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Kensho Martial Arts
1030 W North Ave 3rd floor, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
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Fe
Review №1

I do not know where to start.... I signed my daughters up to take classes here and everything was fine until a recent car accident. It was a lot going on in my life so I put my membership on hold up until July. Fast forward, July is here and I’ve forgot about it because the person that hit me didn’t have insurance and these things could become lengthy. On top of that I’ve been having to rent a car to get around with my babies. To top it off someone broke into the rental and stole my purse with everything in it. Kensho decided to deduct the money from my account without an email or phone call. I informed them about all the things I’ve been going through and the fact I’ve been having to take funds from my check inns account, do you think they cared to refund the 320.00 they took from my account even though we haven’t been there? NO- they rather lose a customer. They are all about the money and do not care about you at all. It’s so disgusting to me. I will find another place for my daughter and will promote them if I like it. This is not the place, stay away unless you want to did with money hungry people that doesn’t care.

P.
Review №2

I been wanting to do martial arts my whole life and Kensho is great for beginners and beyond... The staff is very professional, hands on and knowledgeable... I enjoy my experience and so would u!

Mi
Review №3

I wasnt sure what to expect when I tried to learn martial arts for the first time at 40, but Im very happy I gave it a shot. The staff at Kensho is knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. Most importantly, a year later, Im in the best shape of my life. They have great classes for kids and adults, a great location, and free parking. I highly recommend you give it a shot!

je
Review №4

I love this place!! Every time I go in to take a class I end up feeling better about myself. I feel like I am getting a solid workout, making great new friends, and am teaching my body valuable lessons while having fun. Even as an adult, martial arts is what I look forward to at the end of every day! Its more than just a workout class, its a community! :)The instructors blend in just right amount of fun and focus- they are experts in this field and passionately pass on their knowledge to each and every student.The small class sizes are great,too, because I feel like I am always getting help when I need it. Try Kensho! I am so happy I did!

Br
Review №5

I started attending classes at Kensho about a year ago with no martial arts experience and have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Kensho.The quality of instruction, content and structure of classes, and facility are all top notch. Classes consist of a combination of challenging partner drills, heavy bag work, and the practice of a variety of martial arts forms such as traditional boxing, Muay Thai, Savate, and Filipino martial arts. The atmosphere is also very welcoming - students are friendly and supportive of each other. Kensho has truly helped me improve my patience, discipline, and self confidence. Id highly recommend Kensho Martial Arts!

Ro
Review №6

Kensho Martial Arts is a transformative experience, and one of the best decisions Ive ever made. Exceptional training, knowledgeable/amiable instructors, and a close-knit community comprised of students and parents. Roger Luri is the real deal, and his curriculum will bring about noticeable results in just a few classes!

Ri
Review №7

Kensho martial arts is an amazing place for my children to learn martial arts in a safe, supporting environment which is also challenging and disciplined. Roger and Christine the owners are amazing, and the parent community is warm and positive. Our kids have been going for 3 years and it has helped them tremendously.

Al
Review №8

I had a wonderful experience at Kensho. From when I walked in the door I was treated like I had been coming there for years; everyone was genuine, friendly and helpful. I would recommend taking classes here for beginners!

Je
Review №9

Great for kids of all ages. Some of the most flexibe hours and requirements for working parents. Very encouraging positive atmosphere based on having fun, building confidence and learning fundamentals. Highly recommended.

Ch
Review №10

Kensho is an excellent facility for beginners and and more experienced martial artists to train! Each class helps you get one step closer to reaching your goals, whether you just want to get back in shape or learn the fundamentals.

Ch
Review №11

Kensho is the martial arts gym experience Ive been looking for. Friendly instructors, family atmosphere, teaching multiple systems than all tie together, and Sensei Luri is a very patient and knowledgeable teacher. The facilities are clean, environment is fun, the team is amazing, and you are guaranteed to learn something about martial arts and yourself that you didnt know before!

Ar
Review №12

Kensho is a great martial arts program for kids! You can tell how passionate Sensei Roger and Sensei Mike are about martial arts and how much they care about all the kids. My son has been going to Kensho for 6 months now and he loves it! Its an awesome program that teaches martial art skills, as well as discipline and respect. I wish I could give Kensho 10 stars!

To
Review №13

My son loves Kensho and the karate classes. Great discipline, athletic activity, and self defense skills

Mi
Review №14

Roger was very encouraging and a great instructor on my first try out! Loved it, thanks!

