Silence fills the room. Bodies are spread out everywhere, eyes closed and relaxed, yet an air of awareness and concentration surrounds them.

For a typical martial arts studio, this type of atmosphere would seem strange and different. For freshman Samantha Dulaney, however, who takes lessons at her teacher’s home, this is completely normal.

Dulaney takes a rare form of martial arts, called ‘Mushin Rue’, meaning “empty mind”. This differs greatly from karate or other forms of the sport.

“With Mushin rue, your movements should come natural to you,” Dulaney said. “You aren’t really supposed to think about it. This helps you focus on actually protecting yourself.”

Dulaney has been taking lessons for five years along with her mother and younger brother while her father, who is also involved in the sport, spends time overseas.

Unlike some people and their hobbies, Dulaney simply stumbled into hers without too much thought.

“When I was in the fifth grade I found a flyer advertising it,” Dulaney said. “I had nothing really else to do, so I thought, ‘why not?’”

After years of doing it, however, it has become much more to her than simply something to pass the time.

“It turned out to be really fun, and I found that I was really good at it.” Dulaney said.

Friends of hers however, feel it goes a bit deeper than that.

“Her love of the sport is so different and unique that it sets her apart,” good friend and fellow martial artist Ariel Briscoe said. “It gives her a chance to shine because she is so good at it. Usually you see guys being the ones who can say they are black belts, but Sam has the right to say she is one too.”

That right was one that Dulaney admits to working very hard to accomplish, and felt it paid off in the end.

“After the nausea of testing for my belt passed, I cried.” Dulaney said. “It was very emotional. There were a lot of hugs and tears, and everyone was proud of me.”

Dulaney was so good in fact, her Sensei nominated her as the junior female martial artist of the year in the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

“I was really excited over that,” Dulaney said. “My dad was gone in Iraq, and I felt like I was accomplishing something while he was gone.”

Dulaney has plans on continuing martial arts for years to come.

“I definitely plan on doing it until I’m too old to bend,” Dulaney said. “Sometimes it’s difficult, but I learned just not to give up on it.”