|
|
The martial arts mean many things to many people. To some it is considered a game, or a sport. To others it is a means of protecting oneself from the school bully. To a young man, or woman, an enjoyable way to reap the benefits of physical health. Then there are the students who solely enjoy the beauty and philosophy of their art. When I began Tae Kwon Do it was a cool method of jumping as high as you can and breaking boards while doing the splits. Yet now, with close to ten years of experience in Tae Kwon Do alone, I have realized it is a never-ending process in which you strive to perform every technique better than the last. The process of self-improvement starts when you can distinguish the difference between what you can and cannot do. The process of self improvement continues when you improve what you can do, and work on what you cannot. And last, the process of self-improvement ends when you realize what you can and cannot do, and are comfortable with that.
A true martial artist strives to better himself in the hopes of improving the atmosphere around him. The philosophy of Tae Kwon Do has always emphasized moral, spiritual, and physical growth. Through tenets a Tae Kwon Do practitioner improves himself by practicing courtesy, integrity, perseverance, and self-control. These four tenets, when properly shown in one's actions, will develop the fifth tenet, indomitable spirit. During your journey through martial arts, whether it is a week, or 50 years, you begin to realize the nature of everything around you. It is your decision as to whether you go against, or with the current. I hope your experience with martial arts will be as enjoyable, if not more, than my last ten years with Tae Kwon Do.
Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art that can be dated back as early as 50 B.C. Tae Kwon Do is translated as " the art of kicking and punching ". There are many forms of Tae Kwon Do. Tae Kyon, Hwarang Do, Moo Duk Kwan to name a few, are all Korean styles of martial arts. Tae Kwon Do is known for it's powerful kicking techniques that require great balance and flexibility to execute. Aerial kicks are also a feature of Tae Kwon Do that is not usually found in most other martial arts. From a spectators point of view Tae Kwon Do can seem overwhelming from the spinning and quick high kicks that are thrown during demonstrations and competition. With more than 30 million practitioners in 163 different countries, Tae Kwon Do has earned the title as the most practiced martial art in the world. Along with Judo, Tae Kwon Do is also a national event that is held in the summer Olympics.
Basics are essential in everything we do. In school we learn the alphabet in order to read. We learn to read so we can increase communication between parents and children, teachers and students. When we are babies we learn to crawl so we can walk. After a good basis of walking in established we learn to run and skip so we can play in the yard. These are two examples that demonstrate the need for basics. Strong basics, like balance and strength, build strong abilities, like tight rope walking and board breaking. Learning Tae Kwon Do is no different than learning the multiplication tables in math. The more familiar and comfortable you are with the basics, the better you will be with more advanced situations. When practicing basics in class or at home you must ask yourself " If I build a house to last one hundred years or more, do I build it upon mud and clay, or do I build it upon brick and stone? "
The basic techniques in Tae Kwon Do include stances, blocking, striking, kicking, and tenets. All of these should be improved continuously during your pursuit to become a martial artist. Becoming a black belt should be symbolic of the goal for perfection in the martial art's basic techniques.