This is the best Tae Kwon Do school in the aria. Our kids had been part of this Tae Kwon Do family…read moresince they were 4. We tried other schools in the aria and were very hesitant to try until we met Master Kim. Master Kim has a very friendly and welcoming attitude. He is easy going but also strict enough so kids will listen and respect him. He has experienced, knowledge and great work ethics to teach anybody from tiny (3-4 year old) tigers to teenagers and adults. His staff is also very experienced and traines right there is school. The program put kids through different activities and exercise, teaches them respect, self control and believing in themselves. Learning some Korean vocabulary is also a benefit.

We LOVE iTiger!!! Our daughter came to a birthday party there 3 years ago & she enjoyed it (Master…read moreKim) so much we signed up for classes that week! Master Kim is excellent at engaging the kids. He has age appropriate expectations of his participants and has created the perfect blend of discipline and fun! Our daughter has been with him 3 years now & will be hosting her birthday party this week for the third time! K. Witte

My 6 y/o son takes Tae Kwon Do classes here and it's a wonderful program for young kids. Master…read moreJeong is great with the kids and teaches them discipline but does a lot of fun things with them to keep them involved and engaged. I'd highly recommend this place for active kids who need an outlet for their pent up energy.

I truly cannot say enough good things about this place. I enrolled my six year old boy in classes…read morehoping that he would gain confidence and strength. He gained that and so much more. The Masters are absolutely amazing. They are true teachers and not babysitters. They are tough yet caring. They give each individual child the attention they need. Not only do they teach the traditional Taekwondo routines, they also teach real life scenario defense moves. The price is very reasonable and the class days and times should be able to match most busy schedules. I highly recommend Dragon k for anyone, child or adult, looking to enhance their skills, increase discipline and strength, agility, and of course, self-defense.

This martial arts school transformed me into the woman that I am today. I spent half of my life…read moretraining at US Elite Martial Arts, I practically spent my childhood and grew up here. Though I was too young and immature between the ages of 3 - 14 years old to notice, I can see now the lasting effect that this school had on me. As I was strengthening my physical body, I was nourishing mentally. Through every kick, I was gaining patience and discipline. With every punch, I became more confident and driven. I could write a book about all the things that I learned between the ages of 3-14 years old while I was training with US Elite Martial Arts. But to give you a short version, Master Greer reminded me that one's voice and the ability to ignore is more powerful than any kick or fist. Every time he made me spar with someone bigger or older than me, he was training me to accept a loss and a "no" and grow and learn from it. With every passing year, I grew more patient and more hardworking. My ability to read and understand others stemmed farther than anticipating my opponent's next kick. I began to organize and manage my time more efficiently, leaving room to get good grades, spend time with friends and family, play other sports, and train here at US Elite. It's crazy to think about how pivotal being taught these things at a young age was for my growth. When one is that young, they learn the most from their environment, and I am truly grateful every single day that this was the one I was apart of. Not only was I learning and excelling in martial arts, but I was also pushing and developing into a disciplined, self-confident, and motivated individual whose communication skills, respect, and kindness were pillars of their being before the age of 12. Master Greer and the team carved out a path for me to truly understand myself. They showed me that I am in control of my own life and that I can't go around pointing fingers at other people because I am not where I want to be. Through US Elite Martial Arts, I was taught to be confident in my decisions, to never give up, and to always work and train harder than anyone else in the room.

Mr. Greer was an amazing instructor! Every instructor was very kind and pushed us to our limits…read moremaking us the best that we can be. This is a very kind environment and I would recommend this to other kids trying to get in better shape or just to get stronger and have a quality time. I met a lot of great people there and some of my current best friends were from Martial Arts. US Elite helped us get stronger both physically and mentally and we have been proud black belts the last two years. --Danny W. & Alan M.

Great instructors, fun for kids while learning Great techniques! Highly recommended! A trial class…read moreis available as well

Very nice students and respectful teachers! Sometimes makes the lessons fun and the exercises/warm…read moreups are just right. Teachers would motivate you to keep going together with the balance of keeping it fun. I recommend this Taekwondo School!

It is a great honor to train under the guidance and patience (and occasional good-natured laughter)…read moreof Grandmaster Tae, the Masters and Assistant Masters at W Kim Tae Kwon Do in Lake Zurich, the Black Belts with whom we train, and my fellow students. I did not join W Kim TKD in LZ as a member in search of "a workout", though through my first eight weeks of training I've certainly discovered and felt muscles I did not know I had. To train with any instructor at W Kim TKD LZ is to feel at some point being truly "pushed", in ways I'd imagine nearly anyone seeking "a workout" would desire. I write this even having trained for and completed five marathons. I am new in my journey toward studying any martial art, currently a High White Belt in Tae Kwon Do. New as I am, even in my upper-40's, and for as much as I stumble along the way, I have no desire to stop training. I chose to pursue study of Tae Kwon Do out of the desire to inspire my 8 year-old son to finish what he started in his own training. About a year ago, when, as a Green Belt in his training, my son grew resistant to the increasing challenges presented to him, I chose to commit to my son that I would personally join him in his training en route to earning a Black Belt.. once he had advanced past Green Belt himself. True to the spirit of this school, my son persevered, and eventually earned his Purple Belt in a Belt Promotion that put his skills and training to the test. And so began our journey together. It is through the spirit of focus, concentration, and tenacity dwelling at the heart of all that happens in every lesson within the school at W Kim TKD Lake Zurich that my son and I have each found a unique but potent way to connect with each other, in participating individually in an experience that undeniably moves each of us beyond our perceived limits. We train in separate rooms, but we know the other is working hard, each in our own pursuit of becoming a better person. The mutual feeling of success after each lesson for each of us is undeniable, and makes for some very enjoyable conversation and celebration together on the ride home.. and for many hours to follow. More importantly, though, the shared experiences we have together at this school have deepened our mutual connection as father and son. These are truly priceless memories that are being formed. If all that I just wrote here still leaves anyone unconvinced, you can freely get a sense of what to expect at W Kim TKD in Lake Zurich simply by looking through the windows of its main training studio, toward its southernmost walls. Take in the Student Creed, the Tenets and Oaths of Taekwondo, and the Children Home Rules. Then, decide for yourself whether what you see written there would be of value to you and/or your children. I know that for me, and for what is plainly viewable as a true, vibrant community amongst the students and teachers, what I saw on that wall was worth pursuing. As both a father and as a midage adult working to improve upon my own internal resolve, I do not regret doing so. I am certain many other students would say the same. - Steve

