If you think of Tae Kwon-Do only as a sport, you’re missing about 90% of what we do.
Tae Kwon-Do is the best way to train your body and to learn how to fight. But it has nothing less to do with personal development and character, not to mention your health and well-being.
Those who see Tae Kwon-Do solely as a sport typically stop training altogether when they stop winning. For those who see it as more than just a sport to be won or lost, the dojang is their home. Their instructors and fellow students are truly their family.
This is my school and I am here all the time. And here, we have very high standards.
When you go to a local dojang, you are supporting your own well-being, of course, but you are also supporting the dojang. You are training for yourself, but you are also training as part of something much bigger than yourself.
When you achieve a high enough rank, you can begin giving back to your dojang through instruction, mentoring, helping to run events, and so on. You go from being a part of the community, to helping to define what that community is all about.
In the early days of Tae Kwon-Do in Korea, the gyms that they trained in were called “Kwans,” and the Kwans were named after the area that they were in. For instance, if the Kwan was located in Kenmore, it would be called the “Kenmore Kwan.”
People would go to the Kwan to train martial arts. But they would also go there just to hang out. Some would even hold weddings or other celebrations at the Kwan. It became more than just a place to train, it was the center of their community.
That notion is extremely important to us. We try to foster that traditional sense of community here at Master Gorino’s. Which is why we hold dojang socials, movie nights, and sleepovers, in addition to training. We also host different events open to the whole community.
When you come into the dojang you will notice a number of flags on the wall. Those are to represent the different countries from which people have come to train here. That wall doesn’t just give a sense of diversity, community, and acceptance, it is tangible proof of it.
I have had people look at that wall and comment on how “tolerant” we are. I don’t really like that word. We do more than just tolerate people who come here to train from different backgrounds. We truly accept them.
I believe that the differences in people are what make them great. And when you can mold those differences into a strong community, then that’s what makes a dojang great.
That’s what makes a dojang truly a home.
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do offers a trial program for individuals and families in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas that allows you to get a feel for the different classes, meet our instructors, and experience our dojang. It’s a great way to see if Tae Kwon-Do is right for you. To learn more or to sign up, visit the Contact Us page or call (716) 836-KICK (5425) and a member of our team will follow up with you on next steps. We look forward to helping you achieve your goals. Pil-Sung!
