I had studied taekwondo back in high school but hadnt kept up with it. I had very warm memories of my time with the ATA, though, so when my son was 7 I decided to check out ATA Madison West. It was such a great experience that I signed back up as well, and convinced my wife and daughter to join too!ATA Madison West is a very friendly and supportive environment, with awesome students and instructors. Everyone works together to help each other achieve their best, so its a great place to start even if you have no martial arts experience.While the school is privately owned, it is part of the ATA (formerly American Taekwondo Association) which is one of the largest taekwondo organizations in the U.S. This was a huge advantage to me because the curriculum is consistent from school to school. Even if you end up moving somewhere else, youll likely be near another ATA school and can pick up exactly where you left off. (My high school studies were in North Carolina 20 years ago!)Fantastic school, fantastic people. Great place to train yourself physically and mentally, and learn some self-defense to boot!