W. Kim Tae Kwon Do has been established in the Chicagoland area for over 40 years, offering a community of committed and positive martial arts instructors and students who are striving to improve the physical, mental and social aspects of our lives. We work together to help everyone achieve our respective goals and become the best we are capable of becoming.

Our mission is to empower kids and parents to thrive together as a family, fostering the development of good habits as the foundation for holistic growth. Through our family programs, we aim to cultivate high-quality individuals with a diverse range of skills while promoting physical and mental well-being. We are dedicated to creating a positive and enjoyable community that encourages quality time spent together, ensuring the overall happiness and success of every member.

The focus of our Palatine martial arts school is on character development, physical fitness, and self-defense. Our overarching goal is in building our student’s self-esteem.

Those who choose to train at W. Kim Tae Kwon Do have a desire to achieve a high standard of excellence in all aspects of their lives and are willing to commit to constant improvement.

As soon as you become a martial arts student at W. Kim Taekwondo, you join a community that works together toward:

Better focus and concentration

Greater self-discipline and mental toughness

Improved strength, stamina, and flexibility

Personal safety and competency in self-defense

and, most importantly, increased self-confidence.

Our martial arts instructors work to further develop this desire by having our students set personal goals so their motivation to excel comes from within. To us, this is truly the best form of leadership.

As a supportive community, we are proud martial artists who stand tall and live strong. That’s what sets us apart from the crowd.

Tae Kwon Do is directly translated in Korean as The Way of the Hand and Foot. Our classes offer a fun and engaging way for students to get stronger and grow mentally through various punches and kicks.

How does Tae Kwon Do distinguish itself from other martial arts? Originating from ancient Korean combat traditions, Tae Kwon Do has transformed into an Olympic sport renowned for its formidable kicking techniques. Beyond its emphasis on powerful kicks, traditional Tae Kwon Do stands out as a comprehensive martial art, encompassing strikes, holds, and self-defense skills.

What makes W. Kim Tae Kwon Do special is that our training goes far beyond the kick, the punch, and the throw. We also place a strong emphasis on the personal character development of our students.

While we are experts in teaching Taekwondo techniques, a large focus of our training is on developing the following personal attributes in our students:

Self-confidence and self-esteem

Focus and concentration

Self-discipline and mental toughness

Social, interpersonal, and anti-bullying skills

Self-defense is a component of all martial arts training, no matter what the style (e.g., karate, taekwondo, jiu jitsu). However, we also emphasize instruction on personal safety awareness, anti-bullying skills, and seeking alternatives to conflict.

The development of these personal attributes is inherent within all martial arts but, at W. Kim Tae Kwon Do, we put a special emphasis on maximizing our student’s potential in all aspects of their life.

Our martial arts programs are offered to people of all ages, from the ages of 4 years old to adults and family members.

For kids, our emphasis is on character development, building confidence, physical fitness, anti-bullying, and social skills.

For adults, our training focuses on the physical and mental benefits of martial arts, including:

Improved strength, flexibility, and energy

High calorie burn and stress relief

Weight loss, muscle tone, and increased balance

Great community of adults and family members to train with

Our program is a great way for family members to train together through punching and kicking!

What is the rationale behind maintaining a similar structure for our classes? Some might think it could become monotonous, but there are intentional reasons for this approach. Although portions of each class vary, we maintain certain consistent elements for important reasons. Firstly, a uniform class structure allows individuals to miss one session and easily catch up the next day and stay on track. Secondly, the repetition of specific movements fosters muscle memory, leading to gradual performance improvement. In a world accustomed to high-speed internet and next-day delivery, it's crucial to recognize that valuable skills are honed through a deliberate process and repetitive practice. Professional athletes, for instance, emphasize the significance of consistent and repetitive training in achieving success.

A student taking Taekwondo classes at W. Kim will start from a white belt, which will focus on building a foundation for your martial arts journey. There are ten colored belts before the rank of black belt, in which students dedicate themselves to train consistently in classes in order to learn and embrace the fundamentals of Taekwondo. There are patterned forms (poomsae), basic striking combinations, self-defense techniques, and board breaking demonstrations that you will have to perform for each belt level. Belt graduations take place every three months for lower level belts that are consistently attending and six months for higher belts. A student who is consistently practicing martial arts will take approximately three to four years to reach the black belt level.

Contrary to a common misconception, attaining a black belt does not signify the conclusion of one's learning journey. In fact, it marks the beginning of a deeper exploration. Even though you may have mastered the fundamental moves, there is still a wealth of knowledge to acquire, as well as being placed in roles to lead the next generation of color belt students. It's essential to recognize that achieving higher degrees of black belt involves additional years of dedicated practice. Martial arts is a lifelong practice that never gets boring even at the highest levels!