Daily Workouts
Class starts with 5 minutes
of running then followed by warm-up stretching.
There are two type of
stretching, first there is the warm-up stretch. The body should be
properly warmed up prior to any stretching. A warmer body increases the blood
flow, elasticity of the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This will help prevent
injuries. A short warm-down should be included at the end of all workouts.
Second, there is
flexibility stretching. This should be done when the body is at its
warmest. This stretching will increase the range of motion. The end of a
strenuous workout is an excellent time for flexibility stretching.
Prior to class, warm-up
exercises should be done to loosen your muscles and prepare them for a strenuous
workout. In addition to improving your performance, warm-up exercises are
necessary to prevent injury to your muscles. It is not wise to throw any hand or
foot techniques without proper warm-up. Generally, five to ten minutes of
warm-ups are required under normal conditions. Cold days and early mornings will
require additional time. Basic movements should increase in intensity gradually
to prevent injury.
- Middle Target Punch
- Upper Target Punch
- Rising Block
- Double Arm Block
- Single Arm Block
- Front Stretch
- Front Kick
- Side Stretch
- Side Kick
- Knife Hand Block
- Knife Hand Attack
- Round House Kick
- Front Kick - Side Kick (combination)
- Reverse Punch
- Six Step
Mastering the basics is very difficult, because you can always
execute moves faster, with more power, better focus, better balance, and with
more control. One must always strive to go beyond their own limitations.
Techniques are kept simple and direct, concentrating mostly on speed, power and
focus.
The main moves in Tae Kwon Do are:
Side kick - striking with the heel of the foot.
Roundhouse kick - striking with the ball of the foot.
Front kick - striking with the ball of the foot.
Punching - lead hand punch and reverse punches.
Strong Blocking is a must.

Tae Kwon Do forms are stylized sequences of attacks and
blocks in multiple directions, for the purpose of developing complete
control of the body. There are certain forms designated for each belt level,
each belt level has one or two forms. The difficulty of these forms have been graded requiring greater skills
with each successive form, which helps students get acquainted with the
techniques that are expected at each belt level.
Five separate disciplines
are required from the student while doing forms. The student must learn the form so that all the
motions are done correctly with Control. Second, the movements must be Fast.
Doing a form with Speed does not mean rushing thru the entire form.
Each individual move must be executed with Speed. Third, the movements must be
Strong. Fourth, each movement must be
Focused. Finally, the student must have proper Balance at
all times.
As in Basics, mastering Forms is very
difficult, because you can always execute moves faster, with more power,
better focus, better balance, and with more control. One must always strive
to go beyond their own limitations.
Examinations at each belt level are given at the
discretion of the instructor
when he feels that the student has acquired the proficiency in Tae Kwon Do required at
his belt level. The student is then tested by Grandmaster Son at
headquarters',
and if judged satisfactory, is awarded the next rank. The rank system in
this style of Tae Kwon Do is white, yellow, green, purple, brown, black. A
student attending classes on a regular basis should be eligible for Black
Belt testing in approximately 2-1/2 to 3 years.
Required forms to achieve Black Belt:
White Belt Forms
Kuk Mu I
20 positions / 20 seconds
Kuk Mu II
20 positions / 20 seconds
Yellow Belt Forms
Pyong An I
22 positions / 25 seconds
Pyong An II
26 positions / 30 seconds
Green Belt Form
Pyong An III 18
positions / 20 seconds
Purple Belt Forms
Pyong An IV 21
positions / 30 seconds
Pyong An V 21
positions / 30 seconds
Brown Belt Forms
Chul Gi I
22 positions / 23 seconds
Pal Sek
43 positions / 45 seconds
Black Belt
Free-Style Fighting as taught by Master Son is a non-contact
unarmed combat substitute for real life-threatening situations. Street fighting is
serious with no second chances. Free-style fighting offers the student
unlimited opportunities to refine self defense techniques that work, and
eliminate those that don't work for the individual student. The student
must also work on self control so that adverse emotions will have little if no
effect on the ability to protect themselves at all times.
The objective is to have full control of ones body and emotions at all times so that all
offensive attacks can be delivered with full power and speed that can
break several inches of wood, with accuracy within one inch of the intended
target. The Tae Kwon Doist may use all kicks, punches, blocks, counter
attacks or any combination of such. In football, a good defense will win
many games. In Tae Kwon Do, a good defense allows the fighter the
opportunity for a counterattack to take out an opponent, in addition to
protecting themselves from the attack.
White belts do not
participate in free-style fighting since they do not have enough control for attacks or
blocks to be safe and effective. This is where
Three Step Sparring and watching upper belts spar prepares the white
belt for free-style fighting.
Three Step Sparring is where the
fundamentals of sparring are learned. Students practice three step in
pairs. The attack stops after three punches are thrown, alternating with
right, left and right upper target punches. The three punches are
countered with knife hand blocks. Each time blocking while stepping back
and alternating sides. After the third attack and third block, the
defender steps in with a counterattack. Both the attacker and defender must execute each
technique with speed, power and focus.

Warm downs begin with one hundred middle target punches thrown
in place while in a horse stance. Each punch is fully extended while pulling
back the opposite hand with the fist on the belt. Ten front kicks are then
executed in place with the right rear leg of a front stance, while maintaining
proper balance with the front leg. This is then followed by reversing the front
stance and executing ten more front kicks with the left rear leg. Next we move on to
ten left side kicks from a horse stance and moving across the studio. Followed
by ten right side kicks in the opposite direction.
The
end of class ends with some flexibility stretching. This is done when the body
is at its warmest. The end of a
strenuous workout is an excellent time for flexibility stretching.