Recently, I had a student who asked me why her instructors were taking black belt testing so seriously. It baffled me that a student would ever ask this question. I mean, what kind of question is that? Of course black belt testing is important! The more I thought about it, however, the more I realized that it’s a really good question. So, I decided to write a post detailing why black belt testing is such a big deal, and taken so seriously. I t’s a big achievement! Let’s start with the obvious. It’s a big achievement! You’ve been training for years, you’ve put in hard work, and now you’ve finally made it. You’ve faced challenges and gotten through them. You’ve endured. Now, you’re about to join a collection of other extremely talented and passionate martial artists. That’s a pretty impressive feat! Shouldn't it be taken seriously, if it's that remarkable an accomplishment? It’s a recognition of responsibility Being a black belt is pretty cool, but it’s also a responsibility. You are trained in a martial art. As a result you most likely know how to fight. You also need to know when not to. You need to recognize that you have power, and should use it responsibly. A good instructor gives a black belt to students who they think are responsible enough to not go out and fight the first bad guy they see. Sorry, being a black belt doesn't make you a superhero! You represent your teachers There is one truth of education that often goes unacknowledged. The performance of a student's skill is, in part, a reflection on a teacher’s ability to teach them that skill. It would reflect poorly on your instructor's judgement of your skill and their teaching if they didn't take your education and performance seriously! That’s why the testing is taken so seriously. Not only are you about to represent your teachers by showing what you learned from them, once you become a black belt, you will become one of them. Naturally, they want to make sure that you can do that effectively. It’s an important tradition The examination of a student's skill in martial arts is a very old tradition. The oral tradition states that it was common for people to bring rice and food in exchange for training and testing in Korea. Now, the historicity of that statement may be dubious, but you get the point. Testing a student’s knowledge is an important part of training. Essentially, the testing is a review of a student's progress so far. It has lots of ceremony attached to it now, but the purpose remains the same. Jung Shin If you’ve read my other articles, you know what Jung Shin is. If you haven’t, very basically, it’s the philosophy that makes up what a black belt is. They’re also called the Five Tenets of Taekwondo. One of the things that instructors are testing you on is how effectively can you demonstrate these tenets? Are you respectful? Honest? Do you persevere? Do you have good self-control? Most importantly, do you have indomitable spirit? If the answer is yes to all of these, then your instructors will be pleased. This is such a big part of what taekwondo is, so it is taken quite seriously when someone tests for their black belt. After all, we don’t want to give a black belt to someone who doesn’t have good self control, is disrespectful to others, and lies a lot! That would be terrible! Respect I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Many of the examiners at a testing are doing the testing without being paid. Your examiners are taking their time to come to your testing. Why? Many reasons, not the least of which is that they want to see you, their student, perform. They know you can pass, but they want to make sure they get the opportunity to see you do wonderfully! No pressure, right? Scared? Anxious? Excited? Totally understandable. Just remember, they wouldn't test you if they didn't think you could pass. Good luck! Did you enjoy this article? Great! Contact us and tell us so we can make more great content for you!

First off, congratulations! Getting accepted to college is an admirable accomplishment. Now the question is: how do you continue training? Going to college is a big step forward and certainly an important one to make. Whether or not you continue what you are already doing, such as practicing taekwondo, is up to you. So how do you train while in higher education? This is an important question for this situation, and different black belts have different answers for this. No matter what you hear from others, there are solutions! Here are some of the most common solutions to that problem. Join a Campus Club! This one is kind of obvious. Most universities have some form of martial arts club, one of which is often taekwondo. In fact, some schools have two or more taekwondo clubs! Usually this is because they want a general club and a sport-specific club. Or perhaps they’re two different types of taekwondo (ex. WT and ITF). In either case, find the club that best fits your interests! Whichever one it might be, you might discover something you did not anticipate learning. Join a Local Dojang Okay, but what if your college doesn’t have a taekwondo club? Well, then you should try and find a nearby school. Fair warning though, the new school may be quite different from what you might be used to. The dojangs nearby your college campus might practice more sparring, more sport taekwondo, more self-defense, or even focus on older styles of taekwondo. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this. Frankly, I find that I learn a lot from other schools. Instead of seeing it as some sort of override to what I already know, I used it as an opportunity to add to my knowledge of taekwondo. As an example, I learned to do forms from an instructor who trained in the 90s, an insturctor who trained in the 70s, and an instructor who focused on sport poomsae. All of these people taught similar, but distinctly different, versions of the same form. In each I learned something new. In essentia, if you choose this route, keep an open mind! You might learn something you didn't expect. Create Your Own Club This one is probably the most challenging option. But, if you really love taekwondo, you might find it worthwhile. It can get quite messy though; especially if you want to have testings, do competitions, etc. Those things often require trained instructors and coaches, which can sometimes be hard to come by on a college campus. There is also considering dealing with student government, campus bureaucracy, and a whole lot of other chaos attached. That said, it is certainly more accessible, funded by the college, and an amazing leadership opportunity! Also, an interesting thing to add to your resume, don't you think? Train By Yourself (or With Your Instructor) This one was a method I tried for awhile. My instructor and I would do a video call once a week where he would help guide me in training for 30 minutes and then assign some homework to me. Every night I had a set time where I would go to the campus gym and train for about an hour or so. This kept me fit, active, and well prepared for when I got back to my home dojang on breaks! Of course, this doesn't work for everyone, as every instructor and dojang is different, and therefore has different policies. If an instructor allow it, however, it can be very helpful for continuing training. So there you go! There are some ideas for how you can continue your taekwondo education in higher education. Good luck to you in college!

