Articles

ARTICLES

Why Join the USITF?

Why Join the USKMAF?

The first thing to realize...

Women's Safety Tips

Imitator

Staying Fit - Staying Alive

What people are saying about Mr. Munyon's Women's Self-Defense Seminar

Newspaper / Magazine Articles with Mr. Munyon

Security Forces Defensive Tactics

Why Join The USITF?

Reason #1 – Strong Leadership

Master Robert N. Wheatley, 8th degree black belt, is the President of the USITF.
Master Gordon Jue, 7th degree black belt, is the Vice President of Business Affairs for USITF.
Master Terence Geoghegan, 7th degree black belt, is the Vice President/General Counsel for USITF. Master David Drysdale, 7th degree black belt Master Terry Batch, 7th degree black belt, Michigan State Director Michael Munyon, 5th degree black belt, Armed Forces Director

Combined these individuals possess a wealth of business, legal, medical, and technical Taekwon-Do knowledge. All Board Members are committed to teaching the true traditional form of Taekwon-Do as scientifically developed by General Choi Hong Hi. At the same time, all USITF Board Members are resolved to provide unparalleled business service(s), and technical guidance, to all serious practitioners of Taekwon-Do. Taekwon!

Why Join The USKMAF?

Reason #1 – Expert Level Training

Grand Master J.R. West, 8th degree black belt, HapKiDo, is the President of the USKMAF and VP for the USA KiDo Hwe.
Master Richard Hodder, 8^th degree black belt, is the TaeKwon-Do director for the USKMAF.
Master Dennis McHenry, 7th degree black belt, Tang Soo Do director of the USKMAF.

The USKMAF offers two huge Korean Martial Arts seminars every year with master instructors from all over the USA. No politics….just training.

The first thing to realize...

The first thing to realize is just because you have signed up at a martial arts school does not mean you are a student.

Most martial arts teachers are not independently wealthy and need to pay the bills. Therefore they will accept people into their school who are customers. Customers are people who one day may turn into students, but until then the customers simply help to pay the bills. Do not think that you can fool your teacher into thinking you are a student when you are a customer. Your teacher knows full well who is who, although he may never let on that he knows and may even act as if he doesn't.

The qualities that differentiate a customer from a student are sincerity and intent. A customer's mentality is 'what can I get from the art?' A student's mentality is 'what can I give to the art?' A customer follows the traditional martial arts etiquettes because he is supposed to. A student follows the traditional martial arts etiquettes because he feels them in his heart.

A customer is always thinking of himself first. A student is always thinking of the teacher first, the other students second and not of himself at all. A customer is concerned with what rank he has attained. A student is concerned with becoming the best practitioner of his style that he can be for the good of the style. A customer trains for himself. A student trains for others. A customer seeks glory and recognition. A student shuns glory and recognition. A customer seeks to build and bolster his ego. A student seeks to destroy his ego.

A warrior is only as good as his discipline. The student understands this and takes every opportunity to practice and perfect his art. A customer makes excuses why he is unable to do something expected of him. The student takes full responsibility for his training and practice. A customer blames his circumstances, other students, or his teacher as to why his training and practice are not up to par.

It has been said that the art won't mold itself to fit the student, but that the student must mold himself to fit the art. The student allows himself to be molded by his teacher. The customer decides what he will and wont do. The journey of every martial artist is to become a student. My teacher always says it takes almost ten years for most people to change from being a customer to being a student. If you are busy trying to decide whether or not you are a student, then you are a customer. If you have already decided that you are a student, then you are definitely a customer and have learned nothing from this article.

The only one who can make the determination that you are a customer or a student is your teacher. If you don't have a teacher, find one. If you have one, take very good care of him. Maybe one day, he may even consider you to be a student.

Women's Safety Tips

Good Safety Info Ladies

Please take the time to read this. I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go 'hmm, I must remember that'.

After reading this, forward it to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list,
etc. DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point Fwd: Crying Baby Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. Please pass this on! and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby. This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.

TAEKWON-DO AND IMITATORS

Taken from General Choi Hong Hi’s

TaeKwon-Do Encyclopedia

Volume 1 page 10

Today, the enormous popularity of TaeKwon-Do has created imitators, and whilst at times imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, in the case of TaeKwon-Do this is not true. To imitate without the full knowledge of the original is dangerous. It is somewhat akin to allow a child to playing with a play gun, then giving him a real one and expect the child to know the difference without giving him the knowledge of the function and effect of a real gun.

In most cases of imitation, the imitator simply mimics the original without any change. Usually this does not cause any harm provided the one imitates does not change the original (In this case TaeKwon-Do) by unproved additional techniques, interpretations, philosophy, terminology, or systems and methods.

