'Twas the Night Before the Tournament

By Holly Madayag, 1st dan,

A CTI CHRISTMAS TALE . . .

‘Twas the night before the tournament,
And all through the school
Students were practicing poomse,
Staying calm, staying cool.

The trophies were placed
On the head table with care,
With hopes of Grand Champion
Filling the air.

The instructors were busy
With final preparations for the show
And hoping that this would be
The absolute finest demo!

Judges checking scorecards
Scorekeepers checking time;
The band practicing lyrics
To ensure all words rhyme.

Then from one of the rings
There rose such a kihap;
That it made even the top-bleacher spectators
Turn, Look and then Stop.

The Black Belt division
Was about to begin;
No better way to start the competition
Than to watch an amazing Yul Shin.

When, what to our wondering eyes
Should appear,
But the clocks spinning forward to morning
The Superbowl is here!

With students checking in
And ring stands holding steady;
No snow stopping us today
We are all chunbi ready!

More rapid than eagles
The competitors they came
And they bowed and they stretched and
They did jumping jacks with no shame!

On Hana! On Dul!
On Set and Net!
Students rushed to their rings
Shouting, “Yes, Sir!” you can bet.

And then in a twinkling,
I heard my name on the speaker
It was my turn to spar
And I started feeling weaker.

As I drew in my breath
And was turning around,
My fiercest competitor
Made not a sound.

He was dressed all in white
From his head to his foot
He checked his handpads, his headgear
His mouthpiece, his boot.

We spoke not a word
But went straight to the bow
Which made me feel more relaxed
And stronger, somehow.

A number of techniques he had mastered
I knew.
So I just kept my feet moving
And, to my training, stayed true.

And then, in a twinkling,
I heard in my head
The CTI motto -
I had nothing to dread.

We exchanged various kicks
Each worth two points – they were smooth
But he got me with the reverse punch –
Our bread and butter move!

I was happy with the outcome
It was just like a test
Give 100%, work hard and just
DO YOUR BEST!

We gathered at the end of the day
As we’re accustomed to
To congratulate each other
For all that we do.

It is then that we realize
That winners we all are;
Moo Sul Kwan is our art
And with that, we’ll go far!

We loaded our cars and
And drove out of sight;
Ho Shin leaves us feeling proud -
We’ll all sleep well tonight!

19th Lee H. Park Team Championships

The 19th Lee H. Park Championships was a complete, outstanding day of competition, demonstrations, learning and fun!  372 Moo Sul Kwan martial art students and instructors celebrated our 9th CTI Hanmadang at Alameda International Junior/Senior High School in Lakewood, Colorado.

The LHP Team Championships is a day of peace and celebration of Moo Sul Kwan and founder Great Grandmaster Lee H. Park.   There were exciting competitions for all belt levels and ages in;  Team Poomse, Team One-Step Sparring, Team Breaking, Team Staff and more like the Most Kicks in a CTI Minute and CTI Basic Challenge and more!

The day began at 7:00 AM with black belt meetings followed by black belt team competitions.  First up was Black Belt Team Poomse followed by Team Staff competition, Team One-Step Sparring and Team Breaking.  When the second group arrived, the under black belt competitions began.  To start with, the National Anthem was sung by black belts Michael and Doug Sandusky and all of the MSK black belts and spectators.  Then the many teams from across the CTI competed in Poomse, One-Step Sparring, Breaking, and the always dynamic, Creative Basics competition.  This year's Team Creative Basics were performed to the song "Santa's Beard" by the Beach Boys.  Incredibly, the very full day was over before 3:30 PM, with everyone happy and exhausted!

Waiting to be Uncovered: Lakewood CTI

By Logan Gill, red belt

If you’re looking for genuine, quality martial arts training with master black-belt instructors, you’ve come to the right place. The Colorado Taekwondo Institute has classes for all ages and offers campuses in Denver and across northern Colorado. Our headquarters near Green Mountain services the Lakewood and the surrounding area. The Lakewood location offers evening classes Monday through Thursday for all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re retired, working, in school, or have children looking for a fun, after-school and rewarding athletic program, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute offers genuine martial arts training for everyone of any age or previous experience.

The Lakewood Campus offers classes almost every day of the week taught by certified Taekwondo Black Belt instructors.  Our classes range for all belt levels and ages. Our Taekwondo classes involve sparring, poomse (patterned moves), and various other techniques. On Mondays and Wednesdays we have 5:00 classes for ages 5 and up and classes at six for adults. Tuesdays and Thursdays provide classes at four, four-thirty, five, and six for all belt levels. The Lakewood campus is located at 12354 W. Alameda Parkway near Green Mountain in Lakewood.

The Taekwondo philosophy has roots in the ancient majesty of Korea thousands of years ago.  Our modern Taekwondo school has five tenets: courtesy, integrity, self control, perseverance, and indomitable spirit.  Every one of these is integrated into our practice every class.  Along with martial arts, the students also learn a bit about the history of Taekwondo and how it developed in Korea then spread to the rest of the world as a leading martial arts and education form.  Taekwondo classes also can increase memory and agility for older students and provide a safe energy outlet for younger ones.

Along with martial arts education, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute periodically hosts community service events such as food drives and donations to charity organizations.  Every year, students and instructors from every one of our campuses gather at Lakewood Campus and perform a food drive throughout the surrounding area, collecting thousands of meals worth of food for those less fortunate.  We donate everything to the Food Bank of the Rockies and other nonprofit organizations around Lakewood and Denver.  Anyone is welcome to join us as we give back to our community.

The story of how Taekwondo reached Colorado is long, but we can start with Lee H. Park bringing Taekwondo to the United States in 1969.  Lee H. Park was a ninth-dan black belt in Taekwondo and had black belts in Hapkido and Judo.  About two decades later, CTI’s founder and top instructor, Master Sautel, brought Taekwondo to Colorado and started the Colorado Taekwondo Institute with a mission of educating the community and providing genuine and quality black-belt instruction.

Every few months, our school holds tournaments to encourage friendly competition.  We usually compete in sparring, poomse, and board-breaking.  We also have overnight events, summer camps, instructional expos, private lessons, and many other Taekwondo-related events. All can be found on www.coloradotaekwondo.com.

