Kim's Academy Training Tips and Home
Training Routines
As with all things in life you must work hard to learn a new skill. TaeKwonDo is
no exception, but good quality instruction can really speed up the learning process.
We at Kim's Academy of Sandy would like to share our practice tips with you. Please
remember it is very important to do some basic stretching before and after your
workout. Stretching is a key element to getting a good workout without injury.
These tips will help make your training easier but a serious TaeKwonDo student should take
class 2-3 times per week and also practice at home.
Kicking Techniques
Doing a kick is one of the easiest things any one can do. In TaeKwonDo,
you will learn many different kinds of kicks. Keep in mind when you learn these
kicks there is a job for each leg to do. One will do the
hitting or striking the target. The other will act as a base or foundation for the
kick. Do not underestimate the base foot. This is where you will balance your
whole body. Good balance will give you technique and power. These are your
goals.
This will take practice and working with your instructors. Use these men and
women for their knowledge. They are a good way to check how you are doing. They
can give you a better point of view. Do not be imitated by their ability to do these
kicks. They have been working a long time to be able do this well.
There are many different kinds of kicks. Each one is different in some way.
Learn the right way to do each one. Practice and exercise will help you to do
this. Even doing your forms is a good way to practice the different kicks.
Front snap kick, rising kick, round house and side kick are the first kicks you should
learn. They will develop into more advanced kicks that you will learn to do.
These four kicks will be important in that development. Learn each one well.
Each student will kick to their own abilities. You will learn do these kicks
according to your own abilities. do your kicks the right way and they will give you
the confidence to do your forms and breaking techniques. Always stay within your
abilities. Do not rate yourself by others. Again refer to the instructors,
that is why they are there. Remember a kick is the easiest thing you can do!
Forms
Forms are a way to express everything you know about martial arts, they also
tell a lot about the ancient art of TaeKwonDo. Forms are composed of many blocks,
kicks, and strikes.
A proper form when done right is very sharp, crisp, powerful, and energetic. The
things you should concentrate on are the following: focus, power,
target, control, technique, loud kiyaps, stances, blocks, kicks, punches, and last would
be TaeKwonDo spirit.
A good way to practice forms is to do facing different directions. This way you
don't get used to doing it only in one direction. Also do your forms as if you were
really using them as self-defense. This way it comes more natural for you when the
time comes.
Forms are only a small part of martial arts, But a very good way of making you a much
more rounded student.
One Step Sparring
When learning them for the first time, I suggest doing them slowly and on the
counts. When you have learned all the movements of a one step, start concentrating
on the correct form of each movement, proper stances, kicking form etc.., then start doing
the One Steps with full power. At a minimum, you should practice you One Steps, 2-3
times each up to your current belt level whenever you practice your current form. As
you increase in belt level you will have more and more One Steps to learn and remember.
Hand Techniques
Hand techniques should be performed with maximum power and focus, whether it
be a block, strike or a punch. When practicing blocks, try to imagine where an
attack kick or a punch towards you from an opponent would be executed, so you can block in
the proper place to deflect the blow. Make sure you start your right ear, and end in
front of your face, but not in front of your line of vision. By starting your block
here, you will add power to the block. Using power in your block can actually do as
much damage to your opponent as a punch or strike. Your left hand should be brought
to waist at the same time that your right hand is executing its block. This action
also helps goes to your waist to help the momentum of your strike or punch. When
practicing a strike or punch you should also focus on where you would actually
be hitting an opponent. A knife hand strike to the neck should be about level to
where your neck is, a middle body punch should be level to where your middle body would
be.
Breaking
For many new TaeKwonDo students, breaking is the scariest part of testing for
them. This is because breaking is hard to prepare and practice for. Forms and
sparring are done in every class, but not breaking. When breaking is practiced, it
is usually with a soft kicking target and not with a board. So at testing, they are
scared that they will hurt themselves or the holders.
The first part of breaking, is knowing the technique. For example, on the sliding
sidekick, some people may take a step in front instead of back, or they may kick with the
balls of their feet instead of their heel. If you are unsure of the technique, ask
an instructor before or after class.
