- 03 May 2008, 19:30
#12255
Salaam Alaykum brothers and sisters in Islam. I thank the BIZ Team to give me this chance to write on my personal experience on Taekwon-Do Training.
Taekwon-Do is a powerful martial art training originated in Korea. For one to start training Taekwon-Do, he needs to be committed towards the art, because there are lots of various different challenges one must undergo.
My two years experience of Taekwon-Do has taught me a lot of things in life. I started training Taekwon-Do in the year 2006 at Shaaban Robert Secondary School. This is my 3rd year of training Taekwon-Do and it’s is an amazing journey of the way of life.
Before joining Taekwon-Do, I thought Taekwon-Do only was about various cool fighting skills and tactics, but I was to a certain extent correct. Self-Control, Courtesy, Anger Control were also part of the training and were also being tested for. You all must be asking yourselves how one could be tested for self-control and Anger control. Well… using the Belt ranking tests, the examiners (Senior Instructor – Sabum Massawe and Training Instructor – Boo-Sabum Maxmillian Kailangana) test the examined in tul (Patterns), Physical fitness by giving various exercises, and some kicks, but not only that, the instructors simultaneously also asks you questions that you are compelled to answer, so the examined gets very furious. With this belt ranking test one learns how to control and breakdown his anger.
During my journey, Taekwon-Do always helped my break the fear of fighting. Before I started training, I was very scared of fighting. After joining Taekwon-Do, I felt the difference because of fighting openly and going to confront face-to-face your opponent. In addition to fear, Taekwon-Do training also teaches you controlling your adrenaline rush in various scary situations by using breathing skills, because when ones fear overcomes himself, he will forget everything and would most likely lose the fight. So it is important that you should not let your fear overcome you.
As a conclusion, I would like to give you some few tips of when you are in a situation of fear and circumstances don’t allow you to escape the scene/situation. Always remember the following tips:
1. If you are standing very close to the person, move some few steps away from your opponent as to avoid him hitting you first. But make sure that your distance is enough for you to attack your opponent.
2. When you are tensed and in fear, breathe in and out slowly and silently to control your fear and adrenaline rise.
3. Look at your opponent at his/her pressure point so you can see his whole body and his body-movements, if he/she was to kick or punch with either of his legs or hands. Note his/her even tiniest move.
4. If there has not been any movement, and you are sure that he/she will attack first, then be prepared to move on your left or right side (but not behind – because it will reduce the distance between you and your opponent thus it will be difficult to attack him if you get a chance)
5. If he/she attacks first and you have moved on your LHS, then kick using your right leg and if you moved on your RHS, then kick using your left leg (Reason to gain more power as you twist your waist). Make sure that you move in front to get your opponent correctly at your specified target.
6. If you get your aim and your opponent is on the ground, then you should run for it because you don’t know if he also has some other people around him.
If you remember these tips, mostly all your fights would be successful but don’t misuse these tips, because these tips too would act against your plans and you would end up getting confused. Inshallah in the next issue, there will be lessons on how to overcome close-fights by playing with ones joints.