Celebrating, Taekwondo Style!

By Alice Meyung, 5th dan

Did you know that the Colorado Taekwondo Institute hosts and runs birthday parties?  If you or your child wants to have a birthday party at a taekwondo school or a karate school, you are in luck!  A martial arts birthday party is a fantastic and active way for the kids who attend the party to burn energy and have a great time!  Here at our taekwondo school, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, we work hard to provide the most fun and exciting birthday celebrations for our students and anyone else looking to celebrate!  We welcome anyone to book a party at our taekwondo school!  The parties are complimentary and can take place at any of our five campus locations.  We usually run the parties on a weekend during the day, but our schedules can be flexible.

A typical party runs around two hours.  All of your guests gather at the taekwondo school to try out a class and have some party fun!  A certified Colorado Taekwondo Institute black belt instructor runs a short version of a Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo class.  Anyone can participate, even the parents!  The special birthday child gets a unique position during this class and gets to lead some very special activities for their guests.  The class consists of warm-ups and stretches to prepare our bodies for martial arts fun.  We will then learn the basics of taekwondo and learn how to perform punches, strikes, blocks and kicks in a safe environment and with expert help.  After the group is warmed-up and feeling confident with their new techniques, the party shifts to taekwondo-centric games and entertainment!  At a party at our taekwondo school, the games are designed to use the martial arts techniques and skills we just learned to have fun and expend energy.  Some great games we've played at past birthday parties include fun with rope drills, a kicking-version of Shark Attack, learning how to evade objects or attackers in a fun and safe environment, a taekwondo version of musical chairs, speed contests, gladiator-style taekwondo games and many, many more amazing activities!

After we are all exhausted from working out hard and exercising both our minds and bodies, it is time for cake, snacks, gifts, and anything else special that you might want to add to your celebration!  The birthday celebrant gets to cut the cake in a very special and unique way that is sure to impress all of the guests and their families.  After your party is over, you won't believe how much fun you and your friends had!

While having your birthday at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute is incredibly delightful, it is also a great way to introduce your friends (and maybe yourself, too!) to the fantastic opportunities a taekwondo school or karate school has to offer.  You and your guests get a taste of the incredible mental and physical benefits of taekwondo as well as having the time of your lives!  If you've been thinking about having a party at a taekwondo school or karate school, call the Colorado Taekwondo Institute or speak with your instructor today!

Responsibility

By Hope Morgan, 2nd dan

When I think about responsibility, I gravitate towards thinking about my responsibilities to others. I think about the various things I’m expected to do at school, work, and home. I think about the roles I’m expected to assume and the ways in which I’m expected to act. And while the concept of responsibility in this sense is incredibly important and worth discussing, hardly ever do people think about their responsibilities to themselves. This, in my opinion, is most important.

There is a blunt simple truth that begs to be mentioned - no one, despite how amazing they may be, has the true power to change your life. Can they be impactful? Of course! But the real power… That is something that completely resides in one’s own self. YOU are virtually responsible for everything in YOUR life. Someone lacking will will find it eminently difficult to change anything about their lives. It is all dependent on your personal responsibility.

This realization of all of my personal responsibilities hadn’t completely hit me until I had tested for my 1st degree Moo Sul Kwan black belt and it really came to settle in when I began college. My success was completely dependent on the amount of work I was willing to put in. Taking responsibility for myself has given me the power to create exactly what I want to create in life and achieve exactly what I want to achieve in life. I am responsible for attaining what I desire.

This notion quickly becomes clear to everyone in the Colorado Taekwondo Institute. CTI is one of the few places where one can experience all angles and facets of what responsibility is, but a strong personal responsibility is what really makes a student shine. We are so lucky to have such a wonderful group of people - students and instructors ready and willing to support others. I love knowing I have classmates who will push me in every class and an instructor ready to urge me forward. But my real salvation comes in knowing that despite all of that wonderful support, my success is my responsibility. I’m in charge of pushing myself and I’m responsible for taking the necessary steps in order to attain my goals. Just knowing that my progress rests on my shoulders gives me the most motivation. I want to be the best that I can be for myself.

This way of thinking has transcended into everything I do and I have only benefited from it. College operates on the same basis a CTI Taekwondo does. Spend the time and make the effort and your grades and learning will reflect that. If you can adopt this way of thinking, you will find yourself more successful. Take responsibility for yourself.

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute: Westminster School

Are you looking for karate or martial arts in Westminster, CO? Well then look no further- the Colorado Taekwondo Institute Westminster location offers dynamic classes for all ages and abilities. Each class provides hands on instruction from our black belt instructors. Students learn the Korean martial art of Taekwondo while developing self-control, self-esteem, self-defense skills and of course physical fitness. At the Westminster location our students are offered goals and challenges to complete throughout their training.

The Westminster school was founded in 2005 by Master Erik Albrechtson, 5th degree black belt in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo. Each class is taught by a certified AMASEA black belt instructor, that started with the CTI as a white belt. There are also upper belt students in every class assist the instructor to give students one-on-one time with an upper belt to focus on new techniques and areas in need of improvement. Master Albrechtson brings a level of educational training and experience to the Colorado Taekwondo Institute to provide superior classes to all of our students.

We offer a wide variety of martial arts classes for students of all abilities and ages. Students start classes as young as two years old and we even have students in their 60s working out. Classes are divided by age, so each class can be taught at the appropriate level for each of the students.

Located near 88th Avenue and Garrison, the Westminster location is conveniently located and provides classes for students in North Arvada, Westminster and Broomfield. The Westminster school is in the corner unit of the Lake Plaza Shopping Center, which houses a Diamond Shamrock, Global Thrift, Lake Plaza Barbers, Applauze Salon, Maitri Yoga, Sano's Amadeos Italian Kitchen, and Sideways Sports Lounge.

