As long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a fighter. I don't know why and I don't know how I came to like it so much. I guess you can say it's in my blood.
I would even dream about fighting. Not so much as starting fights or being a trouble maker but just having to fight in general. I've had countless dreams of fighting, whether it be with my brothers or a childhood bully. I remember when I was little, I used to have dreams where I wanted to fight and I knew I had the will to fight but for some reason my arms would get real heavy and I couldn't fight back. In the dream this is really scary to me, but when I wake up I soon realize that the reason that my arm kept feeling real heavy in the dream is because I kept sleeping on my belly. Some time during the night I would put my arms under me and against my chest. I guess I would have my arms there long enough that they would fall asleep due to lack of blood flow. It's crazy how the way you sleep can affect the way you dream.
Even though I absolutely love the art of fighting, I do know that there is a downside to fighting. For every yin there is his equal and opposite partner, yang. Growing up on 19Th and Russell st. in Covington, KY, I know all to well what it means to have to fight to survive. I've been in countless fights, most of which I didn't want to be in but had no choice but to defend my self.
I have only been beat up one time in my life, not counting the many times my older brother had beat me up. This was not a fair fight. I was all alone against five or six, I can't really remember. Although, this was a lost battle, I got up to fight another day. You might think that this experience would make me scared to fight again, or scared to live in my neighborhood, but this is not the case with me.
The next day, I held my head high, black eye and all. To me this was just a battle wound and I was ready for more. I didn't fall back into submission from a five on one beat down. I stepped into determination. I was to determined to prove that I am a fighter, I will not go down without a fight. From that day on, I was never scared of any one man again.
Whether fighting is to be good or bad, for some reason the world keeps calling me back to it. I guess you could call it fate....I wouldn't but you could. I am fortunate enough to have found a positive way to still fight, let out aggression, and overall reduce any unwanted stress. Coming back to the fate comment I made earlier....I wouldn't call it fate, but I would call it a blessing.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Test Day
Friday was test day......and let me tell you, I was very nervous, but I tried not to let it show, well, at least not too much. The reason I was so nervous was not because I wasn't ready or because I didnt know all my moves, or even because this is time that it really counts. The main reason I was nervous was because on test day students not only have to test before other students and instructors but friends and family too. It's easier to go up in front of people you don't know and will never see again. If you make a mistake most people don't even realize or forget about it five minutes later. Although, when you are in front of peers, friends, and family, who you see everyday, it's like you have a point to prove. That point is that you can make it and you can succeed, and that you can do anything that you set your mind to.
It's time for class to begin, and yes I am still nervous. My mouth is dry, my palms are sweaty, and my legs feel like rubber. At the beginning, we have to stretch and exercise a lit bit to get our legs warm, blood flowing, and heart rate up. Oh, and trust me, my heart rate was definately up there for momment cause I couldn't think straight as I was trying to follow the serious of kicks for our warm up. Fortunately, after we were all stretched out, and warmed up, I started to calm down, and the series of block, kicks, and punches all came flooding back to me when the time that matter most was upon me. I demonstrated my form and all my one step sparring combinations, then, it was over and I had performed beautifully just as the hundreds of times of repitittions beforehand had molded me to do so.....I was proud.
It's time for class to begin, and yes I am still nervous. My mouth is dry, my palms are sweaty, and my legs feel like rubber. At the beginning, we have to stretch and exercise a lit bit to get our legs warm, blood flowing, and heart rate up. Oh, and trust me, my heart rate was definately up there for momment cause I couldn't think straight as I was trying to follow the serious of kicks for our warm up. Fortunately, after we were all stretched out, and warmed up, I started to calm down, and the series of block, kicks, and punches all came flooding back to me when the time that matter most was upon me. I demonstrated my form and all my one step sparring combinations, then, it was over and I had performed beautifully just as the hundreds of times of repitittions beforehand had molded me to do so.....I was proud.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Anticipation
If there's one thing that every Taekwondo students experiences, it would be the anticipation of soon to come belt test. This is when all the things that you have learned up to this point comes together in perfect harmony, which in return you get to move up to next color belt.
There are many belts you have to achieve before you can actually attain the status of black belt. The first belt, which you are automatically given is the white belt. This is suppose to represent a new beginning or a blank white canvas ready to be painted with enlightenment. Traditionally, when a person began the study of Taekwondo, he or she received a white belt to hold the uniform together. After many months of training, the white would begin to discolor and become yellowish and possibly orange. After many months of rigorous practice, many times in grassy fields, the belt would take on a green appearance as it discolored further. After several years of practice, the belt would further darken,taking on a dark blue or purple hue. After numerous sparring sessions, the belt might develop a red or brown hue from the accumulation of bloodstains. After several decades of Taekwondo training, the belt would eventually turn black. If the student devoted his or her life to Taekwondo training, the belt would continue to darken, but it would also begin to fray and begin to show spots of white from its inner core. Gradually, most of the black would wear away and the belt would become white again, signifying that the student had come full circle and reached the final stage of enlightenment.
