Kicking and Screaming? How Kids Taekwondo can Help Your Child Overcome Obstacles

Hard Work in Class Pays Off!

It is not uncommon in our modern world for children to have difficulty navigating the vast amount of stimuli and remaining focused and alert. There are many different theories when it comes to parenting a child with certain challenges, and many professionals agree that the right kind of physical exercise can go a long way to helping your child gain self-confidence and concentration in other aspects of their life. Lakewood taekwondo classes at the Colorado Taekwondo Institute can take these benefits to another level. Kids’ taekwondo can help teach self-discipline, focus, and respect, along with physical strength, balance, and agility.

Even if your child already excels in these areas, they can still get a lot out of martial arts training. For families in Green Mountain and Lakewood, martial arts classes can be a great outlet for stress and an excellent opportunity for kids to find a competitive sport that allows them to advance and challenge themselves as they grow. With over thirty years of history teaching kids and adults the benefits of taekwondo and other martial arts, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute consistently guides strong participation in local and national tournaments. Here are just a few of the things your child will be able to develop as they learn and grow in the ancient art of taekwondo.

Physical Development
Martial arts shouldn’t be confused with fighting or self-defense. Generating focused power in the feet takes a high degree of discipline and training, and the results can lead to healthy muscle tone, physical stamina, and a great sense of physical balance. In martial arts, strength comes from practice and discipline, harnessing the lower-body power we are born with.
Taekwondo refers to the idea of the feet and hands, and being able to develop the same type of control and accuracy with strikes from the foot, as punches from the fist. Not a violent act, taekwondo kicks simply help students realize the full potential in the full body strength as they develop the skills to advance through their classes. For kids in Lakewood, taekwondo classes can follow them into adulthood.

Behavioral Benefits
The emotional benefits of taekwondo training may prove to be even more beneficial for your child than the development of physical strength. By utilizing the entire body in a focused and disciplined manner, taekwondo is a great way to relieve stress and help kids find an acceptable outlet for common frustrations that arise. According to Alison Hendrie of parenting.com, martial arts training can help children with ADHD or other attention and hyperactivity develop the underdeveloped aspects in their brain to overcome the challenges they face.

For all children, Green Mountain and Lakewood martial arts training helps to build respect, listening skills, social responsibility, and teamwork. Taekwondo, like many types of martial arts traditions, placing a high emphasis on meditation and calm, skills that children can transfer to other aspects of their lives, including school, where many parents can see their child able to boost their grades and improve their behavior in the classroom environment.

Goals to Grow On
Masters in martial arts often train for decades before they reach their status in order to be able to share their gifts with students. Their advancement is a lesson for beginners that there is virtually no end to the goals young children can set for themselves in taekwondo training. Even as beginners begin to build their skills, they can participate in tournaments to compete and display their developing techniques.

The Colorado Taekwondo Institute has nine different belts that can be achieved through mastering techniques and displaying the type of self-discipline and respect necessary to advance in their training. Beginners first earn their white belt which signifies purity and planting strong roots, with advancements likened to the development of a strong tree that takes years to reach full maturity, and the noted “Black Belt”.

A Safe Release in a Violent World
If your preconception of martial arts is derived from television or movies, you may equate it with violence or fighting. The truth is that kids’ taekwondo training promotes non-violent conflict resolution and other skills that breed a sense of peace in well-being in youngsters. Children learn self-control and discipline that help them avoid situations of physical confrontation and manage their stress and frustration as an invaluable asset that can help keep your kid safe.

Your child doesn’t think about the many benefits they might get from taekwondo and other martial arts. The greatest benefit that can keep them coming back, striving for the next goal and honing their techniques, is that taekwondo is fun. When children find a controlled way to have fun and be part of a team, they’ll want to keep coming back, year after year.


