Smith Tae Kwon-Do Inc

I have been to many schools and most of them were Taekwondo schools. The reason I have been to so many was because of the military. So I have been to all types of schools and this is one of the best schools. I earned my black belt with this school which was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. All the other schools I have came close to earning it but I had to be transferred before hand. If I was living in Hawaii, I would enroll my daughter and myself into his program. I have seen young kids grow to become responsible adults and courage to stand up for what is right. He instills the tenets of Taekwondo and has always told us that ""An excuse is a reason for failure"" This is a great school and it is hard to find any other school like it. He was there for me and my family from the time I was a white belt, all the way to blackbelt. Sadly enough I had to get transferred again to San Antonio, Tx. Check his school out, go to their belt tests and see what the kids and adults are doing. Compare that to other schools. He has the kick boxing record which shows knows how to fight. He has the credential from the Kukkiwon HQ, the official Taekwondo Headquarters in South Korea, to be the Grandmaster that he is. Vice what some others schools do which is by promoting themselves to a high rank and getting the certificate made online. Thank you, William G. TX more

Four years ago I became a single mother of a daughter who was 3 at the time. I started kickboxing at Smith Taekwondo to learn self defense and to exercise. My experience there has completely changed my life for the better. My confidence improved almost instantly as well as my health and fitness. Master Smith and the other representatives at Smith Taekwondo are so motivating, supportive, and caring. I'm so thankful I walked in to such a place four years ago. more

Master Smith thank you so much for your kindness and your teaching us a new and better way to live. We wish you had a school here in Fl. There is not anything even close to your school here. I miss the kickboxing classes and Kaylee misses her taekwondo classes. Not really sure what that person was talking about parking? If you come on time you will find parking no problem. Maybe they should take a class with there child. Where you will learn Patience, Discipline and the importance of not just being on time but early. This is a way of life not soccer game that ends when your done. I have always felt safe there. Thanks again, We miss you <3 Kris & Kaylee more

\r I LOVE Smith Taekwondo and the Kickboxing classes!! I have never had a better work out ever, and in addition you are learning skills to defend yourself. It is very important to be empowered by learning taekwondo and kickboxing so that you can defend yourself if the need might ever arise, and being a woman you always have to be prepared. Master Smith is awesome. To all those people in other reviews that talk crap about him, you are just haters. You do not really know him. He is a good person, and funny as hell. Those who come to his center are die hard and loyal to him, and for good reason. All you have to do is see for yourself. Once you meet him, take the classes, meet the others in the classes, you will see why he is so awesome. \r \r And mediocre kickboxer he is not. Whoever said he was mediocre in their review, I bet he could whoop you ass with one hand behind his back! HA!\r \r For the person who said there is a 12 month contract, that is bull****. And price wise, I don’t think there is anything else out there that is this high a caliber for the price he asks. It is very affordable. \r \r Also for the parent who said don’t send you 4 -5 year old there, I couldn’t disagree more. My daughter is only 3 now so she is too young right now, but as soon as she is ready, I will most certainly be enrolling her in the little dragons class. And what would you have him do, not yell? Should he just baby the ones who don’t listen? Hold their hand, sing songs? I mean really? This is taekwondo, self defense, etc….character building, discipline building. There is a reason for yelling at them, to teach them to be able to operate and be cool under pressure. I had teachers when I was younger who taught me the same thing and I am so thankful my parents weren’t weinies and didn’t pull me out b/c a teacher yelled at me. I thrive under pressure and was able to compete at very high levels athletically b/c I could handle being yelled at, I could handle pressure b/c of teachers like Master Smith. \r more

Honestly, the way he teaches is great. You learn respect and responsibility. It's great to enroll your kids so they can learn that at an early age. I don't recommend taking classes at Smith Taekwondo only because Master Smith gets involved in students' personal lifes. He had said something that was so demeaning to me as a woman. I am not the only victim that has went through this. My friends have gone through this as well (different stories though) Parents, please be aware of what your children do in their class. Always ask questions. more

the training at smith is good but the hours are long and the parking is unsafe and terrible. there is no parking on site and only street parking is available...it creates a hazards and unsafe environment for the children enrolled at smith...If your gonna go there just know that you'll have a headache most days over the parking situation. Pros: good instuction Cons: long hours...terrible parking more

great school! i trained there for years back in the day in both the taekwondo class and kickboxinb class. in my time spent there i built great friendships, vastly improved my skills, strengthend my mind, and HAD FUN!.. i just wish my work schedule would change so i could get back to training! Pros: everything! Cons: - more

