TAEKWONDO star Sophie Dickson continues to impress after yet another victory on the international stage.
The 14-year-old from Norris Green earned a stunning win at the UTA International Championships in London – a further step on the road to stardom in a sport in which she is fast becoming a dominant force.
Sophie, a member of the the Lightning Taekwondo club based in Bootle, dreams of competing for Britain at the 2012 London Olympics and Dave Wishman, her coach at Lightning, hopes she can get there.
“It was an impressive display of tactics and aggressive techniques,” he said, “and many coaches from the other teams commented on her performance and how they hope to see her in the new year.
“She has such a mature attitude for one so young.”
Shirley Dickson, team manager at Lightning Taekwondo and also Sophie’s mum, said: “She is doing exceptionally well at the moment, but we really hope that some sponsors will come forward to help her develop even more.”
Sophie, who last year was named as a ‘Sportsperson of the Month’ by sports drink manufacturer Taut, started out in taekwondo nine years ago when she saw an advert at her local sports centre, and hasn’t looked back.
“Taekwondo is her life,” said Shirley. “She puts her heart and soul into it.
“The Olympics are definitely in her sights and it’s what she wants to achieve.”
For more information on Lightning Taekwondo, and to find out how to sponsor Sophie, visit: www.lightningtkd.co.uk
SUPER SOPHIE
CM NWFP honours medal winners of 3rd Provincial Games
PESHAWAR, Dec. 23 (APP): NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti Tuesday honored medal winners of the 3rd Provincial Games by giving them cash incentives worth Rs.1 millions to more than 128 female and male players here at a local hotel.
NWFP Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar, Chairperson standing committee on Sports Sugufta Malik, Minister for Women Development Sitara Ayaz, Minister for Health Syed Zahir Ali Shah, Minister for Sports Syed Aqil Shah, Secretary NWFP Olympic Association Zulfiqar Butt, office-bearers of the associations and players were also present.
In his speech the NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti said that today is historical day as the players have been given cash incentives for the first time in the history of NWFP.
“Today is a memorial day for all of you and I assured that the government would continue its support to youth by providing all facilities and every good performance at provincial, national and international levels would be recognized with zeal and spirit,”
Hoti added.
“I salute you all as you are portraying the true image of the province both at national and international levels,” he while referring to the players remarked. “You are true ambassador of the province,” he said. “With your support and the support of the NWFP government to players would definitely work against those portraying negative image of the province internationally. “Neither we are terrorists nor supporting terrorism as we believe in peace,” Hoti added.
The world should come and see performance of our players at national and international levels. “It is a very minor step taken by the govt. as we want to continue our support to encourage the youth in all fields of life for prosperous Pakistan,” he said.
The elements involved in sabotaging the peace of the province in particular and in country in general are less in numbers and strength. The government has taken concrete steps not to let them succeed in their nefarious desires, he maintained.
In his welcome address Syed Aqil Shah thanked the Chief Minister for announcing cash incentives to the players who performed well in the games. A total of Rs. 1 million was distributed in the players with Rs. 5000 for gold medal winner, Rs. 3000 for silver medal winners and Rs. 2000 for bronze medalist.
NWFP grabbed 23 gold, 53 silver and 52 bronze medals by securing 2196 points and declared overall second in the Games behind Punjab. NWFP won gold medals in hockey, football, volleyball, Badminton (female), Cycling (female), weightlifting, karate, swimming, judo (female) taekwondo and wrestling. Taekwondo Association was also added best performance trophy of grabbing four gold medals.
The Chief Minister also gave shield to the organizing committee, technical officials, media and Enhancer Communication, the official media marketing. At the end, Aqil Shah presented a shield to the Chief Minister.
I Want Taekwondo as a Permanent Olympic Event
Taekwondo has 188 member nations, making it a sport befitting the Olympic spirit.
Former taekwondo Olympic gold medalist Moon Dae-sung told this to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge at a meeting of the Athletes�Commission in Lausanne, Switzerland, held Dec. 8-10.
