Third Degree Black Belt: Check!

On the list of things to do in the life of a preteen, what do you think you will find? Perhaps homework? Band practice? Maybe the next cool movie to see or music to download? Less likely would be practicing for and obtaining a third Degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do before the age of 12. You may recall that I wrote a similar article about some amazing children who were testing for their first degree black belts back in December of 2007. And they both passed not only with flying colors, but with flying jump kicks and amazing performances. Today I have the pleasure of telling the story of a young man named Mathew. Matt is a 6th grader at a local Catholic school who considers his sports activities his hobbies, and is particularly involved in baseball, basketball, swimming and obviously Tae Kwon Do. He also participates in the ATA demo team. He enjoys studying history, has an interest in the military and likes to go fishing. As I write this I am reminded of the accomplishments of the kids in my previous article. These kids who are so amazing at Tae Kwon Do also seem to be excellent in many other areas of their lives. This of course will lead me to ponder more at the end of this article. For now, let’s meet Matt.

When asked what prompted Matt to become involved in Tae Kwon Do, he states that there was a bully situation in school. In order to help Matt gain the self-confidence he needed and the ability to defend himself, Matt’s parents decided to check out a free trial month at ATA Family Martial Arts Center in Littleton, Colorado. Matt and his dad went to one introductory class and ended up signing up that night. He was six years old at the time. He actually set the goal of becoming a Black Belt way at the beginning of his Tae Kwon Do experience. And although he feels that his first degree Black Belt was actually the hardest level he’s achieved, he met that goal and then some. He feels that first degree was harder to obtain because he had to remember all of the lower belt forms, as well as make up a creative form on his own. Matt seems to live by the words “Never Give Up!” When asked what drives him to become a Third Degree Black Belt, he states, “It is one of my goals that I have set for myself and I just can’t give up on that achievement.” It makes him proud to set a goal and reach it. It’s one thing to say words like this. I say them all the time! Do I follow through? Like most people, I have good intentions but I lack the persistence to keep going and reach my goals. Not to say that I haven’t set goals and reached them; and it is such a good feeling when I reach a goal and work hard to get there. But I’m 35! When you talk to an 11 year old who understands the importance of setting goals and obtaining your desires by following through with those goals, that is something unusual and very special. And you can see that this kid is going to be somebody important in the world someday; because he already is.

In addition to his sporting efforts, Matt enjoys car trips with his family for the chance to spend quality time together. Matt is active in his Church as an Alter Server and he maintains a spot on the “B” Honor Roll at school. Recently he has joined the Civil Air Patrol where he is a Basic Cadet Airman in the Mustang Squadron. He plans on getting his pilot license. I think I need to re-write my own goal list of getting all the laundry done and washing the windows! It seems to pale in comparison.

Now for my promised pondering from the first paragraph. I think that all too often, especially lately for me, we can’t see the good in the world because of all bad things going on out there. It’s not just in the news either. It’s everywhere. I get a small thrill because someone holds the door for me once in a while. What has happened to our world? Everything is about dirty politicians or skyrocketing gas prices or war. The big ugliness of the world is creeping into our communities and it’s hard not to be affected by that. Kids like Matt give me hope for the future. There are good people in this world doing amazing things. It’s just that we hear more about the bad than the good. I think if more people feel good about themselves and take care of their own little corner of the world it can make a difference and spread to other people. I plan on re-evaluating my goals after meeting Matt. This young man, by doing such an outstanding job in his own life, has inspired me to do a better job in my life and “never give up”. Then maybe I can pass that on to someone else. I once heard a wonderful description of a really incredible person. It was that the person shined so much that you just wanted to stand nearby so you could soak up some of that light coming off him. I am delighted that Matt is shining and is going to rock his time in this world. Come soak up some of his glow at Black Belt Testing this Friday, April 25th at 6:00 pm at ATA Family Martial Arts Centers, 5170 East Arapahoe Road E-2, Littleton, CO 80122. Call 303-220-5956 or visit http://www.kicks4all.com/ for more information.

In Search of the “perfect” push-up
By Dianne Bailey, CSCS

In light of the recent Fitness Test instituted by the ATA, you may be asking, “What is the perfect push-up?” Well, you might immediately think of the recently created product called just that. The “Perfect Push-up” was created by Navy SEAL, Alden Mills, to help facilitate the body’s natural movement during the world’s oldest bodyweight exercise, the push-up. Reviews of this product have been favorable, but you don’t need to spend the $40 for these nifty handles to get your body into the right position for a great workout!

While there are many variations of the humble push-up, let’s look at the basic form to make sure you are getting the most out of this exercise.

Incorrect: elbows out, hands by head. Potential injury to shoulders. (Oct., 2007, Vol 29, Number 5, Strength and Conditioning Journal)



Correct: elbows back, hands at shoulder/nipple line. Engaging pecs instead of shoulders as major movers.