First off, it’s admirable that you want that. Secondly, they say the first step is always the hardest. That’s not true in taekwondo. At least, it wasn’t for me. I started in taekwondo because I wanted to learn. What was challenging for me was all the subsequent challenges that followed. I have here listed some of the challenges one will face. Doubt Surprised? You thought I was going to pick a particular technique or endurance test. No, the first and most challenging step is confronting self-doubt. It’s especially challenging because it’s not a one time event. It will repeat itself many times. Over and over again. The important thing that always helped me was remembering that others surpassed this challenge before me, so I can do it too. Hubris Again, surprised? This one is one that everyone struggles with. It’s a proud moment when a student breaks their first board! Or wins their first sparring match. Or passes their first black belt test. There are many proud moments in taekwondo training. It’s hard for it not to get to your head. I don’t know a single black belt who didn’t have at least a little bit of hubris after their first black belt test. But it sure was a rough realization when they realized they didn’t know everything! Frustration Okay, now you get the idea. This post is not about technique, it’s about self reflection. Frustration, particularly if you start young, is a challenge every martial arts student faces. Some are sourced from outside factors, some from the stress of training. It is a normal human emotion to feel frustration sometimes. When becoming a blabber though, you learn to deal with a lot of frustration because of all the challenges you have to deal with. Becoming a black belt is about getting past that frustration. The truth is that if you decide to keep going in taekwondo, you will face a lot of frustration. That’s simply the nature of doing something that becomes gradually more and more challenging. The trick is to look beyond the frustration and remember that this challenge is one step closer to completing your goal! Belt tests Whoa, wait, what? This isn’t a particularly metaphysical topic. This is, in fact, quite physical. That’s why it made the list. It is a difficulty that you will inevitably face. A very physically challenging event. I always reminded myself that I wouldn’t have been asked to test if my instructor hadn’t decided I was eligible to test. I always had a lot of anxiety about testing (in fact, I still do). I was always nervous, even though I knew how hard I had worked to get there. Each testing was one step closer to getting my black belt. Every single one was an opportunity to demonstrate my knowledge and my progress. Friendship Ah yes, now we’re getting back to the metaphysical. Yes, friendship is part of what helps you become a black belt. It is extremely hard to accomplish black belt testing without the support of others. Particularly the support of your friends and colleagues. There is nothing quite as good as seeing the friendship and support expressed by the people in your audience. Community, a healthy taekwondo community, can really help advance someone in their training. So there you go! These are a handful of the things that people (in my opinion) need to experience to truly become a black belt. Being a black belt is not being able to do a really great tornado kick (though that’s cool too!) Being a black belt is really about building beyond the struggles you face in your training. In other words, the best way to become a black belt is to step forward and keep learning.

