When do classes start?
For the ATA Tigers program or the Youth and Adult Songahm Taekwondo programs, we operate on a 2-month cycle. (Contact us to see when the next class cycle will begin.) See our calendar page for the current schedule of both Taekwondo and Jiu-jitsu classes.
What is testing?
At the end of each 2 month cycle, we test to go to the next belt rank. (Tigers do a graduation ceremony and there is no charge.) There is a fee for testing, but we give a discount if you register in advance using the MyStudio app.
What is MyStudio?
This is a free app available for both Android and iPhones. Once you download the MyStudio app, you can join our studio by using our code: mpma2021. This app will also make it easier to communicate with us when we make updates or announcements.
What are the belts/ranks?
There are 9 color belts in the Songahm Taekwondo system. For youth students each color belt has 2 levels: Recommended and Decided. (Adult students have only one level per belt.) It takes approximately 40 months for a dedicated student to earn a Black belt. Each color belt has its own form, which is a series of movements or techniques. Along the way, we focus on life skills such as respect, discipline, perseverance, self-esteem, and communication.
Do we get to break boards or use weapons?
As students get higher in rank, we learn difficult techniques and start sparring and board breaking. We also incorporate weapons: nunchucks, short sticks, and bow staffs for beginners, and swords, kamas, and double weapons for advanced students.
How does competition work?
Our Taekwondo students are eligible to attend ATA tournaments. The competition team travels to tournaments 6 to 10 times a year, and we generally have 3 in-house tournaments a year. However, competition is not required. Students can still come and train and work on their athletic development, techniques, and overall self-improvement, without attending tournaments. However, we highly recommend attending tournaments. Around 6 months is a good time to consider attending in-house tournaments, and around 1 year for regional tournaments.
Will we learn to defend ourselves?
Our Songahm Taekwondo program teaches most combatives, such as punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. It also will raise their (or your) level of athleticism and self-confidence, which are crucial in a self-defense situation. This, along with the situational awareness information we cover in class, will put students in a position to be more able to defend themselves.
In our Jiu-jitsu program students learn essential techniques required to perform on the ground, approaching the subject from both a sport and self-defense perspective. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu emphasizes using leverage and technique to overcome size and strength disadvantages, allowing smaller individuals to effectively defend themselves against larger, untrained, opponents. This has many practical applications beyond the mats. Adults and children will learn a variety of techniques, including take-downs, submissions (such as joint locks and chokes), and escapes, all aimed at controlling and neutralizing an opponent.
What kind of gear do we need?
Students in the Jiu-jitsu classes and traditional martial arts students who want to participate in sparring should provide their own mouth guard. We do keep other safety equipment on hand for students to use in class. However, Taekwondo students who are interested in sparring regularly and attending tournaments may wish to purchase their own set of regulation gear. Your instructor can provide more information on ordering.
For Jiu-jitsu we offer both gi and no-gi classes. Students are not required to wear branded school rash guards or gis. Contact us if you would like more information on appropriate attire for either type of class.