One small step closer...
- Thread starter serietah
- Start date
Congratulations! You know, as much as I rarely thought about belt colors along the way, it was pretty cool looking down at the new color on the last few.
Rough Rider
Green Belt
That's a very challenging form, but I can tell that you like a good challenge. Enjoy!
JR 137
Grandmaster
I'm with you. The only ones I got excited for were getting rid of the white belt (so when people asked what belt I had I didn't sound like a total beginner who couldn't fight), my brown belt (I felt like I was almost there), and my black belt (that's what I chased for 3.5 years).
The other ones weren't any big deal to me.
My second time around, none of them were nor will be. Well, maybe 3rd and 4th dan will be. Why? I don't know. Sandan and yondan just sound cool to me
JR 137
Grandmaster
Sorry, I forgot to congratulate you. Keep up the hard work. You truly inspire me. Your enthusiasm is definitely refreshing and contagious! This thread is easily one of my favorites here.
The only other color that mattered to me was purple, and maybe more than brown, because that's where you get the last of the core curriculum. So folks in an NGA dojo know that someone wearing purple is almost done receiving the core curriculum (not done learning, just done getting the curriculum).I'm with you. The only ones I got excited for were getting rid of the white belt (so when people asked what belt I had I didn't sound like a total beginner who couldn't fight), my brown belt (I felt like I was almost there), and my black belt (that's what I chased for 3.5 years).
The other ones weren't any big deal to me.
My second time around, none of them were nor will be. Well, maybe 3rd and 4th dan will be. Why? I don't know. Sandan and yondan just sound cool to me
OP
OP
serietah
Green Belt
Thanks everyone! I've been battling some nasty bronchitis for about 10 days now and am going to miss class tonight so I'm pretty bummed. I missed last Thursday to rest, but pushed myself too much Friday and Saturday so I'm just lounging in bed today. It sucks, lol. I'm going to miss Thursday and Friday this week doing events at local elementary schools too.
So far I've only learned the first 5 steps of Taegeuk 8. We have four adult black stripe students learning it and everyone's attendance has been weird this last week so since we typically stick together, no one has gone past 5 even though we're technically ready. I LOVE this form so far though. I've seen it a hundred times, but actually doing it, and knowing that it is my last color belt form...wow.
Each belt has been a huge milestone for me. I enjoy the feeling of earning something and seeing my belt colors get darker and darker. We are planning on taking 4 months for this belt, though I'd rather do it in 3...lol...4 is ok.
So far I've only learned the first 5 steps of Taegeuk 8. We have four adult black stripe students learning it and everyone's attendance has been weird this last week so since we typically stick together, no one has gone past 5 even though we're technically ready. I LOVE this form so far though. I've seen it a hundred times, but actually doing it, and knowing that it is my last color belt form...wow.
Each belt has been a huge milestone for me. I enjoy the feeling of earning something and seeing my belt colors get darker and darker. We are planning on taking 4 months for this belt, though I'd rather do it in 3...lol...4 is ok.
TrueJim
Master Black Belt
You're more likely to injure yourself when you're sick, so get well before you go back to class. You can use the recuperation time to read about taekwondo.
Or if your school requires an essay for the black-belt test, start working on your essay!
Good suggestion. There was a lot of oral and written testing for my black belt. I took care of all that while rehabbing from knee surgery.You're more likely to injure yourself when you're sick, so get well before you go back to class. You can use the recuperation time to read about taekwondo.
Or if your school requires an essay for the black-belt test, start working on your essay!
OP
OP
serietah
Green Belt
You're more likely to injure yourself when you're sick, so get well before you go back to class. You can use the recuperation time to read about taekwondo.
Or if your school requires an essay for the black-belt test, start working on your essay!
I actually had to write an essay for my black stripe test! I'm working on a "book" that I'll use for my masters training later too. I've been writing notes about curriculum, teaching, management, etc. I've been studying Korean today but I think I may work on that too...and my lesson plan for the daycare/preschool class I'm teaching tomorrow. OMGOSH I can't believe I haven't told you guys about this.
So we do this 4 week program where we teach classes at their school once a week, then host a graduation party at our school, blah blah. Last time we did this, we had 7 or 8 kids sign up. This time we had over 20. And my master told me as we were walking out the door to go to the first class that I would be leading the class. He stepped in about halfway through but on the way back to the dojang, he told me what I did well and what I could improve. The next week I expected him to just do the whole class, but he asked me if I wanted to try again. Of course I did! This time he didn't take over and had nothing but praise after. Last week, same thing. So tomorrow is the last class before the graduation. I've got to make sure the kids are ready for graduation. It's been a great learning experience for me. Missing teaching today is what is really bugging me about being sick. I can handle missing my own class since I practically live at the dojang, I can ask for help to catch up anytime...but I can't make up missing teaching experience. Ugh.
