Tae Kwon Do Training System

There are thousands of different martial arts systems and styles. Each one has a place and a benefit. There is no one style or system that is greater than the others. The individual martial artist's training, dedication, discipline, and commitment is what determines one's success.

Here at Cho's Tae Kwon Do we offer to all our students a straight, forward approach to achieving your martial arts goals. We are from the old korean school where what you put into something is what you will get out of it. We do not promise that the training will be easy; to the contrary, it will be challenging and will push you to develop a non-quitting spirit that will enable you to excel in any aspect of your daily life. Classes are held for children and adults as well as men and women. All will benefit from the exercises that will increase flexibility and coordination, strengthening literally every part of your body, giving the student what is known as "functional strength mobility". You may not look like a body builder, but you will be fit and lean and have immense endurance. The Martial Arts movements performed in the line drills will catapult your cardiovascular system to levels rivaling a marathon runner. All this is possible for everyone. There are no mystical secrets to martial arts. All it requires is a commitment and dedication. As Grand Master Hee Il Cho, the founder of AIMAA states, 'View your training as one drop of water hitting a rock over time.  That one drop of water will penetrate the hardest rock or stone." Consistency, hard work, and old school work ethics are your building blocks to success.

Things you will do in Taekwondo class

General exercise -You will perform various types of general exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, leg lifts, etc., to develop strength, flexibility, and conditioning.

Stretching - You will stretch at the start of training classes to warm up and loosen ligaments, muscles, and joints.  At the end of class, while your body is warm and loose, you will perform serious stretches to increase your flexibility.

Floor drills - Floor drills are moves or techniques done while moving up and down the dojang floor. Floor drills help develop technical preciseness in techniques and build strength and stamina. Floor drills help to develop discipline, since students must remain focused to correctly respond to given commands. 

Target drills - Target drills are techniques performed against a hand target held by a partner. They permit students to practice full-power techniques against a moving target.

Wall drills - Wall drills are techniques performed while moving down the length of a dojang wall or while standing still and using the wall as a support. The wall is used for balance while learning new kicking techniques. Students concentrate on achieving perfection of technique.

Bag drills - Bag drills are techniques performed against a heavy bag, either a Wave master or a hanging bag. They permit full-power techniques to be tested against a solid object.

Pad Drills - Pad drills are techniques performed against a heavy pad held by a partner. They permit full-power techniques to be performed against a moving, resisting object.

Pattern training - Pattern training involves a series of predetermined moves applied against an imaginary opponent or opponents. Traditional patterns were developed to reflect the history of the development of Korea and it's people. Pattern training helps students develop proper blocking and striking techniques, proper stances, focus on target area, breath control, flexibility, agility, mental discipline, and strength.

Step-sparring - In step-sparring, students work with a partner to practice blocks and attacks in a more realistic manner.  Movements may be predetermined or the instructor may direct the training by assigning the attacks and blocks. It teaches students ways to defend themselves against a variety of attacks or attackers, builds confidence with techniques that provides power, speed, and accuracy, and increases knowledge of opponent's vital areas. Multiple attackers may also be used.

Free-sparring - In free-sparring, students learn to develop mental approaches and fighting techniques in a free flowing sparring environment. It gives students an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills developed they learned, in mock combat. Precise control is used to prevent injury. As skills and experience increase, blocks and attacks become "second nature;" they occur without conscious thought.

Semi-free sparring - Semi-free sparring is a mix between step-sparring and class free-sparring. It is a series of instructor determined moves where both sides attack and counter attack. It helps improve sparring techniques.

Board breaking - Board breaking, using either wood or plastic re-breakable boards or some other material, gives students an opportunity to demonstrate power, gain confidence in their skills, and to gauge the effectiveness of their techniques.  A 12"x 12"x 1" pine board is said to be the same strength as a lower rib.

Forging - Some school may use forging. Forging is conditioning body parts to toughen them so they may be used for extreme breaking techniques or for self-defence. This may include repeated striking of a hard, but padded object, plunging the hand into deep sand, or two students performing simultaneous full-power blocks against each others arms.

Self Defense

Today in our society it is a pre-requisite to be able to protect ourselves and our families. Our self-defense program, like all our classes, is again a straightforward approach with no Hollywood moves or showmanship. We do what works, plain and simple. We are not hung up on using a lot of different marital arts names to sell our program. The program works. It has been tested by police, the military, and in real street altercations. In all our self-defense classes we address the importance of mind-set, reaction under pressure, and relaxed aggression - the mental components that must be adhered to for total self-defense protection. Do not be fooled, a real street attack has no rules and regulations; there are no pre-set moves. You must be able to react fast and effectively to survive. You cannot defend yourself "in 3 easy lessons."

Traditional Teaching Methods

True Martial Arts are for total self-improvement. Real martial artists strive to train the body and mind, and build a non-quitting spirit that will have a positive metaphor on their daily lives. All of our students are required to conform to a strict Code of Conduct in relation to their martial arts education. They will learn a moral responsibility for the skills they develop and will only use them in defense and never for aggression or hostility. Students are also taught that the two main elements of our teaching is Respect and Discipline.  Respect everyone and everything. Appreciate everything and every experience. Discipline to do what is right, no matter what. We at Cho's Tae Kwon Do feel that without the strong, strict disciplinary Code of Conduct of traditional martial arts that students are only learning to be a violent and that is not a value to society. True Martial Arts teaches self-confidence, health, and a disciplined lifestyle, avoiding negative behavior.

Lead by good example

The best way to learn is example. All of our instructors, from master instructor down to the 1st degree black belt candidates train. You will see them teaching class, training right beside you. They will not ask you to do something that they are not doing. They will be there running the hills with you and doing their forms with you right next to them. Respect for the high belts in our school is paramount because they earned it. No one rests on his or her laurels. We have world and national champions who train daily at our do-jang and all students are required to keep training consistently.

If you are interested in buying your belts and not earning them through hard work and years of dedication, it would be best if you went elsewhere to train. If you are interested in the latest martial arts fad or becoming the ultimate fighting Champion, we may not be what you are looking for, but if you are willing to make a commitment and do your best, our teaching methods are guaranteed. There are no shortcuts to learning martial arts, as anything of value takes time.  Learning the martial arts is no different.