I love everything about EMA. My husband and daughter have been going for years. I recently started and am so glad I did. They are friendly, inviting and very knowledgeable. They make you feel like you have known them forever. Dave, Doug, Jobi are amazing people. You will learn so much while getting an amazing workout. Can’t go wrong!

Evolutionary Martial Arts is more than just a place where people of all ages can learn martial arts. It is a community, a family, in which mutual respect, patience and self esteem are taught. Our daughter has attended this school for several months now and absolutely loves it. Her Sifu encourages her while giving her the ability to succeed in new things. As a result, she continues to thrive with direction and focus. I can not say enough good things about Evolutionary Martial Arts.

Sifu Dave is the owner of this wonderful gym! I started doing private lessons with him and alexandria to learn self defense, got reccomend kick boxing when those were done, and now I am in jujitsu classes. Everyone I have met is casual and feels like family and I love that the coaches/instructors get involved in class. The price is affordable, and they are flexible. If youre looking for a fun way to work out and feel more confident, I reccomend EMA

I’ve been going to EMA for eight years now, this place is the best to train your body and mind. The instructors are wonderful, the workouts are awesome, it’s a clean environment for everyone to come in to. 10 star rating!

Absolutely amazing experience! Would highly recommend! Currently doing private lessons for boxing and it’s the best workout!!

I have trained with EMA since I was seven years old, and only stopped because I left for college (but plan to pick it up again hopefully this summer!) Everyone does the most amazing job. It is clean, friendly, personal, professional, and an all around amazing experience. EMA has taught me not only to be an amazing martial artist, but also how to be kind, how to be lead, confidence, strength both physically and mentally, and most importantly made me a part of something that truly changed my entire life for the better. EMA is my family and I would recommend getting involved here a million times over. Love you guys!

Absolutely the best training my kids ever had. My son and 2 girls (ages 11, 12 & 13) Absolutely love it.

Evolutionary Martial Arts is an awesome place to learn self-defense and self-discipline while growing strong and building confidence. Everyone at EMA makes it feel like a family experience and they really go the extra mile to make sure the kids are learning in a safe and clean environment. Words can really express the appreciation I have for the EMA team there and how good they really are with all of the kids. Its really just a wonderful experience.

Our large family came to EMA towards the end of COVID looking for some martial arts instruction. Sifu Dave was professional and helpful, and we would recommend EMA to others!

Coach Dave is a wonderful instructor. We are newbies to MA and he has been very patient with my sin from the beginning. He has great insight and obvious strong defense skill tactics to teach. High recommend EMA!!

WE LOVE EMA!!! Everything about it is beneficial to my children. The instruction builds self awareness, confidence, agility, and of course martial arts skills. The instructors all make you feel like you are part of a family.

Excellent school. Theyre very professional and knowledgeable. There are many different class times and different types of classes. Great for both beginners and advanced students. Very fair prices too. I love this place!

My 6 yo son has been practicing Karate with evolutionary for a year and he loves it, always get energized by it, and has become more resilient.The teachers there are very friendly and patient, attached to answer every child needs, and dont hesitate to have 1:1 with the kids to teach until the kids understand the exercise and do it properly. Besides important physical skills and body development, they teach important life values such as respect, listening skills, and self assertiveness.Overall a nice team, and 30 minutes fast pace lessons that are very energizing and allow kids to refocus their energy .Try it for yourself!

Sifu Dave and the staff at EMA are very welcoming and knowledgeable. I trained bjj and Muay Thai here for several years in the early 2000s. My son and 2 nephews now go to the Little Ninjas class twice a week and they love it. Sifu Doug is very good with the little kids. They learn great structure and martial arts foundations while having fun. Great local place highly recommend

This Martial Arts School becomes part of your family. The relationships developed here helped my son love high school because he had so many EMA brothers and EMA sisters with him through high school. Thank you,

The owner, Dave, is the ultimate professional and spends time with my kids to help them understand the broader aspects of self defense and martial arts as well as the techniques. Our time with Dave is fast paced and also thoroughly enjoyable. Extremely high marks!

My son has trained here for about 8 years from age 8-16. The staff lead by Sifu Dave and Sifu Doug have been exceptional. The benefits my son received from being part of EMA are great. He enjoyed the summer camps and we even had a birthday party at EMA for him one year that was a big hit for all the kids attending. EMA will elevate your kid’s confidence, team work and abilities to defend themselves and others.

