The East York Hapkido-Karate Club is administered by Parks and Recreation Toronto (East York division), and, as such, is a non-profit organization. The chief instructors are Sensei Anthony Foster and Sensei John Foster, who have run the club's programs for adults and children since 1990. This partnership has enabled the program to deliver high-quality, affordable martial arts instruction to students with a variety of learning needs. The East York Hapkido-Karate Club, previously known as United Hapkido-Karate Club, has served children and adults in the East York community of the city of Toronto area for twenty years.

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curriculum

hapkido | karate | we also teach

philosophy

self-defense | self-confidence | fitness

program information

ranks | gradings | equipment | safety

curriculum

We teach a blend of Korean Hapkido and Shotokan-style Karate, along with principles from other styles.

hapkido

We teach Hapkido (Korean for "the way of harmonious energy" or "the way of coordinator power") to students at all levels. Hapkido is a diverse martial art which combines "hard" linear techniques such as strikes, block, punches, and kicks with "soft" circular techniques such as take downs, off-balancing, and throws. Hapkido might be described as the Korean version of Jiu-Jitsu.

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karate

We teach Karate-do (Japanese for "the way of the open hand" or "the way of the empty hand"). Of the many styles of this art, we teach Shotokan. Traditional karate styles enable students to develop form, technique, and endurance. Karate originated on the island of Okinawa, by way of China, where, according to legend, it was introduced by Bodidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. A brief history of karate is in the works and will be posted on the main page.

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we also teach...

• Judo techniques and boxing skills to enhance the striking and throwing skills inherent in Hapkido.

• Basic ground fighting skills to students after a proficiency in the basic skills are grasped.

• Spinning kicks to help students develop form, technique, and accuracy.

• Sparring to help students develop the timing, accuracy, and reflexive response needed for street self-defense situations. While students are welcome to participate in tournaments, we do not train specifically for these events.

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philosophy

We believe in using the most effective technique to get the job done in the shortest time by creating options for the student who is confronted by an attacker. Self-defense options range from release-and-escape techniques to pain-and-control techniques.

self-defense

Note: Instruction in children's classes emphasizes release-and-escape techniques over pain-and-control techniques in self-defense situations. Children are taught to avoid confrontations, especially with adults, where possible. Street-proofing and safety rules are reviewed regularly with our younger students.

The traditional Hapkido techniques form the core of our self-defense system. From the white-belt level to the black-belt level, students learn a variety of responses to a variety of attacks. A physical confrontation can escalate, or de-escalate, in the following manner:

Normal fighting range. You've been confronted by an attacker. You and your attacker are on your feet. You can end the confrontation with strikes, blocks, kicks, or punches.

Close fighting range. You've been grabbed -- from in-front or behind -- by the sleeve, the wrist, the arm, the neck. You can end the confrontation with snap-release-and-counter techniques, throws, pain-and-control techniques, submission techniques, or elbow- or knee-strikes.

Ground fighting. You've been taken to the ground, or sidewalk, or floor. You can panic and get hurt. Or you can conserve your energy, assess the danger, and control the situation.

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self-confidence

Self-confidence comes from being challenged to one's limits, confidently meeting them, then setting new limits. Participants in our dojo need not be excellent athletes, merely people with the desire to excel beyond their limits.

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fitness

Healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes. Students participate in a variety of fitness-building activities, including: short jogs, 'ab' crunches, push-ups, and various stretches. Participants who have additional physical learning needs or injuries are encouraged to speak to the senior instructor about alternate techniques.

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program information

ranks

Following are the belt ranks of East York Hapkido-Karate Club:

white
yellow
orange
green
blue
brown
red
black

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gradings

All students are graded on the basis of participation and proficiency. Gradings are a privilege and not a right. A white belt student must attend for at least three terms (e.g. Fall, Winter, Spring) before he or she is considered for a grading to the rank of yellow belt. Therefore, a white belt student who attends regularly and demonstrates discipline and proficiency can expect to grade within one year after beginning training. Students aged 4-5 in the Beginners class are not graded. White belt students who show proficiency and initiative, but who are for whatever reason are not ready to grade, may be awarded a stripe. As a general rule, no one is graded for a black belt under the age of 18. A fee of twenty dollars is charged for each grading. Students who fail a grading pay only once-per-grading until they have passed.