Here at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, we make the educational aspect of martial arts an important part of our program.  We offer three student manuals ranging from white belt through black belt plus a manual specifically for the junior students.  A written and physical test are required at each belt level.  Above and beyond the regular classes, we offer four interschool tournaments every year as well as our yearly Expo.  The Expo is an entire weekend dedicated to martial arts learning and is open to all students.  Additionally, we offer a Symposium every year for the upper belts to study advanced topics like how to teach and judge as well as advanced physical aspects of our martial art.

Come stop by for our summer special for new students. We are located on the southwest corner of 88th Avenue and Field Street, next to Applauze Salon. We have new student specials that allow you to experience our program without the stress of a long term commitment. Stop by or give us a call at 303-428-5377 and we'll provide you the best in karate or martial arts training in Westminster, CO.

Martial Arts = Self-Control for Children

By Bridget Sautel, 3rd dan

One quality that every parent wants there child to have and hold onto throughout their life is self-control. There are many ways this quality can be instilled in a child from early on, but there are some ways that work better than others and have more of a lasting effect. Taekwondo, which is a Korean martial art, is one of the most effective ways to teach a child self-control and self-defense. There are many reasons why children, and adults, need Taekwondo in the first place but it is also necessary to see how martial arts will change a person in the process. The outcomes and permanent changes that become very apparent make all the reasons why kids martial arts is so fundamental to a children’s life very clear.

There are a lot of reasons why a child would benefit from the martial art of Taekwondo and these same reasons apply to adults. One of the most obvious reasons to begin something like this would be to be able to stay fit and in shape. While strengthening the mind and thinking skills, the body is also being worked out and is physically being strengthened from day one. This way the body is kept healthy, and a person will be able to control their body and habits in better ways. Another important reason for taking part in Taekwondo would be the level of respect that the student is taught from the very first class. Not only are the students taught to respect their instructors and other adults, but also their fellow classmates and all types of people, ages, and belt ranks. The most influential reason is that aspect of self-control. This applies to being able to control the body, but also the mind and spirit. The child will learn and practice how to have a longer attention span while they are doing something they are learning to love. There are only a few reasons and explanations of the benefits from children's martial arts.

There are many changes and differences that a person will notice about themselves or their children after being in martial arts for even a short period of time, but especially long-term. One of the most credible differences seen will be that the self-control carries over to school, work, and social settings. It also contributes to interactions with people and how certain situations are dealt with, with the additional knowledge. The lessons that are learned at Taekwondo will be used in other situations that may have been difficult or hard to deal with before, but now have logical reactions and ways of dealing. Another difference is a good sense of consistency, meaning that every week the student will come to Taekwondo class and participate no matter what is going on in the outside world. Along with this is that quality of perseverance and learning not to give up when times are hard or you’re feeling a little exhausted. This especially will carry over to work and school and being able to persevere through these hard times and follow through. While doing a martial art, it will always be very visible to see how you’re improving as a person and the best thing about it is there is also room to improve and move up. The changes and differences in an individual’s actions and ways of life will be very obvious.

The outcomes and changes that will become apparent include not only self-control, but also self-discipline. It will be noted that doing the hard things like giving a speech in front of a big group, or meeting new people, will become a whole lot easier than before. Taekwondo improves confidence levels immensely and along with that comes the self-directed learning. This will also improve school work and every day work dealings. The changes will be noticeable from the start of practicing kids martial arts and will continue throughout the whole length of the training because the learning possibilities are never-ending.

Not only does Taekwondo teach a child self-control, but also self-defense, self-discipline, integrity, courtesy, perseverance, and many other countless qualities that a child needs in order to become successful. Self-control will be applied to every part of everyday life and used everywhere, not just in a Taekwondo setting. This way, a martial arts student is able to acquire every angle of the quality of self-control and hold onto it throughout an entire lifetime.

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute: Lakewood School

Are you looking for karate in Lakewood or a martial arts school in the Lakewood area? Look no further than the Colorado Taekwondo Institute!  Based on the traditions and philosophy of Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo as set forth by our founder Great Grandmaster Lee H. Park in 1969, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute offers a full set of age-appropriate curriculum in Taekwondo. We have Denver-area locations in Lakewood, Littleton, Golden, Westminster, and Conifer.

The Lakewood school of the Colorado Taekwondo Institute opened in 1991, and is our headquarter location. Students come from Lakewood, Littleton, Morrison, Golden, and Wheat Ridge to train with the most experienced and hardest working black beltsin the metro area. Our dynamic classes provide the best in martial arts lessons for toddlers, kids, teens, and adults. The Lakewood location of the CTI has many certified black belts, who all began at this campus as white belts.  These well trained black belts now assist or instruct classes, as well as continue their own training.

The head instructor is Grandmaster James M. Sautel, 7th degree black belt in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo, the highest ranking and most experienced black belt in the area.  With over 30 years’ experience as a martial arts instructor, Grandmaster Sautel could teach at any campus – his choice to teach in has ensured that this campus has the best of everything.

Our dynamic classes provide training for all ages ranging from our Tigers starting at 2 years old, Juniors starting at 5 years old, teen classes and our adult class. Classes are held throughout the entire week with convenient afternoon sessions.Students are encouraged to enroll as the class provides additional training outside of the basic routine taught in the Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday classes. We also host before and after school program at many local elementary schools.

We at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute strive to produce high quality black belts that can contribute to society on many levels including family, school and community.  We have over thirty years of experience and success in accomplishing that goal.  We believe that we can provide the highest quality education based martial arts experience to you and your family.

For more information about the Lakewood martial art school and the Colorado Taekwondo Institute in general, please visit our website at www.ColoradoTaekwondo.com or give us a call at 303-989-7542.