Moon is the first Asian to be named to the commission, and is lobbying to have taekwondo made a permanent Olympic sport.
In a news conference at Seoul뭩 Olympic Parktel yesterday, Moon announced his plan to globalize taekwondo. "I just began my first step as an IOC AthletesCommission member. I strive to learn more. I want to help Korean sports to be loved by the world,"he said.
Moon won the Olympic gold in taekwondo뭩 heavyweight division in the 2004 Athens Games by knocking out Greece`s Alexandros Nikolaidis with a jump spinning hook kick.
The Korean plans to hold an international forum on taekwondo in August, and will visit underdeveloped nations once or twice a month to spread the martial art and lend a helping hand to them.
"The World Taekwondo Federation has changed its grading system and reduced the scale of the ring,"he said. "I think these changes are good. I will talk to officials from the World Taekwondo Federation, Korea Taekwondo Association and the Kukkiwon (federation headquarters) soon to develop taekwondo into a more dynamic sport."
Moon said he will improve Korean sports diplomacy, nurture talented athletes, and boost the popularity of the Youth Olympics over his eight-year term as commission member.
At an inspection conducted by the National Assembly in October, rumors flew that he had the support of a government ministry in his election to the Athletes Commission.
To this, Moon said, "I broke no rules that members of the IOC Athletes Commission must follow. I was elected to the commission because I talked with athletes 15 hours per day during the Olympic Games."
Against an Armed Attack
by Sang H. Kim
The following article is based on the principles and techniques taught in the Armed and Dangerous Knife Defense video series. It is intended to give a brief overview of the central tenet of knife combat for the experienced martial artist.
Much has been written aout the effectiveness of one system or another in a realistic or "street" situation. Many styles claim to be scientifically designed or to have secret techniques to defeat even the toughest of opponents, including armed assailants. Yet when it comes to an assailant armed with a knife, you don't need to learn a lot of fancy, secret techniques, you only need to remember four simple options. In an armed confrontation, basic is best and the most direct techniques are the ones that will give you the opportunity to walk away when it's over.
Four Choices, One Result
When faced with a weapon, you have four choices: retreat, lateral inside close, lateral outside close or pass by. Each of these initial movements allows you to shorten the distance between you and your opponent. Once you get close, you can apply the defense of your choice. If you prefer kicking, you can use a kick. If you prefer locking, you can apply a lock. If you prefer grappling, you can take your opponent to the ground. But to use any of these skills, you first have to get close to your attacker.
Retreat: Cowardice or Foresight
To retreat is generally seen by the opponent as a sign of cowardice. You are too afraid to fight or you are unable to match your opponent's strength, so you step back to avoid being drawn into a confrontation. However, the retreat can be a smart intial move since it gives you a chance to meaure your attacker's seriousness and prepare a strategy. And there is always the chance that when you signal a retreat, your attacker will back off enough to let you escape. This is, of course, the safest and most intelligent way to defeat an armed attacker. It is also the least likely outcome.
The other option is to retreat a step or two to give yourself time to collect your thoughts and ensure you are in the safest possible position to defend yourself. You can use a retreat to gain better footing, adjust your stance or height to your opponent or manuever for the best position in a confined space. You also can use a retreat to take control of the timing and distance of the confrontation. When you begin to retreat, your attacker is forced to react to you. Now you are in control, at least for the moment, of how fast the situation is moving. You can find the distance most comfortable for you and prepare to retaliate when you are ready.While retreating, you should be observing your opponent's position. Is he holding the weapon in his right or left hand? Is he bigger or smaller than you? Does he appear to have any obvious weaknesses? Is he quick or slow? Is there anything behind him or out of his line of view that you can use to your advantage? Does he see your retreat as a sign of weakness or does it make him nervous? There are many signals, both overt and subconscious, that your attacker will give off. By being observant, you can prepare your next move.
