Looking for a Training Facility in Orlando, FL.

[brettb]

Does anyone know of a good facility in Orlando. I saw some on the locations page, but I would like to hear any information on the instructors or the schools themselves. Let me Know, Thanks

[Noles05]

I have been going to Victory Martial Arts in the Metrowest area. I just started recently but am very happy with the instruction there.

[BradM]

I was in the Orlando area this past December looking for a retirement home. I called about 4/5 of Victory Martial Arts schools in the area in hopes of taking a guest class or two. Except for one, I got no answer on the phone. I left messages asking for someone to call me back. No one ever did. At the school I finally reached, the guy on the phone could barely speak English. I did not understand anything he was telling me. I was not impressed with those schools.

But, I'll give them another shot the next time I'm in town. I will be retiring in the Orlando area this year. I sure hope I can find a good Krav school.

[khvt02]

I tried two or three of the Victory Martial Arts schools in Orlando about a year ago. All the classes I attended were terrible. One was taught by a girl that didnt look much out of high school, and it felt more like an aerobics class. Another class I went to, LEVEL 1, we were doing moves to flip eachother over our shoulders. I felt like it was far too advanced for the class, and very unsafe. I was involved with KM in Virginia for about 6 months (before moving to Orlando) and loved it. I have complained about Orlando before. I would LOVE to see someone besides these Karate schools offer some classes. I may check out the Metrowest location...but Im not hopeful!

[Neophyte]

I have been a Victory student for Krav at their Winter Park location for a year. I keep going only because it is all there is in Orlando. The instruction occasionally is okay when they can keep a certified instructor around, but they don't seem to be able to keep them long. Frankly I think it is time for Orlando area KMer's to begin bringing this up with the NTC. Victory has a stranglehold in Orlando and the boss is only interested in two things, money and notoriety.

[Noleone]

I train at Victory as well. At first it was fine. But now, it is very frustrating to see the truly ceritified instructors jump around. They use Krav to get you in the door, give you a few good classes and then let a Tae Kwon Do guy treat it like a Tae Bo class. All the while, they want to sell you on Tae Kwon Do. It is definetly time for a real KM school in Orlando.

Very Frustrated

[themaronis]

It is sad. I have been searching for a KM school in Brevard County. The only ones who offer it are Victory. But I went and visited one calss and they told me it really WASN'T KM but TKD mixed with \"some\" KM. I was terribly disapointed. We NEED to have something here other than Victory and someone who teaches KM only. If anyone here has any ideas on that, let me know!!! :twisted:

[Ryan]

Please e-mail John Whitman about this. If this is the status quo there, it needs to be addressed, and that's the only way to insure it gets the proper attention. He's teaching in Japan, so it may be a few days before he responds.

His address is johnw@kravmaga.com.

[khvt02]

I emailed John a few weeks ago but never got a response. Anyone else heard anything new?

I wonder if there is an opportunity for a new school here, or if there are some rules about how many Krav locations there can be within a certain area.

[Ryan]

John's just returned from Japan this week. Give him a little time.

[BradM]

I find this very disappointing. As stated in my earlier post, I tried to contact about five of the Victory Martial Arts Schools regarding their Krav classes. No on e ever got back to me and no one has answered my emails. I will be retiring to the Orlando area (Poinciana just outside of Kissemme) and very much would love to continue in Krav.

Victory Martial Arts schools are all Taekwondo schools. I have also heard that Victory uses Krav to get people in the door and then try to get them in the Taekwondo program. I am also a TKd student and would love to continue training in both TKD and Krav. Krav is my major interest and would love to see a good Krav program in the Orlando/Kissemme area.

I agree with the above posts, there needs to be a good Krav program there. Something needs to be done about the program offered by Victory Martial Arts.

John, I hope you can help. Thanks,

[Neophyte]

Glad to see this is a concern to many. I am just sick of Victory. It is just a clip joint as far as I am concerned. They tried to get me to renew for one year last night because my contract is coming up. I said not right now politley, while wondering if I should ask for half my money back on the old contract since I had a certified instructor for about half of the time. I will be e-mailing John and I hope others here will do the same. Their licensee status needs revocation.

[Noleone]

Very frustrated here. I have now been training with a non certified KM instructor for over a month. The original certified instructor has left. I have sent the details to JW and nothing has happened. There is no curriculum, and we have been doing the same thing for a month. The self defense moves are not even KM and nothing is like on the videos. The level II test date keeps moving farther off. I am not even sure it matters any more because it is the same non certified KM instructor that will be teaching level II. They suckered me in with the big discount by paying up front for a year. Now I am screwed. I signed up to learn Krav Maga, not just work out. Vicgory's Krav license needs to be yanked so that no one else ends up in the same situation I am in. :x

[themaronis]

I am glad to see it has brought other people's experiences to the light. Now what is to be done? I think we have all sent emails to John, however, could we go a step further? Maybe call them? Write a letter with all our names on it? Asking them to pull Victory's license and help us aquire an actual KM instructor! There is a demand for it. Any ideas?

[johnwhitman]

Actually, we are on the case. Unfortunately, it may not help your training, because we aren't replacing anything yet...just shutting down programs that are not teaching as they are supposed to.

[MrAiric7]

Has anyone found a place to train in Orlando. I called Victory and they told me they had a licenced instructor on staff. I asked if this instructor would teach the class everytime because I heard sometimes class was taught by another unqualified instructor. They kind of fumbled through the answer and left me with a feeling that they were not really a good school for KM.

[Ragman]

I'm also in the Orlando (Lake Mary) area, and have no/0/zip interest in Victory. Someone needs to step up and open up a proper school for all of us out here! We're starving for instruction!! :x
:wink:
-Rob

[Ragman]

Bah, double post.

