Tae Kwon Do

Wichita Tae Kwon Do (West Central)

Junior Master Chad Harris invites members to come experience Tae Kwon Do at West Central!  Harris has been teaching TKD since 1993, and have been participating in TKD since 1988 when he was 7 years old.

"Tae Kwon Do is the Korean Martial Art of kicking and punching. We do about 80% kicking, and 20% punching in our class. We also spend time learning a form of self defense called Hapkido which translates to "the art of coordinated power/energy". Hapkido involves joint locks, pressure points, throws, falls, kicks, and other self defense strikes. We focus on hapkido in order to better prepare our students in the event that they would ever need to defend themselves. However, I  also note that we teach all students to avoid fighting at all costs. The best lesson we can ever teach our students is to simply walk away. The self defense we learn is only used as a last resort and to defend yourself. In our TKD class, the students have the opportunity to break boards on a regular basis, and this is something that we teach them how to do over time."  Harris says.

TKD is a rapidly growing sport and art. Our sport holds all students accountable for their actions both inside and outside of the TKD class. What this means is that we expect all students to be respectful and courteous to all people at all times. We expect students to respect their parents, work hard to do well in school and at work, and to represent Harris Sport TKD in a positive manner at all times. We emphasize the 5 tenets of Tae Kwon Do; courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. All students are expected to know and understand these terms.  

BENEFITS OF Harris TAE KWON DO: To have fun, lose weight, improve stamina and endurance, gain strength and flexibility, improve concentration and coordination, set and achieve goals, gain confidence, effectively deal with dangerous situations, learn self-defense, and even train competitively. To improve any of the above areas, Harris Sport TKD is the place to do it. Our school is "where TKD is more than just an art, it is a way of life".

Come learn more! We offer classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:30-8:30pm for beginners, and 8:30-9:30pm for advanced. We also have classes on Saturday's from 1:15-2:15pm for beginners, and 2:15-3:15pm for advanced students. The cost is $25/month for members, and $35/month for non-members.

Wichita Tae Kwon Do (Rock Road)

Tae Kwon Do is a martial art, whose origins trace back over 2000 years to the regions and dynasties known as modern day Korea.  Tae Kwon Do is practiced in all the inhabited continents and has become the fastest growing martial art in the world.  Tae Kwon Do has been a recognized Olympic activity of the 1988 and 1992 games as a demonstration sport.  The 2000 Olympic games held in Sidney Australia marked the formal debut of Tae Kwon Do as a fully accredited medal sport.

Tae Kwon Do, like other martial arts, emphasizes the development of physical conditioning, mental discipline, coordination and balance, flexibility, humility, respect, patience and strong personal character.  Tae Kwon Do is unique from other martial arts, in that emphasis is placed on foot techniques (approximately 80%) in which fast and powerful kicks are the primary tool for both offensive and defensive strategies.  Tae Kwon Do is well suited for both men and women as lower body strength is comparable for both genders.

A typical Tae Kwon Do class will include the basic components of stretching, drills, forms, sparring, and special topics.

Stretching:
•An emphasis on warm-up movements designed to prepare the major muscle groups for activity. 
•The objective is to increase flexibility and total range of motion over time.

Drills:
•Blocking and punching (open and closed hand) techniques are studied and practiced to develop strong and reflexive offensive and defensive responses. 
•Individual kick techniques are routinely performed to develop a solid core foundation.
•Combination (2 or more in sequence) kicking techniques.
•Advanced kicking techniques (spinning, jumping, jump spinning, etc.).

Forms:
•Forms are instructed and practiced to illustrate and prepare for simultaneous defense and counter-attack against multiple opponents.

Sparring:
•3-step sparring is practiced with a partner to learn the mechanics required to deliver precise and controlled strikes (kicks, punches, and blocks) to a moving opponent.
•No contact free sparring is practiced with a partner to develop the reaction instincts required to initiate and defend against a dynamic series of techniques.
•Controlled contact free sparring is practiced with a partner to develop the skills required to precisely attack, counter, or defend against an opponent.

Special Topics:
•Self-defense (Hapkido) techniques are practiced to defend against attacks that begin when a student is grabbed by an assailant.
•1-step defense situations are practiced to defend against attack situations that are initiated from very close range (not involving a grab).
•Competition styles will be explored for students interested in competing at the local, state, or national tournament levels.  These include both competitive forms and Olympic Style sparring techniques.
•Board breaking will be offered to develop the power, skills and confidence required to apply the skills of Tae Kwon Do.

Instructor
Name: Steven G. Hilburn
Rank: Jr Master 4th Dan Black Belt - Kim’s Academy of Tae Kwon Do.
Training: Jr Master Hilburn has actively trained and studied Tae Kwon Do in Kansas and Washington State since 1974.
Referee: USA Tae Kwon Do certified C-2 (level 5)

Classes
Since November 2003, Tae Kwon Do classes have been offered at the Genesis Rock Road location.  Two Tae Kwon Do classes are offered every Monday and Wednesday.  Classes meet from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.  Both classes meet in studio A aerobics room (2nd floor).

Cost
Genesis Health Club Members pay $20 per month and $15 per month for each additional family member.  Non-member rate is $40 per month and $35 for each additional family member.