Can a martial arts school really teach qualities such as Honesty, Integrity and Gratitude? Does our school really make a difference in lives other than the physical attainment of self defense skills?
Let me tell you a short, personal (and true) story, about something that happened to me this weekend. As I was leaving the school on Saturday, I was taking my stuff out of my cubbie and cramming it into my pockets. However, I obviously missed something-- later that night, I reached into my pocket to pay for something, and my money clip was missing. After a quick panic attack, I realized what must have happened-- and counted that money as a loss. That money was probably right now buying ice cream at Liks or coffee at Starbucks!
Sunday morning, I went back over to the school "just to check." Sure enough, my cubbie was empty. Just for "grins" I checked Gloria's desk. THERE WAS MY MONEY CLIP and cash! Someone had obviously turned it in. Now, while this wasn't a huge sum of money, it was enough to tempt the honesty of anyone-- about $50. I was certain that someone would be "stimulating the economy" with my greenbacks!
Upon reflection, I really should not be surprised by this incident. Part of our daily routine is reciting an oath that states we will live with integrity, respect and honor. Our "word for the cycle" is Gratitude. Almost every class has a moral lesson involved with the instruction. Why would I doubt that our students would not live up to the level of integrity?
This event shows me, again, how important what we teach is. Taekwondo is more than fancy kicks and powerful punches. It is more than being able to defend yourself against the bad guys of the world. It is more than belts and forms and boards.
It is about challenging yourself physically and mentally to be the best person you can be. It is about learning to respect others. It is about traveling a path filled with Honestly, Integrity, and Gratitude!
Good luck in your Journey!
Mr. Bailey
4th Degree Black Belt
Monday, March 9, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Penetration in your form
How do you show penetration in your form? Slow down. Most students are too concerned with speeding through the form and the memorization piece. Slow down and execute the moves with power as if there was a board or an opponent in front of you and you are striking through the target. This should automatically help you achieve better penetration. Every single move should have the same level of penetration. If your uniform pops, you achieved the penetration. If not, keep practicing until you get it.
Stan Shields
Chief Instructor
4th Degree Black Belt
Stan Shields
Chief Instructor
4th Degree Black Belt
Saturday, January 3, 2009
When do you stop being a White Belt?
I was thinking about a short story I had read, Eleven by Sandra Cisneros. It is a story about a ten year old girl as she approaches her 11th birthday. The story explores the feelings of moving on and growing up. At one point the character comes to the realization that she is not ready to be eleven yet-- she just figured out how to be ten. She surmised that even though she was turning eleven, she really won't be eleven until she is ready to turn twelve.
As is usually the case, as I read, I am usually looking for applications in Taekwondo, school and life. This one really hit me in the TKD department!
Too often as we train, we focus on the promotion ahead of us-- moving from Yellow to Camo or Brown to Red. We rush through promotions and belts as fast as we can to get to Black Belt. In doing so, we forget to explore what it really means to be at each step of the journey. Thus, we treat each belt like we are cramming for a test-- learning just what we need to to pass the test (and usually forget it just as fast!) If you are a high rank, you know this is true as you struggle to re-learn the previous material to qualify for testing.
I need to tell you that if this is where you are, you are focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on the journey, you are only looking at the goal of being a Black Belt. Obviously, having goals are extremely important and focusing on those goals helps you reach them. But-- the journey is equally important. What you learn on the journey is what gives you the experience you need to move to the next level.
So, when do you stop being a White Belt? NEVER! White is always part of every belt you achieve as you progress from White to your Mastership. Many of you have heard me say that you truly don't understand Songhm 1 until you are a Black Belt- yes you obviously know the moves long before that, but do you really UNDERSTAND the form?
Along the same thought, once you promote to a new belt, say Green Belt, you really aren't a Green Belt until you promote to Purple. You become that belt once you've mastered the material that leads up to that belt.
Why all the esoteric thinking? In the last testing, I saw way too many students looking only at the current material rather than at all that they had learned in their previous ranks. They forgot the basics of stances, kicks, punches, balance and focus. They forgot previous material. They forgot that a Black Belt is Black because it is the combination of the colors of all the other belts. They forgot that the Songhm Star is made up of 9 color belt forms and 9 black belt forms-- not a single form.
So, in your training over the next cycle, think about not only where you are going but also where you came from.
Good luck in your journey!
Mr. Bailey
4th degree Black Belt
As is usually the case, as I read, I am usually looking for applications in Taekwondo, school and life. This one really hit me in the TKD department!
Too often as we train, we focus on the promotion ahead of us-- moving from Yellow to Camo or Brown to Red. We rush through promotions and belts as fast as we can to get to Black Belt. In doing so, we forget to explore what it really means to be at each step of the journey. Thus, we treat each belt like we are cramming for a test-- learning just what we need to to pass the test (and usually forget it just as fast!) If you are a high rank, you know this is true as you struggle to re-learn the previous material to qualify for testing.
