Our Programs

GMA - Martinsville

Little Dragons
Tae Kwon Do
Hapkido
Tai Chi
Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
Privates
Seminars
- Tai Chi Seminar Series
- Self Defense Seminar Series
- FAST Defense Series

Programs - Little Dragons

Little Dragons is designed especially for 4-6 year olds. "Little Dragons" introduces to younger students structure, discipline, coordination, fitness and much more. Students also learn verbal skills, how to deal with strangers, and learn how to function in a classroom setting. "Little Dragons" classes are great for any child who wants to have fun, burn off some extra energy, and learn some basic Martial Arts. It is great for any parent who wants their child to listen better, learn to focus, and gain basic fitness skills.

Skill #1. Focus—This skill will help your child’s aim, letting them excel in physical activities. Your child will also learn mental focus, making him/her a better listener and more focused student in school.

Skill #2. Teamwork—Teamwork is necessary for any young child to develop. Your child will be more successful in all of life’s endeavors if he/she is more willing to work with others. Your child will also develop character that will let him/her make new friends and become a better leader in life.

Skill #3. Control—Having control means making good decisions. Whether your child is handling a pet or handling a problem, he or she will learn to make the right decisions. Body control will help your child excel in other activities and also reduce the risk of injury. Confidence comes with having good control.

Skill #4. Balance—Better balance will improve posture and reduce the risk of injury at a crucial time in their development, when they are beginning to participate in many other activities like riding a bicycle.

Skill #5. Memory—Developing a good memory is exercise for your child’s brain. Children learn through play. Our program challenges them to develop both mentally and physically.

Skill #6. Discipline—Our instructors use the little dragon drills to create the vision that discipline is fun and rewarding. Your child will take pride in doing the right thing. Your child will also follow directions better.

Skill #7. Fitness—It is important for your child to understand the importance of being healthy and physically fit. We provide a positive, productive, and safe outlet for your child to burn off that extra energy while improving their physical development.

Skill #8. Coordination—Your child will learn left from right and similar concepts. The large motions of Tae Kwon Do are great for overall coordination and will transfer to other daily activities and assist in injury prevention.

Programs - Tae Kwon Do

Tae Kwon Do is a form of Korean Karate. It is unique (as compared to other styles of Karate) in its predominance to kicking; the rationale being that the legs are stronger and have longer reach than the arms and thus should be the weapon of choice. One can see this emphasis in kicking in the martial sport of TKD, which is an official Olympic sport. Many organizations have allowed this sport element to overshadow all other aspects of training, but the GMA (TTCA) curriculum is not as weighted in sparring as others. Other staples of training include forms practice (hyung or kata), or the solo practice of a series of pre-arranged movements to develop the basic skills and attributes, and step-sparring, pre-arranged attacks and defenses that develop awareness of spatial relationships and control as well as introducing self defense theory. It is sometimes hard to see the immediate self defense value in some of these traditional training modes, but these exercises often develop the key attributes needed not only in self defense but for a healthy, functional life in general. Benefits often cited include increased stamina, muscular endurance, speed and explosive power, better flexibility, and improved proprioception (body awareness) and coordination.

Because of the nature of the training, TKD is often highly structured, which enables the practitioner to train the mind in addition to the body. The "training culture" develops not only a fighting spirit but also the mental qualities needed for personal growth: respect, focus, discipline, self-confidence, and self-restraint. Classroom etiquette is prevalent, both for cultural appreciation and for purposes of decorum. Highly regimented training requires continued attention, making TKD an appealing martial art for children who need to work on focus and discipline. Older students commonly cite that the mental aspects add to the therapeutic effects and the potential to relieve stress. It also adds an intellectual component that makes the training more interesting.

Because of the structured, clearly defined curriculum and etiquette, GMA considers TKD a great foundation martial art. It gives a person a very good idea what the martial arts are about while developing both physical attributes (that carry over into other martial arts and self defense) and mental attributes (that carry over into life in general.)

Our Tae Kwon Do program is affiliated with the Traditional Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Association.

Programs - Hapkido

Hapkido is a Korean martial art that, like TKD, has an emphasis on kicking. But Hapkido has had several other influences, including Daito-ryu aiki-jujitsu, which has given Hapkido some of its other major characteristics: joint locking, throwing techniques, and the associated falling techniques. Hapkido is translated as "way of coordinated power," which can be interpreted as utilizing one's body through proper mechanics, along with taking advantage of the opponent's own energy and aggression, to overcome a disadvantage in size and strength. It is often described as a indirect, circular style that uses an opponents attack against him. Hapkido is also grounded in the water principle, a very profound concept that can be superficially summarized as taking the path of least resistance and flowing with the opportunities the opponent gives you.

