If you want to join this Martial Arts class, you will notice Master Shim will force you to pay for…read moreatleast 3 months. There is no monthly option. Actually he will convince you to pay for a year. And there is a SOLID reason behind it! UNLESS you have a super athletic body and have been doing gymnastics for years, YOU WILL INCUR AN INJURY IN THIS CLASS!! And then Master Shim WILL NOT REFUND YOUR MONEY but will try to CONVINCE you to continue the class even after incurring an injury. I incurred a leg injury while doing this class since there is no prep. training and you will be thrown into class which can be mild or severe depending on the "mood" of the trainer, who is the son of Master Shim. My knee injury was so severe in Shim's class, I had to be treated by Bone & Knee institute and furthermore had to consult with a medical doctor who put me into a rehab and strictly prohibited me to continue Shim's training. I was affected for a whole month with my work and travel plans adversely affected. So I approached Master Shim with a doctor note and showed my injury and asked politely for a partial refund, ONLY for unused time since he received 3months advance ( remember Master Shim always charges you for 3 months and even try to convince you for 1 yr advance payment). First he gave me a lot of BS, saying that I should be a "man" and continue this class even I was in Rehab for a month. I left that day but approached him a few days later and told him that I will never be able to continue this class, so please refund my unused time only (which was 2/3rd). Master Shim told me to come after a month since he was "tight" on money to provide me any refund. So I waited one month and went back to him again. Master Shim started to act upset with me and said that he talked to his son, who is the actual owner of this Martial Arts operation (Which is a lie, Master Shim is the real owner), and that his son has advised Master Shim to only refund me $100 (instead of $350). I was quite shocked but knowing that something is better than nothing at that point, asked him to refund only $100. He again asked me to come back again (4th time) and made an appointment with me at 5pm the next day. When I went at 5pm the next day, he was nowhere to be found. I left disappointed but came back around 6:30pm (5th time) and he was still nowhere to be found. I asked his son where he was, and Master Shim was apparently hiding in the backroom instead of in his front office, as he always is. By this time I was convinced that Master Shim is a CROOK. But I waited patiently outside his office as he said he will write me a check. After a couple of minutes, he brought out an empty checkbook showing me he ran out of checks and that I should come again tomorrow. I have had enough with this sleazeball named Master SHIM by this time. I simply told him firmly that I will contact an attorney and take him to court for running an operation which causes injuries to people. I also informed him that I will contact Attorney General's office and Better Business Bureau about his dishonest business practices. But that time his son came outside and was witnessing the conversation who inculcated some sense to his dad to just refund the money instead of jerking a customer around. Master Shim still refused to provide a refund, which he had promised!! At that point his son pulled out his cell phone and offered me a refund of only $100, when they actually owed me around $350. The moral of the story here is that Master Shim runs a business which is causing major injuries to people and there is a reason why they ask for 3 months or years worth of advance upfront. Unless you are an athlete or a gymnastics person or know Martial arts already, you WILL INCUR AN INJURY HERE. And guess What? You will receive a goodbye from this operation if you ask for any refund. Actually they will encourage to bring your injured self back again, and continue to get injured because there is no money back. JOIN THIS SHIM'S TRAINING AT YOUR OWN RISK!!

To say that Shim's TKD has helped me in life would be an understatement. I've been attending…read moreclasses for almost nine years now, and in those nine years I've learned not just how to defend myself, but also valuable skills like endurance and confidence. Those skills have served me well in other areas of life, from giving me the courage to try new things and go out of my comfort zone to helping me keep up and do well in other sports I do. Additionally, everyone there is so encouraging, and going to class feels like hanging out with friends in addition to learning self defense. Classes are relatively short and fit nicely into a busy schedule, and even if you have to miss a few classes, it's no trouble to slip back in and pick up right where you left off. Overall, I would highly recommend Shim's TKD, for not just the self defense but also for the welcoming community.

This place has been an amazing experience for my 4 year old, Jevon. We've seen an huge impact in…read morehis discipline and focus, and he is always excited to go to class and see Master Yoon. The positive structure and encouragement make this program truly special.

