Goals for 2015

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Does anyone have any specific tkd or tkd-related goals for this year?

I decided to get better at skipping, like the boxers, since I don't feel like I am the most coordinated person. (I would say that I am average). I started 2 weeks ago only being able to do a basic skip, and have learnt in about 8 short sessions to skip on one leg, do crossovers, skip with the rope at the side, and do a few double skips. But I still hit my feet very often. So all in all, I feel great about this goal and the progress I am making.

Funny enough, I will likely get a 1st dan this year, but that's not a goal. Since almost all clubs give a black belt to anyone and everyone who shows up and tries (as opposed to being good), the black belt doesn't mean much . (Not to start again the age old topic of "what is a black belt").

Do you guys have any interesting tkd goals this year?

 

[WaterGal]

I had an injury this year, so my goal for this spring is to get back to being able to kick head height with both legs. My orthopedist said I might not regain 100% flexibility, but 4 months ago I couldn't kick over my waist on one side, and I'm up to shoulder height now, so I'm hopeful.

I'm also getting one of the poomse textbooks recommended to me on another thread and am trying to learn new sparring drills so i can hopefully improve all my skills and help the students more.

 

[Flatfish]

Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility, flexibility.....I am 44, so flexibility


Oh and stamina, stamina, stamina....for sparring...

 

[evelbug]

I will most likely be getting my 1st Dan this year as well. (Actually, I might be getting two black belts since I train at an ITF school as well as at KKW club at work) I'm kinda like you where getting the BB isn't really the goal. My main MA goal this year is to have fun.

Last summer, I got caught up in some personality conflicts in my club and that led me to taking some time off from that club and training in my daughters school. I've since tried to not let stuff like that bother me and just have fun and punch things.

 

[Buka]

Can 2015 really be coming? Kind of quick, if you ask me.

My goals in 2015 are twofold. One, to keep training into 2016.

Two - I'll think up that puppy as I go along.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility, flexibility....

I think that is a goal of almost everyone in tkd! You can never be too rich or too thin, and for tkd, you can also never be too flexible

 

[Laplace_demon]

I think that is a goal of almost everyone in tkd! You can never be too rich or too thin, and for tkd, you can also never be too flexible

I personally feel it's over emphasised. Takes up too much time from your class. You don't have time to stretch in real life!

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Takes up too much time from your class. You don't have time to stretch in real life!

I had one instructor who told people to warm up and stretch at home before class to save time - I liked that.

In terms of not being able to stretch in real life, I agree. To me, the concept is to be able to be more than flexible enough when warm, so that you are flexible enough cold.

 

[IcemanSK]

I had one instructor who told people to warm up and stretch at home before class to save time - I liked that.

In terms of not being able to stretch in real life, I agree. To me, the concept is to be able to be more than flexible enough when warm, so that you are flexible enough cold.

Unless you live next door to the dojang, stretching at home before class will do little good. Sitting in the car will undo you're great stretch at home. You two must be under 40. Old muscles don't stretch as easily.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Unless you live next door to the dojang, stretching at home before class will do little good. Sitting in the car will undo you're great stretch at home.

That's an interesting thought. I had a 20 year old Korean instructor who commented that he stretched at noon to get ready for the afternoon classes, and I asked how long the effects of stretching lasted for him, and he said "all day". I personally don't find that to be the case.

Nonetheless, I do find if I stretch at home, it will last for 20 minutes without problem. A quick minute or two of light kicks to test everything out and I'm ready to train.

You two must be under 40. Old muscles don't stretch as easily.

As for my age, I'm 45. I've been stretching fairly regularly since about 20 years old; at times it was once a week, and now it's about 6 times a week.

I find I am as flexible as ever (which is better than average but not amazing). However, it took me probably a good 4-5 years to regain flexibility in my left hamstring after injuring it in my mid 30's doing too heavy and too much weights. So personally, I haven't found age to be a factor other than that with more years, there are more chances of injury leading to flexibility issues.

 

[Laplace_demon]

It's probably impossible for me NOT to be stiff the next day anyway.The stretching to get back into shape is aloth faster the more I do it every day. .But again, even getting warmed up fast is meaningless when there's no time for it at all, if I ever have to use TKD kicks in real life.

I would probably kick rather low anyway because of jeans. I am 25.

 

[IcemanSK]

When I was 20 I was very flexible. I stretched daily because I enjoyed it. As a teen, my instructor (a Korean man) was in his late 20's & said he only stretched once a week. I doubt that it still the case for him in his late 50's. Age, genetics and lifestyle play a part in flexibility, too. I stretch daily because I have to, now.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I personally feel it's over emphasised. Takes up too much time from your class. You don't have time to stretch in real life!

You steatch to develop flexibility. You'll be at your most flexible when you're well warmed up, obviously. You'll be a degree less flexible without warm up. The more flexible you are when you're warmed up, the more flexible you will be without warm up.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The above is poorly worded.
Your flexibility doesn't actually decrease when you're not warmed up. What really changes is how far you can stretch without discomfort.
So if you can kick, with power, to a target 6' off the floor when you're warmed up, you'll be able to do the same thing without warm up. You're more likely to pay a price for it the next day, but you can do it.

 

[Laplace_demon]

The above is poorly worded.
Your flexibility doesn't actually decrease when you're not warmed up. What really changes is how far you can stretch without discomfort.
So if you can kick, with power, to a target 6' off the floor when you're warmed up, you'll be able to do the same thing without warm up. You're more likely to pay a price for it the next day, but you can do it.

I can do any high kick with no warm ups. By stiff I mean my body makes cracking noises and theres not the same flow. It's obviously not good for me to do, and the speed of movements drops conciderably because I am totally cold. But I can do most high kicks for sure.

 

[Tez3]

I was told years ago to watch cats and dogs, when they wake up the first thing they do is stretch so on waking first thing in the morning we should stretch, I have done ever since and it does make a difference.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I think light stretching when you first wake up is good, but that sort of stretching is more 'limbering up' than anything else. It's certainly not going to increase your flexibility. Heavy stretching, where you're really trying to increase flexibility, should really only be done with muscles that are well warmed.

 

[Thunder Foot]

I would say that I definitely want to increase my max flexibility and continue to build up strength to equalize any new gains! I found that to be one of the hardest things in my past. As soon as I had new height, I would have to spend time separately strengthening the muscles to use the new range of motion. Hopefully I will find a new method in '15 to be more economical with this!

 

[Flatfish]

I think that is a goal of almost everyone in tkd! You can never be too rich or too thin, and for tkd, you can also never be too flexible

Oh yes, but you have never experienced the wonder of my old man hips.....I guess I should have phrased that more along the lines of striving to get beyond baby kicking height

 

[dancingalone]

To delight my students and receive 2 or more verbal thanks from them in a meaningful setting.