Understanding the Importance of Preparation The truth of testing, in my experience, is that it’s about endurance. Every testing I’ve conducted, participated in, or seen has been, in no small part, a test of the applicant's ability to go through a strenuous physical challenge for several hours. The applicants are typically put through extensive cardio (for me, that meant doing over 100 sit-ups, running a mile, and completing 100 push-ups) followed by an analysis of technique, an analysis of Poomse, and a test on their knowledge of taekwondo philosophy (yes, really). General Exercise and Endurance In all the black belt tests I’ve been in, one thing is universal: it’s a physically challenging event. It always lasts multiple hours and is always high intensity. What schools ask of their examinees varies, but the point is the same. It is, at least partially, a test of the examinee's endurance. Tests often include heavy cardio, flexibility, and strength challenges. The best way to prepare for this is to attend class regularly. A good examiner won’t ask you to test if they don’t think you can pass. That said, you should prepare for the challenge. Just because they believe you will pass doesn’t guarantee your ability to do so. Examination of Philosophy This requirement varies between schools. One of them required applicants to memorize and recite a paper on a philosophical topic. Another required students to write a paper and submit it before testing. Another didn’t require this at all. So, it is highly variable. This requirement is a lot like doing forms or training in technique. Practice, practice, practice! Recite it while brushing your teeth, put it on the refrigerator, and think about it before class starts. Basically, take any opportunity to do it—safely, of course. Application Essay The schools vary significantly in who requires this, but I’ve found that it’s not uncommon for schools to request essays from students. Yes, essays. Schools vary in size, but the largest one I saw required a 10-page paper on the values of a taekwondo athlete, while the smallest required a one-page paper on what a black belt meant to the applicant. If your school requests a paper, here’s some advice: start thinking about it immediately, and begin writing at least two months ahead of time. Or, even better, just sit down and write! It’s best to get it out of the way. Considering that application essays are usually submitted before testing day, it’ll feel nice to have one part of the requirements for your black belt completed. Poomse This aspect is universal among the schools whose curriculums I’ve seen. For black belts, it’s expected that they know all the Taeguk forms. With my students, I expect to see comprehensive memorization of the form, confidence, and good technique. Some of my colleagues are more stringent, expecting competition-level forms. What an examiner looks for in forms depends on the school, but the best way to impress is universal: practice, practice, practice! Board Breaks Board breaks are a common part of taekwondo testing. By this point in your training, you’ve probably broken at least a few boards. Each school has a different system, and the board break portion of the test varies greatly. Some tests require multiple breaks, some require one power break, and some require a speed break. It just depends on the school. Some even go so far as to not tell their students what their breaks will be until the day of the test! If you’re nervous about this part, you should ask your instructor. Since instructors usually test applicants, they are the most likely to know what they’ll ask of you and how to prepare for it. Sparring In all my time teaching, I find that students are often the most excited for this part. And rightly so! Sparring is exhilarating! Different schools place more or less value on it, depending on their community and instructor. For those schools that emphasize sparring, they often focus on your ability to perform well in the ring. Some want you to win, while others are more interested in your sportsmanship or your ability on the mat. Just like board breaking, sparring requirements vary widely. There are many ways to train for this part. Some schools use targets, others do shadow sparring, and some conduct practice rounds. Some even utilize new technology! As regular readers know, I am quite excited about this. Mental Preparation Now that you know a little bit more about black belt testing and what to expect, let’s talk about mental preparation. Nervous? Excited? If you are, it is entirely understandable. I’ve always found it calming to think about it less as a test and more as a demonstration of my skill. The teachers aren’t judging your skills as much as they are interested in seeing your progress and your ability under pressure. Essentially, they want to see if you have learned what they taught you. Final Thoughts So, prepare well and remember to stay focused. Good luck, you got this! Disclaimer: This post is only for entertainment purposes. What is written here isn’t necessarily true for every Taekwondo school. It is based on my experience as an instructor and examiner. The information is a general overview of common parts of taekwondo testing and is in no way related to any one particular school or organization. Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. This is in no way meant to spoil a black belt test. The black belt test is very important and taken seriously at many schools. This is just a general overview of what testings often involve and is in no way connected to any one school or organization. Any similarities to any school or organization are entirely coincidental. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor to prevent injuries and ensure proper technique. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions, and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly under the guidance of a professional instructor.

