Taekwondo Training

5/22/10

Since my back was hurting and I couldn’t bend over, we took it easy. We focused on footwork and the forms. I am really having trouble with the high blocks and working them into the forms. I need to practice them much more.

Taekwondo Training

5/15/10

Today we worked on our footwork and forms. We are practicing all of the turns in the three forms that we need to know. I am mixing up my high blocks with my low blocks. I am going to have to work on the blocks and integrating them into the forms.

Taekwondo Training

4/24/10

Today we worked on the “Heaven the Earth” form. I should say that we worked on high blocks and side kicks. At the end of the class we sparred a bit. I must say that I was not really in the mood to spar for so many reasons; my finger was still jammed from last week, we didn’t have all the gear, I was sore from working out at the gym and I really wanted to work on my form more.

So, when we started, I executed a round kick, which was blocked by Master Sue. Well, it was blocked by her elbow to my shin. The pain promptly reminded me that I wasn’t wearing the same gear as last week. Last week I sustained very minor injuries; jammed finger and pretty good bruise on my thigh. Unfortunately, my day job is pretty physical and can be violent. Any injuries can be a safety risk, depending on the clients. I told her about my concerns and she just told me that I needed to have the safety gear. So, I am going to look into what gear exists and if I can get some that I can use for multiple martial arts.

Here is the lesson for Taekwondo: you need safety gear to spar. This martial art is also a sport. There are many competitions available to go and “play” with others. The good thing about this is that you get to use what you learned against another person and with another person. The competitions are a good place to really develop your fighting abilities. Sparring is the practice for this. You will learn how to read your opponent, how to react, how to plan your attacks and defenses. The bad thing about this is that there is always the risk of injuries. Of course, if you don’t learn how to defend yourself at all, you will have worse problems.

Training

For the Aikido portion of the day we worked on the same move we worked on in Wednesday’s class (4/14). We also did up and down exercises (getting up and down on the mat), rolling from a standing position and did wrist-stretching exercises. It sounds a bit strange to focus on stretching wrists, I know. At this point, much of what we do has a great deal to do with twisting the wrists, elbows and shoulders in a manner that forces some sort of submission. Making sure that these joints are properly stretched and limber is very, very important for safety. We want to practice the techniques, not injure each other.

The Taekwondo portion of the day was an introduction to sparring. Sparring is an endurance exercise. Not only are you using what you are learning in the class, you have to last the round. It is a lot of work to spar. When I was finished with my rounds, I was breathing heavy and sweaty. It was fun.

Training

4/10/10

Today was a bit unusual. The Aikido Sensei agreed to meet me on Saturdays to catch up my training for missing the Monday classes. I am at work during those classes, so it is impossible for me to attend. Luckily, Master Sue, my Taekwondo instructor, agreed to allow me to train on Saturdays at her dojang.

Now, that everyone is caught up, we can see where this is going… that’s right! Two and a half hours of martial arts on Saturdays. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it was going to be. Both classes were great. The interesting thing about training in both back to back was that I could really see some of the similarities in the footwork. I could also see the differences between the circularity of Aikido and the linear nature of Taekwondo. I can see where knowing both would be advantageous in a self-defense situation.

On a selfish note, the class consisted of me, Jade and three martial arts masters. This project is just awesome!

So, this puts my Taekwondo at 7 classes. The moves are starting to feel more natural, my balance is improving so, I am not stumbling as much when I perform kicks. The stance is still a bit strange and I constantly have to correct myself. I am starting to enjoy the forms. They really are a moving meditation.

Taekwondo Training

3/27/10

Class was great today! I didn’t cough at all, so I must be better.

We went over our forms, low block, high block, front kick and the self defense maneuver for the white belt level. She also talked a bit about the “philosophy” that we are to learn for the next belt. While we were reviewing our form, she pointed out that one reason to practice forms is to put all the moves together in a natural progression.

