Taekwon-do - My journey

Last week I posted in my Scavenger Hunt Sunday that one of my Hobbies was the martial art Taekwon-do. A few people asked me to post about this "unusual" hobby, so here you are my friends ..


Firstly, a brief explanation of what Taekwon-do is. It is a Korean martial art, modern compared to other the martial arts such as Karate, Aikido, Kempo etc.  The founder of TKD was General Choi Hong Hi, who along with some colleagues put together the techniques, that we now know as Taekwon-do.
There are two styles of TKD- WTF ( World) which has been shown at the Olympic Games and ITF (International Taekwon-do) which is the traditional form of TKD. ITF is the style that I am involved in.

I started TKD after spending months and months watching my children training twice a week. After watching for some time, I decided that  I would give it a go. After all it had to be better than sitting around being bored, and I was over the gym and was ready to start something new.  I was  40 years old, and I have been involved for the past 18years. ( you can do the math) There have been many highs and lows, frustrations and I might add a few tears. But the one thing that keeps me going is that there is always something to learn. It took me four years to get from white belt to black belt, when I began I did not ever consider that I would get my Black Belt. It would be one of the biggest achievements I have done in my life, to go from white belt to Black Belt is something that not many students manage to complete. I have broken boards ( see pic above) , competed in tournaments, trained with International Masters.

In 2000, along with my daughter Samantha ( in pic here), and her partner Roland ( holding the board for me) we opened a club catering to children.  Of all the students that we have trained, the young man in the pic with Samantha has been
our pride and joy. Rory started with us as a very shy, little , thin young 7 year old. Rory was my first student that I took through to Black Belt, and along with three others graded to Black Belt in 2008.

It was at the end of 2008 that I made the decision to pass my club onto another instructor, a very tough thing to do, but I felt that I needed to get back to doing my own training again.
At present I am training at the club my husband runs here in Waiuku, I help out with the younger students, and am enjoying taking a bit of a back step. A good thing, because I wouldn't have the time to have my blog....
Last week I was asked for an explanation of the photo I posted..Below is the un-cropped photo.

This was taken at an International Instructors Course in 2008. In the photo from  left to right :
Master Clint Norman , me, Master Tratjenberg, Rory, Phil(my hubby) and Master Marano.

Perserverance would be the word that best describes my years of training. I am not the fastest, strongest, or most flexible of students, but I do my best at all times and hope that through my instructing I can help students to be the best that they can be...