Everyone has that one special moment experience in their lifetime. It can be important to them from when they were a child or a special moment that occurred to them within a few months. Whatever that moment could be, you would be able to learn from that lesson for the rest of your life. What I have accomplished, I worked hard with my heart and soul within 3 years by earning my 1st degree black belt in Taekwondo ATA “American Taekwondo Association” without giving up. For me to earn this one of a kind belt I had to do different forms, breaking boards, and sparring. As I tell my progress by earning my 1st degree black belt, I hope I would aspire someone to try out Taekwondo for themselves to learn self-defense that would be helpful to have a self-defense …show more content…
knowledge. First, in the year 2003 my mom saw an ad in the newspaper that there will be a Taekwondo class in the evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-9pm.
During that time it was in the gym where I been going to my elementary school during the day. On a Tuesday evening my sister and I signed up by our mom and we both received our white uniform and white belts. During that night I felt nerves, but I told myself in my mind that everything will be fine. Our instructor Mrs. Anderson, made the class do some small exercises to warm up before we have to get started on our white belt forms. After 15 minutes of exercising my classmates and I started to learn our form for our white belt, we all would need to get everything down within a month because we all will have our 1st test to earn our next belt. Within the month I had to practice in class and at home for homework because I had to impress 2 judges who were masters of Taekwondo. On a Friday night the night of testing I was determine that I will receive my next belt because I took my time and effort to get everything down. While my classmates and I were standing in front of the judges we all were waiting for the signal to start doing our forms. After 10 minutes or so we all had to wait to get called on. While I was waiting I felt sweat dripping on my palm of my hands. Judge “Miss Lisa Holden.” As I heard my name I had a big smile on my face because I’ve earned my next belt and I promised myself that I would impress those judges more until I …show more content…
reached my final belt from them all my 1st degree black belt. Second, after about 3 or 5 belts up I have received my camo belt, within this belt I will be learning how to spare and break fake boards so I could be ready to break a real board down the trail of earning my 1st degree black belt. As I got myself introduce to sparring I had to get head gear, gloves, feet protection, and a mouth piece, everything was in color red. After I put my gear on I had to find myself a partner. I found my partner and her name is Lisa as well and she is the daughter of Mrs. Anderson. The rules of sparring is we can do small punches without contact, if one of us gotten hit we would lose 1 point. As Lisa and I started practicing with each other she and I got it down like we were pro’s. During our next class meeting I got introduce to board breaking. The boards were plastic we were able to choose our hand, arm, or feet to try to break the board. I chose my arm because I felt that is my strongest point then my hand or feet. After a few hits, I’ve been breaking within 5 boards to get my confidence and getting my esteem level rising up by telling myself that I can do this. Third, by the time I received my blue belt, I felt I wanted to quit because I felt taekwondo wasn’t my thing to do anymore. I’ve shredded tears but my dad had a talk to me that quitting isn’t a good idea because if I quit Taekwondo I would of wasted so much money that my parents invested for me to learn self-defense that would be helpful to know if I’m ever in a situation that I feel that I’m ever in danger. I had a week to make a decision and my decision was to keep going because I made myself this far and I’m super close to earn that black belt and I’ll keep my confidence up high and always tell myself “I can” then saying “I can’t” because if I quit now that means I would easily quit on life and how hard worker that I am, I will never be in that kind of situation. That Friday night finally came the 1st Degree Black Belt Testing.
I was extremely nerves but I kept my breathing steady and told myself “I can do this, I finally made it this far.” My instructor is proud because my sister and I will be her 1st ladies who earned their 1st Degree Black Belts. To earn our Black Belts, My sister and I had a ceremony. The 1st progress of the testing I had to do my forms from the beginning white belt all the way to my red/black belt. 2nd progress of the testing I had to spare freestyle, with my instructor and 2 more of my classmates coming along to join us in the sparring. After we sparred each other the next progress was breaking a real board. To break a board I only had 3 chances, I walked in front of the judges and said “Permission to break the board.” The judges nodded their heads, I looked at the board and breathed slowly, I got my right arm ready and screamed “Set” hitting the board, It didn’t break, audience around me cheering and hollering. I turned the judges and said “May I get a second chance breaking the board?” they nodded, I tried again and it still didn’t break, I took a deep breath and faced to the judges and said “May I take this 3rd attempt breaking this board.” They said “Yes you may.” I felt sweat on my face but I was determined to break it, after I screamed “Set” the board finally got broken. I was so proud of myself that I finally did it. Before receiving my black belt I had to do 50 push ups in front of my instructor and
the judges. After my classmates received their belts I got called next. “Miss Lisa Holden this Black Belt represents "The tree has reached maturity and has overcome the darkness... it must now 'plant seeds for the future.’’ My instructor, Mrs. Anderson looked me into my eyes and said, “I knew you can do it, you deserve it; Miss Lisa Holden 1st Degree Black Belt.” Finally, I’m glad that I received my black belt because it shows anything is possible when I get my mind to it. So I recommend everyone to join Taekwondo because anything is possible if you believe in yourself and it doesn’t matter how old you are since age is just a number and if you have your mind set you can get anything accomplished if you get your mind to it.
