A Way to Protect, Change Your Life
Some new belts are showing up at self-defense schools.
They come from foreign lands and are of the finest leather with exquisite buckles.
Somewhat suddenly, it seems the Southern California businessman has become infatuated with the martial arts.
In a physical fitness world of stationary bikes, treadmills and step-aerobics, the martial arts are looking more and more interesting--and useful.
Many Orange County martial arts schools have an aerobic component to their practices and that, combined with the self-discipline and self-esteem that comes with being able to defend yourself, is an attractive alternative to many fitness gyms. Others are beneficial in an aerobic sense by their very nature.
Although it would be impossible to track, many view the rise of aerobic kick-boxing classes at gyms as a testament to this rise in the public’s desire.
But most agree that the underlying reason people enroll is self-defense.
Steve Spry, who runs a Kenpo karate school in Huntington Beach, said the rise in enrollment of businessmen and businesswomen is really rather simple to explain. People want to feel safe.
“Let’s say you’re a businessperson--you probably work a lot of late hours and leave the office when the parking lot is deserted. People want to know they can defend themselves if they were to be attacked,” Spry said.
Spry has the context to see change in clientele. His school has been open for just under 10 years and he has been practicing martial arts for 32 years. A hall of fame black belt, Spry learned from Ed Parker, who gained fame for his abilities in Kenpo karate and more so from being Elvis Presley’s bodyguard.
In all the time Spry has been involved with karate, one thing has not changed: The basic reason for attending schools like his is because average people want to feel as if they can defend themselves. It is a growing number. He estimates 10,000 people came through the doors of his school last year.
“One thing that I get is that people want more than the 24-hour fitness thing,” Spry said. “I have people who want the aerobic portion with the self-defense. I’m seeing a lot more suits and professionals. I’m also seeing a lot more people who have become physically fit at these places and say ‘Hey, I’ve got a good body, how do I protect it?’ ”
What they are finding is that the disciplined training of mind and body in the martial arts is helping in many different ways. The confidence, calm and discipline that are byproducts of the martial arts are applicable to many stressful business settings.
Because martial arts is heavily influenced by philosophy and not just a physical exercise, the training of the mind can teach you to stay calm under pressure at the office or home.
Parents know the pressure of the myriad of activities involved with raising a family while holding down jobs. Spry and other instructors have found their students are finding ways to a more ordered and peaceful life at home.
Therefore it is no coincidence that the yellow pages are full of martial arts schools advertising family rates and family classes.
It’s not such a hard sell.
Many families--with busy schedules pulling each member in different directions--find it difficult to find productive time together. Many are finding self-defense classes provide a good bonding activity and build confidence in each person as well as in each other.
“People are very shocked by what they can do,” Spry said. “They say ‘Wow! I didn’t know I could do that.’ . . . Now, did I make them do ‘that’? No, but I can show them how.”
Not too far away, in Westminster, Master Hyocksung Kwon expresses a similar sentiment, although he teaches the more physically active taekwondo at Sunrise Tae Kwon Do.
“The ultimate goal is to achieve a right way of living,” he said. “We just help show the way. They [students] find out through training.”
Parents find they worry less about their children. And children find a way to mediate or walk away from school-yard fights or violence.
“Some people are influenced by Hollywood movies like the Ninja Turtles or the Power Rangers. But the physical things are the lower things,” Kwon said.
“I still feel it when people say things like ‘Kick Butt!’ . . . Actually, we teach you how to channel that energy into more socially acceptable activities. But that’s the way it is, people learn the bad things first. When I came to the United States, even I learned the bad words first.”
Kwon came to the United States from Korea three years ago to join his close friend, Master Jinha Choi. Choi has taught taekwondo at UCLA and was selected the Olympic team captain and coach in 1997. His school started in San Clemente in 1994 and has expanded to four locations.
According to Kwon, fitness is a big reason.
It makes sense: The essential element of dieting is discipline. And martial arts, by their very nature, teach people how to discipline themselves.
Taekwondo, which can use every muscle in your body, is a great example of the synthesis of exercise and philosophy. Tae roughly translates to movement of the foot or even a kick. Kwon refers to the hand or a punch. And Do has philosophical implications as it translates roughly to “the path” or “the way.” Therefore, philosophy is an integral part of the process.
Women are becoming a large percentage of the students because of the synthesis of fitness and self-defense.
“When it comes to burning calories, it’s next to cross-country skiing--the weight loss is effective,” Kwon said. “It’s very much a cardiovascular discipline. We kick a lot, which is different from karate. So while you’re having fun kicking, you learn self-defense.”
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Styles and Terms
* Aikido: Visually stunning, as the thousands of fans who flock to Steven Seagal movies can attest, this is Japanese style of wrestling and throwing.
* Capoeira: Practiced in Bahia, a northern state of Brazil, since the Portuguese brought slaves from Africa. It is a mix of dance and self-defense.
* Dojo: The place of practice.
* Goju-ryu: A mix of hard and soft self-defense techniques, this style of karate traces itself to Okinawa.
* Hapkido: First practiced by Korean monks and ruling families to protect themselves, it virtually disappeared when Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945. It has become a popular choice for women because it requires less strength than most martial arts and focuses on close-body contact and techniques designed to overpower an attacker. Techniques are taught from many positions including lying down, sitting and even from wheelchairs.
* Judo: The sport or competitive side of Jujitsu, judo is not actually self-defense.
* Jujitsu: There are virtually no striking techniques in this Japanese form of wrestling/grappling. Those pressure points and locking holds you tried on your siblings as a kid are at work here.
* Kata: Form, routine or exercises, often requiring a high degree of concentration.
* Kenpo: The American form of this discipline was popularized and amalgamated by Elvis Presley’s body guard Ed Parker in the 1950s. This form of Karate traces its intricate combination of attacks and defense systems to Chinese priests. Chinese forms tend to favor circular motions.
* Kung Fu: A Chinese self-defense system designed on economy of force and simplicity in style. There are less flashy moves than found in other disciplines.
* Shotokan: Perhaps the most disciplined of the Karate forms, it is characterized by low stances and linear arm and leg moves and fast, focused attacks. Okinawan Gichen Funakoshi brought the style to Japan in 1922.
* Taekwondo: The sport will be a medal sport at the Australian Olympics in 2000 and has gained popularity in part because of its flashy style. Taekwondo can involve high, jumping kicks that are popular on TV. Taekwondo is a Korean self-defense system.
* Tangsoodo: Like Shotokan is to Karate, such is tangsoodo to taekwondo: very disciplined and steeped in tradition.
* Wing Chun: Bruce Lee started out practicing Wing Chun, which emphasizes staying centered and protecting your body’s center. Wing Chun is a style of Kung Fu.
* Wushu: Flying kicks and acrobatic moves mark this Chinese system. Often compared to gymnastics.