Okay, so you’ve just started in your new martial arts program and you want to know if you can have any creativity with how you dress? The answer is: It Depends. Yes, really. Taekwondo schools can be rather particular about their uniform policy, so it’s very important. The reason is because it’s a matter of respect and tradition. Traditionally speaking, only black belts can wear colored uniforms with black collars. Color belts typically wear white shirts with white collars and white pants. Basically, if you don’t wear a black belt, don’t wear a black uniform (trust me, it won’t look cool). Remember, you should always ask your instructors permission before coming to their class uniquely dressed. Different schools have different uniform policies, and some are extremely particular. So, best to be respectful! But, if your instructor has said you can, congratulations! If you’re instructor has said you can’t, don’t worry! You can still use this article to learn about taekwondo doboks and aspire to be fashionable one day! Better yet, take that black belt test and you might be able to dress up too! So, Here are some different types, and ways of dressing for taekwondo class that I like to do. My absolute favorite is a full black y neck dobok. Simple and sleek, I have gotten multiple compliments for it's simplicity and it's mystery! As an instructor it makes me stick out too, which is very helpful for making sure that people know I'm the instructor. Mine in particular is one that has stitching and uses cloth that makes it feel lighter, even after an intense work out. On top of that, I'm also told I look quite good in black, so I suppose that helps too! On the opposite end of the color scheme is the all white v-neck dobok. Of course, as with tradition my collar is still black, but the rest is white! This particular one is made of a similar color and is rather common among black belts. Of course, it makes sense that it is more common. It's main difference from the color belt uniform is simply the collar. That, in my mind, is quite humbling. In a sense, it's a reminder that, though we are black belts, we are still students in taekwondo and don't know everything. The next on the list are dobok vests. Not the shortsleeve dobok tops that you see in Cobra Kai. These are vests that are put on top of the dobok. These are often worn by demonstration teams, and I could not find them for the life of me. They look so cool though! To be honest, I don't think they serve any utilitary value, but when worn for artistic purposes, present a unique look in demonstration shows. If these are findable, tell me! I would love to know where I can find them for a demonstration team! Wow, you read that whole article? Thanks! As a bonus, here is a whole section on formal clothes for black belts! One question I've been struggling with finding the answer to actually has to do with fashion. How should a martial artist dress for a formal event? Is there a special way we should dress? Given the formality that is a part of taekwondo, it only makes sense that we would have rules about that too, right? Oddly, the information on this is not clear. Some say that you should simply wear formal clothes at formal events. Other sources say that you should have a specific pin. Others say you should simply wear your nicest dobok (at a testing, not your sister's wedding). Personally, I like wearing a suit when I get an opportunity. When it came to testings and competitions, my colleagues often would personalize the black suit, white shirt, red tie uniform with an appropriately themed lapel pin or something like that. So the conclusion I've come to is that there is no particular rule on how a taekwondo practitioner should dress for formal events. But what do you think? Have you heard differently? Message me, I'd love to hear about it! So, in summary, though you can only wear a white dobok as a color belt, once you become a black belt there is a range of possibilities that can be worn. In some ways, this demonstrates, in a fashion-based sense, that taekwondo is a diverse community of people. All with their own experiences, concepts, and yes, doboks. It's sometimes surprising, especially when coming to a new school. Nonetheless, it is still quite the testament to the unique nature of the taekwondo community! What do you think? Do you have a favorite uniform? Message me and tell me all about it!

Yes, that’s right. You read that correctly. Taekwondo seminars. They really do exist, but what are they like? Last month I attended a taekwondo seminar. My first one, actually. This one was specifically for competitive Poomse, and it was incredible. Probably o e of the most intriguing, educational, and brutal classes I have ever had. It was absolutely worth it, and here’s why. When someone begins their taekwondo journey, they often do so with their first lesson with their first instructor. There they learn the very basics. How to form a good fist, how to go into a fighting stance, possibly even how to do a front kick! As a students expands through their training, they go to countless classes. If they get involved enough, they go to competitions. That’s when the real fun begins. These competitions, whether seen on video or seen live are incredible to watch. This seminar was no exception. Here I trained with the best for several hours during the weekend. In fact, it was probably one of the most intense workouts I’ve done since my 4th Dan black belt test. There is no way I could properly describe in detail what I learned at this seminar, so I will just give a synopsis of my perspective of just the first day and recommend that, if you want to enter competitions, you attend one of these. When I arrived at the school, I arrived 30 minutes early. Reasonably, I thought I would be the first there, as I don’t particularly like to risk being late. How sorely wrong I was. When I walked into the dojang, the top floor of a building in Boston, I saw multiple athletes already dressed in their sharp, probably dry cleaned, competition doboks. Most of them were already warming up or stretching. Those who weren’t were chatting with people like they were old friends. I was very much the odd one out. As I walked up to the dressing room, I saw a friend of mine walk out. What a small world we’re in. We chatted very briefly before the instructor called us all to the mat. As we walked onto the mat each of us habitually bowed towards the flags, as many of us had been trained to do since we started our taekwondo journey. “Which of you are brave enough to line up front?” The coach said, I thought, jokingly. I, my 3 friends, and 3 other black belts lined up front on the mat. Again, almost habitually people typically fell into line by rank, followed by age, equidistant from each other, as we all seem to have done at our various schools. We just fell into place. Our instructor, it turned out, was a very experienced taekwondo athlete, having won multiple sparring competitions before moving to poomsae. He had brought with him a few instructors, some of whom were national athletes themselves. After giving us