St
Review №15

Great workout. Great instructors for all levels.

Ri
Review №16

A great environment and a positive place to learn Martial Arts while maximizing your workout.

Ye
Review №17

GREAT GREAT GREAT.Roger Luri is the real deal, period. He has over 30 years of experience not practicing martial arts, but teaching them. His resume includes a 5th degree black belt, national rankings in Muay Thai and Savate, and a former lead instructor position at Degerberg. He counts Dan Inosanto as mentor (one of a handful of people certifed by Bruce Lee to teach Jeet Kune Do or JKD), and MARRS founder Ron Balicki and Eric Paulson as close friends (look them up).So, OK, credentials. Lots of them. What are the classes like?The intro classes are the Kensho Kickboxing Blend, rooted in kickboxing, but incorporating components of other styles. As you progress, you have the option of taking Muay Thai, Savate, Advanced Blend, and JKD, which draws a lot from Filipino Martial Arts.Kensho also has kickboxing bootcamp, which focus less on advancing in style, and more on an amazing workout. Its hard to find something that makes you sweat faster and tires you out more than rounds on a heavy bag. Theyre amazing for getting in shape while learning fundamentals.Im an adult with no children, but Kensho has a full series of classes for kids that start prior to kindergarten and go all the way through high school.Kids classes start in the afternoon, adult classes follow in the evening. There are bootcamp or open level adult classes M-F morning. Saturday is adults in the morning, kids in the late morning/early afternoon. Sunday as well.The community at Kensho is great. There are adults of all ages, walks of life, and levels of skill. They are a very supportive and encouraging group. I have never once felt like Ive been talked down to or treated differently because Im not as good as something as other people, ever. The environment is one of Were In This Together, there is no room for Im Better Than You Are. Classes are generally small, youre not learning alongside 25 other people.Awesome. But wait, what style is it?Hes an expert in multiple disciplines, and is able to move between them fluidly. Before the days of the UFC, a handful of innovators opened schools that utilized the most effective components of multiple styles. AKA, the original iteration of Mixed Martial Arts. Roger is one of those guys. Much of what he teaches is street oriented, there are not katas (at least for adults), the focus is on effective body mechanics and proper execution, connecting your hands to your feet, and stringing combinations of punches and kicks together.So, the instruction is solid?Heck yes. Youre learning from a guy who has not only excelled in the real world application of martial arts in the ring, he has also taught and developed the methodology for instruction and progression at a world famous school. As an instructor, he strikes a near perfect balance between demanding, classic martial arts teacher, and incredibly supportive coach.Roger Luri is the real deal. Period. He and his wife Christine have a very special place at Kensho. If you are interested in learning real martial arts with a street orientation from a guy whos studied this his entire life, look no further.

Ni
Review №18

Having been an avid UFC fan for 5 years, and particularly enjoying listening to Joe Rogan and learning about the intricacies of MMA, I decided I was keen to try either BJJ or kick boxing,...... I was torn between both, and decided on kick boxing in the end because I felt that it would be a little more effective at getting me leaner and achieving my personal goals. My other passion is tennis, and I also felt that kick boxing would be a little less taxing on my joints/ shoulders/ arm etc, so it made sense for a number of reasons....My wife Googled kick boxing Chicago, and after looking at a number of the reviews online for various places, she decided I should try Kensho..... Shes an economist and a much better researcher than me, so I trusted her intuition & judgement, and their Website seemed to have all the info youd possibly need before making the bold step of turning up for your very first class. The next day, I arrived for my no-obligation inaugural class, a little nervous, feeling completely out of my comfort zone, needing to shed some winter weight. Christine inducted me before the class started, and made me feel completely at ease from the get-go; probably sensing I was a little self-conscious with all of the mirrors! It was a very thorough 30-minute orientation and helped me feel a lot less awkward around some of the more accomplished students.When the class started, like Christine, I noticed that the students had a very similar energy/ friendly vibe about them, and it made my first class more enjoyable, and less intimidating.... I was a little down on myself at home later that day, as anyone would be, taking their very first steps at something new, but I felt that in order to feel good about myself and know whether it was right for me, I had to give it at least a week or two, so naturally, I attended several more classes, and during that time, gradually built up my confidence. Seeing it through was the best decision Ive made for some time.....Fast forward to today, and it wont be long before Im almost half a year in, and I cant imagine not kick boxing 3-4 times a week. Im lucky enough to have a flexible schedule, so I make the most of Kenshos morning classes, which are every day, other than Sunday. I have also tried some of the evening classes and theyre equally great. Roger cares a great deal about helping you fix your weaknesses and focusing on being technically sound, which has to be the basis of any martial arts. When you see the belt progression journey on the Kensho wall, it is a little intimidating, particularly when it takes around 4 months to move up to your yellow belt, but as Roger has said many times, its a process and you have to enjoy the process. With every class, I feel myself getting leaner, more flexible and more confident in all aspects of my life and Im thinking less about being a black belt than I am about enjoying my next class and bettering myself incrementally over time.Value for money-wise, the price is very reasonable in my opinion. The monthly price is comparable to a nice meal out with your partner, or 1 or 2 personal trainer sessions, which is pretty much what you get every time you go, the only difference being, that you can attend as many classes as you like - so you get out what you put in..... The return is incredible, both physically and psychologically. And because the instructors and the students are all cool people, the classes are fun and have become an essential part of my daily routine.....

