The Benefits of Taekwondo and Hapkido: Part 1

Traditional Taekwondo and Hapkido training is not something that stays contained to within the walls of the training hall.  It is something that permeates every aspect of a practitioner’s life.  The “Do” in Taekwondo and Hapkido means “a way of life” and this simply means that the hard work that we put into training and the benefits of that training are not things that we leave behind when we step off the mat.  These are habits, traits, and benefits that follow us throughout our daily lives and mold us into champions in life.  Here are the first four benefits of traditional Taekwondo and Hapkido training.

1.  Confidence – Nothing says “I can do anything I set my mind to” like doing the seemingly impossible.  The movements in Taekwondo and Hapkido are anything but natural.  However, with training and hard work, students of any age can accomplish physical feats that they never thought they could do.  There is nothing mystical about it and you don’t have to be an athlete.  You just have to put in the time and effort and once you accomplish things in the martial arts, you will also see your confidence grow in other areas of your life.

2.  Focus – Taekwondo and Hapkido don’t just train the body, they also train the mind.  In the digital age that we live in, it is very easy to get distracted.  Distractions are all around us.  The martial arts train us to stay focused and block out the distractions so that we can be more productive and efficient.  For example, when you are practicing a technique in class over and over again, you eventually begin to really listen to all the little things that your body is telling you.  You become more in-tune and your focus becomes sharper.  When you are striking focus mitts or pads, you are focused on connecting with the target accurately.  When you are sparring, you block out everything around you and focus on the task at hand.  When you practice poomsae (forms), you don’t think about the form but rather, focus on each technique as you execute it, constantly staying in the present and not dwelling on the movements before or looking forward to the movements after.  This enhanced level of focus extends beyond the walls of the training hall and benefits us in other areas of our lives.

3.  Stress Reduction – Everyone encounters stress and, without an effective method for dealing with it, it can do a great deal of damage to our physical and mental health.  While we all find ways to relieve stress, not all methods carry additional benefits and some ways for relieving stress can actually add to increased stress levels later.  The martial arts provide an avenue for relieving physical and mental stress in a productive manner while also making us stronger mentally and physically.  Furthermore, our training extends beyond the mat so that over time, we actually become better equipped to deal with stress in life as it comes at us as opposed to just waiting until the next training session.

4.  Discipline – There are two types of discipline:  following and doing what we are told to do by our boss, teachers, parents, etc. and doing what we know that we should do even when no one is forcing us to do it.  The martial arts can help with both of these to some extent but the biggest benefit is in the area of self-discipline.  As students progress in their martial arts training, they begin to realize that they get out what they put in.  There is no easy way to obtain the skills and benefits of the martial arts.  You can’t take a short cut, cheat, or buy your way there.  You can only move forward through hard work and that is where we develop self-discipline.  At Mudo Korean Martial Arts, belts are never given to students, they are earned through hard work and self-discipline.  We preach this to our students and the sooner they realize this, the sooner they can begin to reap the benefits of training and enjoy the success that self-discipline brings in other areas of life.

Unhyeon Palace

Most people in Korea are aware of the four major palaces in Seoul but few have ever heard of Unhyeon Palace (Unhyeongung).  This palace in Seoul did not start off as a royal palace at all and hardly looks like one either.  Yet, it was here that Emperor Gojong was born and spent the first 12 years of his life prior to ascending to the throne, and his father, Regent Heungseon Daewongun, ruled the country as the Regent of Korea from 1863 to 1873.  With Emperor Gojong being too young to rule the country at the time of his selection for such a task, his father, Heungseon, was given the titles of Daewongun and Regent of Korea and became the ruler of the country until his son had come of age.  Even after Gojong became king, Heungseon Daewongun continued to be active in politics and lived out the rest of his life at Unhyeongung.

Although originally just a simple residence for Heungseon Daewongun, upon the appointment of Emperor Gojong as the future ruler of Korea, the residence was expanded, four gates were constructed, it was given the name Unhyeongung, and designated as an official royal palace.  Unfortunately, as with many historical sites in Korea, this one too fell victim to Japanese conquest.

Following Korea’s liberation from Japan, the ownership of the palace was returned to the descendants of Heungseon Daewongun in 1948 who would continue to care for the residence until 1991 when the palace was sold to the city of Seoul.  By this time, the palace was only a fraction of its original size and many of the buildings were in need of repairs.  The city undertook restoration efforts and in 1993, opened the palace to the general public.

Today, this palace is the site of numerous cultural performances, including a royal wedding ceremony every spring and fall in commemoration of Emperor Gojong and Empress Myeongseong’s wedding which took place in Norakdang Hall at Unhyeongung.  It can easily be reached via Exit #4 of Anguk Station on Seoul Subway Line 3.  The palace is open year round, Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is free.  There is also a small museum near the entrance where more information on Unhyeongung, Emperor Gojong, and Heungseon Daewongun can be found.

