The 14th Annual Koryo Karate School Christmas Party was a tremendous success!  We had a great attendance, and tons of food, and everyone had a great time!  *This is where I'd generally post the GROUP PHOTO, but - naturally, I forgot to take it!!!!  (All photos can be found on my Facebook Page)

I want to thank everyone for a great year of training.  I am already looking forward to 2012's training!!

Thanks for the thoughtful gifts, much appreciated, and they will be put to good use!

I also want to acknowledge and thank the Instructors from Moe's Tae Kwon Do; LifeSkills School of Tae Kwon Do and High Kicks Taekwon-Do for coming.

I want to also acknowledge my Award recipients.  This year I awarded a Most Improved Student and a Student of the Year Award to a boy and girl in each of the 3 classes.

Most Improved Student - 5pm Class, Female: Tessa C

Most Improved Student - 5pm Class, Male: Kellen Z

Student of the Year - 5pm Class, Female: Camryn B

Student of the Year - 5pm Class, Male: Rylee R

Most Improved Student - 6pm Class, Female: Hannah M

Most Improved Student - 6pm Class, Male: Ryan J

Student of the Year - 6pm Class, Female: Izabela R

Student of the Year - 6pm Class, Male: Landon H

Most Improved Student - 7pm Class, Female: Caitlin P

Most Improved Student - 7pm Class, Male: Jared B

Student of the Year - 7pm Class, Female: Angela C

Student of the Year - 7pm Class, Male: Brandon S

Congratulations to all of this years special awards recipients.  Though I don't want class to be "all about the awards", I feel it is important to acknowledge those students who go above and beyond in their training - which includes their proper use of the 5 tenets of Taekwon-Do and their willingness to train hard and help others.

We're officially on break until January 7th (Saturday Class).  Regular classes resume on Tuesday January 10th.

~tms~

All . . .

I am holding a "Beach Class" on Saturday, September 17th, 2011.  Class will start at 9am, and will end around 10amish.  I have wanted to do this for years, and I am excited to be able to finally do this!

This is being hosted by Kyosanim Don Saucier, who is the owner/operator of the Ocean Walk Hotel.  He is allowing us to park in his lot and use the beachfront right in front of his Motel.  Check out the link for more information on the Motel.

Uniform of the day is full dobok, though t-shirts (or sweatshirts!) are acceptable, depending on the weather!

*Weather update - supposed to be sunny and 60!

You CAN use footwear, but since we'll be on beach sand, I'd recommend going bare foot.  I have scheduled this for low tide, so the surface we'll be training on should be perfect.

I look forward to seeing you all there!

~tms~

I am excited to announce that we have moved to a new room within the Loranger School.

Starting Tuesday, March 1st, we will now be in the basement of the school, in "the old french room".  We will have exclusive use of this room, which should make classes run smoother!  

To get to this new room, you will now enter through the main entrance to the Loranger School, off of the Jameson Hill Rd.  Once inside the building, go down the hallway to the right (by the office).  At the end of that hallway, there is a stairwell to the right, which takes you into another section of the Loranger.  At the stairs, take the section that goes down one flight.  Enter through the door on the right and you're there!

See you there!

I am excited to announce the 13th Annual Koryo Karate School Christmas Party! was a great success!  Festivities started at 6pm, and wrapped up around 830pm.  There was lots of eating, and chatting, and eating, and game playing, and eating, and just plain fun!

Thanks to all who brought a dish to share, and a special thanks to all who went the extra mile and wore their special Santa hats...much appreciated!

Everyone had a great time, and it was fun hanging out together in a non-karate setting.

After everyone had enjoyed some great food, and many of the games had been played, I called everyone together to do a few things:

I discussed next years "Training Themes".  There are 2 specific ones, and a general one:  Theme # 1 - Push-Ups: Used to build up our upper body strength, to make our blocks & strikes more powerful.  Theme # 2 - Hip Exercises: Used to make our kicks stronger, and our stances better.  General Theme - I want to focus on the Self-Defense aspects of training, and have decided to make 2011 the year we improve in that area of our training.

I handed out the Promotional Certificates from the most recent promotions - Joey to Child Koogup; Kento to Koogup; Vernon to Koogup and Jamie to Palgup.  Great job all, well deserved promotions!

