Hello all. I am currently a yellow belt in TKD and I know for certain that I want to teach when I attain a high enough level. I usually go everyday except recently I've been busy and missed almost two weeks. But I did make it to yellow belt in one month of going everyday (except Sat. and Sun.) and training my hardest. I generally practice everything I've learned every chance I get everyday. I was wondering If there is any advice anyone could give to help me improve even more?
Hi You are not going to like this... Take it S L O W E R I have been doing Tae Kwon Do for about the last six months (TAGB) style - am vaguely capable of making a mess of the first three patterns - and still virtually unable to spar without someone calling 'foul' as I have lots of 'old habits' for things that are not allowed in TKD sparring (the most common ones being when I grab a kick or stand on the toes of a partner)... Anyway, after nearly six months I am a WHITE BELT and have little intention of grading any-time soon... Why, because you want to focus on getting the basics better and better - grades mean next to nothing but ability is rooted (pun) in basics. YMMD (Your Mileage May Differ). All the best. Robert.
The best thing you can do is turn up and train. You go to class enough, no need to do any more, but keep it regular. You are eager now, but don't get caught in the 'oh sorry I can't make it tonight, I have only just got in from work brigade'. If necessary take your training gear to work, uni, school'. Keep it regular, practice at home and as robertmap said 'don't overdo it'. Plan rest days into your programme. I always say the same thing, "weeks turn into months, months turn into years etc". Before you know it you will have a few years under your belt. One other thing I always did, and still do now. When your Instructor asks for a volunteer to show a technique on, always step forward. Put yourself up there. Don't stand at the back saying ' I have got it' then proceed to practice badly on another weak student. Understand how it should feel, then when you have felt the technique done properly ask the Instructor to show it on someone else so you can see how it was done.
Check out Van Zandt's post in the flexibility forum here and work on that in your spare time, keep your fitness levels up but most of all relax and enjoy it. It's easy to forget that we do this stuff because we enjoy it Mitch
The most important stuff has already been covered (attend, work on improving your physique independently, try to work with the Saseong as much as possible). Here are a couple of bits from me: 1) Make sure you have a solid understanding of both theory and practical aspects of your current level before considering being graded. 2) In some schools (mine for example), it's considered to be bad form to ask the Saseong to grade you. If you think you're ready, you're better off asking him/her to help you clean up your patterns. Another time you can as for him/her to help you work on your step-sparring or free-sparring. If you really are as ready as you think you are, they'll tell you to get ready to be graded. IIRC, you're involved in WTF, so my post may not be relevant to your school. I have had very limited exposure to your system and the etiquette.
Much of what the members have been saying about refining the basics you have learned and practicing extra during your spare time is very important. You said in your post that you had aspirations of teaching when you reach a higher belt. Some advice: students respect teachers who are involved in their class and demonstrate the techniques. My master always told us that if we cant show them the technique then we cant expect them to learn it. So really take your time and practice the techniques and try to figure out why they are done a certain way, what the technique is trying to achieve, and ways in which you can communicate the mechanics of the technique to the students. I know you may still be a long way from teaching..but if you keep these things in mind it will make it much easier when the time comes.
LOL, when I read the title of this thread the first time I thought it said "Advice for Advicing".... wow. I think I need to get back to 3rd grade and learn how to read again.
As a teacher you're going to need to know the finest detail of every technique. I'm sorry but there's no way you can speed-advance AND learn the details at the same time. You can only do one or the other. If you want to learn the intricate details to every form, every technique, that takes time, practice and patience. If you just want to blaze a trail through the belts then you can gloss over a mess of stuff and still be successful. Savor your time in class, learn all the nuances of your forms and your techniques because as an instructor the one thing you gloss over could be the one thing you need to get through to a struggling student. Decide whats more important: Truly learning your art or reaching black belt in record time. You can't have both. Good luck!
Ask if you can help teach beginners when they first join the dojang. Your instructor wi be grateful for the assistance and the experience will be invaluable to you.
There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, "If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen?" The Master thought about this, then replied, "Ten years." The student then said, "But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast. How long then?" Replied the Master, "Well, twenty years." "But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?" asked the student. "Thirty years," replied the Master. "But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student, "at each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?" Replied the Master, "When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path."
My goal is not to do it as quickly as possible, but to deserve what I earned. I just started learning under a new master also. My old master said I could be black belt in three years, my new master says the minimal amount of time is five years. I prefer my new master because he is making me earn my white belt, and his teaching methods are aimed at training me to one day become better than him. I know I'll deserve the belt when I get them under my new master because he doesn't care about the belt ranks as much as he cares about the skill and technique I acquire along the way.
A belt isn't a door-prize. It's an indicator of your skill level, which helps the instructor organize the class properly.
Sounds like your doing everything right, train hard, ask questions whenever you can about your technique, and show dedication.
Just keep training hard and doing what your teacher asks of you for your belt testing and you should be fine. It's a bad idea to try to sprint out the first mile of a marathon only to realize you still have 25 more to go. Take your time, you're 20 years old so you've got lots of time ahead of you.
In that case leave it up to your instructor to tell you when you're ready to be tested. If you are already familiar with your patterns, step sparring, power techniques and whatever else is the required material, go over every technique of every pattern until you know both the Korean names and the meanings/applications. Then you can also work on cleaning up your technique. Finally, if you think you have everything down pat, you can always study in advance.