Whether you are looking for a safe activity for you energetic children or are looking for good after-work exercise for adults, the Lakewood location of the Colorado Taekwondo Institute offers genuine, quality martial arts education for all.

Food For Change

By Sarah Luper, red belt

Being part of the Colorado Taekwondo Institute also means being part of the larger community. During the 11th annual CTI Food and Clothing Drive a hard working group of students went out to local neighborhoods and collected items for those who are less fortunate. 

That morning, our large group gathered at the Green Mountain Campus despite the chilly forecast.   Everyone was excited to get out and collect as many items as possible. Everyone was paired up with a driver and some younger students. After each group had been assigned a section of neighborhoods, we all set out. 

It was so much fun to see our junior students so excited to go out and collect food to help those outside of our school. The little ones in our group were especially excited to be near their own neighborhoods. They wanted  to have a competition to see which group in our car could collect the most items.  I agreed, but of course they wanted to pick the teams. 

Because of their self-control and respectfulness, we mostly let the younger girls do the talking at the houses. They were very good at telling people where we were from and what items we needed.  Even near the end of the morning when everyone was getting tired, our  group was still upbeat, positive and trying to squeeze in every last house.

When we got back to the Green Mountain Campus, I was amazed at how much food people had collected. When our car pulled in, there were already mountains of cans scattered throughout the parking lot. As other groups returned with their bounty of items, everyone would rush up and grab armfuls to be sorted into piles. After everyone had returned, we all began to load the food up and deliver it to the King's Cupboard Food Bank. We also sorted more for the Jeffco Action Center. Contributing to this large task made me think of all the people we were able to help.  It was definitely the highlight of my month.               

Learning Self-Defense Through MSK Taekwondo

By Ethan Trapp, 2nd dan

If you have been looking for self defense classes or to pick up a martial art, you have come to the right place. The Colorado Taekwondo Institute is a wonderful school to learn self-defense thtough Taekwondo. Coming from Korea, Taekwondo is one of the original oriental martial arts along with Karate, Hapkido, and Judo. Taekwondo is indigenous to Korea, which means this type of self-defense comes from and evolved solely in Korea. It has been around for thousands of years under a few different names such as So Bak. The word Taekwondo also means “the art of smashing with the feet and hands” in Korean. The style taught at Colorado Taekwondo Institute called Moo Sul Kwan teaches great values to students, is a great physical fitness program, and has a friendly and welcoming environment.

The best part about Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo is the strong character it teaches its students. In the student manual, there is a list of the Tenants of Taekwondo. These values include courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. These Tenants of Taekwondo can be seen in everything we do. From the regular classes to the tournaments to the social events, we are constantly reminded of and taught these traits. Along with that, there are monthly homeworks that teach about other traits of a black belt such as honesty, healthy eating, and the importance of exercise. Personally though, the most important value I have learned through Taekwondo at the CTI has been hard work and the rewards you gain through hard work. This has completely changed my life and influences all of my decisions now. So, one great benefit of Taekwondo is the important principles it teaches.

Another important aspect of self defense training is the physical workouts. Not only does Taekwondo make you a better person mentally, but it also makes you physically fit. With all jumping jacks, stretches, and exercise, you are sure to workup a good sweat. There is focus on endurance training and muscular fitness in Taekwondo. At the beginning of a typical class, we do jumping jacks, which elevate your heart rate and get you breathing. Then we do stretches, which prevent injuries and energize you. In this section, we do pushups and situps, and these help with all of the techniques and help your muscular fitness. Later on, we do the basic kicking and punching routine, which again helps with endurance. This physical fitness is a great help to other sports as well as living a healthy lifestyle.

Lastly, the environment created by the Colorado Taekwondo Institute is a family friendly and inviting atmosphere. At the CTI, even with the competitions, we are all one big family. Even after your first class, you are guaranteed to meet a few new people. There are many different classes that cater to the varying ages and abilities of students. The biggest sign of the friendly environment though is the act of shaking hands, which students do all the time. At the end of every class, the students shake hands and tell each other good job. Even after a fierce sparring match at one of our tournaments, the competitors have a genuine handshake after and show mutual respect. As you can see, the CTI provides a positive environment to learn for your self defense classes.

CTI Students - Leaders in their Community

By Lynne Deane, red belt

In general, an effective leader breeds an organization of followers with like qualities.  For good or ill.  A leader with compassion, empathy, and ethics will draw to them and build an organization that works towards a positive goal complimentary to those traits.  Leaders who breed followers by intimidation and bullying will breed an organization of bullies.  Both can be effective in getting their way – but as an organization working for the good of the community, it is imperative why the CTI promotes effective leaders of good.

With so many distractions and focus on the negative, the CTI student has a real potential to positively impact their community, their class, their work environment, or wherever they interact with people.  CTI students need to be leaders in their community to promote a positive impact on that community.   A lot can be done with leadership by example.  A CTI student, younger or older, can lead their peers by being a good example and by being proactive when it comes time to helping the class or work environment, and also by going above and beyond with activities such as volunteering.

As a result, we all benefit from the CTI student taking on a positive leadership role and the school’s credibility grows and with that grows the school’s potential future impact.  The CTI student’s positive impact on their community is a positive donation to the karma bank – which implies that only good can come of it for all impacted.

Kicking Together - A Family Martial Arts Experience

By Amy Krupp, blue belt

A year and a half ago, I was researching martial arts for families in my area, and stumbled across the website and Facebook page for the Colorado Taekwondo Institute. I knew that I wanted to get myself and my then 3.5 year old daughter enrolled in martial arts in order to give us skills needed to defend ourselves, should the need ever arise. Beyond that, I didn’t really have any idea of what I was looking for. The CTI seemed organized based on the website, seemed involved with their students based on the Facebook page, and had many glowing reviews. When I gave them a call to try out some classes for both of us, I had no idea how important this organization would become to my family.

Watching my three year old participate in her first Taekwondo tournament is an experience I’ll never forget. She had been a student for two months prior to her first tournament. I was probably more nervous than she was, watching her run up to the judges to introduce herself before performing her very first poomse (series of patterned movements). I didn’t know how she would react to having five black belts she’d never met watching her, and having her perform all on her own, but she did a wonderful job! As a parent, I couldn’t be more proud of her. Or so I thought. Then it was my turn to do my first poomse at the same tournament. It had been years since I’d been that nervous. My daughter had made it look so easy! I was even more proud of her then.

