A month of TKD

태권도=taekwondo (TKD)

Our month of TKD at Orientation is over (4 classes 4 times a week). This was definitely a good experience and lots of exercise! Our class size started at 40 but dropped to about 30 by the end of the month. We had three different masters(picture below): young master/Pasta Brioni/Jeong Cho Min (left), middle master (right), and master master (center). The master master (the owner of the dojang, an 8th degree black belt, and who has been practicing for 42 years) was in China the first two weeks, so we were instructed by the middle master and Pasta Brioni. The second week middle master left, and Pasta Brioni was our only instructor. He was more relaxed and laid back; we had fun but didn't necessarily focus on correct form. Pasta Brioni also brought a couple black belt students to help him out.both who had won honors at the Chuncheon. Considering that TKD is the equivalent to Little League or Youth Soccer in the states; everyone does TKD when their a child. Our black belt helper instructors were less than 10 years old!

What did we learn? As I mentioned in the first TKD post, the first couple days were mostly physical training--sprinting, jumping, etc. Each day became less physical training and more punches, blocks, and kicks. We started with punches (face, body, trunk), then blocks (same as punch: face, body, trunk), and then learned kicks. The kicks, especially when done in succession, were the most aerobic activity. The master explained that the TKD kick is the most efficient; you (1) raise your quad, (2) extend/kick out the lower leg then bring it back to the first position, then (3) lower you entire leg. We started with front kicks (body and face), then moved to roundhouse kicks (body and face, the most difficult!), and straight kicks. The form is important, especially for the roundhouse kick since you need to rotate your entire body. Pasta Brioni had been lax on form, so we got grilled when master master returned from China.

Yellow Belts: No sparring for white belts! After three weeks we were tested for our yellow belts. When the master master had first returned (after 2 weeks), TKD class was a lot harder, and we improved a lot before yellow belt testing. We were tested in small groups, going through punches, blocks, and kicks--everyone passed.

Pasta Brioni? You've been wondering? After our last lesson, we went out for dakgalbi with all the masters. Lots of fun. Young master wore a shirt from an Italian restaurant, eternally labeling himself as 'Pasta Brioni'. It's easier to remember than Jeong Cho Min.

I would like to continue TKD in Seogwipo--it's a great way to stay in shape. However, I would be sparring with 10yr olds; no Korean starts TKD as an adult (see right). A couple of the other girls in Seogwipo took TKD with me, they may be interested in continuing...we'll figure it out!