Beyond Sports Taekwondo

March Color Belt Testing

2010-02-24T09:34:00.000-08:00

Color Best Testing is coming up! Testing Week is March 22-26th. We’ll be spending the next few weeks getting you and your student ready for testing—the following will help you to know what you need in order to be prepared for an awesome Belt Test.

Please make sure that your student is making it to class. Each student needs to have 16 hours in class to be eligible to test (remind them to pull their cards too!). Signature Sheets are now available—these need to be signed by the student, their parent, and their school teacher. Take the time right now to talk about the commitments required for testing. This includes behavior at home! Make sure that your student really is fulfilling their commitments before you sign their testing sheet. Also, if you or your student needs to know what the topic is for their report, please check with your student’s instructor. Signature sheets and reports are due March 12th, the Friday before PreTest Week.

Students will also need to have all of their Stripes to be eligible to test. Stripes are passed off during regular classes; if your student is missing Stripes, you may consider sending them to Boot Camp the Monday of testing week, or scheduling a private lesson with their instructor.

The CBT schedule is below, please make sure you know the day and time your student will be testing so you can plan in advance.

Monday March 22: BOOTCAMP! 4-7pm. For students needing to make up hours or Stripes in order to test! Only $25 for all three hours.

Tuesday March 23: Tiny Tiger Testing 5:00-5:30pm (arrive a few minutes early!) $20

Tuesday March 23: Basic Color Belt Testing (White—Yellow) 5:30-7pm (Arrive By 5pm). $25

Wednesday March 24: Advanced Color Belt Testing (Blue—Red/Black) 5:30-7pm (Arrive By 5pm). $25

Thursday March 25: Intermediate Color Belt Testing (Yellow/Green—Green/Blue) 5:30-7pm (Arrive By 5pm). $25

Friday March 26: Make up Color Belt Testing for anyone who couldn't test during the week at 4:15-5:15 (Arrive by 4pm). $25

Friday March 26: Rank Advancement Ceremony 5:30-6:30 (ALL TESTEES & ALL RANKS!!!) Outstanding Testers will be recognized and all rank advancements will be awarded. Parents, Family, and Friends are encouraged to come watch and take pictures at both the CBT and the Rank Advancement Ceremony.

We’re looking forward to a great test! As you set goals and work toward them, you are creating yourself as an individual. Belt Testing is a wonderful accomplishment, and as you set your sights toward Black Belt, you will learn that you can achieve anything! We are excited to take that journey with you!

Please sign up for February classes!

2010-01-14T16:31:00.000-08:00

Our new schedule begins February 1. Please look over the schedule and RSVP with the classes your student will be attending. You can sign up for classes in the studio hallway or you can email to admin{at}kicktoday{dot}com. Let us know if you have any questions!

Association Fees due by Jan. 31 to receive a free T-shirt!

2010-01-13T16:45:00.000-08:00

Dear BST Families,

We have received a few questions regarding the Association Fees we've been announcing to the students, and I'd like to tell you about this great opportunity we've all been given.

Last July, we sent out a letter to announce that we as a school joined with Master Ernie Reyes' West Coast World Martial Arts Association. We've been a part of associations before, but I feel a particular connection with Master Reyes and his associate Master Tony Thompson. We are truly blessed to have this association. We are one of only two schools in Utah to be part of WCWMA, with over 75 other schools across the states. Being a part of this association means we are part of a larger group of martial artists working with a common purpose to grow and create outstanding martial artists.

Joining WCWMA brings enhancements to your student's curriculum. You may have noticed the growth and improvement to our curriculum over the past months, and these wonderful changes are due in part to our new association. This curriculum will help your student become a better martial artist. Our students are also invited to attend trainings, seminars, and belt testings out in California. The students who are able to go will bring more knowledge and skills back to Beyond Sports, to help us all grow. All of our BST instructors will receive trainings with Master Reyes and his leadership team. This is an incredible boon for our school, and absolutely crucial for your student to reach their potential. If we are alone, we stagnate. But as part of this association, we will always be on the cutting edge of martial arts, growing and learning constantly.

We have made a commitment as a school to honor this association. The fees are very reasonable, even compared to other associations we have joined in the past. Each active student will pay $20 per year. In addition, if paid by January 31st, your student will receive a free association T-shirt, which can be worn in class along with all BST shirts. These fees are required for all Beyond Sports students. I know that you will feel the benefits of this association as it continues to strengthen and enhance each student and our development as a whole.

Master Taralyn Sorenson

Beyond Sports Taekwondo

Reboot!

2010-01-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

The last several months have seen a roller coaster ride with our communications. Thanks for bearing with us! We're about to relaunch our website, and we know you'll be impressed by the improvements. We've recently opened a Facebook page and a Twitter feed, and those are taking off, along with the reboot of this blog.

As we move forward, we hope that you'll come to this blog often. It will have more than just the regular studio announcements. At Beyond Sports, Taekwondo is only the beginning. As we combine mind, body and spirit we can become great. We will feature articles about fitness, nutrition, and health. We'll have discussions on personal goals and focus. And we'll post studio announcements as well. =) Come and join the conversation!

Taekwondo Links

2009-02-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

I thought it might be fun to share a few Taekwondo links in this post; the ones the Administration likes could go into a sidebar blogroll, maybe?

