We pride ourselves in helping each student achieve their goals and developing their mental and physical strength. This is what attaining a Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do Black Belt requires.
For some of our candidates this journey to Black Belt began in our Knee High Ninja Program, when they were only four years old!
This month, these candidates passed our Arlington Qualifier and the Panel Exam in front of the Jhoon Rhee Masters from Arlington and Falls Church. Our candidates persevered and we would like to present and congratulate our newest Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do Black Belts!
“Tkd has also improved my confidence. I used to be a quiet kid. I’d go along with the class, never asking or answering questions. Now I’m comfortable in the studio; I’ve realized the effects that yelling at the end of your combinations or during your forms has on confidence, as well as saying “yes sir/ma’am” loudly. I yell whenever I finish a combination or I spar, and I have a lot of friends throughout the ranks. This has in turn greatly improved my skill as now instructors notice me with my loud yells and the “pops” in my uniform as I punch; I drag their attention toward me.
In conclusion, this 10-year journey I’ve been on has helped me become a better person, one that has become stronger and more confident. This is in no small measure thanks to my instructors, my family, and my friends who believed in me and have stood by me throughout my journey. Without my instructors, it would have been physically impossible to get a black belt (besides purchasing one from a tailor). You’ve given me the courage and help that pushed me through the nerve-wracking tests and made my technique a thousand times better than it used to be when I first started. You’re always there to offer objective advice to any aspect of tkd you get asked by your students, and provide honest feedback about their needs for improvement. You also have taught me respect, and that even if there are disappointments and the road may take a little longer, it is better to earn a stripe or a new belt than to have one handed over. Probably the most important people that helped me on my journey to black belt are my parents. They’ve driven me to class through rain, snow and ever-changing schedules, and never gave up on me throughout this journey. There are no words that can express my gratitude.”
“Tae Kwon Do has also taught me the importance of perseverance. When I first moved up from Knee High Ninjas, it was during covid and all the classes were online so it was hard for me to learn all the moves and forms. The classes felt very difficult, and I sometimes wanted to quit. The workouts were harder, and the expectations were higher. However, by pushing through the pushups, loud yells, and challenging training, I learned how to keep going even when things felt tough. Because of Tae Kwon Do, I have learned that confidence and perseverance are important qualities that help me overcome challenges. These lessons will not only help me in martial arts, but also in school and in life. Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do has helped me become physically stronger. One important skill Tae Kwon do has taught me is how to hold low stances. I am the main catcher on my baseball team, and staying low for long periods of time is a big part of playing that position. Practicing low stances in Tae Kwon Do has helped build my leg strength and improved my ability to stay in a squatting position during games.Because of this training, my legs have become much stronger, which helps me perform better as a player on my team.”
“Taekwondo has helped me not only improve physically but also mentally. My taekwondo journey has taught me self-discipline, which motivates me to keep improving every day. Before I started taekwondo, I did not know how to set goals for myself or work towards them. I would do whatever others asked of me, nothing more. Importantly, for activities like school, I would think less about myself and how to work towards improvement, but more about just being good enough at it. However, over the years, I have consistently attended taekwondo classes and advanced through the ranks. Going from belt to belt taught me how to set short-term and long-term goals for myself and achieve them responsibly and productively. These skills have been of great use to me during school, helping me complete my assignments without struggling with time management. It has also given me the determination to do more than anyone asked of me. This was clear when I decided to sign up for my school’s science fair. Submitting a project wasn’t required, but I chose to take it on because I hadn’t done anything like it before. My project focused on wildfires and their environmental impact, requiring extensive research and complex code to test my hypothesis. There were moments when I felt the science fair might not be worth it. However, taekwondo had already taught me the self-discipline to keep going. Instead of stepping back, I committed fully to the project and saw it through to the end. Although I did not place, I was proud that I had the motivation to keep going and improve myself. I could have just done a simple research project and not have signed up for my school’s science fair, but because of what taekwondo has done for me, I took on the challenge.
In conclusion, taekwondo has taught me very important things that I will use to my advantage for years to come. The endurance that carried me through exhausting races and the self-discipline that pushed me to take on challenges I never had ot face but trace back to the work I have put in on this mat. Taekwondo has shaped me into someone who can put in the work to improve and stay strong during the hardest moments. Whatever comes next, I know I am more prepared to face it because of everything my taekwondo journey has taught me.”
Recent Comments