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Family discipline: Martial arts builds strong ties for Perk clan

Robert Perk teaches kyuki-do, one of the martial arts, at his family's Elkhorn studio. Terry Mayer/staff.

ELKHORN — Courtesy, humility, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. These are qualities that anyone could benefit from learning.

However, students at the Elkhorn Martial Arts Center are expected to master them because they’re major tenets of kyuki-do, a discipline that Bob and Audrey Perk teach to every member of the local Flying Dragons.

The school’s motto is, “The ultimate goal of kyuki-do lies neither in victory nor in defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.”

They have about 100 students, ranging in age from 4 to 56. Every student must pass a test to attain each of the 12 ranks, or belts, which takes four to five years combined in most cases.

“It’s constant learning,” said Bob Perk, who recently retired from Rockwell to devote more time to the center. “Helping kids and families develop skills and keep growing is what keeps me going.

“Hopefully, most students won’t have to use their martial arts, but the skills and repetitions help them intuitively learn how to fall and roll and avoid injuries and do things to save themselves if necessary.”

Perk said there’s no greater confidence than being able to defend yourself, but that’s only one of the results they hope people take away from their sessions.

“Students learn how to deal with being bullied, but much more than from a physical standpoint,” he said. “It’s like verbal judo. You learn to put away those initial feelings of anger and de-escalate situations. Society doesn’t always value that approach, but that’s what we do in class and hopefully they take it away from here.”

The physical movements work much like a verbal assault, Bob Perk said.

“You recognize what your weaknesses are, what your hot buttons are and when others press those buttons,” he said. “Many students are afraid to make mistakes, but this is where you want to make mistakes, because you can’t afford to make them outside the classroom.

“The best part is when they come back and tell us that it’s worked for them. That makes everything worth it and so rewarding.”

Read the full story in the e-edition of Walworth County Sunday, PAGE 24.