References:
Unhyeongung:  http://www.unhyeongung.or.kr/index_eng.php
Visit Korea:  http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=264223

Awareness is Key

I want to share a true story with you that one of my senior students shared with me today.  Upon arriving to class, he informed me that he had dealt with an altercation at work in which two of his clients were fighting.  When he verbally intervened and instructed them to leave, one of the clients turned and began to slowly approach my student.  While trying to talk the client down, my student was also observing the client’s hands, posture, and demeanor in order to determine what their intentions were and anticipate what might come next.  When the client had eventually gotten to within about two feet away, my student said that he observed the client turning his right shoulder away with his right hand down by his side and his weight shifting.

My student picked up on these cues and recognized that there was a good chance that the client was about to swing at him, considering that the client had also thrown multiple punches at the other client earlier.  While continuing to talk the client down, my student swiftly seized the client’s right arm before he could punch and applied a shoulder lock.  He was then able to restrain the client until the police arrived and took the client into custody.

While he was happy that the tactic had worked, which we had just practiced earlier this week, he was even more pleased that he had been able to anticipate what the client was about to do and preemptively take control without ever having to throw a punch.  Neither my student, nor the client was injured.  This was something that we had also worked on in class when I told him that “awareness is key”.  While his technical and tactical skills certainly came in handy, being able to diagnose the situation and choose the correct response proved to be even more valuable.

Having the technical and tactical skills to defend your self is great.  However, knowing when to use those skills and which tactics to employ is a whole different story.  Being aware of what is happening and knowing how to diagnose a situation is even more important when it comes to knowing which techniques, tactics, and strategies to use.  After all, awareness is key.

The Reverse Punch: Avoiding Elbow Injuries

We have probably all heard our instructors tell us to keep our elbows close to the body when throwing a punch but, why is it that this is so important?  For starters, keeping your elbows down and close to the body conceals the punch by not telegraphing it as you would if you raised your elbow out to the side as you punch.  Keeping your elbows down and close also forces you to throw the punch from your hips rather than from your arms which leads to a faster and more powerful punch.  However, there is another reason why keeping your elbows close to your body is so important and that is that doing so greatly reduces the risk of elbow injuries.

When we throw a punch at full speed and miss the target, there is a risk of injuring the elbow joint if our punch is not executed correctly.  Even just a slight outward movement of the elbow in the initial stages of the punch are enough to put the elbow in a vulnerable position when the punch is fully extended.  Sometimes it is hard to even notice that you are throwing your punches incorrectly because at full speed, a slight outward movement of the elbow may go unnoticed.

However, if you look at the end result of your punch and see that the boney point of the elbow is pointing outward, then that means that you didn’t keep your elbow down and close to the body as your threw the punch and instead, the elbow floated outward.  This puts you at risk of injuring the elbow.

On the other hand, if you keep the elbow down throughout the motion of the punch and only rotate your fist over at the point of impact, you will find that the boney point of the elbow is pointing downward and not outward.  This is a sign of a good punch.  You will also notice that your shoulder stays down and relaxed allowing your punch to travel much faster. By keeping your elbow down, you force your hips to do the work of generating power and throwing the punch while the arm delivers the punch in a quick and relaxed manner, only tensing at the point of impact. 

If you can do this, not only will you have reduced your chances of injuring your elbow, but you will have also increased the speed and power with which you can execute your punches.  To see a demonstration of the material contained in this article along with a more detailed explanation, check out the following video on YouTube.com:  https://youtu.be/HtmbSFHO2XI.

Taekwondo is a Lifelong Pursuit

   In Taekwondo training, there is no destination.  Today, too many students view obtaining a black belt as being the pinnacle of their martial arts training.  They view a black belt as a destination and after attaining one, many students quit their training thinking that they have learned all that there is to learn.  Just learning the basics however is not enough and just attaining a black belt only signifies that you have a sound foundation in the basic techniques and principals of Taekwondo.  This is far from being the end of the journey.  There is always more to learn no matter how knowledgeable you might be.  Even when you think that you understand everything, there is always something more, something deeper to go back and study.

                You hold the keys to unlocking all that Taekwondo has to offer.  Through years of long and hard training, the spirit of Taekwondo will reveal itself to you, piece by piece.  The longer you train, the more you will grow as a martial artist.  If you quit, thinking that you have reached the end of the road, then you actually have reached an end because you will no longer continue to grow as a martial artist.

                You must also understand that there is much more to Taekwondo than meets the eye.  Techniques have much deeper applications than the basic ones beginners learn and the footwork, blocks,  strikes, and intermediary movements of your poomsae contain a treasure trove of tactics and strategies to explore.  Once you understand how deep Taekwondo is, then the spirit of Taekwondo will begin to reveal itself to you and you will also understand that there is no destination in Taekwondo.