We offer two styles: Taekwon-do and Eskrima.

Taekwon-do:

Taekwon-do, sometimes spelled tae kwon do or taekwondo, is a martial art developed in Korea that has roots in and, therefore, sometimes appears similar to Japanese karate. Taekwon-do was originally used and focused in the Korean army, so its origins were for practical combat. However, since martial arts have all been adapted for civilian use, other aspects were further promoted and added to make it a well rounded style for any practitioner regardless of age or experience. A rough translation of the name “taekwon-do” means the way of smashing with the foot and fist.

Taekwon-do at Lorence Martial Arts is practiced in a way honoring its deep traditions as an all-around, complete style. This means we not only work the common strikes, blocks, and forms/patterns that it is known for, but we do not neglect the historically strong background in self-defense including defending against armed opponents. We also train in the often neglected aspects of this amazing art that include throws, joint locks, and ground tactics.

Some people think taekwon-do is only about sparring competition focused on kicks to the head. Though, there are some practitioners that this may be slightly true for, it is only a very small fraction of what it is about. Our school does not focus on competition. However, all of our students are encouraged to try competing at least once. Some find competition to be another arm of their training that they enjoy for years.

Taekwon-do has morphed through the decades, and many associations have been formed with different emphases. At Lorence Martial Arts, our heritage is based closely off of many of the original concepts having a genealogy that takes us back to the father of taekwon-do, General Choi.

Eskrima:

Eskrima, sometimes spelled escrima, is a general term for martial arts from the Philippines. Kali and arnis are also common terms used for Filipino martial arts, depending on the organization or instructor. The word “eskrima” means to skirmish or fight. Many people will incorrectly define eskrima as “stick fighting”. Though stick fighting is possibly the most well known aspect of eskrima, it is just a portion of it. At Lorence Martial Arts we practice the Inayan System of Eskrima (ISE, founded by the late Michael Inay and currently led by his son Jason Inay.).

The ISE consists of many styles of eskrima that, when trained properly, can be used effectively together for instantaneous adaptation to any situation. Some of the main styles include serrada, siniwali, dequerdas, larga mano, and kadena de mano, though there are more used to varying degrees. Inayan kadena de mano, serrada, and larga mano are the three core styles. They cover the three ranges: close, mid, and long.

These different styles have us training to use sticks, knives, bolo machetes, swords, and our hands and feet. We also get to practice using flexible weapons along with other tools. However, the majority of our classes involve hand-to-hand, stick (1 or 2), and knife training. Eskrima is known mostly for its direct combative use having proved itself during WWII, but it is a beautiful art with a rich history that is not only effective but very fun to practice.