Next I handed out my Award Certificates.  I feel it is important to recognize students who go above and beyond in their training, so I recognize students in 2 categories: Most Improved and Student of the Year.  I award one of these to a male and female in the Kids Class and the Adult Class.  This years recepients are:

Kids Class - Most Improved (Girl) - Miranda

Kids Class - Most Improved (Boy) - Vernon

Kids Class - Student of the Year (Girl) - Brooke  *I also awarded this to Iris, who moved away in October, but was deserving of the award

Kids Class - Student of the Year (Boy) - Jared

Adult Class - Most Improved (Girl) - Joyce

Adult Class - Most Improved (Boy) - Charlie

Adult Class - Student of the Year (Girl) - Sarah

Adult Class - Student of the Year (Boy) - Jamie

My class gift this year was a sport water bottle.  Every year I try to get the students a gift that generally has something to do with class.  Since I always encourage short but frequent water breaks, I decided that this was the perfect gift.  I filled them with candy and candy canes, and then added 2 Class Vouchers (to be handed out to friends, neighbors, etc so they can come try out classes) as well as 4 Discount Coupons (to be used when making purchases for uniforms & equipment in 2011)

Everyone had taken up a collection for me, to be used to purchase a BOB (Body Opponent Bag).  I have talked about wanting to get one of these, and had even borrowed LifeSkills earlier in the year.  Everyone had such a great time working out on BOB, (and BOB was happy to return to LifeSkills, as his nightly beatings were more than he could handle!), everyone assisted me in getting this piece of equipemnt which will certainly be put to good use!  THANKS!!!

After more eating, chatting and game playing, we ended the night.  Thanks to all who assisted with the clean-up, much appreciated!  I dare say we left the room better than we found it, leaving no trace of our being there (just like the ninja's that we are!!).

I'm excited for 2011.  However, I encourage everyone to enjoy their time away from classes while we are on this break, and I'll see you all on January 4th, 2011

**Be sure to check out ALL the photos on my Facebook Page - Koryo Karate School**

~tms~

We will be doing a demonstration during the OOB365 event being held in Memorial Park on Saturday September 25th, 2010.  This event will start at 11am, and will go to 4pm.   (Click on the line above to see the OOB365 website)

The plan is to do a 10 minute demonstration, highlighting different aspects of our Taekwon-Do training, at the top of every hour, starting at 11am.  Students interested in participating should call or e-mail me to cooridinate when you will be there. 

We will also have a table set up, that will have assorted flyers and information.  I plan on being at the table most of the day, however, if anyone is interested in assisting, I won't say no...

Let's hope the sun is shining that day!! 

See you there!

Greetings to all...

I had an idea awhile ago, where we would all go see the new Karate Kid movie together.  Well, time slipped by quickly, and I just found out that the movie will be leaving the theaters after next Thursday (7/22).

So I have a plan:  I am going to go see the movie this Sunday (7/18) at 3pm, at the Saco Cinemagic.  I would love it if ALL of you would join me there.  And to make it more fun, please wear one of your official Koryo Karate School t-shirts!

I hope you can join me, and feel free to bring parents, kids, siblings, etc.  If we do this right, we can fill one of the theaters!!!  I know this is really short notice, but it would be great if you could join me.

Please RSVP ASAP.  I really, really, really hope I'm not alone on Sunday. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~tmm~

*check out the link to cinemagic for info on location, pricing, etc. by clicking the "Going to see" line

◊
Greetings to all!

I will use this site as a way to keep everyone updated on news and events, and anything related to classes. 

One of the main goals of my running this school is to provide students with some practical self-defense training, as well as general physical conditioning.  I want to share the knowledge and training I have, with as many people as possible. 

Another goal is to get people interested in training in the martial arts.  A very small percentage of people who start training actually end up as Instructors.  I hope to show that training is fun and exciting, and that it can become a lifestlye - as opposed to just an activity you do a couple nights a week.  I want people to think of training as something they want to do for the rest of their lives.  My hope is that one day a student of mine will become a teacher, and they will then have a student who will become a teacher, and the cycle will continue!

The Koryo Karate School  is geared towards teaching students both parts of martial arts training:  The physical aspects, and the mental aspects.  I like to discuss the concepts surrounding how techniques work, more than locking students into specific movements.  I feel it is important to know more about body mechanics and proper positioning, with an emphasis on allowing the situation to dictate what technique(s) you should apply.  Due to my training in Law Enforcement, I am also able to discuss the legal aspects surrounding a physical confrontation. 

The history and background to the art are also important to know.  In this way, the student isn't learning just how to punch and kick, but they are also learning the "why" of what is taught.  History is important, because it gives insight into how the training developed.  It also shows that, while some aspects of training will always remain the same, some parts actually do change with the times.  This is the nature of Taekwon-Do...


   Class Format:  Classes generally start with several minutes of warm-up drills, followed by some specific drills geared towards the nights activities.  If it is a specific training night, we start right in with that training.  If it is a General Training night, we will perform different drills, sometimes using the entire floor, sometimes doing stationary or two-person drills.

   I try to vary the format, so that the training doesn't become to "routine".  While it is important to practice the basics on a regular basis, I don't feel that too much time should be spent on doing overly-repetitous drills.  Muscle-memory is important, so I do use these drills.  But I also realize that students would quickly get bored if I did the same thing night after night. 

