Taekwondo is referred to as a "martial art". However, in today's world it has been developed into a "martial sport" with a global following. Taekwondo is a set of self defense techniques using the bare hands and feet and as such it is a fighting art. However, I believe the main objective of training is not simply to learn how to fight. Taekwondo training focuses on learning hand and feet techniques, bringing the mind and spirit into harmony, and improving one's physical and mental condition.
Taekwondo training is about developing oneself. Patience and self discipline are developed through tough, repeated physical training. The trainee is exposed to a life philosophy, with a main goal being to achieve harmony between mind and body; then harmony with other people and then with the universe.
I currently intend to pursue a black belt in Taekwondo and would like to "take you along for the ride." Stop back every now and then for new information on how things are progressing. I am currently a BROWN belt. Because of my wife's new job and school schedule and a real need to spend some additional time with my family, I have not been able to practice at a Dojo for a year now, only at home. I intend to return to training at the Dojo in June of this year and to complete my Black Belt testing and continue with this martial art. I believe in speaking to my instructor that I will need an additional year to prepare for my Black Belt test. I've had friends ask me - "how can you wait so long?" My response is this - "Is this supposed to be some sort of race?"
Visit Columbia Tae Kwon Do's Homepage. Columbia Tae Kwon Do is where I started to study Tae Kwon Do with Master Yun. The BEST Martial Arts school in the Capital Region of New York!
In August of 1999 I relocated to Elmira, New York to take a new job with the Elmira City School District. I have, therefore, started to study at a new martial arts school - Tioga Tae Kwon Do in Waverly, NY with Mr. Frank Robbins, ('SIR'). I very much enjoy the school and we have a good group of folks and families that study there. My whole family is involved now, my five year old daughter, two sons, and wife, Lise.
I began my study of TaeKwonDo as a white belt in January of 1997. I had received a uniform and free month of training as a Christmas Present from my sister-in-law Laura Koennecke. THANKS LAURA! The initial training is mostly physical. The intent is to build strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and timing. These will all continue to be important but as a white belt you work on building a solid foundation of those skills. Class was 45 min. to an hour twice a week for the first two months. Then we were given the option of adding a Saturday class for an hour, which I chose to do. I really needed the extra practice after ten years of a nonathletic, sedentary lifestyle. We practice a form of precise choreographed moves against imaginary opponents as well as freeform moves.
On June 20th 1997 I tested for my yellow belt! The testing was held in the evening and was very much like a normal class. We were expected to show our best technique and form but what we did was what we had been doing all along. Getting my first colored belt is very exciting but very humbling too. I realized that I had learned a lot in six months but that I had years to go before I would be a black belt. As a color belt my classes changed. We were doing more types of techniques and expected to practice more away from school and have the new techniques mastered faster. Class was still two nights a week and a weekend class but one night a week was now sparring (fighting). We do both light contact and no contact sparring to develop our timing and self defense techniques but we always use control!!
On September 26th 1997 I tested for my orange belt! This test included breaking for the first time. We were expected to break a 1x10 pine board using any technique we had mastered in our training. I chose to use an axe kick and POW! that board split in two first try. We continue to do more new techniques, adding mostly spins to our repertoire of kicks. I have been practicing at home, doing aerobics and running to improve my cardiovascular conditioning. This Fall, however I am taking night classes at SUNY Albany and do not have the time to devote to training that I did. I can feel my conditioning slip as time passes but this is a long term commitment so I know I will be able to make it up after my night classes are over. At the Christmas party for the school (which was a great time!) I got an award as runner-up for most improved adult student in the past year.
Almost exactly a year since I started, I tested for my green belt on January 30th 1998! The lack of time I spent training showed too. We were required to use an axe kick for our required board break which I had used last test and was confident with. My form, called Taeguck for this test includes some more difficult moves and stances and my lack of practice showed. For this test we were required to do some noncontact sparring and I pulled the hamstring muscle in my left leg. PAIN!! I went on with the test and passed to my new belt rank but I am not really happy with my overall performance.
I have more time to train now that my night school schedule is less rigorous. I plan to compete in the NYS state Championships in both forms and sparring on April 4th 1998 in Kingston, NY. I have been training five days a week for an hour plus I'm back to running 15 miles a week. I am feeling very good about my conditioning, BUT, that pulled muscle is still a problem for me. With all this workout time it just is not healing up very well and I tend to try to favor it, protect it, and not use it. As I sit here typing this I can feel the exact point of the pain and really feel I need to slack off a little after the State competition to let it heal back.
