Hello my name is Angelo aldana, I'm trying to really find advice and help for my future I'm 16 years old and live in the United States I love the martial arts and it's something I want to do forever, I want to become Hopefully the best so people can acknowledge me , and so I could teach kids all over the world and help them in need , I truly want to help the world with martial arts and I don't know how to become pro or become the best, I do taekwondo and I'm really good at it my body in shape and my flexibility amazing . But I want to become even better I want to learn new things and become a master but I just don't know where to start , I'm already learning mandarin All by myself so one day I could go to China to explore and learn new thing I just need some guidance and advice for the road ahead which is why I went to this website for help
PLZ I NEED guidance
- Thread starter angelo33
- Start date
Oldbear343
Orange Belt
Welcome! Just be the best you can, and reach out to people. Some would say go deeply down one road, and you are already walking the taekwondo road. Others would say look around and learn from everything. If you are happy with taekwondo, why not go further into it? Good luck, whatever you decide. I am sure you will have much good advice here ☺
Welcome to MT. Do you train under an instructor, or just on your own? What are your current short term goals? (To get another rank? train for competition? Teach? etc.) There are a lot of options out there in the martial arts world. The best way to find a direction to go is to look at where you're starting from and making goals.
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
knowing mandarin is a must if you are training in north China around Beijing or Hebei and even Taiwan. However with that said you need to be a bit older, I recommend having a degree and you also need to know that China is incredibly polluted at this time and the greenhouse effect is brutal. As for food, not always safe and you absolutely cannot drink the water.
oftheherd1
Senior Master
Assuming you are learning in a good school, you have already started. Keep it up and keep learning. Along about 3rd dan, try another martial art. Preferably something like Hapkido, Aikido, Jujitsu, but really, anything that is different. Keep it up and keep learning. You said you want to be a master, why not a grand master? Keep it up and keep learning.
The above may not be what you want to hear, but you have a long way to go. Stay with it and don't falter. If you are good as you say, and you seek out good teachers, you will get there. Just don't think you can do it in a couple of years. It will need to be a life time commitment.
Good luck in your journey.
The above may not be what you want to hear, but you have a long way to go. Stay with it and don't falter. If you are good as you say, and you seek out good teachers, you will get there. Just don't think you can do it in a couple of years. It will need to be a life time commitment.
Good luck in your journey.
To start with, you can begin by setting specific, concrete long-term goals such that you can actually map a path towards achieving them via a series of shorter-term goals. "Be the best" and "help people" are so vague as to be meaningless.
Let's take some examples:
Suppose you want to be an Olympic TKD competitor. to get there, you're going to have to be a highly successful competitor in tournaments using WTF rules. You'll need top-notch coaching from someone who has experience with high-level TKD competition and you'll have to spend a lot of time training and travelling to tournaments. This will require a lot of support from your parents in terms of time and finances.
Probably your best bet for getting that kind of support is to
a) demonstrate a high degree of discipline and dedication to the TKD classes you are getting now*
b) show that the time you are putting into TKD isn't hurting your schoolwork
c) demonstrate consistently good behavior in other aspects of your life - chores, respect towards your parents, etc. (Most parents are less likely to spend hours driving their kid across the state for a competition or spend hundreds of dollars on training camps for a kid who is always getting in trouble.)
*(You are actually taking regular TKD classes now, right? If not, that whole bit about being really good at TKD is just a fantasy.)
On the other hand, maybe you don't care about competition, you just want to become a really good martial arts instructor who helps improve people's lives by sharing your art and whatever benefits you believe that art brings.
In that case, let go of worries about being "the best." That's not a helpful concept in being a good instructor. For this path you need to
a) physically master and mentally understand your art(s) at a high level
b) develop the teaching skills to effectively convey your knowledge and skills to others (this is a whole different matter from being good at the martial art)
c) develop the interpersonal coaching skills to effectively encourage your students to keep training and do well
d) learn the business skills to keep your school solvent (assuming you want to run a commercial school)
In this case you have a variety of areas to work on, although the time frame is not so urgent as for an Olympic competitor. You can continue to attend your current classes and put as much focus as possible into understanding and mastering everything your instructor shows you - including the basics you learned on the first day of class. You can pay attention to every teacher you have in life (not just the martial arts instructors) and try to figure out how the best ones are communicating their lessons. You can pay attention to the people in your life who do the best job of encouraging and inspiring you and figure out how to emulate them. When you finish high school, you can take business classes to help you figure out how to operate your school from a financial standpoint.
