About White Tiger Martial Arts
White Tiger Martial Arts is a renowned school that offers high-quality instruction in various martial arts disciplines, including Taekwondo, Hapkido, sword fighting, and Kickboxing. The school provides a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, where students of all levels can feel at home. The instructors, despite their young age, are skilled and professional, guiding students with patience and expertise. The school's structured environment fosters attentive listening and discipline, aligning with parents' expectations. With its traditionalism and authenticity, White Tiger Martial Arts is a family-oriented Dojang that prioritizes the overall health and well-being of its participants.
I enrolled my 7 yr old daughter here in hopes primarily to emulate my experience with a martial arts at the same time of my life. I did 2 years of Judo, and that seemed to help me focus a little more on what mattered. In college, I got back into it with Shotokan style karate for 2.5 years. I do not think the style of martial arts particularly matters much when you start out. What matters is that you follow a set of principles, are able to listen, coordinate yourself amongst your peers, and perhaps get something out of the time in school. I've read all of the previous comments. I agree some of the sentiments, but I can also see counter arguments. This school isn't worth the $160/monthly tuition if you are not participating in each of the three offered classes. Attendance and participation is key. The 30 minute lesson plan is optimal for little kids - and yes, out of the 30 minutes maybe 10-15 minutes is actually focused on what is learning the forms, kicks or "martial arts" material which helps you advance. The rest is broken into formalities, drills, meditation which are also helpful in developing mindfulness, respect and wellness. As your child ranks, concentration increases, and the lesson should also increase to 1 hr long. It will become necessary to attend additional classes to continue to advance, and even private lessons if you are interested in the advanced belts beyond brown - which is at least a 5 year commitment. Unfortunately if you transfer in from another martial arts program, you do not get credit for previous rank, and must start all over, albeit, you should theoretically advance much quicker because for example blocks and knife hands are essentially the same between karate and taekwondo. The differences are subtle. Except of course if Grand Master Seo knows or acknowledges the rank from the former school. I agree with the comment that English is not a primary language so Grand Master and his wife, who own the school, aren't particularly chatty. And if you have a question, it's probably best to address it with one of his pupil-instructors - and if they do not know - they can hunt it down for you. This school is close by which was the primary reason we joined. Apparently one of the pupils made it into the Olympics, but I still do not know who. I felt that the free introductory class was good, but the private lesson showing how your child could break a thin board was a little cheesy, especially because Ms Anna, a black belt, broke a popper for a special sound effect which she tried to hide but the smell of sulphur was present, and the replay of the video showed her throwing the popper chaff on the ground, that left me feeling a bit like, oh boy this place tries to emphasize more "show". This goes back to the fundamentals of the program: are you going to learn the martial art ? Is this program going to help you in a street fight ? Sometimes, perception is the best deterrent. Is your kid going to make a stand of show ? Some may some may not. However, if you need to back it up with reality, then perhaps this school does not provide all the necessary skills immediately. In time yes, but in the immediate future no. This "showmanship" is not necessary, but certainly all about salesmanship. Despite knowing about his sales tactics, I chose to enroll my daughter. I still believe that the exposure to martial arts - the highly structured learning: forms, the kicks, respect, discipline, honoring tenants and others - maybe it will help her to understand how vulnerable we as humans are, and to help protect that some day. I agree that the contracts that you sign here require advanced notice to get out of. If you plan to leave, and want to discontinue, you must plan and communicate with Grand Master and his wife, the date of your departure, as early as possible. They can seem oppressive if you are not a planner. I think if you aren't interested in learning about Eastern philosophy / martial arts and just want self defense mitigation, there are private instructors from m
From the moment my daughter stepped into this White Tiger Martial Arts school several months ago, our experience has been nothing short of exceptional. The atmosphere here is one of positivity, respect, and dedication, a testament to the hard work and professionalism of the entire team. The instructors at this school are truly amazing. Their teaching methods are both engaging and effective. One of the aspects that stand out most about this school is the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. It’s a place where everyone, from beginners to more advanced martial artists, can feel at home. To anyone considering martial arts for themselves or their children, I cannot recommend...read full review
My son attends White Tiger Martial Arts, and it has truly been an exceptional experience for him. The instructors/leaders, despite their young age, skillfully guide the younger children in their practice. The structured environment fosters attentive listening among the children, which aligns perfectly with what I envisioned for my child.