a greeting and general introduction the instructor had us go to the back of the classroom and do warm ups. However, these weren’t just the typical laps. After doing what one might consider routine laps, bear crawls, army crawls, and several other lap warmups, our instructor had us doing front snap kicks (the anglicized Korean term is “ap chaggi”). However, they weren’t just the general motion one might use in a sparring match or speed drill. Our instructor had us reviewing every single part of the front kick. From lifting the foot, to extending it extremely slowly. They weren’t focusing on every part, they were focusing on every muscle and joint. And I mean that literally. They talked extensively about the importance of hip rotations in proper leg lifts in front kicks. After warming us up, stretching, and doing technique we were given a break to drink water and take a breath. I took it as an opportunity to get to know some of the people around me. As I went around I learned more about what it is like to be a professional poomsae athlete. Not only are they passionate about, they are often also quite knowledgeable. I learned from some of the more experienced athletes how much of their training focuses on flexibility and technique over simply knowing the form. Many of them were able to tell me what stretches they prefer to do for certain flexibility. In fact, a couple debates over this. I was quite impressed, and could really see how much devotion these athletes have for taekwondo. After our longer break, we were divided into groups and we practiced our forms. The seminar was focused specifically on competition forms, so the instructors focused on the criteria which the judges would care about. Our instructors walked us through each specific technique to maximize performance. We only covered a couple of forms, but each detail was extremely helpful. In fact, I caught myself habitually covering the details when I later went to practice on my own. After training ended that day, I felt very tired, quite sore, and extremely happy. This was only the first day and I was already excited about our next. When my friends asked me about it, I had a very hard time trying to keep my excitement down. How could I? I hadn’t felt this much exhilaration since my last black belt test! I had learned, and done, so much that day! I went to bed both tired and excited for the next day. So, did I enjoy myself at this event? Well, if you read the article then you probably already know the answer. Yes! On top of learning so much and getting such extensive amounts of exercise, I also felt a significant amount of community and camaraderie. Though all of these people competed with one another, sometimes quite aggressively, they all came to training together as friends. They traded tips and training methods. Discussed the best way to help improve performance at competitions. They even chatted among eachother and talked about their progress in training. it was quite a shift from the focus and sportsmanship they portrayed on the mat! This was an incredible event and I learned so much and grew as a black belt. I don't typically compete, but if I did I would consider these to be extremely helpful events.

“Light contact, free sparring!” My instructor would say, after starting class, stretching everyone, getting us warmed, up and in gear. While it is dangerous, and certainly not for the faint of heart, sparring is one of my favorite past times in Tae Kwon Do. I have sparred many different people with many different skill levels, experiences, and even training! In some of these cases, I even had different rules (sometimes even no rules). Among all of these I have learned one thing. There are as many different sparring strategies as there are people. That said, I’ve decided to share some of the most effective strategies I’ve seen. Wait and See This one seems obvious, but in my experience I rarely see it. Students, particularly beginners, are trying to get as many hits in as possible and so they keep kicking. And kicking. And kicking. They just keep going even if there is no obvious target. Next thing they know, they’re so tired and sweaty they can’t lift their leg! So what’s the solution to this problem? Wait and see. Literally just that. Instead of going again and again, try waiting for your next obvious target. Yes, this might take awhile, but it’ll come. Eventually. This is especially true if your opponent is just flailing about aimlessly. They’ll get tired, drop their arms, and that’s when you hit their hogu (the chest guard) as much as you want. Headshot or No Shot This strategy is quite the opposite. Instead of waiting for the target to open, you hit one target: the head. Assuming your instructor allows it, this can be a good strategy. Some schools don’t allow it though, so make sure yours does! In a full contact sparring match, hitting the head gets you bonus points. In the Olympics it’s 3 points for a kick to the head and an extra 2 if it’s a spinning kick to the head! Theoretically, if you’re flexible and fast (and it’s allowed), you could focus on hitting your opponent’s head over any part of your body. Make sure it’s okay with your sparring partner and your instructor, though. You don’t want to get in trouble (or accidentally cause a concussion)! The More the Merrier Experienced sparring partners are used to being hit. You know what they’re not used to? Being hit more than once. This obviously isn’t always the case, but I’ve found that many partners simply aren’t used to being hit more than once. If you’ve been training awhile it’s very likely your instructor has had you do some sort of combination. Whether it’s on a target or in the air, you’ve probably done a series of kicks in a row. All you have to do is apply that to a sparring match. Hit them in the hogu with a round house kick? Follow that up with another! Tae Kwon Do is one of the fastest martial arts in the world, and there is no better demonstration of this then in Tae Kwon Do sparring. With kick after kick being traded between the opponents at lightning fast speeds, it’s hard to learn their strategies. One thing is apparent though. Every opponent is different and not every match is the same. Most importantly, each is a learning opportunity, so take advantage of that! As my instructor told me: Be Safe, Be Smart, Have Fun! Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to reinforce and supplement the instruction given at your martial arts classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly.