Disadvantages of the Retreat
While a retreat is the most sensible option available, it has disadvantages that make it a poor choice in some situations. Obviously, it is not an option in a confined space. And while you gain a physical advantage by retreating, you lose a major psychological advantage. The minute you step back, the psychological upper hand goes to your opponent. He will see you as weak, uncertain, inexperienced and perhaps unskilled. Although you may have a plan of attack all thought out, he sees only your retreat and gains courage from it. If you do have a plan, you can regain the advantage by using it when he thinks you are about to give in. If you do not have a plan, your fear will only be magnified by retreating.
Lateral Closes
The lateral close is the most commonly taught method of defending against a thrusting, lunging or cutting attack. There are two methods of using the lateral close. The first is to side step your opponent's forward movement. When the opponent attacks, you step either to the right or left of the attack while maintaining your ground. The result is that you end up very close to your opponent on the right or left side of his body.
The second method for lateral closing is to move diagonally toward your opponent. Before your opponent moves forward to attack you, you make a preemptory strike by stepping out to the side and toward him. The result is that you move into your attacker's space and end up very close to the left or right side of his body. Both methods allow you to effectively close the distance while avoiding the attacker's weapon.
And the key to defending against any weapon is to effectively and quickly get close to the assailant. The weapon weilding attacker's biggest asset is space. By holding a weapon, he extends his range of attack by several feet and thereby shortens your range. Once you pass by the outer reaches of his range, the place where he is holding the weapon, you blunt his options for attack and take away his advantage. When you get very close, you force him to resort to grabbing you or blocking your attack, distracting his attention from his weapon and lessening his advantage still further.
The Deadly Pass
The final technqiue for closing the distance against a weapon is one that you won't see taught often. It is the most dangerous, both to the attacker and the defender, and it is recommended only for experienced practitioners. The pass is dangerous even in practice and should only be practiced by martial artists who are skilled in falling and do not have any preexisting back or neck injuires. Always practice on a soft surface and never at full speed.
With these cautions in mind, have your partner face you as before and move forward with a right handed attack. Step out to the left, as if performing an outside close, but take two steps by your partner so that you are behind him. You have now "passed" your partner and have several options. You may grab his hair, head or shoulders and pull him backwards. You may apply a choke or lock from behind. You may kick his spine, tailbone, or knee to knock him forward. Or you may strike the back of his head. To be effective, the pass and follow-up technique should be performed as a single move. In an instant, you have to move by your attacker and apply a single deadly attack before he realizes where you are.
The result of a correctly performed pass is that your attacker never sees it coming and is literally blindsided by your attack. If you choose to pull the attacker backward, he will certainly hit his head to the ground, knocking him unconcsious if the ground is hard. If you push him forward, he will likely hit his face on the ground, causing the same result. If you choose to strike him from behind, he will suffer a full force blow with no warning or defense, a potentially lethal strike for even the biggest opponent.
The pass is not recommended for beginners. You run the risk of becoming disoriented or losing your footing when you move so quickly and with such force. You also risk being tripped by yourself or your assailant as you pass by. And finally, you run the risk of not being fast enough to complete the pass and not getting a grip on your opponent to control his weapon either. For these reasons, the pass is taught only at the highest levels of weapons defense and should be applied with great care.
Choosing your Method
Which method you choose to close the distance depends on your skill level and experience. For beginners, practicing the outside close is safest. When you are comfortable with your speed and timing and can finish your partner easily from the outside close, practice the inside close. If you are very experienced and have an experienced partner, you can also experiment with the pass.