So here we have:
http://www.taekwondotimes.com/

The website of the taekwondo magazine by the same name. It has links to the latest in world taekwondo news, and ads for gear and training camps.

http://martialhistory.com/

Fascinating site that publishes articles on the history of martial arts, including an article about early 1900's jiujitsu suffragettes.

http://www.natkd.com/tkd_forms.htm

A great site with videos of all the forms. I know we have them on our site too, but it's fun to see different people doing them. And, as a novice, I had no idea there were so many different series of forms.

http://strikingthoughts.wordpress.com/

A personal blog with a great blogroll if you're interested in more taekwondo links.

Happy surfing! And as always, happy kicking!

*note: while I skimmed these links a bit, I did not closely evaluate each one for content, therefore I do apologize if any of them contains objectionable material.

Miso Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings

2009-02-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

Wow, when I start cooking (instead of nuking) again, I am going to make this:

[picture to be inserted when my tech-savvy husband can help me; this one is trickier]
Miso Soup with Sweet Potato Dumplings
This spicy soup from Shawn McClain, chef at Green Zebra in Chicago, is rich in immunity-enhancing vitamin A. Easy prep only adds to the appeal! Take this dish for a taste run, then check out more vegetarian recipes.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups sliced bok choy
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup edamame, shelled
12 wonton wrappers
3 tablespoons white miso, plus more to taste
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation
Heat oven to 375°. Prick holes in potatoes. Bake on a baking sheet until soft, turning once, about 1 hour. Cool, then peel and mash. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic and shallot, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pepper flakes. Stir garlic mixture, salt and pepper into potatoes. Place bok choy, sprouts and edamame in a pot with 2 cups water and set aside. Lay 1 wonton wrapper in palm of hand. Drop a heaping tbsp of potato mixture in the center and make a fist to gather edges. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Set dumplings on top of vegetables in pot. Bring to a boil. Cook, covered, until wrappers are translucent, 3 to 6 minutes. Divide veggies and dumplings among 4 bowls. Add 4 cups water to pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add miso, stirring until it dissolves. Divide among bowls; top with scallions.

he skinny
286 calories per serving
6 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
47.8 g carbs
8.3 g fiber
11.5 g protein

Cooking tips from Master Sorenson:

***You can switch out the canola oil for coconut oil or olive if you prefer.
*** If you want lower carbs and calories you can take out the sweet potato wontons all together or you can keep in the sweet potatoes without the wonton wrappers.
***You can buy edamame at Costco in the freezer section.
***You can buy Bok Choy at any grocery store. It is a member of the celery family. It is very low in calories yet tastes good and is nutritious. Side note if you don’t like soggy greens. I cut off the greens of the bok choy and throw in last minute so they are slightly wilted, but not soggy.

My Favorite Place

2009-02-07T19:52:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I was organizing papers (papers, papers, papers... my counter runneth over) and I found some writing from my son about his favorite places. He was supposed to use sensory detail to describe his favorite places... and along with home and vacation spots, he picked the Beyond Sports Taekwondo studio as a favorite place.

That makes me happy. I know he has come a long way since he first started as a Tiny Tiger. Master Sorenson would ask the kids what they were good at, what made them great, and he didn't want to answer. After a few months of class, though, he began to speak up about his accomplishments, and the many things that make him a great kid. He navigates his elementary school world with confidence, and I think a lot of that confidence comes because of taekwondo.

Now I watch him come home from class excited to have passed off one of his tapes. He showed us all his new form last week, delighted to have finally learned it. I love the way taekwondo reinforces his accomplishments--he gets to wear a belt that proclaims how hard he's worked--and also challenges him to do more.

The studio is indeed a great place. Now with the expanded room (and the excellent babysitting area for the womens class!!) it's even better, of course. I'm glad it ranks in my son's list of favorite places; it's on my list, too.

Yummy Salmon

2009-01-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

Very easy, kid-friendly, from Cooks.com:

HONEY - GLAZED SALMON

1 lb. fresh salmon fillets
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. honey
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp. chili powder

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the salmon and saute until nearly done. Meanwhile, mix the honey, garlic and chili powder. Just before the fish is done, pour honey mixture over it. It will bubble up in the olive oil and form a glaze you can spoon back over the fish. Serve at once. Serve with a slice of lime.

My kids love this, it's very fast (buy the Costco frozen fillets and thaw them under hot running water), and it's a great way to introduce them to salmon. I serve it with quinoa.

Highly recommended!

Be grateful, and go kick!

2009-01-24T16:41:00.000-08:00

First, a big thank you for the sweet get well card from the womens' class (plus Nick)! I so appreciate your support and your friendship. Thank you.

All you active, kicking martial artists reading this have an advantage over me: you can kick with your right foot, since it's not wrapped in an ace bandage and covered in a black boot. I can't put weight on my leg for a good six weeks, so I won't be kicking anytime soon.

Holy cow, I miss it. I really, really do. And I've been realizing some irony: in class, I have always thought of myself as the most awkward, the clumsiest one. Everything seems to take forever for my mind and body to grasp (just ask anyone who tried to teach me a double knife hand strike). But I kept trying, and eventually I got it.

However awkward a martial artist I was, I did not fully appreciate my body. That leg encased in black used to be able to kick! It used to pivot. My foot used to form itself into all the different toe shapes the cute Tiny Tigers practice (I can hear Master Sorenson's voice in my head: "Sidekick toes! Front snap kick toes! Roundhouse toes!). Now my foot can barely write the alphabet (the exercise prescribed by my orthopedic surgeon).