Sources:
http://www.parenting.com/article/karate-kids-the-benefits-of-martial-arts
http://www.taekwondo-information.org/benefits-of-taekwondo-for-children.html

Respect for Success

By Mark Scott, red belt

Respect means showing the value or importance of something or someone.  When we respect the law, we show the importance of the law in our society by acting in accordance with its regulations.  To show respect to someone, we show that we value their opinions by asking advice, we show trust by following their leadership, and we accept their faults along with their abilities and talents.

Respect should be used in all areas of our lives to exist in a healthy society.  Showing respect at home should be obvious.  Children should always give respect to their parents.  Parents should show respect to their children when they do the right things by increasing their responsibility and giving them more freedom.  Husbands and wives should show respect for each other by always listening, always forgive each others mistakes, and accept each other faults.  Any lack of respect causes a breakdown which could break up the home.

Respect at work must be shown to both those above, equal, and below in the hierarchy.  When those above make decisions, they must be followed and respected.  If the decisions aren't respected, the leaders will replace the workers with those who will follow and respect the decisions.  Respect must be shown by the leaders as well to those below by rewarding by promotions or monetary increases.  We must respect our equals to work together and make the right decisions which in turn produces the best quality work.

I have and try to show a great deal of respect to my co-workers.  Again and again they show a great deal of imagination to solve problems.  They also produce work of great quality.  I must also try harder to show more respect to the upper management at my work.  While my direct managers seem to make decisions that are easy to understand, the higher management make decisions that sometimes seem to be counter-productive.  Instead of finding fault with the decisions, I should respect those decisions and try harder to understand and follow their leadership.

". . . and we accept their faults along with their abilities and talents."

Take Your Skills to the Next Level

Black Belts Preparing to Spar

Seeing your kids participate in competitive sports is an experience that can’t be missed. The spirit of
teamwork, the drive to succeed and show good sportsmanship, all of these qualities and more are at display at a Colorado Taekwondo Institute tournament. Tournaments are a great way for students to practice what they’ve learned and put their skills on display in front of friends and loved ones. If you or your child is looking for a martial arts school with history of developing strong minds and bodies, the Colorado Taekwondo Institute offers courses in the popular Korean art of taekwondo, as well as skills like judo and karate, at several convenient campuses throughout the state.
If you are considering a Colorado martial arts program, you may be curious about what to expect when you enter a tournament. Taekwondo tournaments are as intense and competitive as any sport, with safe sparring at beginning, intermediate, and more advanced levels. Here are some of the things you can expect from a sparring tournament:

A Year Full of Tournaments

CTI students have the opportunity to participate in a number of Denver area and Colorado tournaments throughout the year, including the CTI Super Bowl scheduled in March, 2015. All levels of students will be able to compete, from white belt beginners to black belts. Sparring competition helps even beginners to gain confidence and practice the new skills they’ve learned against equally measured competition.
Along the way, you’ll learn to control your anger and temperament, and learn a high level of focus and concentration. Sparring competitions are not just a great way to practice and display your own talents, they also give you the chance to cheer on your teammates and see what more advanced students are doing against their competition. Sparring competitors come in all sizes, and your instructor will never put you in danger of being hurt by larger or more advanced students.

Preparing for Your Big Match

The best way to improve your sparring techniques is to continue sparring whenever you get the chance. In order to make your match a success, practice sparring drills at home along with your time practicing in class. Your experience, knowledge, and self-discipline will often dictate whether or not you do well in a match. Training lets you stay in control of your own movements. With practice, you will be able to demonstrate some of the following skills against your opponent:

• Stepping Drills – In our Black Belt Club, we practice various "stepping drills" that are designed to help the student improve speed and reaction times. What you do with your feet between kicks can be as important as your kick. Sliding, switching feet, and stepping forward and backward appropriately will help you stay in control of your match.
• Practice Kicking Distance – During training, kicking techniques will be practiced to the extent that reproducing them will be part of your taekwondo instinct. You will also need to practice the right distance where landing will be most effective. Well-placed kicks should be a matter of measurement once you have mastered your footwork.
• Practice Basics – Our basic routine in Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo provides a great framework to help you master your techniques and provides a great way to build your muscular strength and endurance. 