There is also yellow, orange, Then the obvious last belt is the black which is supposed to represent all the colors of belts combined together to create one fully grown entity.
Basically, think of it as a circle of life.
There are many belts you have to achieve before you can actually attain the status of black belt. The first belt, which you are automatically given is the white belt. This is suppose to represent a new beginning or a blank white canvas ready to be painted with enlightenment. Traditionally, when a person began the study of Taekwondo, he or she received a white belt to hold the uniform together. After many months of training, the white would begin to discolor and become yellowish and possibly orange. After many months of rigorous practice, many times in grassy fields, the belt would take on a green appearance as it discolored further. After several years of practice, the belt would further darken,taking on a dark blue or purple hue. After numerous sparring sessions, the belt might develop a red or brown hue from the accumulation of bloodstains. After several decades of Taekwondo training, the belt would eventually turn black. If the student devoted his or her life to Taekwondo training, the belt would continue to darken, but it would also begin to fray and begin to show spots of white from its inner core. Gradually, most of the black would wear away and the belt would become white again, signifying that the student had come full circle and reached the final stage of enlightenment.
There is also yellow, orange, Then the obvious last belt is the black which is supposed to represent all the colors of belts combined together to create one fully grown entity.
Basically, think of it as a circle of life.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Setting Goals
I just wanted to talk a little about goal setting. To be successful in this sport you have to have the ability to set goals, but not only set the goals but you have to keep these goals as well. Future goals help to place you on the right path. By right path I mean to always keep improving on yourself and your skill set.
There are a couple things you have to remember when thinking about what goals you want to set for yourself. First, the goals you are going to set must be realistic. Second, you have to keep striving for these goals. If you keep these two principles in mind, you will help to ensure great success. This does not only apply to Taekwondo but life in general.
Be realistic when thinking about how to improve yourself. You have to think about what you can work on that is attainable by the skill set and the time you have to work on it. For example, last week you decided that you wanted to become a long distance runner. If you were going to set a goal for an amount of distance you wanted to be able to run and keep pace, would you set for the ability to be able to run 20 miles by next week? Obviously, no, this would be ridiculous unless you are superman. You would want to set something more realistic for the skill set you have already. You would probably set it for 3 miles or 5 miles, something that is not too easy but is definitely attainable in the amount of time that you have allotted. By doing this you will ensure improvement and you will also keep your hopes high as well. When you shoot for something that is almost impossible to achieve then you are setting yourself up for failure. If it looks impossible, then it most probably is impossible. You have to remember to never give up on yourself. If it was too easy, then how can it be a great accomplishment.
We have a simple phrase in Taekwondo that helps to keep striving for our goals: "Never Give UP!!" This may fall upon deaf ears to most, but for me I want this to be a way of life. This type of attitude will help you get to those places that seem so far away. You have to keep working at the short terms goals, but in time these short terms goals with add up to long term goals and achievements. A wise man one said, "Sometimes you have to go through the pain, if you want to experience the joy." This is most definitely true. No great accomplishment was ever easy, otherwise why would it be so great.
There are a couple things you have to remember when thinking about what goals you want to set for yourself. First, the goals you are going to set must be realistic. Second, you have to keep striving for these goals. If you keep these two principles in mind, you will help to ensure great success. This does not only apply to Taekwondo but life in general.
Be realistic when thinking about how to improve yourself. You have to think about what you can work on that is attainable by the skill set and the time you have to work on it. For example, last week you decided that you wanted to become a long distance runner. If you were going to set a goal for an amount of distance you wanted to be able to run and keep pace, would you set for the ability to be able to run 20 miles by next week? Obviously, no, this would be ridiculous unless you are superman. You would want to set something more realistic for the skill set you have already. You would probably set it for 3 miles or 5 miles, something that is not too easy but is definitely attainable in the amount of time that you have allotted. By doing this you will ensure improvement and you will also keep your hopes high as well. When you shoot for something that is almost impossible to achieve then you are setting yourself up for failure. If it looks impossible, then it most probably is impossible. You have to remember to never give up on yourself. If it was too easy, then how can it be a great accomplishment.
We have a simple phrase in Taekwondo that helps to keep striving for our goals: "Never Give UP!!" This may fall upon deaf ears to most, but for me I want this to be a way of life. This type of attitude will help you get to those places that seem so far away. You have to keep working at the short terms goals, but in time these short terms goals with add up to long term goals and achievements. A wise man one said, "Sometimes you have to go through the pain, if you want to experience the joy." This is most definitely true. No great accomplishment was ever easy, otherwise why would it be so great.
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