Chos

CHILDREN & TKD

The following describes some ideals that every child needs to possess to become a happy, productive adult, and how Tae Kwon Do helps parents help their children attain them.

Physical Fitness

Children must be taught that a fit, healthy lifestyle is the accumulation of good habits. Three components make up a healthy lifestyle: exercise, nutrition, and hygiene and grooming. Taekwondo helps parents with the exercise component and may provide assistance with the other two components. Taekwondo instructors tell children why eating healthy is so important and instructors require that children have proper hygiene and grooming while in class.

Self-Control

Children must be taught to "self-manage" their own actions. If parents do not establish boundaries, or if they establish boundaries and are not consistent in enforcing them, they make it difficult for their children to learn self-control. Children get the idea that boundaries are flexible. Taekwondo has rules of behaviour that are strictly enforced. If children want to continue training and competing with their friends, they must learn to control their behaviour.

Focus

Taekwondo teaches children to pay attention and block out distractions. Pattern practice demands that children block out distractions and concentrate on making perfect motions. Sparring requires a student's undivided attention at all times.

Respect

A disrespectful child gets no respect, so he or she turns that attitude inward and starts to see him or herself as a person who does not deserve respect. Taekwondo teaches children to be respectful at all times to everyone, and that they earn respect in the same measure that they give respect.

Confidence

Taekwondo helps children become experts at something, which then gives them more self-confidence. Everybody knows that if you are good at something, you become confident in that thing, but that confidence also spills over into other areas of a child's life.

Spiritual Development

Taekwondo teaches children the difference between right and wrong and trains both mind and body through Taekwondo. It builds a strong spirit and a personality that never gives up or wants to give up.

Honesty

Honesty is more than simply avoiding lies. It includes a belief in, and a pursuit of, the truth. Honesty is a sign of healthy self-esteem, because an honest person takes responsibility for his or her actions. A child who feels good about him or herself has no need to resort to deception. Taekwondo teaches children to be honest, even when it is not easy to do or is not the popular thing to do.

Courage

If a child is constantly afraid, he or she feels less and less able to deal with his or her surroundings. Instead of experiencing growth, the child's comfort zone shrinks and he or she withdraws from life . Courage determines how much freedom a child experiences. Fear will hold your child back and prevent him or her from trying new things, pursuing meaningful opportunities, and from living the life he or she was meant to live. Taekwondo helps children face their fears and conquer them. As they gain more courage, they are not afraid to try new things.

Contribution

Children need to be taught the joy of giving so they will become persons who contribute to society. Life rewards you in direct proportion to your willingness to contribute. Taekwondo students learn to give assistance to new students or those with physical or mental challenges and they learn community service. They learn that helping others makes you feel good about yourself.

Positive Outlook

Children need to look at their lives positively, not negatively. Taekwondo instructors do not tell students they are doing a technique wrong; they praise them and tell them how to improve the technique. As a result, students have a positive outlook about their futures and feel capable of doing anything.

Responsibility

Taekwondo teaches children to take responsibility for their own actions, for assigned tasks, for younger children, and for other students of lower rank. As they learn responsibility, they are given more responsibilities.

Persistence

Sometimes, things in life do not come easily. Some children take longer to earn rank in Taekwondo than it does for other children. Taekwondo teaches children to not give up and that they can succeed if they persist in their efforts.

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A.I.M.A.A HAD AN OLYMPIC HOPEFUL!

The Olympic WTF committee threw open the doors early this year to allow non-WTF members to try out for a place within the Olympic squad. Over 1,000 hopefuls applied, and only 200 where chosen to attend the trails. A.I.M.A.A was very proud to have three students chosen to attend the 1st trails in England. The students where Instructors Mr John Kirkwood Jnr, Miss Monika Markowska, as well as Miss Kirsty Gough.
Due to the commitments required to go further within the selection, especially as all training will be based in Manchester, England. Mr Kirkwood withdrew his name from the 1st faze, but was very proud to have been selected out of all those who had applied. Both Monika and Kirsty both attended the trails, which was a full day of intense training and assessment.
It was great pride that A.I.M.A.A Jersey - Miss Monika Markowska has been selected to attend the next faze, which had have a more complex training and scientific assessment for her in store. Everyone in our club and A.I.M.A.A wished Miss Markowska all the best for her next trail. Monika has previous WTF experince and has fought at International level within the Polish WTF team.
The Fighting Chance Phase 2 Assessment Camp, was on 27th March 2010 at the Elite Taekwondo Academy in Manchester,from previouse 200 talented martial artist, only 28 where invited to this stage.
The trial day - include lots of excitiments - and a bit of disapointments the same time. The day started with 45min training sessions with the British National Team coaches followed up by sparrings sessions, Monika was matched against European Champion from WTF, and lost her match with the difference of couple points, the second match with the numeber one of ITF federation fighter Monika went on to win the fight with a unanimous decision. The next few hours of the trial was full of body measurements, filling lots of different questionnaire forms, and a chat.
After that stage the WTF Fighting Chance - Officials were impressed with the high standard of participants, the level of effort put in, and the positive interest displayed by all investigating their Talent Transfer potential into Olympic Taekwondo. Unfortunately Monika on this occasion wasn't selected to the final 2 candidates for the British Fighting Chance Team.
Well done to everyone who got chosen from A.I.M.A.A you should be very proud of yourselves, as we are proud of you
(text kindly provided from AIMAA Scotland website..)

COMBAT MAGAZINE

In November edition of Combat Magazine Chos Tae Kwon Do Jersey was choosen to write a martial arts article!!.

Robert Fernandes of Cho's Tae Kwon Do Jersey Club was choosen to write a martial arts article. He wrote about exercises to improve kicking ability. Tae Kwon Do is renowned for it's kicking techniques and this separates it, from other martial arts. The article was entitled "Exercises to help you : improve your kicking ability", the piece was illustrated with great and detailed photos of Monika Markowska, and Jorge Basilo, showing excellent technique, flexibility and balance.