It is important to remember that nerves are normal in any sporting competition, particular those where you take center stage alone. Pushing through fear and nervousness is the hallmark of a great competitor. Use your nerves to develop techniques to turn tight muscles into relaxed ones, and hurried breaths, to longer, calmer ones.

What to Take Away from Your Match

At the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, your lessons will deal with much more than merely sparring effectiveness. The lessons learned at any martial arts school should be focused on self-discipline, respect, focus, and fun. However, it will benefit you to begin sparring as soon as possible. This will help you reduce your nerves and gain valuable experience that you can bring to your next match. The more you spar, the more quickly you’ll learn that tournaments are not just about beating your opponent.
Although that trophy would look great on your dresser, sparring tournaments are about so much more. Good sportsmanship, respect for your competition, and a positive attitude toward competition and the art of taekwondo take precedent. Learning to spar is more about learning how to compete with yourself, drive yourself to reach new goals, and learn skills that can benefit you in many aspects of life. Tournaments are a great way to strive to meet these goals, as well as new people.

Sources:
http://www.taekwondo-information.org/taekwondo-sparring-tips.html

MSK EXPO XXX

"Keeping it to the Grindstone"

This year's Moo Sul Kwan Summer Expo is being held in Breckenridge, Colorado, on May 30 - June 1.

Beaver Run Resort has been home to four other MSK Summer Expos in the past, and it has proven to be a fantastic venue for the Expo.  Top Moo Sul Kwan martial arts instructors like MSK and AMASEA President Charles F. Hildebrand and Grandmaster James M. Sautel, President of the CTI, will be on hand to instruct students of all ages and belt levels during the three day weekend at one of the top ski resorts in the United States.

The seminars and classes begin on Friday evening and run to noon on Sunday.  This year's Summer Expo theme is, "Keeping it to the Grindstone."  The many different classes, seminars and events will keep this important theme in mind.  Some of the other dynamic Expo Instructors include:  Master Merinda Sautel, Master John Sautel, Master Erik Albrechtson and 4th dans Freddy Sautel, Clayton Garner and Alice Meyung.

On Saturday, there is the annual Expo Banquet and Party which always involves family entertainment from the instructors and students.  Also during this wonderful weekend will be the Amazing Moo Sul Race X.  Participants are given a Moo Sul Race T-shirt, placed in teams, and then the action begins as the teams figure out and overcome the many obstacles and challenges on their journey.  As always, during the weekend, there will be special classes for our parents, family members and friends taught by some of our finest instructors.

Come to Colorado!  Come to Breckenridge!  Come to Beaver Run Resort!  Improve yourself and have a blast!

More information about the MSK Summer Expo can be found here.

You can register online for the MSK Summer Expo!

My New Life as a CTI Taekwondo Student

"I feel stronger mentally, physically and emotionally."

By Jayne Bognar, yellow belt

As a testing white belt in the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, martial arts has impacted my life in several, positive ways.  The most pervasive being the profound impact on my over-all well-being.  In addition to being twelve pounds lighter, I feel as though my “life’s’ load” no longer weighs me down as much.  I feel stronger mentally, physically, and emotionally.  The intense exercise provides me with the much needed cathartic release of stress from my career and external events.

Prior to CTI Taekwondo, I was experiencing, on average, four Migraine headaches per month as well as frequent tension headaches accompanied by neck and shoulder pain.  All aspects of this training have dramatically diminished the latter.  Now that I am engaging in a positive outlet to lower my stress, I am more able to manage my eating rather than use food to combat stress.

