Tae Ryong Taekwondo - Washington

Tae Ryong Taekwondo's Port Orchard studio teaches traditional Korean taekwondo from the toddler years on, with a class where 2- to 4-year-olds train beside a parent and another for beginners 55 and over. It belongs to the Tae Ryong School of Taekwondo, founded in 1982 by Grand Master Yong Shin, whose other studios are in California. “Tae Ryong” means “Constantly Growing Dragon,” and Grand Master Shin guides his students and instructors to keep to Korean tradition, with a line of his own for them: “always finish what you start.”

Master Kelly Rogers, a 5th Dan, is the chief instructor in Port Orchard, with Master Terry Crane, a 4th Dan, and five assistant instructors. Adults train in the traditional taekwondo class, and a separate sparring class is for students who want to get better at it, whether they're after gold at competitions or past a hurdle on the way to the next belt. Family classes put parents and children on the mat together, and the masters teach private lessons one on one or in small groups, at the studio or on location.

The 55+ Beginner TKD class (ages 55 and above) is geared to newcomers and runs in 8-week sessions with the uniform included, meeting on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and again in the evening. Times for the regular kids and adult classes are best checked with the studio. Newcomers to any class need no previous experience. A first class calls only for comfortable clothes to exercise in, and uniforms, apparel and safety equipment are available at the dojang.