Reliable and trustworthy staff who are extremely skilled in martial arts. very dedicated to their students and families. business has strong history and has been successfully operating many years. large facility with options for adults and children. admirable ethics and code of conduct. they also do local charitable work and give back to community. 5 stars, a+, highly recommend for children and adults.

My Grandson was shy and lacking self confidence. It brought tears to my eye to see him flourish. The trainers are terrific and helped him to try harder in a very positive way. Just what he needed in the right dose.

Fantastic MMA Studio where they truly care about the students. First rate! Sensei Dave is outstanding!

EMA owners Dave and Julie are exceptionally talented, compassionate and fun to work with! If you are looking for top notch training with people who will become your friends, look no further!

Sifu Dave, Doug and staff care about their students and go above and beyond to teach them Martial Arts skills, help them gain confidence, self defense and to keep reaching forward to the next level. It is a family friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend EMA!!

Its a family here & its been a great experience for my son!! And they have done so well for the kids in this hard time & doing zoom bring the kids together.❤

Evolutionary martial arts is an amazing place with skilled and caring staff! We would recommend it to everyone.

Fantastic experience! first class facility and great service. Very knowledgeable

My 3 year old started classes here, and they are awesome. The classes are structured but fun, and everyone is very nice. Overall a really good experience for my little guy, and something he can grow into

My son attends this school and its the best. He has benefited from it in so many ways. What a great way to strengthen your mind body and soul!!

Dave and his team are great instructors! Quality and effective training in a safe environment.

Sifu Dave, Doug and the rest of the EMA cadre are outstanding professionals that bring an obvious passion and expertise to their workplace. I have been fortunate enough to train in multiple disciplines under Sifu Dave and my son was blessed to have Sifu Doug train him in both grappling and striking. Contrary to other studios that we joined prior to EMA which were more like belt factories, the cadre is genuinely invested in the personal growth, proficiency, and true achievement of each of their students. If you are looking to gain a real world self-defense background in a fun family friendly atmosphere, this should be on the top of a very short list.

I first started kickboxing at EMA about 5 years ago with no prior experience. I could not get enough and also joined the HaganaH training offered there. I left every class feeling empowered, strong, and capable. I learned new skills and tactics, and felt part of a training family. Since then, Ive not encountered as high quality and unique offerings in one place as EMA offers. The level of training in kickboxing and ground tactics set the standard for me going forward.

Very supportive and knowledgeable staff ! I eagerly look forward to my weekly class like a giddy, little kid. I have seen my skills improve leaps and bounds. No place like EMA!

My son has a very difficult time paying attention and we thought karate would be a great way to help teach him how to focus. The teacher is extremely patient and very good with him and any other children I see wandering off or checking out in the middle of class! So far it’s been all positive!

The kids classes are great. Sifu Doug and the rest of the instructors are firm yet fun! The kids learn and have fun in the process!

This is a great school for anyone looking for an education in martial arts. The school is clean and well equipped. The instructors are friendly, professional and qualified to teach all courses offered. Most of all is a family operated school with an awesome community of students. 5 stars.

This was the first time I ever took any classes of this type. Being out of my element I soon came to find out that the instructors are extremely knowledgeable, friendly and go out of their way to make you feel comfortable. The ever changing training keeps you on edge and pushes you. Although you can train in this environment and not master it for years, the way it is taught you feel engaged and comfortable in a very short period of time. Great instruction, great variety great class.

It’s a great program. My son really enjoys going each week. I would recommend it for all kids.

A great experience for my son! The instructors made him feel comfortable and relaxed, including the other kids. Lead instructor showed a sincere interest in his students and provided examples on how to solve the everyday problems children see or experience when parents are not around.

Everyone that works there is incredibly kind, welcoming and knowledgeable. The community theyve created is one of a kind! My little guy is looking forward to camp this summer! I highly recommend!! 😁

Very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Everyone is very encouraging and supportive. I would recommend them to all my family in friends. They make learning very energetic and enjoyable.

Great people, always helpful, easy to talk to. I first started here when I was 12, then took some time off and came back. Many different programs to learn, and all the instructors are top notch guys. Best martial arts gym in the area

My daughter has been attending for about two months and loves it! The instructors are great; they are positive and helpful. The staff overall is fantastic.

