It's more than just a sport or great workout. In addition to stronger, healthier bodies that are more accomplished
at martial arts we want our positive, motivating culture and the work ethic we promote of "the effort you put in
equals the results you will get" to become a way of life for every student.

We don't measure our success by the number of square feet in our school, but by the number of lives we've had
the opportunity to impact in such a positive way.
(though visitors always seem to be surprised at how bright, clean and big our school is!)

Our Mission Statement:
At Hilliard Taekwondo Academy we are passionate about increasing the self-confidence of children, teens and adults by helping them master increasingly challenging martial arts skills through our exceptional taekwondo program taught in a safe, positive and supportive environment.

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First, we want you to know that while we are an independently-owned school, we are backed by a strong national organization.

Hilliard Taekwondo Academy is a member of Taekwondo America (TA), a national organization with many participating schools across the United States. All schools that are members of the TA organization adhere to the same professional guidelines ensuring the high standards by which we teach, promote students in rank, and project our image and reputation within the community remain consistent from school to school, even though every TA school is not a franchise, but is independently owned.

Whether you're a boy or a girl; whether you're a child, teen or adult, you can expect to be treated with respect and courtesy in every Taekwondo America school and at every Taekwondo America event.

At Hilliard Taekwondo Academy, our martial arts program includes Taekwondo Forms, Sparring, Wood-Breaking mixed with fun drills and energetic activities designed to provide a good workout for all age levels. 

We can be very loud and very enthusiastic when we're teaching class, but we don't believe in yelling at and berating students as a motivational style. Yes, we do expect students to be respectful and courteous in class and we have immediate consequences for misbehavior. We expect every student to try hard every class and to answer up with an enthusiastic "Yes, ma'am!" or "Yes, sir!" anytime an instructor speaks to them. We also believe using positive reinforcement and having consistent age/rank appropriate consequences, mixed with fun is the best way to encourage and motivate students.

All students are required to wear the appropriate uniform to class: their current belt with either our full white uniform or one of our t-shirts (or a Taekwondo America event t-shirt) and our workout pants. Uniforms, t-shirts and workout pants must be clean, in good repair and the appropriate size. Wearing a clean, appropriate uniform is a sign of respect for the school, the instructors and ones self.

You may wonder when should sniffles, rashes, injuries, etc keep you home from class. We have more information about on our news page and our FAQ page.

OUR PROGRAMS: Little Dragons & Ninjas ● Juniors ● Teens ● Adults

LITTLE DRAGONS (AGE 3&4) & LITTLE NINJAS  (AGE 5)         
NINJA JUNIORS - AGE 6



Our Little Dragons & Little Ninjas programs are designed to help 3&4 and 5 year olds begin learning the basics of martial arts in a fun environment. We use games and a variety of activities with helpers from our Juniors Program to help them develop balance, focus, memory, respect, self-control, large and small motor skills and so much more.

With their busy play schedules and the addition of pre-school or kindergarten we've found they are typically too tired to focus for (or enjoy) a 30-minute weekday class. Our Saturday morning only program (at a reduced cost) for age 3 & 4, and our Mon & Wed afternoon classes for age 5 is a perfect fit for this younger group's lifestyle. During the summer months we add a Tuesday or Thursday morning class.

They get to earn stripes on their belt during class and test for a new belt every 2 months.

Our Ninja Juniors class helps our 6-year-old students prepare to transition to the Junior Program. This age group has 2 classes they may attend each week: Saturday morning and Wednesday early evening. During the summer we add a Tuesday or Thursday morning class.

JUNIORS - AGE 7-12
Age 11-15 Young Teen Classes



Our Junior program (ages 7 - 12*) offers high quality martial arts training which teaches self-confidence, focus, self-discipline, courtesy, leadership and teamwork in a fun environment. Students choose two to three taekwondo classes a week from the 5-6 classes offered for their age and rank. We've added 2 evening classes each week that provide the opportunity for Junior students ages 11 and 12 to workout with teens a few year older to help them prepare to transition to the teen/adult class.

Our Junior program is divided into Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Black Belt classes based on rank.

