Hello Everyone

Well lots of good news and good things are happening this week to me and Cobourg Tae Kwon Do. I heard a few different pieces of news that has made me happy. Business has picked up quite a bit in the past few weeks or so. Many new students of all ages and gender. I have had lot of creative energy so working on the business instead of in the business has been coming along very nicely. New ways to conduct drills and warm ups in class. New ideas on marketing and improving student services. Basically lots of new and exciting ways to improve my students’ experiences at my dojang.

Taekwondo is a way of life more many of my students and I have a university student from York University coming to the dojang to interview me, another black belt, and yellow belt. The interview will be discussing the physical and mental aspects of martial arts training and how we have benefited from it. We at Cobourg Tae Kwon Do are always willing to help people realize the numerous benefits of the  training and how it is not all about fighting. Anyone who thinks that fighting and competition is the only reasons for martial arts should not be allowed to train or teach it.

On June 20th, 8 of my students will be grading for various levels of black belt. They will have to go through 10 hours of very intense grading regimens. But before they can get there they must have completed additional 5 months of extra training on top of their regular taekwondo training. Our gradings are very tough but at the same time they are very smart. No one else in Northumberland county grades their students the way we do. By the time our students successfully test for their black betls they truly have become better persons. They know the physically cloth belt is not as important as the feeling they have inside at the end of that grading. Most could care less about that certificate hanging on their way. They are more concerned with have far they have come and how far their training can take them.

I always get nervous for my students who are grading but black belt gradings are even worst. But the past few days have lessen the burden on me. My students are really stepping it up. They will be ready for the grading day. They know how challenging it will be but they wouldn’t have it any other way. They know I have persoanlly gone through a lot more when I have tested for my belts. 40 hour grading and 6 months to prepare is nothing to squeeze at. I truly beleive in leading by example. I train extremely hard, I continue to learn and improve my skills, and I try my best to live a healthy lifestyle and keep my mental and physical shape in top notch. Instructors need to realize they are role models for their students no matter how old they are or what age the students are.

I look forward to see what the next few months will bring.

Master Jonathan Field

http://www.cobourgtaekwondo.ca