Chicago's Home for Martial Arts Since 1980
A family-owned academy in Lincoln Square where generations of Chicagoans have built confidence, discipline, and world-class martial arts skills.
Family-Owned. Family-Focused.
Degerberg Academy was built on an idea that was radical at the time: no single martial art has all the answers. Founder Fred Degerberg blended boxing, Thai boxing, jiu jitsu, kali, savate, silat, and wrestling into one practical system — the Degerberg Blend — decades before the world called it mixed martial arts.
More than 25,000 students later, we're still family-owned and operated, still on Lincoln Avenue, and still teaching the same values: respect, perseverance, and taking care of the people around you. Whether your child is four or you're getting back into training at fifty, there's a place for you here.
Two Floors, Five Training Rooms
Our Lincoln Square academy is built for serious training and welcoming to first-timers — two floors and five training rooms: three group class rooms, a bag room, and a weights and conditioning room, running 55 classes every week for kids, teens, and adults.
What's Inside
- Three group class rooms — the Gray, Blue & Red mats
- Bag room with full striking equipment — bags, pads & mitts
- Weights & conditioning room
- Two floors of training space
- Kids and adult class times six days a week
- In the heart of Lincoln Square on Lincoln Avenue
The Values Under the Techniques
Confidence
Students learn to trust themselves — on the mat, at school, at work, and everywhere in between.
Family
We're family-owned and family-run, and we treat every student like one of our own.
Perseverance
Belts aren't given here — they're earned. Showing up and working hard pays off, in training and in life.
Respect
Manners, discipline, and respect for others are built into every class, for every age.
Meet Your Instructors
Led by founder Fred Degerberg, our instructors teach with patience, humor, and decades of combined time on the mat.