Welcome to Our Website!

Since 1983, Yi's Karate Institute has been providing instruction in Tang Soo Do and the martial arts in the Atco, NJ area.

Molding children's minds and bodies with praise, encouragement and self-discipline, we teach skills that become life-long assets, with incentives for academic achievement. Men, women, Moms and Dads also benefit from Martial Arts Training. It is an excellent way for adults to reduce stress and improve overall health. Gaining self esteem and setting higher goals while developing fitness of the mind, body and spirit earning a black belt. Yi's Martial Arts is not just a school, but a family. We believe that there is no price you can place on a child's future or your own health and safety.

We hope you enjoy our website and will stop by and visit us if you are in the area. This site is designed to give you information about our facility, our style of martial arts, our staff and provide you with information on how to contact us as well.

What is Tang Soo Do?

The word "Tang" originates from a Korean word meaning "to defend or strike". "Soo" means "hand", but it may also be interpreted as a punch, a strike, a fist or a defense. "Do" means "a way of life". When you combine the three words Tang Soo Do means "The way of the hand of Tang". The kicking techniques of Tang Soo Do are based on the ancient Korean kicking style of Tae Kyun, and the soft, flowing movements come from northern and southern Chinese systems. Tang Soo Do is a modern martial art and it's purpose is to develop every aspect of the 'self' in order to produce a mature person who can totally integrate his intellect, emotions, body and spirit.

Tang Soo Do, is not a sport and its primary goal is not a competitive one. However, it does lend itself well to combative situations. Being a well-balanced style, Tang Soo Do offers a wide array of kicks, hand strikes, and stances representative of hard styles as well as softer stances and more fluid motions that are indicative of the softer styles. It derives it's hardness from Soo Bahk Do and its soft flowing movements from the Northern Chinese systems. Its kicking techniques , for which Tang Soo Do is unsurpassed, are based on Soo Bahk Do. Both of which can easily be recognized in the forms that are practiced within the style.

Free sparring is an extremely important part of Tang Soo Do training. There are two major types suitable for Tang Soo Do schools: Dojang sparring and competition; or sport, sparring. Although the techniques used in these types of sparring could be potentially dangerous and could result in a knockout or serious injury if not properly controlled, full contact sparring (kick boxing), traditionally is not included in the Tang Soo Do venue.

Tang Soo Do competitions do not allow contact to face or groin, or the back while allowing light moderate contact to the sides and front of the body. When one looks at injuries occurring in other contact sports it becomes clear that sport Tang Soo Do is actually a very safe activity. Qualities like sportsmanship, mutual respect for each other and personal discipline insures that practitioners compete in the healthiest environment possible. After all, the purpose of Tang Soo Do training is not for fighting, but to perfect techniques that will enhance one's total self. If the occasion arises when one must defend oneself, of equal importance is the development of the proper spirit to supplement the physical skills that are attained.