A New Student’s Guide to Excellence

Welcome to TaeKwonDo And CMAM!

Welcome to Christian Martial Arts Ministries (CMAM)! This “Guide to Excellence” is to help you, the student, know exactly what to expect from us here at CMAM. It is also to let you know exactly what will be expected from you. TaeKwonDo takes years of practice and, with that in mind, we want to develop a great relationship with you that will last for years to come! Please read this booklet in its entirety to answer many frequently asked questions. We’re so glad to have you as a student!!!

TaeKwonDo is probably unlike anything you’ve done before. TaeKwonDo has three characteristics. It is a sport, science, and art form.

Sport – Most TaeKwonDo schools (including ours) take part in tournament competitions. We compete in things like free-style sparring, board breaking, weapons and forms. Students have a chance to win local, state and national championships.

Science – Did you know that you could throw a punch with more force than a .38 caliber pistol at point blank range?! Well, you can! The science of TaeKwonDo can teach you how to use this hidden ability through the shifting of body weight, etc. Not only that, but most black belts have reflexes ten times faster than the average human!

Art Form – TaeKwonDo is a martial art. “Martial” refers to the military. TaeKwonDo originally started as part of the Korean military. We still practice good discipline in TaeKwonDo. But the techniques are also considered an art form that takes much practice. In fact, in some competitions, artistic value is part of the scoring.

For more information about TaeKwonDo (where it comes from, what it means, etc.) refer to our textbook – Forces of TaeKwonDo.

Setting Goals

TaeKwonDo is a great thing to be involved in for people of all ages! Realizing that this can be a lifetime hobby or occupation, you as a student need to set goals. If you keep your eyes on your goals in TaeKwonDo, you will reach them! We tell all of our students to have three goals:

Short-Term Goal – Next Belt! It takes a minimum of 8 to 16 weeks to reach each student rank. So set your eyes a couple of months into the future and reach your next belt!

Mid-Term Goal – Black Belt! Every TaeKwonDo student wants to be a Black Belt! It takes a minimum of 3 years and 2 months to go from white belt to black belt. Don’t let anything stop you from reaching your Black Belt! As long as you come to class and practice, you will reach your mid-term goal of black belt!

Long-Term Goal – Master! We don’t want our students to just be good at TaeKwonDo we want them to master it! To be considered a Master of TaeKwonDo, you must obtain at least a 4^th Degree Black Belt, as well as other requirements that are set forth (e.g. – loyalty, attitude, accomplishments). It takes a minimum of 9 years after receiving a black belt to reach the level of Master as you work your way up through the Black Belt degrees.

TaeKwonDo is great fun, but it also takes a lot of hard work to practice techniques over and over again until you get them right. Classes are full of energy, and with each new level, there are new and exciting things to learn. So set your eyes on the future, and don’t let anything keep you from reaching your goals. If you keep this kind of mindset, you will not only be a Black Belt someday, but you will be a master!

USCDKA

The USCDKA provides curriculum, student certification, various levels of instructor degrees and special events for over 100 schools nationwide. When you receive a new belt rank at CMAM, your certificate is good at all of the USCDKA schools across the United States. The United States Chung Do Kwan Association (USCDKA) certifies Christian Martial Arts Ministries, its students and its instructors.

Christian Martial Arts Ministries is specifically under the Christian TaeKwonDo University (CTU), which is the non-profit branch of the USCDKA. We support the Sell Team, an international Christian Demonstration Team headed by Senior Grandmaster Sell. For more information about the USCDKA, visit www.uscdka.com . For more information about the Sell Team, visit www.sellteam.org.

Senior Grandmaster Edward B. Sell – Senior GM Sell formed the United States Chung Do Kwan Association in 1967. It is the oldest association of its kind in America. He is the highest ranked non-oriental black belt in the world, holding a 10th Degree Black Belt recognized by the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea. He is the only person outside of the Korean nationality to have such recognition. Senior Grandmaster Edward B. Sell passed away on February 5,2014. His contributions to martial arts remain a lasting legacy.

Senior Grandmaster Brenda J. Sell – Senior GM Brenda Sell, the CEO of the USCDKA, holds a 9th Degree Black Belt from the Kukkiwon. She is also the President of the USCDKA. She is the highest-ranking female in the world.

Head Master Rodney Howard – Master Rodney Howard began his TaeKwonDo training in 1998 under the instruction of Master David Kelly. He was promoted to 6th Degree in 2020 from the USCDKA, World TaeKwonDo Chung Do Kwan Federation and the Kukkiwon and received his Head Master Instructorship from USCDKA. He has completed NCIT 101 & NCIT 102 three times each and NCIT 103 once. He also has Referee training for the USCDKA.