Participating in the same sport as your child is incredibly rewarding. We share a bond that is hard to fully appreciate until you are a part of it. Watching my child participate in Taekwondo is an amazing experience, but being a student myself, I have a deeper understanding of what she is experiencing. I can help her at home with her Taekwondo studies at a much higher level than I could as a spectator. We count in Korean together over dinner. We compare trophies and medals after tournaments, and talk about what we learned in class that day. We celebrate our belt promotions together, do our homework together, practice poomse together, and study for our promotion tests together.

Taekwondo has come to mean a great deal to me, and I could not be happier to share that experience with my daughter. I am looking forward to the day that my son is also old enough to participate. I can’t help but look ahead, and think of the day when all three of us are black belts. I’m looking forward to reminiscing about our first tournaments together, and remembering all of the times that I tied their belts and wished them luck before they competed. Family karate lessons has been a truly wonderful experience for us. As my classmate, Ms. Melodie Page said, “The families that kick together stick together.”

If you're looking for martial arts for families, I highly recommend you picking up the phone and calling the Colorado Taekwondo Institute. 

Wild Horses

By Eric Evans, 2nd dan

It is not everyday you get a chance to drive out to the country in Colorado, and help out on a ranch.  Recently, the Moo Sul Kwan Black Belt Team did precisely that.  It was a great experience and we were able to give our help and show our appreciation for someone who has done so much for our Moo Sul Kwan family.  If you have been to a Camp MSK, you know that we owe all the great food and planning to Cindy.  Thank you Cindy!

Cindy started out the day by giving us a tour which included some of the history and challenges she has faced since purchasing the property.  We were introduced to the multiple chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, 4 horses and her cow.  Two of the horses are wild rescues and are Mother / Daughter.  They are beautiful. It was then time for the 25+ black belts to get to work.

A team set out to teardown and stack the irrigation line that ran across 3 sections of the property.  We had no idea what we were doing, but after a little trial and error we found a good pace and had the piping stacked up in no time.  At some point during our adventure a couple of the ducks were loose and group of had a great time chasing them around.

One of the other teams set out to demolish the overgrown garden.  It is amazing how quickly such a daunting task can be accomplished when a group of people with good leadership are set to it.  The group tore into the weeds and brought down the old fence in record time.  They celebrated with a large bonfire leaving the weeds and tree limbs  in a nice ash pile.

At one point some of the team was seen riding bareback around the property.  The horses were given quite the workout that day.  The cow was even given a special treat.  We had to push and drag that cow out of its comfortable stall.  She did not want to leave her “safe place.”  But after we drug her into the field, she was prancing around, jumping and trying to get the attention of all the neighbor cows.  It reminded me of how students must sometimes feel.  There are times their parents must drag them kicking and screaming.  Once they are in one of our dynamic classes, they are happy, punching, kicking and enjoying themselves.

Yet another group was set to shovel the horse and cow stalls into what seemed like 70 wheelbarrow fulls of what Greely calls the smell of money.  Only a few mishaps with the wheelbarrow occurred and the team was smiling ear to ear at the end.  Mr. Orton came prepared with his chainsaw to make short work of tree trimming one of the other black belts found his calling with the organization of the barn workbench tools, nuts, bolts and miscellaneous items.

After loading up the trailer a team was off to the dump.  The trip was largely uneventful, but we did get to know each other a little more.  At the dump we were slightly concerned that we may have to restrain Mr. Scott and remove any of the ‘small treasures’ he might find there.  The team then continued on to clean out a storage unit and return the items to Cindy and her kids.

Cindy served a wonderful lunch for the entire team and we finished the day off watching our master instructors construct an engineering feat.  Cindy would no longer need to drag a hose from trough to trough.  The group had created a watering system that could be used to fill all the troughs at the same time.

In all it was a very successful day.  It was a great example of how big of an impact we can have on our community.  Our 11th Annual CTI Food and Clothing Drive is another example.  We had the chance to recently fill the food banks and give hope to those in our communities that need it the most.

We can make a difference. What may take a single person weeks or months to accomplish, we can knock out in a single morning!

Waiting to be Uncovered: Westminster CTI

By Eric Evans, 2nd dan

The Westminster location is located one mile west of Wadsworth and 88th avenue at 9020 W 88th Ave, Arvada, CO 80005. Nearby restaurants include a relaxed atmosphere in Sano's Italian Kitchen or sushi from I Love Sushi. While students are attending classes, parents can pamper themselves at the local hair Salon or barber shop and for the parents who enjoy running, Standley lake is just a short drive or jog away. For the pet lovers, a huge off leash dog park is just north of the campus and Standley lake on 105th and Simms street.

Our campus provides classes for all ages and students of all abilities. We serve the Arvada, Westminster and Broomfield areas. Convenient afternoon and evening class schedules are available for students Monday through Friday. Classes are separated by age group and occur twice a week with the same instructor. Opportunities exist for upper belt students to expand their training and leadership by assistant instructing in these classes. Additional makeup classes are available on Friday as well as advanced training in Black belt club.

Each dynamic class takes place in one of the three spacious workout areas. Workout areas contains a custom built suspension floor free of obstructions. New carpet has recently been installed in the main workout area. Viewing areas are available for parents, grandparents and friends and enclosed to minimize any distraction to the class.  The campus’ goal is to provide a safe environment where students can learn.

Students will learn self confidence, self control and leadership through Moo Sul Kwan martial arts traditions. Each class is taught to encourage the students to become thoughtful individuals. Students are encouraged to become leaders in their communities as they progress through each belt level. Each class is a unique journey that includes a warm-up, basic punches, strikes, and blocks as well as the dynamic kicks that Taekwondo is known for. Throughout the student’s training they are taught and reminded that all that is needed is a focus through paying attention and giving 100% every class.

In addition to the classes, the Westminster location hosts after school programs at select Jefferson County elementary schools. Students in these programs are welcome and encouraged to attend additional classes at the Westminster campus during the week. This is a great way to get students and their friends involved with a healthy activity that will educate and help them throughout their life.

