The style of martial arts taught in Wolfpack Martial Arts core training is a blend of Tae Kwon Do and Goju Ryu Karate. Within our enhanced programs, we offer additional training in Judo/Grappling, Combat Hapkido, and Weapons. You will find that our kicking techniques are similar to other Tae Kwon Do styles, our blocking and striking techniques tend to favor Karate styles, and we use throws, takedowns, and joint locks more common to systems such as Hapkido and Judo. We use TKD as our base, taking most of our techniques and kata from the TKD system. You will also notice, however, that our stances tend to be lower and wider, having their roots in the Karate systems. We also practice kata from the Goju Ryu system.
Some schools and styles place a heavy emphasis on the sport aspects of martial arts, such as tournament competition, to the exclusion of self-defense or the more traditional aspects of the arts. On the other hand, some schools are strictly geared toward the self-defense aspect, neglecting competition and the arts. Finally, there are some schools that practice the “arts” with neither an emphasis on sparring and competition nor on self-defense.
At Wolfpack Martial Arts, we believe in a balance of all aspects of the martial arts. We practice effective self-defense as well as prepare for the competitive arena, while at the same time maintaining the artfulness of our style, recognizing that martial arts is not simply an activity, but a way of life.
Tae Kwon Do
Tae Kwon Do is a martial art which originated in Korea. Its roots can be traced as far back as the 6th century, and most historians agree that the fighting arts of Korea and Japan were influenced by the Chinese styles being spread by traveling Buddhist monks.
In 1910, the Japanese invaded Korea, with the intention of wiping out the Korean culture. They changed the official language to Japanese and outlawed many of the country’s customs, including the practice of martial arts. Many Koreans fled to other parts of Asia, even to Japan itself. Some of these Koreans began to learn and study the martial arts of China and Japan.
The end of World War II in 1945 freed the Koreans from Japanese rule. As the self-exiled Koreans returned to their native home, they brought with them parts of the martial arts styles they studied in China and Japan. A number of new martial arts schools (called kwans) popped up, teaching a blend of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean arts. A commonly used name for their systems was Tang Soo Do, which means “way of the China hand”.
In 1955, the kwans’ leaders decided to adapt a name suggested by South Korean Army General Choi Hong Hi, Tae Kwon Do, which means the “way of hands and feet”, or the “way of kicking and punching”. In the 1950s and ‘60s, Korean martial arts instructors used “Tae Kwon Do” as a sort of brand name to refer to what they still called their Karate classes. In reality the Tae Kwon Do of the 1950s and ‘60s was very much like Japanese Karate. After all, the Korean masters had trained in Japan in the 1930s and ‘40s during the Japanese occupation. General Choi was a second-degree Black Belt in Japanese Shotokan Karate and said in his first book that Tae Kwon Do was actually a mixture of Karate and Tae Kyon, one of the old indigenous systems of Korea.
Over the years, numerous organizations and federations have sprung up attempting to govern various aspects of Tae Kwon Do. The largest of these, the World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF), has been recognized by the International Olympic Committee, and Tae Kwon Do gained full medal status as an Olympic sport in 2000.
Goju Ryu Karate
In modern society, the name “karate” is often used generically to refer to any martial art style. However, Karate is actually a system of its own, with many different styles and schools.
Karate, which means “empty hand”, originated in Okinawa in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Due to its close proximity to both China and Japan, even as early as the 7th century, there was ongoing trade and exchange between the countries. This exchange also included sharing martial arts.
For centuries, the Okinawan anji, or chieftain rulers, struggled for domination and wealth. While the leadership of the Sho clan continued to grow, King Sho Shin, who ruled from A.D. 1477 to 1527, instituted a law forbidding anyone other than members of the ruling class from possessing weapons.
While this weapons ban gave the ruling nobility a sense of security, it also led to the growth of empty-hand systems of combat. In addition to hand-to-hand fighting skills, these systems also incorporated several weapons into their repertoire, turning ordinary household items and farming implements into deadly weapons. Examples include the bo staff, kama (sickle), and tonfa (handle). Many of these weapons are still used in martial arts training today.
Eventually, Okinawa’s native styles adapted techniques from Japanese and Chinese martial arts. In the 17th and 18th centuries, this system was formalized and was called “China hand”, later modified to kara-te, or “empty hand”.
Our style of Goju Ryu combines characteristics of both Okinawan and Japanese Karate. Goju Ryu was developed by Chojun Miyagi and popularized by martial arts legend Gogen Yamaguchi (nicknamed “The Cat”).
Goju Ryu, which means “hard and soft style”, combines circular hand movements (due to the influence of Chinese martial arts), open-hand strikes, low kicks and low, strong stances, with proper breathing techniques and an emphasis on physical conditioning.
Combat Hapkido
Combat Hapkido, also referred to as the “Science of Self-Defense”, is an extremely realistic and versatile discipline of self protection that includes an extensive variety of strikes, kicks, joint locks, pressure points, grappling and disarming techniques. The result is a practical, comprehensive Self Defense system that is enjoyable to learn and that produces effective results in realistic situations.
Combat Hapkido’s dynamic concepts are based on scientific principles of anatomy and biokinetics as well as psychology and strategy. It is well suited for men and women of all sizes because physical strength and athletic abilities are not essential. The emphasis is on redirecting the assailants’ aggression and power back toward them with little effort and minimum force on your part.
This system did not involve "inventing" the techniques. It was a matter of selecting the most realistic, effective and practical ones, modifying others and then combining and arranging these techniques in a structured system of instruction designed for individuals of all physical abilities living in a modern society.
The essence of Combat Hapkido is pure Self Defense. It is the synthesis of dynamic concepts, scientific principles, realistic applications and plain common sense.
Combat Hapkido is the result of over 3 decades of study, research and development. This comprehensive system is now taught in hundreds of schools in the US and a dozen foreign Countries. Combat Hapkido can stand alone and be taught as a complete system or it can be added as a separate program to any traditional Martial Arts curriculum.
Combat Hapkido is for sincere and open minded students and Instructors who are serious about wanting to grow and evolve to a new level of understanding and ability.
Combat Hapkido can be easily integrated into any program because it complements and blends well with most Martial Arts.
Combat Hapkido is ideal for those individuals (for example, many women, busy professionals and law enforcement officers) who do not have the time, desire or ability to commit themselves to the demanding study of a traditional Martial Art.
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