Core Values

This list is a summary of the values which are the foundation of our martial arts system.  All students are expected to learn and understand the importance of each value and learn how to apply them both during training and outside of the dojo.

Confidence

  • Challenges are part of life, and the martial arts teaches us to face all challenges head-on.
  • We must believe in our ability to succeed rather than focus on the possibility of failure.

Courage

  • Fear can paralyze us if we let it.  Martial arts students must confront their fears and take action when it is necessary.
  • Doing the right thing is not always easy but we must do it anyway.

Discipline

  • All skills are gained through hard work.
  • We must develop the ability and desire to do the work necessary to acquire the skills we want.
  • Martial arts students do not need others to remind them of the rules.

Honesty

  • Telling the truth can be difficult, but it is necessary.
  • Martial arts students must be honest with themselves and others at all times.
  • Goals reached by using deception and dishonesty are false.  Cheating is a sign of weakness.

Humility

  • There is no supreme level of skill.  No matter how skilled a student becomes, he or she can still improve.
  • The only way for students to maximize their potential is to remain humble.
  • Those who value awards and honors more than personal growth will not succeed in the martial arts.

Patience

  • To be truly excellent at martial arts, students must spend many years training.  This process is difficult and students must learn to have reasonable expectations about their own progress and skill level.
  • During the training process, students will need to use patience in dealing with their piers and their teachers.

Respect

  • Respect is the foundation of all successful human relationships.
  • Martial arts students must respect themselves, accept who they are, and understand their own strengths and weaknesses.
  • Martial arts students must respect everyone who makes a contribution to their lives: family, friends, teachers and adversaries.

Sportsmanship

  • All students are created equal and their efforts are equally important.
  • Regardless of skill level, all students who work hard are athletes and deserve to be recognized for their individual achievements.
  • Physical ability alone does not make someone a true athlete.
  • Students who are gifted have a responsibility to help others.