Fitzgerald's Martial Arts

Conveniently located on the corner of 55th and Everett, Fitzgerald's Martial Arts was the first Tang Soo Do school to be established in the Chicago area. After its creation in 1996, the school rapidly became a prime institution for men, women, and children to learn the fundamentals of self-defense and personal well-being. Its owner, Master Fitzgerald, has been recognized as an upstanding member of the Hyde Park - Kenwood community, carrying the knowledge and abilities that he has learned directly from Grandmaster Kim to our neighborhood. As a supervisor of UChicago Tang Soo Do activities, Master Fitzgerald not only provides high-level instruction to the students, staff, and faculty of the University community, but also invites all club members to train in his daily classes - free of charge!

To see the school's class schedule or to find other schools in the Chicago area, visit http://www.fitzgeraldsmartialarts.com.

International Tang Soo Do Federation

The International Tang Soo Do Federation (ITF) was founded in 1984 by Choong Jae Nim (Grand Master) Chun Sik Kim in order to create a standardization of instruction to ensure that Tang Soo Do continues to be taught in its original form. Master Kim has been training in Tang Soo Do since his childhood in Korea, and, over 70, continues to be one of the best martial artists in the world.

From its central headquarters in Monroeville, PA, the ITF has instituted a program of guidelines that addresses not only the technical aspects of Tang Soo Do, but also the methods of instruction as applied by each ITF-registered and certified Kyo Sa Nim (instructor) worldwide. Master Kim takes great joy in attending and instructing clinics and seminars throughout the United States personally, along with senior Master Instructors from around the world. These rigid standards ensure that, for generations to come, Tang Soo Do will continue to be taught in its original form.

As a member of UChicago Tang Soo Do, you will recognized as a life-long member of the ITF at any of its affiliated schools worldwide. For more information about where to find other affiliated schools, visit the International Tang Soo Do Federation website.

The Defensor Method

The Defensor Method is a fighting style established by Maha Guro Nate Defensor, who has been a lifelong student of the indigenous fighting arts of the Philippines. After years training with different masters, Guro Nate has distilled his experiences to their core principles, systematizing these lessons into a curriculum for the purposes of learning, teaching, and promoting Filipino Martial Arts. He has been teaching the Defensor Method for over 30 years in the Chicagoland area, and has recently begun leading weekly classes in Hyde Park.

To find available classes or to discover more about Filipino martial arts in Chicago, visit http://www.defensormethod.com/.