Tiger-Rock Martial Arts

As a Black Belt, I was both extremely excited but skeptical to get my son into Martial Arts, I waited until he turned 5 to start and we found out we had to move away right afterwards so in the end we were only able to take one month of classes. I was instantly pleased with this Academy and would 100% recommend it to everyone that is remotely interested in Martial Arts. I regret not getting my son into classes at 4 years old!

For those who are new to the world of Martial Arts, I want to share that I have been to several academies/institutes/gyms/dojo’s/dojangs and I can explain why Tiger Rock is the only one around Fort Bragg that I was happy with. Costs, Schedule, Curriculum, Community, and Cadre/Instructors. My experience was solely with the Tiger Cubs (4/5 year olds).

The price is good and very fair for Martial Arts- there are a lot of places that will charge an arm and a leg, force you into contracts, etc. I wasn’t asked what my salary is, if I was in the military and if so what my rank and time in service was like other places around the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg area might do to determine how much you will end up paying.

If you’re new to Martial Art, you should know going into any Martial Arts, there is going to be some stuff on top of the monthly rate like Uniforms or Sparring Gear. I felt that the cost of the uniform was fair and not ridiculous like other places that I have seen. I cannot speak to older classes (my experience was with the 4/5 year old Tiger Cubs) the uniform was awesome! They chose a well made uniform, the material was strong and will last the student a long time. The pants have an elastic waist and are naturally pretty baggy so there is a lot of room for the student to grow into it. The initial uniform is Pants, Tshirt, Top, mat socks, and the white belt. They pack it into a cute Tiger cinch bag.

As far as schedule, Tiger Rock is flexible and the classes are at great and convenient times. For the 4-5 year olds, you sign up for a class each week and they offer 4 days a week which is amazing for military families that have unpredictable schedules.

The curriculum was great. The techniques being presented were the foundational skills that I was expecting to see. In one month my son was showing me high block, low block, knife hand, hammer fist, and basic movement techniques that are all instrumental when he gets old enough to start learning his forms and sparring. My only complaint is that I don’t believe that the Korean terms are taught with each technique (which is literally the only nitpick you will see from me about this place.)

I could tell after just a few classes that Tiger Rock has a string community, the students always look excited to be there, the parents know each other, the instructors know each student and parents, the Facebook page is informational and well maintained. There is a weekly newsletter that keeps everyone up to date and well informed, and there’s a great sense of belonging.

This institute has a good cadre of Black Belts teaching classes and I was extremely pleased with the curriculum and performance. The instructors do a great job with the kids with discipline, patience, precision, and involvement. The typical ratio of instructors to Students was between 2-3 students to 1 instructor which is great! That means a lot of one on one instruction for the student and more reps on technique.

Bottom line- if you are interested in putting you son or daughter into a sport- TKD is a great start and 4-5 years old is a great age to start at, but Tiger Rock is the ONLY place I would take my son to learn TKD. I wish we had more time to continue with classes, but we are moving to Virginia so I hope that this review helps other parents out there to decide to choose Tiger Rock and get their kids involved in Martial Arts. Ten years later, becoming a black belt is still one of my proudest achievements and I want that for my son and my daughter when she gets old enough! I only pray that I can find a place as great as Tiger Rock when we finish our move.

Tiger Rock is one of the best martial art programs out there for kids&adults. If your looking for structure, value and a family environment. Check it out

Our second week there and we are hooked! I highly recommend! The instructors are amazing at what they do and I love the structure and the rewards. The mantras that they have the kids learn are wonderful for emotional and mental development. I could go on and on with the benefits of having your kid enrolled in their program. Stop by there and take the first class and see for yourself, you won't be disappointed.

Easily the best decision we've ever made for our family was the decision to join Tiger-Rock in Sanford. Our son has been working toward his black belt for almost two years and has loved every minute of his training. The instructors have helped our son grow and mature athletically and, even more importantly, mentally and emotionally. The focus here is not just on making you strong and teaching you to defend yourself effectively (although those elements are definitely achieved!). At Tiger-Rock, students of all ages learn self-control, respect for others and themselves, patience, stress management, cooperation, and sportsmanship. We will be here for as long as they'll have us, and down the road, our entire family might end up putting on uniforms and joining our son in the journey to black belt.

We absolutely love going here. Our 5 and 7 year old are always excited for Taekwondo, unlike every other activity we've ever had them try. I really think it has improved their self-confidence. The owner and all the other instructors work very patiently with the students, but still instill the discipline you'd expect from a martial arts facility. The location is very convenient off Buffalo Lakes road near the light with 87 in the shopping center behind the fire station. There isn't a sign for them (or most of the other businesses for that matter) so you have to pull in and go around to the back, but the sign on the front is big and you can't miss it.