Whichever method you choose, there are a few common principles:
1. Stay as close to your opponent as possible after you close.
2. Focus on taking control of the knife first.
3. Grabbing the knife wielding hand is always preferable to parrying/blocking.
4. Cut off your attacker's view of the knife.
5. Close the distance quickly and smoothly.
6. Never take unnecessary chances or use complicated techniques.
7. Detach yourself from the fear you feel when faced with a weapon.
8. Stay alert but unemotional.
9. Keep a natural demeanor and deceive your opponent.
10. Move suddenly and without warning.
Finishing Techniques
In the above examples, we briefly touched on technqiues used for finshing after you close the distance. Although the methods for closing the distance are only three, the potential number of finishing technqiues are as vast as the arts we practice. Once you get close to your opponent, you can use your strongest skills, whether they are striking, kicking, throwing, locking or grappling. There are no secret weapons or scientific pricniples. There is only the simple truth that once you take away your opponent's advantage, you are free to use whatever you are best at.
The Art of Harmony Part 5
by Sang H. Kim
In perfect stillness is perfect action;
In absolute action is hidden stillness.
Action is a visible labor; stillness invisible.
Action is effect; stillness cause.
Action travels; stillness stays in time.
Action is a deed; stillness a reference point.
Action creates meaning; stillness reason.
Action discovers; stillness reveals.
Action justifies; stillness unravels.
Action uncovers weakness; stillness virtue.
Action is journey; stillness origin.
Stillness is the sand; action the footprints.
Stillness is eternal; action finite.
Stillness frees; action limits.
Stillness bears time; action devours.
Stillness keeps us wondering; action keeps us busy.
Action stirs; stillness does the work.
The Art of Harmony Part 4
by Sang H. Kim
An enemy is one who is committed to destroying you,
Who looks for any potential opening to get in,
Who hits you first from behind then from the front.
The best way to know the opponent:
Meet him head on,
Confirm his strength,
Exploit his weakness,
Topple him in surprise.
He is you.
The Art of Harmony Part 3
Time does not fly.
It drops into the abyss.
Time is timeless. There was not a time when there was not a time.
Time may belong to eternity, but it is a sub-concept to eternity. Eternity is the measurement of permanence whereas time is the measurement of movement. Thus we separate time into three tenses: past, present and future. It is not, however, totally logical to regard time as a thing that can be split into three segments because the division immediately destroys the understanding of time and can generate false images of time in us.
Time is like a circle that begins at one point and ends at the same point; the beginning is the end and the end is the beginning. It is constantly bearing forth a new beginning. When “now” ends here right now, a new “now” starts immediately. A beginning, in that sense, is an ending itself which is the beginning of a new beginning. If this is the case, time does not move. It is always right here.
The past and the future are only present at present. You are the maker of time and the slayer of time.The Art of Harmony Part 2
Who are you?
What are you here for?
Who is your teacher?
What do you want?
What makes you who you are?
How can you be sure who you are?
Are you really the way you are?
Are you real?
What are you?
What do you have to do to be yourself?
What do you believe?
What is your hope?
What do you fear?
Whom do you know?
Are they strangers?
If not, who are they?
Who are you when you are with them?
Who are you now?
Are you insider or outsider?
Where are you from?
Are you happy?
Who taught you that?
Who you are is how you are is what you are is where you are from.
The Art of Harmony Part 1
The Art of Harmony
The Brush
Birch and pine,
Birds and sky,
Short and long twigs,
Strong and soft winds,
Straight and twisted rivers,
Are perfect neighbors.
They are the strokes of life.
Without them, we are a stranger
On a lone desert
Painting an empty canvas.
No stroke, no sky.
When I was a teenager, my father used to pile up junk in the backyard. They were tons of copper wires, giant wooden wheels, a house- sized pile of electric poles, and strange looking giant plastic dishes. I asked him what they were for and he replied that they were left over from his work. I wanted a place to play, so I asked him to clean them up, but he told me to wait. So I waited more than ten years.
In the 1960s, there was serious economic and political turmoil in Korea. We didn’t have fuel in the winter to heat our house. When his five boys were sleepless in the cold, my father went out with an ax in the middle of the night and chopped the electric poles to make a fire.
