HMD Academy Chicago

I owe my life to this academy. In 2002, my senior year of high school, I was hit by a car and without the conditioning of martial arts, I am sure I would have caught a bad case of dead. In anycase I practiced there starting in grade school and through all of high school. The classes with Master Sarkiss are professional, fun and engaging. I didn’t feel like an oaf out of my element (although I was at first) and the interpersonal atmosphere made me feel like I had a mentor, not just an ‘instructor’.
Master Sarkiss has what can only be described as an unbridled passion for his art. You can see it in the way he works patiently, and positively with kids. Listen to him talk about the philosophy of the martial arts and you’ll see that Master Sarkiss is a passionate humanitarian first, and a confident businessman somewhere later down the list. He doesn’t do what he does in a misguided attempt to make money and cash in on the health craze. I believe he does it to improve the world the best way he can, one disciplined and optimistic student at a time. But don’t take my word for it, go in for some free classes and see it for yourself!

Blair Sarkiss is an awesome teacher — patient (but direct) with kids, with the right mix of discipline and humor. My kids have been going for a few years now — tae kwon do at HMD was the first activity out of many (tennis, soccer, football, swimming, etc.) that they actually wanted to stick with, in large part because they enjoyed working with Master Sarkiss so much.
And it’s not just for the kids — the adult classes can be pretty intense workouts — a great alternative to usual lifting/​treadmill routine.

We have been nothing but thrilled with the way Blair Sarkiss leads and guides his class. He is consistent and is clear with his expectations, and is respected by the belts that stand before him. Our daughter is not one to stay focused for long but has flourished under his firm, gentle guidance. Please check him out. He offers a free trial and is great with younger and older souls interested in the art of Tae kwon do.

This place was hard to find but worth the effort. It’s the closest dojang near where I live and I am very satisfied with my self-​improvement since joining a few months ago (I moved to Chicago recently and had practiced out of town prior).
Master Sarkiss teaches non-​competitive Tae Kwon Do to adults and children: