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My son started classes a little less than a year ago at Tai Kai and we couldn’t be happier. It’s a very welcoming environment by both the instructors and the other families that attend. My son highly enjoys the classes and the instructors are great with the children. They are patient, understanding and work one on one with them. Not only do they teach jiu jitsu but they also teach them to respect themselves and others and they teach the children a life skill every week. Tai Kai is highly recommend!
I love this place. I take Jiu Jitsu classes and boxing. Very clean place. Showers and lockeroom facilities. Beginner friendly and also has hardcore competitors. The instructors are great I wish I started training sooner:) recently I have been doing Muay Thai and love it.
I have loved my time (2+ months) with Tai Kai. Every class feels like I am getting a wealth of knowledge and all of the instructors do a great job. All of the others students in the class assist in the learning process and are friendly. It seems like everyone there is always there to help you and they have cultivated a great environment. If you’re looking to get into Jiu Jitsu, Tai Kai is the place to do it.
I have been attending the Tai Kai school for about two months now and have enjoyed every single class I've attended. Splitting my time between Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Tai, I have learned an abundance of personal protection skills.
The environment is fantastic as all students are eager to learn and help one another succeed. The instructors are very attentive and encourage the progression of new students.
I would recommend this to anyone seeking martial arts training.
Tai Kai is more than just another martial arts gym. It is a welcoming community of individuals with the common goal of becoming better than they already are and having fun while doing so. I joined about a month ago and already feel accepted as part of the family. I highly recommend anyone looking to start their journey into Brazilian Ju Jitsu to first visit Ken at Tai Kai to see what it's all about
After doing my research looking for a good kid’s program and speaking with a couple of BJJ instructors I came across Tai Kai and signed up my kid. I found the staff to be very professional, knowledgeable and helpful. I also found it to be very welcoming not just the staff but the students as well. As a matter of fact, after watching my kid there for a month I liked what I saw so much I signed myself up as well.
Everyone here at Tai Kai is great. Whether it’s Ken, or many of his other Black belts teaching, or the fellow students. As someone who is not a regular to this school and was traveling and visiting from another school, I was welcomed very openly as though i belonged there. This certainly speaks to the Jiu Jitsu community but more poignantly to this being a great school.
If you’re considering training for the first time, please do not feel intimidated. The school and community is like an extended family.
I’ve been coming here for over 9 yrs and can’t say enough good things. This place is the best place to train. Top of the line instructors and everyone is so friendly and welcoming. This place is like a second home to me. My whole family trains here and I can not imagine training anywhere else!
I love it here. Been training here for 5 years. I initially started with Jiu Jitsu but I also now do Muay Thai and Boxing. great place.They got all kinds of classes here. Huge facility, clean, friendly instructors, and beautiful locker room facilities. Whether you are brand new or experienced they have a class for you. The instructors are so patient. Highly recommended. I wish I started sooner.:) update. I’ve started kickboxing and my son is training here too.
Tai kai brings me some of my best experiences, between learning multiple forms of martial arts such as muay thai which is what I train in mainly at the moment and all of the amazing people there with so many positive vibes, it's fantastic. Makes me feel great just being there and better after a good training and workout. I suggest tai kai to all of my friends, family and co-workers. I've trained there for a couple of years now and I plan on making tai kai part of the rest of my life.
Wonderful environment for the kids, my son loves coming here, very supportive instructors
The atmosphere of Tai Kai is welcoming, encouraging, and teaches extremally practical applications of BJJ, self defense and other martial arts, for beginners and advanced students. I highly recommend Tai Kai to anyone looking to build confidence, learn real self defense, get in shape, and enter a great community.
Was up from Long Island visiting a friend and he brought me to Tai Kai to roll with his crew. Great bunch of guys, solid no gi class with a great mix of skilled athletes. Everyone was respectful, mats were clean, I even brought my son to roll with the kids class which also had great structure and drilling for the kids. Will definitely be back to train when I visit. I highly recommend this gym to anyone looking, Ken and his crew were great hosts!
