Martial Arts, & Self-Defense 29 Second Street Meadville, Mississippi 39653
Located inside the Meadville Community Center
Biography
Master Instructor Duane Simpson is a 4th Degree Black Belt Hapkido, 3rd Degree Black Belt Goshin Jujitsu, 2nd Degree Black Belt Tang Soo Do, and 2nd Degree Black Belt Tri O Ryu Jujitsu. He started his Martial Arts career in 1983 with Instructor Michael LeBlanc, in Tang Soo Do from The Gonzales Karate Club in Prairieville, La. earning his 1st degree black belt in 1987. He enlisted in the US Army Signal Corps in 1988, during the last years of the Cold War and the first Gulf War receiving an Honorable Discharge in 1993.
After receiving his discharge from the Army, he sought employment in the civilian world. In 1993 he began work as a Correctional Officer and worked part time as a General Manager/Firearms Instructor at an indoor shooting facility, where he found the need to find a more practical means of self-defense training which introduced him to the wonderful world of Korean Martial Art HAPKIDO. He began training with Master Paul Johnson Sr. with one-on-one classes earning his 1st degree black belt in Hapkido in 2001.
In 2002 he enlisted in the US Air Force as a Munitions Specialist after the horrible events of 9-11-2001. He served in supporting “Operation Iraqi Freedom” and “Operation Enduring Freedom” until 2011 after which he received another Honorable Discharge.
While stationed in Shreveport, Louisiana he began training with Master Robert Fatheree in Goshin Jujitsu and Tri O Ryu Jujitsu, currently holds a Sandan/3rd Degree Black Belt in Goshin Jujitsu and Nidan/2nd Degree Black Belt in Tri O Ryu Jujitsu, and currently working towards further advancement.
Master Instructor Duane taught Hapkido and was co-owner/instructor of Tiger Martial Arts, LLC in Prairieville, La. from Dec 2010 through September 2018.
Master Instructor Duane founded D.M. Simpson Hapkido, LLC as a small school in 2018 during his move to Mississippi with a few private students through Facebook then on 8 March 2019 as a business in Mississippi. He is currently teaching Hapkido and Self-Defense classes in
Meadville, in Franklin County, Ms.
Master Instructor Duane is also currently working on further advancement in Hapkido in the United States Korean Martial Arts Federation (President Grand Master J.R. West)
Master Instructor Duane has trained in many different martial arts styles, and in his humble opinion, Hapkido offers the self-defense options that others do not have. Hapkido is very much relevant for our time and the situations one could face every day or that once in a lifetime encounter.
Hapkido is the most complete martial art for me for a few reasons. It is the most complete Martial Art that I get better in as I age. Many martial arts you become limited as you age in the practice of it. This is not so much the case in Hapkido. Hapkido is not how strong, big, or old you are it is mainly about you.
Does strength matter in the practice of it? Not really. Strength is an asset and a tool just like anything else, but one day you will not have it to fall back on. Hapkido, if taught properly is about proper movement and knowledge on how the body works. Anyone can muscle a technique, but technique mastery does not happen with strength. We all age and our strength changes with age.
What is a complete Martial art? Martial Arts like Hapkido are complete simply by covering all 3 areas of fighting, where most systems only cover 1 to 2 areas.
A fighting system that covers close in (Hands on and ground), stand up (Kicking and hand strikes), and weapons in my opinion is more complete. All Martial Arts specialize on an area and I would have to say that the wrist is Hapkido’s bread and butter, but we cover most everything else under the sun pending on the instructor.
Why Hapkido?
About D.M. SIMPSON HAPKIDO, LLC
MARTIAL ARTS AND SELF-DEFENSE
I am offering a different approach to martial arts instruction along with better explanation of how and why traditional martial arts is practical today. Hapkido is not for trophies, titles, or honors. D.M. Simpson Hapkido is about self-defense. Are you ready to defend yourself and those entitled to your protection? Good unarmed skills can get you where you need to be and get to what you are going to use for self defense. Now you have called for help. What are you going to do until help arrives? D.M. Simpson Hapkido has answers that unpractical workouts and routines will not give you. Come try a free trial class and see the difference. Let experience, knowledge, and unarmed skills that can not be taken away replace fears and doubts. Come try a free trial class and see the difference.
I teach the Korean Martial Art of Hapkido and Self-Defense. My school is a United States Korean Martial Arts Federation School.
Hapkido: a defensive soft-style that covers circular motion, non-resisting movements, and control of the opponent. Students seek to gain advantage through footwork and body positioning to employ leverage, avoiding the use of strength against strength. This style also covers powerful strikes (kicks, hand strikes, and blocks) and various weapons to stop a threat. The founder of Hapkido is Grand Master Choi Yong-Sool.
This martial art requires self-discipline and time to learn. In general, a student in Hapkido can be expected to earn a black belt within 4 years or more if they are committed to learning, missing as few classes as possible. Note average people do not earn a black belt in Hapkido. It is the above average person that excels and earns what is theirs.
Time, practice, and experience create a better martial artist. There is a set minimum number of classes between each rank. The true time it takes to earn the next rank after the minimum amount of classes rest upon the efforts and skill of the student who follows the instruction of his instructor. Practice makes perfect!
This martial art style engages the mind and challenges the body in a way that will feel unnatural to beginners at first. We strongly caution beginning students to reserve judgment as to whether or not to continue the journey. Learning a true martial art is a journey not a race to black belt and earning a black belt is not the end to the journey. Earning a black belt is like finishing high school; for the true martial artist it is time for college. There is no end to training or learning for the true martial artist.
Self-Defense: D.M. SIMPSON HAPKIDO, LLC strives to be different from many other schools that have turned Martial Arts into a sport. We do not teach sport or competing with others. In Hapkido we compete with ourselves with the daily goal of self-improvement. Our key focus is to teach self-defense and promote a good mental and physical lifestyle.
D.M. SIMPSON HAPKIDO LINEAGE
It matters who we train with in Hapkido and other martial arts.
The water is purest closest to the source.
1. Choi Yong Sool (Founder)
2. Won Kwang Wha
3. Dr. He-Young Kimm
(Founder of Han Mu Do)
4. J.R. West
(President/Founder of United States Korean Martial Arts Federation in Jackson, Ms.)
5. Paul Johnson Sr. & Jr.
(Owner Tiger Martial Arts, LLC Prairieville, La.)