If your looking for a great place to get a work out, this is it. Master Smith and intructors take good care of all thier students, and treat them as family. Always happy to see us, always ready to teach.\r Come in and see for yourself, you get a week for free.\r Kickboxing or Tae kwon do, this is the place to go! Pros: Plenty of space, great staff more

Not for me. more

While we attended Smith Taekwondo there was always one thing we knew, and that is that you know what your doing when it comes to teaching people taekwondo. I fear?that their new taekwondo school baby?s their students to such a degree that if faced with a dilemma in the real world they could be injured. The kids?realized that Smith Taekwondo was harder than ATA?but they had to work very hard to earn what they got, Sable and Chas have never went to practice and sweat...not one drop! We would just like to thank you again for all that you have done for them and would love it if you could share this letter with some of the parents. Thanks for being tough on the kids I truly believe you made them stronger people because of your teaching skills. Pros: rigorous, disciplined, makes students be responsible Cons: no family classes more

Master Smith, You may not remember me, I was a student of yours back in 1991. I was stationed in the Marine Corps at K-bay and began taking TKD lessons from you shortly after arriving in Hawaii. I found your web site and was very pleased to find you and your school doing well and growing. As a Marine I learned a lot about honor, pride and respect, but I wanted to take a moment to tell you that the lessons and training I received at Smith Tae Kwon Do were invaluable. I have always been involved in martial arts starting as a young boy, but it was not until I began training at your school that my martial arts ability truly began to blossom. I have carried your teachings with me over the years through the remaining time I served in the Marines, my career as a Police Officer and currently as an Investigator for the Federal Government. Tae Kwon Do has saved my life on more than one occasion and I just wanted to take a moment and say Thanks. I am happy to say at 40 years old I am still heavily involved in the martial arts as well as my wife and three sons. The strenuous workout routines, beautiful kicks and the strict discipline mixed with compassion and a sense of humor are a few of the traits I learned from you and use them in the training and the raising of my children to this day. God Bless and take care, Mike DeWitt Pros: Teaches more than just punching and kicking more

Smith taekwondo, let me just say is an awesome place. I'm a student at smith taekwondo and i really do love it. you create lifetime friendships, and at the same time learning about a martial art that has been around for decades. The teachings from Kwanjangnim (Master Smith) are important lessons that you can apply to your everyday life. At smith taekwondo you learn how to respect each other. And of course you also learn self-defense and self- discpline. For example, before i started to taekwondo, i used to never say "" Yes sir"" and "" No sir"" or ""yes mam"" and ""No mam."" but when i started using it a lot, i started to say it more outside when I would speak to someone older then me. It just becomes a very good habit. Kwangjangim (Master Smith) really does care about you and your well being, along with everyone else there. Smith taekwondo has changed my life and the lives of my brothers and sister. So I truly encourage you to try Smith Taekwondo out for yourself. Because it really is a great experience. Mahalo. :) Pros: Great workout, Self-defense, self-discpline, cool people, tons of fun. Cons: What cons? there are none. =] more

Smith Tae Kwon Do has one of the best enviroments with high qualified people. You dont just get execise you learn the philosophy of Tae Kwon Do. Smith Tae Kwon Do has the most highly trained instructers on this Island. I have seen students grow and drasticly change to better people who show a proper understanding of respect. I can see that through the years I have been in Smith Tae Kwon Do that i have grown in to a much better person then I could have been, I see that others have done the same as well. Smith Tae Kwon Do gives so much more then exercise, it helps you understand right from wrong and principles. I have grown to learn leadership skills which is important in everyday life. Pros: Great instruction, true martial arts, Biggest floor on the island. more

I was a student of Smith Tae kwon do for 8 years of my life. I started at this school as a white belt and earned my way up to black belt. Unfortunately, I have to recommend that parents do not take their children here to learn a martial art. In my experience, Bob Smith had taken advantage of my young impressionable mind and manipulated my thinking. I was yelled at constantly, and only learned to doubt myself and my opinions, and was taught to respect his thoughts and opinions over my own judgment. As an adult, I can now see the mental repercussions of this type of environment and do not wish the same for another child. more

Having trained at 5 different dojangs over the years and across the globe, I can say that Smith Taekwondo has a truly unique combination of discipline, fun, challenge, learning, confidence-building, near-exhaustion, and advancement. Every day of training is different, so it's never boring or predictable. In spite of my very, very busy schedule, I find myself constantly rescheduling and juggling my evenings so that I don't have to miss class. And if I simply can't rework things and I do have to miss class, I'm not only bummed out, I feel like I missed an opportunity to improve myself. Because every class gives you the chance to make something better out of who you are and what you can already do. more

