Jason Walter kicked toward Susie Craft, who quickly dodged backward. Soon, Craft was punching in Walter’s direction.
But the two weren’t fighting — instead they were building character, learning self-defense and strengthening their bodies during a sparring session at a Tae Kwon Do class taught by Stacey Bendickson of Nashua.
Bendickson helps teach at the Nashua branch of Jung’s Tae Kwon Do and leads the New Hampton classes at the Community Center each Tuesday and Thursday.
The martial art is geared toward teaching Bendickson’s students —  who range from ages 4 to 68  —  respect, common courtesy, integrity, perseverance and more.
“People just see the physical part, but that’s not all it is,” said Bendickson. “When we bow to each other, we are respecting our partner. We promise we’re going to use self-control and not hurt each other. Tae Kwon Do teaches kids and adults a new way to respect each other.”
For Bendickson, her study of Tae Kwon Do began in 1984 in the same classroom, called a Dojang, where she now teaches class.
“I started Tae Kwon Do because they came to school and did a demonstration. I liked everything, the punches, the kicks, breaking the boards, just all the stuff that went along with it. All the physical activity of it,” she said.
Bendickson, who is now the food services director for the Nashua-Plainfield School District, took classes from Steve Buschbom of Readlyn until graduating from New Hampton High School and leaving to attend college at North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City.
But she didn’t stay away from the sport for long.
“Once you get doing Tae Twon Do, it’s something that always sticks in your heart. You always come back to it,” she said.
Bendickson soon looked up her former teacher and began traveling to Oelwein several times each week to train. She began offering her own classes locally in 1997.
“It has done too much for me throughout my life for me to not teach someone such a good replacement for fighting and disrespect. Why not teach them?” Bendickson said.
Now a fifth dan (level) black belt, the master instructor has passed her love for the martial art on to her family. Her nephew, Justin Schmitt, began teaching classes in Nashua in 1998. Bendickson’s mother Susie Craft and three children, Cassidy, Brittany and Jesse,  are involved in Tae Kwon Do, as well.
“It was a heck of a road,” she laughed. “It’s hard to teach your kids because they don’t always take the authority, but I teach them just like other students. To get them all to the point they’re at now, it’s a great feeling.”
Bendickson’s daughter Cassidy, 16,  will be soon testing for her fourth dan black belt, while her youngest daughter, Brittany, 10, will be trying for her second dan black belt at the same time as Craft. Testing is held in Cedar Rapids at the main Jung’s Tae Kwon Do Academy location every two months for those eligible.
Brittany and her grandmother both said they have to work just as hard, and maybe even harder, than other students.
Bendickson said her mother watched her practice and compete for many years.
“She sat here in this same room 25 years ago while I was taking classes and it wasn’t until she had her knee replacement that she got coerced into Tae Kwon Do,” said Craft’s daughter.
Craft originally began attending the Tae Kwon Do classes for stretching after undergoing double knee replacement surgery and being forced to retire from her job due to a weight restriction about six years ago.
“I wasn’t going to do it. I just needed something to keep me active,” she explained. “All of a sudden, (Bendickson) said ‘I think you can do this and this and this.’”
Craft said she protested at first, but quickly learned her daughter doesn’t accept the word ‘can’t.’
“I don’t say it anymore, but for years I did,” said the 68-year-old Tae Kwon Do student. “It’s the hardest thing in the world. She makes you work so hard, and she doesn’t take no for an answer. It’s just really hard to be the mom and to have her say you can do this, when you don’t think you can. She’s a very good instructor. She’s so good with the kids.”
Bendickson explained that it’s important for Tae Kwon Do instructors to be trained to teach people of all ages and abilities. She said the classes are especially helpful for those with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or disabilities.
For example, daughter Cassidy is unable to see with one eye and that impacted her balance.
“The thing I push for my students is the word ‘can’t’ is not allowed in this Dojang (Tae Kwon Do classroom). Cassidy can do the reverse kick really well. I never really gave her the option to not do it,” said Bendickson.
She added that teaching some of her youngest students from ages 4-6 in the Tiny Tigers class can be a challenge. For younger students, the class is more about coordination than technique.
“We do leap frog. We teach them jumping jacks. It gets to be pretty fun up here some nights. It teaches them coordination and balance,” she explained.
Throughout Bendickson’s teaching career, there have been several highlights. A few years ago, a couple students were selected to perform prior to the North Koreans, a Tae Kwon Do demonstration team, at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids.
“Those are some of the benefits that Tae Kwon Do students get to do,” she said.
Tournaments are held in Nashua and New Hampton each year. New Hampton holds a break-a-thon, where students break boards to raise money for North Iowa Community Action.  A tournament in Nashua on March 13 is open to the public.
Bendickson said she feels it is important for students to be involved in their communities.  Each year, students from the Dojang participate in several local parades.
“These students work so hard,” she explained. “There’s a lot of people that don’t really know they exist. It’s a way to show off these students and let the public see what they can do.”
Students also participate in service projects, such as collecting items for Iowa’s Bravest during the holidays to be sent to soldiers.
“I think it’s important for them to understand there are all kinds of people out there that need help,” Bendickson said. “We may be a little Tae Kwon Do class, but we’ve got a lot of might.”