Great place to start your learning in martial arts or pick up where you left off. Awesome community…read moreand terrific teaching!

I want to give a review as a student from both the past and the present at this establishment. My…read moreexperience with Master Martial Arts and Master Sam Um has been nothing short of incredible. I originally started practicing Taekwondo here when I was much younger, early through late middle school. I was always engaged in every aspect of the class: Master Um makes an unbelievable effort to ensure every student of his is properly trained and gets individual attention throughout the class time to heighten their skills. When I reached highschool, I stopped after achieving a red belt due to my schedule not fitting, but had always wanted to go back and continue training because the classes were so fun and useful. Now, at age 21 and a full time student in college, I have returned to train in TaekwonYusul. From my understanding, "Taekwon" means "striking" and "Yusul" means grappling. Master Um has created a new hybrid of the traditional martial arts (Taekwondo, Gonkwon Yusul, Brazillian Ju Jitsu, Judo) labeled TaekwonYusul to emphasize it's heightened practicality over other single-focus arts. This is hands-down one of the most effective and useful martial arts I've discovered through my years of experience, and incorporates techniques from other martial arts that just WORK. I would say that TaekwonYusul is more of a taditional style mixed martial art, which gives it an advantage over most other options. The classes are structured, we spar with padding and safety equipment every class, and you will 100% be accomadated to whatever skill level you start at. With my Taekwondo background helping in the striking areas, I was surprised by how quickly I was finding myself retaining grappling techniques. All of the other students are wonderful and very helpful, often offering to teach you more in depth technique if you seem to be having a hard time grasping any concepts. I was very surprised to learn that TaekwonYusul hasn't been proffessionally recognized as a new martial art, but I have no doubt that in a few years this will be practiced by gyms accross the world. As for Master Um, he is one of the best teachers and coaches I've had throughout my life, always attentive and eager to teach and ready to demonstrate a technique the moment you have a question. His credibility is unbelieveable, having over 40 years of experience with martial arts and winning many competitions for Taekwondo in his youth. He's trained over 5,000 students, and that figure is from when I was a kid. I just want to say that if you read this whole thing, please consider joining. It might be the most exciting and engaging thing you get to look forward to going to after school or work. Thank you Master Um, I look forward to continuing my training. Thanks for reading, Yelp!

Finding a place where your child feels comfortable, supported, and excited to learn is…read morepriceless--and that's exactly what we found here! The instructors were so patient with him and gave him the space to open up while gently encouraging him along the way. Seeing the difference now is amazing--he looks forward to every class and comes home so proud of himself! What I love most is that they're not just teaching Tae Kwon Do. They're helping the kids build confidence, discipline, respect, focus, and good habits in such a positive and encouraging environment. The instructors truly care about the kids, and it shows in everything they do. We're so happy we found this place!

First the good:…read more Master Yang and Master Higgins are outstanding instructors! They obviously have a love for Tae Kwon Do and for teaching in general. You and/or your child will likely learn a lot under their teaching. They will dedicate time to you and/or your child to help you along in the process. Now, for the disappointing: When you sign up, it appears you are signing a contract, which is completely understandable. As it turns out, not only are you signing a contract, you are applying for a loan, which will go on your credit report. Keep this in mind, as signing up (unless you are paying cash for everything up front) will likely impact your credit report, as it did ours.

Mr Johnson and his employees have taught me more than just a way to defend myself, they've…read moreinstilled in me a passion. Thank you for always being approachable, kind, and patient.

