Learning Martial Arts

A New Chapter - Jiujitsu

2009-08-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

After getting my black belt in Taekwondo, I was no less motivated to keep training in Taekwondo than I was when I first walked into the dojang.

I have been, however, interested in supplementing my training, and becoming a more versatile martial artist. And having hit a milestone in Taekwondo, I thought it a good time to branch out.

So I went to a trial lesson at a Brazilian Jiujitsu studio here in New Haven. My rationale for trying Jiujitsu is three part -

First, being trained in Taekwondo, my "standing upright, striking" side has been trained pretty well.
Second, I have some experience in Aikido and hapkido arm locks and judo throws, but none in grappling and ground-fighting.
Third, I saw this really cool David Mamet film Red Belt, and thought Chiwetel Ejiofor made it look cool. (This may be the primary reason)

Whatever the reason, I walked into the studio, and did a class. Here are my first impressions:

Great workout. The session lasted around 1 1/2 hours (a lot of classes in karate and taekwondo get cut down to 45 minutes or so). Note, this did not include stretching. The muscle groups which were sore afterwards were not the typical ones - neck was sore especially.
Very different kind of workout. In the beginning, you do a lot of work in one spot - from your guard position, from the clinch, etc. But you're still dripping with sweat at the end.
Very complementary to striking arts - whereas with taekwondo, everything stops at the clinch, that is where a lot begins with jiujitsu.

There's also a definite difference in aesthetic and profile of the participants in the two arts - the studio I went to was more like a boxing gym with some mats in it, and the participants were more like what you'd expect there. Very little formality - like a wrestling practice from what I can tell.

Annual Connecticut Taekwondo Competition

2009-05-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

This year's Connecticut Open will be held in Shelton, CT. It should be a really good event - LaJust sparring gear will be featured.

For more info, click here.

What Sportsmanship Doesn't Look Like...

2008-08-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

Note to Self: If I lose the Bronze medal match, remember not to kick the referee in the face.

I have to say it is disappointing when a competitor in your martial art displays so little respect for it.

There really isn't any consolation here, but in wrestling and in boxing, there were also some terrible displays of sportsmanship (refusing a Bronze medal and biting...) from other countries, so I think it is safe to say that this is about the person, not the sport...

Korea Leads TKD Medal Count with 3 Golds; US Second

2008-08-22T05:39:00.001-07:00

This year appears to be another good year for Korea - they have a chance for four Golds tomorrow, when they will compete in the Men's Heavyweight competition. The US has fielded its four fighters, so it has taken all the medals it will.

China will also field a fighter tomorrow, so it may overtake the US in the TKD medal count...

Medals for my Whole Family: Steven Lopez takes Welterweight Bronze

2008-08-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

In one point decision over Azerbijiani fighter Rashad Ahmadov, Steven Lopez takes the welterweight bronze. Strangely enough, Chinese fighter Guo Zhu also won the bronze... The Gold was won by Iranian fighter Hadi Saei, and the Silver went to Italian Mauro Sarmiento.

Lopez Takes Silver - Son (Korea) Wins Gold

2008-08-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

It was an exciting match, decided in the last seconds of the third round, but Mark Lopez of the US fell to Korea's Son, 2-3. Another medal for the Lopez siblings - with Steven Lopez up tomorrow. He'll be the last competitor for Team USA.

Diana Lopez takes Bronze, Mark Lopez in Gold Final

2008-08-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

The Turkish and Korean competitors are vying for the Gold in the finals...and the Korean, Lim, wins! One point game.

Son (Korea) and Lopez (USA) to Face Off in Lightweight Final

2008-08-21T02:57:00.001-07:00

In a contest decided in the last few seconds, Son wins over Sung from Taipei. Sung will compete in repechage for the Bronze, and Son and Lopez will compete for Gold and Silver.

Diana Lopez Falls In Quarterfinals; Mark Lopez Continues

2008-08-21T02:43:00.000-07:00

US Lightweight Women's contender Diana Lopez falls in the quarterfinals to the Turkish competitor (but still has a chance for Bronze); Mark Lopez moves to finals in a solid win over Lopez from Peru.

Ninjitsu Teaser - Working Martial Artists group member

2008-08-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

I'm finding that most of the people who are in the Working Martial Artists group (www.linkedin.com) on LinkedIn are multi-disciplinary - they've at least dabbled with a few martial arts. So we have a lot of diversity in the group.

In an email with one of the members last night, I found out just how much diversity. One of us is studying for a black belt in Bujinkan Taijutsu (Ninjustu).

I ended up on YouTube, just as I did after my conversation about Poison Hands with another member (see prior post). You can see the appeal from the video - looks very well rounded.

Wu Wins in Flyweight Women's/Perez from Mexico Wins Flyweight Men's

2008-08-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

Close victories in both women's and men's matches, with Wu, the women's flyweight favorite, winning gold.

Olympic Scoring

2008-08-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

One thing I will never get used to - someone getting kicked in the head, and the person doing the kicking not getting 2 points. Canadian fin weight Gonda kicked Zajc from Sweden in the head twice. No points. Lost by two.

Ouch.

Charlotte Craig Advances

2008-08-19T19:27:00.000-07:00

A 4-0 win over Swiss fighter Bezzola gives Charlotte Craig (49kg group - fin weight) her first win on the path to gold.

Other fighters advancing: Chinese fighter Wu looked good in her win as well. Yang from Taipei looked OK. The Swedish, Iranian and Venezuelan fighters looked less convincing.

NBC Olymic Tae Kwon Do Coverage...

2008-08-09T04:39:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when I use the Yahoo and NBC Olympic sites, I feel a bit like an adventurer, searching for hidden treasures.

Anyway, I finally found the Tae Kwon Do schedule - and you can probably watch a good bit of this on NBC's site live. A couple pointers for you:
- Go to the site and try watching something live ahead of time. NBC uses Microsoft's Silverlight, and that may require a download.
- NBC also controls who can watch - so you have to enter zip code and cable provider to watch.
If you make 3 mistakes, they lock you out, as they did me.

