Frequently Asked Questions
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MARTIAL ARTS IN GENERAL
AND AMERICAN MARTIAL ARTS ACADEMY SPECIFICALLY
A: KARATE IS A MARTIAL ART WHICH DEVELOPED IN JAPAN AND UTILIZES 70% HAND TECHNIQUES AND 30% FEET TECHNIQUES. TAE KWON DO DEVELOPED IN KOREA AND UTILIZES 70% FEET TECHNIQUES AND 30% HAND TECHNIQUES.
A: BOWING SYMBOLIZES RESPECT. IT IS AN INDICATION OF CHARACTER AND SHOWS HUMILITY BY SURRENDERING AN ARROGANT ATTITUDE.
A:THE “KI-HAP” PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS:
- INCREASES POWER
- HELPS THE ADRENAL STRESS RESPONSE
- CAN SCARE THE OPPONENT
- HELPS IN BREATH CONTROL
- PROTECTS THE ABDOMINAL MUSCLES IN THE EVENT OF AN ATTACK
A: BECAUSE TAE KWON DO IS LEARNED IN SMALL PORTIONS OR IN PROGRESSION, YOU NEED NOT BE IN SHAPE TO BEGIN. YOU WILL NOTICE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN YOUR ENDURANCE AND STRENGTH AS YOU PROGRESS.
A: AMAA OFFERS LITTLE DRAGONS CLASSES FOR 4-6 YEAR OLD CHILDREN. THESE CLASSES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP THE YOUNG STUDENT UNDERSTAND WHAT MARTIAL ARTS IS ABOUT UTILIZING A LESS TRADITIONAL FORMAT. THESE STUDENTS WILL LEARN THE MARTIAL ARTS PROTOCOLS (MANNERS)AND TECHNICAL SKILLS THROUGH VARIOUS GAMES AND AGE APPROPTIATE PROCESSES. CHILDREN 7 AND OLDER ARE ABLE TO STAY ON TASK FOR A MORE TRADITIONALLY FORMATTED CLASS.
A: NO, THIS IS NOT A LAW IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A PRACTICE AT ONE TIME IN JAPAN.
A: IT IS PROPER TO:
- STAND AT ATTENTION.
- BEND AT THE WAIST 45 DEGREES
- LOOK UPWARD AND GREET THE PERSON EITHER WITH A TRADITIONAL SALUTATION.
Q: HOW DOES A PERSON ADVANCE IN RANK?
A: A STUDENT ADVANCES IN RANK AFTER THE INSTRUCTOR HAS RECOMMENDED THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN A SCHEDULED EXAM. THE STUDENT MUST BE PROFICIENT IN ALL REQUIREMENTS IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS.
A: AMAA USES THE TRADITIONAL RANKING SYSTEM DEVELOPED BY THE FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL TAE KWON DO FEDERATION (ITF), GENERAL CHOI, HONG HI. GENERAL CHOI IS KNOWN AS THE FATHER OF MODERN DAY TAE KWON DO.
THE BELT SYSTEM IS AS FOLLOWS:
- WHITE BELT……………………………………………………… 10 GUP
- WHITE BELT WITH A YELLOW STRIPE………………………9 GUP
- YELLOW BELT……………………………………………………… 8 GUP
- YELLOW BELT WITH A GREEN STRIPE………………………7 GUP
- GREEN BELT…………………………………………………………6 GUP
- GREEN BELT WITH A BLUE STRIPE……………………………5 GUP
- BLUE BELT……………………………………………………………4 GUP
- BLUE BELT WITH A RED STRIPE……………………………… 3 GUP
- RED BELT……………………………………………………………… 2 GUP
- RED BELT WITH A BLACK STRIPE………………………………1 GUP
- BLACK BELT………………………………...FIRST TO NINTH DEGREE
A: THE RANKS FROM YELLOW STRIPE TO RED STRIPE ARE BETWEEN 9 AND 12 WEEKS.FROM RED BELT TO BLACK STRIPE IS 6 MONTHS AND FROM BLACK STRIPE TO BLACK BELT IS ANOTHER 6 MONTHS.
