Taekwondo Oath

After all these year of training taekwondo, only recently I found out that there's actually a taekwondo oath. I'm not sure if this is a official taekwondo oath or just something that created by someone or some organization. Anyhow I find this oath to be something all taekwondo practitioners should be abide to.

• I shall observe the tenets of Taekwondo.
• I shall respect the instructor and seniors.
• I shall never misuse Taekwondo.
• I shall be a champion of freedom and justice.
• I shall build a more peaceful world.

Sixth DAN Grading

It's been quite awhile since I took my 6th Dan grading. It was on 17 April 2011 and I was not even in my best shape then. Anyway, it was really a last minute decision and I'm glad that I took it. I was the only coach that take his grading during the centralized grading as many high-dan grading is conducted behind closed door. I feel that as a coach you should not be shy to sit for your grading in front of the juniors or your students as it is an indication of your confidence in your own ability. Doing the grading behind closed door only indicate that you do not have the confidence to show your ability.

However, although I was not in my best shape, I tried to perform to the best I can and luckily I made it through. I have passed my 6th Dan grading and now I need to write-up my thesis in order for me to apply for my Kukkiwon certificate. As I have not really write thesis for a long time, hence it is actually not easy. I have the idea in my head, but to actually bring the idea into paper is really hard. Anyhow, I have completed 4 out of the required 10 pages which is a good progress. I intend to complete my thesis by end of next week.

Running A Business

Setting taekwondo classes is like running a business taekwondo coaches also businessman trying to sell taekwondo to the people. Ironically your students are actually your clients or customers. However, most of us taekwondo coaches are better in teaching than running a business. We are technically people which have difficulty in dealing with administrative paperwork such as setting up database of your students, preparing proposals, selling your 'business' to corporate and filing.

Ideally, we just want to teach the students well and have someone doing the administrative for us but then again we too need to be business-savvy as taekwondo is our business, hence we need to run it like how business does, whether we like it or not. Learn to be a businessman while making sure our

product is still the best.

Keep learning technically and also increase your business sense cause what the use of a good product which you cannot sell.

The Five Tenets of Taekwondo

Although I have been practicing Taekwondo for more than 20 years, I am still learning and today I realized that after all these years I have never really look into the other aspect of Taekwondo which is the non-physical side. Many time I have been teaching on the physical aspect while have not really teach tenets of Taekwondo. Only today that I realized there actually have the tenets FOR TAEKWONDO.

The Five Tenets of Taekwondo are:

1. Courtesy - which covers respect of one another, be polite to one another

2. Integrity - upholding one's principle at the same time able to differentiate between right or wrong, being honest

3. Preseverance - always be patient, the time will come.

4. Self-Control - able to control one's emotion

5. Indomitable Spirit - Have a strong will to never give up