NSMA has been an amazing place for my shy 4 year old. He walked in with a whisper and after just a…read morefew short months there is a 'loud' i have never heard come out of him. He is the most confident version of himself when he enters class. I am in awe at how Master Yoon controls class and guides each child. He helps them achieve their goals individually in a class setting. He teaches discipline in at the right ways for this age group and you can see how it continues as they get older. Testing for a new belt was such an incredible sight, there is so much pride he brings out and the whole thing was ran in such a smooth respectfully way. 100% recommend this place, they offer a trial class so you can check it out first.

This school is incredibly good. My kid attends classes for almost two years now, and he is still…read morenot bored. We tried many other sports: soccer, basketball, fencing, you name it, but this is the one he is really devoted to. The best part is the instructor, Master Angel. He teaches all classes by himself, and he is a true professional. Sir Angel instructs students not only how to defend themselves, but also teaches them discipline, respect to elders and each other. The classes are three times a week, and my kid also attends summer training camp. The camp is from 9am till 4 pm but he doesn't want to leave at 4, and stays for extra classes. New belt test is approximately every two months, and students also go to championships. And when I say championships, I mean the real ones, not the ones where losing teams get the same trophies as the winning team. I can't remember my kid losing once. The whole school does very well at the championships. Watching bigger kids' performance is like seeing Van Damme's movie. They are so good.

ONG Taekwondo Academy is by far the best martial arts studio in the area. My daughter began…read moretraining with Master Ong when she was 7 and she loves attending the classes. Since she started two years ago, her self confidence, coordination, and endurance has gone up drastically since she began training here. Master Ong and the other instructors are phenomenal. They have a visible passion for the art and pass that passion down to the students. Each instructor takes the time out to get to know all the kids to work with their strengths and weaknesses. They emphasize character building and respect for others. The Harwood Heights facility is very clean and they plenty of room for the students to train. They provide a flexible class schedule for kids and adults. On top of Taekwondo they offer music, adult aerobic classes and dance at the facility. So if your kids have multiple interests this is a great place to go. Did I mention they have summer camp and winter camp? I can't say enough good things about OTA, the instructors and the students here. If your looking to get yourself or your kids into martial arts, I would highly recommend Ong Taekwondo Academy.

Still an excellent martial arts gym. Their taekwondo program is still very good after all these…read moreyears/decades Believe me I know, since I am a hard core Taekwondo practitioner for more than 30 years. They concentrate on power and real life application of TKD. In fact Krav Maga self defense techniques are incorporated into the Taekwondo self defense curriculum. The masters/instructors will be honest if one is not doing the drill correctly. They will also pat you on the back of you are doing it right. That is what you want. Masters Dante and Leanne will push you to reach your martial arts goals.

My kids have been going for taekwando lessons at Ultimate Martial Arts for years now. It's been…read moregreat so far. My kids have learned a lot not only self defense but also self discipline and respect for others. The place is also always clean and family friendly.

I have to say I am extremely impressed with Master David's ability to connect with, and inspire…read moredeveloping children to focus so intently on finding a positive center in the martial arts. My son Rocco has been attending Summit classes since August 2016 and has not only slimmed down CONSIDERABLY, he has found balance; both on his feet and in his level of self confidence. His progress and performance in TKD have been consistantly remarkable. I can say, without reservation, that the effects of my son's new focus on health and school have paid dividends that far overshadow the cost of enrollment and his understanding of the concept of "success by merit" is priceless in an "everyone gets a trophy" world. The levels of concentration and discipline present in a class of 6 - 15 year olds still occaisionally leaves me in awe. I have been training Law Enforcement for 14 years. I sometimes feel like I have spent my entire adult life teaching officers and instructors the nuances of interpersonal violence. In that time I have experienced every shade of talent and capability in the world of trainers. I feel incredibly lucky to have found such an incredible TKD studio in Park Ridge!

I paid for a two week trial, my 8 year old is a beginner white belt. The Master is a very focused,…read moretalented instructor who puts kids of all ages through their paces. He is both supportive and challenging, a great teacher. The fees are very reasonable for the amount of instruction time he offers - he wants to see as much of his students as they can commit, it's a flat monthly fee. It seems like his students have lots of opportunities to attend competitions if they choose.

Love this place! Wonderful people, excellent master skills. Above and beyond of just KWD.read more

Amazing instructors who actually care about the health and wellbeing of all of their students!…read morePracticed with Ma'am and Sir since I was 15. I would NEVER go to a different school. They are truly amazing people who know the sport well.

