Seated with legs crossed and eyes glued on the two fighters sparring on the mat in front of them, these young boys and girls are learning a lesson on self-defense at the Martial Arts Class in Madison.

Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. Martial arts may be studied for various reasons, martial arts share a single objective: to defeat one or more people physically and to defend oneself or others from physical threat and Boone County’s youth are taking the opportunity to learn to defend themselves.

On any given Saturday, the Martial Arts Studio on Main Street, Madison, will be filled with youngsters and adults, alike, punctuating their punches and accenting their kicks with “aieyas.”

If you’re sitting in during a martial arts lesson, your ears will resonate with some basic phrases that are repeated – such as, ‘bow to one another.’

Then, the students must bow to one another, a custom in martial arts that is given each fighter as a show of respect for the opponent.

“Bow to each other and touch gloves. Because are these people your enemies? No; they’re your friends,” Instructor Greg Dillon tells his students.

Respect for self and others is key to martial arts, a form of self defense and combat, with origins in Asian cultures.

“How many of you see fights at football games? Softball games?” Dillon asks his students. Hands are raised all around the room in response to these questions. “Here, we fight but we’re respectful,” he said.

Control is another word that is often repeated during a martial arts lesson.

“Good control. Good job,” Dillon says encouragingly to a female student.

“Don’t be wild; be controlled. If you can’t control yourself, how can you expect to control other people?” Dillon inquires of his students, who range in age from 5 years old to 14 years old during this reporter’s visit to the Martial Arts Studio.

“The kids had enough control that when they got to submission, they stopped. How many of you come from around the Van area? How many from Madison? How many from the Seth and Racine area?” Dillon asks his students. Again, hands go up sporadically in answer to his questions. “You children come from all areas of the county and yet in here we’re all on the same team, we’re all friends,” he said.

Boys no taller than 4-feet are taught to overcome taller opponents with stomach throws, while more advanced students are taught wrist grabs, blocks, and bear hugs, just to name a few of the techniques Dillon teaches his students.

“Be careful of your surroundings; when you’re outside and something happens you should be aware of the things around you that can hurt you, such as bottles and bricks. So be aware of everything around you,” he advises his young students.

“There’s a good chance that none of you will ever get into a fight at school. You are more likely to fall than fight,” Dillon says, and then proceeds to have the students practice break-falls.

“You must learn to fall without hurting yourself,” he said, a practical lesson that the students can carry with them beyond the doors at the Martial Arts Studio.

17-year old Scott High school student Jace Collins said that he’s a lot more controlled and has a renewed sense of pride.“I don’t feel like I have a chip on my shoulder to prove myself anymore.”

When asked why he felt the need to prove himself to others, Collins said, “I’m tinier than everybody else. I never would defend myself.”

The very first thing the students are taught is about bullying – a subject that, unfortunately, is a real problem for most American schools.

“If they are being bullied, we tell them to talk to the teacher or principal. I have a four-strike scenario; the very last is self-defense. If we find them abusing [what we teach in Martial Arts Class], first we talk to them, then we suspend them from class, and finally we dismiss them from the class,” Dillon said.

At the end of Saturday’s class the students learn that one male student and one female student each have earned an award for their day of sparring.

“Everybody can not win. We try our best; it’s about your character and your efforts,” Dillon tells the students.

Dillon, who is a Boone County native, returned from his travels in the U.S. to bring something back to the community that he remembers with great fondness from his childhood.

“I’m trying to do something positive here, with the work I’m doing, and with these Martial Arts classes,” he said.

Dillon offers four different classes, based on age and ability. These begin with the little tigers class for ages 5 to 9 and works on muscle memory and listening skills. The second class is designed for students ages 9 to 13 or 14, in which they learn all the basic self defense and combat techniques. The adult class is for students who are at least 15-years old. In this class, students learn about pressure points and lock throws. Finally, an advanced class is taught. “This class is highly intense and not for the meek.”

Dillon says he is trained in First Aid, CPR and revival techniques because minor injuries do occasionally occur.

“I also have a sheriff’s deputy that trains with me. We try to be very morally and safety conscious,” Dillon said.

Contact Joanie Newman at jnewman@coalvalleynews.com or call 304-369-1165.