Any recommendations for Taekwondo

[Anonymous]

I am thinking about starting taekwondo for my 8 yr. old DS who has ASD and ADHD. I've heard that this activity helps with body awareness, muscle strengthening, etc. I don't think my son needs to be in an adaptive-type class but I do want to find a place with good instructors that can handle some mild attention issues and someone that has low muscle tone. Any recommendations that you have would be greatly appreciated. We live in Vienna/Fairfax area.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am thinking about starting taekwondo for my 8 yr. old DS who has ASD and ADHD. I've heard that this activity helps with body awareness, muscle strengthening, etc. I don't think my son needs to be in an adaptive-type class but I do want to find a place with good instructors that can handle some mild attention issues and someone that has low muscle tone. Any recommendations that you have would be greatly appreciated. We live in Vienna/Fairfax area.

Thanks!

My Child has sensory issues and motor delays, but is a little younger. We go to Jhoon Rhee in FC. They are really great there!

[Anonymous]

Shane who works with, I believe, Flying Tiger in Bethesda is PHENOMENAL! He taught group lessons at my school and was amazing to watch.

[Anonymous]

We really like Yond Studios in Tenleytown. No contracts, good classes

[Anonymous]

Jhoon Rhee. My kid goes to the Arlington branch and the instructor who teaches the adaptive class (Ms. Rome) also teaches the regular classes and has a lot of experience with kids with special needs. All of the instructors there are great. They demand a lot from the kids but in a way that is respectful and a fun, and the kids really respond. The only downside is that the parking lot is a zoo and the program has gotten so popular that it can be quite a throng getting in and out (although maybe it is better for the afternoon classes -- we have to go on weekends and after work.) I've heard great things about the FC branch too. www.tkdlifeskills.com for the Arlington branch.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and PP here. My kid has ADHD-I and I fully credit TKD with having given him a lot of the confidence and ability to persevere that he has. I also see that it has helped his coordination tremendously (though he doesn't have an issue there) and has really helped with his focus. If nothing else, it will give your soon a tremendous sense of accomplishment. So I definitely recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shane who works with, I believe, Flying Tiger in Bethesda is PHENOMENAL! He taught group lessons at my school and was amazing to watch.

Shane is with Flying Kick Fitness Center in Bethesda. He is a great teacher, and they have a great program, though the lead instructor/owner does not teach as often as he used to and the tuition is very, very high (they cater to the private school and Bethesda crowd).

[Anonymous]

Roaring Tiger Martial Arts. Instructor Jay is brilliant with the little ones. I studied with them for years in Silver Spring. They had Dojangs (studios) in SS and in VA but have sadly closed the SS studio to concentrate on their Virginia location. They were born/raised and studied in S. Korea and moved here about 10-15 years ago. Instructor Jay was a coach for the S Korean National Sparring Team. Nop notch instruction. They are very big in the traditional tenets of the art so your child will learn perserverance, respect, indominable spirit, etc.

I can't say enough good things. I'm sure your child would thrive there. I've watched the kids grow up there and go off to college. It is such a tight knit group of children and the school really makes a difference in their lives.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the suggestions, they are very helpful! FYI - I talked with a parent today that said the Mt. Kim school in Vienna is NOT particularly good at dealing with kids with attention/focus issues.

[Anonymous]

Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do in Arlington, VA. Not only do they have an adaptive program, but their mainstream classes are inclusive as well. Their instructors are fabulous and well-trained to work with children with special needs by catering to their specific learning styles while also keeping them interactive with their peers and keeping pace with the class. Their website has a lot of helpful information: www.arlingtonkicks.com. One of the owners has has a degree in Psychology and another of their staff specializes in working with children on the Autism Spectrum. They always do an assessment to see which programs best set their students up for success!

[Anonymous]

Another thumbs up for Yong Studios in Tenleytown

[Anonymous]

Anything in the Rockville area?

[Anonymous]

My Child who has some speech issues but otherwise no other issues just started at Mt. Kim. We like it so far. I was surprised though kids in the class who are not paying attention/talking/giggling are punished by sitting out for about 5 minutes. When asked if they are ready to join class they must say Yes Sir. I thought it was a little strict but not sure if this is typical discipline type stuff in TKD. My DS is 4 but is in a class with 4, 5 and 6 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shane who works with, I believe, Flying Tiger in Bethesda is PHENOMENAL! He taught group lessons at my school and was amazing to watch.

Shane is with Flying Kick Fitness Center in Bethesda. He is a great teacher, and they have a great program, though the lead instructor/owner does not teach as often as he used to and the tuition is very, very high (they cater to the private school and Bethesda crowd).

I have AD/HD and have trained with Master A/Shane since I was five years old. I just started college this year and had been helping out at the studio since i was about 12. Taekwondo was a huge part of my life and my family's life and all I can say is that although Flying Kick does charge a high price, you get a really good deal (depending on the age group you pay for a certain amount of time, i think the minimum is 3 months and the maximum is a year, but your child can come to as many of the appropriate classes they want within that time). And I can tell you for a fact that all the instructors sincerely care about all the students and what they are doing. They also are really committed to working with kids with learning disabilities and emotional/mental disabilities. The thing that most people have an issue with is that no, there is no set amount of time between ranks; it depends on how much your individual child comes, how hard they work, and how fast they learn. They have a set curriculum for each rank, and will give a little leeway for younger/disabled kids, but honestly, the kids are usually happier if they wait and learn what they need to know. I loved my time at the studio and it really did help me and my brothers with our control and focus. If you're interested the website is http://www.flyingkicktkd.com
What I cannot stress enough is that you should give all the instructors a chance because I grew up with all of them and they are truly amazing.
I hope this helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shane who works with, I believe, Flying Tiger in Bethesda is PHENOMENAL! He taught group lessons at my school and was amazing to watch.

Shane is with Flying Kick Fitness Center in Bethesda. He is a great teacher, and they have a great program, though the lead instructor/owner does not teach as often as he used to and the tuition is very, very high (they cater to the private school and Bethesda crowd).

I have AD/HD and have trained with Master A/Shane since I was five years old. I just started college this year and had been helping out at the studio since i was about 12. Taekwondo was a huge part of my life and my family's life and all I can say is that although Flying Kick does charge a high price, you get a really good deal (depending on the age group you pay for a certain amount of time, i think the minimum is 3 months and the maximum is a year, but your child can come to as many of the appropriate classes they want within that time). And I can tell you for a fact that all the instructors sincerely care about all the students and what they are doing. They also are really committed to working with kids with learning disabilities and emotional/mental disabilities. The thing that most people have an issue with is that no, there is no set amount of time between ranks; it depends on how much your individual child comes, how hard they work, and how fast they learn. They have a set curriculum for each rank, and will give a little leeway for younger/disabled kids, but honestly, the kids are usually happier if they wait and learn what they need to know. I loved my time at the studio and it really did help me and my brothers with our control and focus. If you're interested the website is http://www.flyingkicktkd.com
What I cannot stress enough is that you should give all the instructors a chance because I grew up with all of them and they are truly amazing.
I hope this helps!

PS they give a free introductory class - just go in one day when you see a white belt class on the schedule on the website and they'll give your child a free class. You don't have to call first, but they really do appreciate it when you do, especially for kids with disabilities because they're likely to tell you about the smaller sized classes.