Day 13 Wednesday, August 20
Date / Time	Event		Results

08/20 9:00am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 9:15am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 9:30am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 9:45am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 10:00am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 10:15am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 10:30am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 10:45am	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 11:00am	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 11:15am	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 11:30am	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 11:45am	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 12:00pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 12:15pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 12:30pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 12:45pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 3:00pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 3:15pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 3:30pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 3:45pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 4:00pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 4:15pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 4:30pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 4:45pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 5:00pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 5:15pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 5:30pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 5:45pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 6:00pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 6:15pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 6:30pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 6:45pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 7:00pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 7:15pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 7:30pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 7:45pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 8:00pm	Women 49kg (108 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled
08/20 8:15pm	Men 58kg (128 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled

Day 13 Thursday, August 21
Date / Time	Event		Results
08/21 9:00am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 9:15am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 9:30am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 9:45am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 10:00am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 10:15am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 10:30am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 10:45am	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 11:00am	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 11:15am	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 11:30am	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 11:45am	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 12:00pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 12:15pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 12:30pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 12:45pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 3:00pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 3:15pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 3:30pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 3:45pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 4:00pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 4:15pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 4:30pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 4:45pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 5:00pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 5:15pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 5:30pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 5:45pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 6:00pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 6:15pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 6:30pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 6:45pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 7:00pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 7:15pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 7:30pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 7:45pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 8:00pm	Women 57kg (126 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled
08/21 8:15pm	Men 68kg (150 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled

Day 14 Friday, August 22
Date / Time	Event		Results
08/22 9:00am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 9:15am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 9:30am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 9:45am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 10:00am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 10:15am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 10:30am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 10:45am	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 11:00am	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 11:15am	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 11:30am	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 11:45am	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 12:00pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 12:15pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 12:30pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 12:45pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 3:00pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 3:15pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 3:30pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 3:45pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 4:00pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 4:15pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 4:30pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 4:45pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 5:00pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 5:15pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 5:30pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 5:45pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 6:00pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 6:15pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 6:30pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 6:45pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 7:00pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 7:15pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 7:30pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 7:45pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 8:00pm	Women 67kg (148 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled
08/22 8:15pm	Men 80kg (176 lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled

Day 15 Saturday, August 23
Date / Time	Event		Results
08/23 9:00am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 9:00am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 32	Alert me	Planned
08/23 9:15am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 9:30am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 9:45am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 10:00am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 10:15am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 10:30am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 10:45am	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 11:15am	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 11:30am	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 11:45am	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 12:00pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 12:15pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 12:30pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 12:45pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 1:00pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Preliminary Round of 16	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 3:00pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 3:15pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 3:30pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 3:45pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 4:00pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 4:15pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 4:30pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 4:45pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Quarterfinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 5:00pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 5:15pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 5:30pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 5:45pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Semifinals	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 6:00pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 6:15pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 6:30pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 6:45pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Repechage	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 7:00pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 7:15pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 7:30pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 7:45pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Bronze Medal	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 8:00pm	Women 67+kg (148+ lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled
08/23 8:15pm	Men 80+kg (176+ lbs) Gold Medal Contest	Alert me	Scheduled

Yahoo Olympic Tae Kwon Do coverage

2008-08-08T12:11:00.000-07:00

Check it out here.

Poison Hands?

2008-08-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

A WMA (Working Martial Artists LinkedIn group) member recently told me about a technique he has been practicing from Kung Fu called "Poison Hands."

So I looked it up, and found this video. Although this system seems proprietary, I'm guessing it is representative of the techniques. The similarity of some moves to Aikido is striking!

Working Martial Artists - LinkedIn Group

2008-08-07T05:13:00.000-07:00

Maybe you run a martial arts studio, maybe you're just starting out in a martial art, and maybe you're an experienced practitioner.

If you're any of these three, you might be interested in joining our LinkedIn group - Working Martial Artists. There are folks with Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido, Judo and plenty of other disciplines. Feel free to join, and exchange ideas, experiences, and tips.

More and more, I'll try to ensure this blog isn't simply covering Tae Kwon Do, but other arts as well.

2008-07-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

Olympic TKD Information

Here you can find which channel in your area is broadcasting the Olympics, but you can also get some background information on competitors and the sport which may make your viewing more fun.

US Junior National Team Named

2008-07-08T06:35:00.001-07:00

courtesy of USA Tae Kwon Do (they don't provide links to their news, so I'm having to cut and paste it in...)

Congratulations to all the competitors, and the winners.

Junior National Team Named in Detroit

July 4, 2008

The 20-member 2008 U.S. Junior National Team was determined on Friday during the Junior Olympic Championships at Ford Field in Detroit. The squad includes nine returning members of the 2007 team as well as one from the 2006 Junior National Team.

Team members returning from last year include male finweight Olie Burton (Accokeek, Md.), male lightweight Tyler Sawyer (Anchorage, Alaska), male light middleweight John Hansel (Ashburn, Va.), male middleweight Thomas Lee (Alexandria, Va.), male heavyweight Christian Suh (Astoria, N.Y.), female flyweight Talina Le (Woodinville, Wash.), female lightweight Nicole Palma (Lake Worth, Fla.), female light heavyweight Laurissa Tanielu (Blue Island, Ill.) and female heavyweight Adrienne Ivey (Ashburn, Va.), as well as female welterweight Emilia Morrow (Alexandria, Va.) who was a 2006 Junior Team member.

New members include male flyweight Jeffery Williams (Blue Island, Ill.), who is the brother of Laurissa Tanielu, male bantamweight Andre Mota (Rocklin, Calif.), male featherweight Jeffery Grahovec (Yorba Linda, Calif.), male welterweight Jaysen Ishida (Waipahu, Hawaii), male light heavyweight Evan Rodgers (Stone Mountain, Ga.), female finweight Stephanie Popken (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), female bantamweight Kiana Lo (Danville, Calif.), female featherweight Shaina Krause (Fairfax Station, Va.), female light middleweight Alexandra Cinque (Ossining, N.Y.) and female middleweight Beatrice Kelly (Jacksonville, Fla.).