Note: This is, of course, just a fun article on the internet based on personal experience and opinion. If you want professional advice, seek professional help from a personal trainer. So, you want to get fit. You want to exercise. You look on movies and TV shows and you think you want to get fit. Let's face it, you also feel a little embarrassed because you don't know how you want to accomplish it. Don't worry! That's totally normal and totally okay. In fact, it's actually quite common in the US. Here are some steps to help you on your journey. The first (and in my opinion most important) step: Self-acceptance. Yes, seriously. I know it can sometimes feel shameful to admit that you are not fit. I struggled with the same thing. What helped me was realizing that I was not where I wanted to be. I was not who I wanted to be. I wanted to fix that. The next step: Goal setting. This is important. In teaching and learning there are two main types of learning and motivation. Extrinsic and instrinsic. Extrensic reward is when someone gets something in response to completing a certain task. For example, finishing your homework and passing your classes ultimately results in your degree. Instrinsic reward, on the other hand, is where one completes a task and is rewarded simply for doing/completing the task. Exercise, particularly in martial arts, is the same way. People start doing martial arts often to become black belts or to learn self-defense. I have found that those who stick around start here, but end up continuing beyond that because they find reward simply in doing it. People set a goal, such as becoming black belts, and then on the way start to do it simply for the sake of doing it. I started that way. That's the key to successful exercise. Setting a goal (or goals) and reaching them. So what is your goal? Now, to begin: So, you've set your goal. Now where to start? Well, the beauty of martial arts is that there is only one starting point. The bottom. You have your first class. You throw your first punch. You kick your first target. You begin your training. The first step is always a step forward. The next step is learning: There is a reason a taekwondo school is called a school. It is, first and foremost, a place of learning. One of the things that some schools teach is how to set up an exercise regimen for yourself. I learned this by focusing on becoming a black belt. My instructor's criteria required that I be able to do a certain number of push ups and sit ups. To accomplish this I practiced every single day. I woke up in the morning did 100 sit ups (or push ups) and then started my day. I do not necessarily recommend this, that's just what I did. At first it was grueling. Then it became routine. Ultimately, it helped me pass my test. Over time I read multiple books, took classes, and eventually learned enough about exercise and human anatomy that I set up my own regular work out routine. The key to all of this, of course, is diligence. Any competent person knows that you cannot do some magical exercise and suddenly get a six-pack (sorry, it's just not going to happen). Instead, you have to start and keep going. Yes, even when you don't feel like it. I did this by finding my passion: taekwondo. Good luck on your adventure! Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to reinforce and supplement the instruction given at your martial arts classes. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly.

Breaking a board is hard! Everyone thinks that breaking a board is such a cool thing that black belts do, but it can be super difficult. You will, at some point in your martial arts career, want to (or need to) practice your board break. How do you do that? Note: Board breaking, and the practice thereof, can be dangerous. It is important to practice under the supervision of a trained professional. Practice at your own risk. Practice Boards You’ve probably seen these already. Most instructors either have them personally or have them in the dojang. Sometimes both! These boards are plastic and designed to be broken and then brought back together, simulating the amount of force needed to break a typical wooden board. Of course, different schools use different types of wood, different thicknesses, and different dimensions. These, naturally, change the difficulty in the board break. These practice boards come with levels of difficulty, indicated by the color of the board. While they do seem relatively expensive, they are far cheaper than trying to buy 50 wood boards! In the Air This one is pretty obvious. The truth is, it’s pretty hard to break a board if the technique isn’t done correctly. Often instructors will have students practice in the air over, and over, and over again. Some instructors even have their black belts practice for hours on the same technique. This is because knowing how to do the technique correctly is critical to getting the result you want from it (i.e. breaking the board). Getting the angle or the technique wrong can be risky, so it's important to practice. A lot. Ever tried to break a board with a tornado back hook kick that you didn’t practice? Wouldn’t recommend it. Target Practice Ok, this one is probably obvious. If you’ve been practicing Tae Kwon Do very long, you’ve probably hit a hand target or kicking target quite a few times. When practicing board breaks, targets are a great way to practicing applying how much power to apply. Typically, the harder you hit them the louder they are. That can make it quite easy to determine how much power you have applied to the target. Targets also, of course, help with learning to aim. As any instructor will tell you, it hurts when a student hits your fingers on the board. It hurts a lot. If you practice with a target, you also practice aiming the technique so that you hit the target, and not the instructors fingers. So using targets to practice aiming and technique is not only good for you, it’s good for the person who holds your board! Stretches and Muscle Exercises In my experience, the importance of stretches and muscles exercises is under appreciated. Significantly under appreciated. What do you need to be able to break a board? Flexibility and muscle strength! Don’t get me wrong; technique is very important too, but you can’t really apply force to break a board if you don’t have the muscle to do so. So, what exercises should you do? Well, that is something you should ask your instructor. Every technique is different and uses different muscles. If you have a specific technique to practice, it’s probably best to also practice doing the necessary muscle exercises and stretches! So there you go! I hope this article has helped abate some of your anxieties about practicing that board break. Good luck and be safe! The links are to Amazon products associated with Amazon affiliates. Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational and entertainment purposes only. All martial arts techniques and exercises should be supervised by a trained martial arts instructor in order to prevent injuries and to ensure the proper technique is utilized. The information on these pages and videos is meant only to reinforce and supplement the instruction given at your martial arts classes and for entertainment. To properly understand these techniques, you need to learn them from a martial arts instructor who can provide you with an in-depth explanation of the technique, help correct your mistakes, answer your questions and detail how the technique should be utilized. In addition, all martial arts techniques and training should be used safely and responsibly. Practicing board breaking in particular can lead to injury of the self or objects, and so should be practiced at your own risk.

