Logan joined Choe’s HapKiDo in Taneytown 3.5 years ago. He’s loved the classes from the beginning, and as a parent, it was great to find an activity that he always looked forward to attending. Logan has always struggled with self-confidence and has often backed out of participating in events if he is not perfect. So for him, Championships and Belt Tests have really pushed him to confront this anxiety. His love for the sport has taught him to keep going, even when faced with stage fright. He has grown so much in his self-confidence, both in his own abilities and his acceptance that it is okay to make mistakes and to learn from them. These lessons have carried over into how he looks at life, school, home, and everywhere he goes.
Harley joined Choe’s HapKiDo in Taneytown as a Little Ninja when she was 3-years-old, and she is now six-years-old in the kid’s class. She’s grown up learning HapKiDo both from her own classes and from watching her older brother practice. Harley is full of energy and self-determination. The pride she takes in the skills she learns is an inspiration to me. She’s been asking to practice her techniques and to study for class since she was little, and this love for learning has helped her blossom into a wonderful student at school and HapKiDo.
I began HapKiDo as an adult at 35 as a way to spend time with my kids who were already taking classes. As a mother of 4 young children, I had lost myself both mentally and physically. The exercise and body control I learned in HapKiDo not only helped to get my body back into shape but has also made me more aware of how I take care of my body in all aspects of life. I am more conscious of taking care of myself when I am sick or hurt than I was before. Learning the self-defense and seeing my skills improve in kicking and jumping have given me so much self-confidence that I didn’t even know I was missing before I began this journey.
The community of friends at the school has truly helped me through some very difficult times in my life and it has given me an outlet to be my true self. And while I still love that this is something that the kids and I share, it is ironic that I started out on this journey simply to be more of a mom, and it has taught me that I am more than “just” a mom. I am a mom, and I am also me. And I wouldn’t be the healthy, happy me that I am today without HapKiDo. I am so thankful to have improved myself on so many levels over the last year and could not be happier with the direction I am heading today, both mentally and physically.
Jack was 5 when he started. Being a little on the younger and smaller side has had its challenges. Compared to the other kids, he couldn’t kick as high, lacked coordination, and lacked power. I saw him defeated on many occasions, and he wanted to give up HapKiDo. He would exclaim, “It’s hard!” or “I don’t like it anymore!” But I knew he didn’t mean those things. He was frustrated. So as his parent, I taught him to stay strong and committed. I would say to him, “You WILL kick higher. You need practice!”
We started off going a couple days a week, to going 3 days a week. He started to really enjoy it. Attending for almost 3 years at Choe’s HapKiDo Grayson, Jack is currently a Brown Sr. and a Junior Assistant Instructor. He now attends 3 days a week and takes 2 classes per day.
Jack went from being an uncoordinated 5-year-old, who didn’t know anything about martial arts, and wasn’t really confident in his abilities, to an 8-year-old boy who has all the confidence in the world. He now has super high kicks, and he achieved a 1st place trophy in breaking at the 2023 HapKiDo Championship. He now helps kids who are just getting started. He takes his job very seriously and looks forward to going to classes every week.
Instructor Moore and his team are more than accommodating and are great with the children. He does an amazing job teaching them how to be respectful, responsible, and dependable. Not only that, but teaching the children how to have confidence and to stand up for something they believe in.
I started at Choe’s HapKiDo as a parent like many other adults. My wife and I signed our son up in hopes for him to learn more about discipline, pushing himself to be the best version that he can be, and taking direction from someone other than his Mom and Dad. We found out quickly that we were students just as much as he was. We signed him up in September 2020. That November, I signed myself up and haven’t looked back. I have learned some of the same things that my son was learning. I have experienced many highs and just as many lows. I have learned more about myself and what my limits are as a 36-year-old man. I am definitely not as young as I was once to say the least.
I have had injuries and experienced major weight loss. I started HapKiDo at 360LBS and have dropped well over 60LBS since the beginning of my training. The key is staying at it. I find that my passion for my personal training and helping others is what keeps me going.
I have separated my shoulder, pulled both of my hamstrings and broken multiple toes while training. All of these have taught me Wisdom and Sagacity. They have shown me what my personal limits are and have humbled me really quick. I don’t have to kick the highest or the hardest. It’s all about the technique. Everything else will fall in place. It has taught me that hard work beats talent every day and every time. Under no circumstances should you give it half effort. That last burpee or push up is twice as rewarding on the car ride home, even though you may feel it a little extra the next day.
My favorite parts about HapKiDo include being on the assistant instructor team, having the privilege of training little ninjas, and helping develop my peers and other students. It has completely changed my outlook on my life for the better. I am eager to serve our community and to give back in hopes that it brings in a new wave of students who can experience the love for HapKiDo that my family has.
I will forever be grateful for that time I walked in and asked Instructor Moore if they had classes for adults. I’ll never forget the “First Free Lesson” he gave me. I instantly felt like a member of his family and have never once not felt welcomed when I came into the DoJang. The wisdom, laughs, compassion, camaraderie, and most importantly, the love you feel when you walk in the door or sit down and have a conversation is irreplaceable.
My daughter is currently in little Ninjas. Our youngest son will join when he gets of age. If we could only get my wife out on the mat, we would be well rounded as a family. If you have never thought about jumping in a class while watching, I strongly encourage you to. It will change your life.
My son started his journey in Hapkido a little over a year ago. The idea was to put him in something that would reinforce discipline, allow socialization with other kids, and keep him
active. I saw his excitement and eagerness to learn more with each class he attended. It felt like we found something more than just an activity. Speaking with other parents while watching him gave a sense or a belief that everyone was family. That everyone truly cared about each other not just the instructors leading the class and students in attendance.
About a month later, Instructor Moore would ask if I would like to give it a go. I thought to myself I’m a bit long in the tooth for this kind of activity, maybe twenty years ago but at this
stage I’m no spring chicken. I politely said I’ll give the idea some thought, a few classes later we talked further and come to find out we had a lot in common. I decided a month trial wouldn’t hurt, I could use the exercise and perhaps it would be motivational for my son to see his old man walking the walk.
Well, a year later of hard work, practicing, stretching and more stretching, I can honestly say it’s been worthwhile and a privilege. My son and I have grown closer discussing techniques, practicing, quizzing each other on general knowledge. The latter of which he happens to be fantastically wonderful at, stumping me many times while I marvel at the information he retains. The kids and young adults have become extensions of my own family. I enjoy the idiosyncrasies of each, how they learn, develop, and the realization of what they can accomplish through determination is the most rewarding aspect of being an instructor as well as student.
Overall, our new Hapkido family has been a blessing. Instructor Moore has been a great teacher, mentor, and a friend most of all during periods of time in which I needed an outlet unbeknownst to me. I greatly appreciate everyone who attends (family and friends) as well as every student and instructor from all the schools. I found everyone to be genuine, caring, and just good people in general.
