Junbi, Joonbi, Choonbi…to know your junbi is to know yourself.  There are many ways to say and spell this very common phrase in Tae Kwon-Do. Its meaning may vary too, depending on the Korean person that you are talking to, and where they place the emphasis on words. This is [...]Read more

What separates a true martial art from simply learning to “fight”? Patterns. “Fighting arts” tend to be narrowly focused on the combat aspect. This can be useful. We also learn how to fight in Tae Kwon-Do. But we learn much more. A true Martial Art takes a holistic approach. True [...]Read more

You catch yourself bowing to the clerk at the drugstore.  You realize you’re using the dojang handshake with complete strangers. Before long, it’s “Yes, ma’am,” “No ma’am,” “Yes, sir,” “No, sir,” to everyone you meet.  Sometimes, new students ask me if they can apply [...]Read more

Stretching is better when you smile. When you stretch regularly, every part of you is relaxed. Your body. Your mind. And when you relax, you smile. You don’t grunt and groan like many do when they stretch.  That is one of many things Grand Master Park taught me. I still [...]Read more

“That could be me. I could be Mr. James someday!” Daniel said.  His mother had just read him the post about Mr. James (pictured above), and it really struck a chord with him. “He sounds a lot like me,” Daniel said. Daniel had found a hero. Daniel (whose name is changed to [...]Read more

When I first became a black belt, that belt looked really, really black to me. I remember walking through the dojang and looking in the mirror. For a second, I wondered who the new guy was with the black belt. Then I realized it was me. I wasn’t a color belt any more. Earning my [...]Read more