How To Tie Your Belt

2008-06-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

When you're starting out, knowing simple things like how to tie your belt can be useful. Watch this video, and your dobak won't flap around in the breeze.

Connecticut State Tournament To Be Held June 7, 2008

2008-05-15T06:44:00.000-07:00

The Connecticut Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts Commission recently announced that the Connecticut State Tournament will be held June 7, 2008, at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. The event will be a Junior Olympics and Nationals qualifier, so it promises to be a great event.

More postings will appear once applications and other details are posted.

Connecticut Tae Kwon Do MAC Formed

2008-05-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

Under a mandate from the USAT, the Connecticut Tae Kwon Do "MAC" (Marital Arts Commission) was recently formed. Grand Master Seijin Park is serving as the MAC's first President.

This is pretty exciting news, because MACs are being formed around the country to help increase awareness of tae kwon do as a sport, and improve support for schools and athletes.

I'll be serving as the Public Relations Director for the group pro-bono to help it get started, so you can expect to see more posts about Tae Kwon Do in Connecticut and in the Northeast.

Tae Kwon Do Injuries

2008-05-12T08:08:00.000-07:00

Generally speaking, WTF Tae Kwon Do seems a little less "injury causing" than other martial arts. If you're curious, here's a question posted on Yahoo Answers.

Personally, the injuries I've seen are related to few things - misstepping or coming down wrong on your feet, doing a technique your body can't handle, hitting something wrong or too hard (like attempting to break a brick), and being hit off target (in the knee, for example).

How can I avoid injury? First and foremost, stretching and conditioning/practicing footwork is important. The better your body functions, the less likely you are to be injured.

Knowing your limitations is also important - a basic technique done well is far more effective than a complex technique done poorly. That goes for sparring and for practice. In practice, you can take complex techniques slower until you've mastered them. In sparring, you can rely on your basic arsenal.

Finally, before you are really experienced at sparring, you need to take some care. Really experienced players can avoid throwing a kick that will cause them and their opponent to crush knees, for example.

At the end of the day, however, Tae Kwon Do is a combat sport - it is unlikely you will avoid all risk if you're really learning. So do you best, and if you're injured, give yourself time to heal.

Tae Kwon Do Trivia

2008-05-09T09:47:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of Grand Master Dong's school.

Should I Wear Tae Kwon Do Shoes?

2008-05-08T05:14:00.000-07:00

No.

Just kidding - you can wear them if you want. But there are reasons not to - maybe the most important of which is that you can't wear them for competition.

The link above has a few more reasons. This is a good one for those who don't compete:

The reason for this is that not wearing Tae Kwon Do shoes allows you to flex your feet easier. When you don’t have on Tae Kwon Do shoes you can see your feet and be able to learn to control your toes and be able to practice the fine motor control needed of the toes to be successful at this form of martial arts.

TKD Kicking Tips (Tae Kwon Do Times)

2008-05-07T05:07:00.000-07:00

Link

The article may be of interest - it discusses the importance of perfecting front, round-house, and side kicks, and provides some training tips.

Junior Olympics Qualifier in York, PA

2008-05-06T09:48:00.001-07:00

In addition to learning the sport of tae kwon do, there's a pretty vast organization, set of tournaments, etc., behind the scenes.

A group of students from my school recently qualified for Junior Nationals in July in Detroit. Qualifiers are held regionally for a national competition each year....see USA Tae Kwon Do for more details.

New York State Tournament Results (May 3, 2008 - Queens College)

2008-05-05T06:58:00.001-07:00

The New York State Tournament was fairly well attended in general this year, but the adult competition was little lighter. The tournament organizers ran a typical schedule, morning was set aside for children, after noon juniors competed and at about 2pm or so, adult competitions began. (The tournament ran 6 competition areas, and used judge scoring with an electronic scoreboard)

This Tae Kwon Do blogger competed and won gold in breaking, poomsae, and sparring (non-black belt heavyweight) competitions. Overall, the tournament was well run and enjoyable.

Please add your comments if you competed as well.

Leno and Tae Kwon Do - Olympics Feature

2008-05-01T05:53:00.000-07:00

Tae Kwon Do on Leno?

That's right - Olympic Family Lopez appeared on the April 29th show (click the slider to time 33:39). They talk about their family's history with Tae Kwon Do - a nice group.

Scoring Forms Competitions

2008-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

Preparing for Martial Arts Competitions : Taekwondo Competition Scoring : Martial Arts Training -- powered by ExpertVillage.com

Big East XV Tae Kwon Do Tournament, Rahway, NJ Results

2008-04-29T14:30:00.000-07:00

Results will be posted soon, but I'm happy to report that several fellow WCT students, including Miguel Roman, Trevor Shulz, and Parker Shulz, came home with Gold from the tournament. Miguel brought home the gold in heavyweight sparring for his bracket.

Congratulations to all. More detail to come.

Thoughts on Teaching and Tae Kwon Do

2008-04-29T14:17:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article - written by an English prof who also is a tae kwon do student.

Here's the excerpt which I think makes sense to read:

"First, encourage and praise. Praise what’s going right. Praise what someone especially needs to work on. I’ve noticed that when Master Gibson tells Jimmy he’s doing well with his patterns, he tries especially hard with the next one. When he tells Chess his sparring is more focused, he slows down and works even harder on aiming his punches. When I started tae kwon do, I wasn’t at all flexible or coordinated; my kicks went every which way but up, and I felt frustrated at my gracelessness. I knew what I was doing wrong. But when Master Gibson mentioned that my kicks were getting higher, I was able to stretch even farther the next time. Praise works. I learned this in my graduate school pedagogy seminar, but it helps to remember when I’m grading a paper and focused on the elements that don’t work. There’s always something that does work, even if it’s a small thing, and noting it may help the student far more than noting all the ways in which the paper falls short.

