Tae Kwon Do Training Diary

A part of Gradings as the belts get higher their is the inclusion for students to complete what is termed a “Power Test”. The power test is in different forms depending on the age of student with younger students completing them on the pads to ensure they are not hurt. As adults the idea is that these tests are completed against break boards and so you are able to show the application of power and accuracy to be able to break the board.

The first board break is that of the side kick, you are meant to line up using the board as a target and be able to show the ability to break the board with the sidekick. A plastic board breaker is typically used which mean that you need to hit the break line on the board, whereas if you were using a real wooden board then there would be multiple break lines across Read More…

A huge congratulations to Mel last week and she attended class again and was presented with her Green Tag belt. This now means that Mummy and Daddy are now green tag and Leo is a Yellow belt. I think Leo would have been able to grade as well last month after all the work he has been putting into class but there is a show on this month and he was asked to be in the show doing his current pattern but he is thinking it is more fun doing the show than grading. This said he was given all his strips on his belt at the start of the month and so he will definitely be grading at the end of this month and then he will be catching us up which he Read More…

Hooray – I found out on Sunday that I passed my green tag belt which feels really good and I now am increasingly feeling part of the sport. We will find out about if Mel has passed tonight as she was unable to come to training on Sunday as she had not recovered from feeling ill. Sunday was a hard slog as it was a hot day which we had spent as a family playing football, in a paddling pool and then to do an hours training was hard work but felt good for doing it and it is always easier once you are given a new belt.

Tonight we hope to hear that Mel has passed her green tag and then we can both be learning the new pattern as well as a new set of fundamentals. I went to another class yesterday (Monday) and started learning a couple of the Read More…

Last night saw Mel and I complete our grading test. The experience was not what was planned, as life decided to make things a bit more complicated and challenging. Here in May the weather changed from being Winter to Mid-Summer in the space of 2 days and so suddenly rather than trying to escape the rain and keep warm we are suddenly unable to sleep as it is too hot and here I am typing at 7am in our lounge with doors open to try to let some cool air into the house. Let me jump in and point out I am not complaining as I LOVE this weather and it makes life so much nicer, as especially with the kids there is loads of playing outside, trampoline and paddling pool and family trips as well of course for many BBQ’s (big barbeque family ) The heat though makes Taekwondo training harder in a hall – Our training is mostly in a modern leisure centre and so you would think they would have Air Con that worked! Also we are not allowed to open doors to let air in as neighbours of the Leisure Centre complain of the noise. This meant a HOT room.

The next challenge Read More…