Sunday, October 28th, 2007
| As a teenager I had taken martial arts for 6 months and had to stop for family reasons. It had always been my intention to return. 3 years ago, I had the opportunity to start taking Tae Kwon Do with my 13 year old daughter. At that time, it was my goal to learn as much as possible in the sport at a pace I could be comfortable with. I expected that my daughter would progress through the program at a much faster rate. I did not try to get in shape before joining, I just decided to join in the shape I was in at the time, and take it slow. What I found instead, was that I got stronger at a rate that kept up with the difficulty of the lessons. As the belt levels got progressively harder, I grew in coordination, strength, flexibility, and speed. I was able to keep up with my teenage daughter. It was a very pleasant surprise.Not only has Tae Kwon Do improved my physical health, but it has also been a great mental growth experience. Master Nick’s approach to Tae Kwon Do is to lead by inspiring and positive motivation. His approach is to always work with his students where they are developmentally and take them further than they think they can go. This approached has helped me to grow in confidence. Even in my personal life and my career, I have more confidence than ever before. I have learned to deal with stress and anxiety in a positive way. I have become more decisive and trust in my decisions more. I have learned to commit to things in a stronger way, to stick with things even when they get harder than I think I can bear.
The changes in my life are permanent and I will never go back to the way I was before. Our school is a pleasant place to be. We students treat each other like a family. Everyone is encouraging and uplifting, never making fun of another student. Because of these positive experiences I have decided to study and participate in martial arts for the rest of my life, as long as physically possible. It is not only a way to get fit, but it is learning a useful skill: how to defend myself or another person in case of attack. I love the positive changes this art form has made in my life and regularly recommend it to friends and coworkers. I recommend it to you! Terry A.Middlebury, IN High Red Belt |