
When Crisis Comes: Pivot or Else
To be honest, once the severity of the Coronavirus situation hit, we, like many, were nervous.Now, this wasn’t a crazy panic like you’d see in a
To be honest, once the severity of the Coronavirus situation hit, we, like many, were nervous.Now, this wasn’t a crazy panic like you’d see in a
Charlie, our almost four year old son, recently asked me why we’re not allowed to see our friends. “Have you heard of COVID-19?”I didn’t actually say
It’s late February.We start hearing a little bit about this virus thing, but we’re being told that it’s not so bad.At the dojang, we’re furthering
I haven’t worked in 39 years. On May 27 of this year, 2020, that’s how long I will have been in Tae Kwon-Do. I’m willing to bet
I’m a preparer. Some might say, an over-preparer. I look at it like driving a car. If you aren’t looking down the road, you can’t steer
My father passed away when I was seven years old.Immediately, kids at school started asking me about it, and seemingly never let up. At home, roles
The very first thing we teach you in Tae Kwon-Do is to bow. We bow to the dojang itself to say “I am here to do
Tae Kwon-Do is good for everyone. Not everyone is good for Tae Kwon-Do. In other words, not everyone relates well to Tae Kwon-Do. More importantly, not everyone relates
We don’t make resolutions at our school. We set goals.The difference? Well, a resolution is nothing more than a dream. A goal, though, is a dream with
What do you as a parent want for your child? Some basics might be:To be respectful and kind to themselves and to others.To be in control of their mind
When I taught in a public school system in a low socio-economic area, I noticed a disturbing trend. Very often, students would be passed onto the next
This might sound weird, but I believe that getting yelled at and being told what to do for an hour can actually relieve stress.At our dojang, we
A while back, before Tae Kwon-Do entered my life, I had a trumpet teacher named Carmine Caruso. He was from New York City, and I used to
Jack is a really nice kid, but he’s also a bit of a politician. Sometimes, when confronted, Jack thinks he can skirt the issue, so to
Joining Master Gorino’s school in 2001 was the best decision I ever made. I had always been interested in learning self-defense. Training at Master Gorino’s has certainly heightened my
If you watch black belts do Tae Kwon-Do and think to yourself: “I can’t do this,” you’re right. You can’t. Yet. And, neither could they when they first
Let’s face it. Most people get anxious about starting Tae Kwon-Do because they’re afraid of getting beat up. Or possibly worse…embarrassed.Most depictions of martial arts in movies
What does it mean to “become?”I have been thinking about that word a lot lately. To me, “becoming” is what you call it when you
I’m going to gush about Charlie, here. Charlie is my little boy, and my best buddy. He is an example of “amazingness in action.”I’ll take a
Once, I decided I was going to do one million push-ups in a year. Now, a million is not necessarily a ton of pushups every day, but when you
The best age to start your child in Tae Kwon-Do actually has nothing to do with your child. Because, the best time to start your child in Tae
Tae Kwon-Do is not just for kids. In fact, when Tae Kwon-Do first began being taught in the US, it was intended primarily for military members; folks
Sometimes, as a martial artist and a black belt, you see injustice in the world and you want to right it. People intervene in fights because they
As a teenager, what could be more fun that going to school on your days off, am I right? Well, at this school, we have a
There’s a new saying that we use around the dojang: “Strong is the new skinny.I once had a student named Cathy who, unfortunately, was pretty heavy
Our trial program isn’t designed to show you what you can’t do, it’s designed to show you the possibilities of what you’ll be able to do as you develop
At only 5’ 7”, I can’t do a full side split, but I can kick someone who is 6’ 4” in the head. You would think
I tell all of my students that there are two kinds of people in this world: those that practice Tae Kwon-Do, and those who only wish they could.I
Selflessness & HumilityIn her entire speech after being inducted into our hall of fame, Ms. October Newton used the word “I” only once. “I thank you,”
“She’s In The Division”One of my favorite stories is about a student I have named Kelly. The women that come through my school are very confident and strong.
Raising My Voice: Tamara’s Story12 years ago, I sat in on my sorority sister’s Tae Kwon-Do class. Before that hour-long session was over, I signed myself up. When
The Great EqualizerWatching a tiny Korean boy hold his own against a 6’4” FBI agent, with an all-star collegiate athletic background is all you need
Proverbs tells us: “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”One way we improve is by competing against those who are better than us.
