Philosophy

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Martial arts are made up of three components; mental, spiritual and physical. The martial arts therefore require students to develop both their bodies and their minds. Because the martial arts give specific attention to both elements, they differ from most other sports and physical activities, which usually focus on purely physical training.

Serious martial arts students believe that the martial arts are not about fighting, but about living – that is, the principles students learn in the martial arts help provide guidance on how to act outside the training hall. In the end, martial arts schools aim to produce students who practice the martial arts to better themselves, not to dominate others. The martial arts can also produce intangible benefits for students. Studies have shown that many of those who practice the martial arts differ from the general public in that they have a lower level of anxiety, an increased sense of responsibility, and a higher level of self-esteem. ”Martial Arts.” Microsoft Encarta 99 Encyclopedia. 99 ed. CD-ROM. Microsoft Corporation, 1999.

Our major and all encompassing philosophy here at AJF Martial Arts is Jungdo. Jungdo is a Korean word that roughly translates into right seeing, right thinking, right understanding and right doing.

The tenets of our martial arts philosophy are:

Courtesy

Humility

Integrity

Perseverance

Self Control

Indomitable Spirit

We stress respect. Respecting oneself is the core of respect that spreads out to the family and then out to the rest of the world.

We teach the Three R’s:

Respect for Self

Respect for all Others

Responsibility for our Actions

As martial artist we live by a pledge:

My Pledge

1. I shall respect the instructor and all senior ranks.

2. I shall conduct myself in a respectful manner.

3. I shall respect the teachings of Tae Kwon Do and never misuse them.

4. I shall always respect the rights of others.

5. I shall strive for brotherhood and peace in this world.

Why do we learn this martial art? Confidence and Courage.

We teach self-defense techniques, kicking, punching, and falling. Self-defense is less than 1% physical. The other 99% is mental, including confidence and courage. Here we give instruction in all 100%. Martial arts are made up of three components; mental, spiritual and physical. Take away the spiritual aspect of martial arts and you are left with a system of violence. Here we teach martial arts, not violence. We stress education. We have many success stories among our students, present and past. In 1998, five of the ten boys that represented Sheridan County at Boys State were black belts from our school. It takes about six months on average to see positive growth in most students. Some students show positive signs sooner. I would ask that you give your children and your selves six-months of class as a trial period.

A Few Words on Discipline

Some of the students come to class having heard, “stand still, be quiet, NO! Sit still, stop that!” all day long. Here we say, “Show me what you can do! You can do it!” We often hear, “Teach my child discipline.” Discipline cannot be taught, only modeled. Anyone can attempt to discipline a child. It is more important to show a child the rewards of self-control. Acting out is a normal attention getting behavior for a child. Within limits, acting out is allowed here. To crush the spirit of any child for the sole purpose of control is wrong. Our society is filled with people who still feel or never got past a crushing experience. Most of us can recall experiences from our childhood when we were put down harshly or unkindly. More importantly most of us can remember a teacher who pushed our limits, expanded our horizons with love and kindness. Our goal here is to broaden horizons and nurture the zest for life.

Steve Cropley, 5^th Dan

last updated: 10/20/2010