Second, both expect and deserve respect. I don’t expect my students to bow to me at the beginning of class, and I feel old when people call me “ma’am,” but I appreciate that we bow to each other before we spar or practice together. Master Gibson expects our respectful attention, and he gets it both by reminding students about it — some of them are 5 years old, after all, and they do need reminding — and by enacting it. He bows to us, we bow back. He listens to us attentively, and we to him. I find it increasingly difficult to learn my students’ names these days, but I’m working harder at it lately as one such marker of respect. Even the smallest markers of respect — a well-placed “please” or “thank you” rather than a bow and “yes sir” as in tae kwon do class — can help foster the atmosphere I’m looking for.

Third, break it down. I can never do a pattern the first time I see it, but I can manage the first few steps. If I repeat them, I can move on to the next few. Similarly, few of my students can analyze a poem the first time they see it, but if we go line by line — sometimes even word by word—they begin to see how it works. Masters at any skill often forget how they got to mastery; teachers need to remember, demonstrate, and help their students practice.

Fourth, tolerate — or even encourage — a little creative chaos. My tae kwon do class includes kids as young as 5, adults as old as — well, as old as me. Old enough. Sometimes the kids just need to let off steam. Sometimes the parents do, too. Occasionally at the end of class we’ll play a rousing game of “dodge the stinky socks,” using balled-up socks as a ball in a small-scale dodge-ball game. It does develop quick reflexes and attention, but it’s also a lot of fun, and very silly. I don’t think the desks in my classroom will allow for a game of dodgeball, but perhaps a little creative play with language? Maybe the dada poem game: best played in Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, in which “Tristran Tzara” cuts up Shakespeare’s sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?") and makes new poetry out of it. Would that help us understand the poem better? Perhaps — and I know it would help us remember the class, and think about its purpose.

Finally, rituals actually do matter. We begin every class with a bow, stretches, and a brief moment of meditation. We end with a bow and a thank you to both the teacher and the highest-ranking student, after which we line up and shake hands with everyone in the class. When I was new to the class I found this all a little awkward — I’m bowing to my son! And shaking his hand! And, I have to confess, I still find the sight of small boys sitting cross-legged in rows and “meditating” amusing. What really goes through their minds? And yet, over time, I’ve come to appreciate the gestures. By acknowledging each other, even in a perfunctory way, we remember that the class is not all about us. We do it together, even if each of us is developing an individual practice. Again, I’m not sure I’m ready to institute such formality into my own classroom, but I think there’s room, even in the most informal, student-centered of classrooms, for a moment of reflection, a pause in the busyness of our days to focus, even if briefly, on the transformations we are working on. Rituals need not be elaborate or even very formal to work, but always beginning and ending a class in much the same way gives shape and structure to the hour in between."

Reminder: Big East Tournament in Rahway, NJ this weekend!

2008-04-23T05:30:00.000-07:00

BIG EAST TAEKWONDO CHAMPIONSHIPS

SUN APRIL 27, 2008 WTF PATU

RAHWAY RECREATION CENTER RAHWAY N.J.

INFORMATION CALL MASTER JI HO CHOI http://www.jihochoi-taekwondo.com/

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(courtesty of http://taekwondochampionshiplistings.com/ )

Sometimes, You Get the "Shanks" Really Bad...

2008-04-18T05:31:00.000-07:00

Yes, sometimes you get in a rut. And sometimes, it's so bad that you can't even understand your native tongue anymore. Here's a test for you...

If something in this video seems off, don't worry, you just have the shanks. Relax a bit, get your mind off things, put your keys in your other pants pocket.

Everybody gets into a slump - especially when you're pursuing a goal, like learning a martial art for example. So if it feels as if you just can't do anything right, take a break, come back later, and just keep plugging away.

Olympic Competitor Profiles on Tae Kwon Do Times

2008-04-16T05:24:00.000-07:00

Just in case you're wondering who will be representing the US at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Beijing 2008 and the US Tae Kwon Do team

2008-04-15T07:33:00.001-07:00

The US Olympic team's site ran a story about the Lopez siblings, the first set of siblings ever to qualify for the Olympic team. Pretty cool.

To learn more about your Olympic team, click here.

Tae Kwon Do competition begins August 20th (from what I can see), and will be held at the University of Science and Technology gymnasium.

Enjoy!

2008 Rhode Island State Tae Kwon Do Tournament

2008-04-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

Coming up on May 17, 2008, the Ocean State, will hold its state Tae Kwon Do tournament.

The school sponsoring the event believes that "brevity is the soul of wit." Check out the link to see what I mean.

Big East 2008 Tournament (XV), Rahway, NJ (4/27/2008)

2008-04-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

The Big East 2008 Tournament (XV) is coming up April 27, 2008. It will be located in Rahway, NJ, and from all accounts will feature a high level of competition.

The site where you can find the tournament application seems to be awaiting update.

Winners from the Yong-In 2008 Open

2008-04-10T09:20:00.000-07:00

The World Champion team brought home a few gold - story here.

Is Tae Kwon Do Dangerous?

2008-04-04T05:37:00.000-07:00

Found a site with lots of information on TKD this morning.

One of the topics in its Introduction section is "Is Tae Kwon Do Dangerous?" They mean - is it dangerous to train and compete in the sport Tae Kwon Do. They have some interesting information about rules around sparring, etc.

There's also a good amount of historical info. Enjoy!

2008 Connecticut Open Competition Coming Soon!

2008-04-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

In the coming weeks, we'll have details on the upcoming 2008 Connecticut Open Tae Kwon Do Competition, which is targeted for May.

Check back for more details!

Rule #1 - Don't Get Hurt

2008-04-02T07:18:00.001-07:00

There are a few golden rules in Tae Kwon Do, but one of the most important is also very simple.

Don't get hurt.

If you injure yourself, you can't train. If you do, you will likely injure yourself even more. In any Tae Kwon Do student's career (multiply this times 10 if you are a competitor), you are going to end up with some injuries. A twisted ankle, a tweaked muscle, bruises, cuts, or worse.