As an athlete with a disability, I can say that taekwondo sparring is not something I'm able to do often, and I need to take extreme precautions when I do. I enjoy the action and the exhilirartion immensely, so it's certainly not the most ideal circumstance to be unable to participate. However, there is a bright side! If you didn't already see my last post, taekwondo has a future with the latest technology of virtual reality. New tech is coming out where people can compete in competitions using VR technology, and the potential for disability is endless. Here is why. If you haven't seen it already, there was a competition in 2024 in which a variety of taekwondo athletes in various weight categories, ages, and heights (among other factors) wore some of the latest VR technology and sparred (or perhaps "sparred", depending on how you see it). There were some significant differences. Instead of being in one ring for example, they were placed in two seperate rings, close together and their VR scene was displayed on a screen. There was a referee between them monitoring the match with a remote controller. The camera often switched between the VR game screen and watching the competitors spar with their gear on. Now, a focus on my title topic. Disability, taekwondo, and the future. For disabled athletes this could be revolutionizing. They could involve themselves in virtual reality events, where they are less likely to be injured, and it's easier to accommodate them for their disability. For example, if an athlete has a medical emergency while on the mat, it can be handled quickly, safely, and securely. No one needs to risk injury to handle a medical emergency, such as a heart attack, dislocated joint, or any other unanticipated but possible circumstance. This could be extremely helpful for disabled athletes, should the need arise during a competition, since their need for medical care may be greater than their peers. Other examples include making the event possible for athletes with physical disabilities. Let's say an athlete is, for some reason, not able to use their arms. Instead of having to only spar athletes who have the same or similar disability, this athlete could now safely spar another able-bodied athlete. There could be so many ways to accommodate this. For example, giving the disabled athlete some sort of modified feature in their tech, to compensate for some physical impairment. Another example of accommodation might be accessibility. It can sometimes be hard for an athlete (disabled or not) to get to an event because of a lack of transit options. No need to worry about transit issues if the event can be done remotely. With cameras in strategic locations, the proper technology for the event, and good coordination by the event organizers, this could solve so many issues with accessibility. No need for a plane ride when you can use VR tech, right? No need for a plane ride when you can use VR tech, right? Next is viewability. Whether it's intentional or not, it is hard for disabled athletes to get fans or viewers to their events, because few people are motivated to go, or even motivated to watch. The truth is that people simply aren’t interested in watching disabled matches. This is a pity, because I often find the matches very unique and interesting to watch. Unfortunately, with less viewers, there are less competitions. This in turn makes it harder for disabled athletes to become professional athletes. It is possible that this particular problem could go away with virtual technology. I can imagine disabled sparring competitions being more appealing to viewers when they can have unique changes to the game. Sure, it’s not ideal for disabled athletes (it would be better if athletes were treated with less pity, after all, they are athletes), though it is an incredible opportunity for change! There are so many opportunities for increasing accessibility to taekwondo competitions that were not possible before. I look forward to seeing these developments and their possibilities. The future is bright for disabled athletes!

Let me guess: You've changed taekwondo dojangs and you've discovered that, for better or for worse, the new school is teaching something different then you're old school. There are so many questions. Like, why is it different? Did I not learn what I was supposed to? Am I even learning taekwondo? These are all good questions. So let's take some time and learn from them, shall we? The answer in general is: It depends. In order to answer this question fully, there would need to be other questions asked. For the sake of this post, we're going to assume that the new school and the old school are under the same federation and teaching the same style of taekwondo (let's say, Jidokwan). Why are they different? That's one of the beauties of taekwondo, in my opinion. Because we have Poomse competitions and international criteria for black belt testings, we have federations that have standards and specific forms for schools to teach. This makes it fairly easy for students to change schools if they need to. As long as both schools are under the same federation, they will learn the same (or similar) forms. If there is a federation system, why is there a difference? Well, another reason there could be difference is age. I've trained with multiple instructors. Some are younger, having become a master in the 2010s and just started their school. Others became masters in the 90's. They still follow the modern version of taekwondo, it just won't follow what is written down for competitions. Still perfectly valid though. Or, in the case of one of the schools I volunteer at, the master started her school in the 1970s. Her style is very much older, and her school culture much more traditional. As a result, her version of taekwondo is distinctly different from what you see on the Olympics or even local competitions. She is still teaching taekwondo, it's just older. Does this mean the older version is worse, or less legitimate, than the newer version. Not necessarily. Having trained in schools that are traditional and schools that are more up to date, I think they both have their benefits. For example, the traditional school uses strategies that are out of fashion and often unexpected. People are often surprised when their opponent gets them with a more traditional kick, such as an in-to-out kick. The newer version though, is more familiar with what is in fashion and considered to be faster, more efficient, more precise. This is certainly helpful when competing in the most modern competitions. So yes, in summary you are learning taekwondo in both schools and the schools are different. The key here, in my experience, is to look for the benefits in each. I think it is a great tragedy to see one school of thought as better than the other. Much like with the difference in various martial arts, both have their strengths and weaknesses. The question is: What can you learn here?

