by Justin Martin,
“You must understand there is more than one path up the mountain.”
– Miyamoto Musashi
In modern America we have plenty of options for anything we want to eat or do. Most people can eat food from different regions of the world without leaving their hometown. We can buy clothes and decorations from anywhere in the world. Training in martial arts has become the same. In the past, you went to the local master or school that was closest to our home. As martial arts have grown in popularity, it has brought in more schools, teachers, and styles that give people options.
As Musashi wrote, there are multiple paths up the mountain. There are lots of ways to defend yourself and train to be healthy. It is nice that we now get to choose how we want to train and who we want to train with. All paths are not the same and now you can choose what works best for you. The way you train should make you stronger, more agile, and confident that you can protect yourself if needed. Your teacher should be knowledgeable in what they teach, supportive, and make you and other students feel comfortable.
In my years of studying martial arts, I have experienced several styles. I have wrestled, trained in Ju Jitsu, Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Pekiti Tirsia. These styles all have elements that make them great, but also give limitations. In Tae Kwon Do, you are learning to punch and kick, which is great for self defense and fitness, but after about 30 yrs old it can be very hard on the body to train in this way. Students trying to get their kicks up high can cause themselves injury and can be hard on themselves if they are struggling with the limitations of their body. Training Ju Jitsu is also great but it not for everyone. It is a very physical art, training by “rolling” with a partner, students fight on the ground trying to get chokes and/or submissions. I have loved training in these different styles. What I feel that they are lacking is what makes Han Mu Do great. HMD takes multiple styles and links them together so that you can feel confident in your training of the martial art.
About Harvest Martial Arts
Harvest is a traditional martial arts school that teaches Han Mu Do and fitness classes to adults and children. We have a broad range of classes and a very accessable schedule to fit all your families needs. We are located in Historic Downtown Franklin, Tennessee.
Justin Martin is a Black Belt and Certified Instructor of Han Mu Do under Dr. He-Young Kimm. Mr. Martin has a trained in multiple styles of martial arts throught the years and has a passion for teaching children and adults.
Harvest Martial Arts teaches Han Mu Do classes for children and adults.
Han Mu Do is a system developed after 40 years of study and training by Dr. Kimm. It is a collection of traditional Korean Arts that includes striking and kicking techniques, throws and takedowns, joint locks and pressure points for self defense situations. Students also learn traditional weapons forms and techniques including sword, staff, short stick and knife.
Han Mu Do provides more than just a self defense focus. The Student Creed’s three tenants are optimism, balance, and harmony. These tenants will be taught and focused on as students grow inside the school and through their everyday lives.