I think when I return to tae kwon do, I will be even more awkward than before, and more timid. I am freaked out thinking about kicking something with my fragile right leg just now. I have no idea how long it will take for my feet to angle like they're supposed to for a sidekick.

But I'll be back. No idea when, but I plan on returning. And when I'm there, I will be so, so grateful just to be sweating and kicking with all of you again.

New Parent Signature Sheets!

2009-01-21T11:02:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

These are the new parent signature sheets, which are required for testing. The changes are mostly superficial. The new forms also come with a new testing card, so if you print these off online, you will get to see the new cards when you get your belt.

We also are posting the new schedule. If you have not seen our two studio schedule yet, be aware of all the class options that are available. Remember: please come to only two classes a week unless you have talked to an instructor or Nick at the front desk. With students taking more than their two a week, we are finding our classes exceeding what the planned staffing needs are.

Are first testing of the year is a few weeks away, but pencil in your calenders the following dates:
March 27, 4-7pm, Black Belt Testing
March 28, 8:30-12:15, Color Belt Testing
April 3, 6:00pm Make up Color Belt Testing (costs extra)
June 27, 8:30-12:15, Color Belt Testing
September 26, 8:30-12:15, Color Belt Testing
November: Black Belt Testing TBA
December: Color Belt Testing TBA

Mom, dad, come do some Taekwondo! Don't forget our family rates; pay for two students tuition, and the next two students tuition are free! Extra incentive for mom: during our women self defense classes, we have a very affordable daycare service available.

Belt Jump Camp and the One Room Schoolhouse

2009-01-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

I've been doped up on painkillers all week, the result of a broken leg. So if this post is more loopy than usual, you can blame the foggy state of my brain. Thank you so much for the lovely flowers and the clever card.

I must say, though, that I am soooo grateful I did Belt Jump Camp before I broke my leg. Who knew that practicing plank every day would enable me to hop around on crutches with relative ease? I think my recovery is much easier because I invested a lot of time working out during the week before my accident.

All week long at Belt Jump Camp, I was reminded of the old-fashioned one room schoolhouse. You know, where everyone, at all levels, is taught by the same instructor. Belt jump camp consisted of three adults, ranks yellow green, green blue, and red; four children, ranks white belt, green blue, blue red, and black recommended; and our fearless Instructor Brown.

And we all learned together, and we all taught each other. I attended camp with my son, who explained to me that I needed to twist further to execute my spinning crescent kick. I watched him turn and decided that he must be joking; no way could I twist that far. But then Nick showed me the same drill Scott did, twisting all the way around to play pat-a-cake. Aha. Turns out Scott was right. Colin taught Scott his form, I helped Nick with his. Cory gave me pointers on my back kick (before I broke my leg, it was getting someplace. Sigh) Scott helped Joseph with his blocks. Cameron helped Cory with his form.

I don't mean to downplay Instructor Brown's role at all; it wasn't just us teaching each other, it was her teaching and leadership that made this environment possible. I've never experienced anything like it--in every other learning environment I've encountered (except perhaps my family) we've been divided by age or experience or grade level. It was refreshing and delightful to have everyone working together, supporting each other as we worked towards a common goal.

There's something to be said for classes that teach all beginners, or all intermediate, or all advanced students. A focused class allows the teacher to develop and explore the curriculum in greater depth.

But there's also a lot to be said for the community created by the tae kwon do one room schoolhouse.

Get well Emily!

2009-01-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

This is Nick, typing from the office of Beyond Sports. I wish I wasn't typing in this situation, to be perfectly honest, I think Emily is the person for the job when it comes to great blogging...

Anyways, Our blogger, Emily, slipped on some ice last Thursday; she broke her leg in a couple of different places. Needless to say, she probably won't be kicking for a little while. The doctors say she will be in a cast for at least 3 months. We wish her a quick recovery, and hope for as little pain for her as possible. Most of us know what it like to have a serious injury like that, and we can all agree it isn't fun at all.

So Emily, get well soon! If I have to keep blogging in your absence, people are gonna find another Martial Arts and Healthy food blog to run to :-)

A Tofu Miracle

2008-12-20T21:06:00.001-08:00

I made this lovely tofu recipe yesterday. My kids are suspicious of tofu. Also they were sick, and on a clear liquid diet. But today, when I reheated it, two of them ate. Tofu.

I present to you the recipe (from allrecipes.com):

INGREDIENTS

* 1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 tablespoon vinegar
* 1 dash hot sauce
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil.
2. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2-inch cubes.
3. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
4. Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turns golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

I'd check out the link if I were you; there are some helpful cooking tips in the comments. Also, I added fresh ginger to mine. Fresh ginger. Yum.

Only problem is, now I have to double the recipe so there's enough for me and the kids.

You'll Never Kick Alone

2008-12-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

This morning, after our ward Christmas breakfast, but before my toddler threw up his orange juice, I discovered that my white taekwondo shirt was missing. I only wear it once every three months, for testing. And I put it right back. Or so I thought. It was not hanging up in the closet. It was also not on the closet floor (I know because I pulled out everything from out of the closet and onto my bed).

My son and I searched. No shirt. Son refused to test unless I tested too (he doesn't want to outrank me. Isn't that sweet?). Finally I decided I would take him there, help him warm up, and then test during makeup testing, hoping I would find the missing uniform in the meantime (it has evaporated! vanished!).

We arrived, a couple of minutes late, and I saw my good friend Shelley watching the end of the previous hour. And she graciously returned home and brought me her uniform, letting me wear it (and sweat in it too. She is a trooper.).