BTW - going to China could be a fun experience, but it's not in any way necessary to become a great martial artist.
If you can figure out what your goals are more precisely, then it is likely some of the folks here can offer you more specific guidance.
Let's take some examples:
Suppose you want to be an Olympic TKD competitor. to get there, you're going to have to be a highly successful competitor in tournaments using WTF rules. You'll need top-notch coaching from someone who has experience with high-level TKD competition and you'll have to spend a lot of time training and travelling to tournaments. This will require a lot of support from your parents in terms of time and finances.
Probably your best bet for getting that kind of support is to
a) demonstrate a high degree of discipline and dedication to the TKD classes you are getting now*
b) show that the time you are putting into TKD isn't hurting your schoolwork
c) demonstrate consistently good behavior in other aspects of your life - chores, respect towards your parents, etc. (Most parents are less likely to spend hours driving their kid across the state for a competition or spend hundreds of dollars on training camps for a kid who is always getting in trouble.)
*(You are actually taking regular TKD classes now, right? If not, that whole bit about being really good at TKD is just a fantasy.)
On the other hand, maybe you don't care about competition, you just want to become a really good martial arts instructor who helps improve people's lives by sharing your art and whatever benefits you believe that art brings.
In that case, let go of worries about being "the best." That's not a helpful concept in being a good instructor. For this path you need to
a) physically master and mentally understand your art(s) at a high level
b) develop the teaching skills to effectively convey your knowledge and skills to others (this is a whole different matter from being good at the martial art)
c) develop the interpersonal coaching skills to effectively encourage your students to keep training and do well
d) learn the business skills to keep your school solvent (assuming you want to run a commercial school)
In this case you have a variety of areas to work on, although the time frame is not so urgent as for an Olympic competitor. You can continue to attend your current classes and put as much focus as possible into understanding and mastering everything your instructor shows you - including the basics you learned on the first day of class. You can pay attention to every teacher you have in life (not just the martial arts instructors) and try to figure out how the best ones are communicating their lessons. You can pay attention to the people in your life who do the best job of encouraging and inspiring you and figure out how to emulate them. When you finish high school, you can take business classes to help you figure out how to operate your school from a financial standpoint.
BTW - going to China could be a fun experience, but it's not in any way necessary to become a great martial artist.
If you can figure out what your goals are more precisely, then it is likely some of the folks here can offer you more specific guidance.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
Hi Angelo.
There's a number of things in your post that I'd like to take a look at here… this might not be exactly what you want to hear, but I feel it's important for you to understand. Honestly, there's a fair bit of fantasy in what you're saying here… which can benefit from a better look at the realities of what you're asking about.
Okay… first thing. Honestly, you're young. You haven't even begun to experience life yet, and don't really have much of a concept of what "forever" is. I think your enthusiasm is great… but it's also a bit of overkill. Honestly, such youthful infatuation doesn't last, and, from a realistic perspective, isn't actually that healthy.
Yeah… really not a good reason. Again, it's unrealistic and rather unhealthy (psychologically), and is based in a fantasy ideal. The fantasy of wanting to be seen as "special", with the admiration of others, is common, particularly when you're young, and don't have any real distinction between yourself and those around you… but it's not a good enough reason, nor a realistic desire to follow.
Again, this sounds good… but is vague, and not based in anything realistic. Instead, it's based in the way you want to be seen… and the way you want to feel. What I mean is that "help kids" doesn't actually mean anything of itself… help with what? How would you doing martial arts help them, even if you were the "best" (whatever that is)?
Right.
"Help the world with martial arts"… means nothing, honestly. I don't mean to belittle your dreams here, but I do hope to let you see some reality to what you're looking for guidance on. Becoming "pro" means very different things in different martial disciplines… and is almost non-existent in a lot of them. You might become a full-time instructor (the most likely way of becoming a professional martial artist)… or a stunt person… or a martial-art movie star… or a UFC champion… but most martial artists are not any of those things. And the most likely way of "helping people" would be to provide guidance for them as a teacher… it may sound trite, but the way you help the world is by helping those closest to you.
We'll come back to "becoming the best" in a bit.
Okay… how long have you been training in TKD? The rest there (being "really good", in shape, having "amazing" flexibility)… well… let's just say that there's nothing to support those claims, and that they are emotionally charged comments that are highly subjective at best.
