As a freshman in graphic design, Rachel Thompson had to walk across campus, from Linden Hall to College of Design.

After watching a self-defense demonstration at her dorm hall, she decided learning these techniques would help in defending herself if necessary.

Now a senior, Thompson is president of the ISU Hapkido Club and has earned a brown belt in Hapkido.

“Hapkido teaches how to defend yourself against attackers,” Thompson said. “It provides techniques on what to do in a bad case scenario.”

Thompson said everyone should learn self-defense, even if you only to learn how to get out of a bad situation.

Hapkido stands for “way of coordinated power” in Korean and dates back to the Hwarangdo warriors of early Korea. In the 1960s, it was reintroduced as a form of self-defense. Members of the Korean military are taught Hapkido.

Ames resident Lance Rewerts, a 1989 ISU graduate in mechanical engineering, said Hapkido is about “personal mastering and understanding physical self-defense.” Rewerts joined the club in Fall 1988.

He said knowing the surrounding environment is an important element in self-defense.

“Hapkido is more self-defensively oriented rather than offensively,” Rewerts said.

Thompson said the beauty of Hapkido is that anyone can use it.

“We use attackers’ energy against them,” Thompson said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re 90 pounds and four feet tall — you can still defend yourself against a 250-pound mammoth.”

Compared to other martial art studies, Rewert said Hapkido teaches how to become “more smooth, fluid and softer in technique.”

Hapkido is not a competitive sport, like Tae Kwon Do and Judo — yet it contains elements of both arts.

Master Yong Chin Pak, adjunct instructor in health and human performance, said people need to be taught discipline and respect, and martial arts do just that.

“It provides a sense of citizenship and teaches self-control with an indomitable spirit,” Pak said.

Case Everett, senior in biochemistry, said he wanted to learn something different from sports that were offered at his high school.

He said his father also recommended martial arts, because Pak taught him Hapkido in the 1970s at Iowa State.

“We don’t go out and pick fights,” Everett said. “We prepare for worst-case scenarios.”

The club has 30 new students and 50 advanced students, Thompson said.

After joining the club last September, Joe Williams, sophomore in psychology, said he will continue to be a part of Hapkido.

“It gets you into shape and out of the house,” Williams said. “I also feel that I can protect myself better.”