Then, one day my father got in a serious motorcycle accident. My mother didn’t have money, so she sold some of the copper wire. There was a great boom in heavy industry in the country so we got more than enough money to pay my father’s hospital bills. Later on, the strange looking plastic dishes were exchanged for college tuition for my brothers and I. The five of us are pretty well educated thanks to the dishes.
Now, my father has passed away, leaving the junk in the deepest corner of my memories. I dearly cherish that junk along with memories of my disciplinarian father who created treasure out of junk for his sons. Until they were gone, I never realized their value.
The Philosophy of Taekwondo
Taekwondo comes from Korea and is inspired by the ideals and deeds of famous military and civil leaders. It should never, under any circumstances be used for any commercial or political purpose. Taekwondo’s main aim is to eliminate fighting and to create a more unified and peaceful world. It opposes the oppression of the weak by the strong and seeks to increase humanity, justice, morality, wisdom and faith. The following are guidelines by which all serious students are encouraged to live: 1) be willing to go where the road is rocky and to do things that you know are going to be worth it even though you know that they are also going to be hard 2) be compassionate to those experiencing hard times and be strong to the strong 3) be content materially but always strive to do better skills wise 4) Always finish what you start 5) Be willing to teach anyone who wants to learn 6) Never yield to repression or threat if your cause is noble 7) Teach attitude and skill by actions rather than words 8) Always be yourself regardless of circumstances 9) Teach with your body when you are young, with words when you are old and by moral precept after you are dead. (From The Korean Art of Self Defence)
Before you can call yourself a teacher and hope to help create a unified and peaceful world, you have to find yourself, spiritually and morally and gain the respect of your fellows. You can do this the constant practice of mental discipline. Confucius said “To promote the sense of morality one must treat others with faithfulness and sincerity based on righteousness, and to eliminate completely vicious thinking.” Taekwondo places a great deal of emphasis on moral culture as it promotes a healthy body and a keen mind as well as good sportsmanship and the perfection of moral behaviour.
Virtue is endorsed at all times. Virtue is deemed to consist of these 5 qualities, which must be constantly practiced: 1) humanity – as defined by Confucius: to love people, especially one’s parents, don’t ask others to do something that you wouldn’t do, behave with propriety and self-control, to do what is right regardless of how small it may be in relation to how much effort it may cost, to value the honour of others’ before your own, to value the freedom of others’ before your own. 2) Righteousness – to be able to feel ashamed of unjust acts and to do your duty to others. 3) Propriety – describes a proper code of conduct i.e. in a situation where two men are starving a courteous man would offer the other a piece of bread out of respect and good manners. Confucius said that propriety was necessary for the proper development of personality and that to lack sincerity was to lose respect as a gentleman. 4) Wisdom – To able to judge right from wrong most especially in matters regarding yourself. To do what is right no matter how small it may seem. To never do what is wrong, no matter how small it may seem. 5) Trust – to be able to keep your promises to everyone and not only to the one’s you love. Trust forms the basis on which your principles are built and without it you become merely a liar and a cheater.
Man is given several tenets that will help him to discover his nature and then, ideally, improve upon it. We shall only look at a few. Be humble, one of Lao-Tzu’s teachings is that lofty virtue is like a deep valley that collects all streams of water; likewise a virtuous man will attract the respect of others while one who is selfish and egotistic will lose respect and become isolated. Respect of elders is vital in order to build a nation’s cultural and social order, without respect it could risk plunging into chaos. Respect the rights of others is a basic tenet that rings true for societies all around the world, without it we also risk chaos and anarchy. Be frugal, leaders must learn to be frugal and live moderately, which is a lesson all world leaders should learn. An adage I just learnt goes, “if the water is muddy upstream so it will be downstream.” Be discreet, do not be impulsive or reckless, and rather be patient and thoughtful in the things that you do and the decisions that you make. An old proverb says, “He who acts without thinking at least three times, will later regret his action.” Develop peace of mind, in Taekwondo that means that we do so in an active way by reflecting on past mistakes in the silence and privacy of our minds and try to continuously improve ourselves. This active, silent thought process is called “Jung-Joong-Dong”. Be firm of mind. To have strong convictions is to be unsuspicious and unafraid, it is to have the moral strength to admit when you are wrong and to have the courage to stand up to great opposition if you believe that you are right. Strong conviction comes from the broad and deep “Ki” spirit, which is an active form of energy that fills every cell and organ. If “Ki” is nurtured and allowed to grow based on humanity and justice it can enable man to reach new heights of achievement. It also allows us to keep our minds clear and alert when we are strained or confused or are battling to sleep during troubled times.