During a typical class students participate in a variety of activities which may include working with an instructor on their Form, practicing sparring or One-Steps, working with a partner and a target to learn proper striking and kicking techniques for their belt level, participating in a relay race, learning how to deal with a bully, using the rail for support during kicking drills or using boppers to learn good blocking skills. Our goal is to keep class fun and challenging!

We've added exercise classes to our program! Check out the class schedule for times for your age or rank. HTA students may participate in one exercise class a week in addition to their 2-3 taekwondo classes a week. Students wear the the same thing to the exercise class as they do to their taekwondo classes.

*Because of the popularity of our Little Dragon and Ninja Juniors programs and their waiting lists we may allow children who are at least 6 1/2 to try a Junior Beginner class to see if they are able to focus and follow directions for a 45-minute class in order to be able to participate in this program.

TEENS & ADULTS - AGE 13 and up



Our Adult and Teen can work out up to 5 times a week in classes designed to challenge experienced martial artists as well as those who are new to Taekwondo. Our program provides an excellent strength training and aerobic workout for wide range of ages and abilities. Every adult class begins and ends with time for stretching to either warm up or to cool down and increase flexibility. Activities are designed to allow each student to work out at their own pace and skill level as strength, flexibility and endurance improve.

You’ll increase your self-confidence and feel healthier. In addition to learning your current belt level pattern of moves, practicing sparring or sparring movement drills and learning how to defend yourself, we use targets, slammers, pushups, sit ups and other equipment in a variety of fun and challenging activities to increase flexibility, improve muscle strength and build endurance. So, whether you are 13 or 53, Taekwondo may be the best way to achieve your health and exercise goals! The friendships you'll develop over time are just a bonus!

We've added additional equipment to help our students improve strength, toning, flexibility and cardio in addition to developing exceptional martial arts skills! Have you seen Battle Ropes or Agility Ladder drills and thought it would be cool to try? Do you need more flexible hips, stronger quads, more toned biceps & triceps, stronger abs (or just SOME abs)? Want to try foam rolling, exercise bands, medicine ball drills. Try one of our teen/adult classes and see what it's all about.

Our Monday, Wednesday and Friday Morning Adult class is popular with adults who have flexible work schedules as well as stay at home parents.

WHAT WE TEACH: Forms ● One-steps & Sparring ● Board-breaking ● Self-Defense

What are "Forms"?



You may also hear martial arts forms referred to as Hyungs or Katas. Forms are patterns of moves designed to teach students increasingly complex marital arts skills and techniques. Each belt level has its own pattern of moves a student learns when he or she passes testing and receives that new belt. For example, the first belt ― the white belt ― has a pattern with 14 moves that teaches the basic blocks and stances. The next belt level ― yellow belt ― has a pattern with 21 moves that has new blocks and a different combination of moves. This continues all the way up through all of the black belt levels.

The expectations for how the techniques in each Form are performed increase also. A new student performing the white belt form will not have the same precision of stances and sharpness of technique that a black belt student should demonstrate when they do their form. Our goal is for students to show gradual improvement over time as they progress through the belt levels. We don’t compare one student to another, but rather work to help each student improve based on their ability and effort.

Black Belt students working toward their instructor collar can watch on the Taekwondo America national website. Students (and their parents) should not use these videos to teach themselves their new form or future forms because you may teach yourself incorrect techniques. If you are coming to class 2-3 times a week consistently and working hard and focusing while you are in class, you should be prepared for the next belt rank testing.       

What are "One Steps" and "Sparring Combinations"?

White and Yellow Belt students learn One-Steps, combinations of 3-5 moves designed to help them prepare for future free sparring with a partner. Children learn three One-Step combinations and adults learn five combinations. Students first learn and perform the One-Steps without a partner. Once students know the One-Steps, they pair up to practice the One-Steps back and forth. One partner stands still in an attack position, while the other performs a One-Step toward them without making contact. 

Orange and Senior Orange Belt students learn Sparring Combinations, which are similar to One-Steps, but they are not performed in a stationary position. Blocking and moving away from an attack, and making light contact, are introduced. Orange Belt students purchase sparring gear and once they know and have been tested for their Sparring Combinations, they may participate in Free Sparring with instructor supervision. 

What is "Free-Sparring"?



