Tae Kwon Do, A Way Of Life, My way of life…

Tae Kwon Do, is Not Just A Martial Art to be practiced in the training hall, its every part of the life we live.

As both a student and instructor at Family Martial Arts Black Belt Schools, I have spent 10 years learning Tae Kwon Do and I want to reflect on how it has been of great benefit to my life and how it continues to do so in the present day but then also share my thoughts on how it can benefit you as an individual, and how we can use it to make us a better person. When I first heard about Tae Kwon Do at aged 14 I was probably one of the most unconfident and nervous teenagers around and of course it made me a target for bullies.

Tae Kwon Do was introduced to me in 2006 at Family Martial Arts where I met Grandmaster David Martin, baring in mind I had never tried anything like this before and I didn’t know what to expect I took part in a private lesson and learnt some basic techniques from the man himself, I also learnt how to show confidence by shouting Kihap! (Korean for Yell/Shout) which at first I found hard to do as I wasn’t very talkative. It wasn’t long before I joined the school and began my training learning techniques, patterns and self defence along the way whilst improving my fitness incredibly, I couldn’t even do 5 press ups before I started and all the students that I shared the training hall with were friendly and supportive and many still train now.

In my personal belief Tae Kwon Do is a highly effective Martial Art and it has been made so by Grandmaster Martin and his teachings, even now I am still learning and being an instructor means that I can pass it on to students new and experienced, not only does it make you feel safe but it helps you to feel confident and believe in yourself, training on the mats with others from many walks of life is a great stress reliever whilst in a fun and friendly environment. You feel like you can push yourself to the limit and beyond and are constantly encouraged to try your best and persevere no matter the difficulty. For many students it helps with personal battles like depression and low self esteem, it helps to lift them up and bring them into high spirits. If you have had a bad day at work or in general it gives you a chance to relax your mind, vent out and concentrate on pushing to achieve your best.

Training with us at Family Martial Arts will give you…

Enhanced confidence to stand up for your beliefs and allow you to look at life with a positive attitude. You will also be able to say no to negative peer pressure and have the confidence to protect yourself, family and friends.

Determination to try your hardest at whatever is important in your life whether it is Martial Arts or something else that you hold dear. You will also be able to show perseverance and put on a brave face even in the most difficult of challenges and give it a try no matter what and if need be try again.

Integrity to help you know right from wrong and make the right the decisions which can be passed onto the younger generation.

Pride in yourself and what you have achieved even though you may not think it to be much. To be happy with whom and what you are, not let anyone judge you and if you feel you need to change it is because you want to, not because someone told you to.

These are just some of the benefits that learning Tae Kwon Do with us will bring you. In my opinion you can do even more to make you feel good about yourself such as donating to a charity, helping a close friend when they need support, posting a comment on social media to try and brighten someone’s day but also it will encourage you to try new things, conquer fears and in general make you feel like you have made an effort in the world. Trust me; it is a good feeling knowing that you have done your good deed for the day.

At Family Martial Arts we will help you to make Tae Kwon Do not just a Martial Art that you practice as a leisurely activity… but a way of life that you can make become a massive part of yours, because it has certainly changed my life.

Keep smiling and I look forward to seeing you with us very soon.

By Mr. Michael Morgan-Lewis

Chief Instructor, Family Martial Arts Black Belt Schools – Maidstone