All Instructors attend regular training classes as well as advanced training every weekend. The instructor's’ goal is to put the students first by providing a safe dynamic learning environment. These instructors team up 4 times a year with other Colorado Taekwondo Institute instructors to host competitive tournaments. Students are encouraged to attend as the tournaments provide the opportunity to bring their training to a higher level. The tournaments also provide an environment where many friendships are made and students gain self confidence through competition. In addition to the tournaments the Colorado Taekwondo institute hosts a weekend Expo, an upper belt symposium and a week long summer camp in the beautiful Colorado mountains. Additional demonstrations are provided to the community throughout the year as well as seminars for all current students. These seminars include sparring, anti-bullying, self defense and upper belt workshops.

Call us today to learn more. We look forward to helping you!

Family at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute

By Courtney Moen, green belt

At the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, many families go there to learn self-defense, compete, and have fun.  When you train with your family, you have a best friend(s) there to help you learn and understand things, while also teaching the other.  This could be better because you get to have more practice at home with someone else, so you can figure out more things you need to fix from another's eyes.

As a student at CTI who goes with my sister I can say that I definitely feel like I remember more things when we get home and practice.  Training with family is also a bit more of a fun experience, because you can learn alongside your younger or older siblings or parents, and you are treated the same.  You are the same age.  You all learn the same thing eventually.

The best thing is definitely when you can see the progress that you have all made.  It really does show.  You not only learn self-defense, but you also get a better personality.  Respect, Integrity, and humility can be seen in your family when training at CTI.  You can see the progress that you have made, you are proud.  Not only of what you did, but how your family did, even if they did get a higher score on a test or tournament.

Colorado Taekwondo Institute also bonds your family.  The people you think you know the most about come out with new strengths and weaknesses, and being a family, you help fuel the strengths and fix the weaknesses, as they do you.  After a while that younger or older sibling you thought you hated becomes your best friend and you want nothing more than to watch them succeed and make them proud with your own accomplishments. CTI helps build a better relationship with everyone, because here, we are all family.end.

Adult Classes at the CTI - I Can Be an Athlete!

By Deb Denny, red belt

A few years back I looked into adult karate classes. I found a few schools near my house, but I decided on classes at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, and I'm sure glad I did!

Training as an adult in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo has many health benefits. As I am an adult with adult children, it especially important for me to enjoy health and well-being through my later years. Some of the benefits of martial arts include: increased cardiovascular and respiratory capacity, improved sleep, strong and resistant immune system, emotional mood and self-esteem builder, it keeps your joints moving and flexible, increased strength, dementia prevention through increased blood follow and mental challenges to the brain, and prevents diabetes by modulating blood sugar.

The workouts involve movement through all planes, which uses more muscle groups and does not cause repetitive injury like running (a one plane movement) can. Adult martial arts classes can be considered health insurance: the more involved you are, the less you will need to dip into that high deductible health plan we all carry now.

As a medically inclined person I can go on and on about the health benefits of MSK Taekwondo. So let’s get to the real meat and potatoes here. For me, having been the kid who sat on the bench while team captains debated “Who gets Debbie” in school sports, and years of being told I am uncoordinated and worthless, the CTI has been amazing. The wonderful instructors at the CTI have shown me that I AM AN ATHLETE! Taekwondo has given me the confidence, coordination, and reflexes to perform at a level I never dreamed I’d attain. Everything I accomplish in adult martial arts classes makes me a better at my other leisure activities such as biking, hiking and backpacking.

So what is holding you back?…if I can do it, so can YOU.

Black Belt Symposium a Smash!

The 22nd Moo Sul Kwan Black Belt Symposium took place October 13 - 15 at The Inn at SilverCreek in Granby, Colorado.  The largest symposium group ever assembled, spent the intensive three day weekend training in classes and seminars on Moo Sul Kwan Martial Arts.  The special weekend, devoted to the training of Moo Sul Kwan black, red and brown belts, was the 22nd straight year that black and brown belt students got together in the mountains for their own special weekend.

Training in sparring, poomse, one-step sparring, breaking, tournament judging, teaching concepts and much more were covered.  Classes began on Friday evening and concluded on Sunday at noon.  Each day started out with a 6:00 AM workout with Grandmaster Sautel, followed by classes until lunch time.  After lunch and some group photos, excellent afternoon classes took place. 

In the evening, the Symposium Banquet started promptly at 6:00 PM.
Great food and fun entertainment provided by the black belts made for an excellent evening.  There was music, games and even a stand-up comedian performing to the delight of the crowd!

On Sunday, everyone was up early working hard in the pre-dawn workout and the many classes that followed.  Everyone pushed hard till the very end - which was sparring - where they pushed even harder!

The theme of this year's MSK Black Belt Symposium was - "Back to the Future III".  Focus was on the foundation of Moo Sul Kwan martial arts and the principles of movement and strategy.  The Symposium teaching Staff led by Grandmaster James M. Sautel included excellent leaders; Mindy Sautel, 6th dan, John Sautel, 6th dan, Erik Albrechtson, 6th dan, Alice Meyung, 5th dan, Clayton Garner, 5th dan, Andy McDaniel, 4th dan, Dustin Wheeler, 4th dan, Abdu Kikhia, 4th dan, Bridget Sautel, 4th dan, Brian Steward, 4th dan and Brian Steward, 4th dan.

MSK Taekwondo Benefits for Kids Like Me

By Cody Jacobson, age 11, red belt

In Colorado Taekwondo Institute, we do many thing from practicing basics to high level patterns. There are many benefits of our training.  It is a great benefits for kids martial arts.

Kids like me (even younger and older) can get out of control sometimes.  Our classes and events teach them self control while having fun.  A new student should not expect to immediately get your black belt.  Unlike other schools, it takes you longer to progress through the ranks, thus allowing kids to learn more, and have more fun. I, as a student, like Taekwondo.  It helps me develop self control and respect for others. It also helped me learn better in school.

At CTI, we have a variety of events for kids that include summer camp, Expo, tournaments and more!  At all of these we learn.  My favorite event that I have gone to is Camp MSK. It is a week of Taekwondofor all belts. At camp, you do many activities, but most importantly, you do...Taekwondo!  You learn good sportsmanship, self control, and learning skills.  All of these are good for kids.  Tournaments are great events to go to. Unlike Camp MSK, tournaments are for all ages.  If you and your family are starting classes, you can go to tournaments together.  At my first tournament, I got scared. But when you get out there, it is really fun.  No, you will not win first place every time, but the important thing is that you take away the learning experience.  As you progress through the ranks and get older there will be more and more activities available to you.  Our events are a great benefit to younger students, and adults, to learn good sportsmanship, self control, and Taekwondo.