I have been attending classes at Tai Kai for a couple of months now, and it is a fantastic gym. There are large classes with many rolling partners, but the classes don’t suffer in quality. The instructors still give plenty of individual attention to all of the students, especially newer students. They make sure to foster a very supportive atmosphere for newer people, while providing the opportunity for lots of growth for more experienced BJJ players. Most of the classes I have attended have had roughly 4-6 black belts, as well as many brown and purple belts. The higher belts will roll with you and teach you without hesitation. It is a great community.
Great space, lots of knowledge and helpful instructors, and students!
Started here several months ago and it's been an extremely welcoming experience! I've seen the instructors with the kids group too and they are phenomenal with the kids! I was pleasantly surprised by the number of females/girls in the classes.
Absolutely love it here.
First time in the Syracuse area for a work trip and have been training just over a year, did a little research ahead of time and Tai Kai was by far the best option for me. It was 8 minutes from my hotel and the professor reached out to me ahead of time and invited me for a free class and met me upon arrival. Great instruction & everyone I rolled with was friendly and respectful, super happy to have found this spot while I was here in the area.
Great place to join,
My children love it ♥️
Great atmosphere with super positive people who are eager to teach and motivate each other. Instructor Ken is tremendously knowledgeable and the classes are geared for BJJ practitioners of all levels. The Muay Thai classes are also a lot of fun. Ajarn Kevin has a vast amount of experience and will present the material to a level that everyone can understand. My daughter loves her BJJ classes and it has given her a level of confidence far beyond anything else we have tried. My 11 year old daughter and I have been going to Tai Kai for over 4 years an honesty we couldn’t see ourselves not being a part of it. We love Tai Kai!!!
World class instruction from world class human beings. Great people, great teachers, great community!
My son has done 5 classes so far and is loving every second of them. He has adhd and the instructors knew it going in, they've all been very nice and very patient with my son, making sure he understands what is expected of him. I fully trust that he will learn a lot from his experience here.
Amazing place! The instructors and even the other students are great. The facility is super nice, clean and really big. Can't say enough good things. No matter your age, fitness level or goals, it's a fantastic place to learn Brazilian jiu Jitsu, striking arts, self defense, and most importantly make new friends.
There is nothing better than the sense of accomplishment I leave this building with. The facility is clean and top notch. The instruction team is able communicate direction to every student regardless of experience level. I can't recommend this school enough as a place to better yourself as a a person.
This school is great for all ages! The atmosphere is amazing! The instructors and students are outstanding! Everyone helps everyone out! You feel extremely comfortable and at home here. Tai-Kai has become my passion! Thanks to everyone that has helped me improve! I couldn't ask for a better place to train!! You won't regret trying a free class! Try it out it has changed my life in so many ways! I haven't been this great in shape since high school! Best decision I have made for myself!
My wife Mary and I have been doing the Fitness Kick-Boxing at Tai-Kai for 5 years now! And we both love it, it has put me in the best shape of my life and I am 73 years young because of it! Pat yourself on the back Ken, your school is worth it! Sheena and Mike Bidwell Fitness Kick-Boxing classes are without a doubt the best! What is neat about them is they teach us the proper technique. This is very important, becasue if you learn how to do it right your workout improves ten fold.
I’ve trained all over the world and Tai Kai is one of the best places I’ve trained, hands down. The facility is spectacular, they have a bunch of really great teachers and the student body is fun and welcoming. I love this place!
Tai Kai is so much more than a place to work out and get in shape. Sure, Tai Kai offers excellent Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Kickboxing, Muay Thai and other classes... and it’s filled with so many knowledgeable teachers and instructors. But more than that, it’s a family, a home, a place to find encouragement and a place to find acceptance. I’m so happy to have found this place, trying my first class was the best decision I’ve ever made.
