So I’m a 2nd degree junior instructor black belt from Carranza Taekwondo. I’ve trained there for a little more than 8 years. When I first joined Carranza Taekwondo, I was taught courtesy, integrity, perseverance, discipline, self-control and indomitable spirit. My master, Jose Carranza, has been a very important person in my lifetime. As I grew and progressed through my training, I came to understand and practice these traits until  they become a part of my every action.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and combat sport involving punching and kicking techniques. The literal translation for taekwondo is “kicking,” “punching,” and “the art or way of.” It sometimes involves the use of weapons.  But let me make myself clear – it is for defense only. No one should use it to engage in any offensive combat. It should only be used if you feel like you need to defend yourself. I learned to respect martial arts and to avoid fighting and conflict.

Taekwondo can improve flexibility, balance, posture, strength, and stamina. It improves mental health by increasing self-esteem, focus, confidence, concentration, and self-discipline. It also improves muscle tone and physical condition, and, most importantly, it reduces stress which is very important to some people.

One cool thing that I like about Taekwondo is that it’s one of the two Asian martial arts included on the Olympic programme. Taekwondo made its debut as a demonstration Olympic sport at the 1988 Seoul Games, and became an official medal sport at the 2000 Sydney Games. About 70 million people know that sport worldwide in 188 countries. Also taekwondo was developed during the 1940s and 1950s by various Korean martial artists as a blend of the indigenous Korean fighting styles, with influence from foreign martial arts, such as karate and Chinese martial arts (so don’t mix up the two!).

Finally, here are some quotes that my master says to me when I feel like giving up: “Showing up is half the battle,” “talent is great, but it’s hard work that leads to success,” “master the basics to master the art,” and “fear is a natural response that you can use to your advantage.”

I hope you’ve learned something that can help you in the future.