My son and I made it through testing; since we are the same rank, I never get to watch him perform. I just have to take his word for it that he didn't forget those outside in middle blocks on the last line of our form. Oddly, the shirt crisis made me more relaxed than I've ever felt before at a testing. I had already biffed that morning, big time, so even when I realized that I was messing up my kicking combination wrong, I did not get flustered. I just fixed it. Wearing Shelley's shirt. If it weren't for that shirt I would have been on the sidelines.

Tae kwon do is an individual sport--we practice and progess as individuals. But there's a large network of people that make our performance and progression possible. In my case, I am indebted to...

*Master Sorenson and Instructor Brown, for their patient teaching (that form. It took me forever to learn that crazy form.);
*the supportive members of my class--we all cheer for each other;
*my husband, who encourages me and earns the money to pay for classes (and, um, a new uniform);
*my son, who thinks I am cool because I learn taekwondo with him;
*and, of course, to Shelley.

Testing is a good time to acknowledge everyone who has helped make achieving this new rank possible. When I look into the faces of everyone at testing, from the spectators to the instructors to my son, I know how much they want me to succeed, and I appreciate that support. Thank you.

(and now I have a good excuse to get a new uniform.)

Oat Groats: Healthy Food in Need of a PR Makeove

2008-12-04T13:02:00.000-08:00

In an effort to improve my diet, I bought some oat groats the other day, cooked them overnight in my crockpot, and had a hot and delicious breakfast ready for me the next day.

Ready for me. Not, however, ready for my kids. They are used to oatmeal, the regular rolled oats kind.

"What is this stuff?" my daughter asked.

"Oat groats," I said. "Like oatmeal, only healthier."

"Bleh!"

My toddler, who had been happily eating, put down his spoon, because he follows his siblings in all things food. If they don't eat it, he won't either.

It did not escape my family's notice that "groats" sounds a lot like "gross." I was the only one who really ate my groats that morning.

Which is a shame, because they're very healthy. Karen's Kitchen has a great explanation of all the different types of oats (groats, steel cut, thick, regular, and quick) and their nutritional value. But the reality is, oat groats, despite the fact that they are super-easy to make and uber-nutritious, aren't going to get very far in the world of feeding picky eaters without a good PR makeover.

Here are some ideas (I'm no PR expert, but if the Oat Groats Growers ever want to use these ideas, I will allow them to free of charge, for the greater good. I'm generous like that.):

1-Oat Groats need a new name!! Something that does not sound like "gross" if you pronounce it sloppily. Here are some ideas:
"Oat Pudding Mix." That's a good one. A bit misleading, but really, when you cook them up they make this pudding-like substance. And it's no more misleading than "Oat Groats" in terms of expectations created by the name.
"Original Oats" Okay, I think that's even better. Because they really are oats as original as we can eat them.
"Floaty Oats" Because it rhymes, like "oats" and "groats."

2-In the absence of a new name, or in addition to one, Oat Groats need a zippy slogan. Also a mascot. I'm thinking a horse--since horses eat oats, this would be perfect. We could have a commercial with a cartoon horse eating them, and then the horse could show his teeth and say "Original Oats: take it from the horse's mouth, there's nothing better."

3- Better packaging! What's up with the plastic bag and bulk bin stuff? Hell-o! Oat groats growers, that's no way to promote your product, people! If you want people to eat what you grow, you've got to at least get a cardboard box, with maybe that horse on the side.

Okay, so maybe none of these things are realistic. I'm thinking the market for oat groats as breakfast cereal is very, very small. My guess is that the oat groats growers are more concerned about how many horses eat their product than how many people (I assume. Don't horses eat oats? Anyway.) But that's a pity. Because Original Floaty Pudding Mix Oat Groats are good eats.

--Emily M.

Halloween Party 2008

2008-12-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

We had our annual Halloween Party on October 25, 2008. It was a blast! The leadership did a great job putting together the festivities. From Pumpkin carving and painting, to our annual dodge ball tournament, a fantastic costume contest, pinatas, and a grand potluck, it was a fantastic effort on everyone's part. The reason I am posting about it now; we have pictures from the party! Master Sorenson's camera was not working at the time, so thanks to Melanie for the great photos! If you want, send me photos of an event, and I will get them posted (probably on Tuesdays or Thursdays)!
Thanks to everyone who came to make this a fantastic outing!

Thankful for Taekwondo

2008-11-28T14:41:00.000-08:00

I am grateful for the people in my class last Tuesday night who did not snicker at my super lame back kick. I'm still learning, still learning.

I am also grateful that I FINALLY LEARNED MY FORM for this rank. Man. I am grateful to my instructors for patiently helping me learn the darn thing.

I am grateful for the fact that I can do plank for longer than I could a year ago. Same with buddha. I am also grateful that I have been doing this for long enough now that I can look back and see that I have progressed, that I have grown past what I thought I could do.

I am grateful for the expertise and kindness of those who run our great studio. We are blessed to have such dedicated instructors.

Also, I am grateful that if some creep grabs my arm, I know six different ways of escaping.

I could go on, but I'll stop here, and ask this: what makes you grateful for taekwondo?

-Emily M.

Congratulations, New Black Belts!

2008-11-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

If you stop by the studio this week, take a minute to look at the black belt table. Beyond Sports Taekwondo is honoring our newest black belts: James Holley, Andrew Bailey, Mercedes Riggs, Rachel Andres, Tae-Min Yoo, and Haley Pennock. I looked through their scrapbooks today, and I'm impressed. All of them have achieved a goal that commands respect: they are younger than I am, and still I look up to them (and can I say, I love that about taekwondo: seniority is not based on age, but on expertise).

