The building may look unassuming from the outside, but inside Lee’s Martial Arts, a group is taking “the way of the fist and foot” to an entirely different level.

Taekwondo is loosely translated as “the way of the first and foot” from Korean. Renton Taekwondo Athletics is an Olympic-style sport Taekwondo team. The team is a mix of fighters of all ages that travels to competitions around the country and practices at Lee’s Martial Arts in downtown Renton.

“There are probably five places like this in the state that offer something like this,” said Robert Morrison, head coach of Renton Taekwondo Athletics and head instructor at Lee’s Martial Arts. “It’s pretty rare.”

And Morrison doesn’t just offer a place on the team to every one of his students.

“I make it kind of hard to get on the team,” Morrison said. “They have to seek it out.”

The team’s season will come to an end when it travels to Detroit July 1-6 for the USA Taekwondo Junior Olympics, where the fighters will have a chance to put all of their practice to the test.

“For them it’s really a culmination of a full season of work,” Morrison said.

If the fighters do well at the Junior Olympics, it can be the first step toward the ultimate goal for many of them: the 2012 Olympics in London.

At competitions, the matchups are determined by belt, age and weight to ensure even battles. Each fight consists of three two-minute rounds. At the end of the three rounds, the fighter with the higher point total wins. Fighters earn points by connecting with body hits, which count for one point, and head hits, which count for two points. Fighters older than 12 are allowed to strike in the head and fighters older than 14 are allowed full contact, or knockouts.

Recently, there have been a few changes made to the scoring system. One change is a 12-point ceiling. If either fighter reaches 12 points, the fight is over no matter which round the fight is in. Also, a seven-point differential was put in. Similar to a mercy rule in other sports, the rule is designed to end fights that are clearly out of reach for one opponent.

“The rules are to make the fights a little more spectator-friendly,” Morrison said. “I’m in favor of them. It’s not very exciting to see two people just standing and bouncing around each other for a long time.”

One of the team’s younger and more practiced members is Serenity Morrison. The 13-year-old has been practicing Taekwondo since age 3. It took her nine years to reach black-belt status, partially because she started so young and partially because she is Morrison’s daughter, and he naturally has high expectations.

“It took me a little longer to move through because my dad wanted to make sure I was at the right level and I had

everything down perfectly,” Serenity said.

The second dan (or degree of black belt) came just one year later for Serenity. She won gold in her division at the Junior Olympics last year in San Jose, Calif., largely thanks to her strategy and focus.

“I think about my strategy and take it one step at a time,” Serenity said. “I come out more on offense early in the fight, then change to more defensive once I get a lead.”

Another young star on the Renton Taekwondo Athletics team is Seth Wolfe. The 14-year-old has been practicing Taekwondo for more than five years. It took Wolfe nearly five years to earn his black belt. His goal is to make to the 2012 Olympics and he already has a knockout to his credit.

Going into fights he focuses on his technique and tries to “be mean.”

Not too long ago, Morrison had Olympic hopes himself. But as he was preparing for the 2004 Olympics, he blew out his knee and his window to compete closed. Now at 34, he didn’t feel he could quite keep up with the younger athletes.

“That’s when I turned more to teaching kids,” Morrison said. “Just like in sports like gymnastics, you peak physically early.”

When Morrison started Lee’s Martial Arts in 1996, he had a slightly different vision. He formed more of a fighting academy. Now, after transforming the school into a more family friendly environment, the Renton Taekwondo Athletics team gives the place a little of that old fighting aspect.

Morrison is also working on his burgeoning mixed martial arts career. After a recent victory over Joe Hernandez on May 17, his record stands at a perfect 3-0.

Morrison credits his patience for his success in fighting and teaching.

“It takes a special kind of patience to teach kids,” he said.

The biggest obstacle for the 501(c)3 non-profit team is funding. Between gear, travel, entry fees and more, the costs add up quickly and can become a limiting factor for the team.

Morrison and the team hope to soon travel to international competitions to improve their skills against more fighters and better prepare for the 2012 Olympics.

Adam McFadden can be reached at amcfadden@reporternewspapers.com or 425-255-3484, ext. 5054.