Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if a Taekwondo school is of good quality?
What makes a good instructor? What should I look for?
Do I have to practice sparring?
Do I have to wear sparring equipment?
Do I have to participate in competitions?
Is sparring the same as self defence training?
How often should I attend classes?
How long will it take for me to become a Black Belt?
When and why are students required to bow?
Do you offer a family discount?
Anyone can learn Taekwondo. You train to your own limitations. It is important for your own development to attend class regularly and to set yourself goals to attain. Because anyone can learn Taekwondo, age or gender is not a barrier!
Learning Taekwondo is fun, you work together with the other students to develop your techniques and advance through the ranks. As you improve, you will be able to share your knowledge to help new students.
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How can I tell if a Taekwondo school is of good quality?
A good Taekwondo school can be identified by several key factors. A few important things to check for are:
1. Does the main instructor take a major part in teaching and co-coordinating the classes?
2. Is the school syllabus structured and is there structure behind the classes and exercises?
3. How do students and parents feel about the progress being made at the school? (Ask them!)
4. Are students and parents comfortable with the teachings for their level? (Ask them!)
5. Does the instructor know what they are teaching with confidence?
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What makes a good instructor? What should I look for?
A true sign of a good instructor is one who shows patience when teaching students. He/she has the ability to break down techniques and explain step by step each process and its applications. A good instructor will show passion in his/her teachings and this will reflect in the students’ progress. He/she will be able to bring out the best in all students. Being a part of the students’ learning curve is an integral part of a good qualified instructor. Instructors should be supportive but not afraid to point out the areas requiring additional work, acknowledge accomplishments and support students to deal with the set backs (these setbacks provide excellent opportunities for growth.)
The instructor should also be Kukkiwon certified and have his/ her certificate on display or available to see upon request. A good Instructor will also participate in class with the students. Reputable Instructors and Masters are always active in training and/or aiding students by participating in drills, sparring, and demonstrations with students to identify mistakes strengths and weaknesses.
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Do I have to practice sparring?
Sparring consists of various forms, including (amongst others) three-step sparring, one-step sparring, one-for-one kicking and free sparring. All students, at all grades, will practice free sparring, unless there are medical grounds to forbid it. This is an integral part of Taekwondo and allows the students to apply their techniques in a controlled environment. Different levels will participate in different types of recreational free sparring – ranging from no-contact for beginners, to light touch for intermediate as they develop control and eventually to full-contact sparring for the higher belts. However, those students who wish to participate in competition will be expected to take additional sparring classes and train for full-contact.
Instructors should assess students’ abilities and behaviour before allowing them to participate in free sparring. All forms of free sparring should be practiced under full WTF rules. Instructors must ensure that they and their students are familiar with the latest rules and competition procedures.
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Do I have to wear sparring equipment?
Students who attend sparring classes must have a minimum of the following equipment: chest, arm, leg, and groin protection. For competitions students must have full equipment including: mouth, head, groin, chest, arm, and leg protection. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE MADE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
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Do I have to participate in competitions?
Competitions are a good way to test your techniques and see what standard you are compared with students from other clubs, but they are by no means mandatory. If you are interested in competing, you are able to take part in sparring or poomse patterns competitions, or both. Each type of competition is equally challenging and requires a different type of skill and training.
If you don’t intend to compete, or are unsure, you can still sign up for sparring classes in order to develop your technical and application skills even faster. And it’s a great work-out, you will SWEAT!
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Is sparring the same as self defence training?
Self defence is different than sparring. Self defence focuses on defending yourself against given attack situations. Self defence techniques cannot be used in sparring classes or under competition rules.
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How often should I attend classes?
Taekwondo training demands focus, concentration and discipline. A student can get burnt out very quickly if he/she attends class everyday. Over-training could lead to negative growth and injury to oneself and others. Learning to train smarter is fundamental to achieving success without injuries. 2-3 times a week is sufficient for regular recreational training. Rest in-between days are a must as your body and muscles need to recover. We are a full-time school offering classes 6 days a week so you will have flexibility to attend class around your daily schedule. Your instructor will advise if they see you are over-training and not making progress, or if you need to increase your training to keep up with others.
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How long will it take for me to become a Black Belt?
If a student trains 2-3 times a week consistently, it will take on average between 3-4 years to reach Black Belt. However, getting a Black Belt should not be your primary goal. When knowledge, fitness, sport and personal improvement is your goal then time is not that important.
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When and why are students required to bow?
Students bow as a sign of universal respect to those senior to them and to each other. All students must bow:
1. When entering and leaving the dojang
2. When they greet a Black Belt Instructor
3. Before they engage in conversation with an Instructor. This is immediately followed by the correct way to address them i.e. “Master…… Instructor…… Sir or Ma’am.
4. If a Master or senior ranking Black Belt enters the dojang all classes will stop and bow to acknowledge Masters Presence before continuing.
5. To each other prior to engaging in sparring and finishing sparring. This shows mutual respect and trust in combat.
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What programs do you offer?
ACE Taekwondo offers Olympic style Taekwondo as sanctioned under the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) of Canada. We currently offer two types of memberships: a Basic Membership and a Premium Membership program.. Please see Programs for more details.
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How much do classes cost?
As the famous saying goes “you get what you pay for”. Before you put a price on something you need to discover what its true value is. ACE Taekwondo stands strongly behind its business model of offering the highest level of training anywhere. So, come on in and try 2 FREE CLASSES for yourself completely risk free. If you are not satisfied then you are under no obligation to continue. I am confident that you will find our teaching experience priceless and one that will allow you to make an educated decision. As a general guideline, pricing starts from as little as $79/month.
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Do you offer a family discount?
Yes we do. Come in and discuss with our staff what’s available to you and your family.
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How do I get started?
It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3
1. Visit our website and view / download the timetable
2. Call 647.893.4266 to schedule your first class
3. Attend a class and have fun
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When can I start?
There are no restrictions as to when you can start. The only thing that will stop you is procrastination and the mind set of “I’ll do it later”. The sooner you get in, the sooner you will start getting fitter and the sooner you will see the results. Just ask the students when you some in for your free class.
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