American Tiger Karate Academy
About
We have been teaching traditional Japanese Marial Arts, Shotokan Karate, Okinawan Kobudo, and self defense since 1995. Our classes are broken into small groups of age and rank specific students for optimal personal attention and curriculum success. We have programs for all interests; Recreational, Traditional and Elite competitive. We have received numerous awards throughout the past 20 plus years of service to our community. Although personal enrichment and acheivement at any level is always foremost, many of our students have acheived National Champion and Junior Olympian status.
Helping others to acheive their goals through the practice of engaging, motivating martial arts classes, and watching the joy in their faces when they experience a sense of empowerment.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
We begin with a friendly (no pressure) chat to discuss interest and goals in order to identify the best program fit for the individual. We then provide a free orientation for new students who wish to try our classses before enrolling. This orientation also includes a private lesson with one of the instructors which covers some basic footwork and a couple basic skills. We then provide the student with a schedule of appropriate classes and allow then to come in and try 4 FREE classes.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Certified 4th Degree Black Belt - Instructor
Registered Nurse - Wellness Coach and CPR certified, Child and Adolescent Mental Heath Certification
Tournament Judge - International Traditional Karate Association
SKIF Licensed and Authorized School
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Recreational Program (4 classes per month) - $75 monthly tuition fee
Traditional Program (8 classes per month) - $125 monthly tuition fee
Elite Program (up to 16 classes per month plus personal coaching) - $150 monthly tuition fee
How did you get started teaching?
Started teaching for Illinois Shotokan Karate Clubs in 1987. Then began teaching my children, their friends, neighborhood children and adults then openned a private studio in 1995.
What types of students have you worked with?
Children in our ittle Tiger Program are age 4 and 5 and we teach them safety and social skills, coordination drills as well as basic self defense appropriate for their age. We also work with schooage children, teens and adults In addition we offer home schoolers, work group, family, and club group lessons as well. WE have instructors who understand and are educated in special needs therefore we also work independantly or in a group setting to teach those with special needs, or limitations adaptive martial arts.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
We recently held a special seminar with Agata Smetaniuk, a 13 time world karate champion and certified personal athletic trainer with advanced kinesiology study; to help our advanced black belts develop more advanced competitve skills, to help them prepare for Olympic competition. We had senior instructors from neighboring dojos come out to learm as well.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Do your research, to verify authenticity of the art you wish to learn. There are no laws in Illinois that govern who can open a school or who can teach martial arts and very few laws nationwide. A reputable school is usually part of a traceable and verifiable lineage, is governed by some sort of oversite committe or organization who ensures the authenticity of the art and offers rank that is indeed transferable to any other martial art school teaching the same art. Take a picture of their certification and look up and contact the issuer yourself to be certain the organization indeed exists and the school in question is an active and authorized member of the asociation. Many fake documents are floating around. Many indepenant schools and many schools who mix and blend various novice level martial arts skills to create their own system for their own agenda. These schools do not hold any real value in the authentic martial arts community and are often the cause of student injury and wasted tution fees when those "skills" are improperly taught and rank is non transferable.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Why they wish to try martial arts? Is there a problem they wish to solve through martial arts training? How much time is available in their schedule to attend classes. Do they have any limitations physically, socially or emotionally that they instructor should take into consideration to optimize their training experience.