The World Taekwondo Academy, Coon Rapids and its Instructors are the best. Master Franklin is…read moreincredible with his students! You can see this in how he interacts with them and how they grow in his classes. We have been away for years and speaking to Master Franklin was like stepping back in time. He is the same personable, friendly mentor we remember. My son attended his classes for 3 1/2 years and when he went to college one of his greatest achievements was testing for and receiving his black belt. Now he has a son of his own and we are bringing him to Master Franklin's classes on his next birthday. We look forward to training there again!

We are very disappointed and unhappy with World Taekwondo Academy (WTA) of Coon Rapids. If you are…read morelooking for a good place to send your child, this is not it. The master instructor is very unprofessional and lacks the features that he tries to instill into our children, such as respect, integrity and honesty. The parents there gossip to one another about each other and then go even further and gossip with the master instructor. I find it very unprofessional for the master instructor to engage in such behavior. Also, if the parents are unhappy with anything there they are made to feel unwelcome to express their concerns. When I did express a concern, my son's ability to participate in activities were threatened by the master instructor as well as the grandmaster. I was specifically told that "we cannot do anything to reprimand the parents so their children have to be punished in their place". My 6 year old was subsequently kicked out of the school due to no fault of his own. My son's spirit was crushed, he was very sad and could not understand what he did wrong to deserve to be treated this way. We had just paid a year's worth of TEAM membership (which included two uniforms and a bow staff) for my son and although he was kicked out for no fault of his own, the master instructor refuses to reimburse any amount of membership fees that was paid to WTA as well as the uniforms and equipment. They used my son as an example to the other parents as a lesson in "biting your tongue" and keeping your concerns to yourself, instead of addressing these concerns with the appropriate parties. Again, I am very disappointed with this facility and do not recommend it to anyone.

Yarwood's Martial Arts has been such a great experience for my family. My son has built so much…read moreconfidence and discipline since he started. Mr. Yarwood and the rest of the instructors make you feel like family. They help you set goals and encourage you along the way!

My girls love Yarwood's Martial Arts. The classes involve learning respect and discipline in a…read morereally fun way. My kids have learned self defense techniques, such as how to physically get away from strangers and what to do if they are being bullied. They are learning skills to help protect themselves, and I see that they have gained confidence in themselves. They know they can handle themselves if they need to. It's a really positive and fun environment!

My 10 year old just started here and it's his first time in any kind of martial arts and the…read moreinstructor is giving him one on one classes until he gets up to speed with the regular class. My son absolutely loves it and he thinks the instructor is really cool. I think the instructor is great and he is really good with the kids. Also, the facility is brand new and really nice too!

While WTA is very active on social media, we personally believe that genuine word-of-mouth and…read morestudent success speak louder than promotional efforts. Unfortunately, we also felt a lack of personal connection and encouragement from leadership unless a student was already achieving top results. In our experience, meaningful engagement and motivation should be consistent for all students, regardless of their current performance level. We also encountered a culture that felt exclusive and, at times, unwelcoming--especially between different locations. This, combined with high costs (including additional fees for competition participation), made us question the overall value. Since transitioning to a new dojang, we've already seen a positive change in our child's confidence and enthusiasm. While we wish we had made the move sooner, we're grateful to have done so now. We hope this feedback is taken constructively and helps improve the experience for future students and families.

Slightly biased as my husband runs a few mixed martial arts classes here, but I must say, this is…read moremy favorite place to work out. There is something for everyone, but Crossfit classes are my favorite...it can be catered to different strengths, and is the best workout, not to mention the time flies by and no class is the same. The owner and instructors are fun, friendly, and push you to do your best. I highly suggest if you are looking for something different, to check it out. It's also a very nice, clean facility, with a small section of bleachers for parents to watch their kids (or the large flatscreens hanging from the ceiling). Men, if you are interested in MMA, go check it out, there are beginners classes with all ages attending.

We signed my 4 year old up with their holiday special. It has been a game changer for my son. He is…read morelearning more than just karate skills but has become more responsible and respectful. You can tell that they are out for educating the kids. The love my son has for karate shows every time he runs into the mat room. The staff are very supportive and responsive. We feel at home there and are excited for our other child to be old enough to also start.

The Dojo has been a great learning experience for both of our kids, giving them better discipline…read morewhile getting in a good workout. The staff are really in tune with each student and provide solid guidance. We've also started to develop a community with the other families that go to the Dojo.