Attend your classes. Listen to your instructor. Train. If you're already doing that, you've already started. The problem here is that you're looking at an unrealistic, fantasy based, idealised "end goal", and want an immediate path to that. Sadly, that's not possible, as neither the fantasy, nor the path to it, really exist.
Think of it like learning to play an instrument. You've just picked up a guitar, and been shown some chords… you have some natural talent, and everyone around you says you sound really good (but honestly, you're still very much a beginner)… so you begin to fantasise about being a famous rock star, and want to know how to make it happen. The reality is that, although some do have some success in that field, there is no actual path… so all you can do is work on what you do, and maybe, maybe, with luck and talent, you might have some experience of success… but without first focusing on the mundane aspect of just practicing, that fantasy is never going to happen.
Going to China for the experience can be great… but you're studying a Korean art, based on Japanese versions of Okinawan arts… what does going to China or learning Mandarin (when training a Korean art) have to do with anything you're doing?
No, you don't need guidance from us here. You need to train at your school and listen to your instructor. Don't lose your passion… but temper it with some reality… and recognise that you're still incredibly young. There's no race here. Focus on your training now… don't waste energy on pie-in-the-sky daydreaming… all it does is take you from what might actually help.
Xue Sheng
All weight is underside
TrueJim
Master Black Belt
Agree with all of the above, but would also add: find a great coach / mentor / instructor if you don't already have one. Your coach / mentor doesn't have to be the same person as your instructor, but it can be. I really think if you want to be great in any field -- not just martial arts -- finding a great coach / mentor is invaluable.
I don't know that I'd hit a 16 year old kid with "your dreams suck" as hard as Chris's post might be read...
At 16, and I'm guessing fairly new in training, I'm betting Angelo is heavy into the romantic/infatuation stage. It is unrealistic, and not a good long term motivation -- but for today, and as long as Angelo moves on from it in a reasonably timely manner... nothing really horrifically wrong with it in my opinion. In fact, it's kind of part of growing up...
With that said, I agree with Chris on the China idea... Why go to China? Anglelo's training to date is Korean. Unless there are other reasons for China... Maybe Korea would be a better choice?
As to advice and guidance -- For the moment, Angelo should listen to his teachers and coaches. Seek out more information and guidance in transforming those dreams into more concrete and realistic action plans.
thanx you thanx you so much
Thanx you soo much it gave me a lot to think about
Thanx for that really , and when I mean as teaching the world of martial I mean about teaching them the true mean which is improving ones inner self. But over I really liked reading your response, and yes I'm still young I have along way to go but I just don't want to mess up or anything, what I want to do is truly for my entire life. Thanx really though
Thanx you so much it means a lot really
Thanx you a lot for your guidance hope I met people like you in person or other here
I learn from an instructor, my master has high hope for me and I been training for 2 year, and within two years I learned pretty fast and I think in my opinion that I'm sorta toe to toe with a few black belt in my class but I don't underestimate them I know I'm still a beginner but my short goal for now is to win as much tournament as I can and fine a couch. I want to go competitive and also learn other martial art and when the time come I want to be an instructor.
Chris Parker
Grandmaster
Cool. In terms of not messing things up, that's simple… listen to your instructor, and remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint… going too hard too soon can just burn you out, no matter how enthusiastic you feel right now. As far as what you're identifying as "the true meaning"… yeah… I'm not going to get too much into that now… just suffice to say that such ideas are not really as universal as you might think… and are simultaneously found in everything, not just martial arts. Most, however, don't really do anything more than pay some basic lip service to the idea… to really come to terms with it, you're going to need to go far beyond simple martial arts lessons. But that's a fair bit in the future for you. For now, attend class and listen to your instructor… and, one last piece of advice, try to avoid seeing yourself as "toe to toe with… black belts"… they may very easily be going easier when training with you, or might be doing things at a level and in a way you don't see yet…
JohnnyEnglish
Green Belt
Hi Angelo.
It looks like you want to become " very good ", so I have a few tips for you.
1. Train as often as you can, 3 times a week should do it, as long as you also train at home ( especially fitness ).
2. Learn KOREAN, since Taekwondo is from Korea, you will only find the ultimative taekwondo school in Korea.
3. Visit a Taekwondo-School in Korea for a couple of months or even years. To learn Taekwondo by people that actually " made it ".
4. Also inform yourself about other martial arts, you can't become a good cook if you are not interested in other cooking styles too.
5. Read about Taekwondos backround/history, sometimes this can help you to understand why it even exist.
I hope I could help you a bit.
