… to train the body is really to train the mind and the spirit and so on. When these things are brought together, there arises in the midst a great treasure called LIFE: Ki. If one way to translate”Hapkido” is “Art of Coordinated Power”, then another equally valid way is: “Way of Harmony with Life”.

I invite you to do as I have done and continue to do. Look in the dojo and you will see students and teachers. Look in yourself and you will find the teaching. At last, you will understand,that the martial arts truly begin in the heart and mind. …I am eternally grateful to have the Honor and Privilage of studying Hapkido under the patient tutelage of Master David Beck.

I had never taken a martial arts class before and I talked with a number of my friends prior to signing up. My friends told me that the main factor in choosing a class was the instructor, then the style. That is why I chose to study with Master Beck. He has been someone I have really enjoyed working with.

Being 47, I was anxious about being able to do hapkido. Master Beck has been patient and a great instructor. And now that I know a little more about Hapkido, I think it is the best self defense art. I would encourage you, no matter your age, to come visit a class.

Once I decided to learn Hapkido, I had to find the right instructor to learn from. Not just from a master of Hapkido, but a master of Hapkido that can truly teach the art, not just teach the techniques of Hapkido, but the underlying principals of the art. An instructor who not understands the underlying principles, but can teach them to a very diverse range of individuals with different body types,strengths, and ages…Not only does Master Beck understand and teach the principals of Hapkido, he augments these principals with very practical street defense skills, not the impractical flowery skills taught by other instructors. Master Beck also stresses the foundations of self defense, footwork, conditioning, body mechanics, and often ignored, mental skills.

My husband has always had a passion for martial arts and was looking into joining a school and I was just along for the ride. I thought it was all about fighting and it ended up to be just the opposite and much more than I expected.

… I went from a person filled with doubt in my own ability to succeed or face difficult challenges to a person waking up each morning prepared to face any challenges thrown at me for the day.I’ve learned how to control my thoughts, anger, axiety and environment through principles learned in Master Beck’s Hapkido class…it’s been one of the best investments I’ve ever made in my life.

To be very honest, I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy martial arts as an adult even though I loved it as a kid. I knew next to nothing about hapkido, but decided to take a chance. Choosing the right class made all the difference. I enjoyed the relatively smaller size of the classroom (My past experiences made for very little one on one instruction with 30+ kids in attendance every class). I enjoyed the “no-hassle”feel of training. It was definitely a move-at-your own pace and enjoy what you’re doing for the sake of doing something worth-while in personal development.

Overall, I find the curriculum and teaching style excellent. I have been a member or visited many other schools in various styles of martial arts in my life, and I find BMA one of the more enjoyable. It is a balanced mix of practical style but also low key (meaning not over-the-top or too intense) that makes coming to practice enjoyable, rather than a chore. I like the spontanaiety of the curriculum. Mixing up different things (footwork, hand/foot technique, working with power bags, and self-defense work) keeps the class from getting boring.

I love Hapkido. I speak highly of the art and I speak highly in general of the training I receive at BMA. I like the small class size and have always enjoyed the cameraderie of those training with me. The seminars are a nice change of pace and although they can sometimes be a little pricey, they’re enjoyable and give us a chance to work on things not typically covered. Most of the people I am friends with know I am in Hapkido and I never miss an opportunity to demonstrate how easily I can injure somebody else…lol. It has also been good for me as a way of staying in shape.

I love the way Master Beck teaches Hapkido: very technical, refined, and his distinctive technique-based curriculum makes more sense to me. While Ive picked up other joint lock and throw techniques from the Hapkido curriculum at VTA, arm bar, figure-4, and S lock are still my main joint lock self-defense techniques (what Master Beck taught me up to yellow belt) in almost any situation I can still set it up. I will recommend Master Beck for those who want to do focused Hapkido and self-defense training in general.

I walk to work, and I can honestly say that, since studying Arnis with Guro Beck, I’ve never felt safer. Just knowing that my umbrella and my pocket knife are serious weapons helps me to feel confident even walking through a somewhat rough neighborhood.I always look forward to my next lesson. In class, I get more direct attention from the teacher than I’ve ever had in a martial arts class.Thanks, Master Beck!

After a knee injury kept me away from training in Shotokan Karate for several years, I was looking to continue my martial arts training in an art that was less focused on striking and more suited toward real-world self-defense scenarios. Through my research I narrowed down my choices to Hapkido and Jujitsu. My next task was finding the right instructor. I stumbled upon Master Beck online and am glad I did. Master Beck’s classes are small and the environment welcoming. More importantly, Master Beck’s teaching philosophy encourages his students to understand why the techniques work, in contrast to the “rote memorization until you reach 1st dan” approach that predominates in some schools.

I found BMA website when I was looking for a martial arts teacher in North Dallas area and going through tens of different martial art related websites, trying figure out what would work for me. I was studying taichi for several years, until birth of my son interrupted it, but somehow I did not feel like returning to taichi class. Now I was looking for some more dynamic and practical in terms of self-defense style. Stumbled upon Master Beck website, I started to read about the school philosophy and something just clicked! Next thing I knew – I am going to come and see this school. The rest is a history: I came and stayed. There were couple times when I dropped for a long period of time due to family and health reasons but I made it back both times, why?

Master Beck is very knowledgeable in Martial Arts and history of Martial Arts, and always willing to share his knowledge. He is really passionate about Martial Arts; his curriculum is a unique fusion of very practical techniques that do make sense. When you ask him a question about particular attack or counter attack he might give you in depth review what advantages and disadvantages one has across different Martial Art styles, not only those he teaches. He consistently goes into those saddle details that really make or break techniques and very patient but persistent with his students showing and correcting again, again and again. Finally, learning Hapkido and Arnis with Master Beck is just a great joy for me. Looking back, when I just started to train with Master Beck I can see a tremendous impact on my life and see big difference in my self-esteem, focus and confidence. Nowadays, BMA classes are important part of my weekly routine and I am going to stick to it.

Mr. Beck, I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I am enjoying the Hapkido classes . As you know I have had a back ground in Martial Arts for many years now having boxed at The well known Windy City Boxing Club ” in Chicago as well as studing Judo/ traditional Kung Fu so I am not exactly a novice but I must saying that I am learning so much more from your training. It has been a great work out for me as well just the last few months working out with you I have lost over 14 pounds. Being 57 years old I am not exactly a youngster but find myself keeping up with the class with your help. I think it is a style that could be enjoyed by all ages and very practical as well. I have recommended it to several of my friends . I think it is very professional as well as practical in using the techniques that you teach us in class. I am hooked I can tell you that much and I am going to stay with it and continue to learn more. … Make it a great day !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My martial arts experience did not start with Beck Martial Arts. I bounced around several different schools and explored various styles over the years. As a Martial Arts Journeyman, it was a challenge for me to stay focused on the task at hand and attend classes on a regular basis. Then I found Beck Martial Arts Arnis de Leon program. The program was setup in a traditional format that helped me develop good basic Filipino Martial Art (FMA) skills. With the help of Mr. Becks teaching style and my strong interest for Arnis, I broke my Martial Arts Journeyman approach. I was now in a place that inspired me to regularly attend classes. As my knowledge of Arnis expanded, I began to understand that Mr. Beck was adding extra value to my training by expounding on general Arnis using his many years of Hapkido training. This extra information began to perk my interest in Hapkido, so I began to train in both Arnis de Leon and Hapkido. This dual training method provided at Beck Martial Arts has been really beneficial to my development as Martial Arts. After faithfully training for many years, I was able to obtain my black belt in Arnis de Leon.