There are several concepts that are expressed and stressed in our class. They are, but not limited to:
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Respect- This means towards the instructor, your fellow classmates, the facility where we are training, your immediate family members, and to the general public.
•Honesty- Always being truthful to yourself, the instructor, and your fellow classmates.
•Strength- This refers to your mental, physical, and “spiritual” self. PLEASE NOTE that when the word “spiritual” is used in this class, it does not necessarily reflect the way this word is expressed in the traditional religious sense. Spiritual refers to a desire to promote personal growth and peace.
•Flexibility- This primarily refers to the various muscle groups in the body. But, this also refers to a mental state as well. We go through changes in our daily lives. Some of them are minor, but sometimes, we run across major changes in our lives. If our mind is not quick to adapt to these changes, it could cause major damage to the way we are used to doing things. So, we have to find a way to bypass the negative changes in our lives and continue to progress to the next level despite these changes.
•Speed and accuracy- These two things go hand and hand. A bullet coming out of a gun is powerful and fast. But, unless the person firing this weapon is accurate enough in their aim, it will not do any damage. On the other hand, I could be accurate in placing an attack. But, if my attacker is faster than me, he could cause damage to me before I have a chance to retaliate.
•Balance- A tree is only as strong as its roots. If a martial artist does not have a good stance, his techniques are not as powerful and he/she will be off balanced if attacked. This not only refers to your martial art training. We all have desires and goals. But, there are so many external factors that keep us from these goals. A person must learn how to balance various things in life in order to achieve one’s goals.
•Stamina- This style of Tae Kwon Do, especially, requires A LOT of stamina. Some of the things that will help to increase one’s stamina is to come to class regularly, watch what you eat on a daily basis, try your best to decrease your stress level, and get a good night’s rest (recommended 6-8 hours per night.)
