Black Belt Academy

I have been attending classes at this school for about 3 months. In those 3 months, I have had a great experience with Sr. Master Karpiuk and his staff members! They are great at teaching you important life skills, as well as basic moves (sparring, self-defense, board-breaking, forms). They also teach you bully prevention and how to be more self-confident! Big thumbs up to this academy! For parents who are thinking of signing up your kids, I would highly recommend you give it a try! The owner and his staff are great confidence builders! I have only been training here for 3 months, and I must say that I already feel more self-confident. If you want to improve your confidence, fitness, and self-defense, definitely come to this school!

My daughter has been training here for just over a year, and I have seen a huge improvement at home in her listening skills as well as her discipline and focus. The Instructors take time and work with the students to not only teach them Marial Arts but also to help them improve in the Life skills that are important for everyone to work on every day. Plus having her proudly show me all the things that she has learned in class that day is a great thing for me. I look forward to having her continue her training as well as have my younger daughter join next year when she gets older.

If you want to pay $$$ for your belt ranks, go to this place. If you want to learn any real martial art, don’t. That may be all you need to know. If you have time for further details, please read on. Between September 2017 and February 2018, I was “awarded” 3 belt promotions! Starting from white to orange ($65 belt exam), orange to yellow ($65 belt exam), yellow to camouflage ($70 belt exam - $5 price hike - without even telling us!!!) It took me 3 belt exams to realize what a scam it was! I didn’t want to think that a “martial art academy” could be so dishonest! The owner and the staff seemed so nice - as long as I was willing to pay, I guess. If you pay $$$ for your belt exam, you’ll get your belt promotion - ready or not, or whether they’ve taught you anything new since your last belt. The owner and his staff will push you to register for belt exams, which are *very* frequent and NOT free. Belt exams = $$$ Be wary of their contracts. It’s their tactic to hook you in and lock you there. If a school is good and honest, and you’re making *real* progress, you’d want to stay. Why the pressure to sign a contract? (“You should sign this contract to take advantage of our discount” sounds really fishy come to think of it!) Be wary when they pressure you to “upgrade” your “training.” They will keep calling you at home at dinner time or at your kids’ bedtime to “talk” about their “upgrade offer.” They may seem nice, and you may feel pressured and obliged to listen, but it’s just another way for them to try to reel you in. Be wary when they shower you with compliments about your skills and potential. They will tell you that you “should try a more challenging program.” That’s another way of their pressuring you into a longer, more expensive contracts for the “upgrade.” Be wary when you sit down and discuss any contract with them. They will write down an exorbitant amount, and then strategically cross it out to replace with a smaller number. The smaller $$$ amount is still expensive, but thanks to the psychological trick, it doesn’t seem so bad anymore. Be wary of their 5-star reviews. There are only about 15 reviews. It wouldn’t be so hard to find family, or friends, or even staff members to write some glowing reviews for your business. Lastly, another thing to ponder. Please look on YouTube for a video called “Board Breaking Tips with Sr. Master Karpiuk - September 2017.” The owner, aka Sr. Master Karpiuk, is demonstrating a technique on (red-trimmed) kid weight masters. They are light weight and fall over easily, unlike the sturdier adult-size weight masters in the back. It makes one wonder why a “Sr. Master” would choose a kiddy-size weight master to demonstrate on for his video. Because it makes him look strong and powerful. That’s why. Pretty neat trick! (Sr. Master Karpiuk likes to bring up Michael Phelps for comparison to his skills and training, but Michael Phelps wouldn’t demonstrate his skills in a kiddy pool.) The video sort of sums up the whole school: looks kinda neat, but no real substance. A staged performance. There are plenty real, reputable martial art schools in the area. Students at these schools learn martial art moves, forms, techniques, as well as improve physical strength, focus and discipline. Try out a few of these real martial art schools and see how you like them. Say no to any contracts.

the instructors are very nice and funny they help you with confidence and self defense very nice try it out!

Tony Jorgenson is very unprofessional trys to pick fights because he haves a black belt. I thought taekwondo was supposed to be for defending yourself not being a jerk to other people and picking fights.