About North Star Martial Arts

Mr. Joe Schibanetz (r);

and

Mr. Eric Bergquist (l);

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Training Fees and Expenses

Monthly tuition (individual):                      $ 65.00      (discounted to $55.00 for debit plan participants)

Family Tuition (max per family)               $ 130.00    (discounted to $110.00 for debit plan participants)

Initial Registration:                                   $ 40.00 (one time registration - includes basic uniform)

Come visit with us for free...! Try it, you'll like it!

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Karate Uniforms

Mr. Joe presents belts to our

Students are required to wear a basic, white, karate uniform (Do Bahk) while in class. As students advance in rank, new colored belts are presented, the cost of which is included in the testing fee. The first uniform is included with initial registration, and can be expected to last 1-1/2 to 2 years under normal conditions (fast growing children should ask for a slightly larger initial size). Patches are optional, but are needed to participate in competitive tournaments.

Colored belt ranks must wear all white uniforms, with the appropriate, colored, rank trim for green, brown, and red belts.  Virginia Darwin is available to sew on patches and colored belt trim for a nominal fee.

Black Belt ranks wear black pants and black trimmed jackets.

For routine workouts during the hot summer months, jackets are optional.

*** PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE

Initial Student Uniform:      Included with registration

Competition Uniforms:      $ 25.00 - $ 60.00

Uniform Patches:              $ 5.00  -  $ 8.00each  ($12 for full set)

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Safety Equipment - Required

Most students wait until receiving their first color belt promotion (yellow) before investing in sparring equipment. In order to participate in sparring exercises (physical contact), students are required to have protective pads for head, hands, mouth/teeth, and feet. Additional protective gear for shins, forearms, and groin are strongly recommended. Groin protection may be required for participation in some tournaments (depending upon the tournament rules).

A basic sparring pad set comes with a foam helmet, foam hand pads, and foam foot pads. Forearm and shin pads are available at local sports stores (and even at Wal-Mart).

Some tournaments are now requiring a helmet with face shield (AKC - Alabama Karate Circuit). North Star Karate and the ICMA do not require a face shield, but for the serious competitor, it is an excellent investment.

*** PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE

Basic Sparring Pad Set:                        $ 75.00 (required for sparring)

Mouth/teeth guard:                                $ 2.00  (required for sparring)

Foam Shin Pads:                                   $6.00 - 10.00  (recommended)

Foam Forearm Pads:                             $6.00 - 10.00  (recommended)

Male groin protection                              $ 6.00  (strongly recommended)

Competition Helmet w/ Face Shield:         $80.00 - 100.00  (optional)

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Martial Arts Weapons - Optional

North Star Instructor, Allison Martin, 2nd Degree Black Belt, competes in the ICMA Tournament with the "Dagger Form".

Many students enjoy learning to use traditional Tang Soo Do weapons in forms and for competition. The traditional weapons are the Escrima Sticks (24" - 26" wooden sticks), the Bo Staff (a 4' to 6' wooden pole), the Dagger, and the Sword. Other popular weapons are the Nunchaku's (2 wooden sticks tied together with rope or chain), the Sai (a trident shaped, metal, hand weapon), and the Kama (a scithe shaped hand weapon).

In the ICMA, only Black Belts compete with weapons. However, the AKC (Alabama Karate Circuit) and other associations, allow colored belts to compete in weapons class competition.

Weapons are optional at the colored belt level. Once a student reaches the Cho Dan Bo belt (pre-Black), he/she must learn two traditional Bo Staff forms.  

North Star Karate has Escrima Sticks, Bo Staffs, rubber practice Daggers ("Tanto"), and wooden practice Swords ("Bokken") for students to use.

*** PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE

Escrima Sticks:                        $10.00 - 15.00 (each) **Easy to make on your own

Bo Staff:                                    $30.00 - 60.00

Bokken practice sword:            $10.00

Tanto practice knife:                 $6.00

Basic Nunchaku:                        $7.00 - 15.00

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Rules of the Dojang

Rules of the Dojang

Dojang Procedures

Do Bahk (uniform), Gear, and Equipment, Weapons

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Testing for Belt Promotions

Students may test for belt (rank) promotions as they fulfill the training requirements for each belt level. Most colored belt students test for promotion about every three (3) to four (4) months.

All students MUST demonstrate proficiency at their current level, MUST have acceptable attendance at weekly practices, and MUST be current on training fees, to be eligible for belt promotion.

Tests are generally administered on the last Saturday of each month. Students should be prepared for tests to last approximately 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Please check the [Schedule & Calendar] for dates and times.

Preparation:

Testing Fees:

Testing fees cover the cost of test administration, test documentation, new belts (included, when promoted), and the preparation of promotion certificates.