Concussion training: while our program is light to medium contact sparring and we focus a lot on teaching students how to make appropriate contact and how to block and move well, we believe it is still important for our staff instructors to be trained to:
● understand what type of impact/contact has the potential to cause a concussion
● teach students how to work out safely to avoid concussions
● recognize & respond to situations in the unlikely event of a possible concussion

Sparring is using controlled defense and attack techniques with light to medium contact in short bouts with a partner/opponent in a safe environment. At Hilliard Taekwondo America we introduce sparring gradually. Once Orange Belts and Senior Orange belts "master" their sparring combinations, we work with them to use the skills from their defined combinations to help them free spar.

You may wonder, “Won’t teaching kids to fight just encourage them to become more violent?” Actually, quite the opposite. Students are reminded regularly that they may not misuse taekwondo and that it’s not okay to start a fight. We teach students ways to try to avoid fighting bullies and to use their words. Using physical force to protect themselves is a last resort. And, students who learn how to defend themselves tend to be more confident and are less likely to be the target of an attack or feel that they need to attack others.

Free sparring allows students to practice defensive and counter-attack techniques in a safe and controlled environment. Students are required to purchase and wear approved Taekwondo America co-branded gear (which ensures all students have gear with the same level of protection) which includes padded helmet, molded mouthpiece, elbow pads, hand pads, shin guards, foot pads, and all males must wear a cup. Students who do not have every piece of gear on are not allowed to participate in free sparring during that class.

Sparring teaches good sportsmanship, manners, self-control, focus and self-confidence. Only light contact is allowed at first with students progressing to medium (but never full impact contact) as they feel more confident. Students practice techniques on targets to learn the difference between punching and kicking targets hard and making appropriate contact with a sparring partner. Students learn a variety of combinations they can use in sparring, but the goal is for them to see open target areas on their partner/opponent and to combine a variety of techniques to score points.

Sparring also prepares students to defend themselves in a real life situation. Sparring teaches students to think quickly, to defend and counter attack. No, classroom sparring is not exactly like a real life fight, but it does allow students to practice blocking punches and to respond quickly without freezing and increase the odds of a safer outcome should they ever have to defend themselves.

Why do students have to break boards?



Besides the fact that it's FUN and you feel a great sense of accomplishment?
Boards are an unbiased judge when it comes to correct technique.
During your form a kick may look good even if it may not have the power to keep "the bad guy" away from you.
During sparring you may be able to land your foot or hand on your partner even if it isn't great technique or strong.
With boards you need be the correct distance, chamber correctly and strike with both the correct technique and speed to break the board.
And being able to break boards in a testing environment demonstrates being able to exert enough power to defend yourself and fight off an attacker in a stressful surprise situation.
Students do not break boards as part of their belt rank testing until they are a senior blue belt and it does not start counting toward their testing results until they are a brown belt testing for senior brown belt, which means they will have been through at least 6 two-month testing cycles in the Juniors or Teen/Adult program. By that time they will have had a year of developing the skills necessary to be prepared to start breaking boards. Every time students kick or strike a target, do the kicks and strikes in their form, practice kicks on the rail as well as doing push-ups, squats, burpees, windsprints and crunches, they are developing the skills and strength to break boards.

What other ways can we learn to defend ourselves against bullies and strangers?



We also periodically teach a few techniques that are what most non-martial artists think of when they hear the term “self-defense.” How do you get away if someone grabs you around the neck or by your arm or your hair? What do you do if someone shoves you against a wall? How do you deal with the bully on the playground or the obnoxious co-worker at the holiday party? Who is a "stranger" and how can you use your voice, knees, elbows and more to be safer? What if the attacker is a whole lot bigger than you? Often an incident can be handled without punching or kicking the offender — as martial artists our goal is to try to resolve things as peacefully as possible and to avoid a violent confrontation. We teach students how to avoid a grab, to use pressure points and counter grabs and even an attacker’s own body weight to end the attack. We periodically teach women’s self-defense clinics and Stranger Danger/Bully Awareness classes for kids at our school and can bring those classes to the public schools and businesses.

What is required to earn stripes                   What is required at testing

courtesy • integrity • perseverance • self-control • indomitable spirit