Sometimes it's pretty simple - you cut yourself, you bandage the area, and avoid using it until it heals. You break your leg, you're out.

The tough area is the middle ground, which I find is mostly the province of twisted joints and pulled or tweaked muscles. The tendency with these is to accidentally train too hard, and make a small problem a big problem.

Especially if you are also doing calisthenics or weight training, it's easy to aggravate a twist or a pulled muscle. So be diligent about not working out with that joint (when I recently tweaked my shoulder, I stopped doing push ups, practicing weapons, and, even in class, did not do blocks or punches with that arm), and let it rest.

Lightly stretch, use liniment, but overall just stay away from it. When you begin to use it, test it with light activity.

Yong In 2008 TKD Tournament (Avenel, NJ)

2008-03-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

The Avenel Middle School gymnasium was pretty packed for this tournament, and the day saw some great competitions. We'll post some more results, but from the World Champion TKD team, the three competitors each took home golds.

Yes, that does mean that this tae kwon blogger took home a gold in forms and in sparring, in the Geritol league.

New Jersey Tournament 2008 (US Yong-In)

2008-03-29T05:26:00.000-07:00

The tournament starts tomorrow! The application is provided in the link - should be a good one. Connecticut and New York state tourneys coming up in May...

New York State Tae Kwon Do Tournament, May 3rd

2008-03-27T13:27:00.001-07:00

Mark your calendars, the NYS Tournament is scheduled for May 3rd. And now, some video with very dramatic music to set the mood.

Tae Kwon Do Demonstration Video

2008-03-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

These masters demonstrate a few Tae Kwon Do techniques - fun to watch.

Strategy and Martial Arts - If Sparring Is Part of Your Practice

2008-03-06T02:56:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, I'm fascinated by the parallels between Tae Kwon Do (or any hand to hand combat style) and general principles of military strategy.

It shouldn't be surprising, but many of the concepts of military strategy are really useful to the hand to hand combat practitioner (wiki). If you read through this wiki, you'll probably see some concepts which resonate if you've sparred before - surprise, security, simplicity, for example.

Something which may get lost is the difference between a controlled setting, like a match, versus an uncontrolled setting, such as an attack on the street. Of course, there are many things a sporting opponent may not do, such as punch to the face, throw or take you down, employ weapons, etc.

In military strategy, this would be your theater or context, combined with your objective - are you training for self-defense or for fitness and fun? For sparring? In each case, a different set of rules apply.

BigKick.com - New Site

2008-02-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

Just one of the many treats on the www.bigkick.com website is videos of the masters performing some great techniques. Here's just one - Master Jang doing a dizzying set of jumping spinning roundhouse kicks, with a jumping spinning hook kick at the end.

Did he take motion sickness pills beforehand? We may never know.

Roundhouse Kick Demonstration Video

2008-02-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

You may already know it, but it is the foundation kick...

New Resource, Big Kick

2008-02-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

My school just launched its site - and frankly, since my company helped to get it out there, I think it's a pretty good resource, and will keep getting better day by day!

Check it out - here!

Interesting Training Regimen

2008-02-07T05:09:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure of the name of the publisher (other than Greg), but he's got an interesting training regimen posted here. Breaks down his 8-week cycle of preparing for a bout.

Looks as if he competed at a high level, so it's worth giving a run through - looks like a good, tough old workout!

Roundhouse Until You Die!

2008-02-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

I learned an interesting drill the other day, which involved me collapsing on the mat afterwards in sheer exhaustion. Obviously, it's a good drill!

The drill is a cycle of roundhouse kicks to a heavy bag. Details:
1. At a heavy bag, begin by quickly repeating a roundhouse kick 10 times with one leg, not standing in place, but "bouncing" as you would while sparring,
2. Switch legs and repeat immediately,
3. Switch legs and execute a low roundhouse and a high roundhouse with the first leg - with two kicks counting as one. Repeat 10 times,
4. Switch legs and repeat immediately,
5. Switch legs and execute a roundhouse, alternating legs this time. Complete 30 roundhouse kicks this way.
6. Stop. Take a one minute break - return to step one. After three sets, stop.

This drill may seem easy, but it will improve your stamina and your roundhouse kick! In a bout, roundhouse kicks will make up 80% of your techniques probably, so this practice will really prepare you for sparring.

Make sure to stretch before and after this drill (and be sure you are warmed up).

Enjoy!

Another Video

2008-01-25T10:16:00.001-08:00

I am not sure who makes these videos, but this one has a nicer, Korean language song in the place of Eminem. Clearly, I am hitting a bit of a learning plateau, and crave entertainment!

Tae Kwon Do - Spirit - Click here for more home videos

What Is Tae Kwon Do? (Note: Song Has Explicit Lyrics)

2008-01-24T09:39:00.000-08:00

If you plan to do any sparring, this would be a good video to watch. The song is Eminem...so it has some profanity in it.

But the video itself is intense - all competition footage. A couple big spinning hook kicks. Not for the light-hearted.

Human Weapon - Fun Show, Fuel for Learning

2008-01-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

I have a good friend, Dave, who always makes a point of telling people about products he likes. In the music world, he'd be a Super Fan (like Scott Lee, a guy I went to college with - he has been a huge supporter for independent bands).

But I digress.

There's a History Channel show called Human Weapon which I think is just great. In the first season, they've done a great survey of martial arts.

I think it really does a nice job showing some key techniques and advantages of different martial arts, which is a good way to learn. A preview included above.

Check it out - you can buy the episodes on iTunes like I have.

Sparring Tools - The "Cut" Kick

2008-01-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

It's known to some as the fast side kick, to others as the cut kick. The cut kick is a great technique for sparring for a couple reasons:

1) It is quick, like a fast roundhouse, so it's great as a "set up" move
2) It is direct, aimed at the opponents midsection or face
3) For tall or long-legged competitors, it is a great way to implement a defensive strategy, because it allows you to stave off your competitor and keep them at bay.
4) Because of your hip position, it sets up a lot of techniques for your other leg, like a roundhouse, back kick, etc. Kind of like a one-two punch.

