Business Q&A: Ultimate Champions Tae Kwon Do

The martial arts have existed for hundreds of years, with each generation of practitioners passing the secrets of the various techniques each discipline has to offer down to the next.

Known for positively shaping the moral fiber of his students, as well as chiseling their bodies into lean, mean, fighting machines, Ultimate Champions Tae Kwon Do owner Eric Lee, a fourth-degree black belt in Karate, imparts a proud family tradition at his school.

Lee recently spoke with Patch about his school’s success in Merrick, which began when he opened his doors at 391 Merrick Avenue to the public in March of 2009.

Tell us about Tae Kwon Do and what programs you offer at your school.

Tae Kwon Do is a Korean-based martial art. We teach classes for kids as early as three years old. We also have classes for pre-teens, teens, and adults.

What do you feel it’s important for people to learn the martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do?

We have customers that come in for a variety of reasons. For kids, it’s usually a lack of self-confidence. If they’re introverted or shy, martial arts prove to bring out a lot of confidence in children. There’s also the discipline aspect. If a child is a little out-of-control or disrespectful, we obviously work on respect in the classroom environment. Plus, there’s health reasons, where people, especially adults, want to get into shape. Tae Kwon Do is a very good workout and covers a lot of conditioning aspects.

What got you instructed in learning the martial arts, and later, teaching them?

My father used to own a school in Queens for many years, so I grew up doing it. One thing led to another and I joined the Ultimate Champions Tae Kwon Do organization, opened a school in Merrick, and I’m still here three years later.

Have martial arts schools continued to find new generations of students, even in a tough economy where people are watching every nickel?

My father was forced to close down about five years ago due to tough economic times, and that’s what a lot of martial arts schools are going through right now. It’s more of a luxury, because the service we provide isn’t really a necessity. But on that same note, when covering all those things we do for children and adults – changing their lives for the better – even though it’s not a full-on necessity like food or shelter, I feel that learning martial arts is a necessity in its own way.

How do you like owning and operating a business in the Merrick community?

Having been here for three years, I’ve learned a lot about the town. What I’ve learned about Merrick is that a lot of the people here grew up here. Unlike Queens or other parts of Long Island, which seem more like a pit stop for people, you come to Merrick to settle down. That’s a very positive aspect, and Merrick is a great place to own a martial arts business.