Swagmaster2993
Orange Belt
Sorry for the late post, well done!
OP
OP
serietah
Green Belt
Guys...Taegeuk 8 is no joke. We've only done the first 8 steps. We've been going super detailed though, so it's okay we're learning it slowly. Rather than just memorizing steps, we're making everything as perfect as we can. I'm good with that. It's SO fun and different than any of the other Taegeuk forms. The nerdy reason I can't wait to finish learning it is that I can't wait to do all 8 forms in a row, haha.
OP
OP
serietah
Green Belt
We finished learning Taegeuk 8 today. I am bummed that I am not ending up in the same spot I started yet. I'm about one foot behind and to the left of my starting spot. My poor elbow got destroyed during sparring class tonight so I wasn't putting 100% effort into my form practice, so hopefully tomorrow I will have some time to practice a bit more and figure out where I'm going wrong. I want to do all 8 Taegeuk forms in a row, and end on my starting spot. I was toooo tired to try tonight lol.
TrueJim
Master Black Belt
It is somewhat of a myth that if you perform all your stances correctly, you will wind up exactly on the starting spot for all Taegeuk forms. The classic example is Taegeuk Il Jang, for which it is very easy to demonstrate that this cannot possibly be true. Almost every turn in the form pushes you "backwards"; so it is inevitable that if you perform every stance correctly, you will wind up behind the starting spot. In the following diagram, the length of each "one stride" line is precisely the same, so you can clearly see how each turn pushes you to the rear.
Here's one way to handle that: when you first start on the path to returning to your starting spot, going back down the stem of the floor pattern, take a quick glance at where your starting spot was, and adjust the length of your stances on the return trip so that you'll finish on the starting spot. That's one of the tricks that's used by competitive sports poomsae athletes: keeping an eye on the starting spot, they shorten or lengthen their stances as needed during the return trip to finish at the starting spot.
Here's one way to handle that: when you first start on the path to returning to your starting spot, going back down the stem of the floor pattern, take a quick glance at where your starting spot was, and adjust the length of your stances on the return trip so that you'll finish on the starting spot. That's one of the tricks that's used by competitive sports poomsae athletes: keeping an eye on the starting spot, they shorten or lengthen their stances as needed during the return trip to finish at the starting spot.
Gnarlie
Master of Arts
With 1 Jang, you end up 3 Apseogi widths back. How far that is depends on the width of your Apseogi. If your Apseogi is correct as per the WTF/KKW definitions, it has very little width and you end up losing only 3 heel widths. Which is easy to fudge with a slightly longer Apkubi forwards and a slightly shorter one back home. The differences in stance length become imperceptible - 3/4 of a heel width adjustment per Apkubi.It is somewhat of a myth that if you perform all your stances correctly, you will wind up exactly on the starting spot for all Taegeuk forms. The classic example is Taegeuk Il Jang, for which it is very easy to demonstrate that this cannot possibly be true. Almost every turn in the form pushes you "backwards"; so it is inevitable that if you perform every stance correctly, you will wind up behind the starting spot. In the following diagram, the length of each "one stride" line is precisely the same, so you can clearly see how each turn pushes you to the rear.
Here's one way to handle that: when you first start on the path to returning to your starting spot, going back down the stem of the floor pattern, take a quick glance at where your starting spot was, and adjust the length of your stances on the return trip so that you'll finish on the starting spot. That's one of the tricks that's used by competitive sports poomsae athletes: keeping an eye on the starting spot, they shorten or lengthen their stances as needed during the return trip to finish at the starting spot.
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Gnarlie
Master of Arts
Make sure you are turning on the ball of the stationary foot and not the heel, and Apkkoaseogi between the Wesanteulmakkis is horizontal and not diagonal.
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Rough Rider
Green Belt
I have the exact same problem. With the other 7 taegeuks, I can hit the spot with my eyes closed, but Taegeuk Pal Jang is my nemesis! I'm a little off on Palgwe Sa Jang as well.
I'll practice the form tomorrow and take a close look at those items.
OP
OP
serietah
Green Belt
Got my tip tonight for my last one step sparring!!!! Now I just need to learn the last three self defense techniques and I’m DONE learning color belt curriculum. I should be testing for double black stripe this month, then start working on my black belt test, which will be this year. It will be the schools first black belt testing so I likely will be waiting on others to be ready before I can test but it will be this year...crazy.
We have an intern master here for a couple months and she’s just great. I am loving having someone else to learn from (and teach English haha..fortunately I’ve learned enough Korean that we have to problems communicating if we keep it simple).
We have an intern master here for a couple months and she’s just great. I am loving having someone else to learn from (and teach English haha..fortunately I’ve learned enough Korean that we have to problems communicating if we keep it simple).
Congratulations!
Any chance you have a video of you performing a recent form? It would be great to see the changes from when you started.
Good work, and congratulations!
