January Tae Kwon Do News & Attendance Challenge

January 2024

In this month’s dojang newsletter, the community celebrates a bustling January with numerous new students, an ongoing attendance challenge, and a special deal for new participants expiring on January 31st. The newsletter highlights upcoming events, including the next test date on February 23rd, where several members achieved new black belts and Cassandra received her second dan. A frequently asked question explores how Tae Kwon Do can benefit those with ADD and ADHD. The January attendance challenge has four participants with 100% attendance so far. The newsletter also addresses important COVID policies and provides resources for potential students interested in Tae Kwon Do.

In today’s newsletter…

January has been a very busy month at the dojang! We’ve had a bunch of new students get started, and our annual attendance challenge has been going great. January 31st is the last day to take advantage of our New Years Resolution special deal for new students. Please pass the coupon below to any friends or family who are looking for a fun indoor activity this winter!

  • Next Test Date: Friday February 23rd!
  • Congrats Joey, Jonathan, Grace, Alfred, and Benjamin on your new black belts
  • And congrats Cassandra on receiving your second dan!
  • TKD FAQs: Does TKD help with ADD and ADHD? (Yes!)

Attendance Challenge

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Four participants are holding steady with 100% attendance in our January attendance challenge, and have already earned their prize of a free uniform for attending 20 days, with about 8 others still in the running!

 

Next Test Date:

The next testing date coming up for colored belts will be February 23. The kids test will be at 4:30 PM and the adults at 6:30 PM.

Remember, if you’re thinking about testing, be sure you are coming to forms class and/or test review class. The instructors will tell you what you, personally, need to work on more in order to be ready. If for some reason you are unable to attend forms review classes, please speak to an instructor so we can make sure to go over the material with you another day.

On the day of the test, be sure to arrive around 30 minutes before test time with a clean uniform, your name tag and patch applied, and any equipment you may need. (Sparring gear is mandatory for students testing for green stripe and above.)

Upcoming Holidays

We are open on all upcoming scheduled holidays (President’s Day, Valentine’s, etc.)

 

 

Congrats New Black Belts  2nd Dans!

Congrats to all who passed the most recent black belt promotion test at our Boston headquarters school! Cassandra received her second degree (dan), moving up in rank for the first time since 2016 when she received her black belt. She has been helping out at the school as an assistant instructor since then. In our first dan black belt group, welcome to Joey, Jonathan, Grace, and (not pictured) Alfred and Benjamin!

Joey started at our dojang when he was 4.5 years old, after both his older sisters had trained with us for years (they both achieved black belt, too!). Grace started one month after Joey in 2014! And Alfred is also following in a sibling’s footsteps: his older brother Albert also received a black belt, just last year.

TKD FAQ: Is Tae kwon do good for ADHD?

More and more studies are showing that martial arts practice can really help people increase their attention span and ability to focus. It’s a great way to expend energy, and the combination of routine with high activity helps with regulation. That goes for adults as well as kids, and helps those with ADHD / ADD as well as those without.

How does it work?

A tae kwon do class stimulates the ADHD brain, which craves novelty, by constantly changing what activity or exercise is being performed in the class, while also soothing anxiety because each class is based on familiar movements. We cycle through many different movements each class before any given one can get “boring,” and then as students move up in rank or experience, they keep adding to their repertoire of techniques.

What if I can’t focus? How can I do a class?

Each class has moments where the students must focus in order to do the exercise. Sometimes there is a literal target to focus on (and hit or kick!). But then between the focused actions there are breaks for the brain, as well. If at first you can only focus for a few seconds at a time, that’s okay! The more you work your attention like a muscle, the more stamina your focus will have.

How long does it take before I or my child will see a change or benefit?