In my last post I talked about some of the general values of instructors. Essentially, I explained what I believe a good instructor should practice. I realize, however, that I failed to mention an exact ethics code, instead choosing to focus on more broad topics, such as respect and conflict resolution. I also mention how the moral lessons taught by jnfivifual schools come from a number of different sources including community values (the US is very respect heavy), ethics philosophy, and Jung Shin. Wait, what is Jung Shin? Well, that’s what this post is about. Jung Shin is essentially the philosophy behind taekwondo. If you ever read books on taekwondo history, philosophy, or even forms you will find it mentioned. Some schools (such as mine) regularly recite it as part of class or as a part of a testing. The idea behind it is to teach students (particularly younger kids) the importance of respect, self-control, and honesty early and consistently. I've found over the years that it, combined with a healthy community, is very helpful in creating an environment for learning. Here is the list that I was taught and teach my students. Yae E - Courtesy Courtesy is one of the first things you learn in taekwondo training. Most schools introduce this by teaching students to bow to other people. Particularly their instructors and their fellow students. Some schools prefer that people address others as "sir," "ma'am," or their titles like "Master Smith" or "Ms. Jackson." Then there is also showing courtesy and respect by respecting others requests, and generally treating others well. I've often found Courtesy to be one of the more practical parts of Jung Shin that I use every day. Yom Chi - Integrity Who doesn't appreciate an honest person? Living in the modern world, it can sometimes be hard to determine when you are getting the full truth or when someone might fulfill their promise. It's not necessarily the individuals fault, or anyone's fault really, but it can be a bit disappointing when you feel lied to. That's why students are taught integrity. It's part of being a light in their community. Now, Integrity doesn't necessarily mean being brutally honest all the time. I find it applies more frequently to owning up to your faults, admitting your mistakes, and treating others kindly. Integrity isn't just about honesty. It's about self-respect, respect for others, and humility. In Nae - Perseverance Taekwondo training is hard! I've found that at good taekwondo schools the best students aren't perfect. In fact, the best students fail more frequently then most of their colleagues. The difference is that those students will pick themselves up and keep going. They won't do this once either. They will do this infinitely. They will persevere. Some people enter taekwondo to become black belts. That is not Perseverance. That is ambition. Those who persevere are the ones who are often in it to learn. See, with ambition one can give up if they decide that it is not worth the struggle or feel they are done. Those who want to learn, however, will try again and again and again until they are ready for the next step. Those students who express Perseverance are more often then not the ones who become black belts. Those who don't express perseverance might become black belts, sure. But I've found they never quite learn. Geuk Gi - Self Control If you've read my other articles, you know. Self-control is important to me. This is for many reasons, but not the least of which is because a trained martial artist can hurt someone. The truth is though, that fighting is not the right choice. I've also learned, both from personal experience and watching others, that self-control is healthy outside of fighting too. As an example, I like donuts. In American culture we are surrounded by an excess of food, Some of which are unhealthy, such as donuts. I could eat a whole box of glazed donuts (or chocolate, I don't mind!), Yum. However, I also know that it is unhealthy to do so. So what do I do? I eat one donut and then stop myself. I want to eat more donuts, but I know it's not good for me. So, I express the self-control to resist what I want, to instead choose what I need (which is good health). It's not necessarily easy, but that's the point. As the saying goes, if it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing. Baek Chul Bul Gool - Indomitable Spirit This one is a much less obvious and much more philosophical idea. I could go on forwever talking about what "an Indomitable Spirit" means in taekwondo. In fact I've both written and memorize essays on the idea. However, there is simply not enough time. So instead I will keep it simple. Indomitable Spirit is all of these things brought together with the intent of having a positive impact on the world around you. More frequent readers know that this is an important part of being a black belt. A person with indomitable spirit can take criticism and learn from it. They can take a struggle and grow from it. In essence, a person with Indomitable Spirit can keep going, growing, and does not give up. How about you? Do you think you have what it take to be a black belt? What does Jung Shin mean to you? Have a great day!