We all know that there are many differences between women and men. After all, Venus and Mars are not the same planet! This follows through into the correct form for push-ups. Most women have difficulty identifying with their pectoralis major, or chest muscle. It is, however, the original “chest protector.” Look at some of the UFC fighters and notice how developed their chest muscles are . . . good protection for their heart from the intense punches they receive! Women, however, do not naturally have the muscle mass in the chest that a man has and therefore have difficulty connecting with the major mover in the push-up. They attempt to complete the push-up with their arms. Yes, the arms and shoulders are definitely working . . . but you must use your pectorals to really get at the heart of the push-up. Proper form is critical for this to happen.

That’s not to say that the chest is the only muscle group being activated during the push-up. In a recent NY Times article discussing push-ups, Tara Parker-Pope writes, “The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.” The traditional push-up is performed as a long lever, total body workout with the contact points at the toes and the hands. One can modify this position and therefore make it easier by shortening the lever and performing the push-up with the contact point at the knees instead of the toes. This dramatically reduces the core activation in this exercise, however. A better way to “shorten the lever”, but still maintain core activation is by raising the level of the hands, i.e. performing a push-up with your hands on a bench.

The versatility of the push-up is amazing! Consider the number of variations that can be created with this one exercise:

Feet elevated on step
Feet elevated on stability ball
Hands on stability ball

One-arm push-ups
One-leg push-ups

Plyometric with claps (not shown)

One hand on medicine ball

Transfer medicine ball (not shown)

Depth drop and return to two steps (not shown)

T-stab (push-up then rotate to T position)

The “perfect push-up” doesn’t have to be a product that you buy from Amazon.com. It can and should be a major part of your fitness arsenal for your ATA life and beyond.

Dianne Bailey is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. She is also a 4th Degree Black Belt with the ATA with 14 years experience in the martial arts. She owns Martial Arts Conditioning,LLC which runs The Conditioning Classroom, a personal training studio in Denver, CO. www.maconditioning.com

The After School Martial Arts Program

As the mother of three young boys I can safely say that I am winging it. What I mean by this is that most of the time my day comes flying at me from three short, noisy directions and it's just plain hard to juggle it all. And this is now that the youngest is five! Just a couple of years ago I couldn't tell where the day began and the night ended. I think I have subconsciously blocked out most of that time period in an effort to heal. All joking aside, though, how do I raise happy, healthy, well adjusted children when I feel like I can barely keep my head above water? I truly believe that we can't do it all alone and we must enlist the help of others. To a certain extent, it does take a village to raise a child in this world; for my boys, I may need the whole city! Unfortunately though, the village has disbanded for most of us. We move away from family for careers or simply to find ourselves and see what life has to offer. In doing so we lose that familial support system that only a couple of generations ago was commonplace. Grandparents lived nearby, sisters and brothers stayed close to their parents. Mothers wore not working anywhere but the full time job they had at home. Things have changed. But with change comes growth and adaptation. What you do is make your own village. You connect with the community where you live and the people around you. For working families, there are daycare centers, and after school programs to rely on to help care for and nurture our children when we can't be there. And I say nurture because that is what a good child caregiver should be doing.

Approximately 75% of children need after school care because they either come from a single parent home or both parents work. Most are placed in an after school programs at daycare centers or through extended day programs at elementary schools. These programs are great, but there is another new option. Now you can send you child to a place that provides not only a safe and caring environment for your child, but also offers an alternative form of education. After a full day of academic instruction, children can get a character building education in The After School Martial Arts Program. The After School Martial Arts Program is designed to educate while providing parents a valuable after school child care experience for their children. It provides children structure and discipline while teaching respect, appreciation, increased self-esteem and building confidence. In addition to these important factors, the children are physically activated, which only helps them to be healthy, happy and more focused individuals. And with less Physical Education being taught in the school systems due to budget cuts, our children need more physical activity than ever. All of these things are so very important, but to make it even better, The After School Martial Arts Program offers transportation from your child's school. Most important of all your kids will have fun doing it. And all for about the same cost as most extended day or daycare programs. Your kids can participate a few times per week or the whole week. Because the program is brand new, transportation for now is limited to the following elementary schools: Ames, Greenwood, Heritage, Homestead, Lenski, Peabody. A well rounded and safe educational after school program designed to meet your needs; who could ask for a better support system for your family than that?

For more information, contact the friendly and informative staff at ATA Family Martial Arts Centers, 303-220-5956 or visit us on the web at www.kicks4all.com. ATA Family Martial Arts is located at 5170 E. Arapahoe Road, E-2A, Centennial, CO 80122 in the King Soopers shopping center near Arapahoe and Holly.

The Taekwondo Oath

You say it every class:
Sir, I will Practice in the Spirit of Taekwondo with Courtesy for fellow student, Loyalty for my instructors and Respect for my juniors and seniors. I will live with Perseverance in the Spirit of Taekwondo having Honor with others, Integrity within myself, and Self Control of my actions.

You've said it so many times that you can say it without even thinking about it. DON'T! Every time you say this, you are taking an OATH! An oath is a promise-- and a promise should never be broken or taken lightly.

