Totally Tae Kwon Do Magazine - Issue 20 - Usadojo

Other martial art systems actually have a
creed or oath they take as a guide to use if
they are questioning their ability to utilize
their martial arts. American Kenpo for
example has the Kenpo Creed which reads
as followed:
I come to you with only Karate; "empty
hands." I Have no weapons, but should I
be forced to defend myself, my principles
or my honor. Should it be a matter of life
or death, right or wrong, then here are my
weapons, Karate; "empty hands."
The legendary Hwa Rang Youth Group
had a Warrior Code:
Be Loyal to your King (country)
Be obedient to your parents
Be honorable amongst friends
Never retreat in battle
Always make a Just Kill
40 - Totally Tae Kwon Do
As an instructor in the martial arts I’d like to
recommend more school owners teach the
different aspects of the Use of Force.
Teaching students to run from a fight
definitely keeps them out of jail and
possibly the hospital. One of the first
questions I ask my students after we bow
in is, “What do you do if someone wants to
start a fight with you?” They reply “Run.”
After that, we jog numerous laps around
the gym as part of the warm up. In
conclusion, I mentioned how the Use of
Force applies to law enforcement, military
and civilians. I’ve also covered a few
examples of when one might have to or
would be allowed to use martial art
techniques. Hopefully, nobody who reads
this article will ever have to defend
themselves or someone they love, but if
they do, just be prepared to validate your
reasons and always…always…always…
use minimum force.
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