any body type. All the instructors know what they are doing and want to see you go home alive. This ain’t another McDojo, it’s a place that builds strength inside and out.

This is my third location training Krav Maga full-​time (not as a guest). It’s not as big as the others, but Pete and staff make up for that with a solid knowledge base, intense classes and great customer service. Krav Maga in general is a great workout, and the best self-​defense practice I’ve ever found. And KM Nova is a great place to work on your Krav. My only suggestions would be to consider expanding to a larger location, and to add more classes in the AM.
Also, I used to take my kid with me sometimes, and they were always happy to have him around to watch.

I went for a trial class and was handed a waiver to sign that stated, in BOLD LETTERS that I take responsibility for their NEGLIGENCE. They actually call it out as a possibility!
I walked away, and you should too.

I’ve been here a little over a year now. This was my first martial arts experience. My fiancé convinced me to try krav maga. I did the trial class and immediately signed up for a year. I’m so glad I did! I was so nervous, being a typical elliptical gal at the gym. But they were great about helping me learn and become more confident. I didn’t feel any pressure to join, which was probably good because I was nervous signing up for a year.
I’ll admit that at first I was shocked at the price. Of course, now I see how stupid and ignorant I was. I’m unfortunately considering moving to MD (north of DC) within the next year for work, and have been preemptively scoping out gyms. The price I pay here for unlimited training is nothing in comparison to what other gyms charge. I cannot find one gym even close to this price. It’s really making me consider staying in VA.
I just tried jiu jitu for the first time three weeks ago. I figured since I have unlimited training, I should use more of it than two or three krav maga classes per week. And now I’m hooked on that too! They even let me train without a gi.
Super low key. All of the instructors are great (though I’ll admit I have favorites). Very realistic — you definitely don’t leave the class with this false sense of security, like you can take on anyone. Instead, you are just more aware. There are a lot of big guys in the class, and higher level students also participate in the level 1 class. I personally like that, and I’ve only once or twice had to ask a guy to kick a little lighter or punch a little lighter. They are always really understanding.
I really don’t want to switch gyms! I’m staying as long as I can!

I spent much of my youth training in martial arts. I wasted my tween years with Vietnamese kung fu – a lot of style with no substance. Looking back, I would have been better off in a dance class. When I was 14, I had the fortune of studying Chung do Kwon (traditional TKD) from a wonderful, rigorous instructor instead of enrolling in a belt factory. I threw beautiful kicks and performed wonderfully in forms (I was a hot mess in sparring). Sadly, belt factories have taken over most of the business, leaving serious students with a lack of options for serious training.
But 20 years later and almost 40 pounds heavier, it was evident that I was not a serious student anymore and needed to re-​engage, regardless of discipline. But I did not want to throw money into any gym or dojo.
Enter krav maga — which I was a fan of in concept — practical in origins and application, focused on defense and not sport. Having been mugged twice as an adult, I was eager to cut out the meditation/​mystical aspects of martial arts training and instead, learn how to neutralize and escape from a would-​be attacker (and stand a chance in a forthcoming zombie apocalypse). I took a sample class in DC and while it gave me a great workout, it was way outside of my income bracket (which seems to be a common theme in other Unilocalers’ reviews). It was a couple years later before I visited Krav Maga Northern Virginia and I was hooked immediately.
Matt facilitated my first class and in 55 minutes, I was spent. The warm-​up alone destroyed me and I bloodied seven knuckles sending punches into their tombstone pads. My body ached for a week afterwards and I LOVED ALL OF IT. And all of their instructors bring this mix of rigor, fitness and practicality to the training. Each of them has a distinctive teaching style (some really max you out in the body conditioning/​fitness while others drill you on the combatives) while adhering to a central curriculum so as you attend classes within one week, the techniques and principles are reinforced so your body and mind start retaining it as reflex.
I’m two months in and still feel anxious as I sit there and wrap up my fists in preparation for 55 minutes of punishment (especially when I see Pete is teaching). But I walk out of there every night feeling healthy and confident.
For the price, it’s definitely worth it – especially if you have a schedule that allows you to attend three or more classes a week. Their BJJ and sparring classes are also open to all levels, so that increases that amount of training you can take advantage of (and there are plenty of crazy people who do).
And it’s not just the instructors who are great, but also the students (well, most of them since all martial arts schools attract a fair portion of douche bags). They are diverse in race, age, gender, size — so you don’t feel out of your league — but also don’t feel like you’ve enrolled at the community center down the road.
If there was a drawback, it’s maybe the class size in relation to the studio. It’s roughly the size of any urban crossfit gym, located in an industrial strip on your way to Fort Belvoir. If you’re lucky, you might step into a class of 15, but level one is usually 20 and up in numbers. But despite how crowded it can get, the instructors are able to provide focused, individualized attention. Other than that, it’s all good unless rap-​metal or AC/​DC makes you hurl cause they turn that stuff up to 11.

I went here for about three months before moving into DC and switching to a place up here. I really liked this place when I went there, then liked it more once I started trying to find a new place. They have a no-​pressure sales system, the instructors are awesome — laid-​back off the floor, intense to ridiculous levels on it.
The workout is great, and it feels like you learn real self-​defense. I can’t say whether you do, and kind of hope I never find out, but the training feels practical and useful. I do know that I can punch and kick much harder and more effectively than when I started, and don’t feel so out-​of-​water in out of the way places at night. Can’t say enough positive stuff about this place. Seriously thinking of rejoining even though I could only go once a week, rather than stick with my choices in DC.

Great place to train and learn. Pete G. the owner and head instructor is very knowledgeable. I highly recommend.

I’ve been training here for about a month now. I’m a big fan of Krav Maga and have done it in several different cities. This gym is basically what you would expect from a Krav gym. Intense workouts with energetic instructors.
I’m the type of person who loathes traditional gyms. I hate the boredom of a treadmill, the people who go there just to show off, the smell of caked-​in sweat. All of it. Krav is a practical workout that will get you into decent shape. In the month I have been taking classes here, and paired with my diet, I have lost 13.8 pounds. Not too shabby.
They over the basic Krav Level 1 class 5 days a week (M-​Th, Sat) and there are other classes any and all levels can take including Krav Fit (similar to CrossFit), an aerobic punching bag based class, and No-​Gi Brazilian Jiu-​Jitsu.
The only downside is class size. Level 1 classes are large, normally in excess of 20 people with sometimes more than 30. I prefer smaller classes, but fighting a variety of shapes, sizes, and genders is useful training as well.
Check it out if you are interested, you can take a class for free and they don’t pressure you into signing up too much. The class basically sells itself.