I will admit, I was a little intimidated walking into my first Jiu Jitsu class. I had zero prior…read moremartial arts experience, and as a woman in my mid-40s, I felt a little out of place. But everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was fun and encouraging so I kept going back. I've been training for a little over a year now and I absolutely love it. It's not at all what I expected. Jiu Jitsu is equal parts physical and mental and allows me to clear my head and stay in the present moment like nothing I've ever experienced. It's like an amazing workout paired with a couple hours of meditation. There is an endless amount to learn which keeps it interesting. And while I didn't start because I wanted to learn self-defense, I walk with a little more confidence knowing I could defend myself in a real world situation if I ever needed to. There are lots of great instructors, each with their own unique teaching style. The head instructor, Richard Giberson, is a black belt under Relson Gracie. He is super talented, funny and truly wants to help his students learn and progress. If you're curious about Jiu Jitsu, I highly recommend coming to a class and checking it out. Great instructors, great group of students, and an all around awesome school. 6pm Wednesday is a "Fundamentals" class. It's only a hour and is geared toward beginners and people working on getting better at the basics!

My son, David, who is six did this camp x3 weeks this summer and loved loved loved it! Lots of…read moregirls there, too. He was a bit young for one of the weeks but Brad (the owner/manager/teacher) kept a special eye on him..so I think would be still a great fit as he gets older and will definitely go back next summer! Very clean, variety of activities, kind helpers, and safe!

The studio is spotless and well-equipped and the tae kwon do instructors are excellent. My 4 year…read moreold son loves the Tiny Texans class and looks forward to it every week.

You all have been patient Grasshoppers, and I've been dubbed Duchess of this Dojo, so it seems a…read morereview is finally in order. Contrary to popular belief, Asians are not born with a camera around their necks, nor are they born natural Ninjas. However, my Asian child was once mocked by an antagonistic condescending fake-o karate chop from boy with a rattail who's parents clearly hadn't exposed their son to the big wide world of diversity. Other than secretly wanting to take a pair of scissors or a machete to that mullet, I pondered how funny it would have been if my kid had been able to turn around and wax on wax off that brat's face. Turns out that route would have been completely out of character for my mild mannered kiddos, so it wasn't until years later that I would revisit the idea of martial arts lessons. I don't know if it was the resurgence of nostalgic music ("Everybody was Kung Fu fighting...fast as lightening"), the new Jackie Chan movie, or the desire to reform our broken Asian image after William Hung butchered it with his horrendous karaoke singing of "I Believe I Can Fly", but suddenly my youngest daughter was bound and determined to become a black belt ASAP. It eventually became the popular thing to do at her school so she looked at it as extended playtime since her friends were going to lessons too. After she had been going for about a year, my son decided to join. And because it's free for the rest of the family after the first two paid tuition's, I joined. But I'm getting ahead of myself. As it turns out, students have to start with the basics. Real basics. Like, how to tie the belt. Little kids have the toughest time learning because of the dexterity required, middle kids catch on quickly, and the older kids like me simply have to practice. I'm happier about practicing tying a belt more so than I am about wearing those gangsta pants that have the crotch hanging down to my knees. I know it's all about having the freedom of movement to kick well, but that fact doesn't lessen the feeling that I'm wearing an ill fitting adult diaper that has reached its capacity despite the saturated capacity silicone gel beads inside it. Other than that, I feel pretty bad ass after class when I'm wearing the uniform and running errands. Yah, you *better* give me my grande 2 pump mocha, 1 pump peppermint, nonfat, extra hot, no foam, no whip coffee, or else! oh, ok, no peppermint today? That's okay, I didn't want it anyway, thanks. Along with learning how to dress, students learn a dose of humility and respect. Bow upon entering and exiting the dojo. Address senior belts by "Sir" and "Ma'am" and refer to them as Mr./Miss. Imagine the fun my kids have when I am required to address them as such during class. Every kid's dream right there. But class has to end sometime, Mister, and then you are *mine.* Yes, classes are a bit mixed. Youngest children are in a class of their own, then preteens and teens are in Jr class, until aged 13 or adult sized at which point the kids join the adult class. The dojo here is covered completely with pads, likely to make it easier to clean up the blood, j/k. Be careful, though, because the mats can cause stubbed toes and it hurts. The mats are cleaned religiously so no need to worry about nasty nasties getting on your bare feet. In fact, if your feet look dirty, you will be asked to wipe them with baby wipes available. I'll even take it a step farther and tell you to shower before you come if you're the type that sweats throughout your day before getting to class. There's nothing nastier than having a sweaty arm putting you in a headlock and sharing the excess bodily fluid ewwwww I take this class because it stretches my horizons, both physically and mentally. I'm in reasonably good shape, but I do believe the ravages of time are beginning to make some of those synapses quit firing and become duds. The concentration it takes to learn a new "form," or kata, is challenging, but after I've mastered it, there is a sense of having staved off one more week of Alzheimer's should that be in my future :( Speaking of looking at future benefits, this sport requires developing a great sense of balance...something that will stave off hip injuries in the elderly, which I am closer to being than I'd like to acknowledge. I plan to emulate Yoda and bounce off the ceiling and walls when I'm 70 and I don't want to be breaking a hip! If torturing yourself for the sake of self improvement doesn't appeal to you, then you can get your Michael Jackson (RIP) on and watch the kiddos from the waiting area. Other than you as the creeper, this is a family friendly environment. The instructors and students are like one extended family....feel the love. Alternatively, if you are a mullet stylin bully, be prepared to meet a Texas sized can of Whoop Ass the next time you pick on my little yella fella!

