My 5 year old girl has been growing a ton of confidence here. We started in jiujitsu and she was…read morehaving trouble leveraging her weight and figuring out the twisting of body parts with her partner. The competitive nature of that program and discipline didn't build her confidence much. Here, the practice is focused on the individual but also as a part of the collective team. No real sparring yet in the Little Samurai class, only some practice punches and kicks with chest protectors. Lots of punching bag practice for strength building and training. Lots of calisthenics as well with lunges, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, frog jumps, burpees, etc. Skills that they can use their whole lives and get stronger with. At the same time, there will be fun games like tag, dodgeball, red light green light to keep their interest and to work on reflexes. Excellent training in focus and active listening as well with focus claps, raising hands to speak, caring for others and awareness of everyone's space. These things I have not encountered in any other studio/dojo. I've seen many places that allow disruptive students or even parents. In contrast, here at 1st class, they don't teach blind discipline towards any instructor/owner but respect for one's self and each other. This alone is what keeps us coming back. This is what schools don't teach enough of. Not to mention the actual martial arts she is learning here. Channeling their chi into a strong Aiya, learning how to punch and kick correctly in self defense. Amazing program for little ones. Instructors are all black belts who are not only cordial, but also gentle yet firm. We fit in very well here and would highly recommend this program for little ones.

Took my little one here for a complimentary class. I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of…read morestudents and staff. The class was cute. It went by a little fast but I'm not sure if my little one could handle and hr long class though. Besides the distance for us, we would have committed. We may consider later.

Master Lee runs a tight ship and it's been perfect for my 8 year old. He's been practicing TKD for…read moreabout a year and loves it. Learning about discipline and respect for martial arts is amazing, and he always has a ton of fun. The belt and stripe system keeps him motivated. Class times work with our schedule.

My 6 year old son has started Tae Kwon Do about 3 weeks ago. Let's just say that he isn't the most…read moreathletically gifted. Knowing that, I was skeptical that this would even keep his interest. I have been very pleasantly surprised to see that he absolutely LOVES it! The classes, even in the short time, have helped his focus in the classroom and at home. He is developing his core, gaining skills, and having loads of fun. The patience of the entire team here is amazing. The instruction for beginners is at a good pace that is full of activity and yet no overwhelming. What makes me the most happy about our choice to come here is that the kids in the classes are very supportive of one another.

ARMA has been a great experience for my son. He started as a total beginner and moved to the…read moreadvanced class in 2 years. All of the instructors at the school are great, but especially Master Richard. He lives the tenets of Tae Kwon Do and sets an excellent example. He commands the room better than any coach or teacher I have ever seen, and the kids really like him. Plus, his ability to get every kid's name right every time is impressive. I mess up my own kids' names all the time. My son has now progressed to competition in forms and sparring, and his self-confidence is much improved. I highly recommend joining the studio if/when space opens off the waiting list (3-6 months, last I knew).

Our 8 and 5 year-old have been attending TKD classes with Master Richard for quite some time, and…read morewe absolutely love it. We truly recommend it for every family. As a native-born Korean, my expectations for Taekwondo are very high and Master Richard has exceeded every one of them for both of our children. His classes strike the perfect balance of fun, discipline, and respect, while instilling traditional TKD values and still leaving room for silliness and joy. We could not recommend it more. Thank you, Master Richard, and everyone at All Rise!

From the perspective of someone who has had the opportunity to compete all over California, I…read moreSTRONGLY believe that Dragon Martial Arts is the best Taekwondo studio in the state. Dragon has been my home for over 8 years, and ever since then, they have always took good care of me, and shaped me into a well rounded, disciplined person. I've been doing taekwondo ever since I was a little kid, and had the time of my life during this long journey. I also strongly believe that Grand Master HoJae Young is the best in the business. Not only is he the best Grand Master in Southern California, he wants all of us at Dragon to be the best not only at taekwondo, but outside of it as well. He always encourages students during class to try their best, and bring a positive growth mindset every single day. Whether you are reading this review because you are interested in your kid in starting taekwondo, or you are looking for a new studio, I strongly encourage you to check out Dragon. P.S. - I really don't write much reviews on yelp, so I mean everything that I wrote to my heart. Growing up in this studio, I truly had one of the best experiences I could ever ask for in my life. I would like to thank everyone in Dragon for being such amazing people. I couldn't ask for more professionalism from any other studio in the world.

I enrolled my son in the 4-week introductory special. After the program ended, I spoke with the…read moremartial arts instructor, who told me there was no contract and that my son could continue attending classes twice a week for as long as we wanted. I was also specifically told that I could cancel the membership at any time. In May, I attempted to cancel the membership, but I was unable to reach anyone despite multiple attempts. My calls and messages went unanswered, and I was not provided with any way to cancel. As a result, the membership remained active, and I continued to be charged even though I had clearly intended to cancel. I made a good-faith effort to cancel the membership as instructed and respectfully request that the charges incurred after my cancellation attempt be reviewed and refunded.