Hapkido is very pragmatic and self defense oriented. This is particularly true of the GMA (USHF) curriculum, which takes a more modern, Westernized, or eclectic approach to Hapkido. It emphasizes "situational self defense" or responses to various "what if" attacks. Here it supplements its repertoire of striking with joint locks and other body manipulations to effective defend against a variety of grabs and holds. In the more advanced stages, weapons (both the defense against and the use of) is incorporated. There are no forms in our Hapkido curriculum, although other organizations have invented forms practice for Hapkido. Because of the self defense emphasis, Hapkido tends to be a more conceptual and individualized martial art, making it better suited for more mature practitioners. Accordingly, the curriculum and classes are less rigid, although some of the etiquette and culture of the martial arts is still retained.

Note: Unfortunately, several TKD practitioners learn a limited number of joint locks and how to fall and then consider themselves to also be well versed in Hapkido. Hapkido is distinct martial art with its own unique philosophies and biomechanics. It deserves separate and complete study. However, since TKD and Hapkido are different (linear versus circular, striking versus joint locking) but do share a Korean heritage and emphasis on kicking, we feel that studying the two arts in tandem can create a more complete, well-rounded martial artist. Yet this does not mean one should irresponsibly cut and paste between the two arts.

Our Hapkido program is affiliated with the United States Hapkido Federation

Programs - Tai Chi Ch'uan

Tai Chi Ch'uan is a Chinese martial art that is more commonly thought of as a health and stress-relief exercise. To be sure, Tai Chi is like chi-gong and offers many health benefits (both in the Asian and Western paradigms of medicine and the body). Its slow, graceful yet purposeful movements provide circulation without taxing the heart, making it a favorite exercise in cardiac rehab and among the elderly. It has also been shown to improve balance, strength, and even combat osteoporosis (again, most commonly among the elderly). There are even accounts of more serious afflictions being cured by Tai Chi practice, although these are certainly less scientifically documented. Perhaps equally important is the mental benefit. The slow movements of Tai Chi are commonly referred to as "moving meditation," and many practitioners find it a wonderful source of relaxation and stress relief.

The health and wellness movement has done a great deal to promote these benefits of Tai Chi, but unfortunately this is commonly the only aspect that is taught (or for that matter, understood). Tai Chi Ch'uan, or Grand Ultimate Fist, is a highly sophisticated martial art, and GMA feels it would be remiss if it did not also teach the martial component. Tai Chi fighting theory can best be summarized by the phrase "maximum effect with minimal effort" Tai Chi is represented by the yin-yang symbol, which describes its approach. If someone attacks with force (hardness) you neutralize it with suppleness (softness). One does not try to oppose incoming forces but rather negates them, letting the opponent over-commit to the attack, and then takes advantage of the opponent's instability. This requires a fine degree of listening-feeling or reading the intentions and force vectors of the opponent-so one can respond accordingly. Such attuned sensitivity requires a high degree of relaxation. Tai Chi is also concerned with proper architecture, or body alignment. A finer sense of force vectors and body alignment ensures that each technique has no wasted or dispersed energy. Thus, neutralizing the opponent and proper mechanics allows the defender to remain relaxed yet still be effective….maximum effect with minimal effort. Training consists primarily of forms practice, done slowly to get a feel for tai chi mechanics and relaxation, and the study of form applications. Push hands is a drill/game that teaches the student how to relax, listen, neutralize, and counter the incoming attack of a partner. It is a form of sparring for Tai Chi, where the objective is to offbalance or push your partner away. Boxing mechanics, free style boxing, sword form, and sword play can also be studied, all of which still utilize fundamental Tai Chi mechanics and strategies.

While Tai Chi can be an awesome martial art in theory, it takes a long time to develop, and most people interested in self defense would get a more immediate return on investment in another martial art. Since Tai Chi fighting theory is extremely sophisticated and detailed, it is often appealing (but not limited) to professionals and academics. But anyone interested in relaxation and stress relief, health benefits, or the challenge of learning a refined method of movement and fighting style can benefit from Tai Chi Ch'uan.

