Discipline: Children must be made to realize
that while taekwondo can be fun, they must pay attention to what they are
doing so they will not hurt themselves or others. For the same reason,
they must follow the established rules and show respect. Practice sessions
will be kept shorter than adult sessions and respect for each child's strengths
will be shown by instructors. Help will be given to improve weaknesses.
Parents can help by providing for regular attendance at class and explaining
rules or other things that children do
not understand (ask an instructor if you do not know).
Parents also need to give encouragement for the child's efforts, and recognition
for accomplishments.
Korean Customs: Taekwondo is a Korean martial
art. It will broaden your child mentally and culturally to learn about
it in an atmosphere like the original setting and to learn about its history
and language. The Oriental custom of bowing to each other is meant to impress
upon students the ideas of respect, self-control, sportsmanship, and courtesy.
At the beginning or sometimes at the end of class, an instructor may tell
everyone to sit and meditate. The purpose of meditation here is NOT religious.
Meditation is a quiet time of relaxation with a purpose- to get the body
ready for physical activity or calmed down
afterwards. It also will help concentration. Control
of breathing and muscles is important in taekwondo, and your child may
be asked to do some simple breath control exercises or to tighten and loosen
various muscles in the body.
Sparring: Sparring is practice fighting.
Protective gear is worn for serious sparring practice. Especially important
to have is a simple, moldable plastic mouthguard and for boys, a groin
cup. Other gear can be provided at practice, although you eventually may
want your child to own a chest protector, a helmet, shin/foot pads,
and arm/hand pads. Sparring is treated in class as a cooperative activity
which helps in learning taekwondo and not as a competitive one (except
for tournaments). Students will not be allowed to spar until they have
learned the basic techniques and show a measure of control. Children will
be told that they are not to start fights at school or in their neighborhoods,
or use what they know for excessive force in common scuffling or rough
play. Parents can help by reinforcing that rule. If children are
having trouble with other children teasing them and trying
to get them to fight or show them techniques, it may help to talk to the
school and allow the child to tell about what he or she is doing and give
an informal demonstration. Children should tell others that they should
go to a class to learn taekwondo.
Forms: Forms are a set of techniques that
are put together into a pattern. Repetition of forms is not always a favorite
activity, but it will help the child become familiar with the techniques,
and knowing forms is a requirement for advancement in rank. Learning forms
will help the young child learn left and
right, improve spatial memory and coordination, and help
all children to understand how practice contributes to gaining skills.
When practicing forms, the child will, of necessity, improve breath and
muscle control. Children will also gain an intuitive appreciation of the
"art" in taekwondo when they see
and eventually are able themselves to do a form with
grace, coordination, and power.
Yells: Loud yells, or "kiahps" are a part of taekwondo for both physical and psychological reasons. Doing a proper kiahp is difficult. It demands focus, concentration, and effort; and if done with correct timing, tightens the muscles and allows maximum force to be exerted when doing a technique. It encourages self-expression and inspires confidence in the person doing it. Energy and tension can be released in an organized way.
Stretching: Stretching is important in taekwondo
because proper kicking techniques can not be done unless the child is flexible.
Improving flexibility will also decrease the chance of injury. Some children
are naturally flexible and others need to do more stretching outside of
class in order to make it easier to do the kicks and hand techniques that
we teach. It may be difficult to get your child to stretch because he or
she may interpret the tightness of the muscles when stretching as
pain. Children do not have as good control of their bodies or judgment
as to when to push harder and when to stop as adults do. Parents can help.
Encourage regular stretching. Stretch out yourself with the child (the
child will improve faster than you do). Stretching is easier if the body
is warm, such as after exercise or after a bath. If you do stretch when
cold, do it very gently. Watch class and ask instructors about the best
stretching techniques for your child to do. Your child must be flexible
to enjoy and get the most out of taekwondo.