When I first started taking my son here, I looked at the black belts as people who had achieved something nigh-impossible. Now, having taken classes for over a year, I realize that it's not impossible. I remember that James was a blue belt when I first started; after Belt Jump Camp, I'll be a blue belt too. Achieving black belt is something I'm starting to realize I could maybe do, too.

But I think for me, it will be like college was: I thought that when I graduated from college, I would really know something. Turns out that the most important thing I learned was how to learn. I suspect that if and when I become a black belt, the most important thing it will bring me is the confidence that not only have I learned the tae kwon do curriculum to that point, but that me and my body are capable of learning new things for the rest of my life.

So, congratulations to our new black belts! I am always grateful for your patience as you teach me and the other colored belts new things. All of us look up to you--we know you've worked hard to get to where you are.

And this is a shout out to any black belt at our studio: comment and tell us your philosophy of being a black belt. What has achieving that goal meant for you?

Belt Jump Camp

2008-11-14T13:54:00.001-08:00

Top Five Reasons why I'm asking for Belt Jump Camp for Christmas:

1-It's a sweet deal, essentially three months' worth of instruction for the price of one.

2-Three hours a day of taekwondo instruction is a great way to jump start my traditional New Years diet.

3-Speaking of three hours a day, I like the idea of having enough time to really develop my technique. It always seems like we end class and there's so much more to do. Three hours a day should cure that.

4-If enough people sign up, it's going to be help from 7 to 10 in the morning (a possible session later on as well), which means I can work out in the morning and still play with my kids in the day.

5-I could actually be a blue belt by January! Whoda thunk?

--Emily M.

Scary Loud Kiyaps

2008-11-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

There is something very satisfying about drenching yourself in sweat while kicking on a giant blue bag. And also yelling, really really loud. It's a great stress reliever.

You would think that my feeble little kicks and yelps would not be so satisfying as that. Okay, they don't feel weak to me; I'm giving it all I've got. Usually. But watch Master Sorenson or our amazing instructor Kat have a go at a kicking bag. They boing back and forth, thudding and turning with every kick. So much power.

Still, in spite of my comparatively weak-legged kicks, I enjoy kicking. I like practicing one kick long enough to feel that I've really made some improvement on it. I also like (can I confess this here, to the internet and all the world) being able to do harmless violence. Very liberating. Occasionally I even produce a scary-loud kiyap.

--Emily M.

Sweet Mystery of Life

2008-11-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

So, what’s the deal with high fructose corn syrup? After reading this column by Orson Scott Card, who refuses to buy products that contain HFCS, I decided to read some labels at the grocery store. To my great disgruntlement, my kids’ favorite brand of yogurt is laden with said corn syrup. So is my favorite brand of raisin bran.

I have warm fuzzy feelings toward raisin bran. It’s what made my last major diet succeed (forty pounds lost after baby #2): a nice filling bowl of raisin bran every morning. It’s fast, it’s filling, it’s fiber. Apparently it is fructose as well. I thought I was eating healthy, but noooo. Same with the yogurt. I feel grumpy and disillusioned. Why can’t yogurt and raisin bran be health foods, since they are clearly marketed as such? Where else is that HFCS lurking? Do I really have to read every stinkin’ label to find out where the corn syrup lurks, waiting to sabotage my diet?

Apparently so. In the mean time, I am going to have cracked wheat for breakfast tomorrow. Cracked wheat: the new (old) raisin bran, complete without high fructose corn syrup!

--Emily M.

New Schedule

2008-11-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Hello again everyone!

I know I haven't posted in such a long time; you would be surprised how much work is involved on the administrative side of a Martial Arts school. Although tough, I am so excited to help serve our students and their families in any way I can.

Here is the new schedule, including both the Blue and Black studios. We have at least 4 options to attend classes for everyone except the adult male. With future growth, we have the space and capacity to add to our schedule.

I wanted to take the time to thank everyone who is involved with our studio. From the parents to the students, we could not do this without you guys. I also want to give a special thanks to Emily, who shares such a personal part of her life when she contributes to this blog. I hope everyone feels inspired by her postings.

Thanks Everyone!

-Beyond Sports-

Defend Yourself!

2008-11-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

My LDS mission companion and I walked the deserted streets of Cuenca, Ecuador one Sunday afternoon. We were whining about our rotten day, and I said "What else could go wrong?"

Not thirty seconds later, I felt an arm wrap around my neck. My first thought showed my naivete: "Who in Cuenca knows me well enough to hug me from behind?"

Then a hand started grabbing for my pocket. "Money, money," he said, in heavily accented English. His buddy was searching my companion as well.

I was paralyzed. She was not--she yelled "HELP! HELP" People emerged from their homes, and our attackers fled. And we were shaken.

I'm still shaken, thinking about it. That incident is one reason I take tae kwon do. I'll be honest with you: right now I can only defend myself from an attacker who grabs my arm just the right way. If someone came at me from behind, like the mugger on my mission, I would not know exactly how to get rid of them.

But I am learning. And I am learning in the safe environment of the Womens' Self-defense class, where I can practice through the awkward state until my blocks and punches feel more natural. I have learned how to twist and lock an attacker's hand, how to escape an attacker's grip, how to do a knife hand strike to an attacker's groin. After a year of this class, I feel much more confident. I feel like I have the right and the responsibility to defend myself.

