American College of Martial Arts » Training

Tigershark Hapkido Workout Video Now Available!

jdowdy — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 06:57:14 +0000

Recently Grandmaster John Dowdy completed his first video in the American Martial Artist Tigershark Hapkido Series. This is a double workout video with each component workout being about 54 minutes long (all on one disc.) The workouts are designed to help develop physical stamina, coordination, balance, focus, speed, power, agility, and the use of combinations.

This is the first in our series of videos which will eventually include up to 5^th degree black belt in the Tigershark Hapkido system. There will also be a selection of videos created and produced for Tigershark Jujitsu which will also include up to 5^th degree black belt in that system.

To reserve your copy of this workout video, contact Grandmaster John Dowdy at

tigersharkhapkido@gmail.com.

or call 336-266-3945 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 336-266-3945 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Cost of video is $15 plus shipping.

Personal checks or money orders should be made payable to John Dowdy.

Sparring:Part 2:No-Contact Sparring

jdowdy — Sat, 05 Jun 2010 13:28:51 +0000

When learning the art of sparring or free-fighting, it is important for students to spar at least once with no contact or mere touch contact.

Some styles never spar or have contact; however, I believe that sparring is a useful training tool for our style of martial arts.

No-contact sparring has both its advantages and disadvantages. the main asset is that it teaches control- the control one needs for protection of both themselves and their sparring partner. No-contact sparring helps develop depth-perception, speed, more versatile body movement, and peripheral vision. It assists in recognition of targets. It will sharpen both attack and defense skills. For those who have never sparred before and are apprehensive about doing so, it is critical for those individuals to spar someone who has both good control,as well as the patience to teach.

With no-contact sparring one has more time to attempt combinations. Unfortunately, these sparring partners rarely practice their blocking skills. the reality that they will not be hit offers a false sense of security when they advance to contact sparring. Some sparrers develop an invincible feeling because they have never been hit, and thus, have not experienced the sensation of getting punch or kicked.

Overall, no-contact sparring is an essential gateway to becoming an efficient contact fighter where kicks and punches are used.

Dojo Poem

jdowdy — Sat, 29 May 2010 18:30:54 +0000

A habitat unto itself

The dojo stands as a refuge

A place to test our limitations

To dare to try

To dare to fail

Seeing the opponent in the mirror

Knowing that our most vocal “silent assassin”

Is only the voice within ourselves.

The dojo silences the critics

Within our mind

We stand as a tribe

We punch as a tribe

We kick as a tribe

United in the conquest

Helping each other

Encouraging each other

We travel the same journey

Although our paths may vary

Led by the warrior

Who we all hope to become.

-hapkidomoon 2004

Grandmaster John Dowdy's Teaching Schedule

jdowdy — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:09:20 +0000

Children’s Hapkido Classes: Mon, Tues, Thurs (5:00-5:50 PM) @ Burlington ACMA

Adult Hapkido Classes: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs (6PM-7:20 PM) @ Burlington ACMA

Judo/Jujitsu/Mixed Martial Arts: Mon, Tues, Thurs (7:30- 9PM) @Burlington ACMA

Jujitsu: Wednesday (8:10-9:30 PM) @ Neill’s Tae Kwon Do in Chapel Hill, NC

Jujitsu:Friday (8:10-9:30 PM) @ Neill’s Tae Kwon Do in Chapel Hill

Seminars, workouts, and weapons clinics: select Saturdays @Gaffney ACMA in Gaffney, SC and Burlington ACMA

Private Instruction available by appointment

Call Grandmaster John Dowdy at (336)266-3945 for additional information

The American Martial Artist: Personal History: Part 4

jdowdy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 03:27:11 +0000

June 21, 1969 was when I first started martial arts. The style that I studied was Kuk Sool Won. The belt ranking system was white, blue, red, yellow, yellow with a black stripe, then black. At the dojang that I trained at they tested for lower belts every two months. I started on an off month and regardless of how hard I worked I wasn’t ready to test for my first belt, which was blue, the next month. After three months of training I was then ready for my blue belt plus I was very close to testing for my next belt (which was red). I had about 3/4 of the requirements needed. During the next two months I practiced every day and completed the requirements for red belt plus I had all the requirements for yellow belt. My instructor decided to let me double -test, probably because I was military. Two months later I tested for yellow belt with black stripe. After the test my instructor told me to have my own stripe sewn on the yellow belt I was wearing. I went to one of the tailors and had a stripe placed all the way down the center of the belt. Afterward my instructor told me that I was suppose to have had it sewn on one of the ends, not down the middle. He said that was different then intended but he would accept that. Now a stripe going down the middle of a belt is common for several styles of martial arts. Several schools use it to make extra income for their schools.

My black belt test was to be a special test which followed about 3 months later. When I tested I had been in martial arts for one day shy of 10 months. There was no one on either side of my mother’s side or my father’s side of their families that was athleticly active or even exercised. I don’t believe that any one in my family, including myself, had any natural physical ablility. The two things that played a large part of my getting my black belt were desire and attitude.

