At Park's Taekwondo we emphasize attitudes and behaviors that kids can apply to everyday life. Our classes inspire confidence, determination, and achievement. We focus on character development. Taekwondo skills are very useful and fun to practice, but our goal is to help children become responsible, successful, happy, and courteous adults.
We view martial arts as a way for kids to experience life through facing challenges, overcoming obstacles, and learning to make better choices. This is done by teaching kids skills focusing on physical fitness, coordination, self-defense, and fun.
The kid's routine consists of:
• Warm-up and strengthening exercises: Each class Master Park picks a child to lead the warm-up exercises, allowing that child to learn and practice leadership
• Kicks, punches, and blocks in a variety of drill formats
• Pattern forms which are memorized sequences of about 20 movements
• Step sparring sequences which are memorized defensive movements with a partner
• Occasional sparring at each child's ability level
• Weapons training for coordination: Nunchaku, Bō Staff, and Kendo Stick Sword.
Testing for higher ranking belts occurs every few months when Master Park knows the student can demonstrate proficiency (very young students may require much longer, up to a year)
Learning Taekwondo improves mental focus. When a person learns focus as a child, he or she will achieve more focus as an adult.
Kids gain a definite sense of self-esteem learning Taekwondo. For minor levels of accomplishment, Master Park attaches colored stripes to the belts. Beginning students understand their progress immediately. Any misbehavior, either inside or outside Park's school, can be quickly solved by the mere mention of losing a stripe.
Few thrills in a child's life can compare to the excitement of achieving a higher ranking belt. Expect to hear, "Look! Look!" Exceptional students may receive a patch for their uniform.
Some parents are grateful to Master Park for helping with issues such as sensory integration, learning disability, and epilepsy. Tae Kwon Do exercises the mind and the body and can help a child overcome difficulties in all areas of life. A frequent quote: "Master Park helped my child." Expect your child to become stronger and more coordinated within the first few months.
