‘‘We have been teaching at Fort Detrick for more than 25 years,” said instructor Susan Twigg. ‘‘There were people at Fort Detrick at that time who wanted self-defense classes and the garrison commander at that time knew some of our instructors.”

Twigg stressed that the In Ji Yong program is not just for the young, healthy, and fit.

‘‘We have taught people in wheelchairs and those who have to use crutches or canes,” she explained. ‘‘We work with every person individually, and we take things one step at a time. We pair each student with an instructor along a path of physical, mental, and spiritual improvement.”

Most people realize that this type of training provides physical benefits, but two things they might not realize are that one, you don’t have to be in good physical condition to begin; in fact, self-defense and martial arts training are a great way to get into shape and two, there are mental benefits to this type of training. The training exercises the mind, promoting better memory abilities and improved concentration, and enhancing awareness.

And you do not need to have a killer instinct to benefit from this training.

‘‘This is a non-competitive atmosphere,” said 22-year-old instructor Michael Roche, who has been involved with In Ji Yong for the past 14 years. ‘‘With our method students learn to work together. This is a collaborative process -- as you get better, your teammates get better.

‘‘Kids have a great time in our classes. They get to meet other kids and have fun. They learn discipline, but it is fun.”

‘‘The kids always love learning the martial arts they read about and see in movies,” Susan Twigg said. ‘‘They learn to fall without hurting themselves, and they learn flying kicks and jump kicks. We foster a fun learning environment that also promotes personal growth.”

The In Ji Yong system is based on a complete system with techniques that were used throughout history as a means of survival -- literally. The techniques obviously have been effective because they have been passed down from generation to generation.

In addition to the classes in self-defense, martial arts, and weapons training that are given at Fort Detrick, Twigg said that In Ji Yong can provide seminars of varying lengths on subjects such as stress reduction, proper breathing methods, and introduction to personal safety to organizations on Post.

Just the Facts