Classes Location and Schedules

Bladensburg, Maryland: Check out the town's website at this link.

ADDRESS
Bladensburg Community Center
4500 57th Avenue, Bladensburg, MD 20710
Telephone: 301-277-2124 (linea en español 301-445-4509)

Students are required to sign in each week at the table inside the gym door. The Center staff are responsible only for taking registration fees. Students must register with the M-NCPPC to pay class fees. Class registration fees are expected to be paid before or on the first day a student attends an offered class. FEES MUST BE PAID BY THE THIRD WEEK OF A SESSION. Remember that class fees are not prorated--fees are not reduced based on number of times attended. If you have any questions about these policies, please contact Mr. Seemangal at 240-701-3570.

Extracurricular Rambler activities (e.g., volunteer demonstrations at community events) held during scheduled class times are considered classes. Special events--including tournaments, belt testing sessions, student ceremonies, and other activities--are also part of the curriculum. Classes are held on Saturdays and Thursdays (see class descriptions below for details), with no prorating (fees are not reduced based on number of times attended) or refunds. Cancelled classes are addressed separately on a case-by-case basis and make-up classes may be offered on a day different than the class day. Contact Mr. Adrian Seemangal at 240-701-3570 if you have questions concerning his policies.

It's not too late to become a martial artist! Join us Saturdays at 12:00 p.m. for the beginners class for students over 18 years old. You will learn practical, life-saving self-defense skills as you learn martial arts.

NEW! Seniors, become street-smart by taking our tae kwon do and self-defense class crafted just for you at 12:00 p.m. on Saturdays!

For more information, contact Mr. Seemangal at 240-701-3570.

All classes are held on Saturdays in the Bladensburg Community Center's gym (see schedule below). A Thursday evening class is offered for all youth students who attend the 10:30 a.m. intermediate/advanced class and adults who attend the 12:00 p.m. class on Saturdays. It takes place at 6:30 p.m. in the Center's Multipurpose Room.

Please call Mr. Seemangal at 240-701-3570 if you have any questions.

Class Requirements, Martial Arts Etiquesste Class Rules, and Ramblers Sparring Rules of Engagement
Scroll down the page after the listing of class schedules to read this important information.

2024 Sessions (based on 8-week sessions, ongoing cycle throughout the year). Must REGISTER ONLINE for virtual classes, if offered!

Please Note: Posted schedules are subject to modification based on community center closings due to holidays or other unanticipated situations. Please be sure to listen for schedule update announcements made in class during the course of our 8-week sessions, and particularly continue to refer to this and the Announcements page to keep up-to-date.

Registration through the National Capital Parks and Recreation's Parks Direct system. If you don't already have an account, go to this link to create one. For registration questions or other procedural concerns, contact Bladensburg Community Center. If you have any questions about the conduct or content of the classes, contact Head Instructor Adrian Seemangal.

ASSIGNED BAR CODES FOR WINTER TAE KWON DO, SELF-DEFENSE, & SAFETY CLASSES (January 13 - March 2, 2024)

Preschoolers, New Students/Novice Beginners [ages 3-5] - 9:30 a.m. Saturdays - 21101 [activity] - 107A [section]

Preschoolers, Advanced Beginners/Intermediate/Advanced [ages 3-5] - 10:30 a.m. Saturdays - 21103 [activity] - 107A [section]

Children, New Students/Novice Beginners [ages 6-12] - 9:30 a.m. Saturdays - 21201 [activity] - 107A [section]

Children, Advanced Beginners/Intermediate/Advanced [ages 6-12] - 10:30 a.m. Saturdays - 21201 [activity] - 107B [section]

Teens, All Levels [ages 12-17] - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - 21607 [activity] - 107A [section]

Adults, All Levels [ages 18-99] - 12:00 p.m. Saturdays - 21402 [activity] - 107A [section]

Link to class registration: Enter [activity] - [section]

ASSIGNED BAR CODE FOR WINTER MUAY THAI KICKBOXING CLASS (January 18 - March 7, 2024)

Muay Thai Kickboxing for Teens [ages 12-17] - 7:30 p.m. Thursdays - 17656 [activity] - 107A [section]

Muay Thai Kickboxing for Adults [ages 18-99] - 7:30 p.m. Thursdays - 21410 [activity] - 107B [section]

Link to class registration: Enter [activity] - [section]

Children

New Students [no-belts and novice white belts]: 9:30 a.m. Saturdays
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced [white belts and above]: 10:30 a.m. Saturdays and 6:30 p.m. Thursdays

Adults

All levels [white belts and above]: 12:00 p.m. Saturdays and 6:30 p.m. Thursdays
Martial Arts Kickboxing: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays

Class Requirements

Students

• Each student must bring his or her school report card for each grading period.
• Each student must bring a list of 2-3 jobs done at home daily.
• Each student must wear his or her Rambler uniform during class. If a tee shirt is worn, it must be a Rambler tee shirt.
• If a student consistently misbehaves in school, his or her belt will be taken and returned only when that behavior has improved (a good progress report).
• If a student is repeatedly disgruntled or disrespectful in class, and refuses to accept the manner of discipline applied, he or she will be removed from the Rambler organization.
• Distributing advertising materials or selling any type of products (including items for school fundraisers) is not permitted in class unless approved by Mr. Seemangal.