Even here in Utah, where I think I'm safe, there are creepy weird people to watch out for. I hope I never have to use the things I've learned. But I am going to keep learning them anyway. It makes me feel strong to know that I am gaining the tools to handle attackers well.

Next time (not that I wish for a next time), I'll be the one yelling.

--Emily M.

Quinoa (KEEN-wah)

2008-10-23T13:35:00.000-07:00

So last week I made quinoa for the first time. I hear tell, from a friend whose husband studies the wonders of quinoa, that it's a near-perfect healthy food. Wikipedia agrees:
Quinoa is

"highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthy choice for vegetarians and vegans. Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source.[5] It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten free and considered easy to digest."

And another quinoa nutrition link, a bit more official than Wikipedia, from Nutritiondata.com.

Yay for nutrition! But, um, the two really great things about it, that make this nutritious food a viable addition to my family meals, are:

1-it doesn't taste yucky. It's pretty good, in fact. This means that there is hope that one day my kids may eat it, although they rejected this first try. Of course.

and

2-It cooks up FAST! Instead of waiting a full hour for my rice to be done, I can cook up some uber-healthy quinoa in fifteen minutes!

Apparently you can buy quinoa flakes, quinoa flour, eat it as breakfast food, serve it in all manner of ways. Is it cheap? Um, no. $3.59 for twelve ounces. So not cheap, compared to rice. Or whole wheat flour. Sigh. But you always pay a bit more for fast food. And it's the healthiest convenience food I've ever heard of.

Saffron Risotto

2008-10-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Serves 4
Ingredients
28 oz chicken stock (can substitute with vegan, organic or low sodium stock)
1 tbsp olive, coconut or organic sunflower oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 cup organic brown rice
1 cup white cooking wine
Large pinch of saffron
1 tbsp butter
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus shavings for garnish (optional)

Preparation
Bring stock to a low simmer in a medium pot. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute. Cook onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice and a pinch of salt. Sauté until rice is translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine and saffron; bring to a simmer, stirring, until rice has absorbed most of wine. Add 2 ladles of stock to rice; simmer, stirring, until rice has absorbed most of stock. Continue adding stock, allowing rice to absorb it before adding the next ladleful. Cook until rice is al dente and mixture is a little loose. Stir in butter. Turn off heat. Stir in grated cheese. Cover and let sit 2 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls. Garnish each with cheese shavings, if desired.

Can add chicken and pine nuts, but it will change the nutritional statistics.

Nutritional stats
298 calories per serving
8.3 g fat (2.8 g saturated)
39.2 g carbs
0.7 g fiber
5.1 g protein
(w/o chicken or pine nuts added)

Six Dollar Special

2008-10-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Registration for tae kwon do classes is a mere $6 tomorrow, for our anniversary and grand re-opening. That is a steal of a deal. I know from speaking with Master Sorenson that she would love love love to be able to just offer tae kwon do classes for free, so that anyone who wants to could come and work out. I love her sentiment, but I think it would be a bad idea. She would run out of money and have to close the studio, and the rest of us would be stuck working out in front of our television sets. Billy Blanks Tae Bo anyone?

Okay, not necessarily the rest of us. Other people are not like me, with my little exercise video collection I buy, use a few times, and then get tired of. Not everyone in the womens class is a recovering non-athlete. In fact, most of us aren't. We've got a former P.E. teacher, a marathon runner, and a dancer (on pregnancy leave), among others. I was talking with our marathoner the other day. She just completed the Saint George Marathon, a feat which makes me sore just thinking about it. "You're a marathon runner," I said. "Is tae kwon do a good workout for you too?"

"Oh yeah," she said. "It's different muscles, and it's cross training. It's fun."

Which left me thinking about how versatile this sport really is. It's possible for someone like me, who struggles with weight, and with coordination, and fitness, to work out alongside a marathon runner, and both of us are learning, growing, and enjoying ourselves.

So, come to the anniversary party tomorrow afternoon, from 2 to 4. And take advantage of the special: you can't even buy an exercise DVD for six bucks.

If you come to the women's class, you'll fit right in, whether you run marathons or huff and puff walking the kids to school (that would be me). Either way, you will be welcome.

A Modest Proposal for Tae Kwon Do Form Creation

2008-10-04T19:46:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I attended the evening class on a form-practicing night. I like forms, even though I have a hard time wrapping my head around them. I get all the tae guks mixed together, and before every testing I have to review and sort them out again. But I do like the way forms give me a good workout--I practice forms for fifteen minutes, really focusing, and I'm sweating.

But mostly, folks, when they're done right, forms just look cool. At the evening class I attended each belt rank performed their forms, from white belt to black. The black belts did... um, a form with a Korean name that I don't remember. I told you, they all run together to me, especially the ones I don't know yet. But I'm starting to understand things well enough to pick apart what they're doing a little--I identify a block here, a kick there. I watched the black belt form performed twice. Just amazing.

What's missing from these forms for me, though, is the materialization of the Mythical Form Opponents: we're supposed to be blocking and kicking these Imaginary Bad Guys. I want to see the form performed with all the Bad Guys doing their thing, and then the form performer kicking the heck out of the Bad Guys. The Mythical Form Bad Guys, though, are apparently not bright enough to join together and gang up on the defender, by all coming from the same direction at once.

