Issue date: 5/18/07 Section: Photography

Media Credit: Dante Fontana Photo credit: Dante Fontana. Freshman Bobby Cha practices a helicopter kick. [Click to enlarge]

A look at the history of Taekwondo from Professor Ronnie Hubbart. [Click to enlarge]

Students at Sacramento State have two levels of taekwondo classes being available for them though the department of kinesiology.

"All of us have the survival instincts to defend ourselves. An example would be a woman in need of defending herself against a stronger male attacker. Often she may feel a helplessness, doubt and extreme anxiety or fear to defend herself. I think that is a normal reaction for anyone especially since we are taught to be civil, kind and polite. Essentially, we are taught how not to be warriors and told not to fight in a civil society. If this same woman were to have an immediate change of attitude, she could easily convey fear to her attacker and gain an upper edge. If she was to turn her fear into anger and rage, she could disable her attacker. How many mothers would let a wild tiger drag her young child away for his next meal? I feel a caring mother would attack a tiger with a sense of rage beyond normal comprehension until the child was released or she was to perish in her attempt. That is what I mean by a change of attitude. In the martial arts, we practice daily to think like warriors then return to being scholarly."

-Professor Ronnie Hubbart, Kinesiology, Departmentof Health and Human Services

Hubbart says that "the transition from warrior to scholar should be the focus of traditional martial arts today. Today, Tae Kwon Do is practiced today as a combination of philosophy and sport." Hubbart teaches defense techniques as well as wanting his students to demonstrate a sense of discipline. He believes in four words, Belief - Respect - Appreciation - Confidence.

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