New Requirement
     As you have probably discovered there have been a few changes. One requirement we now have is that a student must notify Mr. Todd or Mr. Bushor if the are missing class.  You can notify Mr. Todd at 293-2610 or email rtodd@axetkd.com or Mr. Bushor at 291-4013 or email kbushor@cox.net.  We both have answering machines so please contact us if you are missing class for any reason.  This is common courtesy and we are sure you would want to know if we were not attending class. 

 Class Online
      We are now online at http://members.cox.net/ustfneb/.  You can read past newsletters, obtain pattern information, download forms, etc.  We will continue to build this website so visit often and email comments or suggestions to Mr. Todd or Mr. Bushor. 

 Class Patch
      The class patch is finished and displayed on the top of this page and on the webpage.  We will soon be selling the patches in class. 

 Future Events
      There will be several events in Missouri that we encourage students to attend.  You can read more by visiting our website under the events section.  You can download the forms, complete and return to Mr. Todd or Mr. Bushor. 

     - Region 6 Camp – Held in Mexico, Missouri (341 miles from Omaha).  We will try to have rides arranged and encourage our adult students to offer rides to those unable to drive.  This event is a well managed fun event for all.  The camp is Friday July 30th through Sunday August 1st.  We will leave here Friday and return Sunday evening.  The cost is $85.00 which includes lodging, meals, t-shirt and training.  This is a first rate camp.  Mr. Todd will be one of the instructors at the camp.  Forms available on our website.

     - Battle of the Belts – Held in Harrisburg, Missouri (326 miles from Omaha).  This is an outstanding tournament and has been held for the last 16 years.  It is a sanctioned USTF tournament and the safety is excellent.  We encourage all students to attend this event.  All students will be comfortable with tournament sparring by this event.  It will be held Saturday, September 18th.  The tournament will start at 12am.  The cost is $25.00 for sparring and patterns.  Forms available on our website.

 Memberships
     We invite you to join the United State Taekwon-Do Federation (USTF) at your earliest opportunity.  It is required at the yellow belt green stripe level.  The cost is $35.00 which includes your lifetime membership an identification card and patch.    Please contact Mr. Todd or Mr. Bushor for additional details.

 Sparring Gear
     We encourage students to purchase sparring gear.  We are going to be participating in free sparring with light contact.  This is one of the building blocks of Taekwon-Do and an essential part of class.  All students will wear headgear;  hand and foot gear, mouthpiece and males will wear a protective cup and supporter.  We are selling the sparring gear as follows:  hand gear $22-$25 a pair; foot gear $22 a pair; shin guard (not required but suggested) $8 - $10 a pair and head gear $25 each.  We will supply head gear that students can share but some students prefer to have their own head gear.  We suggest you purchase a mouthpiece and protective gup (males) from Wal-Mart or Target.  Since we have a wholesale account with Century Martial Arts we can offer prices far below retail.  You can check their website at http://www.centuryma.com/  or look at our catalogs for the various items that can be purchased.  Some of these items make great gifts.

 Tenets of Taekwon-Do
 COURTESY (Ye Ui) 
 
     Taekwon-Do students should attempt to practice the following elements of courtesy to build up their noble character and to conduct the training in an orderly manner as well. 
1.       To promote the spirit of mutual concessions. 
2.       To be ashamed of one's vices, comtempting those of others. 
3.       To be polite to one another. 
4.       To encourage the sense of justice and humanity. 
5.       To distinguish instructor from student, senior from junior, and elder from younger.
6.       To behave oneself according to the etiquette. 
7.       To respect others' possessions. 
8.       To handle matters with fairness and sincerity.
9.       To refrain from giving or accepting any gift when in doubt. 

 INTEGRITY (Yom Chi)
      In Taekwon-Do, the word integrity assumes a looser definition than the one usually presented in Webster's Dictionary. One must be able to define right and wrong and have the conscience, if wrong, to feel guilt. Listed are some examples, where integrity is lacking: 
1.  The instructor who misrepresents himself and his art by presenting improper techniques to his students because of a lack of knowledge or apathy. 
2. The student who misrepresents himself by "fixing" breaking materials before demonstrations. 
3. The instructor who camouflages bad techniques with luxurious training halls and false flattery to his students. 
4.       The student who requests rank from an instructor, or attempts to purchase it.
5.       The student who gains rank for ego purposes or the feeling of power. 
6.       The instructor who teaches and promotes his art for materialistic gains. 
7.       The student whose actions do not live up to his words. 
8.       The student who feels ashamed to seek opinions from his juniors

 PERSEVERANCE (In Nae)
      There is an old Oriental saying, "Patience leads to virtue or merit." "One can make a peaceful home by being patient for 100 times." Certainly, happiness and prosperity are most likely brought to the patient person to achieve something, whether it is a higher degree or the perfection of a technique, one must set his goal, then constantly perserve. Robert Bruce learned his lesson of perseverance from the persistent efforts of a lowly spider. It was this perseverance of tenacity that finally enabled him to free Scotland in the fourteenth century. One of the most important secrets in becoming a leader of Taekwon-Do is to overcome every difficulty by perseverance. 
Confucius said; "one who is impatient in trivial matters can seldom achieve success in matters of great importance."

SELF-CONTROL (Guk Gi)
    This tenet is extremely important inside and outside the do-jang, whether conducting oneself in free sparring or in one's personal affairs. A loss of self control in free sparring can prove disastrous to both student and opponent. An inability to live and work within one's capability or sphere is also a lack of self-control. 
 
    According to Lao-Tzu "the term of stronger is the person who wins over oneself rather than some one else."

INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (Baekjul Boolgool)
    "Here lie 300, who did their duty," a simple epitaph for one of the greatest acts of courage known to mankind. 
 
Although facing the superior forces of Xerxes, Leonidas and his 300 Spartans at Thermoplyae showed the world the meaning of indomitable spirit. It is shown when a courageous person and his principles are pitted against overwhelming odds. 
A serious student of Taekwon-Do will at all times be modest and honest. If confronted with injustice he will deal with the belligerent without any fear or hesitation at all, with indomitable spirit, regardless of whosoever and however many the number may be.
Confucius declared: "it is an act of cowardice to fail to speak out against injustice." As history has proven, those who have pursued their dreams earnestly and strenuously with indomitable spirit have never failed to achieve their goals.