Going to your class is the most important thing about your Taekwondo career.  The only way you can advance through the ranks is by going to your class.  At first, you may think that our classes are all work and sweat, but they can be fun once you get the hang of it.  If you do the two things we ask for, paying attention, and trying your best, you will succeed, and most importantly, have fun.  Sometimes we do races, or fun games, but we usually work out.  Even though that may seem hard it is fun for everyone.  They are a good chance for kids to become healthier and smarter at the same time while having fun.

CTI kids martial arts classes are good for younger kids.  They teach them how to have self control and to know what it is to do your best.  All of this while having fun. You should give the Colorado Taekwondo Institute a call if you're looking for karate classes for kids.

Waiting to be Uncovered: Littleton CTI

By Irene Kim, brown belt

You've decided to live in Littleton, Colorado, nestled close to the foothills enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather.  Life seems pretty good but perhaps there is something missing.  You decide that you would like to try something new, to push yourself and see what more the area of Littleton has to offer.  You never knew how meaningful life would become after walking through the doors of the Colorado Taekwondo Institute (CTI) right in your Littleton neighborhood.

Located on Simms Street, right between Bowles and Belleview, the Littleton location is easy to get to, and is far from the traffic of Kipling or even Wadsworth.

Not only will you experience the most physical fitness you never thought possible, you will literally be retraining and strengthening your brain, mind, and spirit.  The instructors at the Littleton Taekwondo location and all campuses of CTI will support and encourage you every step of the way and you will feel how they care for you as you attain numerous and never-ending goals.  As you learn the fascinating and intruiging Korean Martial Art of Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo (the Korean Art of smashing with the bare feet and hands), you will build strength and confidence you never knew you had.

The tenets you will learn include Self-control, Courtesy, Integrity, Perserverance and Indominable Spirit.  Your training will instill these characteristics into every part of your life and will inspire others around you as they observe your improving strength. Others may question how you attained such respect in the Littleton and Colorado community.  As you advance in your training, the traditions and instruction methods will continually be demonstrated through you to improve our society.

Join us at the Littleton location of CTI and prepare to enjoy the best life has to offer, surrounded by the continual positivity seen in all your fellow students, adult or child age, as everyone advances and enjoys each and every precious day we are given.

Why Taekwondo is Great for Teenagers Like Me

By Collin Kreutz, 2nd dan

Have you ever considered getting your teenager involved in martial arts such as Taekwondo or Karate? Do you want them to get in shape, develop as a more well rounded person, and/or become proficient at defending themselves through participating in martial arts? Then look no further, because the Colorado Taekwondo Institute is the place for you! The Colorado Taekwondo Institute had been instilling excellence in our students physically and mentally for nearly 35 years. Established in 1983, our goal has always been to develop the most thoughtful, involved, physically adept, and motivated individuals of all ages, abilities, and experiences.

Anybody can join Taekwondo, whether the prospective student is a four year old child, a thirteen year old teenager, or a forty year old adult. The overwhelming benefits of what students can learn will help to promote growth and a healthier lifestyle for all different types of people, whether it be learning responsibility and respect at a young age or improving your determination and confidence at work. In fact, Taekwondo is a fantastic medium for different ages and abilities to work together towards a common goal, allowing the development of friendships and comradery to push on another to new limits.

Taekwondo is a fantastic way to improve physical health and wellness through consistency and hard work. Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise are vast networks within Taekwondo, helping to build strength, quickness, and endurance. Altogether, Taekwondo is one of the best sports for physical fitness in terms of consistency, as classes occur year round unlike many other sports and activities, and consistent practice is unquestionably the best way to improve your ability. Additionally, the physical developments of martial arts for teens will translate wonderfully and complement many other sports and activities. Whether it be through the consistent training of Taekwondo, or the extremely tough exercise at an event or test, the physical nature of the body will always benefit in some way when practicing Taekwondo.

However, one of the primary aspects that makes Taekwondo and martial arts so beneficial is the focus on promoting knowledge and education alongside the physical elements of the sport. Participating in martial arts for teens not only improves physical abilities, but mental ones as well through the development of leadership, respect, and our five tenets of Taekwondo: perseverance, indomitable spirit, self-control, integrity, and courtesy. Our instructors work hard to impart these qualities upon our students, and make sure that their training complements their education. These mental growths will help in every other part of your life, assisting in improving yourself at home, school, work, and wherever you may go.

Joining the Colorado Taekwondo Institute will also open up a large avenue at making new friends, attending exciting events, and stepping out of your comfort zone. We hold a multitude of events throughout the year, whether it be tournaments, expos, symposiums, or summer camps and day camps, all of which are excellent ways to complement one's training and meet new people. Furthermore, these events, along with test for the next belt, offer a great challenge to the student that must be overcome, further assisting in improving their mental willpower and determination.

So, if you are looking to join teens martial arts lessons, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute will be a great fit for you, no matter what you age or abilities are. Come along and join the fun!

Family in Taekwondo

By Gwendolyn Gutierrez 1st Dan

I started Taekwondo in 2006 when I was 2 years old with my older brother. Throughout these 11 years I have wanted to give up multiple times but then my brother always reminded me to keep pushing and trying my best no matter how hard it was. He has given me opportunities that I wouldn't have if I joined without him. Having family in Taekwondo gives you a bigger advantage than anything else.

Every single time that I have gotten new moves in the past, my instructor would always tell me to practice them at home. Especially when you're younger, it's hard to stay accountable on practicing those moves. The beautiful thing about having family in Taekwondo is they can help you keep that accountability so you don't get distracted and forget to practice. Also, if your family knows to the same place or further on patterns or one-step sparring, they can help you with anything that you're struggling with. This helped me a lot because I would forget difficult moves easily so one day if I needed help I could just ask my brother and he would usually have an answer. My favorite part about having family at home that does Taekwondo is getting help on homework. Every month when the CTI homework comes out, it's hard to make sure you're on top of it and keep track of it. When you have family there to do it with you, it's a lot easier to finish it. But it's not only homework. This past year when my brother and I had to fill out training charts for the Sweden and Norway world tour, we would forget to fill it in a lot. Then we came up with a system to sit down at a table together right after dinner and fill them out together and we actually started to keep up with our charts.

