Articles posted by "Master Gorino"

Taking my first lesson, I was doing exactly that: taking. Teaching my first lesson, I was giving instead. My very first Tae Kwon-Do lesson (I had taken Karate before) was under a gentleman named Wan Jo Lee. He was a great martial artist; he really knew his stuff. Unfortunately, [...]Read more

There is no direct translation for the word “dobok.” Technically, “do” means “way,” and “bok” means “clothing.” So, dobok literally translates to “way clothing.” But that doesn’t really mean anything.  Gi, which is the Japanese version of the dobok, is actually short for [...]Read more

Developing power begins with proper form.  When you master good form, you develop speed. By developing speed, you develop power. With good form, you don’t get tired as fast because you’re not “over-muscling” your technique.  When you watch a baseball pitcher throw a [...]Read more

For the longest time, we were earthbound. When I took Isshin-Ryu, we didn’t do any flying kicks. It was the same with other forms of Karate as well. It wasn’t until Tae Kwon-Do came out that flying kicks became such an integral and iconic part of martial arts. The flying side [...]Read more

A great Tae Kwon-Do instructor has more than just a checklist of talent and training. Of course, there are the basics: a deep knowledge, the ability to “do” and demonstrate Tae Kwon-Do, loving Tae Kwon-Do more than anything, and the desire to inspire that same love for Tae [...]Read more

Sparring is about more than just punching, kicking, and blocking. In fact, sparring is as much about not fighting as it is about fighting. It’s about forming relationships, learning humility, and respect. If I’m really good at sparring, I’m tough. I’m strong. I like getting hit, [...]Read more