The End of the World

Well, Blue Mountain Martial Arts is still doing well in our new location. In fact, we just signed up two new Haidong Gumdo students this past week, which is encouraging. We did end up stopping our Taekwondo classes, largely just because we were getting so much interest in our sword program. But we might be starting that up again it looks like now, because we've got a small group that seems interested in maybe doing private lessons. So it's going well. Just wanted to provide an update, since I realized I hadn't touched this blog in so long. I have started a new blog as well, though unrelated to the martial arts end of things. It's nicknamed "The End of the World" as is largely about my actually quite serious interest in removing ourselves from mainstream culture entirely. I had previously done some writing about the environmental benefits of an apocalyptic scenario, which is where the name originates from. Check it out if you're interested: Radical Culture Change: The End of the World. Also, we revamped the dojang's website earlier this year to include some flash components, so check that out as well: Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Classes in Ellicott City, MD. Thanks for reading. Leave comments at the Radical Culture Change site!

Success...?

The dojang has experienced ALOT of growth as of late. We're literally bursting at the seams, so we're trying to "kick it" into high gear. We're looking for a full time space, and we've boosted advertising to the Maryland School for the Deaf and various online outlets such as MySpace, Facebook, and Craigslist. As far as we know, we are the only martial arts school in the Howard County area offering ASL friendly classes in both Taekwondo and Haidong Gumdo. (This actually started back in January.) And speaking of Gumdo, we've recently joined the World Haidong Gumdo Federation. For more information on this, see below. And while you're at it, check out some of our recent exposure:

Facebook
MySpace
Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Classes in Ellicott City, MD

WHDGDF

So for the dojang's next big step, (and mine), I am in the process of joining the WHDGDF, or World Haidong Gumdo Federation. I have been training under Master DJ Park, and he is helping me to get my rank certified and Blue Mountain recognized. In the past I have had an interesting relationship with this and other organizations. I have mixed feelings about what they provide. However, I've been thinking about this for awhile, and I really think it's a move in the best interest of the school. There is now an "official" Haidong Gumdo school, located just minutes from Columbia and Baltimore, MD.

Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Sword classes in Ellicott City, MD

End of Year Update

Unfortunately, we had to cancel our Tuesday classes due to the closing of the local yoga studio where we were offering them. But we do still offer three classes a week as of now, and the school has grown a good deal since the blog was last updated. We've gotten students with leadership, and they've really taken quite a position in organizing things such as Saturday practices for both Kumdo and Taekwondo. Those practices are in Columbia, but that's actually not a problem for coming from Ellicott City. We're now in our second year of business, which is really quite amazing. We haven't grown quite as much as I would like, but we still have a long way to go. I'm very proud of our students' collective ability and talent, and I do believe us to be the highest quality martial arts studio in the area.

Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Classes in Ellicott City, MD
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The dojang has been pretty static for the last few months. We've grown very little, but we're staying afloat. It's paying for itself, which as I keep telling people, is all I really need it to do at this point. All I need it to do... Need... But I dream of something better. My goal is to grow the studio until it's bursting at its seams and we have to find our own space rather than subletting from a dance studio. Hopefully someday... The blog was originally started as a way to hopefully let more people know about us, and since it didn't really seem to be having an effect at first, I let it go. However, today I got an email from a reader in California who was curious to know more about Gicheon as compared to Haidong Gumdo. This is my reply:

Thanks for the email. HDGD's SSGB2 does bear some similarity to a drill commonly practiced in Gicheon, but not to any set form that I've ever seen. There are nearly identical stances in the two arts, and the sword mechanics are the same. The WHDGDF blend of HDGD is laden with Gicheon practices and philosophies (Kigong in Gimase, candle snuffing, etc) The forms though are somewhat different in application. I learned a total of 8 sword forms in my study of Gicheon. Thanks again!

Hope that's helpful to any other curious seekers out there. Everyone should feel free to contact me if desired. Thanks to Viet Le.

Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Classes in Ellicott City, MD

Commitment

Our kickboxing student never did show up. I didn't really expect her to anyway. My disappointment here though, in addition to my own lack of students, is really for her.
As a teacher, I cannot make a student take any of the steps necessary for succes. I can act as a guide and a leader. I can offer critique and encouragement. But I cannot move their feet along the path. Nor can I set their feet upon the path to begin with. If a student walks away, it is a sad day for them and for the martial arts, for contained within that first lesson is the biggest lesson of all, which is commitment. Commitment is loyalty and initiative. It is motivation, focus, drive, and spirit. It is the heart of what I teach, and yet I cannot give it. Oh, that I could.
I begrudge this nearly a month later because for two days in a row now, two of our already few students have failed to show up for class. They offer apologies and say they forgot, and this is understandable. We have just come back from a break for the holidays. But will they come again? I put my own heart, my own time, and my own energy into being there to teach them what they say they want to know. But they lack commitment. They have yet to learn what it is, and I only hope that they find it. When they do, I'll still be here.
Blue Mountain Martial Arts | Taekwondo and Kumdo Classes in Ellicott City, MD

Martial Arts and Religion

We have a new student scheduled for an introductory class this evening. Assuming this student shows, the class will be somewhat different from the flavor of martial arts we typically offer. Her interest is primarily in fitness kickboxing, somewhere in-between Tae Bo and the UFC. Now, as I'm sure is evident in some of my earlier posts, my focus is primarily in traditional martial arts, and I both study and teach those arts primarily for their philosophical and spiritual benefits. The student in question tonight has tried traditional martial arts training before, but did not enjoy it. As I prepare to offer what she is seeking, I find myself questioning the role of those things I enjoy in the martial arts, and just how applicable they are or should be. Many western students are frightened away from martial arts with any sort of religious undertones. But just how much of a role does one's religious affiliation play in their enjoyment of martial arts culture or activities?
I think to a great extent this depends on the religion in question. Zen Buddhist thought plays a role in many martial arts philosophies. So would a student of zen be more inclined to be a student of martial arts? Perhaps... How about a Christian? The prevalence of "Christian Martial Arts" associations I think is an attempt at a compromise between two seemingly opposed philosophical traditions. Now, is this a necessary compromise? I don't think so. But let's explore this just a bit. Meditation, devotion to a master, mysticism... These are things many Christians take offense at in the martial arts. "Before I send my child to your school, I want to make sure he isn't going to be learning any religious 'chi' kinda stuff," is sadly, not an uncommon thing to hear in the martial arts instruction industry. As I stated before though, I don't think the divide here is really that significant. Some of my best friends in the martial arts also happen to be devout Christians, and they don't have to compromise either the art or their own beliefs to be so. Realizing the difference between tradition, ceremony, etiquette, etc. and religious practice is an important one. Martial arts is not religion. So would a Christian be less inclined to be a martial artist? How about Judaism, Islam, Wicca, or Hinduism? How do the martial arts relate to these particular paths? Are martial techniques "Darwinism in action"? An athiest friend has made this proposition to me before on the grounds that the 'evolution' of martial arts techniques is dependent upon their effectiveness. Survival of the fittest style. I'm not too sure about that, but I might be able to accept it based on the ways in which martial arts have adapted to fill a new niche in our society in order to survive. The modern student of martial arts does not study in the same manner as, or for the same purpose, as did those before. I think enjoyment of martial arts and martial arts culture, as with any activity, is related to a myriad of factors, faith and personal beliefs among them. We must be careful not to generalize, however.
So too, instructors must be careful not to pigeon hole themselves into a mode of thinking. So I'll teach this kickboxing class, and see where it goes.

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