   Tuls (patterns) are an important part of training, but they are more for learning movement, proper breathing and the use combinations.  They don't have much to do with handling a real fight, but then again neither does extended time in a sitting stance.  However, both do work your mind and your muscles, and any time you are exercising you're doing something good for your body.  Tuls are also what differentiates each art, as each martial art is known by the tuls they practice.

   With that in mind, I am always looking for feedback on classes.  I take suggestions seriously, so if there is an interest in doing a certain activety, I am more than happy to focus on that.  As I have mentioned before, I want the Koryo Karate School  to be "by and for" the students. 

   Some of the benefits from taking part in a martial arts training program are:

     ◊ Gain Confidence

     ◊ Increase Flexibility

     ◊ Improve Overall Fitness

     ◊ Reduce Daily Stresses

   With the winter season in full swing....I want to refresh everyone's memory on the Class Cancellation Policy.  Basically, we follow the Old Orchard Beach School System's school days.  If school is cancelled due to inclement weather (like a snow storm!), then classes for that night are also cancelled.  If it's too nasty to be out and about, we aren't going to hold classes.  Stay home and walk through your forms, or practice your stances, or study your Korean terminology...

   As far as Holidays are concerned, we will once again follow the OOB School's lead, for ALL Holidays.  Any classes that fall on a State or National Holiday will be cancelled.  If a class night is cancelled due to a Holiday, you can come to the class that is closest to that one, even if it's not your "regular" class night.

   You can also check this site on stormy days, as well as tuning into the local News channels for storm cancellations.  Basically, if it's nasty outside - EVEN IF school wasn't cancelled, use your best judgement on deciding if you should be out and about.  It won't hurt my feelings if you decide to stay home! 



 

   I have been training in the martial arts since 1981.  At that time I started to study Taekwon-Do with Master James Hadley.  I studied under him until his untimely death in 1991.  His senior students, Gregg Guillemette and Richard W. Smith, Jr., took over teaching Taekwon-Do.

   There are a couple of different styles of Taekwon-Do taught in the U.S.  The main differences in these styles is the forms (pre-arranged fighting moves) that the students are required to learn.  The style of Taekwon-Do  that I teach is International Taekwon-Do. (Chang-Hon System)  My rank is 4^th degree black belt.

   From 1992 to 1994 I studied Hakkoryu Jujutsu with the Hakkoryu Martial Arts Federation.  Unlike Taekwon-Do, Jujutsu deals more with specific defenses against specific attacks.  The techniques used are joint locks and pressure point attacks, as well as body positioning and throws.  I have also been shown some of the concepts and principals that make up other grappling forms of Jujutsu.  I find this art very practical, and demanding.  A combination of these two Jujutsu arts are what I use for the basis of the schools self-defense training requirements.

   A combination of the two martial arts styles is taught, but with an emphasis on Taekwon-Do.  It is my firm belief that a person needs a strong foundation in "A" martial art before they can expect to learn another.  The Taekwon-Do training is more broad-based, giving the student a wider range of information to draw from.  Once this base is established, the concepts of a new art are generally easier to understand.

   Over the years I have been exposed to many styles, and I believe that all styles have something to offer.  Whenever I am able to learn from another style, I will share that information with you.  No single style could possibly fulfill all your martial arts needs, and this will ensure that an open-minded approach to all arts will be maintained.

   My profession is as a Police Detective for the town of Windham Police Department.  I have worked there since 1984.  I have been a Defensive Tactics (police self-defense) Instructor since 1989.  The need to apply my martial arts training in real-life situations has given me a unique understanding of how the techniques really work.  Through these encounters I have discovered techniques that work, and some that do not.  I will relay this knowledge to you, to ensure that only practical and efficient techniques are being taught.

   I first started teaching in 1993.  I was located at the Racket & Fitness Center in Portland, and we used a spare racketball court.  The floor was terrific, but the acustics were terrible!  For a variety of reasons, I was not able to continue to teach, and had to give it up after less than a year.

   When I was considering what to call my new school, I thought about what message I was trying to relay.  Through my studies in Taekwon-Do, I was aware of the Koryo Dynasty, and it's effect on the country.  During the Koryo Dynasty, martial arts training was of the utmost importance, and martial arts training reached it peak.  It was clear to me at that point.  I wanted to emphasize training, and decided to call my school the Koryo Karate School.  This was a blend of 3 things:  Koryo - to represent the origins.  Karate - at one time a specific art, now it is an accepted generic term for all martial arts training.  School - more than just learing punching and kicking, requirements would be just like a "regular" school, with an emphasis on learning terms, history and concepts. 

   I designed the school patch myself.  I wanted the outline of the patch to be unique, not the standard round design many schools have.  I started off with the name of the school at the top of the design.  I added the Um-Yang symbol, to show a link to the founding country, and to symbolize balance.  I also included the Korean symbols for Tae and Kwon, to denote the actual art itself.  I included a fist, which was representative of a part of the patch from Sabumnim Hadley's school patch.  Like the Korean flag, I chose a white background, and then added a distinct black border. 