Taekwondo Training

3/6/10

We have not had class the past two weeks due to illness and other life events. Here we are missing class and wanting to learn more. So, what do we do with our time? We practice all the moves that we are not so sure about. I made sure to practice the form and the kicks. I know the more I practice the more balance I will get. I would like to get to the point where I don’t feel like I am going to fall over every time I learn a new kick.

At this point in my training, I still feel like the moves are pretty foreign. I am also having trouble wrapping my brain around the principle of pushing your attacker away from you. I want to get close and control my opponent, not push them away. Taekwondo works from the goal of getting your opponent away from you so that you can run away or something else. I am not sure, at this point, what that other thing is.

If you are the kind of person who is uncomfortable with the thought of touching your opponent, then Taekwondo will probably be a great choice.

3/13/10

This class was great! We worked on all the things we have learned so far. We also learned the round kick, a kick that I really like. This kick is going into my “favorite moves” file. I should make a page with my favorite moves… hmm.

Master Sue talked about the forms and I found out that I was doing one of the moves wrong. So, when I practice my form I have to remember to do one of the turns differently.

I just looked back through the Taekwondo entries and noticed that I have not really explained what forms are. Many of the martial arts have some kind of form. It is actually like a dance that you rehearse over and over again until you can demonstrate it to the instructor. There are many reasons to learn forms; discipline, improving muscle memory, improving follow through and lastly to bond with your martial art. I will be writing an article on this for the site and filming the forms that we are required to learn in our trainings. So, make sure to check the site and watch for these.

Taekwondo Training

2/27/10

No class this week. It wasn’t a bad thing since it gave me a chance to practice what I had learned last week.

A funny thing happened in class last week. She was showing us a sparring form. I kept getting too close to the other person and making it difficult to deliver that kick we were working on. When I got in close, I wanted to do a leg sweep, flip or hold on the other person and had to really think about the kicks that we were supposed to be practicing. I guess that this was my first “muddy moment.”

Many of the instructors that I have talked to asked if it was going to be difficult to learn so many forms in such a short time. While we are learning and practicing, it isn’t difficult to keep them separated. I guess when it comes time to spar, it might get a bit more muddy. It will be interesting to see how it develops.

Taekwondo Training

2/20/10

This week we learned the side kick and worked on a form. She also talked a little bit about the various stances in TKD (front stance, back stance and horse stance). She also introduced a sparring combination (angled step, front kick, front kick, punch, punch). There was a lot happening in the class today and I do not remember it all very well.

She invited another student to join the class, so we could not film much today. She was also trying to teach the other student (two belts above me) other things for her belt. It made the class a little confusing.

Taekwondo Training

1/23/10

It is a little strange taking martial arts classes again. The uniform feels strange and I am constantly adjusting it. I wore a tank top underneath the uniform; big mistake! I was pulling and adjusting and sweating. I won’t be making this mistake again.

In this class we learned the low block, straight punch, a specific method of stepping and the high block. The moves were totally unfamiliar and the ready stance was very uncomfortable and unnatural. I would not fight from this stance.

I have to practice this low block before the next class. I am horrible at it. It seems like a silly move.

1/30/10

Sue (the instructor) asked if we had learned the tenants (courage, integrity, perseverance, self control, indomitable spirit). Neither of us had learned them. I was so busy practicing the low block, I didn’t even think of them.

This uniform (dobok) is a little strange. It has long slits up the sides that hang open. Once you get moving in the class, it rides up and exposes your skin. I don’t happen to care about being exposed but, it does get a little uncomfortable.

So, we learned a front kick, and she got more into the punch. We also worked on the blocks, especially the one I am so terrible at. She also informed us that we are going to be learning a form, which incorporates all the moves she is teaching us. My homework for the week will be tenants and blocks.

2/6/10

We dove right into the beginning of the form that we must learn. She demonstrated it and then we worked on the various turns that are involved. This form is not as complicated as it can be. The moves are pretty repetitious. We also worked on the blocks and the front kick. She introduced the natural stance for sparring.