Daughters Update.

[ATC]

Well here is the update from yesterday’s tournament. My daughter took 2nd place (Silver) as she lost the 1st place match in OT to one of USAT's top Jr. and Sr. athletes, Angelica Guting. She actually should have won as with 3 seconds left my daughter scored a back kick that should have been2 points but the judges missed it (Daedo scored the 1 point that tied it up)and did not give the extra point. At that time I had already played my review card and could not protest the extra point. However that back kick that scored by Deado tied the match up and then my daughter lost in OT by a punch. A good punch at that.

She won her first two match by point gap but told me that her legs were on fire and that she was out of shape. All in all it was a good day for her and she is eager to get back in the dojang to get back into fighting shape.

Not only was this her first match back after 1 and a half years off, it was her first time competing 14 - 17. So to point gap a couple of girls and to take the 2011 Jr. Fin champ and 2012 Jr. Fly 3rd place USAT member to OT (should have won) is a great accomplishment. She did an awesome job. A little more training and a few more tune up matches and she should be ready for the US Open.

On a side not my son also took Silver at the same tournament. He is still 13 but I moved him up to 14 - 17 for experience for next year’s divisions. Not only did he compete one age division up, he also competed at the 121 pound division. He is only 112 pounds.

 

[MJS]

Congrats to you and your kids!

 

[StudentCarl]

Nice to know they're both still hungry to grow and seek challenge.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Any chance your son will be ready for the US Open soon to? Competing in a higher age group is quite a feat

 

[ATC]

Any chance your son will be ready for the US Open soon to? Competing in a higher age group is quite a feat

I really hope so. He has been doing exhibition matches with 14 year olds and up since he was 12 with some pretty good fighters. He has won some and lost some. Next year will be his first year in the 14-17 year old division. This was his first tournament where he fought 14 - 17 exclusively and at a higher weight class. We will continue on this path for the rest of the year until next year. This way he gets use to the power and height of the older bigger kids. Then when he fights his weight next year it should not be an issue for him.

He lost in the Gold (medal) match yesterday, but the kid was just bigger and stronger and out muscles him. Fought from the clinch or inside and move him pretty easy for single points underneath until the match was over. He will learn from it. Thanks for asking.

 

[ATC]

Photo of Katie in action, 1st match.

 

[Gorilla]

Great Stuff...Angelica is a very smart fighter with lots of experience...great showing!

The weight issue is always a question to cut or not to cut...Charlie when he was 99lbs fought the USAT JR National Team Member @ JR world team trials...that kid cut 22lbs...We have never cut Charlie

Great Pic! Congrats to both!

BTW What tourney was that?

 

[Dirty Dog]

Congrats to you and both your kids.

 

[ATC]

Great Stuff...Angelica is a very smart fighter with lots of experience...great showing!

The weight issue is always a question to cut or not to cut...Charlie when he was 99lbs fought the USAT JR National Team Member @ JR world team trials...that kid cut 22lbs...We have never cut Charlie

Great Pic! Congrats to both!

BTW What tourney was that?

I know what you mean. AJ never cut weight either but now that he has hit his growth spurt we will have to see where he lands. He was 99 pounds for Nationals but will never be there again. I think he will fight at 112, wherever that puts him. Katie will fight at 108. She will move up from 97 also. I look at the next year as a prep year. Should be fun.

That tournament was the UC Davis Fall Open. It was small but every competitor was top notch. 2 - 4 fights with just about every match with a high caliber opponent. The actual best or top fighters are in Korea at this time for the Korean Open. It was a good tournament.

 

[arnisador]

Great!

 

[Gorilla]

Art...that is the hard part with growing boys you never know when they are going to plateau...Charlie qualified for AAU Team trials at 105 in July by August he was 113 could not go to trials in September because of weight...he grew 1.5 Inches in a month...it has been a challenge for him as a junior...many kids cut weight...the kids who fight at 112 probaaly walk around @125 ...I think that it is to dangerous...many kids quit because of weight cutting as a teen!

 

[ATC]

Art...that is the hard part with growing boys you never know when they are going to plateau...Charlie qualified for AAU Team trials at 105 in July by August he was 113 could not go to trials in September because of weight...he grew 1.5 Inches in a month...it has been a challenge for him as a junior...many kids cut weight...the kids who fight at 112 probaaly walk around @125 ...I think that it is to dangerous...many kids quit because of weight cutting as a teen!

Yes I know what you mean. Even the past July when he foughtat 99 pounds He just tried to maintain that weight and it was hard for him. Hewas always 103 then 100 then back to 104. I even had him qualify at two weight categories,cut off at 99 (light) and cut off at 108 (middle). He won both at qualifiers,one state and one regionals so we were not worried. We will most likely do thesame come this nationals. Whatever his weight is when we get close to US Openis what he will fight at. Like you I don't like to cut weight, never have doneit. If he is 2 or 3 pounds over then OK, we will lose that but any more and hefights that weight up. That is why I like the multiple qualifiers for nationals.

