The Quantum approach to understanding martial arts embodies the Japanese tradition of seeing the world through the five elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire and The Void.

Novice Level - 10th through 7th Gups

.. White and Yellow Belts: The Roots. The novice student in the Quantum style of Martial Arts starts with a basic understanding of ground. Through an examination of gravity and movement as well as straight lines and breath, students are introduced to the hard hitting straight lines of Tae Kwon Do. Basic movements and an understanding of how to push straight lines through the body encompass this introductory phase of the Quantum student’s experience. Most students, with a moderate level (two to three times a week) of dedication will see a rapid movement through the White and Yellow ranks, as you will never stop practicing the root idea of Earth throughout your training. Indeed, it is the most important of all the elements to gain a new perspective on. Basics classes run twice a week, where all students, from beginner through advanced work basic root level techniques broken down into their smallest component, each week tearing them down and rebuilding them for a constant examination of movement. This is the class that represents the largest challenge for all students, and becomes a gauge of understanding our style of martial arts. The colors of the belts represent the new fallen snow and the seed respectfully. Hope and patience. Being that which the future is built upon.

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Intermediate Level - 6th through 3rd Gups

.. Green Belt: Confidence and adaptability. The introduction into the intermediate course becomes the start of a long series of trials for the new Green Belt. At this level, concepts borrowed from Wing Chun Kung Fu, Hapkido and Judo are explored so there is much to digest. Sparring takes on a new set of challenges - where the White and Yellow stages teach how to create and fight from a distance, the Green Belt has to learn to fight tight and to the inside. This is a period of developing instinct and how to feel where one is in the fight. The soft forgiveness of Water is introduced in stark contrast to the grounded straight lines of the past year or so. The color Green is about the growth of the grass or trees from the seed of the Yellow Belt. The difficulty in this concept lies in the ability to grow in two directions at once; to sink roots as well as to reach for the sky (Blue Belt).

.. Blue Belt: Breath and Life. Blue Belt is an advanced Intermediate rank in the Quantum Style, and the curriculum reflects the previous challenges faced by the practitioner. The Blue Belt level further explores the concepts of Wing Chun and the Grappling styles, but also begins to look at push hands, taken from Tai Chi. Combined with the chi sau skills learned at the Green Belt level, Blue Belts are encouraged to take it to the sky, as well as the ground, as this is the first point where ground fighting is allowed and encouraged. The Blue Belt forms are long and arduous and require great amounts of breath, in effect changing the capacity and strength of the lungs. Blue is the color of the sky, and Blue Belts are also encouraged to soar through the air with some of the flying acrobatic kicks of Tae Kwon Do.

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Advanced Level - 2nd Gup through 0 Dan

.. Red Belt: Movement and visualization. "Come fire, walk with me." Understanding and applying concepts of redirection of motion, taking energy from your attacker, the idea of the open ended strike and never wasting a single precious drop of energy embody the advanced students’ curriculum in the Quantum Style. Soft Boxing is the centerpiece of the Red Belts’ training: an exercise of allowing the strike and directing energy from your partner in a constant, relentless style of movement that becomes lyrical and almost dance-like. It is a time of letting go of previous ideas about limitations and preparing to embrace the concept of taking full responsibility for your training - hence; the fire walk. Red is about fire, and fire is about speed and process, in essence it is the journey. Learning to move from a relaxed position to a relaxed position allows muscles to respond faster and alleviates excess movement. Red Belts also learn knife and bat defense and how to become effective teachers.

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Sahbunim - Warrior Level - 1st through 3rd Dan

.. Black Belt: Ownership or the Way of No Way. To own one’s Martial Arts training is a long process of changing the way a person sees themselves and the world. Black Belt in the Quantum Style is much like The Void in that it encompasses all things and no things. It is a combination of everything that you have learned with everything that you have not. It is neither and both, an integration of the two into something that resembles neither and both; an understanding that to find the Way of No Way, you must know nothing, and then you can know something. Soft Boxing at this level becomes almost an absence of self so the self can be fully present, where your hands and feet find their own way to their targets fully powered, balanced and focused without the need to strike or the fear of being hit. Black Belt is a new beginning where the practitioner has at their disposal all the tools needed to see themselves through the eyes of their opponent. It is a time where all the preparations have been made for the journey forward. A time of living in the moment. Black Belt is also a time of teaching others; of seeking others to teach in order to better understand ones’ own technique and self.

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