We recently moved to NJ with our 6 year old and have been letting her try different activities to try to find where her interests lie. I suggested trying martial arts and we found EMA right up the street. The staff was wonderful and she had a great time for her trial month. This month she’s taking art classes but has been doing sit ups, push ups and a few practice kicks here and there - which gives me hope that she’ll eventually decide that she wants to go back to EMA for more training.

I give Evolutionary Martial Arts a Five Star review. The staff is extremely knowledgeable in many different styles of martial arts, extremely kid friendly, and also have great adult classes. If you are in the area of downtown Hackettstown stop in and give it a try you will definitely be glad you did!!

A welcoming, family friendly learning environment. I have been going here on and off for several years and enjoy the quality instruction and knowledgeable instructors.

My kids love it there, Sifu Doug is great with the kids and makes it fun for them. Hes got the patience of a saint!

I tried EMA about a year ago attending a free class since then Ive been going at least 3 times a week. I wish I could be there more often. The gym, coaches, the lessons, the equipment and people are world class. Ive been looking for a gym to push me and give me a workout I can feel great about, EMA does this and more. I feel like part of the EMA family and I am glad and very proud to be part of it. Sifu Dave and Doug are the best martial arts instructors I have ever had the privilege to learn from.

Signed up my 7 year old for classes. So far so good. He loves it. Very easy process. Complimentary class. Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable.

I honestly cant say enough about the fantastic staff who are always encouraging and helpful. They welcome you with open arms and immediately make you feel right at home. I definitely shouldve joined sooner.

My son and I take classes here and we love it. They are very friendly, but do not go easy on you in class. They really teach you well and push you to your limits if you are willing. You will not get your next belt here with ease, but rest assured when you do get it, you earned it. My son is just a yellow belt and Ive seen him sparring against my friends son who is a year older and has his black belt. My son with only a yellow belt kicked his ass in seconds.

My three year old son looks forward to his Little Ninja class. The instructors are all very professional and make the class enjoyable.

Dave and his team have such a great martial arts program. Our daughter has progressed tremendously and its all thanks to EMA. We are very impressed and pleased, and recommend them highly!

EMA is truly an amazing school! Classes provide martial artists at all levels with expert intruction, an intense cardiovascular workout, and even life skills such as self-discipline, respect, and courage to accomplish anything. Becoming a student there will definitely change ones life for the better.

So far everything has been beyond expectation. It is a very friendly environment and training is intense. Ive only been there a couple of months but it feels like I have been there for a couple of years. The amount you learn and the workout you get is worth every penny.

The team here is AMAZING! If you’re looking for a top notch school to train martial arts, from beginner to advanced, look no further!

I started training at EMA several years ago as my first martial arts gym, and the warm welcome I received, coupled with the extremely knowledgeable, professional, yet still personal instruction I received was second to none. I have since moved away and had several memberships at other gyms, none of which compare to the family which I felt I had at EMA.This gym produces a family of warriors capable of defending themselves and watching out for those they care for. Every person there is constantly seeking to improve himself, and to help training partners improve themselves. If you train at this gym, you will push yourself further than you knew you could, if for no other reason then because you see your training partners who you care about pushing themselves, and you want to be there with them.

A Family, A Brotherhood, A Gathering Of Warriors. I have over 30 years of training in many forms of combat arts, EMA is by far the best place I have ever trained in with an outstanding collective of combat arts. Whatever your needs are you will find there, guaranteed.... (Ali)

As a life long martial artist and parent, I was looking for a school that would teach my children the martial arts the way I would but with the structure that teaching at home does not allow. Not only did EMA give my children a lifelong appreciation for the martial arts, but they welcomed me into the family as well. I count Sifus Dave and Doug, as well as the coaches and instructors, among my closest friends. I would recommend EMA to anyone looking to study the martial arts and desiring to raise their children in The Way. And if you dont know what The Way means, come and check out a class.

An amazing group of professionals that truly care about the children they teach. My 5yr old daughter absolutely loves the program and so do we! =)

Our son loves Evolutionary and we cant blame him! Everyone there from the staff to the parents you interact with are wonderful! Its a class establishment built on hard work and dedication.