One of the hardest things that I always struggled with in Taekwondo was motivation. There was like a 6 month period where I didn't really have anything pushing me towards that black belt. But then I reached that age where i realized having a sibling motivated me. Having family in Taekwondo pushes you to get better and work harder than them. Suddenly I had a goal to reach and even though it may sound a little stupid and childish, it helped me in extraordinary ways. It helped me see what I was finally going to get in the end even without having it. As I got out of wanting to work harder than my brother, the motivation was still there. Without that motivation to want to be better, I wouldn't be who I am today inside and outside of Taekwondo.

Family can be a powerful thing when it comes to any activity or sport. I got lucky to be being able to participate in martial arts for families. A lot of people don't have that luxury. Even though siblings can be very annoying at times, they are always still very helpful. I think that if you're going to join Taekwondo, do it with a sibling, your parents or any family member, because, trust me, it definitely pays off.  I wouldn't have my black belt if it were for having family in Taekwondo and I will always vouch for that.

Raising a Black Belt

I’m pretty sure it was March 17th, 2009.  That was the day I dragged my six year old son to the second floor dojang in Aspen Park for his first Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo lesson.  His mother and his sister and his teachers at the Aspen Park Montessori school had been telling me that he would not do as he was told – which was news to me because he always did what I told him, but regardless - and with a three week parents only vacation to Italy on the horizon – to be supported by grandparents watching my son and his older sister – I thought it wise to enroll him in some activity that might instill some respect for authority.  Years later when I think of parents enrolling their tigers and juniors for just such a purpose I can’t help but feel for Mrs. Lindner.

And so began the more than eight year journey of raising a blackbelt.   But what really does that mean?  What does it truly mean to have that amazing young fourteen year old man who has achieved that goal and is now enroute to others?  The first thing is the sacrifice that we as his parents have made. It’s not cheap.  And there is a tremendous time commitment.  But to have seen him grow in his martial arts, and to see how his martial arts growth has molded him as a young man has been a joyful experience.  I guess one of the first and most poignant examples of how it has molded him was to see him as a leader.  He plays football in the fall.  And last season was the first time we saw him basically take control of his team.  Before the games and at half time when the entire team huddles on the field and one of the players is in the middle of the giant huddle shouting cheers to psyche up the team, it was our son who was the one in the middle of the huddle shouting the cheers, “Who are we?!?!?!?  MUSTANGS!!!!, What’re gonna do?!?!?! WIN!!!!”  It still chokes me up to think about.  And I have absolute certainty that my wife and I have the CTI and Moo Sul Kwan to thank for the precocious maturity and self confidence that our son shows.

And what else does it mean to raise a Moo Sul Kwan Blackbelt?  It means raising an exemplary kid.  Yes, he sometimes still leaves his socks on the counter and getting him to do the dishes is often like pulling teeth, and we refer to cleaning his room as “mowing’ his room.  But we almost never have to bug him about his grades – He is an A/B student almost without trying.  And he stands up for what’s right without even thinking about it.  Recently at school one of the members of his “squad” (as a group of friends is apparently known these days) was the attempted victim of a bully (yes, there was a girl involved).  And fortunately for my son’s friend – and unfortunately for the bully – this occurred right in front of my son.  From various accounts, without even thinking about it, and only using the amount force required, my son subdued the bully until the situation was defused.  That again showed the precocious maturity and self-confidence to which I credit Moo Sul Kwan.  My son didn’t feel the need to fight.  He had nothing to prove to anyone.   He simply defended his friend until the threat was gone.

Raising a black belt – there is no manual or instruction booklet.  But when I think back on the six year old ornery kid who barely came up to Grandmaster Sautel’s belt, and then I think of the amazing young man who at fourteen years old is now taller than me, and then I think of how incredibly proud I am of the young man he has become, well, all the time and money and effort through the years hasn’t been spent. It has been invested.  And I dare say it has been invested wisely.

Thank you CTI

- Bruce Dean, 2nd dan

28th Denver Martial Arts Championships

A wonderful two day tournament at Alameda International Junior/Senior High School took place September 8-9, 2017!  It was the 28th Denver Martial Arts Championships and it was even bigger than last year's!

Students from across the CTI competed in poomse, sparring, breaking and more at this annual fall championship tournament.  The action began on Friday evening with Moo Sul Kwan black belt competitions including; sparring, breaking and poomse.  Black Belt poomse was very well done, sparring was exciting and there were boards flying all over the place!

Saturday began early with black belt staff competitions.  Red, brown and purple belt divisions went next and were followed by all the other belt and age groups.  Our United States National Anthem was sung this time by Mr. Michael Sandusky, 4th dan and Mr. Kameron Evans, 1st dan.

Here are the results!

POOMSE

1st place
Brynn Konrad, Devon Bilyeu, Dakota Jesse, Dante Hulin
Natasha McKernan, Jennifer McKernan, Collin Kreutz, Stephen Sautel
Jason Stencel, Sr., Avery Mitzlaff, Da Minh Tran, Isaac Jensen
Jacobi Field, Deb Denny, Chris Cardella, Abbey Salamera
Sigourney Zager, Lauren Smith, Kylee Ruhser, Luke Smith
Joshua Sencel, Quynn Cotner, Mitchell Oleszek, Fran Walker
Colin Cook, Helen Grenillo, Meilani Wilcox, Khristin Paisley
Shaydon Tuttle, Katelyn Minden, Lars Den Hartog, Mary Moen
Diego Quezada, India Ross, Bella Lasater, Hayden Welch
Jonathan Castro, Conor McCarthy, Sage Icaza, Larry Rathbone, 
Averie Chavez, Caiden Murphy, Kylee Odom, Judson Ver Beek
Rowan Lasater, Camila DeGroot, Charlie Booten, Leo Clair
Ryann Beaver, Finnegan Handlin, Marley Powers, Mason Rutz
Jensen Cook