[MrAiric7]

IS THERE ANY PLACE THAT WE CAN LEAR IN ORLANDO?????????? :x

[KatieD7]

Lake Mary/Sanford here. I am very interested in starting classes but after reading this I don't think there is anything worth taking in this area. I definitely don't want TKD. Can we keep pushing for some reform here?

[Ragman]

Hey Katie,
Nice to see another lake mary'er... I'm not sure what the next step's gonna have to be for us to get a decent school in the area. I am glad to see more people from the area whom are interested in training. Maybe start a petition? :)

-rob

[khvt02]

along the lines of a petition...

please email orlandokravmaga@gmail.com

:idea:

[KatieD7]

I emailed about a petition. Can someone let us know the status? I have some friends who want to enroll too. I am really bummed that we don't have anything here. :cry:

[BradM]

We just sold my wife's house here in the Atlanta area and mine will go on the market in a couple weeks. As I said in a previoius post, when my house sells, we're moving to the Oralando area (Poinciana just outside of Kissemme (sp). I am a new level-3 Krav student and would very much like to continue in Krav when I move there.

So all you folks in the Orlando area heep us posted on the status of Krav training there.

[khvt02]

Brad M:

Welcome to Orlando! Its really the melting pot of the world, I think!

Have you ever taught Krav, or have any interest? Please email orlandokravmaga@gmail.com. Thanks!

[BradM]

khvt02,
Thanks for the welcome to Orlando. The wife and I are really looking forward to it. What did you mean by Orlando being the \"melting pot of the world\"? Is it because it is hot? Atlanta gets pretty hot and humid also.

Regarding your question asking if I've ever taught Krav. No I haven't, I'll responde further to the email address you posted. That is if my computer will let me - it has been acting up on me this morning.

[Ragman]

I too signed the petition...hopefully it'll happen. Don't see why it shouldn't after all Orlando is growing by leaps and bounds each year.

Brad,
Congrats on the decision to move here!
-rob

[BradM]

khvt02,
I tried twice to send and email to the account you listed on the forum (orlandokravmaga@qmail.com) and got fail messages saying the email did not send. It may be something hidden in the background of my account with earthlink that prevents email from going to that address. I would copy and paste the email here, but I don't want to clutter up the forum message board with stuff that should be email.

[khvt02]

BradM, and others:

maybe I had a typo.

it should be orlandokravmaga@gmail.com

Gmail, as in google mail, not Qmail. Sorry if I messed that up. BradM, please try again.

Orlando IS hot, but I also said that because I have yet to meet someone in Orlando who is actually FROM Orlando! But that diversity makes it kinda interesting living here as well.

I will keep all the \"petition\" folks updated. But if anyone knows someone who may be interested in teaching in Orlando, please respond to that email!!

[Leftie79]

Originally Posted by \"khvt02\"

Orlando IS hot

Sorry to get off topic but I have been to Orlando in the middle of August and yes...it's HOT!

I hope all you Orlando KM guys and gals are able to get your situation fixed. :D

[BradM]

khvt02
I don't think you made a typo. I re-sent my email ensuring I used .......gmail..... It still did not go through. It's probably something in my system that won't let it send. Are other emails getting through to that address? If so, then it's diffinately my system.

Thanks,

[khvt02]

BradM

I have got other emails. Dont know what the problem may be.

Would you rather me send you an email, then you can try to respond? Let me know. I would like to talk to you...

Thanks!

[BradM]

khvt02
Sure, you can try sending me an email. My address is bradmsr@earthlink.net.

I don't know why my email is not getting through to ther address you posted. It's my understanidng that Gmail (Google) is reletively new. Maybe my earthlink system doesn't recognize it or the security I have installed won't let it go through.

Sorry I was so long in responding, but I've been so busy trying to get my house ready to put on the market that I don't get on my computer very often. Selling my house is my top prority now - so I can move to the Orlando area.

Thanks

[KatieD7]

It's been a couple weeks since I signed up for the petition and wanted to check and see if there is any news? I really want to start taking classes!

[Ragman]

Any new Info?

[BradM]

Well I'm now an official resident of Florida. I live in Poinciana, next to Kissimmee. Just wondering how the effort to start a good Krav progam is going? I'm going on a cruise this Saturday, when I get back I'm going to seriously search for a training facility. In the interim I guess I'll give the Victory school in Hunter's Creek a try. They are the closest one to me - still about 30 to 45 minutes away, I think. Anyone had any exposure to that school?

[khvt02]

Anyone interested in becoming an instructor in the Orlando Area, please email orlandokravmaga@gmail.com

[EricaD72]

I came across this thread while trying to find a Krav Maga instructor/school here in Orlando. I can't tell you how bummed I am to hear that it's a lost cause at this point. I'm tempted to look into Victory but after reading your reviews about them I don't want to waste the money. Does anyone have an update on the status of a Krav instructor here in Orlando?

Thanks!

[kvmorl]

Originally Posted by EricaD72

I came across this thread while trying to find a Krav Maga instructor/school here in Orlando. I can't tell you how bummed I am to hear that it's a lost cause at this point. I'm tempted to look into Victory but after reading your reviews about them I don't want to waste the money. Does anyone have an update on the status of a Krav instructor here in Orlando?

Thanks!

With Victory M it's touch and go, you might want to try out the closest one to you, the main thing to check is the instructor, if you get a good one and he has been there a while give it a try.

It's not the best I've seen, but it is definitely better than book/dvd alone.

[EricaD72]

Thanks for the tip. There is one in Windermere right by me so I'm going to look into it but it looks like mostly children. I'm 25 and feel a bit out of place next to a bunch of 8 year olds. I hope they have an adult class.