Dave and the rest of the crew @ EMA were great with my son. The way they made him focus on the task @ hand was great. Something I do not have the ability to get him to do.I had to take my son out of the school due to him wanting to play team sports and those team sports taking all his free time.There is another karate school in North Jersey that actually picks the kids up from school, takes them to the karate school, has them do their homework, gives them time to eat the snacks they bring from home and then karate lessons until the parents come get them.If EMA could do this, I would pay whatever they wanted a month. EMAs karate lessons are worth that extra money. However, if no time to get your kids there????Keep up the good work Dave.

They really the best . I tried to put my son in another place but I am always finds they are the best. I will return my son there again.

This review should have been written years ago when my family first started at Evolutionary Martial Arts.My daughter started with the Little Ninjas class. She absolutely loved it!! As a parent I was amazed at the improvement in her attention span, level of respect that was encouraged for the kids to maintain, and just the way the classes managed to be so organized. Sifu Doug is truly amazing with the kids.It was enough to get myself signed up to try a Fit-4-Battle class. I was hooked pretty instantly. Let me start by saying you will be pushed to the max but in such an encouraging environment. This level of workout just can not be matched through most of these traditional gym classes. Through this class strictly I managed to lose 30+lbs of baby weight.The owner Sifu Dave and all of the trainers are so highly skilled and knowledgeable in their field. They make you feel like family when you walk in the door. Now after 3 years of myself and my daughter being part of this community I have my 3 year old son starting in the same Little Ninjas class his sister was in.Really can not speak higher of EMA. If you have not checked them out yet...I totally recommend going in and trying a class out....you wont be disappointed.

I first signed my son up, and the instructor is great with all the kids! He is very patient, and helps build their attention/focus! After a few weeks, I decided to give it a try myself. They offer a free class to see if you’d like it. I took Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu one after the other, which I don’t recommend if you’re new. Sifu Doug is one of the greatest and wisest teachers I’ve met. He places importance on safety and technique, and making sure no one gets hurt. He’s a powerful force. The gym is clean and well maintained, and everyone is extremely friendly! The sign-up process was quick and easy, and I look forward to training!

This is a wonderful place to train! Feels like family! Patient and kind instructors!

Top notch children’s program and excellent adult programs. Couldn’t be happier with the level of skill and care the children get on the mat, as well as the welcoming community of owners, instructors, and students.

Both my kids attend ages 6 and 4. Only a few weeks in so far but they love it

Dave is an excellent instructor. I strongly recommend Evolutionary martial arts for both kids and adults.

I have trained in multiple dojos and although I have only trained in Evolutionary Martial Arts for a short amount of time the truth is that the staff genuinely cares for each student and the training and experience gained is unparalleled. They know what theyre talking about and if your looking for a place where theyll make you work hard and youll see results then this is the place to go.

Best place around for MMA/fitness.

Ive been training here over 3 years now and 2 of my kids have also. Its an excellent, friendly environment with a very professional, highly skilled instructors.

Excellent!

Dave is great to work with and is very flexible in planning programs with EMA!

Exemplary commitment to mastery, teaching, community, integrity and the art of self defense and fitness. Sifu Dave, Sifu Doug and all of the teachers bring a level of knowledge and heart that is unparalleled. I can not say enough good about my continual experience and am grateful for each opportunity offered through their training and programs.

Lots of choices to study several martial arts with qualified instructors.

Having trained in the marrial arts for a number of years, I can say from experience that Evolutionary Martial Arts is one of the best schools around. Sifu Dave Ferreira and staff are very professional and dedicated to giving the best instruction possible. Whatever your reason to train, EMA is your source!

My son Kevin loves it!

Excellent training, with friendly, funny and humble staff, as well as patrons. The only reason I dont train with this school anymore, is because I moved back to Seattle, Wa. Thanks Sifu Dave, Sifu Mike, and Sifu Doug!

I trained with Sifu Dave for several years. When I first started at EMA I knew absolutely nothing about Muay Thai, BJJ, or MMA in general.SIfu Dave was 100% invested in my development as a fighter and a person. He is committed to his students and dedicated many hours outside of the scheduled class times to train those who wanted to keep going.Within a relatively short time frame I was able to begin competing in Muay Thai fights, as well as a few MMA fights.Whether you want to train for competitions, or just want a great work out, Sifu Dave will motivate and train you to do more than you thought possible.

Great school with amazing instructors..Highly recommended

Excellent service and staff

Best school around hands down!

I have a best experience in this field.

Great work out!!