Youth Martial Arts Classes at the JCC Indianapolis
The JCC Indianapolis has a long-standing relationship–more than 35 years each–with Masters Jean-Pierre Decaudin (Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido) and Mike Marienthal (Karate for Kids). Master Jean-Pierre and Master Mike are experts in their field, so your child is in the best hands to learn focus and discipline through youth martial arts at the JCC Indianapolis.
Youth Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido
The JCC Indianapolis has a long-standing relationship–more than 35 years–with Master Jean-Pierre Decaudin for Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido. At the JCC dojang (school), he’s combined two ancient Korean disciplines of combat and self-defense with sport and exercise to create a class for youth and adults that’s challenging and provides a great workout. Tae Kwon Do, or the “way of the foot and the hand,” which uses kicks and punches for self-defense, and Hapkido, “the way of coordinated power,” a form of Korean jiu jitsiu, that involves joint locks, defense against a variety of weapons as well as defense against grabs and attacks. Students must participate in Tae Kwon Do in order to take Hapkido.
What to Expect
Join the hundreds who have studied under Master Jean-Pierre. Some of his current students benefit from his sessions so much that they have continued taking the class for several years! All you need is a positive attitude and willingness to learn.
This class is large enough and Master Jean-Pierre is experienced enough to tailor activities for both youth (ages 7+) and adults.
The class meets twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays for 1-2 hours (Tae Kwon Do 6-7 pm, Hapkido 7-8 pm) for 13-15 weeks every fall and spring (a total of 24-28 class sessions depending on holidays). Students must participate in Tae Kwon Do in order to take Hapkido.
Tae Kwon Do uniforms (typically called a dobok) are usually a plain white, v-neck, heavy cotton top with pants that have an elastic waist. The top is similar to a jacket, open in the front. It is tied together by a belt.
This style of clothing for Tae Kwon Do uniforms serves two purposes:
- Everyone is wearing the same clothing. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from. Everyone is equal. The only thing that distinguishes one from another is the color of the belt.
- The top and pants are both comfortable and allow a lot of movement, a definite necessity of Tae Kwon Do to make practicing much easier.
If you do not have a dobok, you may wear loose clothing.
Belts are used not only for closing the top, but also for signifying your skill level. As you progress, you will get a new belt signifying your advancing skills as a practitioner. Beginners all start with a white belt.
These self-defense classes for youth and adults are held in the 4,264-square-foot, middle school regulation size Schloss Gymnasium.
Register now using our online registration tool.
Try a class free before you commit!
A promotion test is given every three months (at the end of each session) for Tae Kwon Do students. Students must participate in the Tae Kwon Do class to take Hapkido.
Master Jean-Pierre Decaudin
Master Jean-Pierre emphasizes that there is a great deal of mental involvement in addition to techniques, physical abilities, and being able to defeat an opponent. “You learn to transform your hands and your feet into weapons and to be able to use them as such, but at the same time, as you go up in belt levels, we reinforce the importance of the responsibility that having these abilities requires,” he said.
Along with responsibility (and discipline and good citizenship), the main mental focus that Master Jean-Pierre imparts to his students is respect. “I like to remind students that they must respect all black belts and bow to them, but black belts must also bow back to them, as respect is a two-way street,” he said.
Master Jean-Pierre is retired and enjoys working out at the Mordoh Fitness Center and working around the house in his free time. He has also been a member of the Indiana Guard Reserve since 2012 and is proud to serve the people of Indiana and the United States.
Read more about Master Jean-Pierre and the class at
https://jccindy.org/physicality-and-philosophy-with-master-jean-pierre/.
Youth Karate
The JCC has a long-standing relationship–more than 35 years–with Master Mike Marienthal who teaches karate for kids. His classes emphasize self-defense, coordination and focus, as well as a system of self-development using kicks and punches. Karate’s quick, sharp actions involve snapping movements, so he makes sure that kids warm up carefully.
What to Expect
Master Mike tailors his class for youth karate class for ages 4-13. There is a beginner class and an advanced class for those who want to continue learning after completing the beginner course.
The class meets once a week for 40 minutes every fall and spring for six weeks.
A formal Japanese name for a karate uniform is KarateGi (‘g’ as in ‘game’ and pronounced “gee”), which is used for both practice and competition. Most karate uniforms are made from a light canvas-style cloth that is durable for rigorous use. Consisting of a loose-cut jacket and pants, the karate uniform is designed for range of motion and comfort. The jacket is typically held closed by a cotton rank belt, usually denoting the student’s rank in their particular martial art.
Belts are used not only for closing the top but also for signifying your skill level. As you progress, you will get a new belt signifying your advancing skills as a practitioner.
Register now using our online registration tool.
Please note that there is an additional $30 fee for students ready for an end-of-session promotional test.
Master Mike Marienthal
Master Mike notes that kids have a lot of energy; they’re jumping and moving around a lot. “Martial arts is a movement activity, but there are also times when you have to go slow. You have to go slow and practice slowly, which teaches you patience,” he said.
Master Mike is a fixture at the JCC. He’s been teaching Karate for Kids at the JCC for 35 years and 20 years before that, attended preschool here!
Read more about Master Mike and the Youth Karate class at https://jccindy.org/meet-master-mike/
Fitness Is a Core Jewish Value
At the JCC, fitness classes aren’t just something we do; it’s who we are. Although exercise is not mentioned in the Torah, taking care of one’s health is. In fact, while other belief systems advocate for the healing power of prayer, Judaism encourages people to look after their health and seek counsel from medical experts. In Judaism, good health is not a goal in itself; rather, it is a means to an end – to serve the Creator.
We offer sports and fitness activities for youth beginning as young as 3 years old as enrichment for one of our core membership groups: families.