Ten months earlier when I saw my first martial arts demonstration I didn’t realize that it placed the desire in my heart to achieve what I saw other men had accomplished regardless of what I had to do or how long it took. It help mold my attitude to put myself through whatever it took to reach my goal.

The American Martial Artist:Personal History: Part 3

jdowdy — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:24:16 +0000

This winter we have had quite a bit of snow which reminded me of my early training in Korea. When I first started martial arts, the class was downstairs. After about a month the school moved upstairs. At the new location there were several small window panes that were broken out, which wasn’t so noticeable until cold weather arrived. Every day the first person to arrive at class would have the responsibility to sweep the mats. Most of the time I would be the first one there. To keep the school warm we would stuff paper in the places where glass was supposed to be in the windows. One day I got to class and the wind had blown most of the paper out and snow had blown in. I had to sweep snow off the mats before I could do anything else. The next day I brought plastic and a staple gun and covered up the windows. That was simply doing what needed to be done which helped to guarantee the integrity of the training area. This should be expected of all who attend any martial arts school without anything being said.

The American Martial Artist…Personal History:Part 1

jdowdy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:02:14 +0000

When I joined the Air Force, my first tour of duty was in Korea. My first day in Korea, I traveled downtown to look around. I came upon a Martial Arts demonstration at the market. I didn’t know what style it was then since I didn’t know the difference in styles. I later learned that it was Tae Kwon Do. My friend, Jerry, and I watched these guys in white uniforms do all kinds of amazing things—mostly breaks and talking to the crowd. I couldn’t understand a word that they were saying. They were breaking boards, bricks, and even rocks.

As I watched that day, I realized that I wanted to be a part of that.

The very next day I met with Jerry and his wife. His wife was already living off base because she had come from a military family. She knew all of the ins-and -outs of overseas living.

After we finished with processing the next day, Jerry and I went downtown looking for a place that taught Martial Arts. We walked around and asked until we found a place. We happened to look down an alley and saw some people training in black uniforms. We stood at the doorway for a while watching them. The instructor came over and talked to us. He didn’t know much English and we knew nothing about the Korean language. He did;however, know enough English to tell us how much classes were….$15 per month. (Koreans were paying $3 per month, we later learned.) The style was Kuk Sool Won Hapkido. We joined, paid him the money, and also paid for a uniform.

We started to train right then and I decided to make a commitment to work out three hours each day…

(to be continued)

Martial Arts As A Way of Life

jdowdy — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:35:46 +0000

Over the past four decades I have had the honor to have worked with some exceptional students as well as instructors. Through my work with them, I have been able to share what I have and gain additional valuable knowledge. Instructing students has always been a rewarding experience which has given me the strength to continue to teach and move forward when circumstances have gotten tough. Although I have chosen one of the greatest careers that I could possibly imagine, there have been ups and downs. Even through the low times, I was able to continue learning.

One of the great attributes about martial arts as a way of life is that we become immediate and lifelong friends with other martial artists that we come in contact with. This is true even if wepreviously had nothing more in common. I am fortunate that I chose this path and that God allowed me to have physical and spiritual gifts needed to succeed as a martial artist. Some of the lessons learned along the path have been life-altering, to say the least.

I am still looking forward to continuing my training with other members of the martial arts community for the experience that I could receive from them. -Master John Dowdy 2010

A Resolution Is A Promise To Yourself

jdowdy — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 02:57:35 +0000

Most of us have made new year’s resolutions before in the past. Some we kept and others were swept aside. As a lifelong martial artist I feel integrity should always be an annual standing goal. Integrity, to me, is simply doing what one says that they will.We have all made promises , yet failed to keep them, even with the best of intentions.

This year, like every year, I have reassessed my professional and personal life. I have made resolutions to step up my own physical training and am in the process of altering my daily activities to support these goals. It is rarely a matter of not having enough time; it’s just managing your time more efficiently.

Making resolutions about working out is making a promise to yourself….for yourself…for better health. Make your goals attainable and appropriate and keep moving towards them. You can do it.

As we all know, short term goals are the easiest to attain. This is why we are now offering a six-week fitness boot camp. Come as often as you like. Do as much as you can…. and keep moving forward towards your goal. Check out the details on the website.

Happy New You!

-Grandmaster John Dowdy 2010

Belt Promotion – The Journey

jdowdy — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:58:01 +0000

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 – 1884) said

“To travel hopefully is better then to arrive. The success is the labor.”

Bruce Lee (1940 – 1973) said:

“The success is the Journey, not the destination.”

Regardless of the journey, each individual’s path is uniquely his own. The achievement of belt promotion will have different meanings and time schedules for each martial artist. For some, it means that anything else in their future can be accomplished. For others, each belt promotion is just a step to the end of their goal of becoming black belt. However, for those who are passionate about their training, the black belt is a continued journey toward a lifelong destination.

-Master John Dowdy