First I got my white belt in the other side I was kind of nervous because everyone their are strangers to me. The first thing I did was breaking boards with a front kick. And I thought that was easy. I started taekwondo when I was 9 years. Why wanted to be a blackbelt you ask here's your answer to protect myself. Taekwondo made me focus on my education more. My journey to black belt did not start with me walking by the academy and enrolling as is the experience of many students. I was told to either put in a 110 percent effort in it, or to have a seat. Basically, my mom told not to make any arguments. I decided to push myself more than I can ever imagine to being the
The workout portion was after all, the most strenuous part. The other forms and kicking combination portion was elementary memorization. Two months into training, I was extremely anxious regarding whether I would be ready for Black Belt test in time. But with Mister Alex's words of assurance I stayed headstrong and determined to pass the test. After working hard with Mister Alex as well as on my own at home for the minimum six months, Mister Alex said I was "definitely ready to take and pass the Black Belt test." When Mister Alex told me this I felt nervous about the veracity of his words. I had been in training for the minimum 6 months only. The average training period at my karate institution was actually 8 months. I felt under prepared for the test, but I was only kidding myself by undermining my
Going to class everyday without fail, reviewing and completely perfecting the five years of curriculum I had so carefully worked through, to the point where everything was completely automatic, and preparing for the fifty push-up requirement, were not enough. The black-belt test requires creativity through my creation of a personal kata and a self-defense to every attack I had learned. Beyond this, physical endurance and stamina are required in order to spar for ten minutes straight at the end of the four hour test, with a fresh opponent every minute. The black-belt test was the most physically grueling challenge I had ever faced and was much more mentally exhausting than any academic
Kempo teaches self-defense. Self-defense is the defense of one's person or interests through the use of physical force. The art of Kempo is a process of learning a skill through repetition. As stated in the article written by Pamela Knudson, she states “Aug. 05--Watch Casey Mihalek lead the white-clad, barefoot members of his karate class at ATA Martial Arts in Grand Forks and you'll see a well-orchestrated training regimen with a purpose: self-defense infused with discipline and respect”(Knudson). When you learn techniques such as the kicks and blocks from an instructor you will need practice to build these skills and the more you practice Kempo the more it seem like second nature. As stated in the article written by Kristin E. Holmes, she states “Genell, 46, a safety director for a demolition company, operated a karate studio for seven years, but decided to focus on teaching adaptive martial arts after being inspired during a stint at a camp for children with disabilities”(Holmes). Once you have acquired these skills you no longer have to think about the techniques you will automatically react with self-defenses moves.
Writing has incessantly been a struggle throughout my short life. Within writing, everyone possesses the entirety of tools needed to produce greatness, but many lack in the manufacturing of the product. You may have the greatest ideas for novels and short stories, though be unable to truly express yourself within the confines of only words. This precise issue faces me on a daily basis. All these exceptional visions spinning in my mind, yet I have not been able to master the art of putting these visions onto paper. However, I do admit I have grown as a writer over this single semester, and have major goals set for myself, not only as a writer but also in my career field.
Throughout my four years in high school I have been fortunate enough to fulfill many of my aspirations and my thirst for knowledge. One goal that I would like to achieve is to become an international attorney. I have aligned my involvement in specific academic and extra-curricular activities to aid me preparing for the long road between my present situation and the day I pass the bar exam. Through my high school activities I have learned three virtues that I have deemed necessary to achieve my goal, passion, self-discipline, and perseverance.
Ever since the previous season I had my standards set high. I had placed fifth, which was all right for the time being, but I knew as time went on I needed to push myself and increase my level of wrestling. I decided that I would do whatever it took, through thick and thin. I traveled to small local tournaments in Colorado, and a couple out-of-state tournaments, I even traveled to Delaware. It didn't really matter how I did at these tournaments because it was just all practice until February. So, I lifted and wrestled just about every chance I got. It was all in preparation for one match, six minutes.
It was the end of my junior year, almost the end of the season, at one of the most important powerlifting meets. It was the last one before regionals and I wanted to do really, really good and beat the girl that had beaten me all season. Every meet that we went to, I just got closer and closer to beating her. I try my hardest to do my best at every single meet and give 110%, but at this meet things didn’t go as planned. I learned that everything can’t go your way and when something goes wrong you have to pick yourself up and move on.