Take a look at the technique shown in the video. (NOTE: You may consider it lazy that I did not do my own video...but I prefer to think I am leveraging the assets of the community (Thank you, Austin Martial Arts Academy).)

Note, initially, the person in this video is not doing the side kick from the back leg. That's what makes it a fast side kick. The teacher goes through some good tips on performance of the technique - make sure to pay attention to the form. The "spinning" side kick they show is actually the traditional back leg side kick. Somewhat slow for sparring, but has its place.

Sparring & Distance: Using Your Strengths

2008-01-16T02:58:00.000-08:00

Sparring seems like a pure "brute strength" affair.

You get on the mat, and pound the other guy, right?

Well, it isn't quite that simple. Sparring is actually a thinker's game - you just have to think quick, and use what you know about your opponent (and what you can learn) to beat them.

First and foremost, you need to consider your opponent's height and reach. By looking at the person, you will see, for example, if their legs are longer than yours. If you're in a sport focusing on hand strikes, reach can come into play as well.

If your opponent can reach you but you can't reach them, then you are at a strategic disadvantage. However if you can reach your opponent first, you're at an advantage.

Speed is also very important. If your opponent is quick, but shorter, they may be able to hit you before you can hit them, even though you are taller. But speed generally is hard to gauge before you fight, unless you know the fighter already.

What this all comes down to is managing distance. All martial arts (even full scale war with armies) focus on the concept of managing your distance from your opponent. If you get too close to your opponent, they can hit you, especially if your legs are shorter than theirs (or their artillery can shoot farther).

So first and foremost, when you spar, assess the opponent's reach and speed.

But what do you do then?

Well, if you're evenly matched on both criteria, you need to look to other concepts for your winning strategy. If you are taller and faster than your opponent, though, you can afford to fight a more defensive fight, waiting for your opponent to move, then using your speed and reach to hit him and move out of his reach again.

If you are shorter and slower, you need to be tricky...and practice a lot.

Problems with Your Side Kick?

2008-01-08T03:26:00.001-08:00

After you've practiced for a while, you may get frustrated with your ability to correctly execute certain kicks. Especially if you aren't 18, you probably don't have the flexibility and/or strength to perfectly execute a tae kwon do kick.

Hand techniques like blocks and strikes generally are more about form. Kicks require more additional measures.

I am most dissatisfied with my side kick at the moment, and found an article with tips to help me.

But a couple of basic training exercises can really help your kicks:

Stretching. You need flexibility to execute a kick, in your hips, you hamstrings, etc.
Strength exercises. Lunges, squats and abdominal exercises, with no weights, can help your kicking quite a bit.
"Wall" training. This is a way of practicing your kick, building strength and focusing on form all at the same time. Just stand by a wall, and use the extra balance to deliberately practice your kick. For a side kick or hook kick, your kick will be at 90 degrees to the wall, with your opposite hand behind you, bracing against the wall. For a back kick, you will face the wall, with both palms against the wall, and your shoulders squared to the wall. A round house kick, your hips and chest will be against the wall, and your upper leg will not move. You'll slowly complete only the final motion of the kick.

If you take a little time outside of class to practice these techniques, you'll soon be kicking better in class!

Preparing For Black Belt Test

2008-01-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! One of the goals many students of martial arts have is to achieve that most iconic of ranks, that of Black Belt. This year, if I'm lucky, I will get a chance to take my test.

And even after studying an art for 2-3 years, the test can be quite daunting. Each school may vary the exact test, but it will probably be comprised of:
1) A test of the first 8 tae kwon do forms
2) A test of the first 8 self-defense techniques
3) A test of kicking & breaking techniques
4) Sparring
5) Weapons

May not sound too hard, but the standards tend to be quite high - no mistakes, limited chances to try again if you make any mistake, and some challenges like breaking 5-10 boards with spinning hook kicks in rapid succession, breaking a patio brick with a back kick, and sparring more than one person. Not just that, but the test tends to be long and grueling.

So how do you prepare?

First, master every technique when you don't have to to give yourself the best chance of success. Plenty of people work really hard toward the end of their path to black belt, but cramming doesn't work very well in this situation. You can only compress so much physical learning, unless you dedicate large chunks of time to it. So practice a little every day, review everything, and ask for feedback on your technique. When others are cramming, you'll know that you have the techniques down cold.

Second, reduce the intimidation factor by going to a couple tests before you take yours. Seeing the test can dispel some anxiety about it.

Third, take all the chances you can to spar. Different schools have different philosophies, and some do not stress sparring. This means you need to make sure you seek out opportunities. Sparring is a bit unique, in that you can only "study" it so much - to really master it, you need experience doing it.

Fourth, spend a little extra time with physical conditioning - strength, endurance, stretching, especially in the last few months. This is an area where cramming counts.

Fifth, spend some time meditating and visualizing yourself successfully completing each part of the test. Your mind is extremely powerful, and if you are convinced you'll fail, then you probably will. Train your mind to help your body succeed.

And of course, GOOD LUCK!

When You're Learning, Sometimes You Need To Have Some Fun

2007-11-29T06:45:00.001-08:00

Earning a black belt can take 3-4 years. Becoming really proficient in Tae Kwon Do, or in martial arts can take a lifetime.

So let's face it - you need to make time for fun in your training.

This video from the 2007 Goodwill Tour is fun to watch. Heck, it might even inspire you to work harder, so you can be as good as these gents are!

Form, Power, and The "Snap"

2007-11-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Whether you are training to spar, to compete in forms, or for self-defense, part of mastering a technique is to generate power using good form. And the snap is a crucial.

But what is the snap? At it's most basic, it is a whip action, a very quick motion to finish a technique that creates the same kind of crack that a whip would. In many martial arts demonstration videos, you can hear the sound of the snap (real or added) at the moment of impact of a punch, kick or block.

