501-679-5931 In many martial arts styles, the  assumption traditionally has been that  once students earn their black belts  they are ready to teach other students.  But the ATA does not believe that  simply being able to do something  well, qualifies a person to teach.  During the last 30 years, the ATA has  developed an intensive instructor  training program to insure that all  ATA Instructors are skilled and  professional teachers. Before  becoming certified, ATA black belts  spend 2-3 years as instructor trainees,  during which time they are required  to teach at least 300 hours under the  supervision of a senior instructor.  They are also required to earn  certification in CPR and Youth  Protection and to attend instruction  camps.  OUR INSTRUCTORS BENEFITS OF TAEKWONDO Self- Confidence Physical Fitness Balance & Coordination Self-Defense Concentration & Focus "Martial Art" is a broad term encompassing the many styles of physical discipline (fighting) arts that have been developed over the centuries. To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another "martial art" would be an oversimplified explanation of the world's largest centrally administered martial art. This system of teaching and training is unequaled in the martial arts community. The Songahm curriculum facilitates a smooth progression from one rank to the next, so that students who begin Taekwondo feeling they'll never be able to do a simple block (for example) suddenly find themselves a few years later doing 360-degree jumping kicks with ease. Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. To say it is just self-defense would be to lose most of the valuable ideas and philosophy behind this ancient art. The heightened capacity for self-defense resulting from our Taekwondo is really a fringe benefit that is gained by dedicating one's self to the values, philosophy and training of Songahm Taekwondo. When learning, a student is in a true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and loyalty. A beginner does not focus on being a skilled martial artist within a month or two, as a strong foundation in Taekwondo must be built first. Trying to advance beyond your level without proper guidance is like building a house on concrete that has not dried. Though the house may still stand, the foundation would not be as strong and the appearance of the house may not be as presentable. The ATA and its affiliated organizations help build a strong foundation of Songahm Taekwondo in each of its members, a foundation from which advancement in both the martial art (mind and body) and in self defense can be built and added on to in perpetuity. The "Songahm Star" is the pattern that is formed on the ground if all 18 forms of the Songahm system are completed. In a perfect Songahm Star, the distance from the center point of the star to the top point is nine feet ("feet" being the student's foot length). The total distance from the top point to the bottom point equals 18 feet, representing the number of forms in the Songahm system. *Click here for special offer and NO CONTRACT*