Decided. Discipline. Endurance. Fitness for mind and body. Self defence. sportsmanship. The benefits of martial arts training are enduring and abundant, and he offers classes and training through six different clubs: Judo, Karate, Taekwondo, Tai Chi, Wushu, and Self-Defense Dragon Martial Arts.
Each of our six martial arts clubs brings a different approach to the teaching and practice of martial arts, and we believe this diversity is part of our strength.
We welcome new students at the beginning of each semester. Whether you're a student at UC Berkeley or live/work in a vibrant Bay Area community, join us and discover how martial arts training can help you. We encourage you to find out how it can change your life. All six of our clubs are very beginner-friendly, our instructors are top-notch, and our facility is a safe place to learn martial arts to improve yourself.
Our academic year includes the UC Open, the Chinese Wushu Tournament, and the UC Dragon Martial Arts Championship. These annual events not only provide learning opportunities for students, but also contribute to the martial arts experience for the local and international community. We encourage you to learn more about them throughout the school year.
For those of you who are already part of our martial arts family, we look forward to seeing you soon. And for those of you planning to check out our program, we hope you'll find a home with us. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your instructor for recommendations and options.
Sincerely,
Dr. Russell Ahn
University of California Martial Arts Program Director
Mission
The purpose of the martial arts program is to preserve the philosophy, techniques, and traditions of martial arts and to develop a scientific understanding of the physical and spiritual meaning of human performance.
A hallmark of the University of California, Berkeley, the UC Martial Arts Program is a growing, dynamic organization dedicated to providing superior martial arts instruction to the campus and surrounding community. Since its founding in 1969, the martial arts program at the University of California, Berkeley campus has had a dual mission. In addition to providing successful, high-quality technical instruction in all martial arts/sport, the UC Martial Arts Program utilizes the university's academic resources to advance martial arts/sport through the study of philosophical, spiritual, and scientific significance. We strive to make the most of it.
In addition to offering martial arts classes to California State University students as well as residents of Berkeley and nearby areas, UCMAP and its six clubs organize and host instructional seminars, symposiums, martial arts camps, Furthermore, we are actively working to improve the presence of martial arts. Teaching martial arts at university, national, and world competitions. UCMAP brings together hundreds of members, has ample resources to run such events, especially in a university setting, and benefits from a diverse membership.
UCMAP boasts Olympic candidates, well-trained instructors, and affiliations with Korea's premier martial arts education facilities, Yongin University and Korea National Sports University. Berkeley's program continues to send student teams to national and international competitions, but it also emphasizes academics and a focus on the future with the creation of a research facility and the establishment of the International Martial Arts Research Institute (IMARI). IMARI publishes a monograph series of martial arts journals, an annual compilation of martial arts papers on art, physics, physiology, instruction, and philosophy, aimed at an international audience. It's easy to see how UCMAP reflects the mission of the University of California, Berkeley, as an academic institution, both in spirit and culture.
The University of California martial arts program is unique in its blend of athleticism and scholarship, vision and history, innovation and tradition. What began as one man's passion is now an established educational institution steeped in the culture of high standards found at the University of California, Berkeley.
history
Top university, top martial arts program.
That was Dr. Ken Min's vision. He started the nation's first large-scale university-based martial arts program in 1969 and later led the movement to introduce taekwondo as an Olympic sport. The program began with a small number of martial artists, where interested students gathered in the wrestling room and organized clubs. Almost 40 years later, several small organizations have grown into his six-club martial arts powerhouse, making a huge impact on the international martial arts community.
The UC Martial Arts Program offers instruction in Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, Tai Chi, Wushu, and Dragon Martial Arts (a Korean self-defense art). Over the years, Dr. Ming has integrated various arts to create a solid overall martial arts program, rather than having each club exist as separate clubs. UCMAP clubs are taught by senior instructors of specific martial arts, many of whom are also students of Dr. Min.
Comprised of approximately 600 members and even more alumni, UCMAP has developed many successful competitors and teams, hosted many tournaments, and is highly regarded as one of the top producers of martial artists in the country. Masu.
UCMAP's future was secured in 1995 with the award of an incredible $1 million gift from the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Korea and the World Taekwondo Federation. This award is unique in American academia and established a permanent place in martial arts instruction at the University of California, Berkeley. No other university in the United States has ever raised such an endowment. This gift from South Korea, officially named the Ken Min Endowed Directorship of Taekwondo and Martial Arts, honors Dr. Min's accomplishments and lifelong contributions. When Dr. Min first spoke about his departure, students and staff were concerned that strong leadership for the program would be lost. As a result, Dr. Min asked the Korean community for support to continue the program he has developed over a quarter of a century. After reviewing UCMAP, the South Korean government determined that it was worth supporting. The South Korean Ministry of Culture and Sports awarded Cal the funding to ensure the program continues to educate in Asian philosophy and culture for years to come.