First, let's say that the snap is on the level of a more advanced technique - something you should shoot for, but may not be successful at until you become more advanced. Part of the reason that the Tae Kwon Do belt structure rotates through learning, and then repeating different kicks, blocks, stances, and hand techniques is that your learning goes in phases:
- Learning the basic move (often your form will not be great)
- Mastering the basic move
- Learning a more advanced style
- Mastering the advanced style
- Refining your control, timing, form and power

Since you need flexibility and strength to complete any technique, in the beginning, the focus is not on form as much as trying to build up your ability to complete the technique. Later, when you have more strength, flexibility, and awareness of what the technique is about, you can refine your form.

The "snap" is critical refinement which affects your power, your form, and success as a competitor. You will eventually find that every technique can and should be done with a snap. In a forms competition, the sound and look of a technique executed with a snap will score higher; in sparring, the snap may make the difference between scoring a point or not, because the "snapped" kick will make a louder sound on your opponent.

In practice, a snapped kick will deliver more speed and power, and set you up better for your next technique in many cases.

How do I snap? The snap is different for each technique - for punches and blocks, the snap involves a twist of the wrist and hand at the end of the technique. For kicks, like the front kick and roundhouse kick, the snap is created by what happens after impact, i.e, your lower leg quickly retracting back to its position before impact.

All Pre-Black Belt Forms Videos

2007-11-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

Forms 1-8, the forms you will learn on your way to Black Belt. Watching videos is, at least to me, a lot more helpful than reading text.

Taeguk Il Jang (1)

Taeguk E Jang (2)

Taeguk Sam Jang (3)

Taeguk Sa Jang (4)

Taeguk Oh Jang (5)

Taeguk Yuk Jang (6)

Taeguk Chil Jang (7)

Taeguk Pal Jang (8)

Why Am I Stretching? When Do We Get To The Jumping and The Spinning?

2007-11-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

To outsiders, the study of martial arts can seem like the simple pursuit of the ability to beat some one else in a fight. Or to do really cool jumping spinning kicks!

For this very reason, some activities you engage in when studying a martial art at first may make no sense.

But every exercise in Tae Kwon Do has its purpose, which becomes especially clear when you consider that the true goal of a martial arts class is to help you perfect the art. The reasons behind you taking the class may change (you need to defend yourself from marauders, your career will be in the military, you want to become fit and confident, and so on), but the purpose of the structure and activities with the art are intended to help you perfect it.

So let's expose the purpose of some activities in martial arts:

1. Stretching - A key issue in all martial arts is flexibility. Flexibility is important to doing individual techniques correctly, but also to ensuring you don't hurt yourself (and have to stop your training for a month or more).

2. Warm ups/Strength Training Exercises - If your muscles aren't warm, they don't stretch as well, and you run a greater risk of injury. So warming up is important. Strength is important as well, both to help you complete a technique with good form, but also to increase your power in striking, hitting, or throwing.

3. Individual Technique Practice - In your average martial arts class, there will be a part of the class where you will repeat one technique many times. This could be kicking, punching, blocking, or footwork, but generally, the idea is to focus on that one kick, that one block, that one strike, and focus on perfecting your technique. Usually, your master will observe students as they perform the technique, and offer guidance. If you can't punch with perfect form in a controlled setting, you won't punch well when sparring.

4. Forms - Forms test a series of different things, but they involve using all the techniques you should know at your level. The point of practicing forms is to practice your individual techniques in a series - when you perform a form, you should make every motion exactly. That means breathing correctly, using solid stances and good footwork, relaxing your body in between strikes and snaps, and performing blocks, kicks, and strikes precisely. Like individual technique practice, forms provide a controlled setting for practicing - simulated reality.

5. "Self-Defense" Techniques - These techniques are generally not about form primarily (although good form is always important). First and foremost, self-defense techniques are about speed and accuracy - they prepare you to put together movements when actually being attacked at speed. Of course, like forms, self-defense techniques also provide strength training.

6. Sparring - Well, the purpose here is fairly clear - this is the closest you come in a martial arts program to an actual fight. This is your chance to use what you've learned, but also to add to it a new element - competition. Your opponent will try to surprise you and trick you, so you will have to not only perform your technique with good form, speed and power, but also select the right technique!

7. Courtesy, Rituals, Respect - There is one final element to what we do when we train in a martial art. We wear a special uniform. We go to a special place, use special equipment. We also show respect by bowing to other members of the school and our masters, using the words sir and ma'am to refer others, and by removing our shoes and bowing when we enter our school. This might be the hardest aspect of martial arts to understand - what does this have to do with learning to fight? Well, a lot, actually. Even in more modern sports, sportsman-like conduct is important. Showing respect for people who know more than you, who you are learning from is important. The rituals and attitude we bring to our training is important because it shows that we are ready to learn, ready to pursue excellence.

Armed with this understanding, hopefully you'll be a bit more patient when things are quite as exciting!

Tae Kwon Do Forms - A Primer

2007-10-31T10:19:00.000-07:00

Tae Kwon Do has 8 forms associated with "colored" belts, and about 9 forms associated with black belt. Forms require a lot of practice, but first, they require learning the basic stances, blocks and strikes and memorizing the patterns.

Generally, memorization becomes the key to delivering a smooth form, and that comes through repetition. Once you have the general form down, you can target in on specific areas where you need help. A good process for memorization, I've found, is the following:
1) Watch a video of the form (below)
2) Write down the movements, or look up notes on the web
3) Memorize the movements using your notes and following along
3) Repeatedly practice the technique in class
4) Ask your master where you can improve

However, another helpful technique is to remember that the first 8 forms follow a distinct pattern, which is roughly symmetrical. Each form models a character, and has a specific teaching purpose. Although this might not be helpful to you, knowing this really helped me get my head inside the forms...or the other way around.

Connecticut Open 2007 - Tournament Notes

2007-10-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tournaments are great. The video above is your intrepid author, laying it on the line to bring you information and insight about learning Tae Kwon Do.

My opponent was a black belt, more experienced by at least a year, but I learned quite a bit.