It is quite validating to have others recognize the changes in me since the inception of Taekwondo in my life. The most common theme is my calmer disposition as well as an increase in my self-confidence.  When others begin to notice, you must be doing something right!   I just feel as though I walk “taller” and have a greater sense of peace and awareness in my life.  Of course, there have been classes where I have just wanted to crawl in a hole due to that “stinking thinking” which can range from, “I hate being the fattest person in class,” to “Will I ever be able to get all the way through these jumping jacks?”  These moments are fewer and farther between as I tell myself that positive thoughts breed positive results!

Finally, being a new student Colorado Taekwondo Institute has provided me with a greater sense of empathy than before, for my students. Feeling like they will “never get it” is often a common theme that my special education students communicate to me.  I now can relate to them on a deeper level, as we often have conversations about these feelings that their teacher can truly identify with.  I believe I am a more effective teacher because of it.

In conclusion, I have found something that I feel committed to and offers me more than just great exercise.  It offers another group of people to whom I can feel connected, has increased my focus, decreased my stress, and just has made me a better person all around.  A person, whom I hope, people will see an “indomitable spirit.”

2014 All-City Championships

Sportsmanship, education and competition at the All-City Champs!

What an incredible weekend!  Student, instructors, family members and friends converged on Alameda International High School for the 2014 All- City Championships in Lakewood, Colorado.  Hosted by the Colorado Taekwondo Institute, the last tournament of the season with 178 divisions,  began on Friday evening of black belt competitions and continued on Saturday with action for all belts and ages.

A demonstration at half-time was given by the CTI Black Belt and Masters Clubs.  It involved poomse, self-defense, breaking and was accompanied with music by the black belt band.

Congratulations to black belt Grand Champions - Zach Greaves (adult) and Collin Kreutz (junior).

Poomse

1st place
Caleb Feagans        Collin Kreutz        Zach Greaves        Holly Madayag
Hope Morgan        Michael Sandusky    Mark Scott        Vivi Brown      
Casey Feagans        Konner Evans         Dante Hulin        Emily Artman
Brynn Konrad        Ethan Price        Kameron Evans        Jennifer McKernan
Kenneth Brancio    Ethan Trapp        Chase Wyngarden    Merrick Oleszek
Trish Nguyen        Micco Waisanen    Thomas Ma        Natasha McKernan
Porter Krause        Lynne Dean        Jarrod Eller        Jonah Elstad
Jack Eller        Abbey Salamera    Jason Stencil        Akram Alghanmi
Declan Gunther        Mackenzie Telford    Evan Strickfaden    Zack Farr
Nina Madayag        Donovan Penrod    Julianne Marine        Meryn Probasco
Reed Narva        Damon Bahr        Evan Montoya        Patrick Konrad
Hudson VanVororhee    Kylie Bickford        William Maes        Joshua Stencil
Cole Reseigh        Gaven Brase        Jason Stencil, Jr.    Phillip Hoenmans

2nd place      
Michael Madayag    Kai Wong        Tyler Murphy        Eric Evans
Erik Ondrejko        Abdu Kikhia        Rob Sarche        Rick Orton  
Zuzanna Janowska    Alejandro Deppmeier     Madalyn Grosshans    Mya Field
Lydia Willis        Shekina DeTienne    T.J. Gutierrez        Marcy Feagans
Makayla Trapp        Dakota Jesse        Sean Konrad        Ian Wilson
Alan Fernandez        Sarah Luper        Theo Lincke        Julianne Todd
Aspen Hawkins        Uriah Hernandez    Race Sober        Sean Huntley
Mohale Mitchell    Payton Reynolds    Adrian Farr        Kaddie Willimas
Abram Yehle        Joshua David        Adolph Ordaz        Mackenzie Schneider
Kirk Otteson        Mariah Cordova        Mitchell Olexzek    Zayne Lineberger
Benson White        Luke Ball        Cody Jacobson        Caleb Thompson
Braden Zack        Grady Bahr        Andres Deppmeier    Hunter Bellegante
Dean Gunther        Alejo Martinez        Sarah Habetler        Vinny Constantino