On May 15th, 1998 I tested for my advanced green belt! The injury to my leg muscle is still bothering me and I am still somewhat unhappy with my overall performance because of it, but I believe I am doing the best I am able to. I read somewhere recently that most people who take martial arts and drop out do so at about the time they hit green belt. That is the time when you realize how far you have still to go and how much you will be expected to learn. I can see why. Already I have started to feel that my self defense moves are not as fast and sharp from just the beginning belts and I need to practice them more. If that is the case now, what will it be like after anohter five, eight, ten belts? Hard to imagine. My wife Lise is involved now and has been going to classes for about two months, almost since the last testing. She seems to enjoy it and it gives us something to do together as a family.
On September 25th, 1998 I tested for my blue belt! My leg muscle is finally feeling better! Our school Columbia Tae Kwon Do just built a new building and we 'broke it in' by testing there. It was a lot of fun and the testing went relly well, although it was just a little disorienting to be testing in a different building then we had been practicing in for the past two years. Everyone did really well in my opinion. My wife Lise tested for her yellow belt and is finally on her way down the 'colored belt trail'. I remember that my yellow belt was a big step for me, as was my green which stepped my out of the beginners and into the middle belts. I'm not sure why but htis blue belt is also a big step for me. The hyung (kata) for this belt is more complex, the breaking requirements are more difficult, and in general the expectations are higher. Some friends from my church take free classes in Uoichi Ryu Karate and I have started taking them one night a week for extra practice and to help my Tae Kwon Do. We've only had one class so far so I don't know yet how I'll like it but my two sons are going too and I think I'll probably stick with it.
I tested for my advanced blue belt at Columbia TKD on January 29th 1999. By the time we test with Master Yun, he is confident of our abilities and while very strenuous, we are presenting our best effort and best techniques in an atmosphere of confidence and pretested competence. That is really a nice advantage, we know we all have the skills to complete the test if we are being called to test and all we have to do is not mess up and fail ourselves. My wife Lise tested for her orange belt as well and is progressing well too. I enjoy the fact that is really a family sport for the two of us and I can't wait to get my kids involved.
On May 25th, 1999 I tested for my purple belt! The required kick for my break this time was any jump kick and I chose what I think is a simple kick, a jump front kick. It ended up being a nice break but I think I will choose something a little more difficult for my next test. The time seems to really fly by and I can't believe that I am as far along as I am. I'm one of the top ten adult students in the school, apart from the black belts, and it is interesting to see the more junior belts coming to me for help and to practice forms when it seems like just a few months ago I was doing the same thing myself with the more advanced belts. Another two years to go and the black belt will be mine! I am still in Uoichi Ryu Karate as well and enjoy it. I feel that it is helping my general physical conditioning (I'm not very good about working out on my own.) I have been drinking almost no coffee or caffine of any type and I really feel much more relaxed and feel as though I am starting to get the 'mental relaxation' benefits that I am really hoping for in this sport too.
On Jan. 21st, 2000 I tested for my red belt! My first belt with Tioga Tae Kwon Do! Why has it taken him so long to get this belt and advance you may be thinking. Well... There are two different types of forms practiced in Tae Kwon Do, WTF forms which we studied at Columbia Tae Kwon Do and ITF forms which are completely different that we study at Tioga Tae Kwon Do. Therefore, I had to learn five new forms to be ready to test and an all new series of self defense moves. I really am enjoying the school and my daughter is now a yellow belt, my two sons are orange belts, and my wife is a blue belt so we sometimes practice at home together. About a year left to that first dan black belt! I have had some people ask me why it is taking so long to advance to black belt. There are a number of reasons. One is I am in my forties and not as fast, flexible, or 'young' as I once was and that affects how long it takes to advance. Second is that there are schools where you can advance much faster but these moves really take practice over time to develop and become part of your 'muscle memory'.
On May 20th 2000 I tested for my brown belt! A large number of students tested this time and this test was VERY difficult compared to my previous tests. We were expected to show our best techniques and to review all previous forms as we had during previous tests. This time around, though, we were expected to start showing our own combinations and devlopment of moves to show that we could not only copy what we had learned, but apply it as well. In addition, the sparing component of the tests is getting much more difficult and 'intense.'