2nd place
Keet Holdridge, Joshua Miller, Trish Nguyen, Katie Dahle
Lexi Johannes, Eileen Lindner, Tyler Murphy, Brian  Steward
Lee Tomjack, Logan Gill, Lydia Willis, Nick Tibbetts
T.J. Tibbetts, Irene Kim, Sean Huntley, Elizabeth Hawkins
Aiden Sturm, Kaddie Williams, Jacob Hoenmans, Sarah Luper
R. J. Larson, Elijah Alire, Julian Marine, Naomi Price
Sophia Sandoval, Pierumberto Sosta, Rickert Speckman, Alex Tan
Bowen Meyer, Ian Burger, Ashlee Grose, Ben Barron
Courtney Moen, Emerald Shankin, Andriana Hoy, Eva Welch
Kyrie Horine, Francesca DeGroot, Debra Chandler, Kayla Roberts
Ahas Weerapura, Tristan Garcia, Jordan Rutz, Ella Hayes
Rachel Wilcox, Gavin Thurman, Ashton Sipes, Jacob Woodruff
Evan McEwan, Michael Lemmon, Lucy Paisley, Oliver Garner
Adam Lemmon

3rd place
Gwen Gutierrez, Makayla Trapp, Mya Field, Ethan Price
Kenny Brancio, Rick Orton, Nathaniel McKernan, Andy McDaniel
Bill Schwartz, Calvin Jensen, Meryn Probasco, Jack Weichert
Devan Bagley, Anna Grose, Alice Warnick, Phillip Hoenmans
Brendan Arink, Vivi Brown, Tyler Cobb, Derek Simpson
Lance Schwartz, Alex Schwartz, Christian Lloyd, Jackie Uchiyama
Andra Vieru, Amy Krupp, Jayden Scherer, Patrick Stolle
Dalton Cole, Isabella Sandoval, Bryce Cole, Hannah Meadows
Annie Abbink, Chiara Esposito, Lucah Meyer, Josefina Kuberry
Jonathan Wright, Eliseo Bandala, Lucas Kaster, Miki Sedivy
Elsie McDonald, Dylan Soule, Ivy Strickland, Roan Prall
Leto Ochsner, Ella Barron, Cameron Oakberg, Connor Girard
Alexis Chavez, Soren Vanderstek, Andrew Votaw, Zachary Cotner
Noah Gomez

4th place
Merrick Oleszek, Ryan Wyngarden, Jameson Healy, Jakob Deverell
Justin Lautrup, Don  Johnson, Peyton Brauch, Hope Morgan
Dean Loux, Arkhip Saratovtsev, Cody Jacobson, Lauren Dahlberg
Robbie Crandell, Susan Burgstiner, Erick Rodriguez, Sarah Dahle
Mariah Cordova, Kirun Agarwal, Marley Griffin, Race Sober
Jasmine Salamera, Will Kennedy, Jason Stencel, Jr., Kaylyn McEwan
Vi Vu, Angela Almaraz, Tina Vo, McKenna Erbes
Grant McKissack, Tayler Tipton, Lex DeHaven, Devin Martin
Logan Rumph, Charlotte Lafler, Randy Hernandez, Michael Meadows
Roland Dander, Caleb Romero, Jennifer Kautz, William Van Oster
Layla Tran, Lillian Eichelberger, Liam Greene, Nathaniel Keckler
Maslynn Hobley-Bess, Logan Keckler, Aidan Soule, Curtis Kuberry
Lennix Chavez, Hudson Handlin, Noah Vaughn
 

TIGER POOMSE

1st place
Esmeralda Lafler, Ryan Marine, Abby Booten, Kaleb Grown
Hunter Humeniuk, Juliana DeGroot, Owen Hughes, Lily Strickland
Zane Kaulbach, Elias Vaughn, Maryn Rolfing, Rue Weerapura
Amalina Tarr, Lincoln Walker, Zoey Krupp, Kaiden Rogers
Kaytie Rogers, Harper Farquhar, Toby Palminteri, Kaden Kuberry
Sammy Powers, Andrew Wilcox

BREAKING (Black Belt)

1st place
Brynn Konrad, Ryan Wyngarden, Dakota Jesse, Natasha McKernan
Nathaniel McKernan, Mark Scott, Jennifer McKernan, Nick Slinkard

BREAKING (Under black belt)

1st place
Katelyn Minden, Arkhip Saratovtsev, Devan Bagley, Avery Mitzlaff
Deb Denny, Luke Smith, Lance Schwartz, Kaddie Williams
Jason Stencel, Sr., Brendan Arink, Cody Jacobson, Julian Marine, 
Will Kennedy, Grant McKissack, Devin Martin, Amy Krupp
Pierumberto Sosta, India Ross, Mary Moen, Bella Lasater
Jovan Moore, Bowen Meyer
 

STAFF POOMSE

1st place
Nina Madayag, Brynn  Konrad, Devon Bilyeu, Peyton Brauch
Collin Kreutz

2nd place
Evelyn LaMorgese, Shekina DeTienne, Dakota Jesse, Natasha McKernan, Nathaniel McKernan

3rd place
Joshua Miller, Lexi Johannes, Ryan Wyngarden, Keet Holdridge
Tyler Murphy
 

SPARRING 

1st place
Chase Wyngarden, Evelyn La Morgese, Ryan Wyngarden, Dakota Jesse
Trish Nguyen, Dante Hulin, Hope Morgan, Stephen Sautel
Andy McDaniel, Arkhip Saratovtsev, Derek Simpson, Chris Cardella
Lauren Dahlberg, Lauren Smith, Moriah Cordova, Sarah Luper
T.J. Tibbetts, Brendan Arink, Alex Price, Jason Stencel, Sr.
Sigourney Zager, Elijah Alire, Joshua Stencel, Mary Moen
Lex DeHaven, Josefina Kuberry, Pierumberto Sosta, Brian O'Reilly
Shaydon Tuttle, Theryn Ochsner, Colin Cook, Katelyn Minden
Kim Freeman, Lucah Meyer, Helen Grenillo, Henry Rumph
Lars Den Hartog, Courtney Moen, Jonathan Castro, Annie Abbink
Hannah Meadows, Jordan Rutz, Curtis Kuberry, Averie Chavez
Lennix Chavez, Alexis Chavez, Caiden Murphy, Aidan Soule
Ahas Weerapura, Mason Rutz, Rachel  Wilcox, Leo Clair
Cameron Oakberg, Rowan Lasater, Juliana DeGroot, Ashton Sipes