I think that when you cut weight it make you weaker notstronger. When AJ fought Hidalgo 2 years ago at qualifiers he had just lost tohim at the US Open. But when qualifiers rolled around AJ was at his walkingaround weight and Hidalgo cut to be at the same weight. AJ destroyed him 12 - 0as he was fresh and stronger. You could see that Hidalgo was tired and weakfrom all the cutting.

Come this US Open AJ will be ready. We are putting togethera plan now based off of the few fights he had with the heavier kids. We areadding some inside footwork to his game now. He should have something for thento think about when the time comes. I love this game and I spend my sleepinghours up just thinking about ways to make weaknesses into strengths. Next timeKatie meets Angelica she will be very different.

Cheyenne Lewis's dad came up to me at this last tourney andwants Katie to work out with Cheyenne. He also was giving Katie some tips andeven let us know about some of Cheyenne’s hidden game that she has not usedyet. He said everyone only think that Cheyenne only fight one way but he onlykeeps her fight that way because she does not have to do anything any differentyet. AJ worked out with her once and said she kicks hard.

Should be a fun next year. You got to get down to workoutwith us some time.

 

[RobinTKD]

Just a question, are there any detrimental health effects to fit, healthy children cutting weight? I would have though that through the developing years you'd just want them to maintain a natural but healthy weight?

 

[StudentCarl]

Just a question, are there any detrimental health effects to fit, healthy children cutting weight? I would have though that through the developing years you'd just want them to maintain a natural but healthy weight?

I've heard both sides, but where I train we don't believe it's good. At most we'll cut a pound or two of water weight before weigh-in, but more than that we avoid. We do like mentioned above and get kids to qualify for more than one weight division if growth looks like a possibility. Dedicated Taekwondo athletes will be pretty fit, so they're not carrying a lot of surplus weight.

 

[ATC]

I've heard both sides, but where I train we don't believe it's good. At most we'll cut a pound or two of water weight before weigh-in, but more than that we avoid. We do like mentioned above and get kids to qualify for more than one weight division if growth looks like a possibility. Dedicated Taekwondo athletes will be pretty fit, so they're not carrying a lot of surplus weight.

Yes this is best approach I believe. Kids that are in growth periods should eat as that is what the body wants. Why fight nature, that can't be healthy.

 

[Gorilla]

The weight cutting also is very hard on kids mentally...most after cutting as a Junior grow to resent the sport...one of the top reasons kids quit competing..cutting weight at a young age...it is really an issue with the girls! Some are cutting weight at 8/9 years old crazy!!!!

 

[Carol]

The weight cutting also is very hard on kids mentally...most after cutting as a Junior grow to resent the sport...one of the top reasons kids quit competing..cutting weight at a young age...it is really an issue with the girls! Some are cutting weight at 8/9 years old crazy!!!!

Gorilla, I think you mentioned at one point that kids have to commit to a weight class months before they fight. So if they gain out of that weight class...either through normal healthy growth, or through poor habits, they have to cut weight to follow through with their commitment. Is that the case?

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[ATC]

Gorilla, I think you mentioned at one point that kids have to commit to a weight class months before they fight. So if they gain out of that weight class...either through normal healthy growth, or through poor habits, they have to cut weight to follow through with their commitment. Is that the case?

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Yes there can be a 4 month in-between period from a qualifier to the championships (Nationals) that is a long time. When there was only one qualifier then there was the issue, qualify at a weight and maintain that weight until Nationals. Not a good setup at all. But now they have multiple qualifiers with States being one and Regionals being another. Many qualify in two weight classes so if they gain and can't cut or don't want to cut then just fight up. You can ever cross state lines and qualify by competing in a state qualifier in a surrounding state. I know a few that have done that. Did not qualify in CA then just got to NV and qualify, or Oregon, or AZ and so on.

There really is no need to kill yourself. However if you are overweight because or unhealthy eating then you can train to lose that fat weight. My kids body fat is around 4 - 6%, that is my son, my daughter is about 10 - 12%.

 

[bluewaveschool]

Photo of Katie in action, 1st match.

In the blue, right?

 

[Gorilla]

Gorilla, I think you mentioned at one point that kids have to commit to a weight class months before they fight. So if they gain out of that weight class...either through normal healthy growth, or through poor habits, they have to cut weight to follow through with their commitment. Is that the case?

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What Art is telling you is right...but in my Son's case it was a Team trials...you have to finish in the top 4 in a given weight class at Nationals and you can only fight one weight class at Nationals...my son grew 1.5 inches and gained 8 lbs in 1 month...Charlie is solid muscle...no fat to cut...so he could not fight team trials because I would not let him cut 8lbs...

I am more concerned that he reach his growth potential...more concerned with how he does as a Senior. And I don't want the weight cutting at a young age tarnish the sport for him! JR career is not that important! More about training hard and having fun than dealing with the grind that is weight cutting...he can do that as an adult it will be up to him but not as a teenager...

He could cut down to 99lbs and clean up because he would be bigger and stronger but what is the point!

We are in it for the long haul!