It varies per person, but it takes at least 3 months and usually 6 months before others really notice a chance. Here’s a terrific thread of advice from parents speaking about their experiences: https://www.reddit.com/r/ParentingADHD/comments/ofx69c/adhd_kids_in_martial_arts/?rdt=59764

Where can I read more about it?
Here are just a few resources and studies:

“Studies show that a complex physical activity, like martial arts, strengthens neural networks in the brain, and enables kids with ADHD to practice self-control.” From ADDitude Magazine: https://www.additudemag.com/kids-karate-adhd-focus-exercise/

“The children who attended martial arts classes most frequently exhibited the greatest changes in observed behaviors and those who attended the fewest classes showed the least amount of change.” Empirical study of tae kwon do and ADHD from Seton Hill University: https://www.ship.edu/globalassets/proteus/volume25.2-37-cooper.pdf

Children taking part in taekwondo training through a school program showed greater self-regulation, greater social responsibiity, and less hyperactivity than those who didn’t: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0193397304000309?via%3Dihub

And it’s not just kids! In older adults, taekwondo has been shown to help reverse age-related mental decline.

“Age-adapted Taekwondo training improves various aspects of cognitive function in people over 40.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3822408/

TKD FAQ: What’s the COVID Policy?
Our dojang rules around COVID and other illness:

  • Do not come to class if you have a fever or are coughing/sneezing. Students who register a fever when they arrive will be sent home.
  • Do not come to class if you have someone in your household who has COVID or the flu.
  • Wash your hands before and after class to reduce transmission of cold viruses.
  • Masks are currently optional but encouraged. KN95 and N95 masks have been shown to prevent infection.
  • It’s bad for both your health and the heath of other students and teachers to work out while you are sick. Please take care of your self and others!
  • Parents should wait outside (or in the vestibule) to pick up their students. Please come inside if you need to speak to an instructor. Parents may watch class if you make a 30-minute appointment at least one day in advance.If you had COVID, you should wait until you have tested negative two days in a row (on a rapid antigen test) before you return to class.

Studies show that recovery from COVID requires rest, and that not getting adequate rest during recovery or trying to resume physical activity too soon can lead to a higher chance of getting long COVID. Everyone wants to get back to tae kwon do as quickly as possible. Since you do TKD for the benefit of your health, don’t rush back or you could do damage to your health. And staying out when you are sick help you to maintain the health of all of us.

The first step in self-defense is self-care. If you test positive for COVID, remember you can put your program on freeze for NO FEE if you have a medical reason. (The same is also true for any injury. Let us know and we can freeze your program.) Any questions, please give us a call, email back, or drop by the front desk.

What if I have a friend interested in TKD?

Please forward this newsletter to your friend, or just send them the coupon below! The New Year’s special is on until January 31st!

2022 Taekwondo Recap

2022 Taekwondo Recap

Reflecting on the dynamic journey of 2022 in our Taekwondo community, it has truly been an extraordinary year! We are overjoyed to witness the return of familiar faces, as we transition from the challenges of pandemic mode. Having initiated online-only classes in March 2020, followed by a gradual reintroduction of in-person sessions in 2021, marked by the initial restriction of ten students per class, each maintaining proper distancing on the floor.

As the year progressed, we successfully expanded our class sizes, implementing strict protocols such as mandatory vaccinations and masks. The dawn of 2022 brought a significant milestone as we joyfully resumed regular classes, eliminating any restrictions on class size and offering the choice of wearing masks and receiving vaccinations as optional.

A noteworthy highlight was the reinstatement of our sparring class, the final piece in our journey to complete normalcy. Currently, this exhilarating class is back in full swing, allowing our members to engage in the thrilling practice of sparring once again.

In the grand tapestry of our ‘2022 Taekwondo Recap,’ the resilience and dedication of our community shine through. We’ve navigated through the uncertainties, adapting and evolving to ensure the well-being of our members. Here’s to the strength of our Taekwondo family and the promising path ahead!

Jae H. Kim Cambridge Sparring Team with their medals

Members of the Jae H. Kim Cambridge Kids Comp Team with their medals, June 2022

We are still restricting visitors to the school: friends and family are required to wait outside except by appointment to observe a class. That’s our last pandemic restriction.

In 2022 the Competition Team was finally able to return to tournament sparring after more than two years of no events!

