NOTICE
Kick your semester into gear
Melanie Johnson, left, struggles to overcome instructor Mark Taylor from the disadvantage of Taylor's headlock during a Krav Maga training session at Premier Martial Arts in Lawrence. The Krav Maga (literally "close combat" in Hebrew) fighting style was developed in Israel.
Photo by Ryan McGeeney
Try a variety of martial arts for empowerment, health and self-defense
By Matt Bechtold mbechtold@kansan.com
Krav Maga. Hap Ki Do. Aikido. Kuk Sool Won. Kumdo.
These are just some of the martial arts you might not be familiar with, and if you've ever thought about studying a martial art, your choices are probably a lot more diverse than you thought.
When most people think of martial arts, they picture fight scenes from popular Hollywood blockbusters or televised mixed martial arts matches. But in addition to these more recognizable fighting styles, there are countless traditions and philosophies from around the world that make up martial arts today.And, here in Lawrence, we're fortunate to have a rich, diverse selection to choose from.
Several martial arts even have clubs at KU. Active clubs include Ki-Aikido, kendo, fencing, judo, karate and Tae Kwon Do. KU Recreation Services sport club director Jason Krone says there's a chance that a Brazilian ju-jitsu club will be forming this semester, too. In addition to the clubs you'll find on campus that offer inexpensive training, most martial arts schools in Lawrence offer discounted rates for college students.
Krav Maga
Don Booth, a seventh-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, is the head instructor at Premier Martial Arts, where he also teaches Kray Maga.
Krav Maga is an unarmed combat fighting system designed to teach maximum effectiveness in a minimal amount of time -something Booth says he found useful as a police officer in California. It is a non-traditional, no-nonsense, modern self-defense system developed by the Israeli Defense Forces for the hostile world they faced.
"Anybody can come and do this," Booth says. "We promote a non-intimidating program. If I'm your partner, the better I can make you the better I'm going to be. It's not about knocking you down to build me up."
Along with his wife, Susan, who is a sixth-degree black belt, Booth offers what he says few other schools can claim: bringing male and female perspectives to the teaching and training of martial arts.
"We work with KU right now, contracted to do women's self-defense classes, so I think that they're looked around and did their own evaluation, and found that we did practical self-defense, rather than silly stuff. It works." Booth says.
Kuk Sool Won
While the modern art of Krav Maga places its highest value on sheer effectiveness, other schools offer different
philosophies and a broader range of techniques.
Kuk Sool Won, for example, takes its techniques from ancient Korea and blends arts practiced by the Korean royal court, Buddhist monks, and tribal warriors. These three aspects give modern Kuk Sool Won schools a diverse syllabus. While striking, kicking, and weapon systems such as the sword, staff and spear are common in the martial arts world, Kuk Sool Won teaches the use of more unusual weapons as well, such as the folding fan and belt, which are remnants of the Korean royal court.
"I have some martial arts experience in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, and this is a lot different for me," Says Jason Gregory, Herington graduate student."There's an etiquette side to this and more of a focus side beyond just the raw intensity of hitting a bag or opponent. It's a little more refined than kickboxing."
Walter Dimmick, professor of biology and head instructor of Kuk Sool Won at the Lawrence Athletics Club, says Kuk Sool Won's diversity of technique stems from the three-pillar origins of Kuk Sool Won, rather than cobbling together styles from multiple schools like modern mixed martial arts.
Dimmick says the best thing that comes along with martial arts training is a strong mind and an ability to remain calm in the face of stressful situations.
Aikido and Iaido
Aikido is a style that differs from many martial arts. It places peaceful resolution as its highest ideal and is purely defensive in nature. Rather than jarring blocks and counter-attacks, Aikido uses an attacker's energy against him, neutralizing the attack while doing as little physical harm possible
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August 28, 2008