Invincibility

How about I start with the good news first: I heard back from a freelancing job that I’ve recently applied for. It’s looking promising The client sent me a couple things in the e-mail and he’ll be getting back to me on an assignment in the next couple days. This would be my first big assignment, so I’m starting to get a bit pumped.

On the downside, my training isn’t going as well as I would like. When I recently got back into training, I was under the impression that if I practiced enough, I’d be able to do anything. It’s all muscle memory, right?

No. No, it’s not. I’m not invincible – Hell, I’m not even up to par with my peers. Bits and pieces of me go numb. I’m significantly weaker than my peers and when I leave class, I sit down at home without being able to get up for another half-hour.

I have never had to come to the realization that there are some things that I physically can’t do – that I can never do. My father complains of his old age in much the same way and every little piece of me screams, “I’m too young for this!”

So what’s the moral of my story? Pil Sung is more than winning in the ring or coming to class, even when you don’t feel like it. Pil Sung is a constant mental and physical struggle to be the best martial artist that you can be. I need to be able to conquer my attitude – If I can’t say, “I can do that”, the least I’ll be able to say is “I can try”. I think one day I’ll surprise myself.

Yoda has his “do or do not”, but I disagree. A person gains something by trying, especially those of us who really CAN’T do certain things. That applies to everyone: go apply for an impossible job, learn that language you’ve dreamed about, or try a difficult hobby. In the meantime, I’m going to go off and conquer this “I can’t” mentality, as I continue my battle with Pil Sung.

Preparing for belt testing

Some of us can be the most logical beings since Spock (of Star Trek fame) in our daily activities, but the whole dynamic changes when we have some sort of huge test or competition.  All of a sudden we start implementing a good luck ritual, whether it be a lucky pencil or a movie night.  But here’s the best part: it always works!  We could be creating good luck mojo or the ritual may calm our nerves.  Back in my musician days, I used to spend the day before a performance not practicing my piece, listened to a professional recording before bed and then again in the morning.  For some reason, I played way better.

These days, it’s a whole new ball-game: competition and rank testing.  I actually have high-belt rank testing 1 week before my competition.  Yikes!  I’m nervous, so it looks like I’ll be learning new ritual-style coping mechanisms.  I do have a couple time-tested rank testing strategies that I’ll be using.  I invite you all to share your ideas for getting hyped up, whether it be for a huge interview or just a little work-out

• Crank the groovy tunes

Cranking the tunes is still the first thing I think to do.  I don’t care how young I’m supposed to be, I still think that Vincent Price in Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” is groovy as heck.  My playlist consists of “Thriller”, “Smooth Criminal”, “Billy Jean” and a bunch of Dream Theater (to name a few ).  Grooving out the morning of a rank testing wakes me up and because of my mad kitchen dancing, my blood gets pumping and my muscles start warming up.  Let’s face it: we’re a little too nervous to get some pre-test stretches in – that’s my justification for grooving.

• Pack a lunch/survival kit

This is more common sense than anything.  In some schools, high belt testing is a day-long ordeal – the morning may be filled with a seminar with your Grandmaster and the afternoon may have the testing.  In that case, pack a sandwich, banana, and some juice.  Bananas are (supposed to) help with hydration – in musical endeavors, we ate them to prevent dry mouth and to stop the nervous shakes.  Be sure to have some water, obviously.  I also like to have a thermos of tea for relaxation, a compact to touch up make-up, and solution for dry contacts.  I recommend some snacks as well – mainly, because I’m always hungry but also, it’s a great way to make friends.

• Eat a light breakfast

Never fill your belly right before a long day!  I typically grab a coffee, a small portion of fruit and yogurt.  Sugary cereals are a no-no, as are a big stack of pancakes.  Coffee should be a no-no, but caffeine keeps me awake.  Use a lunch-pack to stay pleasantly full through the day.  Start hydrating right away as well.