This is not just your average Taekwondo school. If your not sure about which school you would like to go to, you can try classes here for 1 week free. Then you can enroll in the 3 month special starting program as a further test. The school does not require you to commit to long contracts as some would like you to believe, infact you can pay by a monthly basis if that is what you desire. A student will be expected to train hard in order to advance and belts are by no means guaranteed like in many other schools. This is to teach discipline and responsibility to students of all ages. The training is hard but well worth it. There are multiple instructors on the floor at all times during training, many of whom have been training for at least 3 years. The head instructor has many credentials besides just being a 6th dan black belt; he was also a kickboxing champion, and a current combat master. In addition it also has one of the largest training floors available. Furthermore, it is one of the cheapest schools around. Many other schools charge $10,000 for three years, which is a big rip off. Smith Taekwondo; however, would cost less than a third of that for 3 years. No where else will you find a better deal. Pros: family atmosphere; great instructors;most floor space; best value around more

awesome awesome awesome!!!!\r \r this is not just a gym, or a really great workout. (though yes, it's both) it's not just some place where you will learn to teach your body to do things that defy every limitation that you had ever put on it... (because yes, it will do that too...) smith tae kwon do is a family. he loves his students as if they were his children. he's involved in their lives, the kids worship him, he instills family values and good old fashioned respect for parents and the community. he's strict and he sure can work you hard... so hard your legs might feel like they're on fire for weeks after a real good night of kicking... but he's strict because he sees who you are and what you see yourself as... then he looks past it and sees who you could be and who you should be.\r \r if you trust him, he (and master rocha) will turn you into the kind of person that you've always wanted to become... and in the end... when you look at yourself and what you've accomplished you'll realize that along the way you've gained something more then just physical fitness and self defense skills. \r \r definitely... do not take these ratings as law when it comes to smith tae kwon do... (as awesome as my review is... it's MY review)... the best thing about smith, is that everyone is invited to come down and try it for yourself. call them, walk in... talk to them... i guarantee that after a few nights you'll never want to leave. Pros: great environment, strict but effective and sincere, excellent work out, wonderful instructors AND fellow students Cons: it's only open five days a week. :) more

One common McDojo practice in martial arts schools is the use of long-term contracts (more than 12 months in length) to lock students into a monthly payment, frequently by direct debit/deposit from a bank account. These contracts are generally structured so that a student can only be released from the contract under extraordinary circumstances, such as moving residency a considerable distance, death, or severe illness. Students who are dissatisfied with their training or are unable to continue participating for reasons beyond these can find themselves needing permission to discontinue training or be forced to continue paying for unwanted lessons.\r Sometimes a special kind of contract, and sometimes a motivation tool, a McDojo will often put beginners in a ""black belt club"" of some sort. Contractual black belt clubs will generally require the student pay tuition for a certain amount of time (multiple years), after which he or she is guaranteed to receive a black belt. Non-contractual black belt clubs will often require a student to pay a higher tuition rate to be fast-tracked to receiving a black belt, without the guarantee or the long-term contract.\r \r All practices of Smith TaeKwonDo, the buisness has been established by a mediocre ex-kickboxer in order to make as much money as possible. All of the angles they try to sell you are complete B.S., go somewhere else worth your money. The text above is common practice for a lot of western style martial arts centers, save your money. Besides that the staff are a bunch of inconsiderate wastes of space that mostly let 13 year olds teach their classes claiming that they are qualified. Pros: Absolutely none. Cons: Inconsistent unqualified instructors, ripoff. more

Smith Tae Kwon Do?s ?Little Dragons? class is for 4-5 year olds. The kids have a fun time in the class, and unlike some other martial arts training centers, the kids actually learn Tae Kwon Do. more

In this crazy world in which we live, it's great to know that there are people like Grand Master Bob Smith and Master Kim Rocha teaching our children how to be safer, stronger and overall better people. Yes, they teach taekwondo - but this is much more than just a dojang. Under the direction of Grand Master Smith, for over 3 years now my seven year old daughter has been active in their program. Besides teaching her the fundamentals of traditional taekwondo, they have instilled in her the discipline and respect that are very much a part of taekwondo. Master Smith exhibits a genuine care and concern for each of his students. Smith Taekwondo provides a program that will benefit your childs coordination, strength, self-esteem and confidence. Within weeks you will be amazed as you watch your child (or self, for that manner), develop and flourish. In addition to the taekwondo that my daughter takes, I also participate 3x's a week in kickboxing and find it to be the most invigorating work out that I've ever done. Join our morning class and you will be addicted! Master Rocha keeps it fun and intense at the same time. Without hesitation, I encourage you to make the investment today so that you and your children can lead a healthier lifestyle! Pros: Traditional taekwondo, taught by highly experienced Grand Master Smith and Master Smith more