Fe
Review №19

I have limited experience with Martial Arts, but have been interested in them for quite some time. I am always hesitant to sign up to a school for fear of becoming another number in the machine, not really having an experienced instructor WITH a passion for teaching, especially a beginner like myself, and being a single parent I wanted to avoid being duped into signing long term contracts and purchasing equipment which make many school seem predatory in nature.Enter Kensho Martial Arts.The first thing that caught my interest was a glance at Roger Luris resume. This man has decades of experience in various arts. Without a doubt anyone who has spent that much time training and competing has picked up loads of tips, insight and experience. I felt an compelled to learn more about the offering. To have access to learn from someone as accomplished as Roger is an opportunity I really should pursue if possible. Many places have instructors of a much lower level. This guy was head instructor at the world renowned Degerberg Academy for decades. Thats pretty hardcore. Being the cynic that I am, I thought to myself, He must be a jerk... and the program must be super expensiveBoy was I wrong, on both counts!Roger could not be a nicer guy. Humble, respectful, down to earth and a great instructor. I would have NEVER guessed he was well versed in the arts of Boxing, Kickboxing, Kali, Jun Fan/ JKD Concepts, Judo/ Jiu Jitsu, Thai Boxing, Savate, Silat and Wrestling, and still wouldnt believe it if I hadnt seen him in action!$49 dollars gets you an introductory month of classes AND a free uniform. Even parking is FREE!I signed up for the Self Defense classes and have not really gotten too far into it as of yet, but am really pleased with how things are going. The system seems to be a combination of various things that make sense (Mixed Martial Arts). Being a nerd, I love logic. We have learned a lot about the fundamentals of kicking and punching, footwork and body movement, combined with a fair amount of cardio from basic drills. (fits in nicely with my goals of learning to defend myself, and losing some weight) The space is clean, and well kept with a great view of the city. The class environment itself is very welcoming. Not a bunch of muscle heads training so they can learn to bust someones head open on PPV, rather normal folks learning tips and techniques to be better prepared to defend themselves and their loved ones from people with ill intentions.I have a 7 year old daughter who is about to begin training there as well. She is rather petite, and I want her to learn to defend herself, as well as gain the confidence that comes with achievements not to mention the discipline that is instilled while training. I know some parents that have their children in the program, and have heard nothing but good things about it. With what I have experienced personally so far, I find it hard to believe otherwise.In summary, awesome, cool, knowledgeable teacher. $50 to get started for a month, great location, free parking, inviting to folks of all walks of life, even children.If you are looking to learn a martial art, for self defense, or otherwise, I think you would be foolish to not try on this offering, at this price. Again, I am a single parent, and value is paramount. I often try to talk myself out of things. I am somewhat of a pro at finding the catch and justifying why I should NOT be doing things and I have yet to find one reason to not be at Kensho

Ru
Review №20

Wonderful Dojo

Ma
Review №21

Very well it has the best in cleaning.

Information
94 Photos
21 Comments
4.8 Rating
  • Address:1030 W North Ave 3rd floor, Chicago, IL 60642, United States
  • Site:https://www.kenshochicago.com/
  • Phone:+1 312-957-8050
Categories
  • Martial arts school
  • Kickboxing school
  • Muay Thai boxing gym
  • Self defense school
Working hours
  • Monday:9AM–9PM
  • Tuesday:2:30–6:30PM
  • Wednesday:8:30AM–4PM
  • Thursday:Closed
  • Friday:3–9PM
  • Saturday:9AM–9PM
  • Sunday:3–9PM
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair accessible entrance:Yes
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