Gradings become longer in duration as the student progresses through the ranks. For instance a yellow belt grading for an adult student can take one hour. An orange belt grading can take ninety minutes, since the student will have to demonstrate his or her abilities in white and yellow belt techniques. Belt gradings for children and youth are shorter in duration than for adults.

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equipment

Uniforms

Beginning students are not required to own a gi (Japanese for uniform). We generally recommend that students try a few classes before deciding to purchase one. A sweatshirt (with sleeves) and sweat pants are sufficient for beginners.

Students who decide to purchase a uniform are recommended to buy from us. Because we order in bulk each term, we get wholesale rates from our suppliers, and we do not mark up the prices. The standard uniform is a white or black light-weight karate gi. Prices start at about $25. for children and $35. for adults, plus taxes.

Many adult students find, after a few months or years of training, that a heavy-weight Karate or Judo gi is more suitable, particularly for grappling. We can obtain these at a low cost as well.

Students who purchase uniforms must wear black or white, or mixed. Coloured or camouflage gis are not permitted. Students who already own a gi are welcome to use them for training, provided they conform to uniform requirements stated above. V-neck (or pull-over) Tae Kwon Do dobok (Korean) are permitted, though not recommended as they can be uncomfortable for grappling and defending against grabs.

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safety

Safety Equipment

Although contact when striking is limited or not permitted, particularly with children, we do recommend the use of the following:

Groin protection -- available for both women/girls and men/boys. Ideally, guards should tuck under the groin as far as possible. Narrower designs are more practical and comfortable. All are readily available at sporting goods and martial arts stores. Highly recommended for sparring and free-style grappling. Adequate groin protection can be purchased for under $20. This equipment can be used for other sports and is long-lasting.

Mouth protection -- available in adults' and children's sizes. Prices begin at about $5. Store-bought mouth pieces are fitted by boiling in water according to the manufacturer's instructions, and then biting down before the piece has cooled completely. Basic mouth pieces cover the upper plate and work when the user bites down with both upper and lower-teeth. Better-quality pieces cover both upper- and lower-teeth. Store-bought mouth pieces can be refitted with boiling water as children's dental structure changes over time. (Parents take note!)

An important note about braces: The mouthpieces described above are not recommended for users with braces. There are products available from your orthodontist which will help protect your teeth if you wear braces, retainers, etc. One is the Multi-Sport Mouthguard by TotalGard Corporation. Please note that this link is provided for informational purposes only. East York Hapkido-Karate Club and the Webmaster do not endorse this or any other product.

Students who are concerned about providing protection for their teeth, especially if they've had expensive dental work performed, should consult a dentist about purchasing custom-fitted piece. These are be more costly than store-bought mouthpieces, but may covered by some dental insurance plans. Mouth-pieces are strongly recommended for sparring and free-style grappling. (Free-style grappling is permitted in the adult class only.)

Eye protection -- students who wear corrective lenses must decide for themselves whether they want to wear their glasses while training. Most of our techniques can be practised with eye glasses on; however, certain take-downs and throws make standard eye wear inconvenient. A variety of sports eye-wear is commercially available. These can be costly -- at about $100 to start -- but these glasses can be used for other activities and are durable. Since they are worn only a few hours a week, users should consult an eye-care professional as to whether they need to upgrade their prescription as they would with normal eye-wear. Wearing contact lenses -- hard or soft -- is not recommended during training.

Sparring gear -- is available for purchase from us at whole sale rates, but not required for training. This equipment is designed to protect the hands, feet, and head during sparring. Students who are interested in participating in tournaments will need this equipment.

More about Safety

To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all of our participants, we require the following:

Stretching and warm-ups -- all classes begin with these. Students who arrive early should begin by stretching and warming up muscles. These are good for the body and help to prevent injury.

Stress reduction -- is essential to all activities. When you enter the dojo (training room), leave your outside troubles ...family, work, school, etc... outside. You will find, once you leave, that you are better able to deal with these problems.

Breathing -- everyone takes this for granted, but proper, focused breathing, enables us to accomplish all of life's tasks with greater ease. Before class -- or an exam, or a meeting in your workplace -- breathe. Simply sit quietly in a chair, or on the floor cross-legged or kneeling, close your eyes, clear your head, and draw breath in through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Be selfish about the time you spend breathing -- do not worry that you have not done enough for your family, school, or work. The time you spend in quiet meditative breathing will benefit every aspect of your life. Breathing is free and is required of all students.

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