Members of the Jae H. Kim Competition Team with their medals at a June 2022 tournament in Massachusetts

We’ve also returned to in-person testing and allowing friends and family to observe the tests again! It’s been great to see so many folks moving up in rank after many didn’t test during the pandemic. 2022 Taekwondo Recap2022 Taekwondo Recap

2022 Taekwondo Recap

March 2022 Adult Test

March 2022 kids test

September schedule

It’s back to school time here in Cambridge! Public schools are back in person, some for the first time since March 2020. Our class schedule is mostly in-person at this point, but includes some Zoom classes to support those who still cannot return to in-person workouts at this time or for those who are isolating temporarily after a potential exposure to COVID-19.

June 2021 Class Schedule: Pandemic Restrictions Partially Lifted!

JUNE CLASS SCHEDULE:
The new schedule for June 2021 is similar to May, but with a few changes. Adults have a 12 noon class every day now. Kids class on Saturday morning is now open to ages 6 through 12.

Zoom schedule will stay the same as May, but June could be the last month that we keep this schedule? We know not everyone is vaccinated yet, and kids age 11 and younger still can’t get vaccinated at all. If you would like us to keep offering online/Zoom classes in July, please let us know! We’ll need to hear from you if there’s a need for it.

Summary of Changes:

  • No more reservations needed! Just sign in when you arrive.
  • We will still require masks until at least June 30.
  • Welcome back parents! No more waiting outside (unless you want to). Parents, family, and friends can come inside.
  • Zoom classes will go at least through June 30.
  • We will open daily M-F at 12 noon and have added an adult class every day.
  • Saturday’s morning kids class is now open to all ages from 6 years old to 12 years old.
  • We’re still not back to the pre-pandemic schedule, obviously, but this is a lot closer to our normal operations than we’ve had since March 2020. Next on the horizon, once more folks are vaccinated, will be re-introducing in-person group sparring classes and belt promotion tests! If the numbers keep plummeting as they are, look for an update in July!

    Cambridge school demo at Kiddie Academy

    This past weekend several members of our school went to do a demonstration of taekwondo techniques at the grand opening of the new Kiddie Academy preschool and daycare facility in Cambridge. Opened by Elaine Ho, a black belt from our school, and her husband Jack Grochowski who just got his fifth degree black belt (they met here at Jae H. Kim!), the Kiddie Academy is on 299 Prospect St.

    Jack shows off his power punch with Kostas.

    Jack shows off his power punch with Kostas.

    Wendy demonstrates a nice high axe kick to break the board Cei is holding.

    Wendy demonstrates a nice high axe kick to break the board Cei is holding.

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    Jack shows off his power.

    Jack shows off his power.

    Mariya breaks a board held by Wendy.

    Mariya breaks a board held by Wendy.

    New T-shirts for summer!

    Attention students! We are taking orders now for summer T-shirts! Orders received by May 15th will be only $15 per shirt. (Any shirts purchased after May 15th will be $20.)

    The design features our classic logo photograph of Mr. Kim, taken in Killian Court at M.I.T., as well as a transfer of General Choi’s calligraphy of the words “tae kwon do.”

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    Shirts come in the choice of white or black, and in standard adult T-shirt sizes. They will be Gildan 100% cotton.

    Place your pre-order at the front desk or call with a credit card before May 15th!

    Design detail:

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    Summer special! 3 months for $395

    This offer is expired but you can see what specials we are running at any given time by visiting our Deals Page.

    We’ve started a summer special that is good on all new registrations before July 31st 2016! Three months for $395 including uniform. That’s $163 off the regular price for three months, and includes unlimited attendance.

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    Cambridge sparring team brings home the medals

    Congratulations to our amazing Cambridge competition team! Every one brought home a medal from last weekend’s tournament in Norwood! Gold medals went to Alex P., Alex Kwon, Jonathan K., Philos, Jess W. (in forms!), Silver to Heidi, Nailah, and Swikritee, and Bronze to Cassandra, Jahyung, Sun-Jung, and Stephen I.

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    Congratulations from the U.S. Classic tournament

    Two of our black belts from here at the Cambridge School came home with medals from this weekend’s U.S. Taekwondo Classic in Tolland, Connecticut. Sean Bjerke took gold in his division and Nailah Mims took bronze in hers. Also pictured, team coach Pata Dibinga from the Boston school, Cambridge member Alex Kwon, and some additional team members from Boston.

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