Flexibility is also a key point. On some kicks, like the axe kick, you would have
to get your leg fairly high in the air to have enough power. So before or after
classes, or when you have some free time, stretch out as much as possible. I have
found that weightlifting also helps. When I first tried to break three boards with a
sliding side, I couldn't even break the first board, and strength training helped me.
Some lower body workouts that help with breaking are squats and the leg bench.
Even with these training tips, the most important by far is believing in yourself.
Do not defeat yourself with a negative attitude. And remember that the board
cannot hurt you if you have proper form.
Self defense Techniques
Many Taekwondo practitioners like to categorize some of the different
techniques that they have learned as either offensive or defensive in nature. I have
seen certain arm locks and blocks termed as a self defense technique and certain punching
and kicking techniques classified as an offensive technique. I have had many
discussions with instructors and students about which techniques may work best in a
certain situations. I have used a roundhouse kick as an offensive technique in a
sparring situation and I have also used a roundhouse kick in
combination with a forearm block as a defensive technique. Classification of
techniques as either "offensive" or "defensive" can be useful in
training; however, I think it is important for every student of TaeKwonDo to understand
that the general philosophy of TaeKwonDo is to never initiate a fight and that all
techniques learned are to be used only for defense.
TaeKwonDo and self defense techniques are synonymous. TaeKwonDo is a martial art
that was developed as a defensive art. All of its activities are based on the
defensive attitude that was originally developed for protection against enemy attacks.
Over the years that I have been training in TaeKwonDo, I have developed the
philosophy that I will try to learn each technique taught to the best of my ability and
use these techniques only for my self defense or for the defense of
others.
It is my belief that your best self defense technique is a confidence in your ability
to control a hostile situation. This confidence can only be obtained through
training. This training includes mental and physical training such as that received
in the martial art of TaeKwonDo. When a situation presents itself where you are
required to defend yourself, you will use techniques that you have been trained in or
defensive in nature. In some situation just the confident sound of your voice or a
kiyap when issuing a warning may be enough to dissuade a potential attacker. If you
cannot extricate yourself from a hostile situation by thinking or talking your way out of
it, you may have to use some of the physical techniques you have learned in your TaeKwonDo
training. Any technique you have learned is acceptable; however, remember that you
should use the minimum amount of force necessary to control, the situation. A few
examples of my favorite techniques are listed below:
- If you are grabbed from behind in a "bear-hug" that also immobilizes your
arms, you can stomp on the attackers foot to distract him and then step behind him with
your right leg putting your hips next to and lower than his hips and at the same time
bending forward slightly. When you stand up straight, throw both of your arms
straight out to your side and roll the attacker backward over your hip. The attacker
will have to let go of you to catch his fall and you will be able to escape.
- If you find yourself in a fighting stance and your opponent is attacking, use a
spin-side kick to the middle body. This is a very powerful kick which will penetrate
through weak arm blocks and immobilize your opponent.
- If an attacker has grabbed you by the wrist in an attempt to overpower you, you should
use a front kick to the body or groin and then quickly turn your wrist until the
attacker's thumb and fingers are facing you and break free from his grip and escape.
Positive Mental Attitude
Positive mental attitude is important because the outcome of the challenge
depends on what is going through your mind at that particular time. If is also the
basis for building confidence in yourself and having a can-do attitude. When you
wake up on the morning of testing, what are you thinking? Are you thinking you're going to
do awesome, or are you thinking you probably won't do well?
You'll probably do better if you think you'll do awesome. That is a positive mental
attitude. This can be applied to many different things like tests at school, sports,
playing an instrument, art, board games, like chess, and at TaeKwonDo. You can use
it while doing forms, breaking, sparring, during testing, and in class. Positive
mental attitude is a great skill to have because you can apply it to many different things
in your daily life. Don't be too nervous. It's ok sometimes, but other
times, nervousness can turn into negative thoughts and take with it your focus and
concentration. If you let them, negative thoughts can destroy your positive mental
attitude. This is what you should do to keep a good positive mental attitude.
Think positive thoughts like I can do this, instead of negative thoughts like I'm not
going to do well. It is also very important to have confidence in yourself and what
you are doing.
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