Let us begin this journey with a little information regarding myself and what I am hoping to accomplish with this. I have trained in the martial arts since the age of 9, off and on for the past 22 years. I began in the art known as Tang Soo Do, under a well respected and internationally known Master. I trained hard, while balancing the everyday wants and needs of a preteen and then teenager. I obtained my 1st Dan in the late winter of 1993, but unfortunately never advanced to 2nd Dan. Part time jobs, school work and girlfriends soon replaced Tang Soo Do. Between the ages of 17 and 18 I dabbled a little bit at a few schools, trying to rekindle my love of martial arts, but that is as far as it went.
Fast forward a decade. For my 29th birthday I was graced with a wonderful gift. My family had put together a trial membership at a local Tae Kwon Do school. 3 months of paid training, uniform and all. Tae Kwon Do is very closely related to my original, more traditional art of Tang Soo Do. I was in heaven and made it to as many classes as possible between the duties of employee, husband and father. But after three months, when the 'free' part of the membership expired, so did my training. I just could not afford the tuition.
I have decided to train at home, on my own as I always have through the years, but to do it as more than just a hobby. I want to embark on a journey to rekindle my love, to bring back the centerness of mind, to bring back the discipline in my life. Using many tools on the internet (ie youtube videos, school homepages, hyung examples, etc) I will train myself. This blog will document my journey, sometimes daily, sometimes more than once a day, sometimes (more than likely) a little less than daily.
I invite others to join in my journey. Training in martial arts should not depend on one's ability to pay a tuition at a school. It should not depend on any influences of our 21st century society. It is a personal journey. One of mind, spirit and body. I hope this can be an inspiration to others, and that others may follow suit and embark on their own journey.
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