United Martial Arts Education Center

I have been training in taekwondo at UMAEC for over a year and a half and I must say I have learned and keep learning a lot. Grand Master Pak is a real, humble martial artist, with a deep knowledge of taekwondo, hapkido and ju-​jitsu, who is truly devoted to his students, adults and children alike. I had been training in taekwondo for 3 years before I joined UMAEC and this is the first time I feel home. All students warmly welcomed me and one can always count on higher belts to help out.
Trainings focus both on kicking techniques/​sparring and forms, and offer a complete cardio workout. They also focus on the discipline and philosophy that come with this martial art.
There is no such thing as «belt factory», as mentioned in a previous review. Grand Master Pak and his daughter Ah-​Young both take the time to help their students improving as martial artists but also grow more confident in their everyday life. For that, I have the utmost respect for Grand Master Pak and his family and if I had children, I would sign them up without any hesitation!

I moved to Austin from Belgium in December 2013.
Back home, I’ve been practicing Taekwondo for 12 years, I earned my black belt in 2006, I was a federal referee and have been assistant instructor for more than 5 years.
This only to tell you that I know a little bit about this martial art.
I was looking for a school for a couple of months. The first time I pushed the door of UMAEC, I immediately knew I’d found what I was looking for.
Discipline, tradition, diversity and, most of all, a great master.
I have not often seen such a bond between a teacher and his students. I was also surprised how welcoming everybody was. For my first training, I felt like I was already part of the family.
So if you’re looking for a school for you or your kids, stop looking around, come visit and make your own opinion. You’ll see by yourself how great UMAEC is.

I have had nothing but great experiences since I started going to this school 5 months ago. I take Hap Kido and my 7 year old daughter takes Tae Kwon Do. She looks forward to every class, is growing more patient and disciplined.
Grand Master Pak and his daughter Ah Young both teach. Master Pak has high level black belts in multiple arts, as well does Ah Young. They are both very humble, kind, and patient. There students respect and adore them for good reason.
I could not disagree more with the anonymous poster who said that this school is a money making scheme, nor is it «a belt factory». I’ve seen children and people in my own class not advance when they could not pass a test. Also, Ah Young is over the children and Master Pak comes to help when he is needed for the sheer volume of students or chasm between belts in a given class.
A note about the chairs. These are tough, Korean people, who care deeply for their art. They devote the majority of the space to students and a small space to an office and chairs. There is honestly no more room for chairs and I have no problem sitting on a floor or standing.
I’ve seen children grow confident and strong here. I’ve seen friendships made, and a family environment in place before I arrived. The family of students in my class has welcomed me in, stepped in to help me learn, and invited me to dinner and parties. But above all the deep respect that the 8:00pm students have for their teacher is incredible. They all wait on the store front for him to leave. They wait, then bow and honor him as he washes goodbye. His students truly love him and I am proud to be a part of something so great and genuine.

When I first started Tae Kwon Do, I was in middle school, by high school I was a Black Belt but was pressured by my classmates to quit and do mixed martial arts and street fighting since they had me believe «Tae Kwon Do isn’t an effective fighting art.». I wish I hadn’t listened to them and met Master Pak earlier. After high school I trained at every dojo and martial arts class I could find to get back the groove I threw away and finally, after years of searching, I found it at UMAEC.
At UMAEC, I met people more skilled and just as determined as me and I’m grateful for that. I started back as a white belt and have progressed so much, I believe I have learned more here than my 2 years at my old school. The people here are great, as I began to open up, I met all kinds of people with different backgrounds and skill, who I made lasting friendships with. Master Pak is a excellently skilled martial artist, cold sometimes but from what I’ve seen can also be very caring of his students. Some people may see him as rude and distant, but I can understand where he comes from; living with military men most of my life I know what he’s like. His daughter, Ah-​Young and the other black belts do a great job of teaching and presenting guidance and support to the other struggling students. The kid’s class, although packed, is always energetic, Ah-​Young is happy to work with the kids. I’ll admit the school is small and cramped for visitors but Master Pak makes do with what he has, he tries to make room for everyone and have everyone receive equal attention. As someone who has been to more dojos and schools than he can remember, I would suggest this place to anyone who is serious about Martial Arts or is wanting to begin getting serious.

I have trained with Master Pak for 8 years now and have earned my black belt in Hap Ki Do. under his tutelage. Prior to this I had trained in hap ki do for 3 years. After searching across many locations I found this gem of a school and instructor.
If you are looking to develop your self and your physical confidence come and study with us. This is a tight group that respects each other, has fun and is all working to learn together. HKD is an art for the patient student wanting a complete physical and mental work out.
Master Pak also teaches TKD which is fantastic for people seeking a disciplined aerobic workout for all ages. He is patient, careful and demanding of all of his students which is great for kids.

I was a student of Master Pak in Houston for over 10 years. He is one of the best Tae Kwon Do Instructors that has been teaching in Texas for over 2 decades. I owe my Martial Arts life to him and he has taught me more about life than anything else. Much respects to this man and his dedication to the arts and the discipline. He is truly a gentle beast.

I’ve been training in TKD at UMAEC for almost a year now. I’ve had no prior experience in any type of martial art. I started because I wanted to do something else other than going to the gym.
The adult TKD class is 1hr on Mon and Wed. All belt levels are in one class. I was a little concerned with this at first, but there are alot of black belts to help out, and Master Pak gives ample attention to beginners when needed. I also love that Master Pak makes himself available on Saturdays for a couple of hours if you want extra practice or training.
The sparring class on Thursday is open to everyone, and you need gear/​protection to participate. This class is useful, but I don’t always go out of my way to attend. The hapkido class is after TKD; I have been to a couple, but I feel I’m not ready for that.
I usually watch the kids’ class if I come in early. There is always one or two other instructors (senior students) helping out. It’s great because Master Pak instills discipline and respect, and it really shows through the kids. In other words, if I had children, they would definitely be in that class.
Overall, if you’re serious about learning a martial art, and want to learn from an extremely high caliber Master, then UMAEC is for you.

I’ve been training with Grand Master Jang Hee Pak at UMAEC for a year now in Taekwondo (TKD) & Hapkido (HKD) and I’ve trained TKD for 5 years at 2 other schools in WTF olympic style TKD. Grand Master Pak is definitely the real deal; he has trained Olympic gold medalist and world champions and is also well known & respected among fellow GM’s. Master Pak’s methods build a strong foundation as a martial artist; he emphasizes the core with proper balance & technique which fosters speed & power. Master Pak uses martial arts to improve the student with respect to integrity, confidence & decision making as well as mastery in martial arts. His methods are incredibly successful with children and adults, and I’ve seen tremendous transformations with respect to both.
As far as adult classes go they are M & W 7−8PM for TKD & 8−9PM for HKD. There is also a Thursday sparring class that goes from 6−7PM. There are several children’s classes including one just before the adult classes. Classes are very dynamic and are structured to keep things fresh and increase the student’s retention & ultimate expertise. UMAEC has a great website that is usually updated on a fairly regular basis. There is also a Leander location that is run by GM Pak’s senior black belt. I recommend stopping by to check out the classes and to talk to master Pak, I promise he wont kick you or put you in an arm lock, he’s very friendly and kind.