My kids started training jiu jitsu here earlier this year, and after watching them train and peeking in at the adult jiu jitsu classes, I decided to try it out, too. Best decision I ever made! The instructors are phenomenal in both the kids’ and adult classes, and the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming. I’ve met several incredible people while training here and love coming in to learn and get in better shape. If anyone is intimidated by jiu jitsu (or really, any of the other martial arts classes offered at Tai Kai) this place will set you at ease with a comfortable environment and training partners who are supportive and want you to do your best!
Here are some Self Defense Videos from the Tai Kai You Tube Channel You can see the channel hereTai Kai Youtube 3 Standing Guillotine Choke Escapes Two Self Defense Standing Choke Escapes 3 Self Defense options from a right hook 3 Standing Headlock Escapes
Congrats to the following students who were awarded stripes this week. Brown Belt Rob Solano Kevin McDougal Purple Belt Will Burnell Kyle Warford Anthony Carella Beth Rowley Rodrigo Clementino Blue Belt Mehdi Aghalarov Andre Hatori Nicolas Arcaro Paul Worden Hillary Burnell Sydney Burnell Will O’Donnell Ben Peet William Burnell Ian Delmar Josh Lopez […]
Congrats to Mike Fox and Zach Davis. They tested for Sixth Level – Brown Arm Band on Monday November 7th in Smiling Tiger Muay Thai. They both looked great during the test. Congrats
The discipline known as martial arts has spread at an incredible speed in the West since its introduction in the 20th century from its historic roots in East Asia. Martial arts can be classified as either armed combat (including fencing and archery) or unarmed combat (such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, and Boxing). […]
Saturday 7/17/2021 from 12-3, we had our latest Phil Migliarese seminar. Phil is the head of Balance studios. The seminar started with some takedowns. We then worked some chokes from the sit up guard. Some really great stuff. Phil then did a q and a on problems people had and helped the correct the issues. […]
Ed Abrasley was awarded his black belt Saturday June 19th. Check out this video made by Jim Kearns on Ed’s journey to black belt
On Saturday June 19th at 12PM we had a purple/brown/black belt belt ceremony. The candidates had to demonstrate technique for an hour(self defense, sweeps, guard passes, submissions, takedowns, submission escapes and different positions). Ed Abrasley then had to do free style self defense for 10 minutes having people attack him and him having to […]
Congrats to 19 new Tai Kai Blue Belts. They had their test/ceremony on Thursday June 17th at 6:45 PM. They all did awesome. They had to demonstrate specific techniques including: Self Defense, Takedowns, Submissions, Escapes, Guard Passes, Sweeps, and certain positions for about an hour. Then they grappled straight for 30 minutes with no […]
Photo: Emma Pursey. A Sport like BJJ demands a high degree of flexibility to perform a wide range of techniques, both defensive and offensive. And, if you are just starting then stretching can be very painful. Though, over time it does get easier, but you need to keep up with it. Regular stretching can lead […]
Blue Belt Requirements Fundamentals Ukemi-Rolls & Falls Rolls (Front/Back) Falls (Back, Side, Front, Rolling) Basic Movements/Positions Base, Shrimp, Bridge, Bridge to Knees, Guard Replacement Roll (Granby Roll) Transitions: take the mount from side(basic and sit out), Knee on the Belly from side Mount control (swim, “spiderhands”, Modified mount, take the back, remount) Guard […]
It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. This one is really worth far more. The elephant is tied with a piece of rope that it could easily break. It has been conditioned since he was young to think that he’s stuck and can’t get away… so he doesn’t try. Our minds […]
On one hand you have Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the most dominant grappling martial art. On the other hand you have Muay Thai Kickboxing, the most dominant stand up martial art on Earth. These 2 arts make up the majority of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), so we are going to explore this and see which one […]
Brazilian jiu jitsu is more than just a sport. It’s more than a martial art. It’s a way to change your life. You hear a lot of people talk about the jiu jitsu lifestyle, but what does that mean? Does it mean you train all day? Does it mean you surf and then head […]