Phone : 765-934-2104 E-mail : rodneylhoward@netscape.net

Master Paxton Sample– Mr. Paxton Sample began training under Master Howard in 2007. In 2012, he was promoted to the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt and also received his Associate Instructorship. He received his national USCDKA referee certification in 2013. In 2016, he was promoted to the rank of 3rd Degree and received his Chief Instructorship. In 2020, he was promoted to 4th Degree and received his Associate Master. He also received his Kukkiwon certificates and World Chung Do Kwan at the same times.

Mr. Justin Hughes began training under Master Howard in 2017. In 2022, he was promoted to the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt and also received his Associate Instructorship. He also received his Kukkiwon certificate and World Chung Do Kwan at the same times.

Mr. Konrad Willmert began training under Master Howard in 2017. In 2022, he was promoted to the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt and also received his Associate Instructorship. He also received his Kukkiwon certificate.

Mr. Kylan Willmert began training under Master Howard in 2017. In 2022, he was promoted to the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt and also received his Associate Instructorship.

Please Note: It is protocol to ask higher ranking students your questions first and work your way up the chain of command.

No VIolence!!

At Christian Martial Arts Ministries, we do not teach you how to fight. Rather, we teach you how to avoid a fight. However, we realize there are times when this is not possible, so we give you the tools to defend yourself with as little force as possible. We DO NOT TOLERATE students engaging in fights.

INJURIES

TaeKwonDo teaches the use of control of body movements. Therefore, there are very few injuries that take place in the training of TaeKwonDo if students are doing as they are taught. However, injuries do sometimes occur, and every student who joins our class is aware of that. Christian Martial Arts Ministries, the Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church and all of those affiliated with our program cannot and will not be held liable for injuries during training.

What We Believe!

At CMAM we believe that the Bible is the authority on how to live for Christ. Nothing should ever be added or subtracted from what the Bible has to say. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Being good is not the way to eternal life. The only way to eternal life in Heaven, as opposed to eternal damnation in Hell, is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior! This is done through four steps:

Repent: Repent means to turn and go a different direction. Be willing to make a change in your life and stop doing those things, which you know to be wrong. Acts 3:19 “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.”
Believe: Believe that the Bible is true. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and rose from the grave on the third day. Believe that he can help you make a change in your life (repent). John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Confess: Confess means to admit what you have done wrong. You need to tell God the sins that you have committed and ask for forgiveness. I John 1:9 states that if a person asks for this forgiveness, he or she will indeed be forgiven, no matter what he or she has done wrong. I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Receive: Receive Christ into your life as the Lord of your life. Give him every area of your life, and allow Him to rule. The Holy Spirit now dwells in you and guides you. You are guaranteed eternal life with Christ in Heaven when you die if you have followed these steps. John 1:12 “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Along with the memorizing these four steps and the verses, you must also make a profession of your faith by stating that you have accepted Christ and have done these four steps in your own life. (We realize that not everyone will take this step and earn the Christian Flag patch, but it is our mission to do what we can to lead people to this decision.)

Protocol

Protocol is what we use to enforce self-discipline. This is not to boost anyone’s ego or tear anyone down. Rather, it promotes respect, as well as self-esteem and self-confidence. Do your best to follow protocol, so that you will not have to be corrected by an instructor. Think of it as a game, and have fun!

Entering the Building:
1. Upon entering the door of the building, each student is to yell, “Hello, Sirs! Hello, Ma’ams! I’m glad to be here!” which is to address both instructors and students already in the building.
1. Find any Black Belts that are not busy and walk up to them, bow, and say, “It is good to see you, Sir (or Ma’am)!”
1. Find a spot on the wall away from the training area and stretch. (There is to be NO speaking above a WHISPER!)

