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FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
What
exactly is Hapkido? How is it any different from Tae Kwon
Do or Karate?
Hapkido
(also spelled hap ki do or hapki-do) is a dynamic and somewhat
eclectic Korean martial art. In the Korean language, hap means
"harmony", "coordinated", or "joining";
ki describes internal energy, spirit, strength, or power;
and do means "way" or "art". Thus, hapkido
translates literally as "joining-energy-way", but
it is most often rendered as "the way of coordinating
energy" or "the way of coordinated power."
Combat
Hapkido prides itself on effective self-defense and as such
employs joint locks, pressure points, take downs, lower body
kicks, and simple strikes. Combat Hapkido is an authentic
Korean martial art of total self-defense; it deals with countering
the techniques of other martial arts as well as common "unskilled"
attacks.
Although
Traditional Hapkido contains both long range fighting and
infighting techniques, Combat Hapkido focuses on the most
common situation of close quarters defense and being close
to your opponent for a strike, lock, or take down. Combat
Hapkido emphasizes circular motion, non-resisting movements,
and control of the opponent, and basic ground techniques.
Practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork and
body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength
against strength.
Combat
Hapkido differs from Tae Kwon Do, Karate, and other "sport"
based martial arts in that there are no forms (or katas) to
learn. There are no competitions. Combat Hapkido also does
not use high kicks above the waist. Because everything you
learn is useable self defense, you will find that an increase
in confidence and other rewards come very quickly compared
to other martial arts.
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I'm
not very athletic and I'm out of shape. Will I be able to
keep up?
Absolutely!
We have students of all ages, shapes, and sizes. From skinny
to obese. We're not trying to train you to be a professional
UFC fighter. We understand that everyone has certain limitations
and our system accounts for that. Students work at there own
pace and the only person you compete with is yourself. If
there are certain techniques that you find difficult for your
body to do, then you will focus on others or we will show
you alternative ways of achieving the same result. While there
are minimum belt requirements, none of them involve acrobatic
moves that require superior flexibility, stamina, or strength.
In fact,
you will find that like anything else, the more you train,
the easier it will become. Our training always begins with
a simple warm up of stretching and aerobic exercises. We teach
you how to stretch and to avoid injury or excess strain on
your body. As you improve, so will your flexibility, stamina,
and skill. NOTE: Currently our classes are limited to
those 13 years old and above.
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How
do I sign up?
Sign up
by visiting the Healthplex. You do not have to be a member, however if you call Healthplex the person that answers the
phone may not know this because our service is set up through
a subcontract. The sales staff at Healthplex can help you
in person. If have questions about the class itself please
call Marshall Zimny (Instructor) at 941 232-6290.
Can
I go more than twice a week?
Right
now our current class schedule is two days a week. We will
be adding more classes in the future as we grow. Our instructors
will also hold special training classes for advanced techniques
that might not interest everyone. It is also possible to get
private classes after starting a program and with the approval
of the head instructor.
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What
does my free introductory session include? Do I need an appointment?
Free classes
are only available for the Combat Hapkido class. The Self
Defense Essentials class is a monthly class limited to 20
students and you are required to sign up. You'll be glad you
did. You may call the instructor to ask more questions or
to meet him and get familiar with what the class entails:
Marshall Zimny (Instructor) at 941 232-6290.
You are
welcome to stop by our Do-Jang Wednesday or Friday Evening
after 6PM, however we do recommend that you call for an appointment
for your free session. This helps us be prepared with the
right resources and individual attention you require. If you
choose to drop in for a free class PLEASE be sure to be early.
You will need to learn certain stretches and ways to fall
to prevent injury.
Your free
introductory session will start out with a brief interview
with one of our instructors to answer your initial questions
and help assess your own individual goals. We will then give
you a tour of our training facility (Do-Jang). If there is
a class in session, you will have the opportunity to watch
students practice their techniques. Many jump right in and
join the class right then and there. Otherwise, an instructor
will demonstrate to you some of the basics and show you how
simple and effective just a little knowledge of the body mechanics
can be. After that, you will have the opportunity to ask more
questions, talk to some of our students, and obtain references
if you desire. Then the choice is up to you!
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How
much does it cost if I decide to join?
Our pricing
is competitive, our training is excellent. We are not the
cheapest and we aren't the most expensive. However, we do
believe we are the best deal in town. There are many bargain
basement schools out there that profess to teach you self
defense. Most of these are run by students themselves with
very limited experience and knowledge. Because they know more
than you, they are able to get you in the door. But choosing
a martial arts school is very much a "you get what you
pay for" kind of decision.
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Are
there one-day seminars that I can attend that will show me
some basics?
We do
offer seminars to local businesses, churches, and community
organizations. Seminars for non-profit organizations are free
of charge. If you would like more information on organizing
a seminar for your group, please contact us for more details.
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Where
are you located?
LOCATION: We are located in the Healthplex Fitness Center which is co-located
with the Sarasota Memorial Care Center off of Clark Road between
HONORE and GANTT. A map is available on the CLASS
SCHEDULE page.
Do
I have to Join the Healthplex?
No, you
will get a $15 discount on the class if you join Healthplex
but it is not required.
Call
941 232-6290 Today!
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