Summerville studio offers variety of martial arts forms

For martial arts practitioners such as Billy Ilderton, the art is more than just an interesting pastime. It is a way of life.

Ilderton, 30, is the director and owner of the Masters Studios of Self Defense in Summerville and started in martial arts at a young age.

"I've been practicing martial arts since I was 5 years old," Ilderton said.

The Masters Studios of Self Defense offers a variety of forms of martial arts, including shaolin kempo karate, kung fu, ta'i chi, san shou (Chinese kickboxing) and cardio kickboxing.

Learning the martial arts teaches "respect, self-control and self-discipline," Ilderton said. "It helps you focus on things and helps you follow directions."

Many beginning students focus on one particular aspect of martial arts. Self-defense, or hand-to-hand combat, seems to appeal the most to prospective students. "Sometimes, if you can't talk your way out of a conflict, the only option you do have is defending yourself," Ilderton said.

Students are taught to avoid conflict if they can, but in some situations, it might not be so easy. "I train for a reason," Ilderton said.

Each form of martial arts brings something new to the table, Ilderton said.

"Different styles have different things for them to work on. For example, tae kwon do focuses on kicks. In boxing, the focus is on the hands. In Muay Thai kickboxing, you utilize your hands, elbows, knees and shins, and in jiujitsu, the focus is more on grappling," Ilderton said.

There also are strengths and weaknesses within the various forms.

"You can't say, 'I'm just going to use my kicks or just my punches.' You have to use all ranges of fighting," Ilderton said.

Shaolin kempo karate, one of the styles that Ilderton teaches, encompasses what many in the martial arts world would consider some of the best of all worlds.

"Kempo is a collective style of martial arts, which uses a variety of kicks, punches, elbow strikes and grappling," Ilderton said.

The old skills trace their roots back to the Shaolin Temple, where, Ilderton said, most forms of martial arts began. Over the years, various forms of martial arts have become mainstream mostly because of movies and the martial artists in them.

"Bruce Lee was one of the ones who helped make martial arts mainstream," said Ilderton, "and because of his martial arts films, people would watch the movies, and it would spark an interest."

Ilderton pointed out that martial arts are as good for the mind as they are for the body.

"As people do more martial arts, it will expand," he said.