Class:
- If you are in the first class of the evening, you are to be stretching on the blue squares by 5:45 pm. This is also the time to review your verses and T/F questions. We line up six in a line, with the higher-ranking people standing to your right, and people ranking lower than you to your left. If the last line has only one student in it, the last student in the line in front of that student should join that student in the back line. No one ever stands alone. Rank is decided by color of belt and age. When lining up you must run (line up quickly!).
- If you are in the 2nd class of the evening, you need to be stretching by 6:45. This is also the time to review your verses and T/F questions. When they bow out, you are to immediately line up in formation (6 to a line).
- When the Instructor yells “Che-Dee-Yet!” (Attention!), you are to loudly yell, “Yes, Sir!” or “Yes, Ma’am!” and then immediately bring your feet together, chest out, shoulders back and LOUDLY clap your hands to your thighs (against your legs). Then you are to look straight ahead and be frozen (no moving) until the next command.
Protocol Outside of Class:
- In class you are obviously expected to treat your instructors and fellow students (partners) with respect. In return, you will also be treated with respect. We expect no less from you outside of class. You are to respect authority (we suggest getting in the habit of referring to authority – teachers, parents, bosses, etc. – as “sir” or “ma’am”) as well as respect the people around you (your peers). This is why fighting or violence of any kind is prohibited. You need to at all times be self-disciplined and to represent Christian Martial Arts Ministries in this manner.
- Some of the things that we practice in class settings (ex. Self-defense, board breaking, etc.) may only be done under the supervision of a Black Belt. If you are unsure of what you are allowed to practice outside of class, please check with a higher ranked student.

Other Protocol:
- For the rest of the protocols that we follow in TaekWonDo, you must read our textbook, Forces of Taekwondo, also known as the “Blue Book”. All protocols found in this Guide to Excellence and in the “Blue Book” will be enforced.

White Belt Requirements (to test for Yellow Belt)

Memory Verse: The one for the month you are testing
Proper Fist: curl fingers in, thumb cross over
Stances:
- Che-dee-yet (Attention) – Hands snap to sides, feet snap together, a loud “Yes Sir or Yes Ma’am!” eyes focused straight, no movement, awaiting next command. This position is the foundation for all techniques.
- Kyoung-yet (Bow Respectfully) – Means respect. Back is completely straight, neck and head are inline with the spine, bend at waist till you reach between 45 and 90 degrees. Slowly come back up. As you do this, a loud “Thank you Sir/Ma’am.”
- Chim-bee with Gi-yup
- Square Stance
- Straddle Stance
Basic Fundamentals (1 – 7)
- low block
- low punch
- high block
- high punch
- mid-section block
- mid-section punch
- preparatory position
- front-up stretch kick with the top of the foot
- front snap kick with the top of the foot
Star Block Set
One-step sparring
- 1-5 without a partner (child)
- 1-5 with a partner (teen & up)
USCDKA ID card and membership patch
Minimum of 16 classes to test for White Belt+Yellow strip if you are under 10 years old or Yellow Belt if you are 10 years old or older.

Special Events & Purchases

There are several annual (and monthly) special events that we offer. Some of these are essential to your training and are prerequisites for Black Belt. It is very important that you attend these special events.

These special events include: Sell Team Seminar, (Senior Grandmaster Sell comes to our schools and teaches for several hours! We have a lot of fun when she is here!), tournaments, summer camp, national conferences, carry-in meal times, fundraising events and demonstrations.

The costs of these events range from being free to $40.00+ on average. If you need to know the exact costs, those will be announced at the time of events, or you may ask the instructors. The time and sign-up sheets for these special events will be out at least one month in advance at the sign-in table.

In addition to special events, we strongly suggest and/or require the purchase of the following items from the USCDKA:

Needed at Enrollment

Uniform – Cost: $25.00
USCDKA membership and ID card – Cost: $40 for 1 year

Needed by Yellow Belt Test

Forces of Taekwondo (“Blue Book”) – Cost: $35.00 (soft back). This is the curriculum we follow and gives all the requirements throughout your training as well as explaining each requirement. You should buy this at your 9th class.
Student Portfolio – Cost: $25.00. All students are required to keep a record of their training and this is made easy with the USCDKA Student Portfolio. So, you will need to purchase one of these as soon as possible. It is a great way to organize pictures, certificates, records, etc.

Other Costs

Testing – Cost: $35. This is for the certificate and belt that the gup will receive after passing the test.
Forms DVD (OPTIONAL) – Cost: $40.00. This video contains detailed information on how to do all of the forms (memorized patterns of techniques) that are required from yellow belt through black belt. Buy this at your 24th class.
Keibon DVD (OPTIONAL) – Cost: $40.00. This video contains detailed information on how to do all of the keibons required for white belt through black belt.
Sparring Gear – Cost: $200.00
- Boots – $36.00
- Shin Guards – $23.00
- Gloves – $37.00
- Helmet – $40.00
- Chest Protector – $40.00
- $20 off sparring gear is given if purchased all together.
These items as well as many other training aides, apparel, etc., may be purchased through our USCDKA Pro Shop. Also available are items found in the Bold Look catalog. Proceeds from the Pro Shop sales help support Christian Martial Arts Ministries.