Ultimate gym offers no-nonsense, real martial arts instruction with no BS. The owner, Doug, is a straight up guy and I like how he runs the gym. He doesn't play games with convoluted contracts and 'initiation fees' and the BS that other martial arts schools do. \r
Ultimate Gym is geared towards real fighters. There are a number of professionals that train there. What I like about it is the informal atmosphere but serious training. I usually do the MMA class. I show up, do a hard workout, and stick around for sparring after the class, which is either kickboxing with protective gear or ground grappling. \r
The gym is located in a brick warehouse building with tons of equipment. If you want to see how real fighters train and get in exceptional shape, come down and try it out. \r
What I dislike about most martial arts schools are the games they play with pricing and long-term contracts, and also forcing you to go through a curriculumn that you aren't interested in, with silly belts and postures, uniforms, useless warm up drills, etc. With Ultimate Gym, I show up and have my choice of a number of different classes to attend. No one forces me to buy some halloween costume to work out in--I can wear what I like. The workouts are tough but you're working out with an elite group, and some of these guys fight professionally. No one looks at what color belt you have--people respect you based on your ability. Ultimate Gym isn't for everyone. It's cold in the winter and hot in the summer. The workouts are tough. Most people who do martial arts seem to want to just go through the motions in nice surroundings, and if so, there are plenty of places to choose from. But if you want real training in a real gym, Ultimate Gym is one of the few places available in Charlotte. I've also been very pleased with the quality of the instruction. \r
One of the reviewers mentioned that the gym is very male-oriented. That's true, and there are few women who train there. I consider that a sign of a true combat-oriented facility. If you go to a professional boxing gym, you won't find many women either. The softer the instruction, the more ladies you'll find. Check out a Tae Kwon Do class or yoga class. Sorry ladies, hope that doesn't sound sexist, but generally you don't find many women doing a class that's oriented around real combat.
Pros: No contracts, initiation fees, mandatory uniforms, or BS
Cons: Hardcore gym in warehouse, cold in winter, hot in summer
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