New Students: Your Second Month

Your goal for your second month is to continue your early arrivals and perfect attendance.  If you had some difficulty with attendance in the first month, dig in, make up the classes and stay on track.  We must make regular attendance our habit to stay on track for our training goals.

In the second month students will be learning the next segment of their forms as well as working on perfecting their kicking, punching and blocking techniques.  Students will rapidly gain confidence in this phase and it will show in their techniques as well as the various physical training drills.

The Mental Side of Taekwondo Training

Taekwondo training can have a very powerful transformative effect on people.  We hear it time and again: students who have gone from “C” to “A” students, or have finally developed the self-confidence or fitness they deserve.  We know this is the case because it has transformed our lives as well.  Taekwondo training teaches us to accept only the best from ourselves, but we must be open and attuned to the mental side of our training.

“What we achieve inwardly will change our outer reality.”  -Plutarch

The new student (and parents) should be paying special attention to the mental aspects of the training.    This includes the “Message/Story of the Day” but also the lessons that are taught by the natural ups and downs of Taekwondo training.   Students should reflect on their performance on and off the mat try to strive for Black Belt Attitude in everything they do.  If a student is having difficulty living up to the Black Belt Ideal inside or outside the dojang, the student (and parents) should seek the advice of their Sabumnim (Instructor).

Tips:

• Continue to shoot for perfect attendance, build the habit of excellence!
• As you learn more of your form, practice it at home daily.  It shows!
• Think about the mat chat of the day/word of the week and the Black Belt Ideal.  Discuss with your family on the car rides and over dinner.

Your Next Tapes

Tigers & Dragons will eventually need 3 tapes to promote to the next level.  This second tape will be awarded toward around the 6th week of the session. The instructors will run class with an eye on “testing” the knowledge and ability of each student.  Students who attend regularly have nothing to worry about: our instructors are experts at keeping an eye out in the preceding weeks and make sure everyone will succeed.

For Taekwondo students who have regular attendance, you will likely be on track to receive two more tapes around the 6th week of the session.  You should be on track to get your 2nd Tae Guek Basic tape for the middle section of the form.  You should also be on track to receive your tape for learning the basics of non-contact sparring.  You will eventually need 6 tapes to test for your yellow belt.  The pace will accelerate a bit as we run-up to the Promotion Test at the end of Week 10, so keep working hard and practicing at home!  You are doing a great job!

Continue on to read about Your First Promotion . . .