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Ranking System - Belt Colors and their Meanings

New Black Belt students are

presented their belts in a special

North Star Martial Arts follows the traditional art of Tang Soo Do. Colored belts follow the following ranking system belt:

10^th Gup – White: Innocence; Beginner

9^th Gup – Yellow: Change; Learner

8^th Gup – Orange: Basics; Foundations

7^th Gup – Orange with Stripe: Basics; Foundations

6^th Gup – Green: Growth; Gaining Skills

5^th Gup – Green with Stripe: Growth; Gaining Skills

4^th Gup – Brown: Strength; Advancing Skills

3^rd Gup – Brown with Stripe: Strength; Advancing Skills

2^nd Gup – Red: Culmination: Refining Basic Skills

1^st Gup – Red with Stripe: Culmination: Refining Basic Skills

Cho Dan Bo - Tiger Training (Red with Black Center Band):

                           Pre-Black Belt Training

1^st Dan – Cho Dan: First Degree Black Belt:

2^nd Dan – E Dan: Second Degree Black Belt

3^rd Dan – Sam Dan: Third Degree Black Belt

4^th Dan – Sah Dan: Master Level Black Belt

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Board Breaking

Mr. Glyn Martin

Board and Concrete Breaking is an exciting part of a student's training experience. Students SHOULD NOT attempt to break boards, concrete, or other objects, without proper instruction from certified North Star Instructors. Breaking is far more dependent on special technique, than on physical strength. Without proper training, the risk of injury is substantial.

ICMA Tournament rules require youth to be at least age 14, to compete in board breaking at the annual tournament.

AKC Tournaments do not include Board Breaking events.

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Tournaments and Competition

Mr. Eric Bergquist takes

home 3 first place trophies

and 1 second place trophy!

ICMA National Championship Tournament

Annual Fall Event (optional)

Competition is an exciting part of your training experience. The International Christian Martial Arts Association hosts an annual tournament to test skills and foster Christian fellowship.

Tournament Reg. Fee:                 $ 45.00  (approximately - varies for different tournament locations)

Tournament T-Shirt:                     $ 10.00  (approximately)

Tournament Boards (each):          $   1.50  (approximately)

Travel Expenses:                         $   ???

ALABAMA Karate Circuit (AKC) State TOURNAMENTS

The Alabama Karate Circuit (AKC) hosts 6 to 8 tournaments in different locations throughout north Alabama. This is an exciting opportunity to test your skills in serious competition. Note that the AKC rules for competition are much different than the ICMA rules: Sparring allows more contact; Forms are not restricted to “traditional” Tang Soo Do forms; and colored belts are permitted to compete in weapons forms. There is not usually any board breaking competition.

AKC Registration Fees:         $ 45.00

                                           (approximately – each host may

                                             charge different fees)

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ICMA, International Christian Martial Arts Association

The International Christian Martial Arts Association (I.C.M.A.) is a non-profit organization, established to provide a biblically sound environment in which believers in Jesus Christ can practice and learn to defend themselves and their families with the art of Tang Soo Do karate.

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Rights & Responsibilities

ADVISORY OF RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

North Star Martial Arts Ministries is committed to striving for a safe and injury free training environment. The instructors, directors, and staff are trained safety measures and will do their best to maintain a safe and accident free environment for all students. It is imperative that everyone carefully obey the safety rules and regulations of the classroom, and follow the instructor’s directions.

As with any competitive, physical, sport, martial arts is a potentially dangerous activity. Bumps, bruises, scrapes, and muscle soreness are common. Most students will encounter this sort of minor injury periodically during their training. More serious injuries are possible and should be expected at some time during a student’s training, including sprains, strains, twists, cramps, and other injuries of similar magnitude. The possibility of more serious injuries also exists, including fractured bones, broken and torn ligaments, and dislocated joints, although these are much more uncommon. Students are also advised that despite all safety precautions, there still remains the remote possibility of extremely serious injury, such as a crippling accident, and even death.

Safety is not the sole responsibility of the instructors and the staff. Everyone in class is responsible for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Students who violate the safety rules and regulations WILL be disciplined appropriately, up to and including dismissal from class.

All students have the right and responsibility to excuse themselves from any exercise they believe will be harmful. All students must evaluate each situation in the context of their skill level and current physical condition, and conduct each drill in a manner that minimizes the risk of injury. If an instructor gives an instruction that the student feels is unsafe, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the instructor that he/she may not be ready for that skill or that their current physical condition limits their ability to perform that skill properly. The instructor will routinely excuse students from exercises that the student feels are unsafe. Note that promotion to higher ranking belt levels is based on a student’s ability to adequately perform specific skills. Being excused from exercises does not excuse a student from having to meet the minimum skill requirements necessary for promotion.

In the even of an injury, students (and parents) have the responsibility to stop the exercise and/or competition, thoroughly evaluate the extent of the injury, and make an informed determination as to whether or not it is safe to continue. The instructional team also has the right to intervene and stop a student from performing in an exercise and/or competition, if the instructional team feels that that situation warrants such action. In the event of a serious injury, or the appearance of a serious injury, all students, instructors, staff, parents, and notable visitors have the right to call a stop to a particular training exercise or competitive engagement.

If a student notes an unsafe training situation, which may include a student performing a skill incorrectly, a student not being careful about others, a defect in a piece of training equipment, a potentially dangerous obstacle or condition on the floor, or anything else that may cause or lead to the harm of students, instructors, staff, parents, visitors, or guests, then the student is expected to correct the situation, if it is within his or her ability to do so. In all circumstances, the instructor should be notified immediately.

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