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History of SFCMA: School of Hapkido

About Soldier For Christ Martial Arts (SFCMA)

Building a better future through our youth. Soldier For Christ Martial Arts (SFCMA) or 'Soldiers For Christ' was established in 2014 by Instructor Sowers as a youth based Catholic Martial Arts Program teaching Hapkido. SFCMA is also known as "Soldiers For Christ Ministry". Soldiers For Christ is the only recognized Catholic Martial Arts School in Houston and is continuing to grow with its ministry of spreading Christ name through the martial arts. Soldiers For Christ is currently partnered with Strake Jesuit College Preparatory and operates the Strake Jesuit Martial Arts Academy. Soldier For Christ Martial Arts is the only Catholic martial arts school partnered with a college preparatory school and the Catholic school system.

It is our mission to guide our students to develop their character and integrity all while practicing our Catholic values. With each progressed level of age/rank, students are challenged to meet new goals as each new rank consists of learning new techniques which challenge students both mentally and physically. Soldiers For Christ is an endorsed martial arts school specializing in the teachings and traditions of Hapkido. Students learn a variety of Hapkido skills including: new kicking strikes, pad routines, sparring, joint locks, throws, hip-tosses, rolls, obstacle rolls, and learning the weak points of the body.

It is our teaching to instill and maintain the Tenets of Martial Arts in each of our students being: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit; and the remind ourselves that there is only one true master, The Lord Jesus Christ.

Our belief and practice of the Catholic faith, as well as our environment in which we train with Catholic good-standing Instructors is what makes up a Catholic martial arts school. We teach the art of Hapkido, not the non-Christian religious practices of India or Korea that are historically attached to the art itself. The three lifetime practices of a martial artist are Master of Mind, Master of Body, and Master of Spirit. We practice Master of Mind and Spirit by pursuing our thoughts towards continuous growth of knowledge as men and women in the faith, and knowledge in the Catholic faith and our relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ. We practice Master of Body by striving to keep physically fit and continuing to learn the techniques of the art of Hapkido.

As a Hapkidoist, it is our mission to always strive to become a better martial artist and a better person of faith. Hapkido can translate "way of coordinated power", which relates to our fundamental learning of the art itself. However, the same words in Korean can also translate to "way of harmonious spirit" signifying that Hapkido is more than just learning martial techniques; it is about development as a person in character and lives in everything we do as a way of living.

History of Hapkido

Hapkido: "Way of Coordinated Power" ; "Way of Harmonious Spirit"

Hapkido was founded by Choi Yong-Sool according to the Korean Hapkido Federation.

Hapkido is a system of unarmed fighting and weapons techniques to defeat both armed and unarmed opponents. Hapkido contains both long and close range fighting techniques, utilizing specialized Hapkido kicks and percussive hand strikes at longer ranges and pressure point strikes, Hapkido joint locks, and or throws at closer fighting distances. Hapkido emphasizes circular motion, breathing techniques, non-resisting movements, and control of the opponent. Hapkido practitioners seek to gain advantage through footwork and body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength.

As a Hapkido student advances through their studies at their chosen Hapkido School (dojang), they will learn how to employ and defend against various weapons. Weapons training usually consists of knife training, short stick, walking cane, rope, long staff and sword. Hapkido students are trained to use and defend against these weapons and to also defend against common weapons such are firearms, broken bottles etc…

Hapkido has long been popular with various special operations military and police organizations throughout the world because it provides both lethal and controlling Hapkido techniques so that an individual can employ only the amount of force needed for the situation. In Korea, the Presidential bodyguards and the Seoul Police SWAT Teams all train in Korea Hapkido Federation style Hapkido.

Hapkido is a fully comprehensive fighting style that provides its students with a wide range of fighting skills to meet any threat from an attacker. It is not a sport. Hapkido is also a method to assist an individual to reach levels of self-improvement from both a physical and mental standpoint. Students usually start studying Hapkido for its effective and practical self-defense techniques, or as a way of improving their physical fitness.

After a short time they discover that Hapkido is a way of life that when embraced can assist an individual to reduce stress, improve their overall health, improve their self esteem as well as gaining an improved sense of community responsibility. A student may start their training as a stranger with their Master and fellow students but will soon learn that their affiliation will become more of a family-style relationship that will last for generations.

Hapkido is for everyone willing to invest the time and effort into studying this wonderful martial art. People from all walks of life and from all age groups will benefit from making Hapkido a part of their lives. In fact, when comparing Hapkido to other martial art styles, Hapkido can be effectively applied by people of any age group, because it is not dependent on high kicking techniques or overpowering an adversary. The techniques are based on physics and simple body mechanics learning the week points of the body, making it extremely effective.

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