Taekwondo 21 is the best!! Master Lee is a dedicated instructor, very professional. Also, others…read moreinstructor are very knowledgeable and nice. My daughter really loves all the classes, her body stronger, and she improves her confidence by taking Taekwondo classes here! If you're looking for a good Taekwondo academy. Highly recommended Taekwondo 21!!!!

My daughter absolutely loves going to her taekwondo classes not only because of the friends that…read moreshe has made here but also because of all that she has learned from Master Lee. She has gained so much confidence and discipline from all that she has learned there. Everyone there is so nice and respectful of one another and it makes me proud of what she is being taught. The instructors are so friendly and supportive of the children that it makes them want to try even harder to succeed.

I pulled my son from class after he was bullied, had a talk with instructor Don that didn't help.read more

If you are thinking about enrolling your kid in martial arts, or you yourself want to give martial…read morearts a try, OR if you have previously practiced martial arts and want to resume, then this is the place for you. I have trained under Master Don since 2019, and his level of experience is unrivaled within the South Bay (maybe even Los Angeles, maybe even the entire state of California, he is truly that good). The instructors have a personable approach that is mixed with attention to detail and dedication for the craft. The is is a terrific environment for kids to learn focus, patience, and respect while also getting out and doing a physical activity. If you are an adult who wants to practice taekwondo, then this studio is great for exercise as well as for balancing the energy in your life and for realizing and perfecting your imperfections. If you have practiced martial arts in the past then this a great studio to join, as the program offers you room to grow and to learn things you may not know, as well as to help younger martial artists who are enthusiastic about taekwondo. Kicks, punches, combinations, balance, strength, patience, self defense, becoming a black belt, breaking a wooden board with your bare hands, even nunchucks and long wooden sticks, all mixed with lifelong progress, anyone interested in martial arts need not look further.

This place is awesome. Before committing to this location, I did my due diligence for a few…read moredifferent locations for my eight year old son. The masters here are absolutely AMAZING! Master Kim and Master Suyeon are not only experts in their art, but also extremely entertaining to kids and parents. They're very attentive to each kid's needs and accommodating. Respect!

[Review #129] We…read moreenrolled H when she was 2-1/2 years old... after 3 struggling lessons, she quit. I felt she was too young to start TKD lessons because she was the shortest & only girl in class. H liked her teacher, Master Park, & he always made her feel welcomed & accepted. So we're back, almost 3 years later. H has mastered the basic foundation skills: poomse, punches, & kicks; she is ready to transition from her white belt & test for the yellow belt. The other masters are equally impressive... Master Ian has great form & skills when I watch him instruct the kids with higher color belts. He is also patient & sensitive... as I watched him deal with my l'il one's frustration one morning. Within seconds after talking to her, she straighten up & got in line to wait for the class to start. Master Park is a superb master & is great with kids. He alters from the serious TKD master to the kids' best buddy so they feel comfortable in class; this is especially important for the new students as the class (size) can be overwhelming. In addition to teaching martial arts, he also emphasizes respect to the teacher, your parents, & people. And his teaching overflows to H's everyday life outside of class - discipline, respectful, patience. I highly recommend this school for you or your kids!

Our two children have been training under Master Choi and Master Megan for over three years, and…read morethey have grown tremendously, not just in Taekwondo skills but also in character. The lessons they learn on the mat carry over into everyday life, which is priceless. This is more than just a martial arts school. It is family-friendly, with decades of history in the South Bay, founded by Grand Master K.S. Choi and carried on by Master Danny Choi. The masters know every student by name, making each class feel personal and welcoming. The school offers elite-level competition training as well as regular classes for all students. They host school-wide events like holiday potlucks and "parents night out," and are active in the community with annual tournaments and student demos at local schools. If you want the best martial arts school in Palos Verdes and the South Bay, with high-quality training in a family-friendly atmosphere, K.S. Choi Taekwondo is the place to be.

KS Choi was a very welcoming studio (if it were Japanese martial arts, I guess you'd call it a…read moredojo) that is spacious and well lit. The students seemed amazing as the teachers seemed to know how to work with the youth (young kids / children to older teens) effectively. That is always an important characteristic. If investigating martial arts schools, I'd definitely say check this place out for consideration. We visited KS Choi and the place was hard to find because for some odd reason, the outdoor complex it's located at does not have them listed on the directory or map. Maybe because they have their entry on the side road not internal main corridor they might not technically be a part of the complex... but if they are, they should definitely talk to the shopping center management to get better signage and support on the directory and map for customers to find them.