TMA is great. My 8yr old son has been doing it for 3yrs. Master Lee is the best instructor. It has…read morebeen an excellent program for both teaching strength and self discipline. I would recommend this place to anyone who's looking for a martial arts class for their kid.

My son has been attending TMA since he was 5 years old. With so many Taekwondo schools to choose…read morefrom, we weren't sure which would be the best fit. However, a friend in the field recommended Master Lee as an excellent mentor, and we're glad we followed their advice. Over the past three years, we've seen tremendous growth in our son's confidence and character. He used to be very shy, but now he's full of energy and enthusiasm. Through Taekwondo, he's learning to be respectful and developing leadership skills as he advances through the belts. We're incredibly proud of his progress, and he loves attending practice each week. We highly recommend TMA!

We had our daughters 6th birthday party at Agbon Martial Arts. They did a wonderful job, helping…read moresetup all the decorations, engaging all her friends to participate, and taking photos to share for everyone. Watching the kids faces to break a board was a highlight. Best birthday party. Master Mary Ann delivers great communication so it's very clear what to expect the day of the party. We can't thank Agbon Martial Arts enough for this wonderful party and what they provide each week in class for our daughter. Thank you!

**** We have been…read morepart of the Agbon Martial Arts family in Wilmette since 2020, and I can't say enough about how wonderful this experience has been for our two kids. Master Mary Ann and Master Fernando have been incredible instructors, guiding our children through private classes with a perfect balance of discipline, encouragement, and fun. Their expertise and dedication to teaching go beyond just the physical aspects of martial arts; they truly care about instilling confidence, respect, and perseverance in every student. Our kids have grown not only in their martial arts skills but also in their self-esteem and overall character, thanks to the supportive and nurturing environment that Master Mary Ann and Master Fernando create. If you're looking for a martial arts school that is as committed to your child's personal growth as it is to teaching high-quality techniques, Agbon Martial Arts is the place to be. We are so grateful for the positive impact this school has had on our children's lives!

My two boys have been going to AKYI for about a year. They were previously at Hyun's Hapkido and…read moreTaekwondo in Chicago then they had a very brief stint at H Kim's Taekwondo in Northbrook. I can say AKYI is far and away the best taekwondo school they have attended. Master Ray has a great rapport with the students, gives a lot of useful individual attention to each student, and both of my boys have progressed nicely, even in the age of coronavirus (they had zoom lessons for a while and are now back with socially distanced in-person lessons). My kids look forward to their lessons and I can see them continuing well after their black belts. My only gripe is they perform black belt testing only once per year. I get not having them very often since black belt testing is an all day thing. But in our case our younger son just earned his deputy black belt. The black belt test is three months away and it's unlikely he'll be ready in time for it, so he'll likely go fifteen months before testing for his black belt even though he'll likely be ready in seven or so. I'd prefer if they tested twice per year, at least for the first degree black belts for this reason. But all things considered, that's a minor gripe. I'd gladly recommend AKYI to anyone who wants to learn taekwondo, especially those who want to take it seriously.

From the owner: At AKYI Martial Arts, Corp, we dedicate ourselves to providing classes that help a student develop…read moreskills and positive traits that build a strong foundation and lead to positive habits that last a lifetime. We invite you and your entire family to come in and try a class for yourself! After just one trial class you will see that proper technique is an integral part of curriculum.

I passed by several times, always reluctant to go in or learn more about this Taekwondo studio. Now…read morethat I've been attending classes for about a year, my only regret is that I didn't have the courage to check them out sooner. The instructors and students are a wonderful group of people. Beyond just teaching martial arts, they've helped me feel more confident and happy, welcoming me into their supportive community. I started with Saturday kickboxing--which was a lot of fun! --but I soon realized I wanted to go more often than once a week. I'm now working toward higher belts and attending two classes a week, which are about 45 minutes in length. The instructors are fantastic and incredibly welcoming. Having seen them work with both kids and adults, I'm impressed by the patience and respect they show everyone. Whether you are four or forty-something, I highly suggest stopping in for a class. I feel more physically fit, my mental health has improved, and I've also found a great group of people to spend my evenings with.

Great place - time to practice form for upcoming belt test in October 3rd degree boundread more