So what are you promising to do? Well it comes in two parts. The first half of the oath, said at the the beginning of class, is what you promise to do in class. You are promising to practice with courtesy, loyalty and respect. What does that look like? I think it looks like this: While you are in class, you demonstrate courtesy by listening to instructors and other students; you treat others the way that you would want them to treat you, and you don't distract them from their practice. You demonstrate loyalty by trusting your instructor to know the best path for your progression in Taekwondo and by working to the best of your ability on the drills, exercises or sparring they assign to you. Finally, you demonstrate respect in class by knowing that you can learn from anyone-- whether a white belt or a black belt. Everyone in class has something valuable to add to your Taekwondo knowledge.

The second half of the oath is what you promise to do when you leave the school. You promise to live with perseverance, honor, integrity and self control. What does living in this way look like? Again, I think it looks like this: Outside of the school, others should see something different about you. They should see the qualities mentioned in the oath. They should see you working hard without giving up (perseverance). They should see you treating others with respect by listening to them and learning from them (honor). They should be able to believe you and count on you (integrity). And finally, they should see that you control your anger, emotions, habits, and actions (self control). That's a BIG promise! And for this part of the oath, you are promising to do it at home with/for your parents and family, at school or work, driving on the highway, or any other time you aren't in the school.

Taekwondo SHOULD make you different both in your classes and outside of the school. Being a black belt or a black belt in training puts you in a position that very few people are in. The discipline you gain, the respect you give (and get), the self control, and the confidence that you have should be noticeable to your friends, family, and teachers!

By actually holding to the promise you make as you enter class and leave class, you will become a better martial artist, a better student, a better friend, a better family member and a better person! Your instructors are always here to help you as you incorporate these promises into your life!

Good luck in your journey!

Mr. Bailey

Memorization Does Not Equal Understanding

We are in the beginning of a new testing cycle, which means new material for our students. Sometimes students confuse memorization of their forms and other material with understanding their forms. Let's be very clear here. Memorization is not understanding. I have been training in Taekwondo for about 14 years, and I am constantly learning something new about the forms that I learned 14 years ago and am still performing today.

Last Month Chief Master M.K. Lee visited our school and taught a group of instructors, both from our school and other schools. It was very interesting that some of the concepts he taught I had never heard before. I found it hard to believe that I could be a 4th degree and have not heard some of these concepts. How could that be? You see, most of the time we hear what we want to hear or what we have the capacity for at the time we are learning.

We teach the material to students using a techninque called layering. In other words we only give the student as much information as they can handle at the time. Once they have digested that, we then layer on more information. There is always more information to layer on. Each new layer provides a better understanding of the material learned. However, if the student believes they have learned it all, and stops trying to attain new information by believing they "already know it," they have closed the door on learning, so to speak.

So, just because you have memorized the moves, don't start believing that you "know it." There is still much more to learn and to perfect. Do yourself a favor, memorize the form, then perfect the form.

Stan Shields
4th Degree Black Belt
http://www.kicks4all.com/

Goals in Taekwondo

What if I were to ask you, "What are your goals in Taekwondo?" Many of you would answer, "To become a Black belt." This is a great goal! Becoming a Black belt puts you in the company of elite winners. Many students, even in our own school, start out with the goal of becoming a Black belt only to get lost on the path.

But, what if I asked you to be more specific? What are your goals for Taekwondo this cycle? Most of you would answer with a very admirable "I want to pass my rank test." What about this week? What about in this class? Have you ever thought about it? In order to reach long term goals, it is necessary to set up markers along the way that allow you to measure your progress. For example, your goal in school may be to get an "A" in your English class. But, how do you know you are on track to reach this goal if you only have your starting point (the beginning of the class) and the ending point (your final grade) to guide you? Obviously, you cannot. Rank testing is obviously better than just waiting to see if you made it to Black belt, but you can actually help yourself to be even more specific!

If you set shorter term goals throughout the rank cycle, you can easily measure your progress towards your rank test. For example, you could set the goal to have all of your form memorized by the end of the second week. You could also say that you will practice each of your new kicks 40 times a week (on each leg!) during the cyle. Your goal could be to practice old forms once a week (or one old form per day). Whatever short term goals you set, you should keep track of them-- they help you reach your longer term goals of passing your rank test or even getting to Black belt.

Like almost every thing else you learn in TKD, there is a real life application. Setting short term goals is not an exception. Setting short term goals to measure your progress works in school, or on the job. For example, back to the English class. To make sure you are on track to get an "A" in the class, you could keep a log of all assignments and the grades you received on them. You can easily see your progress towards your "A." Or, if you are falling short, you can see that you need to make adjustments and where they need to be made. Adults and parents can also set short term goals to help them reach longer term goals. This could be saving for college, getting a new house, or any project you are working on at the office!

Setting short term goals may be new for you. That's ok! You have great instructors right here in our school to help you meet your goals. At first, you may need a lot of help in setting your goals and keeping track of them. Soon, however, you will be setting your own goals and well on your way to knowing that you will become a Black belt!

Good luck on your journey!

Mr. Bailey