Is there someone in charge of new form creation? (I am so new to tae kwon do, there could be and I've just never heard of it). I think someone should invent a form where the Mythical Form Opponent is a gang of eight or nine thugs all coming at you from the same direction. Smart thugs. That could be more useful. Or maybe a form where you beat up the first guy, and then yell "The rest of you bad guys hiding in all the other directions? Y'all go home now, cause I'm gonna turn around and do the same thing to you I just did to this guy." And then you can give a courtesy Kiyup and bow, and be done.

Or not. Because let's face it, that would look lame. And the best thing about learning forms? Being able to perform something that looks sharp, precise, and just plain cool.

Testing

2008-09-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I will line up with a bunch of white-clad kids half my size and demonstrate what I've been practicing in tae kwon do for the last three months:

Kicks (Doubles. Very tricky for me. My legs flail and I feel like an idiot. But I feel like an idiot with every new kick I do, and I think it's good for me. More on that later.)
Kicking combination (Doubles, Ax Kick, Runner. DAR. I amuse myself by calling it the Daughters of the American Revolution Kicking Combination, the only other DAR acronym I've heard of. It's hard for me to remember which kicking combos go with which belt, so any little mnemonic tricks help).
Form: (Tae Guk Sam Jong. One I should have practiced more. It's not as crisp as my last one. Which, um, I don't remember too well. To do tomorrow before testing: review old form!)
Self-defense (Two types: traditional and grab. Traditional I still feel silly with. But the grab is fun! I like learning the joint manipulation so I can take someone down. Sadly, if anyone actually attacked me, I think I might need to ask them to grab my arm in just the right way so I could use my techniques. Working towards real-life applicability (may I never have to use it!).
Technique (Knife hand strike, back stance, grab, front stance. I think it's the hardest technique so far.)
Board breaking. (We practiced this with plastic ones, and I surprised myself by actually breaking one. I am still nervous about the real boards though.)
Terminology. (So we have a Korean woman in our class, and I really want to get her to pronounce all our words for us. Because I'm pretty sure my Korean would be unrecognizable in Korea. it makes me feel all authentic to learn them, though.)

One thing I find interesting about tae kwon do, and the testing process, is the pattern of humility and achievement. With each new belt, I learn new techniques and kicks and forms, and it's humbling, sometimes even humiliating. I swear no one on the planet has ever had more goofy looking doubles kicks than me. But by the time three months have passed, I've become more confident, enough that I can stand up with all those little kids and demonstrate ... skill growth, if not skill mastery.

No one gives gold stars to grownups. I don't get special treatment for clean toilets or folded laundry. But tae kwon do makes me feel like a kid again, in hard but good ways: I'm subjected, yes, to the humbling experience of learning new things outside my comfort zone, but I'm also rewarded with tangible acknowledgment that I've grown. Gold star? Not anymore. But next week I will get my green belt.

Banana Squash for Breakfast

2008-09-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Master Taralynn Sorenson is all about general healthiness, not just exercise. One goal of this blog is promoting healthy cooking options. I struggle with this, to be honest with you. My main goal as a family chef is making sure hungry people eat something that didn't cost too much or take me too long to fix. Nutrition is a nice bonus. So I'm always tickled when I find something that is fast, cheap, and nutritious to boot.

This recipe, from Cooks.com, is what I ate Tuesday and Wednesday for breakfast. It's sweet and orangey, which makes me forget that I'm eating a vegetable in the morning. I am not completely sold on the vegetables for breakfast idea, but this is one I think I'll try again sometime:

Honey Glazed Banana Squash
2 lb. banana squash
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. butter
1 tbsp. orange rind
Salt to taste
Wash and cut pieces of squash into serving size, removing all seeds and unwanted members. Place on cooking sheet, rind side down. Bake at 375 degrees until tender, about 25 minutes.Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add honey, salt and grated orange rind. Pour on squash pieces and bake 10 minutes, or more to glaze. Tip: Hubbard squash will work as well.

It was tasty! It passed three of my four cooking goals:

1-Is it easy to make? I'm all about easiness in cooking. This could hardly be easier--the hardest things are grating orange rind and not scraping your fingernails, and having to smell the stinky inside-squash smell when you clean it out. But overall, pretty easy.

2-Is it cheap? Practically free, since my neighbor with a huge garden (he is my buddy. Wonderful man.) gave it to us. Oranges were the main expense; everything else I had on hand.

3-Is it nutritious? Heck yes! Love that squash! Okay, the honey and the butter, not so much. Especially the butter. But I'm the kind of girl who thinks I ought to get a few perks if I'm eating squash.

And, number four, the Holy Grail of cooking: will my kids eat it? No way.

But all my neighbors did at the potluck. And they asked for the recipe. --Emily M.

What on earth am I doing here?

2008-09-11T15:05:00.000-07:00

That's what I think sometimes when I come to tae kwon do. I feel out of my element. This may not be a bad thing, given that my current element is a messy house, complete with sticky kitchen floor and random toys in the bathroom. But really, the gym? it has never been my friend. This goes back to junior high p.e., and my memories of maroon and gold polyester shorts and a loud, intense, strict teacher. I itch when I think about those shorts. Bleh.

The fact of the matter is that I have never in my life been athletic, in the sense that I have Pursued a Sport. I have exercised, yes, but biking away in front of the television while David Archuleta croons on American Idol is a very different thing from actually attempting to coordinate my body.

So, what makes tae kwon do different? Why am I overcoming years of anti-athlete conditioning to sweat and kick and yell?