I need to tell you that if this is where you are, you are focusing on the wrong thing. Instead of focusing on the journey, you are only looking at the goal of being a Black Belt. Obviously, having goals are extremely important and focusing on those goals helps you reach them. But-- the journey is equally important. What you learn on the journey is what gives you the experience you need to move to the next level.
So, when do you stop being a White Belt? NEVER! White is always part of every belt you achieve as you progress from White to your Mastership. Many of you have heard me say that you truly don't understand Songhm 1 until you are a Black Belt- yes you obviously know the moves long before that, but do you really UNDERSTAND the form?
Along the same thought, once you promote to a new belt, say Green Belt, you really aren't a Green Belt until you promote to Purple. You become that belt once you've mastered the material that leads up to that belt.
Why all the esoteric thinking? In the last testing, I saw way too many students looking only at the current material rather than at all that they had learned in their previous ranks. They forgot the basics of stances, kicks, punches, balance and focus. They forgot previous material. They forgot that a Black Belt is Black because it is the combination of the colors of all the other belts. They forgot that the Songhm Star is made up of 9 color belt forms and 9 black belt forms-- not a single form.
So, in your training over the next cycle, think about not only where you are going but also where you came from.
Good luck in your journey!
Mr. Bailey
4th degree Black Belt
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Getting what you focus on
Think about the last time you rode your bicycle. (In gorgeous late November weather like this, I hope it was today!) Think about riding down the trail and seeing a big hole. Have you ever noticed that the more you look at that hole the more likely you are to hit it? Now think about the last time you were in a crowded mall. You're walking along and a three year old catches your eye. As soon as he locks on to you-- sure enough-- you walk right into him!
Why is that? You surely didn't want to run into the hole or run over the toddler, so why did you do it? The answer is easy. You get what you focus on.
The same is true in your taekwondo training. If you focus on better stances, your stances will get better. If you focus on memorizing your form, you will memorize your form faster. Higher kicks... you get the picture.
The same is true with instruction. As I teach you new pieces of taekwondo, my focus changes. At first, I focus simply on getting you to do the gross motor skill portion of the technique. Your body just isn't used to jumping up in the air, spinning around and throwing a kick. Once your body realizes it can, then I start working with you to perfect the kick.
Unfortunately, sometimes we stop at the gross motor stage of the learning rather than getting to the details! That's when a new level of relationship needs to form between the two of us- one of trust on your part and one of not being complacent on mine. It's easier for both of us to say it is "good enough" when you memorize your form or can "do" a kick. I'm not satisfied with that, however. I hope you're not either! I want you to be a martial artist-- someone for whom "good enough" isn't.
Martial arts is not meant to be easy. Getting your black belt or beyond is difficult. Training hard for many years, pushing your body in ways that it sometimes would rather not go, sacrificing time, and learning self discipline that others don't understand is the right path towards mastership. It is a journey well worth it all!
Good luck in your journey!
Mr. Bailey
Why is that? You surely didn't want to run into the hole or run over the toddler, so why did you do it? The answer is easy. You get what you focus on.
The same is true in your taekwondo training. If you focus on better stances, your stances will get better. If you focus on memorizing your form, you will memorize your form faster. Higher kicks... you get the picture.
The same is true with instruction. As I teach you new pieces of taekwondo, my focus changes. At first, I focus simply on getting you to do the gross motor skill portion of the technique. Your body just isn't used to jumping up in the air, spinning around and throwing a kick. Once your body realizes it can, then I start working with you to perfect the kick.
Unfortunately, sometimes we stop at the gross motor stage of the learning rather than getting to the details! That's when a new level of relationship needs to form between the two of us- one of trust on your part and one of not being complacent on mine. It's easier for both of us to say it is "good enough" when you memorize your form or can "do" a kick. I'm not satisfied with that, however. I hope you're not either! I want you to be a martial artist-- someone for whom "good enough" isn't.
Martial arts is not meant to be easy. Getting your black belt or beyond is difficult. Training hard for many years, pushing your body in ways that it sometimes would rather not go, sacrificing time, and learning self discipline that others don't understand is the right path towards mastership. It is a journey well worth it all!
Good luck in your journey!
Mr. Bailey
Monday, August 18, 2008
Black Belt Mid-Terms/Tests
As a black belt in the ATA you have a certain number of mid-term tests to complete before eligibility to test for new rank. Black belts also have a minimum training period before becoming eligible to test for new rank. The minimum period is one year for each level of rank you have obtained. For instance 1st degrees have a one year training period. Fifth degrees have a five year training period, and so forth. The number of mid-terms required during those training periods is listed below:
Rank Mid-Terms
1st Degree 2
2nd - 5th Degree 3
6th - 9th Degree 4
Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
ATA Family Martial Arts
www.kicks4all.com
Rank Mid-Terms
1st Degree 2
2nd - 5th Degree 3
6th - 9th Degree 4
Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
ATA Family Martial Arts
www.kicks4all.com
Count Your Form Moves
What are you thinking about when you are doing your form? Some of you are trying to remember the next move and some of you are thinking about the quality of the next move.
