Columbus Tang Soo Do Academy

Summer Training

June 19th, 2008 · No Comments

As usual in the summer, we are limited by the schedule of the Rec Center. We will be training outdoors on Wednesday evenings from approx 6-7:15pm. We will meet at the picnic tables in front of the Rec Centers and then hike to an unused, flat space for training.

We will be having class as long as the weather is cooperative. Rain and a temperature of 90 or higher will automatically cancel class.

Please be sure to drink lots of fluids and be ready for outdoor training. We also recommend an insect repellent!

Tang Soo!

Tom

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Second Ohio Zone Class, April 12

March 29th, 2008 · No Comments

On April 12, CTSDA students will have the opportunity to join students from Buckeye Tang Soo Do, Lifetime TSD, and Lexis Nexus TSD, as we continue to meet on a monthly basis for a combined workout. This is an excellent opportunity to meet and work with students from other schools and learn from different TSD instructors.

The class will be held at Lifetime Fitness in the Easton Town Center from 10:30-1pm in the basketball gym. Since it is in conjunction with a Lifetime Fitness open house, there is no charge to enter the facility that day. Please see your instructor for a release waiver.

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The CTSDA Logo

February 21st, 2008 · No Comments

I have always believed that a school’s logo should say something relevant about your school, it’s history or its training philosophy. Many schools use a pretty picture without much of a reason for doing so other than the fact that it is pretty. Some might say that says something about a school as well, but I won’t go down that road.

Here’s an example of our logo as it is on my dobohk. As you can see, it is a colorful design that has some geometic complexity to it, but really is no more than a central circle with 8 other circles heading out at 45 degree angles from the center. Overlapping areas have been creatively shaded to add a little contrast.

The colors used represent the progression of the belt ranks in Tang Soo Do. Starting at white, we move around the circle to black belt, and finally, Master which is represented by a black belt with a red stripe through the middle.

You might notice on my uniform, that area is unmarked. The reason for that is simple: I haven’t yet achieved that level of proficiency. In fact, all students start out with a clean logo. As they progress through the ranks, they are invited to fill in the notches for their respective rank.

I have my students do this for three main reasons:

Firstly, it allows each student to show their progress; how far they’ve come, and how far they still have to go. By leaving the notch for Master blank, I am reminded how I still have a long way to go in my training. As a green belt, it is an excellent reminder of how you’ve only just begun your journey, but it still allows you to take a moment to celebrate your achievement.

Secondly, you get a feeling for how all of the ranks are interconnected and form an equal part of the design. White belts are not smaller than blue belts or red belts or even Masters. A martial art needs all of these elements for success. Without Black Belts, junior rank cannot learn; without junior rank, Black belts have no one to teach. Taking a spoke out of the wheel causes enough stress to break the entire wheel.

Finally, allowing each student to paint in their own uniform puts part of the process in their hands. They may choose to paint very carefully, or very fast. They may want to even use tape to keep themselves from straying out of the lines. Either way, they are doing it their way. In the end, that is what we ask of all martial arts students: that they take responsibility for their own training and make their own unique contributions.

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Photos Added

February 18th, 2008 · No Comments

We now have some photos online via Flickr. To view the photos from CTSDA events, click on the Photo Album link in the right hand menu, or just click here.