took me a while to finally write a review! read this for a genuine review from a former decade long…read moremember here. i was with the white tiger family for a very long time, went from white belt to a 2nd dan black belt here and then went off to do tkd at the collegiate level afterwards. i think the best part of white tiger overall for me has always been the people there. just such caring instructors and staff and some of my best friends (even to this day), have been made on the mat. also, some of the most fun trips i've ever done have come out of taekwondo too, from new york, austin, seattle, and miami to the kukkiwon headquarters in korea. so many experiences come from the tournaments and detours you'll take as a tkd athlete in life. in general, white tiger has always excelled in teaching poomsae (tkd forms) as well as in tkd demonstration. it's also a very well connected school in terms of the broader network of tkd schools and masters. as such, there's lots of opportunities to participate in fun tournaments and events and really level up your skills. i genuinely think it's worth it for anyone interested to give it a shot and, who knows, it might just become one of the most memorable things you do in your life. just like it was for me! :)

some of the training schedules, and important information communication could be a lot better. Like…read moretoday my kid had black belt practice session, which was held at Rowlett, TX. We were not communicated that the child had to be dropped there and parents can't even see them perform at practice. This is such an important piece of information that should have been communicated. We took our entire family for this and had planned out the day accordingly. But we were super disappointed and our child was crying end of the day as he was not mentally prepared to be left all alone there. Common white tiger takewondo u can do better

Our child has been attending karate here for over 3 years. We initially picked it because it was…read moreclose to our house, however we couldn't have found a better fit for our child. The owner is incredibly caring, but stern. He is truly the third party our child needs to help keep him accountable. I highly recommend this dojo. Most people here have been here for years, but are happy to welcome newcomers into the family.

Recently moving from SoCal and a much larger studio where my girls had spent many years in Shotokan…read moreKarate we wanted to stay in the same style but were apprehensive about the limited choices and concerned about the class/ instruction dynamic. However, after one class we were convinced this was the place for us. But, I wanted to give it some time to make sure it was a fair and honest review. Here is the scope: Senseis Lee and Matt are incredible and passionate about their instruction which shows in every aspect of their teaching style. Not only are my children stepping up their game and performing strongly but one can see that the children in their class feel a connection to the art as presented by the instructors and are progressing at a solid pace. The instructor-student dynamic is very engaging, and all students regardless of ability are treated with an equal amount of compassion, discipline, and respect which results in every class being a fun and serious karate training season that my girls look forward to attending. Classes are unlimited and scheduled throughout the week which is nice considering our schedule and +20 miles we must drive each way to attend (for us it is worth it). There are no high-pressure sales tactics or crazy 6 + month commitments like some other place (we have looked at a few). Bottom line if you are considering Karate or any martial art for that matter seriously take a look at this studio. It is a great experience on every level!

​If you are looking for a place to simply "buy a membership," there are plenty of commercial gyms…read morearound. But if you are looking for a place to sharpen your character while you sharpen your skills, Sharpen Iron Academy (SIA) in Plano is in a league of its own. ​At SIA, you aren't just a number; the professors know you by name and are genuinely vested in your success both on and off the mat. This is a culture of discipline, accountability, and mentorship where the "iron sharpens iron" philosophy is lived daily. ​Whether it's the kids' classes, the youth program, or the specialized women-only classes, there is a deep level of trust and a guaranteed safe space for every student. It is more than a gym--it is a community and a family where you are pushed to grow in a supportive, high-level environment.

My kids started their BJJ journey in the winter of 2022 when they were four years old. My…read morebackground of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was virtually non existent, but several coworkers sang its praises and how it worked wonders for their children by teaching discipline, focus, work ethic and confidence. Their Godfather helped me research studios and after reading the CV for their head instructor Professor Henrique it was time to give it a shot. They had a lot of fun during the trial class, but they were nervous to start, not wanting to be away from Mom even though I was only three feet off the mat. Thankfully SIA instructors are not only skilled at keeping students engaged during training, but are very family centered, patient and caring. They were able to connect with each one of my kiddos so that they felt comfortable training as I looked on. By parent teacher conferences in February their preschool teacher let me know that both had grown so much in maturity and confidence and was curious to know what I was doing differently. Almost two years later the twins are well adjusted, focused and always happy when they step off the mat after an hour training session. Professor Henrique, Professor Lucas, Professor Matheus, Coach Queila, Coach Enrique, Coach Ian, Coach Ella, and Coach Anthony have become family and there is no other place I would have my children be twice a week. They offer adult classes in the morning and evening and several of the parents after seeing the transformation in their own children have started to earn their stripes as well.

