Clarkston resident and martial arts Grandmaster James Saffold has reached the rank of 10th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial arts form.
Saffold has been promoted by the World Tang Soo Do General Federation, based in Seoul, Korea. He is director of the North America Chapter for the World Tang Soo Do General Federation, which has chapters around the world.
“It is a great honor,” Saffold said of his promotionm recently announced to the world.
Tang Soo Do, one of many martial art forms, uses movement and other skills to teach control of body, mind and spirit. Ancient wisdom teaches many great warriors are scholars and many great scholars are warriors, he said.
Scholars study themselves and the world and see connections. Great warriors possess enormous strength in whatever battle they face. Both learn to value the importance of unifying the mind, body, spirit to achieve mastery, he said.
Practicing awareness, discipline, focus, control and proper conduct teaches one to control each element of himself.
“It’s an entire way of life and it’s a training of the physical body and mind,” Saffold explained. “There are defense and attack methods using punches kicks and blocks. It is an application of body, form, and repetition that strengthens both mind and body muscle memory.”
Controlling all three elements of self, awards one with abilities of self-defense and attack with the power of many men, Saffold said.
“Avoid conflict when you can, but if you have to fight you can and you do.”
Everyone can learn, even those with disabilities, and it is never too late to begin.
When children learn martial arts like Tang Soo Do, the effect is transformational.
It has amazing benefits, both Saffold and his wife Shar agree.
“Kids blossom,” Shar said. “They learn self-confidence, their grades improve, they learn focus, power and control.”
Shar owns Encore Pilates & Barre in downtown Clarkston. Her studio offers state of the art equipment and work out training methods. Ahdi Dasuqi, an instructor at the studio, is a balanced body reformer trainer taught at the National Personal Training Institute, which teaches methods to train both body and mind.
“Movement is extremely good for the body. Physical activity releases endorphins which help release stress,” Shar said.
Practicing Tang Soo Do burns an immense amount of calories too, she added.
Learning a skill like martial arts is good for the whole self, and helps build and strengthen bridges connecting body, mind and spirit. A strong body strengthens the mind and a strong mind and spirit learns the importance of building a strong body.
“It gives you self-confidence in all dealings and teaches you how to handle yourself,” Saffold said.
Saffold only trains Tang Soo Do masters in his Clarkston home. Those masters teach students at many studios locally and across the country.
Saffold explained a few of the important elements involved when he teaches masters.
“I spend the first half hour of class stretching every muscle,” he said.
Stretching the of body promotes the flow of Ki energy.
Ki is an invisible force which flows through the body. It is a spiritual, mental and physical force connected and effected by everything, he said.
Spirit is affected by body and mind. Misdirected energy wastes and harms Ki. Practices taught in martial arts, teaches preservation of Ki energy, so it can be directed towards a higher purpose.
Saffold places importance on meditation in class, an ancient practice, which focuses on control of breath to clear the mind and tap higher mental power.
Stretching, physical movement, control of breath and clearing the mind through meditation and other skills taught in Tang Soo Do, releases and clears negative Ki energy.
Tang Soo Do teaches individuals to recognize and defend, through awareness, quick release of negative energy and emotions that could otherwise harm Ki.
Movement, the way a body flows into the world, begins first with the mind. Calming, controlling and focusing the mind builds strength and awareness.
Awareness, and being open minded allows one to see connections in the world, within ourselves and how each relate. It is the gateway to the spiritual world, which when backed by strength of body and mind, leads to self-mastery.
Saffold earned his first blackbelt in 1971. Earning belts is done by testing not both the body, and mind.
Born in Detroit,Saffold is a professor at Schoolcraft College. He teaches classes on homeland security, emergency management and criminal justice.
Saffold joined the Detroit Police Department in 1969, and worked his way up by demonstrating a variety of leadership abilities.
He was introduced to Tang Soo Do when he joined the U.S. Army in 1965 and was sent to Vietnam. He began training under the top Korean leader of the art, Grandmaster Jae Joon Kim.
Coincidentally, after returning home from and deciding to continue practicing Tang Soo Do, he visited a newly opened studio in Detroit and found it was led by Grandmaster Jae Joon Kim.
Saffold continued training under Kim until his death in 2007.
Throughout his training, Saffold continued working his way up through the ranks by earning belts and titles known as Dans.
“In 2002, I was tested for and promoted to 8th Dan by Kim,” Saffold said. “In 2010 I was promoted to 9th Dan by the League of Grandmasters.”
While training under Kim, he also managed many Tang Soo Do studios.
His newest promotion to 10th degree Dan, means he has reached the top.
He is also cross trained in laijutsu (4th degree Dan) and Hap Ki Do (2nd Dan).
Although he has achieved mastery, he continues learning.
“I am a teacher, but I am still a student,” Saffold said.
Each of us are students, he said, even masters.
‘When one sets out towards practicing the mastery of all three elements of self by strengthening the body, mind and spirit they gain true power,? he said. ‘Harnessing that kind of power not only change the whole self, it changes the world.?