Taekwondo, The Way Of Fist And Foot
Story by David Lucas.
Hello fellow readers. My name is David Lucas and this is my article on Friendship Collegiate’s Taekwondo club that started the year 2014 and ended 2015. The club ended because we did not have the money for equipment and we didn’t have that many members. I also want to give some history on the fighting style Taekwondo, what it stands for, and the purpose of Taekwondo. I will explain my experience in the Taekwondo club because I was a member myself. I hope that you enjoy this article and even think about joining a type of martial arts club in the future.
Taekwondo is one of the most systematic Korean traditional martial arts. It teaches its members more than just physical self-defense fighting skills. Taekwondo teaches its members discipline that shows ways of enhancing the human body and mind. Taekwondo is a great way to express yourself without the use of words and expressions. Martial arts is a way to relieve stress and nerves. It’s also a way to increase your health and fitness. Taekwondo is a global sport that has an international reputation, and is an official game in the Olympics.
The Friendship Collegiate Taekwondo Club History The Taekwondo Club of Friendship Collegiate was formed during the summer of the year 2014 with very few members. From what I can remember, there were originally only 6 members including myself. Then a total of 3 newcomers joined the club. That summer our instructor gave us more than just some fighting skills, he also gave us a new perspective on life itself.
Our Choden. Choden is a rank given to black belts. to show us discipline and guide us in the path of success. Everyday I looked forward to practice. He showed us many ways to control our emotions inside and outside of battle. For the moments that I spent with my instructor, I have felt at peace as if I had no worries in the world. When with our instructor we could be ourselves without caring about being judged by others. Being with our instructor was truly an experience to remember.
We had rules to follow as well:
No inappropriate language.
If you didn’t change on time than the club had to do 20 fingertip push-ups.
Always do your best no matter what.
When saying you can’t do something, add the word ‘’yet” at the end.
Try to be on time always.
Contribute to the club.
Encourage and help each other.
And do whats right always.
No sparing without being monitored.
The Five Tenets Of Taekwondo are:
Courtesy!
Integrity!
Perseverance!
Self Control!
And Indomitable Spirit, Sir!
Choden Lewis showed us how to overcome our fears by making us perform in front of everyone at that Washington Monument for a full week, every day in the morning. I can never forget that. Those days were embarrassing at first but after learning that people actually had an interest in watching us perform it didn’t feel so bad afterwards. People at the Washington Monument were actually clapping and cheering at our performance, and they even wanted to take pictures with us. It was a experience to remember indeed.
I would like to thank my instructor for taking me under his wing and teaching me the way of Taekwondo, and guiding me in the right path. Thank you Chouden Lewis. I hope to train under you again.
David Lucas is a senior at Friendship Collegiate Academy.