Next Promotion Testing-

The next Black Belt and Color Belt promotion testing will be held on Saturday, August 18th.  All students are encouraged to attend and all Black Belts are required to attend to support and encourage your fellow classmates.  All students that are testing have been notified.  Each student must be able to demonstrate all of their patterns, kicks, ho sin sul and step sparring formats for all levels up to their current belt level with accuracy as well as demonstrate proper etiquette and attitude during class.  

Promotion Party-

Mr. Bushor and Mrs. Navratil are planning a party after the testing on August 18th.  The detail are not finalized at the time of this publication, but we will let everyone know the details as they come available.

Travel Plans-

We will participate in three tournaments before we wrap up 2012.  All students are invited and encouraged to attend.  Tournaments allow students to test their skills and enrich their moral culture through travel. For these trips, we carpool and can supervise children going without their parents.

Senior Master Martin, President of the USTF, is hosting the 13th Annual Wyoming Invitational in Casper, WY on Sept. 15.  We sent home a letter and flyer with specific details on this tournament.  Please review this information and contact Master Todd, Mr. Bushor or Ms. Bowing if you have any questions. The following weekend, we will travel to Kirksville, MO for the Annual Battle of the Belts. The Wyoming trip will leave on Friday and return Sunday night.  The Missouri trip will leave Friday night and return Saturday night.  Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in attending.  Costs for these trips will be determined once we have a head count of who plans on going.  Monthly installments can be made to Axe TKD in order to help out the budget. 

Summer Ending-

It is back to school time for most students.  In the past, we typically see an influx of new students begin in the fall.  Be ready to see the 5:30 class expand.  Remember the basic focus of the 5:30 class is for the white belt and yellow stripes.  We do allow students to stay in that class a little longer but by the time a student reaches yellow belt green stripe they should be moving to the 6:30 class.  Also we would challenge you to bring someone to class and encourage them to join.  We are always looking for new students!

Price Change-

We have been notified by the Youth Center that beginning October 1st the family rate will increase by $5.00.  The single student rate for class will remain the same.  We still feel this is a bargain compared with other schools located in this area.  Remember that Axe TKD does not set the price for monthly rates.  If you have any questions regarding this please contact Master Todd. 

Power & Breaking (by Master Todd)­-

Let me explain that first I am not obsessed with power or breaking, although it might appear that I am at times.  My goal for myself and all students is that they can properly execute Taekwon-Do techniques with full power so if they ever need their skills to defend themselves or others that these techniques work.  In order to test your skills you need to be challenged.  Punching and kicking in the air is okay for developing basic skills and balance, but they do not test if a technique works.  Ask any of my black belts if they remember the first time they hit a bag, a board or another person.  Most, if not all, will remember that experience.  Typically, it hurts.  That is because your hands or another tool has not been conditioned.  Also, the first time you punch something and you bend your wrist you will see that you need to correct your technique. 

The only way to really test your techniques are by striking an object.  You don't want to find out that you have been punching or kicking incorrectly during a real self defense situation.  Last year, we traveled to the USTF International tournament in Colorado.  There were many injuries during the breaking competition.  The reason?  Those students were not prepared properly.  They had not been conditioning or executing proper technique and they were hurt.  The first time they tried punching 4 boards or kicking 6 boards should not have been in competition or a testing.  I am definitely NOT ok with your first time using your techniques during a dangerous moment.  For this reason, we do practice breaking, striking kick shields, etc., in class.  You may hear me tell a student they have "pretty" technique.  This is not intended to be disrespectful to the student; it’s intended to let them know they need to work on their power.  I could write an entire newsletter on power, how to create it, etc., but I would prefer you attend class and learn there.

You need to be able to execute all your techniques technically correct and with full power.   Technique and power go hand in hand, if you punch an object with full power but have bad technique, you will be injured.  If you punch an object with good technique but no power, again, you will be injured.  This is why the 5:30 class is set at a slower pace to teach great basic skills, and Mr. Bushor is challenged with this and does a great job. 

By the time a student moves from that beginning class, they should be able to start applying power to their skills to properly execute Taekwon-Do techniques.  Again, I am not obsessed with power and breaking.  In my opinion, I am obsessed with instructing students to the best that I can to use Taekwon-Do no matter when needed or the situation executing good, powerful techniques that have the desired impact on the target.  Taekwon!