Color Belt Testing – May 17, 2012
We had a great time with color belt testing last Thursday. All classes did a great job showing off the skills that they had learned over the past 8 weeks.
Below are a few pictures from the testing:
Jay Johnson and Teresa Hamilton (weapons)
William Horsely (weapons)
Caleb Keene (forms)
Cody Hillestead (forms)
Caleb, Jackson, Lukas, and Madison (self defense)
The testing was so big that we had parents set up outside!
Black Belt Bootcamp
We will be having our Black Belt Bootcamp on December 3rd.
This bootcamp is a three hour workout which includes :
-Conditioning
-Self-Defense
-Martial Art knowledge
-Weapons Test
In order to complete your black belt testing, you will have to complete both parts of this test :
1. Boot Camp
2. Forms, weapons, sparring and self-defense.
Later that evening we encourage all Black Belts to walk in the Christmas Parade with us at 6 pm.
FREE WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE CLINIC
This Saturday 8/27/10 from 1pm to 3pm. Please wear Sweat Pants, or Long Shorts and T-Shirts. A Variety of Instructors & Law Enforcement Trained Personal, will cover a multitude of Topics from Rape Prevention, to Basic Self Defense.
Location: Performance Martial Arts Academy, 1719 Norman Drive , Valdosta, GA. (Next to CICI Pizza). Please Call 229-242-1173 to reserve your spot!
Benefits of The ATA
American Taekwondo Association patch
We train our students to the best of their ability. Some students come to us in shape, while others have come to us 100 pounds overweight. Most come to us with limited flexibility. Adults start at any age, as we have had some adults who started as late as age 65, and have still earned their black belts. As a student, you are looked upon as an individual, never compared to anyone else. Our instructors will be there every step of the way. All that is expected is a willingness to try.
Here are some benefits you can expect from training in Taekwondo:
- ? Fitness – The principles of Taekwondo techniques are based on the design of your body. For power you develop the larger, powerful muscles of the torso. The speed of the techniques comes from the fast, agile muscles of the arms and legs. As you progress in Taekwondo, you will learn to coordinate this speed and power, and develop a concentration to focus all of your body’s strength into a small, hard striking surface like the edge of the hand or the heel of a foot.
? Self-Defense – When the speed and power developed through Taekwondo is used in a self-defense situation against the vulnerable parts of an attacker’s body, the results can be incredible. Taekwondo allows a woman to emphasize many of her natural physical strengths, such as power in the legs, while learning a method of self-defense efficient against a much larger opponent. Knowing you can defend yourself, your confidence will grow. And confidence alone is usually enough to deter potential attackers.
? Self-Confidence – This does not come naturally for many people, but self-confidence can be developed over a period of time. Through Taekwondo, as you accomplish new goals, your confidence level increases. Taekwondo instills a sense of discipline and self-confidence that can carry over to all aspects of your life.
? Travel Policy – Are you a businessman or woman whom travels to different areas for work? Perhaps you enjoy a workout while on your weekly family vacation?? Well then with your ATA membership you have the opportunity to train at our schools while you are away from home.? Always remember to check with your instructor out of respect, its always best to have your instructor obtain a training schedule for the school whom you wish to attend.
Sparing in Songahm Taekwondo
Gyeo-roo-gi (sparring) is the way that Taekwondo students prepare for self-defense.
In Songahm Taekwondo, a student first learns a form of preparatory moves known as 1-step sparring. This exchange of techniques is under strict control, and by memorizing these moves the student needs only practice distance and timing without the fear of responding to spontaneous techniques from an opponent. In this way, the basics of sparring can be safely developed before the student’s reflexes are challenged. 1-steps also help a student acquire the confidence they need for sparring with a real opponent.
Later in their training, a Songahm Taekwondo practitioner begins applying the basics they have learned from 1-steps into true sparring, which can be thought of as reflexive responses against an unplanned attack. Essentially, they learn to move beyond the predetermined series of movements they have relied upon in favor of spontaneous movements designed for true self defense.
Although we learn sparring as a form of self defense, it is also very important in Songahm Taekwondo for other reasons. It helps display proficiency in techniques, and for this reason at the Camo Belt level and beyond sparring is evaluated for purposes of advancing to the next rank. It is also an important part of tournaments, where students can display their abilities in a safe, controlled competitive environment while still showing respect to their opponent.
READ MOREWhat is Songahm Taekwondo?
“Martial Art” is a broad term encompassing the many styles of physical discipline (fighting) arts that have been developed over the centuries.
To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another “martial art” would be an oversimplified explanation of the world’s largest centrally administered martial art. This system of teaching and training is unequaled in the martial arts community.
During its early years, the American Taekwondo Association (ATA) used the Chahng-hun style of forms (also used by the International Taekwondo Federation). But although this style was widely accepted in the Taekwondo community, Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee felt that its forms did not accurately reflect Taekwondo — particularly the strength and beauty of Taekwondo kicking techniques. As a result, he believed the forms contributed little to the Taekwondo curriculum. For example, white belts were expected to know front kicks and side kicks, but no front kick appeared until the third (yellow belt) form, and there was no side kick until the form after that! From 1983 to 1990, Eternal Grand Master introduced the eighteen Songahm forms. These forms are part of a fully-integrated curriculum, in which everything a student learns reinforces everything else. The forms contain all or nearly all of the techniques that students are expected to know at each rank, the one-step sparring segments complement the forms, and all of these patterns lead logically to the movements required for each succeeding rank. The Songahm curriculum facilitates a smooth progression from one rank to the next, so that students who begin Taekwondo feeling they’ll never be able to do a simple block (for example) suddenly find themselves a few years later doing 360-degree jumping kicks with ease. Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. To say it is just self-defense would be to lose most of the valuable ideas and philosophy behind this ancient art. The heightened capacity for self-defense resulting from our Taekwondo is really a fringe benefit that is gained by dedicating one’s self to the values, philosophy and training of Songahm Taekwondo. When learning, a student is in a true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and loyalty. A beginner does not focus on being a skilled martial artist within a month or two, as a strong foundation in Taekwondo must be built first. Trying to advance beyond your level without proper guidance is like building a house on concrete that has not dried. Though the house may still stand, the foundation would not be as strong and the appearance of the house may not be as presentable.
The ATA and its affiliated organizations (World Traditional Taekwondo Union (WTTU) & Songahm Taekwondo Federation (STF)) help build a strong foundation of Songahm Taekwondo in each of its members, a foundation from which advancement in both the martial art (mind and body) and in self defense can be built and added on to in perpetuity.
READ MORE