3rd place
Kathleen Sautel        Peyton Brauch        Jocelyn Wallen        Eileen Lindner
Delaney Zandin        Bridget Sautel        Dean Loux        Taryn Dwyer  
Gwen Gutierrez        Nico Trilk         Jakob Deverell        Elizabeth Hawkins
Grant Haverkamp    Kelsey Smith        Sam LaMorgese        Melodie Page
Mike Dean        Elise Smith        Sabrina Jameson    Charlie Smith
Connor Brauch        Derek Simpson        Nathaniel McKernan    Allyse Nothstine
Jovan Moore        Melvin Marine        Isabel Shoe        Brandon Dills
Natalie Lundeen    June Cisneros        Bill Schwartz        Ethan Girard
T.J. Tibbetts        Jasmine Salamera     Noah Sisk        Arkhip Saratovtsev
Matthew Nguyen    Nathan Tate        Rylee Ross        Jaden Perez
Marley Griffin        Taylor Allen        R. J. Larson        Lance Schwartz
Everett Tompkins    Rusty Martino        Zachary Allen        Joel Tate
Logan Gil      

4th place  
Justin Lautrup        Zac Johannes        Alyssa Copper        Tanner Copper
Kyle Feagans        Chris Wallace        Blenness Quintana    Devon Lewis       Lydia Lincke        James Healey         Johnny Willimas    Talyn Probasco
Adam Harkins        Peyton Barnard        Jacobi Field        Owen Hartmann
Patrick O’Day        Caiden White        Gavin Pribil        Andrew Smith
Miette Jandreau    Cateina Martinez    Mya Reese        Tatum Buenning
Sean Haverkamp    Lauren Dahlberg    Taylor Dodge        Aidan Hutchison
Malaki Mitchell        Nick Tibbetts        Maclyn Telford        Jacob Hoenmans
Ellie Stanton        Grayson Krause      

Tiger Poomse

1st place
Miles Mercer        Jack Habetler        Jackson Bingham    Tyler Odom
Ella Horner        Xavier McRant        Colin Palminteri        David Orton
Mayci Beck        Emerson Reseigh    Oliver Faler        Trenton Wheat
Enzo D’Alessandro    Allan Stanton        Quynn Cotner        Aydon Lewis
Kyle Janowski        Diego Amor        Jaxson Wheat        Amadeo Sandoval
Elijah Alire        Gore Otteson        Markiley Ott        Joseph Stano

Breaking

1st place
Michael Sandusky    Kyle Feagans        Thomas Sautel        Damian Rupp
Kai Wong        Justin Lautrup        Emily Artman        Connor Brauch      
Lydia Willis        Jovan Moore        Mohale Mitchell    Jennifer McKernan
Logan Gill         Payton Reynolds    Jarrod Eller         Porter Krause  
Ian Wilson        Rob Sarche        Evelyn LaMorgese    Nico Trilk
Dante Hulin        Trish Nguyen        Dakota Jesse        Julianne Todd
Vivi Brown        Kaddie Williams          
 

Sparring

1st  place
Michael Sandusky    Holly Madayag        Tyler Murphy        Michael Madayag
Collin Kreutz        Shekina DeTienne    Brynn Konrad        Vivi Brown      
Evelyn LaMorgese    Elizabeth Hawkins    Thomas Ma        Sam LaMorgese  
Grayson Krause     Zachary Allen        Marley Griffin        Ashton Price
Dakota Jesse        Devon Bilyeu        Derek Simpson        Devon Lewis      
Merrck Oleszek        Rob Sarche        Julianne Todd        Ian Wilson
Akram Alghanmi    Porter Krause        Gavin Pribil        Payton Reynolds
Jarrod Eller        Kaddie Williams        Arkhip Saratovtsev    Jason Stencil
Aspen Hawkins        MacKenzie Schneider    Matthew Ordaz        Lucas Stolka
Andres Deppmeier    Kylie Bickford        Donovan Penrod    Grady Bahr
Kirk Otteson        Julian Marine        Rusty Martino        Taylor Allen
Braden Zack      
Rylee Ross

