Join me as I go One on One with Grandmaster Helaney who will be teaching Self Defense in North Canton On April 1st.
By David Thomas Human Rights Journalist
You have an upcoming seminar on self defense in North Canton, why is it so important now for people to know some self defense skills?
There are several reasons why people should know some self-defense skills. The most obvious reason to learn self-defense is to protect yourself from physical harm. Knowing basic self-defense techniques can help you avoid dangerous situations, defend yourself in case of an attack, and increase your chances of escaping unharmed. Self-defense training can also help you develop better situational awareness, which means you will be more aware of your surroundings and potential threats. This can help you avoid dangerous situations and react more quickly if you are confronted with an attacker.
Can you talk about your background with the Police and the Martial arts? I spent 22 years in law enforcement at three different agencies in Nebraska and Ohio. I had the good fortune of working in a number of different positions including; training, investigations, crisis negotiations, and administration. It gave me a great overall look at law enforcement from different perspectives. I was, also, able my leverage in law enforcement to create a drug education and martial arts program for at risk youth. I, also, spent 6 years after retiring from law enforcement as a regional ATOD (alcohol, tobacco, other drug) director. I have been involved in the martial arts since 1969. In my lengthy dance with marital arts have studied a number of arts including TaeKwon-Do, Hapkido, Judo, Pentjak Silat, and Sports Karate. I hold black belts in four of those arts. My highest ranks are in TaeKwon-Do and Hapkido. I hold a 9th Degree Black Belt in traditional TaeKwon-Do and a 7th Degree Black Belt in Hapkido. I am currently the president of the United States Kido Federation and I hold board advisor positions with: the International TaeKwon-Do Federation - USA HQ, the International Jun Tong TaeKwon-Do Federation, and the World TaeSool Association. I have been fortunate to be recognized for my work by a number of different organizations. I was inducted into the TaeKwon-Do Hall of Fame for Outstanding Leadership and the General Choi Hong Hi Award for Grandmaster of the Year. More Info: https://uskido.org/home/uskf-black-belts/grandmaster-helaney-bio/
What is Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido? TaeKwon-Do and Hapkido are both martial arts that originated in Korea. Taekwondo dates back to the mid-20th century in Korea. After World War II, Korean martial arts schools began to consolidate, with various styles being combined to form new ones. The early forms of Taekwondo were heavily influenced by Karate, Chinese martial arts, and traditional Korean martial arts like Taekkyon. In 1955, a group of Korean martial artists led by General Choi Hong Hi founded the Korea Taekwondo Association, which became the governing body for the new martial art. General Choi is credited with developing the modern style of Taekwondo. Today, Taekwondo is practiced by millions of people worldwide and is recognized as an Olympic sport. The martial art continues to evolve and adapt to new training methods, technologies, and cultural influences. Hapkido is a Korean martial art that was developed in the 20th century. The origins of Hapkido can be traced back to various traditional Korean martial arts, such as Taekkyeon and Yawara, as well as Japanese martial arts, including Judo, Aikido, and Karate. Hapkido is known for its emphasis on fluid movements, joint locks, and throws, as well as strikes, kicks, and pressure points. The founder of Hapkido is typically considered to be Choi Yong-Sool, who was born in Korea in 1904. Choi learned various martial arts during his travels, including Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu in Japan. He combined the techniques and principles he learned into a new martial art which he called Hapkido, which means “the way of coordinating energy.”
You have a Martial Arts School Can you talk about that? While sitting on a committee for the Partnership for a Drug Free America I met Louie Warren, former Director of the Metropolitan YMCAs. The YMCA had opened a new location and was in need of martial arts instruction at the location. He approached me about possibly taking over the program. After a lot of discussion with my family, we decided to run it. The YMCA program began bursting at the seams after just a few years. In 2010 my wife Michele and I decided to open Omaha Blue Waves Martial Arts as stand alone facility. Within two years it became a Best of Omaha winner, a Best of the Big O! winner and has received numerous awards from area schools and business association for partnering within the community. We teach a variety of classes including: TaeKwon-Do, Hapkido, Swords, Martial Arts Gymnastics, and Rotational Weapons.
If anyone is near North Canton and would like to do your seminar, what should they expect to learn and how can they register? We are going to spend sometime looking at situational awareness, criminal mentality, understanding the relevancy of a reaction gap, how to maximize environmental factors, and practice self-defense techniques that are proven to work under stress. If you are interested in joining us please contact Ben Thompson at the Open Space Martial Arts at 1 (234) 425-7966 for more information. GM Jeffrey Helaney, IX Dan President United States Kido Federation Board Advisor: International TaeKwon-Do Federation - HQ USA International Jung Tong TaeKwon-Do Federation World Tae Sool Association jhelaney@uskido.org (402) 215-6003 The United States Kido Federation is a non-poiitical organization dedicated to the promotion of Korean heritage martial arts as they continue to grow and develop in the United States.
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