Taekwondo is in essence about developing moral character and preparing you mentally and spiritually to be the best possible example of human nature for your fellow humans in the hopes that they will learn from your actions. It is about seeking perfection in yourself and accepting flaws in others, which is a very hard thing to ask of anyone. It demands constant discipline and vigil, all in the name of peace and a better world. Is it all worth it? Well you could probably break someone’s neck with one sidekick and a punch to the chest could drive their ribs into their heart, which is instantly fatal. Walking around with that knowledge tucked away in your head must be pretty comforting, and you know its got to help for those situations when you have to face a tyrant and stand up for what you believe in or what you believe is right.
By Sandy Cosser
www.amazines.com
Significance of belts in Taekwondo
Ranking systems in Taekwondo are as numerous and varied as the organisations that oversee it. Traditional belt structure is used as a guideline for organisations to decide whether or not they want to use more gups than the normal nine, or fewer. They use different coloured belts, and some use stripes to distinguish between ranks of the same colour. The term “Gup” or “Geup” means “degree”. According to the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) there are 10 Gups, working backwards from 10 to 1, starting with a white belt and ending with a red-black belt. The term “Dan” means, “Phase”. There are 9 Dans, starting with the first and ending with the ninth, all represented by a black belt.
Songahm Taekwondo uses belts to reflect the level of competence and inner journey of each member. To advance to another belt colour is seen as an achievement worthy of great respect. Moving forward in rank isn’t simply a matter of time spent practicing. It requires a demonstration in proficiency regarding the current belt’s techniques, which include basic moves, sparring and forms.
The white belt represents purity and, as new students have no knowledge of Taekwondo, it also represents a clean slate. The Songahm Organisation uses the following idiom to explain the white belt, “As with the pine tree, the seed must now be planted and nourished to develop strong roots.” According to the Korean Martial Arts Academy (KMAA) the white belt is on the 9th Gup.
The Orange belt, 8th Gup, shows the development and growth of the student’s mind in much the same way as the seasons change in autumn. At least that is the interpretation of the KMAA. The Songahm view the orange belt as the rising of the sun, a metaphor describing how the student appreciates the beauty before him, but doesn’t fully recognise the power.
The KMAA view the yellow belt, 7th Gup, as signifying the earth; a foundation of Taekwondo basics on which more advanced knowledge can grow. They use the analogy of a seed expanding its roots into the earth as it begins to grow. The Songahm have a similar outlook, as they view the yellow belt as a “seed beginning to see the sunlight”. Students gain an understanding of the basic concepts of Taekwondo and are ready to build on that knowledge.
The Songahm have a Camouflage belt, which the KMAA don't have. This belt means that the student has now realised his or her place in the largest martial art in the world and must prepare him or herself to advance in rank.
The Green belt is common to both organisations and is considered to be the 6th Gup. Green traditionally represents growth and has the same meaning in Taekwondo, as the student develops and grows in strength.
According to the KMAA the 5th Gup, or Purple belt represents the changing sky at dawn. The student experiences new changes as he or she prepares to make the transition from an Intermediate student to Advanced. The Songahm, however, view the Purple belt as a mountain that must be overcome. As the student advances, and the techniques, forms and sparring become more technical, the ensuing difficulties must be overcome.