After you first learn your form, try counting the moves. It will help you learn/remember where the Ki-Haps are, get your sequencing down, and know if you are doing the correct number of moves. If you get to the end and you have too many moves, you know that you added something and vice versa. If you learn the move number for the corners, it will help you pin point where you made a mistake before getting all the way to the end. That becomes very important in black belt forms since the lowest number of moves is 81 for the 1st degree form.
Written by: Stan Shields, Chief Instructor, Top Ten Competitor almost every year since 1998, 2008 Top Ten finisher in forms, sparring and weapons, 2007 State Champ in all five categories, 1999 Sparring World Champion and 2006 XMA Weapons World Champion. Visit www.kicks4all.com for more information on ATA Family Martial Arts.
After you first learn your form, try counting the moves. It will help you learn/remember where the Ki-Haps are, get your sequencing down, and know if you are doing the correct number of moves. If you get to the end and you have too many moves, you know that you added something and vice versa. If you learn the move number for the corners, it will help you pin point where you made a mistake before getting all the way to the end. That becomes very important in black belt forms since the lowest number of moves is 81 for the 1st degree form.
Written by: Stan Shields, Chief Instructor, Top Ten Competitor almost every year since 1998, 2008 Top Ten finisher in forms, sparring and weapons, 2007 State Champ in all five categories, 1999 Sparring World Champion and 2006 XMA Weapons World Champion. Visit www.kicks4all.com for more information on ATA Family Martial Arts.
CHAH-GI (Kicks)
Why Emphasize Chah-Gi (Kicks)?
Taekwondo is known for the power and dynamic chah-gi (kicks) learned by it's practitioners. However, many arts try to discredit the "flashy" chah-gi of Taekwondo.
To evaluate the importance of Taekwondo chah-gi, we must first look at the important benefits of kicking as opposed to striking with the hands.
There are four major points to be considered:
First, the legs are longer than the opponent's arms. This gives the Taekwondo student the advantage of reach and allows the student to stay outside of the opponent's striking range, yet inside his or her own kicking range.
Second, the legs are stronger than the opponent's arms. In most cases, even a small adult has stronger legs than most adult's arms. Utilized properly, this strength advantage can allow the student of Taekwondo to defeat a person much larger and with a substantially stronger upper body.
Third, access of vulnerable targets. If you can only chi-gi (strike) with the arms, this eliminates many vulnerable and dangerous targets such as the groin, knee, shin and instep. Not only is it important to have more weapons, (body tools-hands, feet, elbows, etc.) but it is also important to know and be able to access more target areas. It is easy for a person to defend three or four vital points on the upper body, but it would be much more difficult to protect 10 to 15 vital points located throughout the body.
Fourth, the element of surprise. Taekwondo students are trained to expect chah-gi to the head. However the average person on the street expects to be punched in the head...not kicked. A chah-gi would have hit them before they even realized the leg was moving. This is because their eyes are not trained to see these techniques. The "surprise" is increased when a jump and/or spin is added to the attack.
Excerpted from "The Way of Traditional Taekwondo", Volume A (Philosophy and Tradition). Rank titles have been updated to the current titles. To learn more about your martial art stop by the front desk to obtain your copy.
Taekwondo is known for the power and dynamic chah-gi (kicks) learned by it's practitioners. However, many arts try to discredit the "flashy" chah-gi of Taekwondo.
To evaluate the importance of Taekwondo chah-gi, we must first look at the important benefits of kicking as opposed to striking with the hands.
There are four major points to be considered:
First, the legs are longer than the opponent's arms. This gives the Taekwondo student the advantage of reach and allows the student to stay outside of the opponent's striking range, yet inside his or her own kicking range.
Second, the legs are stronger than the opponent's arms. In most cases, even a small adult has stronger legs than most adult's arms. Utilized properly, this strength advantage can allow the student of Taekwondo to defeat a person much larger and with a substantially stronger upper body.
Third, access of vulnerable targets. If you can only chi-gi (strike) with the arms, this eliminates many vulnerable and dangerous targets such as the groin, knee, shin and instep. Not only is it important to have more weapons, (body tools-hands, feet, elbows, etc.) but it is also important to know and be able to access more target areas. It is easy for a person to defend three or four vital points on the upper body, but it would be much more difficult to protect 10 to 15 vital points located throughout the body.
Fourth, the element of surprise. Taekwondo students are trained to expect chah-gi to the head. However the average person on the street expects to be punched in the head...not kicked. A chah-gi would have hit them before they even realized the leg was moving. This is because their eyes are not trained to see these techniques. The "surprise" is increased when a jump and/or spin is added to the attack.
Excerpted from "The Way of Traditional Taekwondo", Volume A (Philosophy and Tradition). Rank titles have been updated to the current titles. To learn more about your martial art stop by the front desk to obtain your copy.
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