Welcome to Midtown Martial Arts

Midtown is a school with focus on traditional teachings and personal learning and growth.  I look forward to being a part of your training.  Here, you will find detail about classes, schedules and student handbook.  Please contact me for any additional questions.

-Master Kimberly Cote

NEWSLETTER

Read the latest Midtown Newsletter!

(Aug 2024)

Important Dates

Next Color Belt Test:  TBA

Closure Dates:

Saturday Aug 31st & Monday Sept 2nd – (Labor Day Weekend)
Thursday October 31st – (Halloween)
Thursday November 28th – (Thanksgiving)
Tuesday Dec 24th & Wednesday Dec 25th – (Christmas)

CLASS SCHEDULE

MONDAY

Children: 5pm – 6pm
Adults: 6:30pm – 7:30pm

TUESDAY

Children: 5pm – 6pm

WEDNESDAY

Children: 5pm – 6pm
Adults: 6:30pm – 7:30pm

THURSDAY

Children: 5pm – 6pm
Black Belts: 6pm – 7pm

FRIDAY

Closed

SATURDAY

Children & Adults: 11am– 12 noon

CLASSES

Children

Ages: 6–13 yrs old

Hours: 

Monday & Wednesday: 5pm–6pm

Saturday: 11am–12pm

Taekwondo is excellent exercise for the mental and physical well being of children and adolescents. The main focus is on non-aggressive attitude and respect for parents. Our children’s program helps students to build a healthy self-esteem, as well as develop their confidence and character.

Taekwondo training is an excellent way to enhance athletics and develop coordination. All students learn to respect, accept and get along with all others. The class is well structured and teaches discipline at all levels. In addition to Taekwondo training, the martial art of Judo is also taught in the children’s class. Judo teaches children how to take serious falls with minimal repercussions. Judo self-defense is also taught to give children the tools to effectively defend themselves from others without inflicting injuries or pain to the opponent. Our Children’s Safety Program gives children the knowledge to stop child abductions as well as the signs to be aware of in case of suspicious activity.

Children are allowed to attend any 3 classes throughout the week.

Adult

Ages: 13 yrs and older

Hours:

Monday, Wednesday: 6:30pm–7:30pm
Saturday: 11am–12pm

The adult class is not stressful to the physical health of adult students. Our Taekwondo style is smooth and flowing without the usual strain on joints. Taekwondo training is excellent for body toning and stress relief. We also teach other martial arts systems as a support base for life and death experiences. Judo techniques teach adults how to fall properly and to use as a self-defense system against persons who are under the influence of alcohol or substance abuse. Weapon self-defense as well as multiple attacker self defense is also implemented in our adult classes to give adults the skills needed to survive life and death street fight confrontations and attacks.

Our adult only classes offer a chance for our older teens and adults to learn and practice advanced self-defense techniques that are not taught in the mixed children-adult sessions. These techniques include defense against attackers with or without weapons, such as knives, bats and guns. Adults are also taught to defend themselves against multiple attackers.

Practical Self-Defense would include techniques applicable to persons that may simply be aggressive or possibly even brandishing a weapon, be it a knife, gun or other type of weapon. These types of attacks could include:

  • Stare-downs, aggressive posture or threats
  • Grabs on your arms, body, hair, head, etc.
  • Chokes or head locks
  • Pushes / Punches / Slaps
  • Presenting a weapon

Many times, to counter attacks like these, the simplest technique will be the most effective. Often, it’s a “street-fight” where a “martial artist” will lose. The martial artist may be over-confident in their abilities or believe that the aggressor will fight by the same rules as a sport-fight.

Hard, closed hand strikes to pressure points or key areas like the jawline, bladder, groin, ribs and knees are very effective. But, controlling techniques can also be effective when performed properly. Using and shifting your body weight along with keeping arms close to the body will allow even small framed persons to have significant strength compared to a larger opponent. Manipulating another persons joints and pressure points can drop even the biggest person in pain, yet result in no long-term damage.

Practical self-defense will require a decision to be made.

Does this attacker mean me serious harm? Is this a young kid trying to prove something? Is this a hardened criminal? Each situation could be different and will require an immediate evaluation to be made.

How much force do I need to use? Will a controlling technique be able to end the confrontation? Can I put this person into a lock? Can I safely take them to the ground? Are they too big or out of control for me to handle? Is my life in danger? Do I have to consider doing serious harm to this attacker? Could I need to break bones or disable them to stop their attack?

Of course, we all wish that everyone could be peaceful. But, practical, common sense self defense could be used by officers, teachers, nurses, drivers, service workers, or anyone that deals with the public or strangers on a daily basis!

Techniques that are taught are based upon multiple styles of fighting. They are intended to halt a confrontation or counter an immediate threat or attack. But, the possibility of continuing the technique through it’s natural movement will allow to put yourself in the superior position and set up a finishing move, should it be needed.

If you, or a group, are interested in private or corporate lessons, please call or email to reserve a time and date. Costs would be determined based upon number of participants, length of the course, etc.

Family

Ages: 6yrs and older
Hours: Tuesday, Friday: 6pm–7pm, Saturday: 11am–12pm

(TUE AND FRI currently NOT OPEN due to COVID Schedule.  Saturday is the only currently available Family Class day.)

Make Midtown your family time! With combined children and adult classes three days a week you can grow in your journey together. Taekwondo training is an excellent way to enhance athletics and develop coordination. All students learn to respect, accept, and get along with all others. The class is well structured and teaches discipline at all levels.

