Success in Tae Kwon Do

by Steve Wood
(Naval Postgraduate School Tae Kwon Do Zoar chapter)

Hi!

I am the webmaster for the Naval Postgraduate School Tae Kwon Do Zoar chapter. In your recent issue of TKD Times eZine you posted an article titled "Success in Tae Kwon Do"

This article touched home with me! I am 58 years old and 2 steps from the coveted Black Belt (Second Degree Red Belt in our organization). But alas, there was a kink in the plan!

I found myself in a County Work Release program for 2 years due to a job loss and I got behind on child support. In June of last year, I was able to return to the sport that I have grown to love! Now my oldest daughter (18) has her 2nd Dan and is teaching me!

The 2 years took their toll on my body and I found that my flexibility and balance were not the same. But each day I see progress! I see new students coming in and progressing with each class! I still can't do the spinning jump kicks like I did (was not that great to start with) but I AM working on it.

As I said, I was so moved that I posted your article under News on our web site. http://www.geocities.com/zoarnps/news.html

I hope that this is allowable and that I gave ample credit! If not, please let me know and I will remove. I have also linked to you on our links page.

Kahm-sah-hahm-nee-dah,

Steve Wood

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Steve,

I am so pleased that my thoughts on Success in Tae Kwon Do resonated with you.

It's human nature to want to succeed at the things that matter to us. When you catch the fever of tae kwon do, you want to excel in all the parts that make up the whole of martial arts training. It is a passion in your heart.

A great tae kwon do Master, Sang Kyu Shim, wrote in his book, The Making of a Martial Artist: "Obviously, success does not fall out of the blue:it is something that must be earned, the result of some endeavor. It is not a point in time or a geographic location in space, but is an on-going process of 'becoming' rather than of 'having'."

I wish you the greatest triumph in your tae kwon do training as you continue to navigate your success in tae kwon do. Come back and let me know when you've earned that Black Belt, and send a picture and I'll be glad to post it. You're perseverance will inspire others towards greater success in their own training.

Pil Sung!

Kalynn