Great atmosphere. Positive and encouraging. Lots of physical activity and a stress on listening and…read morediscipline in an engaging manner. My grandchildren are learning ways to protect and defend themselves.

My son has been going here since he was 4 years old. He loves it! The instructors are great with…read morethe children. The owner is great. Very engaging with the parents.

We went to a Stranger Danger event here March 30th. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by the…read morewomen who was teaching the class. We were early so we had to wait and were ushered to take a seat in the lobby/spectating area. The chairs are poorly put together and are extremely unstable. Some more than others. The floor to the practice area looked gross and dirty. Our kiddos feet turned black just in the short time being there. Once the class started the women was really good with the kids and got them talking. But the content she was teaching was scattered and not well organized. She mentioned specific words that should be used which was great. BUT when coming to teach them the hits/kicks you can use to defend yourself she didn't teach them where they could hit their attacker. Just ushered them over to hit or kick the bag. The skills she touched on was never put together for how to defend themselves from strangers who might be attackers. The class was extremely short when you take away the chit chat from the kids. (We get kids mindless chatting) Once class was over the instructor informed all the parents that she would be sending a follow up email about what the kids learned and how to apply it to their life. That was NEVER done. (It's not April 8th and class was March 30th. No it did not go to spam.) I feel like the communication was poor. Leading up to the class we didn't get any reminder email until about a hour before the class started and nothing else. The idea of the class is great. It was poorly executed however.

Ms. Sullivan and all of her team are amazing instructors and truly have a passion for teaching. My…read moreson enjoys his Taekwondo classes and is learning a lot. They are all professionals, the facilities are clean and the system Ms. Sullivan uses is well structured and organized. We are overall satisfied, and will continue to work with Plano Taekwondo America for my son to not only achieve his black belt status, but to gain more confidence, discipline and focus through this amazing program.

We've been at Vu's Martial Arts for 3+ years. Both our kids and my husband and I take lessons from…read moreMaster Vu. I highly recommend taking classes here, this is the type of environment for families to learn and grow!

Amazing! Can't say enough good things about Master Vu. He encourages each child to reach for their…read moregoals. He provides the training, both sparring/patterns. He expects the kids to do their part by practicing and putting forth the efforts needed to improve. One of the biggest things - self confidence!! My child has been able to deal with some issues with "mean" kids. The confidence to know that he defines him, not those other kids. As well as the ability to defend himself when the need arose.

Professor Inacio is one of the best instructors I've ever had. He has taught my daughter jiu jitsu…read morefor the past 4 years and we could not be more pleased with his instructions. He is very technical and informative. He knows how important it is to build a good foundation to prevent injuries and roll safely. Children do well in his program because it is structured. He has taught my daughter focus & discipline! The school itself is incredibly clean. Restrooms are extremely clean! Very nice mats! Nicely ventilated space! I highly recommend this school for both children and adults interested in jiu jitsu. I can't say enough great things about Professor Inacio and his school. We cannot wait to return.

Dan A. McKinney, TX…read more Jan 6, 2024 I began training with Professor Inacio and his most excellent coaches when I had accumulated 68.5 years of mileage in life. That ain't as big a number as it may sound like. I was surprised that my wife for those decades was supportive of my beginning at such a school. I assumed then that her enthusiasm had something to do with a large life insurance policy on me that was in effect at that time, 2.5 years ago. The policy is lapsed, and she is still supportive, so maybe not. I am not a fast learner in this domain, but I am a learner. Sometimes I can even coach a move or two with my workout partners. Usually, I'm the hapless nail, rarely the hammer. This is not a bad thing. It is necessary. The people who show up and continue to show up to train seem to me to define a psychographic group that is a group that you benefit by being close to. Do hard things and keep doing them. Then do them some more. Then do them some more. Special people congregate here. Right here. Things change while practicing this discipline. For me, positively but slowly. For normal people, positively but much more quickly. This is the place to train and to get as effective as situations may require you to be later.

Good place for young people to learn basic martial arts. Kind leaders. Good leaders…read more Great organization for young people!

Wonderful environment for children to thrive! Instructors are the very best. My son started as a…read morewhite belt with zero experience, timid, and often reluctant to try new things. One year later I am so proud to say he's worked himself up to a blue belt, has loads of confidence, self awareness, self restraint, and has made so many friends. He practices his patterns everywhere, he looks forward to classes so he can learn new techniques, and he has now competed in 4 tournaments! Extremely grateful to have found PBBA!