The Blue belt, 4th Gup, has similar connotations for both organisations. Blue encourages students to reach for the sky and press onward towards the ultimate destination in Taekwondo: the coveted Black belt.
It is at this point that the two organisations diverge and follow separate paths. For the KMAA the next step is the 3rd Gup, which is the Red belt. Red means danger and serves as a warning to students to balance their skills with wisdom and control. Songahm has a Brown belt that shows the student has mastered the basics and is well settled in the rhythm and culture of Taekwondo.
The organisations alternate the colours, with KMAA moving onto a Brown belt and Songahm onto a Red one. The KMAA Brown belt is the 2nd Gup and demonstrates that the student’s techniques are maturing and becoming more advanced. The Songahm Red belt represents the setting sun and means that the first phase of growth is coming to an end. They believe that while physical skill has been achieved, the student must still master physical and mental discipline.
The next belts are similar to both organisations again as they both represent the dawning of a new day with Red/Black belts, 1st Dan. The student’s new phase in training concentrates on the skills, mental and physical, that he or she will need as a black belt.
The Black belt incorporates the 1st to the 4th Dans. It signifies maturity and dignity and means that the basic curriculum has been covered and the student is ready to learn the true art of Taekwondo.
As we can see, there is more to the ranking system in Taekwondo than merely aiming for coloured belts. There is a certain level of spirituality that accompanies each stage of advancement. Taekwondo professes to be a peaceful and holistic martial art; it’s not simply a wham, bam, knock the spit out of you because I can sport. It teaches unity, generosity and respect of all living things. Students need to be able to prove their worthiness in these aspects in addition to their physical skills, before they can claim to be worthy of the belts they wear.
By Sandy Cosser
www.amazines.com
Taekwondo for spiritual and moral upliftment
Taekwondo is practiced for as many reasons as there are people doing it. Some people are interested in only the self-defence aspect, while others like the physical challenges the moves present. Whatever the reasons for taking up Taekwondo, people find that the benefits exceed their initial expectations. All it takes, according to Taekwondoworld.net, is a one-hour session twice a week, for you to experience an improvement in all areas of your life.
Along with the physical health benefits, practitioners experience a renewed respect for life. Consideration for others is one of the core facets of Taekwondo. As those practicing the art grow and increase their awareness of self, they learn that they can impact positively on the lives of others by changing their attitudes and perceptions. They learn that while they can’t control other people or world events, through selflessness and generosity, they may be able to subtly effect positive changes in the world around them.
The demand placed on practitioners, by the art itself as well as by their instructors, increases self-discipline. In the real world this translates into a higher work ethic and acknowledgement of responsibilities. There is a greater sense of accountability, and the realisation of martial arts goals motivates people to set more goals in their work and professional lives. As more is achieved, the desire to achieve grows. This initiates a healthy cycle of ambition and reward.
The primary purpose of Taekwondo is to enable the strong to defend the weak. It’s expected that they will stand against oppression and prejudice and lead by example with a keen sense of justice and appreciation for the gift of life. In this way, practitioners contribute to creating a peaceful and meaningful existence for all.
While those who take part in Taekwondo are encouraged to improve all the time and strive for perfection, they also realise that perfection is impossible to attain. This results in a reduction in stress levels as they learn to appreciate the journey of life and shift their focus away from completing the journey as quickly as they can. The increased recognition of beauty and wonder has a significant impact on mood and temperament and can even be used to successfully combat depression.
Mental power receives a boost because learning new moves, techniques, and routines increases the rate of neuron firing and encourages neural growth in the brain. The benefits of this are felt well into old age. Practitioners retain their mental perspicacity and flexible thinking long after their peers have lost theirs.
The essence of Taekwondo philosophy, and the ultimate spiritual goal of all practitioners can probably best be summed up by Confucius, who said, “to promote the sense of morality one must treat others with faithfulness and sincerity based on righteousness, and to eliminate completely vicious thinking”.
By Sandy Cosser
www.amazines.com
