I trained under Kyo Sa Nim Fitzgerald for many years, so my review may be a tad bias, but I will keep it short. My training began before our school had an official school building and classes were still held at the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club in one of the classrooms, when I was 11 and I continued with training until I left for college, spending a few summers helping with the children's class and summer day camp. I walked away from the school with several medals from tournament and much more self confidence and inner strength. Being a nerdy tomboy, martial arts brought me much peace and gave me stronger drive to reach for my goals; something I had never taken away from Kung Fu (but I was much younger when trained in Kung Fu). My training here also helped me build my leadership skills at a young age, as being one of the eldest and higher ranked "children" I was able to help lead regular classes. When I first started doing that, it was a bit nerve wrecking but over time I got used to i...but was still thankful when someone else did it,; I was never very confident with speaking Korean in front of others but today it's not a problem :P Kyo Sa Nim would be happy to know that to this day I remember all hyung and do them as often as possible; if I was still in Hyde Park I would return to my beloved dojang. The Seven Tenets are still a big apart of my daily life (Integrity, Concentration, Perseverance, Respect and Obedience, Self Control, Humility, Indomitable Spirit), and I hope that Kyo Sa Nim has left his mark on many of his other students as well. I highly highly recommend this specific school for those that wish to peruse Tang Soo Do, especially in the Chicago area. It is a school where people of all ages can come and train, from old to very young. Kyosanim may seem hard on the students at times, but how else would we learn :) Thanks to him my knees and ankles got stronger, even though I know I could be a pain during class. Kamsahamnida Kyo Sa Nim Fitzgerald for the many great years! read more

I have been training with Master Fitzgerald for more than 14 years. I agree with my fellow reviewers (and classmates) that Fitzgerald's is a welcoming and diverse environment for men, women, and children to learn Tang Soo Do. I love it there and am happy with the skills my 12 year old daughter and 9 year old son are gaining as well. For me too, the community at the karate school has become family and has been a support to me through life's ups and downs. Tang Soo Do has improved my physical fitness, but more importantly, it has changed my character. I am stronger, better able to cope with misfortune, more disciplined, and more confident in my own abilities. I will disclose that I am now a Fitzgerald's instructor. Master Fitzgerald both inspired me and fostered my interest in teaching as I developed as a martial artist. He continues to be a superb instructor and mentor. As a small business owner, and the daughter of a small business owner who worked 80 hour weeks, I appreciate the many, many hours Master Fitzgerald spends at the dojang--far more than any standard workweek. His own children are still young, his wife has a full-time job, and he often has his children with him at the karate school. He works hard to keep them on a consistent schedule and to make sure they have their homework done (which requires that they be fed). As parents and small business owners, we quite often have to multi-task. I think he pulls it off pretty well. In regard to phone calls that come in while class is in session, Master Fitzgerald doesn't have a secretary to answer the phone. He has to answer himself when potential customers call. If he thinks he will be on the phone for awhile and there is another instructor present, he will usually have that instructor continue the class. Sometimes, he doesn't though. I simply see those times as opportunities to practice self-discipline and build muscle while trying to remain in a low stance! :-) read more

My primary concern with this facility is that it is unsafe; early on in my training at Fitzgerald's Martial Arts I sustained an ankle injury as a result of tripping while sparring near a section of warped flooring. This is the type of grid flooring consisting interlocking foam puzzle pieces approximately 2 feet square in size. One of the puzzle pieces in the center of the training area became permanently malformed and bubbled up from the floor plane resulting in a 2-3 inch vertical protrusion extending from the piece. Master Fitzgerald witnessed my fall, and in the following 4 months of my training at this facility nothing was done to remediate this dangerous and uneven surface. To my knowledge this hazard exists at this facility today and demonstrates that the safety of customers at this location is of little or no consideration. There are nuances of the lead instructional staff at Fitzgerald's that I find to be unprofessional, for example Sa Bom Nim Fitzgerald regularly cooking dinner and eating while instructing class, answering the phone and engaging in lengthy conversation while class is session, or frequently starting class 10+ minutes late. To Master Fitzgerald's credit, he appears knowledgeable on the topic of Tang Soo Do and was able to answer all of my questions regarding the art of hand-to-hand combat. I have had good interactions with and hold positive views of other instructors at this establishment, specifically Master Washington, Mrs. Fitzgerald, and Mrs. Travis. Due to my numerous bad experiences at this facility (some not listed), I am giving Fitzgerald's a bad rating. My recommendation to you as a consumer is explore other options before signing a contract at this establishment; consider yourself informed. read more

I too trained under Master Fitzgerald. He is a amazing instructor. I trained under him for about 3-5 years in my younger days. I made it all the way to a red belt with 3 stripes before i moved out of the Hyde park area. Mr. Fitzgerald is a great instructor. If it wasn't for this man shaping me while i was young i probably wouldn't be the person i am today. read more

I started training with Master Fitzgerald over three years ago. I started because my son (then 5) wanted to try a martial art and I thought it would be fun to do it with him. I can't say enough good things about Master Fitzgerald as an instructor or about the terrific community of people who train at the Do Jang. Training in Tang Soo is physically intense and there is no question that it does come along with minor injuries from time to time (especially early on). But there are huge payoffs if you stick with it. It is gratifying to see yourself (and your kids) steadily gain skills that seemed unreachable just a few years ago. And, for me, Tang Soo was the answer to staying motivated to be fit (I've lost over 60 pounds since I started training with Master Fitzgerald). My son and I got so much out of training that, as soon as my daughter turned 5, she and my wife also joined. It is now an activity that our entire family shares together. Which brings me to one last comment. While Master Fitzgerald expects discipline and serious effort from his students, he has also fostered a real sense of community and camaraderie. The ethos of the place is collaborative, not competitive. Higher belts are always ready to help lower belts. Adults and kids know one another and adults cheerfully help children. The parents and grandparents of students stay to watch. It is a really special place in this way, and I look forward to training both for the workout and the people. read more

I have two kids that have studied under Master Fitzgerald and they both have attained there third degree black belts. Their Tang Soo Do Instruction helped to l lay very strong foundation for future success. My kids started when they were 5 and 8 respectively and trained until their teen years before going away to college. This school has a very high ratio of advanced belts and adults that have trained for 4 years or more. That does not happen by coincidence! If you or someone you know is looking for martial arts training then you owe it to yourself to try a beginners' class and judge for yourself. read more