Black Belt
Black belt only class.
Hours: Thursday: 6pm–7pm

Our black belt class is conducted under closed-door instruction. This class is not open to the public. Students who have earned black belts under Master Cote are given the opportunity to learn advanced martial art technique and philosophy.

Midtown black belt class teaches students hands on approach to self-defense technique against many weapons such as guns, knives, clubs, and multiple attackers. Advanced Judo and Jiu-Jitsu techniques are also taught to show black belts how to survive jumping from houses or buildings, and out of moving vehicles. Typically, students train through the regular classes for periods of 3 to 4 years to earn the right to test for black belt and then attend the black belt class.

Arnis

Modern Arnis uses empty hand and also sticks or bladed weapons.  Remy Presas sought to perfect this Filipino style.  Both single and double stick fighting techniques are taught, along with unarmed defenses against the stick, bladed weapons, and no weapons.  Arnis is an excellent addition to your martial arts training and is taught in most all classes, blended into the self-defense, and also occasionally throughout blackbelt classes.

Rattan sticks can be borrowed or purchased at the dojang.

Pricing
OVERVIEW

  • Pricing varies, depending upon the number of students in the plan (single student or family plans of two, three or more).
  • There are NO enrollment fees of any kind and NO contracts to sign!
  • Discounts for prepaid plans of three or six months are also offered.
  • Testing for rank is NOT included in the monthly tuition and these fees pay for new belts and test judges. Tests occur, on average, every three months. Testing fees vary depending upon the rank testing for, and how many students are in your single or family rate tuition.
  • If you would like to inquire about classes in person, please arrive 20-30 minutes PRIOR to class start times. Walk-ins that arrive during class times will need to wait until the class finishes.

CLASSES/STUDENTS

  • Most classes are 1-hour sessions.
  • Every student is allowed to attend up to 3 classes per week.
  • Children or adults have 5 days per week available to attend.
  • If you transfer from another dojang and have earned a color or black belt, we do not take away your rank! We know you’ve worked hard to earn it!
  • For black belts, we simply ask for copies of your Dan or Kukkiwon certificates and/or test dates so we may ensure you have met the proper age and training time requirements for your current and potential next belts.

Please call or email us for a detailed monthly price, specific to you.

MIDTOWN MARTIAL ARTS

At Midtown Martial Arts, our mission is for you to learn and reach your full potential! Our focus is Tae Kwon Do and we also incorporate Judo, Hapkido, and Arnis. We have a traditional Asian-style of teaching where techniques are demonstrated for you to perform. All belt levels practice together.

Midtown Martial Arts is a proud member of the USNTF and certify our black belts through the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea. Students follow the 10 tenets of Tae Kwon Do: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self Control, Indomitable Spirit, Courage, Loyalty, Consistency, Humility and Honesty. The dojang offers a quiet, private area in which to train. There are lockers outside for coats and shoes, as well as separate restrooms for changing.

Master Cote
Master Kimberly Cote

Master Kimberly Cote is the owner and main instructor of Midtown Martial Arts. She began practicing Taekwondo in 1995 and joined Midtown Martial Arts as a white belt under Grand Master Richard Temmerman, who, after running a successful St. Charles Midtown Martial Arts location for seven years, had opened Elburn’s school in 1993. Even before joining, Kimberly was sure Tae Kwon Do is what she wanted to do – no other sport or activity she tried could hold her attention.

After several years of training with Grand Master Temmerman and his traditional, disciplined style, Kimberly earned her black belt in 1998. In August of 1999, Kimberly tested for and received her 1st degree Kukkiwon black belt. Over the next decade, she maintained training and began teaching one class a week, and filled in whenever the owner had to attend to matters away from the school. Kimberly received her 2nd Kukkiwon in February 2002; 3rd Kukkiwon in April 2004; 4th Kukkiwon in Arpil 2010, and received her 5th USNTF black belt in May 2011.

In June 2011, a transition was under way. On July 1, 2011, Master Kimberly Cote, a student of 17 years, became the new owner of Midtown Martial Arts.

Now, Master Cote carries on the same teaching style and curriculum that she, herself learned under. The discipline and skill that students at Midtown Martial Arts have come to be known for, will also carry on. Master Cote is married to Cameron Cote, a 4th degree, Kukkiwon certified black belt who is also active in the training. They have been married since 2007, and have almost 40 years of combined training between them.

In addition to Kimberly and Cameron Cote, there are multiple black belts at Midtown Martial Arts that have 10, 15, or 20+ years of training in Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Arnis and other disciplines.

Black Belt Staff
Midtown has black belts that are children, teens and adults. But, in order to be a qualified instructor, black belts must be at least 16 years of age and hold a 2nd degree rank or higher. Master Cote teaches nearly all of the classes herself, but expects on black belts to assist during classes to make corrections and set good examples.

And while some may believe that a person who holds a martial arts black belt is a competent self-defense expert, this is not necessarily the case. Black belt holders have demonstrated they have the ability to learn. Self-defense expertise is developed as black belts learn and start to develop mastery through time and training. Many Midtown students have used techniques taught in class to successfully defend themselves in conditions with aggressive confrontations. Midtown Martial Arts black belts are expected to live their lives with higher standards and expectations. Integrity and honor are of the utmost importance in the learning process and development of Midtown black belts!

CONTACT US

Call 630-365-2344

Midtown Martial Arts
2nd floor of the Elburn Community Center
525 N. Main St., Elburn, IL 60119
Fax: 630-448-8009