Welcome to the Tae Kwon Do Club as Southern Illinois University.
Our Philosophy
Many people realize that different martial arts styles tend to emphasize different student outcomes, and even within styles, instructors vary on what components of the art they feel are most important. Recent research in the martial arts has demonstrated that the way the martial arts program is organized has a tremendous impact on the outcomes of the martial arts students.
In 1986, Trulson conducted a study examining outcomes of two types of martial arts training, as well as a sports program. In this study, adolescents were assigned to one of three groups, matched on initial scores of aggression, anxiety (an emotion which can lead to destructive behavior), level of psychological adjustment, self-esteem, and other psychological attributes. For six months, each group met three times a week for training sessions with the same instructor for all three groups. The groups were as follows:
Group 1: Traditional Tae Kwon Do. This group received training emphasizing respect for self and others, self-control, patience, perseverance, responsibility, and the importance of physical fitness.
Group 2: ModernEmartial arts training. This group received training that emphasized free-sparring and self-defense techniques.
Group 3: Various sports. This group engaged in a variety of physical activities, including jogging and playing football and basketball.
After six months, the results were in: Members of Group 1 had many positive outcomes resulting from their tae kwon do training. Group 2 and Group 3 did not experience these positive outcomes. More specifically, Group 1 members experienced less anxiety and aggression, increased self-esteem, improved social skills, and a greater awareness of values important to society in general. Group 2 members displayed greater delinquent tendencies, were more aggressive, and were less well-adjusted after their six months of training. Group 3 experienced little change in any of the variables.
Clearly, the manner in which a martial arts club or academy teaches the skills deemed important has a significant impact on what the student gets out of his or her training. Here at the HMD Academy of Tae Kwon Do, all instructors have undergone an extensive training program emphasizing the philosophy of Moo Do, or the art of living. Our focus is clearly on using tae kwon do to help students learn to overcome obstacles, both internal and external. Through the training that the HMD Academy offers, students have accomplished many significant personal and professional goals and objectives.
Links to our other branches.
Home academy
Illini Tae Kwon Do club.
HMD Chicago
HMD Eugene