2nd place  
Abdu Kikhia        Delaney Zandin        Chris Wallace        Kai Wong
Caleb Feagans        Kelsey Smith        Sabrina Jameson    Casey Feagans
Logan Gill         Joshua Stencil        Anya Trilk        Damon Bahr
Lynne Dean        Emily Artnamn        Nathaneil McKernan    Vinny Constantino
Connor Brauch        Jakob Deverell        Sean Konrad        Kenny Brancio
Dean Loux        Allyse Nothstine    Grant Haverkamp    Patrick O’Day      
Sean Huntley        Jack Eller        Abbey Salamera     Taylor Dodge
Race Sober        Uriah Hernandez    Ethan Girard        William Schwartz
Isabel Shoe        Mya Reese        Evan Strickfaden    Abram Yehle
Lance Schwartz        Lauren Dahlberg    Jaden Perez        R. J. Larson
Sean Havercamp    Noah Sisk        Cole Reseigh        Tatum Buenning
Alejo Martinez      

3rd place
Eric Evans        Bridget Sautel        Thomas Sautel        Peyton Brauch
Jack Eddy        Lydia Lincke        Lydia Willis        Jennifer McKernan
Zuzanna Janowska     Dean Gunther        Olivia Henthorn        Luke Ball
Trish Nguyen        Theo Lincke        James Healey        Phillip Hoenmans
Mike Dean        Dante Hulin        Ethan Trapp        Rick Orton
Konner Evans        Chase Wyngarden    Peyton Barnard        Jacobi Field
Melvin Marine        Jonah Elstad        Mohalel Mitchell    Natalie Lundeen
Matthew Nguyen    Andrew Smith        Makawee Mitchell    Catelina Martinez
Adolph Ordaz        Declan Gunther        Nick Tibbetts        Jasmine Slamera
T.J. Tibbetts        Malaki McRant        Jason Stencil, Jr.    Nina Madayag
Gaven Grase        Sarah Habetler
 

4th place
Don Johnson        Jocelyn Wallen        Zach Greaves        Zac Johannes
Justin Lautrup        Blenness Quintana    Taryn Dwyer        Gwen Gutierrez
Mya Field        Ellie Stanton        Talyn Probasco        Charlie Smith
Owen Hartmann    Alan Fernandez        Kameron Evans        Ethan Price
Adam Harkins        Micco Waisanen    Alejandro Deppmeier    Elise Smith
Lee Tomjack        Jovan Moore        Brandon Dills        Miette Jandreau
Vivianne Kaltenbach    Mackeenzie Telford    William Maes        Cody Jacobson
Mac            Mariah Cordova        Hudson VanVoorhee    Jacob Hoenmans

First Point Wins!

1st place
Don Johnson        Zach Greaves        Hope Morgan        Michael Madayag
Collin Kreutz        Kelsey Smith        Lydia Willis        Taryn Dwyer      
Emily Artman        Marley Griffin        Damon Bahr        Taylor Dodge
Thomas Ma        Alan Fernandez        Gwen Gutierrez        Grayson Krause
Connor Brauch        Jacob Deverell        Devon Lewis        Merrick Oleszek
Dakota Jesse        Rick Orton        Julianne Todd        Charlie Smith
Akram Alghanmi    Porter Krause        Mohale Mitchell    Abbey Salamera
Jarrpd Eller        Uriah Hernandez    Arkhip Saratovtsev    Jason Stencil
Aspen Hawkins        Mya Reese        Matthew Ordaz        Declan Gunther
William Maes        Lauren Dahlberg    Grady Bahr        Juliane Marine
Kirk Otteson        Rusty Martino        Tatum Buenning    Braden Zack
Zachary Allen      

