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Issue 4 November 4, 2022

Welcome to the best place to find your up to date global Taekwondo News!

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Anne Chase

Welcome to issue number four!

We have some more training tips, more consideration of risk, and some competition results. We are also promising you something new next issue. Controversy! Besides being my favorite Prince song, it also allows us to debate questions found in the martial arts. Many, most?, people can enjoy a good discussion concerning best practices.

 

Since I mentioned both music and questions above here’s a question I’ve often considered. Does music belong in the dojang? I’m from a fairly traditional club and we never had music at practice. Not even the 6am Kyorugi practices for nationals. Frankly I can imagine having music during Poomsae practice, but I hear some even use tunes in those classes. The only times we could break out our mix tapes (sigh) was during cardio and weight training which we did on our own. Is there room for music in your practice?



TAEKWONDO PIONEER SPOTLIGHT

DR. KEN MIN

Dr. Min and then USOC VP George Steinbrenner (Yankees Owner)

at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain


The article present today is written by Dr. Ken Min. He has devoted his professional career to the recognition, development and support of Taekwondo. His unique tenure at the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley) as a Professor in the Physical Education Department came in 1969 after completing his education in the United States. He had previously studied at the University of Georgia and Oglethorpe University. Prior to joining UC Berkeley, he taught at the University of Montana and Easter Montana College in subjects such as health education, judo, wrestling and taekwondo under these various settings.

 

Besides organizing the highly successful martial arts department at UC Berkeley, few people have the reputation as a nationally and internationally advocate of Taekwondo. Nationally, his leadership within groups such as the AAU (before Taekwondo was recognized as an official sport, then ultimately US Taekwondo Union/USAT), US Olympic Committee, and National Collegiate Taekwondo Association. Internationally, he provided pivotal leadership within the World Taekwondo (World Taekwondo Federation), International Olympic Committee, and FISU (International Federation of University Sports).

 

In the detailed article, that was written several years back (at the 25th Anniversary of the National Governing Body of Taekwondo), much of the early history of the rise in the sport of Taekwondo is intertwined with his personal history. The personal photo attached was taken at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain with Mr. George Steinbrenner (owner of the NY Yankees and during his term as a Vice President of the US Olympic Games and Dr. Ken Min who was serving as the Team Leader of the US Taekwondo Team at the 1992 Olympic Games). We are delighted to have his contribution through this article as the US Taekwondo Movement moves towards its sixth decade.

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Training Tip: MY GOAL IS BLACK BELT

By: Sammy Pejo


One day I was standing at the front desk of the dojang and the carpet guy came in to do some measurements. As he finished, he started asking questions about our school. Recognizing the opportunity in front of me, I asked the standard question “Have you ever thought about training in the Martial Arts?” and he replied, “Hasn’t everyone?”


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POINT/COUNTER-POINT COMING

 

Taekwondo Today will be initiating a column called Point/Counterpoint where two opposing views of issues related to Taekwondo that may be of interest to practitioners, coaches, parents, and the general public.

 

Examples of upcoming topics include the following:

-        Full Contact should be allowed for Cadet and Junior practitioners

-        Electronic Scoring improves Taekwondo competitions for competitors and audiences

-        Dojangs should require all instructors to be certified by a national organization

-        Taekwondo After-School Programs should be regulated by a national organization

 

Those are just a few of the issues to be discussed by two of our Editorial Staff in upcoming issues. You, the public, may submit your thoughts on these issues, as well as any other issues that are of interest to you. We will share your suggested issues in future editions of Taekwondo Today. You can help to steer the direction of this column by submitting your opinions and suggested topics.

 

The next issue of Taekwondo Today will feature Point/Counterpoint regarding full contact for Junior and Cadet Taekwondo athletes.

BENEFITS OF RISK MANAGEMENT IN TAEKWONDO

(Part 2 The Taekwondo School's Perspective)


By: Robert K. Fujimura

In Part 1, we briefly explored the perspective of risk management through the eye of the student. If we flip the coin, how can the Taekwondo School use risk management as a tool? Look through several key areas:

Prepare for instruction. Lighting, floor space, instructional curriculum, staffing, and security, is important. The owner can view the program from the student (or parent) perspective. The owner can create an environment that encourages energy, instruction, and longevity of practice.


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