   In 1997, I took over Horangi-San Dojang, which was being run by Sabumnim Gregg Guillemette.  Sabumnim Guillemette moved away, and I was approached by his existing students, to see if I wanted to take over the school.  I was an occasional student at class, so everyone there knew me.  I had no plans to start teaching again, but decided that I would see if I could juggle teaching while working full-time.  (This had been my earlier down-fall, as I was working a rotating Patrol shift, where my days off and hours changed every few months)

   At the time, we were in a multi-purpose room at the University of New England in Biddeford.  In 1998, UNE expanded.  Naturally, they took our room, which really left no place for us to train.  Wanting to continue with teaching, I contacted the Old Orchard Beach Recreation Department, and spoke to them about starting a Rec Karate Program.  It was a good fit for all, and we have been in OOB ever since.

  WE moved around from place to place within the Old Orchard Beach school system.  In 2008 we moved to the Recreation Center Training Room, making that our "home".

  In March 2011 we moved to a basement room within the Loranger Memorial School, making that our "new home".  This room affords us the ability to be the sole users of the room, allowing us to set it up the way we want it.  The move has worked out very well!

   One of the good features to being a "Rec Program" is the ability to provide quality training, while keeping prices reasonable.  I am not a full-time karate school, and I don't look to compete with people who teach for a living.  My goal is to provide the highest quality training, that is affordable for all.

   One day I plan on opening my own dojang.  But until then, we will train where we are, making the most out of what we have, and doing our best to live up to the standards set for me by Sabumnim Hadley.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *
   Pictured below is a photo of my original Instructor, Master James Hadley.  Part of the reason I teach Taekwon-Do is to honor his memory...

   


                                      The History of Taekwon-Do

   Taekwon-Do is a method of self-defense that is over 1600 years old.  Monks who trained at the Shaolin Monastery in China traveled to all parts of the world spreading their knowledge.  In the 4th Century they traveled to the northern provinces of Korea, and shared their martial arts knowledge with Korean Monks.

   There was a highly spiritual aspect to the training, besides the vigorous physical demands they endured.  For that reason, Korean Monks would only train on Temple grounds.  They did not share their martial arts skills with non-Monks, whom they felt did not possess the proper spirituality to learn these techniques.

   Training was eventually extended to the general public in the 7th century. This was due to the warring between the three kingdoms of Korea.  (Koguryo in the north, Baek Je in the southwest and Silla in the southeast) In 668 a.d. the Silla Kingdom emerged as the victor.  They set up a centralized government, and also established Buddhism as their national religion.  The Silla Dynasty lasted until 935 a.d., and was known as the Golden Era.  During this time, the practice of the national martial art, known as Taek Kyon, began.  Also during the Silla Dynasty, a group known as the Hwa-Rang-Do emerged. Their purpose was to cultivate moral and patriotic ideals amongst the educated noble-born youth of Korea. Because of their dedication to training mind, spirit and body, they also incorporated the study of Taek Kyon.

   In 935 a.d., the Silla Dynasty was overthrown by the warlord Kyonghum.  He established the kingdom of Koryo, which is the basis for the western name of Korea.  Martial arts flourished during the nearly 500 year reign of the Koryo Kingdom.

   In the 15th century, the Yi Dynasty took over control.  They emphasized learning and scholarly activities.  The practice of Taek Kyon declined, as did the practice of Buddhism as the national religion.  Confucianism became the new religion.  For the next 4 centuries the practice of Taek Kyon continued to decline.

   In 1910, with the Japanese occupation of Korea, Taek Kyon was banned. This was done as part of an attempt to strip the Korean people of their identity and will to resist. Taek Kyon was still practiced in remote areas and in underground movements.  Many Koreans left to study in other parts of the world where martial arts training was not censored.  They traveled to such places as Okinawa, Manchuria, China and the United States.

   At the end of World War II, many of these displaced Koreans returned to their homeland.  They opened up martial arts schools, and incorporated what they had learned in other parts of the world to their Taek Kyon training. Seeking a national name for the new art, the leaders of the Korean martial arts community gathered in 1955.  The new name chosen was Taekwon-Do. It was chosen because it bore a resemblance to the original name of the art and was also highly representative of the art.  Literally translated, Taekwon-Do means: Tae  "to kick and smash with the feet" Kwon  "punching with the fists"   Do  "art" (the art of kicking and punching).

   Taekwon-Do continues to be a popular, growing martial art.  It is an efficient method of self-defense, and easily translates to the "sport" aspect of karate, as seen in tournaments.  The vigorous training is also a way to keep the body strong and flexible.  Gender and age are not factors that would limit anyone from taking up the practice of Taekwon-Do.