Day OneI was intimidated to walk through the doors and step out on the floor that first day. “I’m not a martial artist,” I thought. “How
First ClassIt’s the Friday before my first class in our first building. The walls are freshly painted. The room has the perfect amount of echo. Everything
Back when I first started teaching, Master Gorino would joke around with the parents and other students.“Hey, you see that kid out there?” he would
Rolling around on the floor is something that children are used to, but that’s not usually the case for adults.Being A Student As someone who came
Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do GenesisBefore I made the decision to open my own school, I both taught at another Tae Kwon-Do school and was a
A Good Teacher Needs to be a Good Student About 6 months ago, my instructor, Grandmaster Park, said that it was time for me to test for
Win or LearnThe mantra at our dojang is: “Pil-Sung.” It is a Korean phrase that we interpret to mean: “Certain victory through indomitable spirit and courage.” We
Whenever someone first signs up for Tae Kwon-Do, I tell them the same thing: There will be at least four times in your training that you
Lessons Learned In The DojangInside the dojang there are positive vibes. People arrive knowing we’re going to train, we’re going to learn, and we’re going
There is a lesson that I work hard to impart on our instructors:“Teaching Tae Kwon-Do is 10% instruction and 90% motivation.”People are often their own
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”Self-defense is a state of mind. Being physically fit is
Why Tae Kwon-Do?Before I even had children, I knew I wanted to get them involved in martial arts. When I realized that I was going to
John & Public SpeakingJohn was a drill sergeant in the Marines who later became a state trooper. He then went to law school and passed the
Hamza’s Mother Describes His JourneyIt has really been an amazing journey for Hamza at Master Gorino’s!Throughout the years, Hamza has achieved so much studying Tae Kwon-Do.What Changes
Crossfit vs Tae Kwon-DoSomeone asked me about the differences between CrossFit and Tae Kwon-Do. I’ve never done CrossFit and only know what I’ve watched, read, or
”It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”There are misconceptions about self-defense. Some people think
(I recorded a conversation with eleven year old Michael and his stepmother, Pamela, about Mike’s Friendship Club and how he started it at school.)Pamela: I got
Blindness is not a handicap.It’s a workaround. Everybody’s got aworkaround:I’ve got a bad hip.I’m afraid.My knee is messed up.I don’t like fighting.A person with sight
The sad truth.Many parents sign their children up for Tae Kwon-Do because unfortunatelytheir child is being bullied. Our students are trained to deal with bullies,whether being bullied themselves or witnessing
One year I decided to do a million push-ups.I’m not joking. Physically, I knew it was possible. I do push-ups all day long, so why not keep
A Mother’s Perspective On Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do “I was shy and quiet growing up, and I didn’t want Alexia to be like me.” I
I respect everybody who deserves respect, or who has earned respect. It doesn’t take something major or extraordinary. If someone is walking the face of the
Pop QuizzesSister Eduardo loved to surprise our classroom with pop quizzes. The test was always placed face down and we couldn’t turn it over until she gave
Giovani’s dad talks about his sons experience at Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do.Why did you choose Mater Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do?I couldn’t have done it by myself.My son
Day OneNicole describes her feelings about coming to Master Gorino’s. I didn’t expect it to be fun on the very first day, you know? Tae Kwon-Do
I’m 74 years old.I don’t have aspirations to be 18 again or anything like that. I like my age. I want to be my age,
Why did you choose Tae Kwon-Do?Growing up in Asia, I never had the chance to do sports or any other extracurricular activities. Both my parents worked because
My son had trouble focusing.Not AD/HD per se, but he easily became scattered when there was a lot of noise around. Colton would become hyper and had trouble staying seated
Tae Kwon-Do is not a sport because the goal isn’t about winning. When a hockey team loses they alternate players. If a baseball team is losing they’ll
In today’s society of instant gratification and receiving information at a moment’s notice, having the patience to thoroughly examine the information or your environment is
“My child has trouble focusing at school. Can Tae Kwon-Do really help?”Very simply, YES.Rita & DanielRita and Daniel are autistic students of mine who had
Mr. Rays StoryMr. Ray was not one of my best students when he first began. He had an extremely low self-esteem of himself and a lack of confidence in
The scene is all too common…A student is struggling to learn a new technique. He looks around the classroom to find everyone else is doing
This week, Jack’s mom shares her thoughts on Tae Kwon-Do and her son.Why did you choose Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do?We started our youngest son, Jack, in Tae
This week, Max’s mom Shannon shares her thoughts on Tae Kwon-Do and her son.Why did you choose Master Gorino’s Tae Kwon-Do?Max began Tae Kwon-Do ten
Who am I?I’m a 7th degree black belt Master of Tae Kwon-Do. I do not expect people to know what I know, just as I would hope a doctor
The All American OpenThe All American Open was one of martial arts biggest tournaments. Henry Cho, a Tae Kwon-Do pioneer and 9th dan instructor, created the competition in 1965.
