posts relating to taekwondo
I am a black belt
By Brandon Kennedy (Springwood Branch) Tae Kwon Do has played a major role in my life since the beginning of 2009. It has not only been a physical benefit for me, but more importantly, it changed the way I look at life and the people around me. It has helped with my self-esteem and self-discipline that can be taken into the workplace and into life more generally. All through primary school, and a little bit now also in high school, I was a victim of bullying because I was the small, short one who could not match bullies’ strength. This is where Tae Kwon Do has given me the knowledge, skills and confidence to deal with bullies in an appropriate way. Having done the training over the years to qualify as a black belt, I no longer see bullies as serious threats, even though some may occasionally threaten me. As a coloured belt, I used to see being a black belt as the end of a journey. In truth, earning a first dan black belt is just the beginning of the second and much longer time with Tae Kwon Do. I realise now that I have so much more to learn from my instructors. The coloured belt training forms just the basis of this next step. As equally important as the need to defend myself (and others if need be), Tae Kwon Do has taught me the importance of not fighting because of the dangers it leads to – as one current campaign says, “One punch can kill”. I have come up with a simple process to try and back out of a fight (after generally warning an attacker against pursuing violence), or [...]