I have been attending for about seven months, and I can honestly say I don't have enough words to…read moreexpress my appreciation for Master Lee and his great team, whom I see as my family. S Martial Arts means a lot in my life because it has taught me to be strong, to be more resilient, to better control my emotions, and not to be weak.
My experience at S Martial Arts has been wonderful. I started as a white belt, and now that I am close to earning my purple belt, I feel as if I am almost at an intermediate level. I have seen my progress in feeling more confident in myself, and I feel much more flexible than before thanks to the stretches we do in class. I especially noticed this improvement when performing high kicks.
Each class begins with warm-up exercises and stretching, then we work with partners to practice techniques such as roundhouse kicks, Taekwondo forms, how to react to attacks, and personal defense. We also do some gymnastics, like front rolls and cartwheels, and a bit of kickboxing, including punches and back kicks. The classes involve a lot of cardio, especially during sparring.
I also want to mention that I used to be a somewhat antisocial and shy person, and I felt embarrassed performing in public, especially when I didn't feel familiar with the people around me. Before my first belt test, I shared these fears and feelings of embarrassment with Master Lee. He told me not to worry. On the day of my belt test, Master Lee had already planned everything so that it would go well for me. He had me focus only on him, not on my classmates, since they were behind me and I couldn't see them. This helped me a lot because I didn't feel like everyone was watching me.
Another unforgettable moment was when I couldn't break the wooden boards for the first time. What Master Lee did was incredible. When he saw that I couldn't break them, he asked my classmates to come together and create drum-like sounds by clapping their hands on a table. Then he came up to me and said, "Now try breaking the boards again." By listening to those drum sounds made by my classmates, I was able to break the boards with great strength.
At first, I didn't understand how this worked just by listening to the sounds. Later, out of curiosity, I learned that it is a technique related to unblocking energy, where classmates send their energy to the person whose energy is blocked. This experience reminded me a lot of a scene from Karate Kid II, when Daniel LaRusso fights Chozen Toguchi. Daniel is exhausted and almost defeated, when suddenly Mr. Miyagi asks the audience to play a small hand drum called a Den Daiko. By listening to the collective sound of the drum, Daniel regains his balance and energy and is able to defeat Chozen.
After this experience, I felt much more confident and learned that I don't need to think that everyone is watching me in public. I learned to overcome embarrassment, fear, and shyness. Master Lee is a great teacher who uses traditional techniques learned in his home country, Korea. More than that, he is a humble, responsible, and respectful person who teaches you to overcome fear using techniques that are not harsh or aggressive.
Because of all the experiences I've had in his class over these months, I feel like I am part of a family. I feel very proud to train with a true traditional Korean master. He is understanding and caring with his students and always promotes respect, humility, and the importance of fighting for what you want.
I highly recommend taking classes with Master Lee and living this beautiful experience of growth and strength through the martial art of Taekwondo.