Black
Belt EssayBlack
Belt EssayTaekwon-do....... to interpret it literally, "Tae" translates into smashing or breaking with the foot; "Kwon" means to destroy using the fist and, importantly "Do" means an art or way.
This means that Taekwon-do is more than merely a form of self defence or a
sport, it is also a way of thinking and a way of life. The founder. General
Choi Hong Hi says "...it can be considered a part of one's daily life,
just as are breathing and thinking." This is why Taekwon-do is often called
the "art" of self defence, it has philosophies, principles and purposes
that are set out in the charter of Taekwon-do and its own set code of morals,
ethics and standards leamt through the student oath and the tenets. All serious
practitioners, from white belt level, are taught these things inside the do-jang
and
endeavour to live by them throughout their everyday lives. General Choi believes
that it is this mental conditioning and discipline combined with the physical
aspects of Taekwon-do that set it above other ordinary sports. He believes that
this separates the true practioners from the idealists and instills within them
an ideal of 'noble, moral rearmement', therefore helping to bring about a happier
and more peaceful society. After all: "The utmost purpose of Taekwon-do
is to eliminate fighting by discouraging the strongers oppression of the weak....thus
helping to build a better and more peacefulworld".
Although a relatively young martial art, it is a well established organisation
in New Zealand and throughout the rest of the world. Like all martial arts competion
is encouraged amongst students at regional, national and ever increasingly at
an international level. Taekwon-do tournaments, as well as being contests of
skill and power, are also useful for forging lasting friendships and bonds within
the brotherhood of Taekwon-do and for exchanging training techniques and methods.
As Taekwon-do in New Zealand is slowly becoming a larger and stronger organisation,
it is also becoming more competitive; recognition and ranking at an international
level is an achievable goal that competitors are being encouraged to strive
for. New Zealand now sends competitive teams to every junior and senior world
championships as well as various other international events. The last world
champs was the biggest achievement to date for ITFNZ as the New Zealand team
secured a ranking of Third best country overall. But, has this success come
at a price? Are the Taekwon-do students that compete at this level compromising
the essential moral culture of Taekwon-do in order to attain the ultimate
sporting accolades or are they further enhancing the Taekwon-do lifestyle and
helping Taekwon-do in New Zealand to grow and expand? In many other martial
arts the competitive, sporting facet is frowned upon because they believe that
it contradicts the beliefs of the art and turns it more into a sport rather
than a lifestyle. Is this so with Taekwon-do in New Zealand?
As Taekwon-do is a minority sport in New Zealand, it has previously been difficult
for students within ITFNZ to make an impression amongst competitors from countries
where it is a much more popular sport. For example. New Zealands first world
champs tournament in Canada, emphasised our inexperience and lack of international
exposure. This was emphasised when the New Zealanders were compared to teams
such as the North Korean team, where Taekwon-do is the national sport or the
Argentinian and Polish teams who have regular exposure to international toumamensts
throughout Europe all year round. However since then New Zealand has leamt and
grown and improved, we have begun to make an impression on the rest of the world
and are now recognised as a competitive country to be wary of. The recent successes
at both the last junior world champs in Puerto Rico and the senior world champs
in Poland have obviously paid off, having a positive effect for ITFNZ both internationally
and within New Zealand.
Internationally New Zealand is now a team known to the other countries for both
our skill and technique, as well as for our friendly and easy going attitudes
towards the other teams. Within New Zealand, the successes at world champs level
mean that Taekwon-do is becoming a wider known sport with more people and buisnesses
wanting to support and sponsor the teams. At the prestigous Counties Manukau
Sports Awards last year, Taekwon-do was nominated for four different awards
and managed to win two of them, beating much bigger sports organisations such
as gymnastics and athletics.
However, to get to this level competitors have had to become more driven to
succeed. One of the most important lessons that past New Zealand team competitors
have leamt is that if you want to do well and achieve a successful result then
you have to have a winning attitude and "want" it more than your opponents.
Previously, New Zealand teams were going to the world champs just for the learning
experience. They came back with a much broader range of skills and tactics to
practice and a knowledge of how different practioners from all around the world
trained and competed. This was invaluble information that was then taught and
passed on to students making their way through the grades and aiming for bigger
competitions. Our sparring and patterns style slowly evolved to keep up with
the top competitors around the world. It got to the stage where going to a world
champs for the 'learning experience' was no longer enough. It is very expensive
to travel and stay overseas for the duration of a tournament, competitors want
to come back with results to prove they have not wasted their time or their
money in an exercise that is merely a 'learning experience'. The determination
to achieve success and glory for the country through winning a world champs
medal became too strong. The efforts of previous teams and competitors have
paid off, shown by the most recent successes of the New Zealand teams. New Zealand
now sends teams expecting to bring
back glory and fame for themselves and their country.
Often, the best teams at world champs level stand out, they all have a similiar
attitude. They are focused, determined and willing to do whatever it takes to
reach their goal. This is highlighted through an example of one incident that
I witnessed at the world champs in Italy: a korean fighter was halfway through
a bout and had obviously injured his shoulder as he was not using the arm at
all, he kept trying to call for a time-out but the coach
would not let him. During the break he argued with the coach and was finally
hit in the face before being made to get back into the ring to finish the fight.
This shows the high expectation and determination of the coaches on their competitors.
Another example that highlights the attitude of the very good teams was an incident
at the junior world champs in Korea. The polish team who stayed in the same
hotel as the New Zealand team, were
the most unfriendly yet professional team there. Before and during the tournament
they did not speak to anyone other than their own team members and the only
time you would see them was at meal times and when they were training. If they
were spoken to by competitors from another country, they simply ignored them.
This did not make themvery popular with anyone, however as soon as the tournament
was over they were completely different. They were as eager to meet and make
new friends as the New Zealand team was. This simply highlights the level ofproffessionalism
encountered at a world champs tournament. However, General Choi said that often
competitors take the match far too seriously and that students should remember
that the accolades and trophies are sometimes superficial forms of recognition.
Although competitions do tend to get very serious, especially at an international
level when the competitors have been training for up to a year or more beforehand,
I believe that competing in tournaments is an important part of Taekwon-do.
It has many benefits and in general only has positive effects for everyone involved.
Competing at regional and national level gives students goals to aim for and
rewards to strive for, it also helps to
bring practioners from all over New Zealand together, forming lasting friendships
with a bit of friendly rivalry. It teaches students to work as a team and to
perform under pressure. At an international level, although the competitiveness
becomes a lot more serious it is still only bringing about positive effects
for Taekwon-do in New Zealand. From my point of view students in these teams
come back from an international tournament with an amazing amount of information
and knowledge to pass on, and goals to strive for. Achieving their personal
goals and imroving their performance is what drives the competitors, winning
a gold medal is something that will follow for a student who is focused and
determined. This in turn helps to generate interest in Taekwon-do therefore
helping it to expand and grow within New Zealand. General Choi also said, "It
if is the measure of respect felt by instructors and fellow students that holds
far more value." I believe that for New Zealand competitors this is most
important.
In conclusion, Taekwon-do competitions only serve to enrich the art, adding an exciting and very different facet to it and making it a sport as well as a lifestyle.