Parents

• All fees must be paid promptly (class, uniforms, equipment, testing, etc.).
• Parents are responsible for ensuring that a student’s report card is brought in each grading period. If report cards are not brought in as required, the parent and the child will be removed from the Rambler organization.
• Parents must conduct themselves in an orderly manner during class instruction. If a parent is disrespectful or is an annoyance to the other parents, he or she will be asked to leave.
• If a parent uses profanity during class time, he or she will be removed. If this behavior continues, he or she will be asked to remove his or her child from the class.
• If a parent is unhappy with class procedure, instruction, or the way a child is disciplined during class, see Mr. Seemangal after class and approach him in a respectful manner.
• Solicitation in the form of distributing advertising materials or selling any type of products (including items for school fundraisers) is not permitted in class unless approved by Mr. Seemangal.
• Tae Kwon Do Ramblers is not a babysitting organization. Children should not be dropped off at class unattended or without proper transportation arrangements, depending on the child’s age. If a child remains at the end of class without a parent to pick him or her up, a $50 fee will be charged unless Mr. Seemangal has been notified ahead of time by the parent and he has agreed that the arrangements are safe and appropriate for both the student and the organization.

Martial Arts Etiquette Class Rules

Respect

• Students must bow to Mr. Seemangal when entering and leaving the dojo and when he enters the dojo. When a visiting black belt enters the Ramblers' dojo, it is appropriate for the students to turn and bow to that visiting black belt. When a black belt visits the Ramblers' dojo without Mr. Seemangal's knowledge, he will indicate whether bowing is appropriate.
• Students must bow to higher-ranking belts conducting class when entering and leaving the dojo.
• If a student is late, he or she must approach Mr. Seemangal (or another ranking instructor), bow, and ask permission to enter class.
• Students are not permitted to chew gum (also a facility rule). It is not only disrespectful but it can cause injury during class activities (i.e., choking).
• Students (and others) leaving or entering the dojo should not walk across the floor when class is in session, but walk instead around the perimeter.
• The audience should not have loud conversations in the stands or talk on cell phones during class. There should be no conversation when the class is in the process of bowing in or bowing out or addressing the students during that process.
• When Mr. Seemangal calls the class to attention in the process of bowing in or bowing out, his students on the perimeter or in the stands must stand up as well, whether or not in uniform. Students and parents should not enter or leave the dojo.

Dress Code

• No jewelry should be worn when participating in class, during belt testing, or competing in a tournament. These items can cause personal injuries or injuries to other students.
• Except for very new students, uniforms must be worn to participate in class, either with the uniform jacket and pants or a Ramblers’ tee-shirt (white or black) and uniform pants. Uniform jackets must have the Rambler patch.
• Male students have the option of not wearing a shirt under their uniform jackets during class; however, female students should always wear a shirt under their jackets.
• White-belt students must wear white uniforms.
• Male students must wear white uniform pants.
• Female students are permitted to wear white or black uniform pants.
• Gold- and higher-belt students are permitted to wear red and blue jackets with their white uniform pants.
• Brown belts are permitted to wear black jackets and pants.
• All students must wear the traditional uniform of white jacket and pants when testing for their next belts, receiving their belts during a belt graduation ceremony, or participating in a traditional tae kwon do tournament. Male students should not wear a shirt under their uniform jackets during these events or when participating in any other type of martial arts tournament.

Equipment

• Students must wear the proper equipment (e.g., helmet, gloves, shoes) when they spar.
• Male students must wear protective cups and female students must wear chest protectors.
• If a student wears braces, he or she must wear a helmet with a protective face shield.

The Ramblers’ striking system is an interdisciplinary approach to striking that prepares our students to feel comfortable competing in any ruleset with little to no modifications to technique or tactics. With that in mind, you will see us throw kicks to the leg, knees to the body, and a comprehensive boxing system which are atypical of a tae kwon do school. You will also see spinning attacks, snap kicks, and kicks to the head which are stylistically inconsistent with the average muay thai or kickboxing school. We teach what we believe to be the best strategies and striking techniques regardless of origin so our students can perform to their highest potential.