I have been a student of the Kims at their Palatine locations for about 25 years. My wife and two…read morekids also went for a while. Although I admit, I have not gone for a while. On a shopping trip to Trader Joe's in Lake Zurich, I had forgotten they opened a second location in the same strip mall. So, at around noon on a Saturday, I dropped in. Hoping to run into Master Tae Hyung Kim, I learned he had already left for the day. But, I met the lead instructor and observed for a while. I remember when they had one location in downtown Palatine that was great, but very "lived in". This new location is really nice. It's well lit, the gym is large, the instructors have microphones they wear so they can easily be heard. And, since many of their students are kids, they have a great seating area where parents can watch the classes. I'm really sorry that I missed Tae, but I did leave my number for him. For a couple of years I've said I would go back again. I need to get back in shape. One day, I will be back.

Best Martial arts program around. Highly recommend checking them out in person. Real self defense…read morebased school that sets you up for success.

Master Darius, and his instructors are a different partial arts academy in the sense of that they…read morecreate a community. My son has been attending for just under a year and his confidence and physical ability have greatly increased. Lions teaches tae kwon do, escrima, and akido. Very traditional but very caring staff.

Kiyaaaaa!!!!!!! The Karate Kid has nothing on my kid!…read more My 6 year old just recently started taking classes from Yong-In Yu's Martial Arts. We were told about local places through rec centers, but I wanted a place that was an actual dojo, not some gym. How are you supposed to take something seriously if it's in a gymnasium? The dojo gives my son an understanding that this is something real, not just the latest Ninjago episode. When I originally checked out the dojo, we signed up for the trial where you get the uniform and three classes. That way, you can see if this is going to be a fit for your kid or not. The location can't be beat, and there's a Starbucks right next door. Anyone who knows me that I'm a Starbucks addict. And being able to walk over here during class and just relax is an incredible bonus. When else am I supposed to catch up on work. (OK... the latest issue of People magazine. But who's telling?) I didn't know much about Master Yu initially, but he really has impressed me. My kid has some sensory issues, and so I was concerned if this was going to be a fit. Sometimes he just can't handle loud noises and can feel crowded. Master Yu listened, figured out what worked and before I knew it, my Vman was falling in line and LOVING it. Yes, Sir! Yes, Ma'am! Vman is learning respect for his teachers, how to think and focus on what he's doing and work with the others in his class, too. Now, he is six, so I'm not kidding myself. He still goofs around, just like ALL the other kids his age. But I can see that they are all very excited to get to class and get started. One thing that made it hard to sign up was you have to sign a one-year contract. Ouch. If you don't know that this is a long-term thing, you can sign up for monthly classes but they are more expensive. Also, if you sign up for a year, you can only go to two classes a week. If I get a gym membership I can come whenever I want. However, if you sign up for two years, you can go as often as you want. I'm not saying I'm going to go all gung-ho on my kid, (you know, those psycho parents who are like... you WILL like Tae Kwon Do. You WILL like it. You WILL succeed) but knowing that if my kid wants to go to extra classes in the week we can would be a great option. That said, Master Yu is a serious Tae Kwon Do master -- not just some dude who likes martial arts and thought he would open a dojo. In fact, I'm not sure how he ended up in the NorthShore. Here's some of his RSV.... graduated from Yong-In University with a master degree in Tae Kwon Do (didn't know master degrees existed for martial arts); 6th Degree Black Belt; 5 time National Korean National Champion. Yong-In is a terrific place for your kid to learn a sport, get more control and absolutely love it along the way. I highly recommend checking it out... just peek in like I did to see a class if you're wondering.

Yu's Yong-In Martial Arts is a great place for the entire family. Master Yu is an excellent…read moreinstructor and teaches Tae Kwon Do - Step by Step. Yu's Yong-In Martial Arts offeres classes for everyone- young and old- beginner to advanced. Yu's Yong-In Martial Arts also provides visiting Master's from Korea(Student's from Yong-In University teaching aboard), which is a great cultural exchange. In addition, the visiting Master's bring great positive energy and want to share their knowledge of Tae Kwon Do - which is a benefit to everyone! In addition, Master Yu is there everyday and over see's all instruction. Come to the school and try it out and see for yourself, you will not be disappointed!