• Night before: the Karate Kid

Okay, this is dorky, but I’ve loved this movie since I was eight years old.  Daniel-san triumphs in the end, despite his physical limitations.  I want to be able to pull through no matter what happens, so I watch “The Karate Kid” to get myself all pumped up.  If Daniel-san can do it, why can’t I?  This movie also reminds me why I love the martial arts and that while the training may seem silly or too intense, if we obey our masters, we’ll prevail.

• Divine intervention and positivity

I visualize myself succeeding and think positive thoughts about the upcoming test.  I try to anticipate what’s going to happen and then visualize my reaction.  There’s also something to be said about divine intervention (if one believes in these things).  I pray to chosen deity – not for ultimate success, but that I try my very best.  Trying is most important and I believe that a person shouldn’t be rewarded for sitting on one’s bum.  But of course, that’s me being philosophical.

These are just a couple things that I’ve found to be helpful.  What are some of your ideas?  How do you all prepare for big events?

Training Update

I’ve been in training for about 2 weeks now and so far, I haven’t died! I take that as a sign that my training is going pretty well.

I’m still easily intimidated in the dojang. Though I (for lack of a better word) suck, I’m still looked to as a high belt and sometimes, I have highest rank in the students. “What does that mean?” you may ask. It means that I get to embarrass myself with my Korean. A little piece of me dies every time I’m asked to start class, since all I can remember is “thank you” and “teacher” (and some numbers, if I’m lucky). Then, if I’m asked to demonstrate a kick, I can point out a yellow or green belt who can do it better. Or I should say, correctly.

While I may sound a bit sturm-und-drang here, training is actually going well for a person in my position. It’s only been 2 weeks, but in that span of time, I’ve learned how to actually hit the pad in most tornado kicks. My endurance seems to be up a surprising amount: we can take a bit of a run in class and I’m starting to enjoy it (as opposed to my previous wheezing).

As far as dealing with my handicaps, I have a couple strategies. For example, I take a decent dose of Naproxen a couple hours before I work out. Before anyone starts chastising, I hasten to add that I have a legitimate handicap and irritating my large amounts of inflammation make my limbs go numb. I hope that building muscle will help keep the inflammation down after a while. I also have a REALLY nice pair of Taekwondo shoes and a pair of shoe inserts – it’s an excellent back-saver and I recommend them to anyone with bad foot/back problems (heh, like me).

Here’s this week’s icing on the cake: I joined the club officially, which means I get a uniform with our logo. The kicker is…(you may need to sit down for this…) I took the plunge and joined our competition team (which henceforth will be referred to as “CT”). That means more crazy practices, getting the crap kicked out of me daily, and eventually venturing forth to make a mockery of myself in front of other schools.

Actually, I’m just being sarcastic . Competing is something I’ve always wanted to do and I don’t care how much I suck. Even if I have to be dragged out bleeding, I’m going to go out there and do my best! PIL SUNG!

Delicious Treats

I was checking my Gmail today and Google gave me a link to a cooking blog.  The link here goes to this fantastic-looking recipe for “Big Sur Power Bars”, made with espresso, nuts, and other various yummies.  Once I get the chance to get to the store, I’m going to try my hand at this recipe.  I’m thinking that these will be decent pre-workout treats   I’ll post again with results later.

Children in the Dojang

I have been inspired to write up a set of guidelines as to how a child relates to members of a martial arts community. It’s a general thing I wish that all parents would be able to see before sending their children off to train. I’ve seen a lot of good kids enter our community, but after some bad kids (and parents) started entering the scene, some groups became skeptical of allowing children to train. I don’t think that the situation is nearly as bad as some believe, but I think that we do need to talk to children and their parents before they begin training.

Martial Arts for Children

As a high belt in a Martial Arts school, I’ve seen people come and go and while each person is individual, a fact remains: attitudes stay the same. Children and their parents approach the Martial Arts with certain attitudes – for better or for worse – and I think it helps to have a little idea of what roles children should play in the dojang.

How early can a child start?

It’s a tough question that requires parents to take an objective look at their children. While they may be ahead of their age, are they prepared to shoulder the responsibility of being a member? I generally say that school-aged children are about as young as a child should be, but if your child shows great maturity and understanding, then use your best discretion. The most important thing is to make sure that your child understands the work that’s involved in training. Historical facts, simple Korean words, patterns, the list goes on – if s/he won’t be discouraged by all that, it might be time to enroll!