My father was killed when a drunk driver jumped the curb and struck him on the sidewalk. I was 7 years old. The tragedy was
How does a high school boy from Buffalo, who had never picked up a trumpet in his life, end up playing at Caesar’s Palace for
Staying Calm In A Difficult SituationYour boss is yelling at you. He called you into his office, slammed the door, and is unloading on youMaybe
Here are a few things I’ve learned in life:Never Let Anyone Tell You You Can’t Do SomethingIf you have the ability, drive, and desire to
We play a game called Tae Kwon-Do Dodgeball. It’s like traditional dodgeball where two teams throw red rubber playground balls at each other trying to hit opposing players and
Jerry is a veteran of the Marine Corps who began his Tae Kwon-Do training at the spry age of 64. Physically active most of his life, he
Self-confidence and self-control are two of the biggest reasons people study martial arts. Let’s look at how self-control factors into our training.Self-control, or Guk Gi,
Two of the biggest reasons people come to our school is to build their self-confidence and develop self-control. These are significant characteristics for any martial arts student and it’s
HEY YOU!Yeah, I’m talking to you. You’re the person walking through the school halls, hugging the walls, hoping no one bumps into you. You’re the
I can judge a person’s confidence level by their posture. How a person sits in a chair, or how they walk down the street will
Why do you need self-confidence? What’s the point?For me it’s simple… do you want to be a failure in life or a success?People without self-confidence
Tim was the most rigid and uptight person I had ever met in my life. He was a business executive who’s mental stress consumed him
Earning your black belt is a lofty goal, I won’t deny it. But many people assume once you reach black belt you’ve crossed the finish line and
Mike and Kristy have two beautiful children, Sean and Sophie. They first came to my school 12 years ago. Sophie was only 3, and Sean
Everything we do helps people become better leaders.It begins on your very first day when we teach you how to shake hands. We apply a
I’m a firm believer the mind controls the body, and the body controls the mind. When we get them working together, amazing things happen.Being physically
In Tae Kwon-Do, our belts are used as a label to signify the training level a student has completed.The Belt Ceremony is the final process of each level’s curriculum.
Music has the amazing ability to control the mood of a room. We may poke fun at dentists for playing orchestral soft rock melodies in
Tae Kwon-Do is an athletic activity, which means just like any other physical sport, injuries can occur. A jogger may sprain her ankle running on a
Western New York has a rich history of martial arts that dates back to the 1950s. It was mostly Isshyn Ryu and Shotokan Karate schools
A large German man named Matt came to our school. Big strong guy. He liked to fight and prove he could beat people up, a
Whether it’s Tae Kwon-Do, hockey, chess, writing, or playing the piano, I believe competition will make you better at your craft. Hard work and practice are
For most college students, living on campus is the first time being on their own and away from home. Here are some tips for college
Rich is a pilot who wanted to learn Tae Kwon-Do, but his flight schedule prevented him from taking classes. So we set Rich up with a
Disclaimer: Self-defense techniques require proper training.I want to make it clear that reading a blog post does not make you an expert in self-defense. Every self-defense
Matt was a 12 year old student who liked to hit people.His violent behavior led to several disciplinary measures. The YMCA removed him from their
People ask me all the time, “What’s the difference between Tae Kwon-Do and Karate?” or “How is Tae Kwon-Do different from other martial arts?” Unfortunately,
Sean came from a broken home. By age seven, he was living with his grandmother and already considered a bad kid.He was restless, constantly moving,
Laurel was a beautiful girl, inside and out, who suffered from dystonia.Dystonia is a neurological chronic movement disorder characterized by persistent muscle contractions causing abnormal, often
At nine years old, James could have been a politician. There was something about his smile which invited small talk with strangers. He was also
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