Westlake TKD is amazing, and the owners Tim and Glenda McCulloch, along with their 3 sons, are a…read moresuper sweet taekwondo family who truly care about all of their students. My older daughter has been attending for 5 1/2 years, and my younger daughter for 3 1/2. If your child (or you!) is interested in doing taekwondo, Westlake TKD is the place to be.

oh my gosh. I had reached out to this place, to make sure it was the specific place I was looking…read moreto enroll my son in. it was not. But this lady continued to harass me, texting me from different number asking if I wanted to use the trial still or maybe for somebody else after I had already told her no, twice. ARE THESE PEOPLE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN DISCIPLINE AND RESPECT? because... YIKES. the place I was looking into, https://www.southaustintkd.com/ was the only place I was interested in because of their mission to instill these important life lessons and skills to help develop your children into respectful, disciplined, confident young adults. so note to this business. you didn't get my business because when someone who represent your business can not demonstrate restraint, cant take no for an answer and keeps pushing to get a "yes" then I have every reason to believe bullying and harassing others is something this company, that you represent, must condone this kind of behavior. These poor kids need to go somewhere that isn't just a money grab and find a place like south Austin taekwondo on Brodie lane. Watch the video on their home page, because THAT man who owns the business is clearly in it for the right reasons. i would never send my child here based solely on my experience being called by them once, not picking up, and immediately noticing they were calling me again, back to back to reach me and continuing the harassment via text using several different numbers (assuming so I can't effectively block them) Please. do better. Be better. I want to post the pictures of the screenshots from my text messages. If someone can tell me how to do that I would love to share what I experienced so you all can make a better- informed decision when it comes to taking your business to these people. Zero stars.

This is not a good place for kids' taekwondo. There are so many issues…read more The classes are often too crowded and kids run into each other. There are not enough instructors in each class, so kids will be practicing the moves incorrectly and no one notices. But the biggest issue is that the main instructor talks to kids a lot about bad guys and bullies, at first saying that the kids shouldn't use what they've learned in class on others, but then a very confusing several minutes later it sounds like maybe they should do just that? I don't see any emphasis on the self control and discipline that makes martial arts so valuable. Parents yelling on the sideline for their child to "get him! Make him hurt!" are ignored, the kids spar with other kids at very different belt levels since the sparring classes are open to everyone from beginners to almost black belts (with the one at the higher belt level told not to hold back, which kids do naturally because they don't want to hurt each other), discipline issues during class are dealt with with barely a consequence, and the emphasis is only on attendance and leveling up, regardless of anything else.

