Rough Hands

Great place and great instructors. You automatically feel apart of the team.

Reviewed on Google Maps

Very friendly trainers, a husband and wife combination. Very open and non critical, beginner and advanced student friendly. Well worth the fairly low prices.

Reviewed on Facebook

Mitt Mania was a great workout plus tons of fun! Will definitely be attending more classes.

Reviewed on Facebook

I couldn't make it through my week without some Rough Hands in my life

Reviewed on Facebook

Excellent gym! While easy going and goofy, they are serious about their craft and sharing their knowledge.

Reviewed on Facebook

I put on boxing gloves for the first time tonight & absolutely loved it! I love Mitt Mania & the yoga classes. I cannot wait to try the other classes!

Reviewed on Facebook

The physical but more importantly the mental benefits are amazing.... so in short if you desire to feel better ....... try a few classes...

Reviewed on Facebook

I love mitt mania on Tuesdays! It is a great way to let off steam after a stressful day at work. Also love yoga on Wednesdays! ! It helps me relax and gets me in a good mindset for the rest of the week!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Jesse is a great instructor. The school is very welcoming and a lot of fun. He has a passion for teaching you the skills to be healthier and safer in a world that doesn’t make it easy to be either.

Reviewed on Facebook

Shelby and Jesse really have created a place where anyone no matter the skill level and come to class and feel comfortable learning and expanding their skill set. Truly my favorite place to go let off some steam with mitts and gloves and calm myself on the yoga Matt. #takemymoney More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I've been going to Rough Hands a few times a week for a little over a month now. While I wanted to take some self defense classes, I was really intimidated to start, as I'd never done any training before. After one class with Jesse and Shelby, I was already feeling comfortable and excited to go back! Both Shelby's yoga and Jesse's fighting classes give you a great workout and teach you valuable skills. More importantly, the two of them do an incredible job of creating a sense of community and safety within their studio. I have literally never enjoyed working out before, but Rough Hands has changed that for me. Training with them has made me feel so strong and confident, and I feel truly excited for every single class. I CANNOT recommend them highly enough! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

I have SO enjoyed every one of Rough Hand's classes so far!! I'll give overall feedback then share more dets about each of the types of classes I've attended.

Krav Maga on Monday's is great for anyone interested in getting a great workout and learning some super useful self-defense techniques. Jesse starts the class with a fast paced warmup, then explains the basics of the technique we're learning that day. You partner up and practice the first technique back and forth for a bit - working up quite a sweat while you get good at that foundation skill, say palm strikes or elbows. Then he layers on one step at a time throughout the class, till by the end you're practicing a whole sequence of defensive options. My biggest appreciation is that Jesse is great at answering questions and helping you break it down or troubleshoot if something feels awkward at first.

Mitt Mania on Tuesdays is focused more on boxing, using gloves and mitts. With partners again (we all buddy up at class, no need to bring your own) you're focused on learning different punches and techniques. This class intimidated me the most when I first came, because Ali I ain't. But Jesse told me it's accessible to beginners, and he was true to his word. He's great at breaking everything down and starting off simple, then building as you learn. Even folks with years of experience are excited to help us new folks refine our technique and show us new ways to approach each strike. Very fast paced with lots of instruction, tips and pointers, and a very beginner-friendly environment.

Yoga on Wednesday is when all that energy, excitement, and wildness from the week - both in the classes and in the rest of your journey - comes back into alignment in your body, mind, and soul. Shelby's yoga classes are my JAM. She brings a fresh, casual, down-to-earth approach to the practice. And lots of jokes. It's a wicked fun group of folks. So if you like joy, laughter, and being a human, you will love this yoga class.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what these two have in store for us next. In the meantime, I'll be kicking it on these beautiful summer days gettin fit and learnin useful stuff with my Rough Hands fam!! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Rough Hands is top notch! Since day one - just over a month ago - I have felt welcomed and cared about every time I go to class. Both the yoga classes, taught by Shelby, and self defense classes, taught by Jesse, have empowered myself and my wife to be better both physically and mentally in our everyday lives. Also, the community that has stuck with Jesse and Shelby over the years has been incredibly supportive, welcoming, and also pushes us to be better every class. Jesse and Shelby have created a community that brings friendship as a core value to their practice of yoga and self defense! So, please give them a try and by all means keep on coming back! More...

Reviewed on Facebook

Great group of people that take their training serious but not themselves. Coaches are very open, friendly, approachable and make you feel like family. Instructors and students alike in the various classes are always welcoming. As a guy that has trained in various martial arts throughout the years, I highly recommend Rough Hands. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

From day one, the folks at Rough Hands have made me feel included and offered encouragement, while pushing me to challenge my whiny, exercise-hating butt. It’s clear that Jesse and Shelby care about really helping you train, and learn to defend yourself. They have a thoughtful, reasonable approach to what they teach, rather than following a script, and they leave ego, drama and other bs out of it. The camaraderie between students makes me look forward to getting my butt kicked. At Rough Hands you’re in a room full of people that you want on your team. And you want to be on theirs. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

If you are looking for personal attention in a class atmosphere in the Louisville area, you can end your search. I trained one on one with Jesse Walker years ago and his classes are no less personal. There is a difference between learning how to do something and how to do something right with consistency under pressure. The real world is never in a gym Rough Hands trainers know this and work to bring real world scenarios to the classrooms. If you are interested in Krav Maga, Muay Tai, or Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), to build your inner badass - again... you can stop looking now. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Great atmosphere. Knowledgeable instructors. Welcoming environment and classmates. Beginner martial arts student. Have been going for about a month. Went in for free trial, but joined that first day. Instantly felt comfortable and that the training offered is well taught at a good pace and effective. I leave every time a little bit better. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Started about a month ago, all the coaches are great, very patient and knowledgeable. All the classes are great. I definitely recommend!

Reviewed on Google Maps

I've been doing Krav Maga and/or BJJ at various schools for over 8 years. I had previously trained with Jesse at another school and always felt that he was the best teacher I ever worked with. His curriculum of Krav Maga is very well thought out to work in real-life situations (not just on the mats). I also loved the family atmosphere that his previous gym cultivated. When I heard that he opened Rough Hands, I came over and started training with him again right away. I can tell you that the family atmosphere is here and Jesse's training is as fantastic as ever. Jesse and Shelby have gone out of their way to become great friends with me and seem to do the same for just about everyone at the gym. Obviously, I highly recommend. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

Great school!!!! The instructor Jesse Walker is very good at breaking skills down for anyone to learn. He has a passion for helping you get healthier and safer in this world that doesn’t make it easy to be either.

Reviewed on Google Maps