IU martial arts programs teach beyond stereotypes

IU’s Martial Arts Program is one of the nation’s largest academic programs within its field.

IU’s programs range from a variety of elective classes at IU to nine official IU clubs that welcome students and non-students.

Familiar sports such as fencing, taekwondo and karate are all offered. But there are many members of the martial arts programs that participate in less recognized martial arts.

Senior Thomas Greenwood, president of the IU Hapkido Club, said he thinks people tend to get caught up in the media attention of martial arts that causes preconceived notions. 

“People tend to come in here, not knowing what they are getting themselves into,” Greenwood said. “Most of the time they don’t stay that long when they realize what they want to learn is a process.”

Former Taekwondo President Jennifer Beebe is now teaching hapkido as an elective class at IU.

“To do martial arts and to deeply understand it, you have to submerge yourself into the procedures of it all,” Beebe said. “Most beginners come in here with stereotypes by what they see on TV, thinking they are going to fight everybody right away.”

Hapkido, a word meaning “the way of coordinated power,” is not the most famous style but is frequently the technique people could use as the “self
defense technique.”

Chris Rau, the demo coordinator for the IU Hapkido Club, demonstrates these self-defense techniques to organizations such as halfway houses, seniors citizens’ homes and even greek organizations. He said he wonders if people stereotype him as a full-blown expert.

“There is two stereotypes that people have of martial arts,” Rau said. “There’s the Sensei sitting on top of a waterfall meditating, and then you have a Bruce Lee character who is beating people up left to right.”

Martial arts is a way of life to others, not just a fighting technique, taekwondo member Dan Scripter said.

“We don’t want to go out and hurt people,” senior Tyler Jenkins said. “When I think of martial arts I think of peace, tranquility, controlling the mind, the body and having respect for others and oneself.”