What is Taekwondo?
Taekwondo is a martial art of Korean origin that is over 2000 years old. It consists of about 70 percent kicking techniques and 30 percent hand techniques.
How many classes a week can I attend?
You may attend as many classes as are available that are appropriate to your age, rank, and experience. Special advanced classes may require permission of the instructor.
Am I too old to start?
No! We have had many students of all ages, even of “advanced retirement”age. Many of our instructors are over 40 years old.
What if I have a medical condition?
Can I still train?Yes, as long as the instructor is aware of your condition. We can work around knee or heart problems and will never require you to perform a technique that could affect the condition negatively.
Will it make me more aggressive?
Taekwondo is a martial art for self-defense.
What if I get an injury during the course of my membership?
While serious injuries are rare, in case of an injury requiring more than a month the membership can be put on hold.
What if I go on vacation?
Memberships are sold by the duration specified. Special extended absences can be determined by the head instructor.
I am coming from another school/martial art. Will I be able to keep my rank?
It depends on the martial art style, amount of experience, and many other factors. If you come from a WTF or USAT-approved school, the rank retention should not be a problem as the testing requirements should be the same or very similar. If you are a student from another style (karate, kung fu, etc) it is up to the head instructor to evaluate your technique and award the TKD rank accordingly.
How do I get to the next belt?
Tests are scheduled every few months. The student has a list of required techniques and patterned that must be learned and demonstrated in front of a panel of Black Belt judges. All techniques will be covered during the course of regular class training, and students will be pre-tested to see that they are ready for the main test.
Why is there a fee for testing?
There is a cost for the new belt and the fee goes to the rental of the gym.
How long until I get to the next belt?
It all depends on the student and how much time and effort is put into training and learning the required techniques for passing to the next level. It is not just a matter of learning just enough to pass, but of performing the technique to the best of one’s ability at the level. It should take at least a couple months between belt tests, and longer as the rank gets higher.
How long will it take to get a Black Belt?
There is an “average” time of about three years, but rarely is it on an exact schedule. Some particularly talented and dedicated students can qualify earlier, but many find as they increase in rank that they like to take longer between tests to really make sure that they perform well at that rank before proceeding. Consistent effort and varied training is the key.
What about tournaments/competition?
If you are interested in tournaments or competition, this is the place to be! Mr. Koy is a nationally/world qualified trainer, producing many Gold medalists in high-level competitions. Competition is not just fighting only – depending on the tournament there will likely be form/pattern and board breaking events as well.
Do I have to fight in tournaments?
It is not a requirement to participate in tournament competition to advance in rank. However, it does make for a better overall TKD student experience, especially at the advanced level when students begin teaching others. We occasionally have intra-school tournaments that are recommended for the competition experience. Fighting/self-defense ability is of course a requirement for testing.