Let’s flash back in time to before our college days. Back to then we had lunch trays filled with rubbery chicken nuggets, stale pizza, and bags of chocolate milk. A backpack stacked with Lisa Frank note books, flexi rulers, and color changing pencils. The times where we thought we wouldn’t make it out alive, but we did. Through all the trials and tribulations school helped build who I am today and shaped my future. From basic functions all the way to life-long lessons that helped shape my character.
Karate has helped me deal with various obstacles in my life I have faced since I joined. Before I entered karate I was lazy and I barely went outside. I would spend most of my time playing video games and not doing my homework. Once I joined karate, however, I became a lot more focused on my studies, and my grades greatly improved. I went from being lucky to get a 65% to having an average of 80%, This is due to the amount of self-discipline that is involved in karate. The definition of self-discipline is “the correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement” this means that you are able to make yourself do things you know you should do even
My opponent’s name was John Doe. There were other competitors at the tournament, but they had never posed any threat to my title. For as long as I had competed in this tournament, I had easily taken the black belt championship in my division. John, however, was the most phenomenal martial artist I had ever had the honor of witnessing at my young age of thirteen. And he was in my division. Although he was the same rank, age, size, and weight as I, he surpassed me in almost every aspect of our training. His feet were lightning, and his hands were virtually invisible in their agile swiftness. He wielded the power of a bear while appearing no larger than I. His form and techniques were executed with near perfection. Although I had never defeated his flawlessness before, victory did not seem unattainable. For even though he was extraordinary, he was not much more talented than I. I am not saying that he was not skilled or even that he was not more skilled than I, for he most certainly was, but just not much more than I. I still had one hope, however little, of vanquishing this incredible adversary, for John had one weakness: he was lazy. He didn’t enjoy practicing long hours or working hard. He didn’t have to. Nevertheless, I had found my passage to triumph.
For those who do not know, I am a mixed martial arts fighter. Mixed martial arts fighting is “a sport allowing a wide range of fighting techniques that include striking, kicking, and grappling.” (www.merriam-webster.com) It is a compilation of forms of different martial arts. Two fighters will face each in the rings (known as the octagon due to its shape) for three to five five-minute rounds. I started taking martial arts classes when I was six years old. I wanted to be a mixed martial arts fighter all my life. I loved the thought of stepping into the octagon and pounding somebody senseless as a sport. My mother and father, at first, did not want me to take the Taekwondo classes because of this fact. It took a lot of begging to finally convince them to let me do it. They realized that it is very important for any child to learn some type of martial arts. It is essential to use for defense. Mixed martial arts are the thing that helped me cope with my rough childhood and mold me into who I am today. Over the past twenty years, the sport of MMA has revolutionized and has become very popular throughout the world. Despite this being said, other people very hesitant about accepting mixed martial arts. The sport of MMA is gradually becoming a safer sport. Even though it is considered a dangerous sport, other sports at proven to be more dangerous.
It rises even more when you start to successfully spar and win against people. Discipline comes from listening to your instructor. Asking questions such as “Do I face my fist this way or that”, questions like these are what you should listen to. By listening to and doing what your sensei says you will learn discipline. Integrity comes from showing up every day and doing your best, even win your instructor is helping someone else. Honesty comes with this as well, when you admit your mistakes on the exercise it helps you know that honesty is right. Enlightenment comes from knowing there is a higher power and following the Way. Timing is a skill that takes both mental and physical disipline. You must learn to read your opponent’ rhythm and use a rhythm they don’t expect to get in them in your critical distance line and
So one day after school my older brother took me to the gym. After I changed into my gym clothes in the locker room, I sat nervous on the patted mat by the rock climbing tower/boulder waiting for the instructor to walk in and other students to show up. After a few minutes the instructor walked in. She smiled really big, so big that I saw t...
When I first started learning martial arts, I hated it. I primarily got influenced after watching a couple of Jackie Chan, Chuck Norris, and Bruce Lee movies. They were so cool at the time. With all the “Kyia, Chia, Cha!!” I was inspired to the fullest. Although I was a tiny, timid boy, I wished to have the capabilities to defeat the bad guys, be the hero, and one versus nine. Who doesn’t want that?! But then there was my first lesson. It was harder than I thought at my age. I became inattentive and careless. Now in martial arts, there’s a particular form for every stance. The executions are only precise when the postures are correct, and I struggled. If I wanted to obtain the next belt, I would need to perfect my stances. It was a hard position