My insights for you:
1) Tournaments involve a lot of waiting
2) You should bring a jump rope and some targets for kicking so you can warm up
3) Tape your feet under your foot pads
4) Be prepared for some black and blue marks

There are a few typical events in a tournament:
1) Forms competition
2) Breaking competition
3) Demonstration team competition
4) Sparring competition

The first 3 are largely one-performance affairs - you choose your form, or your breaking techniques, and you do them once. The best wins.

Sparring is more complicated - it's like a typical bracketed competition. The winners of each match move on to fight the other winners until the gold/silver bout, and the bronze/fourth place bout.

Good times.

How You Advance in Tae Kwon Do

2007-10-26T05:19:00.000-07:00

There are many Tae Kwon Do schools across the country, and, as I mentioned in earlier posts, they vary both in terms of culture/philosophy and in other ways. One important variation is what style of Tae Kwon Do the school practices. The major ones:
- World Tae Kwon Do Federation (WTF)/Kukkiwon - This is the officially sanctioned, Olympic sparring style.
- International Tae Kwon Do Federation (ITF) - The other important Tae Kwon Do association and standards body

ITF and WTF forms and instruction differ - although you are learning Tae Kwon Do in both places, there are stylistic differences which affect forms, rules of competition, etc. Generally, WTF emphasis is more on sport, where as ITF seems more practical.

Another variation you will see is the belt system. In the past, schools had as few as 4-5 belts, but these days, Tae Kwon Do schools generally have 10-15 belts. Why? In part, in recognition of the fact that belts motivate students, so it is important to have recognition of advancement around every 2 months. It can take 3 years to achieve a black belt, and most would have a hard time staying motivated if they were only getting a belt every 7 months.

Both WTF and ITF schools require you to master certain techniques to advance to a new belt, for the most part, in four areas. Regular tests will focus on you demonstrating your knowledge of these skills:
1) Forms - A pattern of footwork and techniques, with the emphasis on your form. Sometimes called poomsae.

2) Self Defense - Self defense techniques are, in a way, like short forms. You execute a pattern of movements - but in this case, the emphasis is on speed and accuracy first and foremost. Often times, self-defense techniques are executed with a master attacking you.

3) Kicking - Each belt has a specific kick associated with it, and each test usually involves a combination of kicks based on that primary kick. Emphasis is on form.

4) Breaking - Breaking techniques can often mirror the kicking technique for the belt, although at lower levels, hand or elbow breaking techniques get you started. At first, you break one board (about 1/2" to 1") At higher levels, you break more boards...

The process of learning is fun, but you may also question how much you are progressing at first. Depending on your school, your master will probably reassure you - the techniques you learn early in your Tae Kwon Do career are repeated in later tests. So don't worry too much - practice daily, work hard, and do your best. Mastery doesn't happen in a day.

Picking a Tae Kwon Do School - Financial

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Once you've decided why you want to take up Tae Kwon Do, and which schools seem to fit best with your needs, it's important to consider cost.

In the very old days, instruction was not paid for - some martial arts, like Aikido, still charge "mat fees" only, for upkeep of the dojo (the Japanese term, the Korean is dojang). But that is rare - these days, one needs to feed the kids, pay for gas, etc. Even in the old days, students would find non-monetary ways to compensate the master.

In Tae Kwon Do, it is typical for lessons to be paid for by the month or by the year, with prices ranging from a couple hundred bucks to much less. Paying for a year will generally get you a discount.

But it is really important to note that this is not the only charge you may see for your or your child's lessons:
- Belt tests
- Gear (uniform, sparring gear, weapons, etc.)
- Competitions

These types of charges can double the year's instruction costs, so it is important to plan for it. Some schools are very upfront about these costs, but not all think to mention it.

Picking a Tae Kwon Do School - The School

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Once you've come to grips with what your reason for taking up Tae Kwon Do is, you'll be prepared to venture out into the world, and look at your options. Armed with your goal (I want to get in better shape), you should think a little bit about what you need out of your Tae Kwon Do school.

For example, as with any exercise, generally, your school should be close to work, close to home, or on the way between the two. Location is important for an obvious reason. If I have to travel out of my way to exercise or train, I will be more likely to 'skip' on a day my motivation is low. So save yourself the trouble. Less than 15 minutes of extra travel time is probably what you should be shooting for.

Now that you've ensured you will physically get there, you need to be sure that the school itself is a place you want to go. This comes down to Regimen, Focus, Instructors, and Fellow Students. The training regimen itself should be challenging, but also interesting and motivating. So if the classes involve running 5 miles and doing a thousand push ups, and you aren't really into that, look for another school.

Similarly, the focus of some schools is "competition" and sparring is a regular event in class. If that isn't your cup of tea, you might prefer focusing on learning techniques, and non-sparring forms of practice.

Finally, the instructor and the other students in the school are going to be a big part of your experience. If you need a patient, easy-going instructor, stay away from drill instructors!

A good way to get a feel for all the issues is to sit down with the master of the school, and to do a trial lesson. Most schools let you sit in on a class before you decide. If they don't offer it, suggest it. Before weighing price, be sure you are choosing between alternatives that are good for you.

Picking a Tae Kwon Do School - Your Goal

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If you are about to take up Tae Kwon Do, or to enroll your child in a school, it pays to have a sense of how to evaluate Tae Kwon Do schools. The criteria differ a bit for adults and children, but generally, they apply to both.

Your first step in your "due diligence" should be to ask yourself a basic question - "Why am I studying Tae Kwon Do"? Some reasons why people study martial arts:
- To get into shape
- To learn/teach (children) discipline
- To compete
- To be capable of defending yourself
- To participate in a sporting community

There are other, less noble, reasons that people take up martial arts, but these are a few of the basics. Note, depending on your goal, different schools will fit you better or worse.

Purpose of This Blog

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Tae Kwon Do is a great sport and a great way to keep your body and mind sharp. But, speaking from experience, it can be challenging to find resources you might need as you begin to learn.

I've found that by watching videos of forms and competitions outside of practice, I've been able to accelerate my progress. And make learning more fun.

Enjoy!