As you get older, it’s easy to find yourself in a rut. You go to work, you watch TV, and you go to bed. Some people avoid falling into such an unhealthy routine by working out at home, jogging, or going to a gym. The problem with doing these almost cliché exercises is […]
The world is filled with feel-good stories about how people have transformed their bodies – and their lives – by starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). To anyone who has ever practiced BJJ before, this is unsurprising. Each BJJ class is packed with various techniques, exercises, and even some ‘live’ drilling and sparring. All of that […]
Here is our current online virtual schedule Monday: 6PM SOLO Adult BJJ Drills with Dennis Sugrue on ZOOM Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/4261709906?pwd=dTB1ZXFxYWN2bHdoQVQ5UU1ZNzVjZz09 Meeting ID: 426 170 9906 Password: TaiKai Tuesday: Kids BJJ at 5PM with Dennis Sugrue on ZOOM Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/167186945?pwd=dXp4SERhRmllR2c2bHBJMWcyTkl6Zz09 Meeting ID: 167 186 945 Password: 028957 Wednesday: Facebook LIVE Breakdowns and Techniques on […]
We’ve all seen the ads on the internet for “One Quick Trick” to get better at something we like. Unfortunately, there is no quick trick to get better at an activity. That only comes with hard work and determination. Before you succumb to the cycle of wave riding trends, look inward to see if you […]
MMA For The STREET (Mixed Martial Arts / Self Defense) Monday/Wednesday 7PM Stand Up Striking Format This curriculum will include Muay Thai’s stand-up striking, teaching a blend of boxing, kickboxing, knee and elbow strikes, and Jeet Kune Do’s street approach. Groundfighting/ Grappling Format The ground format will include takedowns, and mixed blends of […]
People often question whether or not they are making progress because ‘progress’ is almost never the straight line trajectory that we have been conditioned to expect. Progress in anything challenging, progress in anything worthwhile is a roller coaster. Ups and downs are a NORMAL part of the process towards long term growth & development. […]
On Saturday, January 25th, 2020 , from 12pm-3:30 PM, we had the head of Balance up for a seminar, Phil Migliarese. The seminar was a huge success. We had over 60 people in attendance. Phil warmed everyone up with some yoga stretches that were functional for jiu jitsu. He then went over a few […]
The term “Martial Arts” is a relatively broad expression that encompasses a variety of different disciplines. Typically, when we hear the words martial arts, the first ideas that come to mind are one or more of the techniques that have developed in Asian countries. However, the martial arts are comprised of most types of […]
This is ALL TRUE What to Expect as a BJJ Beginner Alright! you made the decision to change your life the minute you stepped on the mat congratulations your first few days made me a little overwhelming! Just like it was whenever you first learned how to ride a bike it was awkward. You fell […]
Come Try a FREE class. You Learn a Skill While Exercising The best time to begin your journey in training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is now. While Jiu Jitsu is not the first activity that many people consider when they look to start a new hobby, it’s probably the best decision that you could ever make. […]
We are having the head of our Association , Balance Studios , Phil Migliarese up for a GI seminar. We will also be having Dennis Sugrue, Len Sonia, and Steve Overend being awarded their 3rd degree on their Black Belts. Early Bird up to 12/15- $89 Pre-Registration 12/16/-1/24 $109 At the DOOR […]
On 9/25/2019 we had our latest purple belt test. We had class going on at the same time and for an hour during class our candidates demonstrated the purple belt requirements on each other: self defense, submissions, sweeps, takedowns, escapes, and more. After that they grappled for 45 minutes straight with a new partner […]
Come on out and try a FREE class. Almost every form of martial arts training requires a training partner of some sort. In group classes, selection of a good partner can make or break the lesson. Whether sparring, practicing self defense, working two man forms, or just working out, the partner is key to […]