Our Tai Chi program affiliated with New School Tai Chi Ch'uan (based on William CC Chen)

Private instruction and/or personal fitness training

Private instruction may include any of the above mentioned areas or any other specific topic in which GMA has expertise, such as martial arts inspired cardio workouts, TKD sport conditioning, attribute training, emphasis on groundwork, emphasis on weapons, etc. Sessions cost $25 per hour for one person. Up to three additional students may be added for an additional $5 each. Availability is dependent on scheduling accommodations and current instructor workload. ** Note that students currently enrolled in DPU academic courses may represent a conflict of interest for private lessons. Contact us to inquire about privates.

Seminars: GMA can present and/or host seminars on a variety of topics, with the topics and terms discussed on an individual basis. Two options exist for hosting a seminar away from a GMA location:

1) Assist in the marketing and promotion of the seminar and on site logistics, and GMA will split the costs and share a portion of the registration fees.

2) Organizations may pay a flat fee for its members to attend. This option is not only popular with martial arts schools, but also with businesses or other organizations that want to provide education and service to employees or members.

In both instances, the host must provide the location and insurance. In extreme cases, additional travel expenses may also be required.

Of particular interest are GMA's Women's Self Defense Workshops and FAST Defense seminars. Look at the What's new at GMA link for a list of upcoming seminars.

Seminar series: Our more popular programming, such as

self-defense
tai chi ch'uan
stick fighting
sport specific training and conditioning

These series may be modeled after the semester long collegiate classes GMA has designed, but we will certainly modify and customize the programming to best serve the given clientele. Like the seminars, GMA can either host them or bring them to another venue.

Both seminars and seminar series are scheduled based upon demand and availability of the instructors.

F.A.S.T. Defense

Fear Adrenaline Stress Training

FAST Defense, acronym for Fear Adrenal Stress Training is a simple step by step process that allows students to recondition the freeze response into one of amazing power and strength. Since the adrenal rush is a natural instinctual reaction to a stressful situation, the trick is learning to harness and focus all that power into one's defense.

This Interactive Safety & Empowerment Program Teaches:

Awareness Skills on how to avoid altercations.
Identification of the common mistakes people make in tough situations, and how to overcome them.
New choices for dealing with conflict appropriately.
Anger and Stress Management
Effective Verbal Boundaries.
How to avoid Rape
How to avoid a fight

How Does it work?
Students of this training are constantly reporting how "real" the fights seem. The first job of the Bulletman is to make you feel like you are actually being assaulted, verbally and physically. Once the fear/adrenaline response kicks in for the student, the brain transitions from cognitive (thinking) to survival mode. There is a switch from one part of the brain to another more primitive part that rules our instinctive reactions for survival. We call this the "frog" or "reptilian" brain. Research has shown that the frog brain can process about five major bits of information and act on them. This is why real fights are not the flashy beautiful choreographed battles that we see in Van Damme movies complete with fancy tornado kicks and ninja rolls. In reality the "deer frozen in the headlight" syndrome is evident as our brain shuts down, blocking access to those beautifully refined techniques that we studied for years to master. What the brain usually links to in martial artists under stress are those techniques that are simple and most ingrained in us. The basics! This is not a slam on advanced traditional martial arts techniques.

The Bulletman Suit

The Bulletman Suit is the product of 30 years of trial and error in pursuit of the very finest body armor for Adrenal Stress Response Training. Many people took a lot of hard knocks in this evolution. The result: An amazing collection of gear customized for each Bulletman to provide adequate protection against full force strikes to the body. The Bulletman suit can take full force strikes, kicks to the head and groin. Many commercially available suits can with stand strikes to the torso. Only the Bulletman suit can allow powerful strikes to the head and groin, as well as torso.

Course Descriptions:

The 2 Hr. FAST Defense Seminar
A lively interactive journey into awareness of the common mistakes that can get us into trouble, and how to overcome them. Scenario Based role playing affords the students experience in using assertive communication to de-escalate situations that often precede physical violence. The course culminates in how to effectively deal with potential threats including Verbal Assault.

F.A.S.T. Basic's Course
A 4 1/2 hour course designed to introduce newcomers to the principles and techniques that make this the most popular Self-Defense Course in America. Students will learn FAST Defense's famous Awareness & Boundary setting skills, as well as full force physical defenses practiced against Attackers in live scenarios.

GMA - Ellettsville

Little Dragons
Tae Kwon Do
Hapkido
Privates
Seminars
- Tai Chi Seminar Series
- Self Defense Seminar Series
- FAST Defense Series