WTTU – Performance Martial Arts Academy

World Championships – Day 3

Day Three of the Songahm World Championships are the official start of the new 2010 – 2011 tournament season, for the ATA, WTTU. and STF.

Kameron Anderson, took 3rd Place in Songahm (traditional) Weapons and won 2nd place in Sparring, after a very intense and close sparring match. Also competing was Ryan Spaulding, in his first Worlds as a Black Belt, while I was unable to watch his performances, it was reported that he did a great job and took competitor awards in Forms and Weapons for his boys age and division. Tori Sibley took 4th in Weapons after loosing a 3rd place tie breaker, and then won 3rd place in Sparring.

In the afternoon session Ms. Brittney Johnson a 2nd degree black belt, won 1st place in Sparring for the Girls 14 to 16 age division. Mrs. Powell and Mr. Webb competed in Songahm weapons, as of this posting I am awaiting their results.

Mr. Sibley finished the afternoon, winning 1st place in Creative Forms, 2nd place in Creative Weapons, 2nd place in XMA Forms, and 1st place in XMA weapons. Mr. Sibley competed in the ATA’s new Black Dobak (gi) for XMA and Creative competitors.

Worlds – Top Ten – Day 1

Well today began with Mid-Term testing, both Mr. Webb and Mrs. Powell did an awesome job, with strong clean forms, and excellent weapons as well as sparring.

During the break the Sibley’s and the Johnson’s took a Lunch trip to Little Rocks #1 Family Dinner the Purple Cow, for a quick lunch and Purple Cow shakes an ice cream floats.

The 2010 Songahm World Championships opens shortly afterward with thousands of competitors and fans from around he globe from the ATA, WTTU, and STF in attendance. Performance Martial Arts Academy’s Mr. Webb, Mrs. Powell, and Ms. Brittney Johnson each competed in the top ten tournament today in Songahm (traditional) Weapons.

Mr. Webb took his competitors by storm with and incredible 4th degree Jahng Bong (bo staff) form. With scores of 9.8, 9.8, 9.9 the other competitors were feeling the pressue, showning just why he is a previous World Champion. Alas as the final competitor took to the floor he steped up to the plate and pressure and was issued a 9.8, 9.9, 9.9. Mr. Webb may have took 2nd place on this day, but as Ms. Tori stated ‘You are always our World Champion.

Mrs. Powell as had a impressive display in her 3rd degree Jahng Bong form, but with several other seasoned world champions the competition was more than fierce. Mrs. Powell graciously took 4th place, and with her infinite wisdom reminded us we all have our good days and great days, and that as every student is taught to compete is to win.

Ms. Johnson had a very good Top Ten showing, and as many stated thru out the day, okay your in the Top Ten of the World for your division, even if you don’t take 1st place, whom else can say they are Top Ten in the world!

Each of these Team Performance leaders will compete again tomorrow, as well as being joined by Mr. Ali Vialdores whom will be competing in Top Ten Sparring.

Wish them luck!!!
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Day 3 – World Championship Main Tournament Begins

So today is Day 3 of competition and while many do not realize the Songahm Taekwondo World Championship Tournament is split – into the Top 10 Tournament (top 10 of the World), and the Main Tournament (which is the first tournament of the year).? Today is the first day of the Main Tournament!? Today will cover the XMA, Creative Weapons, and Boys / Girls Black Belt traditional Forms, Sparring and Weapons, as well as Adult Black Belt Weapons.? We were informed today that Nearly 29 thousand people are in attendance this year, competitors, spectators, etc.

The morning started off for Ms. Sibley with the reading of “BAEOH” by Taekwon Lee. He had the kids sit with him while he read and explained the book, and even had Ms. Sibley answer questions about the book. If you are a instructor or parent of a Tiny Tiger or young Junior, I would strongly suggest getting this highly inspirational book for them to read!

Ms. Hardy met with Senior Master Anderson, whom is an inspiration to her. Senior Master Richard Anderson, is the highest ranking African American out of almost 400,000 members of the ATA, WTTU, and STF organizations.

Ms Hardy and Senior Master Anderson

Our team from Valdosta was all over the tournament!? Ms. Adkins had a very busy day first in the new Creative Weapons, then over to the Black Belt Girls Traditional Forms, Sparring, and finishing her day off with Traditional Weapons.

Mr. Adkins in Black Belt Boys Traditional Forms and Sparring.? Ms. Matthews in traditional forms, sparring and weapons.? Both did very well on their individual performances.

Mr. Matthews took a 2nd place in the Mens 40-49 1st Degree Weapons – Great Job!

Ms. Hardy, Mrs. Powell, Ms. Mathews all competed in weapons making strong showings but not placing in the top 3.? While Mr. Spivey took a 3rd place in Weapons in the Boys 11-13 1st degree Black Belt division!? While Ms. Johnson took 2nd in Sparring, Girls 2nd Degree Black Belt Division!? Her 11:30 minute video shows her in 3 awesome Matches, her determination shines through, showing why she is now ranked #3 in the World in Sparring from her top 10 matches the day before.

Watch ATA Worlds Tournament – B Johnson 2nd place Sparring in Sports
Little T. Sibley, Valdosta’s youngest competitor also competed today and did a great job, while having so much fun!

She received a competitors trophy for Forms and one-step Sparring, then unfortunately lost a 3rd place tie breaker in weapons, but she was so happy with another competitors trophy, as well meeting people like Mike Chat from the XMA, Chairwoman Mrs. Lee, the stars from Kaymen Riders, and even the Grand Master himself! She just thinks Worlds was awesome and can not wait till her next competition. I think she found out what Worlds was really all about FUN and a GREAT TIME.

After the long day Mr. Church and his son, along with Mr. Matthews and Mr. Sibley enjoyed a evening of Mixed Martial Arts, sponsored by the ATA, and Arkansas X-Treme Challenge at the Riverfront Amphitheater.? With 5 amateur MMA bouts and 7 pro-fights including a historic first professional female mixed martial bout in the state of Arkansas.

What 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.