Attitude

Attitude is the biggest downfall in dojangs today. Parents become angry about testing procedures and children take their new-found talents to the playground. I’m going to have to be a bit stern about this, but that’s only because a few bad apples have gone and ruined the bunch. Here are a few things to remember:

1. We are not a behavior counseling center – our schools do instill a sense of discipline, but it only works if the student is willing to cooperate. It’s the parents’ responsibility to deal with a sassy mouth at home and an unruly child is bad for both our community and the obedient children.

2. The Martial Arts are for defense – we are given an unfair advantage in any fight and we find it irresponsible to run around boasting. I’ve met “black belts” outside my school who thought that they were better than everyone; they clearly missed the boat. Please talk to your children about time and place: the time for martial arts is during practice and the place is the dojang or practicing at home.

3. You are not the exception to the rule – instructors are very understanding of problems. We all have physical difficulties (my back prevents me from many things!). However, we can’t jeopardize the rest of our community. For example, a child acting in a fit of rage in our dojang is dangerous. Allowing a child to test for rank when he isn’t up to his best ability demeans the other students. We just want to keep things fair.

The Benefits

I’m sorry for all the previous negativity, but it was the nitty-gritty that we should cover first. Let’s switch to something a bit more positive: the benefits of training.

Allowing a young one to train reaps huge benefits, providing that the child is ready. They have a sense of community early on and I find that they end up gaining maturity. In fact, I met a 13 year old black belt (I was 19 and a red belt) who was a kind and understanding teacher. He took his leadership responsibilities seriously and helped me accomplish a number of things.

I’ve also found that the children are the most welcoming members. They will greet new members with a smile and a helping hand. They respect everyone – a quality which lacks in all people (not just children) these days. Children are not limited by their ages in the dojang: they’re just as expert as the rest of us.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that no one knows a child better than the parent. When you think the child is ready, start investigating schools. It’s tough going at first, but after plugging away, a child could develop a love for this life-long sport.

Coming up next: I’ll talk about how to find a good school. This is another touchy topic, but I think that we can handle it.

Finding “Pil Sung” and the Horse Who Threw Me Off

As I woke from my prescription drug-induced therapy today, I realized that I had forgotten the meaning of “Pil Sung” – a seemingly simple Korean word used as a tenant in Tae Kwon Do, meaning “certain victory”. I don’t know when or where I lost it, but I know that right now I’m not in a Pil Sung-ish mood.

This past semester has been nothing but a health nightmare, recently culminating in a severe neck ailment that seems to have been brought on by stress. I’ve allowed myself to be beaten down by homework and never took the time to get myself well. I never got back up onto the proverbial horse and where has that left me? An eternal red belt, with unfulfilled dreams of receiving my black belt. Apparently, I can’t have Pil Sung over myself…

Pil Sung has always been an important tenant to me. It’s more than just jumping into the ring and kicking the crap out of your opponent or victoriously earning a promotion. Pil Sung is a way of life, it rests in every student’s heart. The confidence in Pil Sung keeps us fighting the good fight every day, it reminds us of our life goals and morals. Most importantly, Pil Sung allows us to remember that any obstacles that we encounter don’t spell the end.

Pil Sung works on a very personal level for me as well: I had to fight tooth and nail for my red belt. Actually, I worked up to a black belt, only to find out that my “master” was a rebellious student on a mission to buck the system and instill his religion into training. My black belt had to be demoted to red, with the aims that I could train up to the level of a real black belt. My former instructor tried my patience (it’s a long story for another day), and yet, I grit my teeth to finish what I began. Pil Sung.

Now, years later and in another (more hard-core) school, I can’t remember the last time I trained. I’ve not only lost my physical fighting ability, but I no longer have the determination I had when I was younger. …This is ridiculous.

As of today, I’m climbing back up on my horse. It’s my mission to get back into shape, to train like a proper Tae Kwon Do student should, and in the end, to find Pil Sung.