Here are the general guidelines to sparring at Tae Kwon Do Ramblers Self-Defense Systems.

1. Special Considerations
● Sparring is part of the curriculum. It is how students hone their skills and learn to apply them against resistance. Except for special and rare circumstances, students are expected to start sparring upon permission/invitation of the instructor to do so.
● For new teenage and adult students it will take considerably longer before they start sparring compared to youth students. This is because they can actually inflict considerable damage to each other, which is not what we want to do to our training partners. More time is needed to focus on proper technique and body control.
● Sparring can be painful. We take all steps to ensure that students are safe when sparring. But at the end of the day, we are a rigorous, traditional martial arts program. Parents and students, please understand the difference between something that hurts you and something that injures you. A body shot or kick/knee to the body may hurt, and even cause you/your child to need to take a breather, but it is highly unlikely that they are injured. Furthermore, minor bumps, bruises, aches, and pains should be expected. Larger, more serious injuries are rare, but possible, as was stated in the waiver you signed. A degree of toughness and mental fortitude is needed to succeed in this program, and we do our best to foster the warrior spirit in all students.
● All students will spar with Head Instructor Mr. Adrian Seemangal at some point. This is a beautiful way for students to absorb the lessons Mr. Adrian teaches, as well as pick up on some of his personal moves and tactics that they may wish to implement into their own game. They may show signs of frustration, but they are learning at an accelerated rate. They will be fine–Mr. Adrian has an extreme degree of body control. If he is ever sparring with a student at a more intense level, extreme caution and control will still be implemented regarding strikes to their head.

2. Equipment
● Children under 12 will wear “Century Competition Gloves.” They are a nice intermediary between the gloves worn in semi contact or point sparring competitions and the gloves worn in boxing, kickboxing, or muay thai competitions. If you still have the “Student Sparring Gloves,” those are fine. If you’d like to purchase the Century Competition Gloves, please feel free to do so.
● Children over 12 and all adults will wear 16-ounce boxing gloves and hand wraps. They hit harder and their hands–and partners–need the extra protection.
● All students will wear combined shin/instep protectors. If you still have the legacy padded boots, purchasing a pair of legacy shin guards will suffice until the instructor recommends you get a pair with more substantial padding. If you’d rather purchase a new set of shin/instep guards, please feel free to do so.

● Female youth and adolescent students should wear a chest protector to protect their developing organs. It is optional for adult female students.
● Male students do not need a chest protector as there are no developing organs that require special consideration. If you want one, please feel free to purchase one.
● All students should wear a mouthpiece.
● It is recommended that male students wear a cup while sparring.
● Purchasing gear on your own is always allowed, but please check with Mr. Adrian to ensure that it meets our standards before purchasing it.

3. General Rules
● Students under the age of 12 will rarely, if ever, be permitted to throw any strikes to the head. Any strikes to the head during sparring will be conducted under extreme supervision. This is for the safety of their developing brains. They should still have their mouthpiece in. For the rest of these rules, if your child is under 12, or they are partnered with someone under 12, anything related to strikes to the head does not apply to you.
● All boxing strikes, as well as backfists, spinning backfists and hammerfists are allowed to the head and body.
● All kicks are allowed to the leg, head and body with the exception of direct attacks to the knee. No teeps, pushkicks, or sidekicks to the knee are allowed. Hook kicks and axe kicks to the head and collarbone must be performed with the sole of the foot, not the heel.
● Please refrain from teeping your partner in the face. It is not best practice for sparring. If it’s allowed in competition, go for it though.

● Clinching is allowed.
● Knee strikes to the legs and body are allowed. No knees to the head ever.
● If a student 12 or older wishes to throw elbow strikes in sparring, elbow pads must be worn.
● Catching kicks is allowed. No “plowing” is permitted. After catching a kick, you are allowed one step and one strike before you must release the leg or sweep your partner.
● All legal muay thai sweeps and dumps are allowed, but you must be on the mat to perform them.
● You are expected to keep your emotions in check while sparring.
● Most of our sparring rounds will be at a 50% power and intensity level. With that in mind, you should stick to the adage of “hit your partner as hard as you want to get hit.” On the days we do turn up the intensity, it is still expected for you to practice more caution with strikes aimed at your partner’s head. Please be considerate of how repeated hard blows to the head can affect your partner’s quality of life.
● If you are bigger than your partner, please understand that 50% of your power may still be too much for them. Please adjust accordingly while still keeping your technique sound.
● On the other hand, do not take advantage of the fact that you are smaller (and have a nice training partner) to hit as hard as you possibly can.
● We may modify some of these rules to focus on certain aspects of our striking.