Martial Arts Colloquium

This lecture series offers presentations by speakers with various academic and martial arts experiences. Each colloquium usually includes at least one person from the Taekwondo Club presenting their black belt paper.

Previous topics and speakers include:

• Asian Martial Arts as a Re-socialization Agent: Physical Feminism and the Legitimization of Female Aggression
  Erin Bingham (10/19/01)
• Essential Issues to the Incorporation of Intercollegiate Taekwondo
  Charles A. Buhs (10/19/01)
• The Glass Ceiling in U.S. Taekwondo
  Paige Rossillo (11/5/02)
• Kata in Classical Japanese Warrior Traditions
  David Hall (10/19/01)
• Martial Arts as Education. Case Studies and Comparison of Kendo at Schools in Japan and the United States
  Shinya Deguchi (11/5/02)
• Mechanisms of Motor Learning and Martial Arts Instruction
  Kavi Massoud (11/4/04)
• Soft and Hardness as a Ground Theory of Martial Arts
  Jae Lee (11/4/04)
• The Study of Martial Arts at Universities
  Erin Bingham (11/5/02)

Topic Information
Asian Martial Arts as a Re-socialization Agent: Physical Feminism and the Legitimization of Female Aggression
Women beginning martial arts today face a lot less difficulty than their predecessors, but there are still perceived differences in the experience of American men and women beginning Asian martial arts practice. Women often find they lack confidence in the abilities of the body and the mental preparation for aggression. By helping women overcoming these difficulties, Asian martial arts act as a re-socialization agent in American culture.

Essential Issues to the Incorporation of Intercollegiate Taekwondo
In the last century, athletic success resulted in a level of popularity for sports participants that arguably surpasses that attained by any other demographic of American society. In the past 30 years, athletic success has become even less of a requirement for adoration or financial gain as telegenic affability, quotable sound-bites, and marketability replace attention upon actual athletic performance. The irreversible integration of athletics into the culture and administrative structure of American higher education repeatedly begs the question: Is the purpose of higher education compromised by intercollegiate athletics? Further, does the inclusion of taekwondo to the realm of intercollegiate athletics offer increased benefits to the institution or to the students? Before addressing these questions, it is necessary to study the chronology of athletics within higher education. From that perspective, it is possible to better analyze if taekwondo can successfully operate within the current structure of intercollegiate athletics or if a better alternative is an amateur athletic model that adheres to the ideals of athletic participation is required.

Kata in Classical Japanese Warrior Traditions
In classical Japanese warrior traditions, kata (pre-arranged combative forms) are often attributed to inspiration by an anthropomorphic spirit. This training method is used to train physical technique and to develop certain physical capabilities (breath control, endurance, etc.), as well as to train in psycho/spiritual qualities (steadfast/imperturbable mind, intuition, volition). Furthermore, these qualities together support the concept of "One mind, any weapon."

Mechanisms of Motor Learning and Martial Arts Instruction
This lecture presents a study of mechanisms of motor learning in the context of martial arts. Motor learning is defined as the improvement in proficiency of a motor skill that is due to experiential or practice conditions and depends on 1) State of the Learner, 2) Nature of the Skill, and 3) Methods of Instruction. While it is difficult to generalize a given study or set of theories to all martial arts and their students, a few underlying principles and guidelines are presented here to help instructors prepare their students to perform an activity consistently well, and under pressure. Kavi Masood, a new 2nd dan, has been learning the art of taekwondo for the past five odd years, and is looking to pursue a doctorate in mechanical engineering at The George Washington University.

Soft and Hardness as a Ground Theory of Martial Arts
This lecture will focus on Dr. Jin Bang Yang's published paper titled "Soft and Hardness as a Ground Theory of Martial Arts"* as translated from Korean to English by Jae Lee. The origin and the philosophical basis of soft and hard as it applies to martial arts will be discussed. Jae Lee recently tested and passed the promotion test for 2nd dan at The George Washington University Taekwondo Club, and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in neuroscience at Georgetown University
*The Korean Journal of Martial Arts (2000), Vol.2 No.2 pp.43-58.