2nd place       
Keet Holdridge, Gwen Gutierrez,  Joshua Miller, Jakob Deverell
Natasha McKernan, Justin Lautrup,  Jennifer McKernan, Nick Slinkard
Don Johnson, Avery Mitzlaff,  Jovan Moore, Luke Smith
Kylee Ruhser, Vivi Brown,  Miette Jandreau, Abbey Salamera
Robbie Crandell, Jack Weichert,  Cody Jacobson, Lee Tomjack
Lydia Willis, Jacob Hoenmans, Marley Griffin, Bella Lasater
Lucas Kaster, Hayden Welch, Fran Walker, Alex Tan
Bowen Meyer, Isabella Sandoval, Grant McKissack, Meilani Wilcox
Khristin Paisley, Conor McCarthy,  Amy Krupp, Ben Barron
Bruce Cole, India Ross,  Jayden Scherer, Ashlee Grose
McKenna Erbes, Ivy Strickland,  Michael Lemmon, Elsie McDonald
Andrew Votaw, Harper Farquhar,  Zane Kaulbach, Judson Ver Beek
Owen Hughes, Zachary Cotner,  Marley Powers, Connor Girard
Ryan Marine, Nathaniel Keckler,  Camila DeGroot, Jensen Cook

3rd place
Nina Madayag, Makayla Trapp, Devon Bilyeu, Kameron Evans
Lexi Johannes, Ethan Price, Shekina DeTienne, Tyler Murphy
Rick Orton, Sam La Morgese, Mathias Bauer, Race Sober
Quynn Cotner, Kirun Agarwal, Meryn Probasco, Elizabeth Hawkins
Devan Bagley, Nick Tibbetts, R.J. Larson, Bill Schwartz
Jasmine Salamera, Will Kennedy, Julian Marine, Adriana Hoy
Michael Martin, Kyrie Horine, Patrick Stolle, George Vieru
Logan Rumph, Sophia Sandoval, Ian Burger, Angela Almaraz
Tina Vo, Rickert Speckman, Vi Vu, , William Hobley-Bess
Devin Martin, Emerald Shankin, Michael Meadows, Tayler Tipton
Sage Icaza, Lillian Eichelberger, Gavin Thurman, Maslynn Hobley-Bess
Evan McEwan, Ryann Beaver, Tristan Garcia, Roan Prall
William Van Oster, Logan Keckler, Sabrina Jensen, Jacob Woodruff
Kaleb Brown, Matthew Roberts, Layla Tran, Adam Lemmon

4th place
Brynn Konrad, Mya Field, Devon Lewis, Jameson Healy
Allyse Nothstine, Johnny Williams, Katie Dahle, Zach Greaves
Mark Scott, Brecken Lusk, Sean Huntley, Irene Kim
Alice Warnick, Sarah Dahle, Logan Gill, Isaac Jensen
Lance Schwartz, Dean Loux, Jason Stencel, Jr., Francesca DeGroot
Malachi Romero, Larry Rathbone, Andrei Amihalachio, Andra Vieru
Paul Paisley, Aylen Icaza, Kayla Roberts, Roland Dander
Nethika Suraweera, Eliseo Bandala, Diego Quezada, Chiara Esposito
Jonathan Wright, Evan Zdechlik, Eva Welch, Kylee Odom
Finnegan Handlin, Ella Barron, Silas Rees, Ella Hayes
Dylan Soule, Dylan Wellensiek, Oliver Garner, Lucy Paisley
Liam Greene, Charlie Booten, Leto Ochsner, Lily Strickland
Noah Gomez
 

FIRST POINT WINS!

1st place
Merrick Oleszek, Makayla Trapp, Devon Bilyeu, Dakota Jesse
Lexi Johannes, Dante Hulin, Hope Morgan, Zach Greaves
Rick Orton, Avery Mitzlaff, Jovan Moore, Luke Smith
Kylee Ruhser, Kaddie Williams, Miette Jandreau, Sarah Luper
Jacobi Field, Brendan Arink, R. J. Larson, Jason Stencel, Sr.
Lydia Willis, Elijah Alire, Tyler Cobb, Mary Moen
Lex DeHaven, Pierumberto Sosta, Brian O'Reilly, Bowen Meyer
Theryn Ochsner, Colin Cook, Angela Almaraz, Kim Freeman
Rickert Speckman, Helen Grenillo, Ben Barron, Lars Den Hartog
Courtney Moen, Jayden Scherer, Annie Abbink, Eva Welch
Ivy Striuckland, Michael Lemmon, Ella Barron, Evan McEwan
Ryann Beaver, Zane Kaulbach, Aidan Soule, Owen Hughes
Zachary Cotner, Rachel Wilcox, Liam Greene, Ryan Marine
Nathaniel Keckler, Juliana DeGroot, Jensen Cook

2nd place
Nina Madayag, Gwen Gutierrez, Joshua Miller, Jakob Deverell
Trish Nguyen, Ethan Price, Jennifer McKernan, Brian Steward
Andy McDaniel, Arkhip Saratovtsev, Mathias Bauer, Derek Simpson
Quynn Cotner, Lauren Smith, Alice Warnick, Abbey Alamera
Robbie Crandell, Jack Weichert, Da Minh Tran, Dean Loux
Sigourney Zager, Jacob Hoenmans, Marley Griffin, Bella Lasater
Lucas Kaster, Fran Walker, Larry Rathbone, Shaydon Tuttle
Kaylyn McEwan, Paul Paisley, Katelyn Minden, Tina Vo
Conor McCarthy, Jackie Uchiyama, Henry Rumph, Caleb Romero
Emerald Shankin, Jonathan Castro, Tayler Tipton, Hannah Meadows
Lillian Eichelberger, Soren Vanderstek, Averie Chavez, Silas Rees
Alexis Chavez, Caiden Murphy, Roan Prall, William Van Oster
Mason Rutz, Lucy Paisley, Leo Clair, Kaleb Brown
Rowan Lasater, Layla Tran, Noah Gomez

Black Belt Grand Champions 
Daktoa Jesse and Brynn Konrad