- 1ST DAN TO 2ND DAN……….. 2 YEARS
- 2ND DAN TO 3RD DAN……….. 3 YEARS
- 3RD DAN TO 4TH DAN……….. 4 YEARS
- 4TH DAN TO 5TH DAN……….. 5 YEARS
- 5TH DAN TO 6TH DAN……….. 6 YEARS
- 6TH DAN TO 7TH DAN……….. 7 YEARS
- 7TH DAN TO 8TH DAN……….. 8 YEARS
- 8TH DAN TO 9TH DAN……….. 9 YEARS
Q: WHY IS THERE SUCH A LONG WAITING PERIOD FROM RED BELT TO BLACK BELT?
A: THIS IS A TIME FOR THE STUDENT TO TRAIN AND PERFORM TECHNIQUES TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. IT IS A TIME TO HONE SKILLS AND WORK ON TEACHING OTHERS. THIS IS A VERY TRYING TIME FOR THE STUDENT SINCE THE WORK GETS HARDER, AND THE PROGRESS SLOWER. THE STUDENT MAY FEEL AS IF THEY ARE STAGNATING AND BECOME DISCOURAGED.
WHEN PROGRESS DOES COME, IT COMES IN GREAT LEAPS, BUT THESE ARE FAR APART. THIS IS A TIME FOR THOSE WHO LACK PERSEVERENCE TO QUIT. IT IS A TIME FOR THOSE WHO HAVE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT TO CONTINUE. THIS IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO DETERMINE WHICH STUDENTS WILL MAKE EXCEPTIONAL BLACK BELTS.
A: THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR BOREDOM IS THAT THE STUDENT IS NOT PUTTING FORTH THE EFFORT NECESSARY FOR IMPROVEMENT. THE STUDENT MUST REALIZE THAT EACH TECHNIQUE MUST BE MASTERED BEFORE THEY CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT.
A: BOOKS AND VIDEOS ARE AN EXCELLENT RESOURCE FOR BLACK BELTS AND INSTRUCTORS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH SEVERAL YEARS OF FORMAL TRAINING. HOWEVER THEY CAN BE HARMFUL TO STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT YET MASTERED BASIC CONCEPTS UNDER THE GUDIANCE OF A QUALIFIED INSTRUCTOR.
A: AT AMAA, WE ARE NOT JUST CONCERNED WITH YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THE MARTIAL ARTS, BUT IN ADDITION THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT WHICH TAE KWON DO SUPPORTS AT HOME AND IN SCHOOL. SCHOOL AND HOME REPORT CARDS ARE A REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
A: THE MEANING OF THE TENETS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
A: TAE KWON DO STUDENTS SHOULD ATTEND 3 CLASSES PER WEEK. IF THE STUDENT IS UNABLE TO ATTEND 3 CLASSES, THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PRACTICE A MINIMUM AT LEAST 10 MINUTES PER DAY IN ADDITION TO THEIR ATTENDANCE.
A: YES, IT IS A SIGN OF RESPECT TO EACH OTHER. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE DONE FORMALLY AS IN THE DO-JANG, BUT IT SHOWS RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER AND FOR THE ART.
A: IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 75% OF NEW STUDENTS WILL QUIT WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF BEGINNING TRAINING AND ONLY 1 IN 10 WILL PERSIST UNTIL REACHING THE RANK OF BLACK BELT. IT IS ALSO ESTIMATED THAT 80 TO 90 PERCENT OF THOSE WHO MAKE IT TO FIRST DEGREE BLACK BELT WILL STOP THERE.
A: THE STUDENT IS REQUIRED TO CONTACT THE SCHOOL WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND CLASSES FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
A: THE PROPER PROTOCOL IS TO ALWAYS ADDRESS THE INSTRUCTOR AND BLACK BELTS BY SIR NAMES.
A: ANY ONE WHO WALKS ON THE TRAINING FLOOR SHOULD NOT HAVE THEIR SHOES ON.
A: IF THE STUDENT BELIEVES THE INSTRUCTOR HAS MADE A TECHNICAL MISTAKE THE PROPER PROTOCOL IS TO ASK A QUESTION OF THE INSTRUCTOR, RATHER THAN POINT OUT THE MISTAKE.