About Us
the PRemier Martial Arts School In Eugene, OR
Senior Master Russ Duer is a martial arts and self-defense instructor who has over 30 years of experience in training people around the world. He is a passionate instructor who will motivate and inspire you to learn in an energetic and enjoyable environment. He blends many different methods of self-defense that he has learned and trained from other disciplines into the Songahm Taekwondo curriculum. Senior Master Duer incorporates these methods and styles into a developmental program, tailored to the individual student in which each technique builds on the last. Duer’s ATA is a comprehensive style which makes the most complicated techniques easy and fun to learn.
Senior Master/Chief Instructor
A native of Eugene, Oregon, Senior Master Duer met his first instructor, Mr. Monroe while attending Lane Community College. At age 20 S.M. Duer had progressed to instructor level and studied under his second instructor, Master Koch. In 1995 he moved to San Francisco, California where he instructed students under the guidance of his third instructor, Mr. Brantseg. After six years in California, S.M. Duer returned to Eugene and took over instructing from Master Koch. In August 2003 Mr. Duer opened his own school, currently located on West 11th in Eugene, Oregon.
In the beginning, he had only three students but in a year’s time, he had built the school to over 70 students. Today, Senior Master Duer is School Owner and Chief Instructor of Duer’s ATA Martial Arts with a strong leadership team and growing student population.
Over his Taekwondo career, SeniornMaster Duer has been ranked in the top ten in the world multiple times, he currently is a 7th Degree Black Belt in the Sohngham Taekwondo Style. He has also won the State Championships in California and in Oregon. He continues to participate actively in tournaments as a past Regional Chief of Tournaments, as a judge, and as a competitor.
Rules & Etiquette
Here's How Membership Works
- Membership is a monthly subscription.
- Your card will be charged on the 1st of each month.
To stop your membership, you must:
FREEZE
You may freeze once per calendar year for free. After that it’s $5/month.
OR
CANCEL
If you decide to resume membership, there will be a $50 reinitiation fee.
- You may freeze or cancel any time after your first 30 days of membership.
- Changes to your membership will take effect at the end of the month.
Register for 2 Free Classes today.
Benefits of Martial Arts
We train our students to the best of their ability. Some students come to us in shape while others have come to us 100 pounds overweight. Most come to us with limited flexibility. Adults can start at any age; we have had some adults who started as late as age 65 who earned their black belts. As a student, you are looked upon as an individual and are never compared to anyone else. Our instructors will be there every step of the way. All that is expected is a willingness to try.
The principles of Taekwondo techniques are based on the design of your body. We will help you develop attributes to succeed in martial arts that will also allow you to live a healthy life. We will help you develop skills like flexibility, balance, and control over your body that are important for your success in Taekwondo and will help you move better, feel better, and do more. We will also help you develop attributes like strength, speed, timing, and power that will make the techniques that you learn formidable and effective. Finally, regardless of your goals with martial arts, we heavily focus on improving your cardio capacity because it has a huge carry-over toward Taekwondo and toward living a healthy life.
This does not come naturally for many people, but self-confidence can be developed over a period of time. Through Taekwondo, as you accomplish new goals, your confidence level increases. Taekwondo instills a sense of discipline and self-confidence that can carry over to all aspects of your life. a small, hard striking surface like the edge of the hand or the heel of a foot.
This does not come naturally for many people, but self-confidence can be developed over a period of time. Through Taekwondo, as you accomplish new goals, your confidence level increases. Taekwondo instills a sense of discipline and self-confidence that can carry over to all aspects of your life.
What are Forms?
In Songahm Taekwondo, each rank has its own unique poom-sae (form) designed specifically for the techniques taught at that rank level. The form is part of a complete system of teaching the Songahm Taekwondo student.
Why must students learn forms? Many martial art styles have discontinued the use of the poom-sae or use them only for the purpose of testing or tournaments. This means they have taken the “do” (as in TaekwonDO), which means “the way”, out of their style. They have in essence taken the “art” out of “martial art.”
The Korean word “poom-sae” means a “form” or “pattern of movements.” It is actually a planned series of movements that combines physical skills (such as blocks, strikes, kicks, stances and more) with mental skills (such as balance, coordination, discipline, strategy, focus, and more). The target of these movements is an imaginary opponent of the practitioner’s own size.
