Frequently Asked Questions
Do you offer a trial program?
Absolutely. We’re always happy to offer a free trial class. Just email or call.
Do you require long term contracts?
Many martial art schools require long term contracts for multiple years that are hard to break. At Amerson’s Taekwondo and Fitness, we do not lock you in to a contract that forces you to pay tuition for years if you choose to stop training. Our enrollment agreement is designed to be fair both to us and you allowing you to cancel for any reason with 30 days notice.
I’ve heard Taekwondo isn’t real martial arts. It’s just a sport. Is this true?
Absolutely not. It is true that Taekwondo is an Olympic sport, and there is certainly a sporting aspect to sparring practice. If your family wants to participate in the sporting side of the art, tournament participation is an option.
However at Amerson’s Taekwondo and Fitness, we are focused on teaching all aspects of the martial arts. This includes sport, fitness, and self-defense. Our curriculum highlights practical self-defense from the first classes and includes weapons training for defense from day one.
Do I need to participate with my child in the Family Taekwondo program?
There is no requirement for family’s to train together in the Family Taekwondo program. If your child is interested in Taekwondo, they will have a great time working with our instructors and senior students in class.
We do encourage family participation for several reasons:
- Taekwondo is an activity where it’s easy to participate together across age and gender lines. Unlike a baseball or soccer league where parents are coaches and siblings end up on different teams, the whole family can spend time working together in a Taekwondo class.
- Family members can be partners in training outside the dojang. There are a lot of ways to practice Taekwondo when you aren’t in class even without a partner, but sometimes you need someone else.
- Taekwondo is a great way to reinforce courtesy, respect, and discipline within the family. We begin and end every class with our commitments and creed. These principles don’t just exist in the dojang, and when you participate as a family, there are great opportunities to model and reinforce these qualities.
How Long Does it Take to Earn a Black Belt?
As long as it takes, black belts are earned not given.
Typically, students aged 12+ will progress through the Gup ranks, color belts, at a pace of about 3 months per belt, and spend 6 months at Deputy Black Belt. That makes it about 3 years to a 1st Dan Black Belt test. Younger students may take longer as memory and motor skills develop. For students under 12, it’s typically closer to 4 years. These times will also vary based on dedication, outside practice, class attendence, etc.
Do You Have a Class That’s Just for Self-Defense?
Of course! This question comes up a lot. We strongly believe that the structure and formal exercises of Taekwondo develop self-defense skills and are critical for developing the associated soft skills in everyone. That environment is necessary for younger students.
For older students, 12+, we offer our Strike RIGHT self-defense program which focuses more on our practical self-defense techniques and introduces weapon defense and ground fighting much earlier. Strike RIGHT classes have no ranking system and do not train for sport Taekwondo.