2nd place
Eric Evans        Tyler Murphy        Jodelyn Wallen        Caleb Feagans
Peyton Brauch        Shekina DeTienne    Brynn Konrad        Jennifer McKernan  
Trish Nguyen        Anya Trilk        Ashton Price        Talyn Probasco
Nathaniel McKernan    Makayla Trapp        Phillip Hoenmans    James Healey
Devon Bilyeu        Johnny Williams    Nico Trilk        Chase Wyngarden
Kameron Evans        Ethan Price        Allyse Nothstine    Jacobi Field
Melvin Marine        Jovn Moore        Jack Eller        Payton Reynolds
Race Sober        Kaddie Williams        Matthew Nguyen    William Schwartz
Isabel Shoe        Catelina Martinez    Evan Strickfaden    Lucas Stolka
Andres Deppmeier    Jasmine Salamera    Malaki McRant        Noah Sisk     Sean Havercamp    Brady Reeder        Meryn Probasco    Gavin Brase
Joshua Stencil      

Staff Poomse

1st place
Caleb Feagans        Abdu Kikhia        Kai Wong        Jocelyn Wallen
Hope Morgan

2nd place
Michael Madayag    Michael Sandusky    Collin Kreutz        Tyler Murphy
Zach Greaves

3rd place
Peyton Brauch        Bridget Sautel        Zac Johannes        Thomas Sautel
Damian Rupp

4th place 
Kathleen Sautel        Erik Ondrejko        Jack Eddy        Allya Copper
Eileen Lindner

Black Belt Grand Champions
Adult - Zach Greaves
Junior - Collin Kreutz

National Anthem – Michael Sandusky
Demonstration – CTI Black Belt / Masters Clubs

Three Hundred and Something

By Jim Sautel, 7th dan

It’s a guarantee. It will be in the books if you can . . .

Hmm . . . three hundred and forty or fifty some days from now – fifty some weeks into the future, an entire year to go and the question is, “Where will you be in your training this time next year?”

Think of all the experiences you will rack up by starting today and consistently keeping at it for the next year. There would be over a thousand poomse (pattern movement or forms) reps if you did only three poomse a day!  You’d have over 18,000 push-ups if you only did 350 a week for the next twelve months! If you did 250 kicks a day for the next year, it would be around 90,000 kicks!  How could you not get better?  It’s a guarantee.  It will be in the books if you can follow through one day at a time!

It’s amazing what can be accomplished one day at a time over a designated period.  When you think about it, look at what we accomplish each time we step into the classroom.  Massize quantities of sit-ups are ripped out in a blink of the eye.  In 30 seconds of time, we can perform an entire poomse or two.  Give us 15 minutes and we can blast out numerous one-step and self-defense walking drills.  We do things like this each and every time we attend class at the CTI, and when you couple that with practice done at home, your personal stats can really pile up . . . and when you have heaps of stats, that means you've got a load of repetitions, uncountable experiences and exuberant successes!

Take a few minutes and make a list of all the exercises and techniques you do and look at the possible number outcomes that could result from three hundred and some days of training – results to be summed up one year from now.  Remember, when you hypothesize and look at those gigantic numbers, know that you can do it!  You can have all those stats under your belt by attacking it one day after the next starting now!

Objective Focus

What Does it Mean to Have an Objective Focus?

You've heard the idea of having an objective focus but what does that really mean?  Objective focus is mentioned as a key component of the rules of poomse training.  I believe, it generally means to be attentive and aware of the environment and the people around you.  For instance, it might be being prepared as when you have an imaginary attacker while doing poomse or one-step sparring.  You do not want to be so focused on the immediate danger in front of you that you lose perspective on the perimeter of danger that could be imminent in the close-by surroundings.

For example, when driving a car, you can be aware of what is directly in front of you at the front of the car, at your windshield and your space as a driver.  However, that is not all you want to see through your peripheral vision.  You need to be aware of more than just what is directly in front of you.  You need to think about 20 feet in front of you or to your sides and even behind you.  What cars are beside you in your blind spot, what car is behind you and coming up fast and what deer may jump out of the woods 20 feet in front of you.  You will be a better driver by building your awareness and keeping an objective focus.