The copyrighted Songahm forms have been arranged as a system to gradually increase the student’s skill, develop technical balance equally on the left and right side of the body, train muscles, and develop students from the beginner level through the rank of Grand Master. This is why each Songahm form does not repeat most techniques more than twice and also why every technique which is done with a right arm/leg is also repeated with the left arm/leg.
These forms, designed by Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee, were the first that truly emphasized the tradition of the art of Taekwondo, unlike older forms (hyung) which were based on Japanese and Okinawan Karate forms. Not only do the Songahm forms train you in each rank, but they are also excellent for using as a warm-up prior to a workout.
The “system” that encompasses the 18 Songahm forms is based on traditional philosophy, as well as being designed for easy memorization.
All goals require a poom-sae or pattern. Even in life we have structured patterns. When you’re born, you learn communication and basic skills in the home. A few years later, you are enrolled in kindergarten or elementary school. Following this comes high school. During high school, we begin to decide the direction we will take in life. We choose a college and/or a career goal. This is the pattern of the first part of our life. If you choose a good pattern, you can be a success. If your pattern is poor, you may not be as successful in your life endeavors.
Similarly, your chances of success in Songahm Taekwondo are much greater by following the solid series of patterns (forms) we have developed for our students.
About Taekwondo and the American Taekwondo Association
Although its roots can be somewhat traced back to ancient Korea, it is a historic fact that Taekwondo as an organized art is relatively modern. In fact, the only documented history begins in the mid 1900’s.b.k
The actual beginnings of Taekwondo are obscured by time, yet many historians believe it originated from a Korean martial arts form known as t’aekyon practiced over 1,300 years ago.
In the early 1900’s the art evolved with the introduction of Chinese and Japanese techniques, a practice which concerned some because these influences did not demonstrate the incredible kicking power of the art nor its traditional values or philosophy.
The actual name (and art) of Taekwondo wasn’t official until 1955. At that time Korean General Hong Hi Choi organized a movement to unify Korea’s various martial arts styles (Called Kwans) and presented the name “Taekwondo” to a committee specially formed to select a name for the new art. On April 11, 1955, Taekwondo was recognized as the name for the newly unified, officially recognized Korean martial art.
As an interesting side not, the word Taekwondo itself is made up of three Chinese/Korean words: Tae, meaning to kick or jump; Kwon, meaning fist or hand; and Do, which means “the way.” Loosely (if not literally), it can be thought of as “The Way of the Hand and Foot.”
In the 1960’s Taekwondo began to spread internationally and evolved throughout the late 1900’s (along with most martial arts) into primarily a combat sport, although self-defense, fitness, and the philosophy of the practice (including self-discipline and self-knowledge) are still crucial elements of Songahm Taekwondo, the style of Taekwondo developed and supported by the ATA.
Taekwondo is currently the most popular martial art in Korea, and ranks among America’s and the world’s most popular martial arts.
Duer’s ATA Martial Arts is a member of the American Taekwondo Association (ATA), the premier North American organization dedicated to the martial arts discipline of taekwondo. The ATA is the founding organization of other international affiliates that include the World Traditional Taekwondo Union (WTTU) and the Songahm Tawkwondo Federation (STF).
When a student enters a Songahm Taekwondo classroom, the focus of his or her training is not only on physical strength and growth, but also on important skills that will help lead to personal successes in life. These Life Skills will benefit our students inside the ATA classroom and beyond. After all, a healthy individual is characterized by a strong body and a strong mind so that you can attack any curve ball life throws your way.
Like any martial art properly taught and properly practiced, Taekwondo is a non-aggressive and ethical system of self-defense.
The word Taekwondo itself is made up of three Chinese/Korean words: Tae, meaning to kick or jump; Kwon, meaning fist or hand; and Do, which means “the way.” Loosely (if not literally), it can be thought of as “The Way of the Hand and Foot.”
To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another “martial art” would be an over simplified explanation of the world’s largest centrally administered martial art. This system of teaching and training is unequaled in the martial arts community.
Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. When learning, a student is in a true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and loyalty.
Find Us
2160 W. 11th Ave.
Suite E
Eugene, OR 97402