I don't know, exactly. Part of it is that the women's class feels safe to me. People are nice. It's only women. No one so far has mentioned my girth. And part of it is the amazing instructors. I have been attempting to learn the doubles kick ("attempt" is the key word). And the other day I made a kind of breakthrough, and I finally got a feel for it. I rotated and kicked and it seemed to flow. Taralynn was exuberant on my behalf. She was thrilled for me, delighted that my body seemed to catch on to what she'd been telling me.

It felt good. Beats junior high P.E. any day. Plus the uniforms don't itch.

--Emily M.

Coming soon!

2008-08-21T14:28:00.000-07:00

This is a "You hear it first here" exclusive to the blog announcement. In an effort to better serve the needs of our current and future students, we are expanding! We have an incredible opportunity to expand into the studio just next to us, formally Wasatch Ballet Conservatory. We will announce at a later time when the classes over there will be officially open, but building renovations are under way now!

What this means for our students:

More classes to better suit students scheduling needs.
Classes running at the same time, to allow multiple ranks to be training at the same time, potentially reducing trips to the studio for families with multiple students at multiple ranks, or parents and their children.
Allow for an after school program, to be organized at a later date, in which students have a place to come to do their homework, have fun and activities, and study Martial Arts.

We are so grateful for everyone who has been with us throughout the years, and we look forward to many years more! Thanks everyone!

Olympic Games: Taekwondo

2008-08-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

For everyone who is not aware, the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China begins August 8, 2008. This is a great opportunity for all our students to see the worlds top sparring martial artists in action. The four competitors from the United States are Steven Lopez, Mark Lopez, Diana Lopez, and Charlotte Craig. This year, all Taekwondo Sparring will be web-cast live. Go to the NBC Olympics Website to find out the times for all the events. For Taekwondo, you can find them here:
Tuesday, August 19, 2008 7:00pm to 10:56pm MST
Wednesday, August 20, 2008 4:00am to 7:04am & 7:00pm to 10:56pm MST
Thursday, August 21, 2008 4:00am to 7:04am & 7:00pm to 10:56pm MST
Friday August 22, 2008 4:00am to 7:04am & 7:00pm to 10:56pm MST
Saturday August 23, 2008 4:00am to 7:04am MST

**Please note: times are subject to change. Please click on the links to check the official website.**

Thank you everybody for supporting our sport!

Taekwondo parents specials for massage therapy

2008-07-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hey this is Kat one of the instructors here at CTC. I just wanted to let everyone know about the great rates I have going on for Parents here at the studio. Take a look and give me a call if you are interested. Thanks Kat :)

Becomming a Master: testing for an instructor.

2008-07-21T14:10:00.000-07:00

I was blessed last weekend to have Grand Master Na visit us from Seattle, Washington where he tested me for my 4^th Degree Black Belt. Testing, as all of you know is nerve-racking and scary….even for a master. No matter how much you practice or how high your rank, testing is challenging because it requires you to effectively perform the skills that qualify you for your next rank. It is where you have to put your abilities on the line and allow others to critique and evaluate you. It is hard emotionally and physically. Yet, it is a great opportunity to develop as an individual. It provides the opportunity to build confidence in your abilities. I pray that my learning never stops. I will always strive to advance my own training as a martial artist so that I may become a more effective master instructor for my students. Please join with me in celebrating this rite-of-passage as I move into my next level of training as a martial artist and an individual. It is going to be a great year!

Taralyn S. Sorenson

Our Referral Rewards Program

2008-07-08T11:11:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, we hope you are enjoying your vacation. This is the flyer for the Referral Rewards program. Typically, 80% of any new business in a martial arts studio is exclusivly from referrals. This program is set up to thank people for helping us grow. This program gives students and parents a great opportunity to earn great prizes, including free tuition! If there are any questions regarding the program, or you need an orginal copy, feel free to contact the office. Thanks everyone

CTC Etiquette and respect

2008-07-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

Parents: We noticed this letter did not actually make it home, although we went over it in class. Gave handouts to everyone, and asked them to sign a form saying they received this letter and took it home. This is the letter about respect, and common etiquette used in the studio, toward others, and toward the environment. This was handed out after a meeting of Senior instructors decided we were very unclear at our studio as to how students should respect themselves and others. This letter was a revision of information spanning eleven pages from http://tkdtutor.com; the letter was actually written by two of our student instructors in our Leadership Program. If the letter doesn't size to a printable, readable version, come in to the office, and we can get you one printed up. Documents are more difficult to send as attachments in email, as we are running with Microsoft Office 2007, which is not really compatible with older versions. So, there you go!

Interest in a back to school program?

2008-07-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

At the studio, we are putting together a lot of ideas to serve our students better. We want to know what people think about having an after-school program. This program would be right after school until about 5:30 or 6:00. It would be considered actual class time, so picking up a child early would be discouraged. Students would dedicate time to their homework, enjoy an afternoon snack, have games and activities, and of course have their taekwondo lessons. Does this sound like a good idea? We need your feedback, as the numbers of interested parents will dictate our future actions.

Let us know. leave us a reply, or email us. Thanks so much!

-CTC-

Welcome to our BLOG!

2008-06-26T15:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Competitive Taekwondo Club official blog! If there is any upcomming information you need to know about, you will find it here. Anything we would like to let you know about, or if we want to brag about how great some of our students are doing, you will find it here. Articles about growing yourself mentally and spiritually, you will find here. The blog will be edited and maintained by the staff of Competitive Taekwondo Club. If you ever have any problems, leave a comment. Thanks!