I wasn't expecting such enjoyable and friendly teachers which is great as they are so patient and…read morehelpful with my restless and testy children. By nature I tend to be very skeptical of many places for my kids but so far I am very glad we found a great group of instructors especially considering they have a genuine interest in teaching and helping others in the community. Very highly recommended!!

From the owner: We teach the Traditional Style of Tae Kwon Do. You will learn the global standard of Tae Kwon Do…read moretraining under a 9th Degree Grand Master. It is an Olympic recognized sport which gives anyone the opportunities they seek in a martial arts or karate style hobby or career.

My daughter started at HK Taekwondo as a Tiger (5 years old) and over the last five years has…read moreearned her Red Belt. HK Taekwondo has been the one to take her through this entire journey so close to reaching the top. HK Taekwondo is probably the best experience I've not only had with a martial arts studio, is has been and still remains one of the best family owned businesses I've ever had experiences with. Master Kim and his Teachers are firm, consistent, teach discipline but not through aggression or anger rather sternness and firmness at a level the child can comprehend and understand. I believe this is why over the last five years, I have seen other kids also grow up in the same program. If you want to start this journey as adult or with your child I very much highly recommend this school. PS - I also know this school follows guidelines and teaching standards for a path to the Olympics.

Most of the high reviews are from years ago…read more Master Kim, the owner, is missing and rarely interacts with students. The instructors are hit or miss. If you get one of the 2 that actually teach they have different approaches that contradict each other. A 3rd teacher is a student that has no business teaching. He has no leadership ability and the students have no respect for him. At one point in 2022 their main instructor at the time went on vacation and then was out sick for an extended time. During that time, the owner, master Kim was still no where to be found and the classes were taught by students. When the instructor came back most of the classes were a disobedient mess. No one was prepared for that round of testing so they had the students repeat the previous test since they went 2 months without learning anything. When you look at the calendar it is packed with classes, but that is not up to date. They teach multiple experience levels at the same time in a relatively tiny studio. There is no common space, for parents, gear, backpacks or shoes. Just a narrow walkway with a row of benches right off the mat. Students get close enough to hit spectators. Kids are stacked too close to each other and run into each other while practicing forms. There is so much confusion about which class is at each time, you almost always end up with lower belts in the advanced class. They take 30 minutes to warmup, split into groups, maybe do 5-10 minutes of Taekwondo, and then spend the last 15 minutes of class playing a kids game like tag or jump rope. The week before each test they realize how under prepared most students are and suddenly get serious. They need everyone to sign up for the test because it is a revenue generator. You get to the test, where master Kim makes an appearance. His rambling and confusing comments drag the event beyond the expected time, usually running an hour late for 1 hour time blocks. The test devolves into him referring to everyone as "you" since he doesn't know any of his students names. He starts teaching a class during the test. It is really more judgement on the poor quality of instructors rather than the students trying to pass. The parents sit there asking themselves where this level of instruction has been the prior 3 months. Ultimately the students try multiple times, take breaks to have 1 on 1 training sessions before they try again. Eventually after enough attempts most of them pass. I wrote this review while sitting at a belt test, watching multiple students fail even though they required a testing form to be signed in advance by an instructor, acknowledging they were ready. Master Kim determines if the kids pass the test, but the instructors somehow have no idea what his standards are. In the weeks leading up to the test, us and other families were requesting help on specific aspects of the test but the help provided by the instructor (who is actually a student on the performance team) was minimal and provided no constructive feedback. Over half of the students failed and the owner told those families that he would personally guarantee to work with them for 2 weeks and they would retest and pass. From Friday to Tuesday master Kim forgot about the promise he made. It turned into assigning a different instructor to work with them which turned into students (who were not instructors or black belts) working with the kids for about 15 minutes in one of the classes. The most frustrating part of the re-test was an instructor telling the kids if they worked "this hard" before the original test they would have passed the first time. Absolutely disconnected, if the instructors were consistent every class, rather than just the week before a test, their students would have actually been prepared. But keep letting the kids run around playing tag with pool noodles.