It is when unauthorized changes to the original art of TaeKwon-Do take place that these imitators create a highly dangerous and eroding influence upon the concept of TaeKwon-Do. Dangerous, because it gives the students of the imitator a sense of mastery of techniques that are completely unfounded in the knowledge of the true art of TaeKwon-Do.

Dangerous, because a student will become an instructor and all unknowingly imparts his false techniques to others, thus compounding the error of false knowledge. This will lead to erosion of confidence, by serious students, in TaeKwon-Do as a proven martial art.

Staying Fit – Staying Alive!
Released By The National Taekwon-Do Academy of Illinois

Security is the issue of increasing importance to all people, especially women. As many law enforcement authorities will tell you, a person who exudes an air of confidence is less likely to be attacked by a would-be mugger.

Along with developing the physical ability to defend yourself, comes the mental ability to survive in a given situation. Development of this skill is based on the five tenets of Taekwon-Do. The characteristics are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control and indomitable spirit.
Certainly Taekwon-Do is not a panacea when one is seeking to become physically fit. In fact, most Taekwon-Do practitioners engage in other athletic activities such as running, biking, swimming, skiing, weight-lifting, tennis, and racquetball. The difference between other activities, for instance aerobics, strives for fitness but there is no other purpose for the movements practiced. However, in Taekwon-Do, the ultimate goal is to be able to defend yourself (or a loved one), in a situation where physical harm is threatened.

Taekwon-Do is the ideal alternative that combines fitness and safety to a safeguard against becoming a victim. A person would be well-advised to seek a competent Taekwon-Do instructor to learn the skills that could last a lifetime or perhaps save a lifetime.

What people are saying about Mr. Munyon's Women's Self-Defense Seminar

On 9 March 2005, Mr. Michael Munyon conducted a Women’s Self-Defense seminar at Keesler Air Force Base. This seminar was a tribute to the women stationed at Keesler AFB during the Women’s Appreciation/Heritage month. Numerous women from various squadrons on base attended this 3 hour seminar. During this seminar various wrist locks, escapes, take downs, throws, and weapons disarms were taught. Besides the 3 hours seminar, Captain Gallardo from the 81 MDSS presented 3 individuals with FREE dinner for 2 at some of the local down town casinos in downtown Biloxi.

Here are some comments made by those who attended this seminar.

SUPERB class & YES, we should do it again! Mainly b’c practicing several times will make it come naturally, but we need professional guidance if we can’t remember a certain stage. Photos/CD/video would be great just to use at the Dragon. Also, there needs to be a time that dependent women could attend since many are in school, have college or jobs outside KAFB (or their spouse is home to take care of kids). Perhaps an evening or weekend time would be best. I’ve been to several classes in over 30 years & this one rates at the top. Highly recommend him & his assistant to anyone! Outstanding humor interjected throughout-he had us women nailed! (Vivian Kinman, 336 TRS)

I had such a blast in the class. Not only did he make it easy to learn but his personality and enthusiastic attitude made the class very enjoyable. I came home and pulled some moves on my husband, needless to say he was impressed. Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding event. (SrA Fields, 81 CS)

I really enjoyed the class and would love to do it again. I appreciate you all donating your time and expertise to teach the class. It was very worthwhile. I just hope if the need should ever arise that I can remember what you taught. In emergencies my mind tends to go blank and I can’t think what to do. Now, if you have a solution to that, please let me know so I can overcome this problem. Thanks again for the class. (Cheryl Moore, 81CS/SCMP)

I thought the class was very successful. I had a great time and was surprised at my abilities. I have already tried my moves on several people. J Would you be interested in having this class again? I work in the pharmacy and I know there are a lot of women who were unable to come due to the time of day. I am also the President of the MDG Rising VI and I would love to get together and organize a class. Let me know if you would be willing or have any good ideas. Once again this was a great opportunity, thank you for your time and knowledge….and sense of humor. (A1C Heather Hines, 81 MDSS)

I learned a lot. Not that I would be an expert, by any means. I do feel this three hour training/conditioning will help if I should be faced with a threatening situation. I learned I don’t always have to be the victim. Sometimes just a walk of confidence will ward off an offender. I realize the three hours for us was just a drop in the bucket for you, that preparing for such a venture takes quite a lot more time. Thank you both for all of your time and effort to teach us. (Jerry Pryor, 81 MDOS)

Mr. Munyon states: The women were a riot! They showed a lot of spirit and energy during the class. They laughed hard and trained hard. Many of the women had fun man-handling Mr. Munyon and asked a lot of good questions. I hope to host another one in the near future. Hopefully, the next crowd will be as great as this last one.