Similarly, Moo Sul Kwan Taekwondo requires an objective focus to be a more prepared defender against a sparring opponent or an attacker on the street.  To start, you need an objective focus to simply do a proper and balanced side-kick.  Don’t focus on the person next to you or the end of your foot, focus on a specific point on the wall in the distance from you where you might want to pinpoint your kick to break a board.  Find your spot, keep your spot in your vision and you will maintain better balance and your side-kick will be stronger while bringing a wider awareness to your surroundings.  An objective focus will help as you prepare for sparring – you can see not just the opponent’s next punch but you can see the opponent’s potential kick, fake and you can read the intentions in their eyes.

This skill can apply to many different areas of life such as driving, sports, skiing and self defense.  Work on keeping your objective focus and you can be a better driver, skier, athlete and martial artist as you control the space around you and are ultimately more prepared!

Martial Arts in Beautiful Colorado!

CTI Mission Statement

"To encourage and develop world-class leaders through educational excellence and Moo Sul Kwan martial Arts traditions"

By Lynne Dean, blue belt

The CTI mission statement presents a comprehensive goal with a road-map to implementation.  Colorado Taekwondo Institute’s goal is not just to develop people but to develop “world-class leaders”.  It implies drawing from the mass of participants and turning them into something special.  Not only just turning individuals into leader but a world class variety that is therefore above the rest.  Leadership is distinguished by actions that are not just determinate but actions that have vision.  In addition, world class leaders emerge as folks who not only have an idea where their team needs to go (the Vision), but are also equipped with the tools they need to communicate that vision, overcome obstacles, enable their team, and attain the vision.

But…there is more to the CTI Mission than to generically create an awesome specter of leaders – the mission narrows it with implementation focus.  The specific tools to encourage and develop these leaders come specifically through “educational excellence” and Moo Sul Kwan traditions.  Therefore, for CTI, there is focus on providing resources for their participants (future leaders) to participate in active positive “mental growth actions” that are steeped in MSK tradition.  To take it one step further, the MSK traditions imply leadership development by learning about and actively participating more in the MSK tenets of Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit.  These are the core of the MSK tradition and the resulting world-class leaders that CTI aspires to encourage and develop.

Moo Sul Kwan Students at Red Rocks Elementary

POTENTIAL – The Capacity to Develop, Succeed or to Become Something

By Kyle Feagans, 1st dan

At some point in our life’s we have all heard the phrases “You have a lot of potential” or “You are not living up to your full potential.”  The reason we have all heard these phrases is because they come from those that know us best and love and care for us the most.  They are the ones that can see our talents and potential when we do not.  They are the ones who can help us identify our talents of strength and which ones we need to improve upon.  Our talents and what we do with them are the foundations that help us live up to our greatest potential.

We all have those talents that come natural to us.  They are the talents that we never seem to have to work at…they are so natural that we tend to take them for granted.  Those talents of strength could be the ability to listen to those around you.  Your talent could be mentoring those around you or your ability to pay attention to details.  Maybe your talent is visionary helping you to see the big picture, the result before it happens.  Or your talent could be in your ability to set and your desire to achieve a goal or goals.  No matter what these talents of strength, they are our basics and should be worked.

Like our talents of strength we also have those talents that we desire to improve upon.  These are the talents that do not come natural to us; they are the ones that we have to work much harder at.  Talents such as memorization skills or practicing or have more patience with our colleagues at school or work.  Maybe there is a desire to improve upon leadership skills at school or work.  Whatever the talents are that we wish to improve upon we know that improving them will help us to live up to the full potential that we have been told we can live up to. Improving our talents can be challenging.  It requires discipline, desire, courage and focus.  It takes the will to win and the desire to succeed.

With these characteristics and with time, the talents we struggle with can become like those that come easy to us…they can become additions to our basics.