Lima Taekwondo Dojo in Culver City: A Champion Family School

Lima Taekwondo occupies Suite A at 5903 Sepulveda Blvd in Culver City, across the street from Westfield Culver City, and it is one of the few Westside schools where the people who built the program still teach on the mat. The Lima family's banner reads Since 1979, and the Culver City academy has trained more than a hundred national champions in sparring and forms while keeping its beginner classes friendly enough for five-year-olds.

The school's history runs through two grandmasters. Andre Lima is certified by World Taekwondo as an 8th degree black belt and holds a Kukkiwon diploma. His biography credits his early training to Masters Soo Myung Choi and Carlos Eduardo Loddo, names that anyone who follows Brazilian taekwondo will recognize from the sport's growth there.

Grandmaster Christianny Paiva Lima, a 7th degree black belt through World Taekwondo and the Kukkiwon, founded the Los Angeles academy after she moved to the city in 1995. She was inducted into the International Taekwondo Hall of Fame in 2019. The Since 1979 line on the family's branding reaches back to their teaching roots before Los Angeles, while the Culver City school itself has grown up alongside the neighborhood over the past three decades.

Lima uses a ten-belt color system on the way to black belt, and the academy holds six belt tests a year. That pace gives children a visible goal every couple of months without rushing anyone, and it keeps adults honest about attendance. Sundays are reserved for belt tests and special classes, so weekday training stays focused on technique.

Promotion is about more than kicking height. Students are graded on their poomsae, the Kukkiwon patterns that build balance and precision, on basic sparring and on etiquette. With two senior World Taekwondo black belts running the program, expect a lot of correction on stances, chamber position and the snap at the end of each kick.

The academy's March 2026 schedule for Culver City lays out three main tracks. TKD Juniors classes meet Monday through Friday from 3:30 pm to 4:25 pm and again from 5:30 pm to 6:25 pm, with a Saturday class from 10:00 am to 10:55 am. Little Ninjas, the program for the youngest students, trains on Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 pm to 5:15 pm.

TKD Adults and Teens meets Monday through Friday from 6:30 pm to 7:25 pm and on Saturday from 11:00 am to 11:55 am. Sparring drills for orange belts and higher are scheduled on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, which gives intermediate students a chance to test their distance and timing in a controlled setting before they think about tournaments.

The competition team is voluntary, as the school's site puts it, so sport sparring is an option rather than a requirement. For students who do want to compete, the academy's record of more than a hundred national champions in sparring and forms shows that the path from a Saturday junior class to a national podium is well worn here.

Families should know that serious competition brings extra commitments: additional sparring sessions, tournament travel and electronic scoring gear. Before signing up, it is worth asking the instructors where your child stands and whether another season of basics would help more than an early medal.

New students usually start in the class that matches their age rather than their experience, so a nervous seven-year-old and a confident one both begin in Juniors and get sorted by belt once the instructors have watched them move. Students past the junior age range of 6 to 12, and parents who want to train alongside them, belong in the Adults and Teens hour, which is one of the easiest ways for a family to share a hobby.

Wear comfortable athletic clothes, remove shoes before stepping on the mat, and bring a labeled water bottle. Mention any injuries before warmups. If a child is shy, arriving ten minutes early to watch the end of the previous class often helps more than any pep talk, because seeing kids their own age kick pads and laugh makes the room feel familiar.

Lima also teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a natural fit for a family with Brazilian roots, and its timetable includes women-only jiu-jitsu sessions alongside a women's self-defense program. Those classes suit adults who want grappling skills or a calmer, more supportive environment for learning to escape grabs and holds.

Membership comes in two styles, according to the school's site: a Basic program and an Unlimited program, which is tied to the Black Belt Club for students committed to the long road. The site does not list prices, so the front desk is the place to compare the two after a trial class. The family also runs a second location in Harbor City for South Bay students.

Being across the street from Westfield Culver City makes it easy to fold a class into an errand run, with groceries, coffee and a food court a crosswalk away. For something more scenic, the Ballona Creek Bike Path runs nearby and leads toward Marina del Rey, a flat ride or walk that suits a family cool-down.

Downtown Culver City, with its restaurants, the Kirk Douglas Theatre and the gates of the old studio lots, is a short drive north. For a challenge after class, the stairs at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook climb to a view that stretches from downtown Los Angeles to the ocean on a clear day.

Address: Lima Taekwondo, 5903 Sepulveda Blvd, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90230, across from Westfield Culver City. Phone: (310) 391-4950. Email: limataekwondo@yahoo.com. Programs: Little Ninjas ages 3 to 5, Juniors ages 6 to 12, Adults and Teens, competition team, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and women's self-defense. Belt tests: six a year, on Sundays.

Getting there: Culver CityBus routes run along Sepulveda Boulevard, and drivers can aim for the Westfield side of the street. Good fit for families who want a championship pedigree without making competition mandatory. Ask the Karpo APP to plan a post-class taco stop in Culver City or compare taekwondo schools across the Westside.