Soldiers are as strong as the general who leads them, and, in a like manner, students can only excel under an excellent instructor. We cannot expect a bamboo to grow in a field of reeds, nor can we expect to find an outstanding pupil under an unqualified teacher.

It is of particular importance that the two aspects of TaeKwon-Do, the spirit and the technique, must be taught together. Therefore, a qualified instructor must combine the qualities of a scholar and a soldier if he is to produce pupils of noble character and outstanding skills.

Muscles cramps are caused by prolonged spasms, or involuntary contraction of a muscle. Muscle cramps, especially those of the legs, are extremely common. Treatment is usually massage and stretching and adequate fluid intake, although in cases where cramps are frequent, medication may be recommended.

What is a muscle cramp?
A muscle cramp is an involuntarily and forcibly contracted muscle that does not relax. Any of the muscles under voluntary control (skeletal muscles) can cramp. Cramps of the extremities are very common, especially the legs and feet, and particularly the calf (often termed a "charley horse" cramp). When a muscle (or even a few fibers of a muscle) involuntarily contracts, it is called a spasm and becomes a cramp when the spasm is forceful and sustained.

When a man over 40 begins martial arts workouts they should have a special name: Kung Old Fool, Tae Kwon Old, Health Care-a-te or Senior Do. If anyone asks about my health I usually reply, "I'm aging too fast to get in shape."

I found martial arts while in my forties. Random events carried me to the gym of my future instructor, Grandmaster Byung Min Kim.

The first event occurred while I was having dinner with an old friend. He revealed that he had studied martial arts since he was a boy and had earned a black belt in tae kwon do. My son was young at the time, and I considered the benefit for him of studying some form of martial arts. Finally, I met the Master of my future school. I work as a retail real estate broker, and happened to offer a store to Grandmaster Kim. I didn't close that sale, but fortunately he sold me on tae kwon do.

The expectations of an adult male, no matter how old, when they begin martial arts instruction is the same as a child's. You wistfully remember David Caradine, James Bond, Bruce Lee or Napoleon Solo in any of the popular movies and television shows of the 1950's and 60's.

I yearned to be deadly...and great looking!

By: Sensei J. Richard Kikrham B.Sc.

I'm so proud of the fact that I have no ego. It truly makes me the most humble person I've ever met. Regardless of whether we admit it or not, we all have an ego. It's what we do with that ego and how we demonstrate it among our martial arts peers and students which determine how good and what type of instructor we are...

With over 36 years of martial arts experience I've seen a lot of different types of martial arts and self-defense instructors. They all, including myself, have their weaknesses and strengths...

In Here I Am God

Granted some ego, i.e. self-confidence, is needed in order to teach, but there are those who teach for themselves and those who teach for their students. In the few cases I've seen the god complex in a martial arts or self-defense instructor, it's generally been for the instructor. Even one very good combat veteran martial arts instructor whom I personally knew, seemed to teach for himself. Let's not confuse this with a military manner of teaching martial arts. The word martial after all means war and many of the martial arts taught have or had a military basis at some point in history. His students had a lot of self-confidence, but they also, I unfortunately noted when I asked a newly ranked advanced student his name, had his ego and pride as well. This, in my opinion is unfortunate since a martial arts instructor can, by example, offer so many positive traits to his/her students. If you're looking for a martial arts school or self-defense school, watch some classes and remember the above comments I made. Talk to the instructor, but talk to the students as well. Go with your gut as well as your cognitive processes.

Makiwara is a punching board. It is a piece of equipment essential in toughening the hands, strengthening the wrists and giving training in hand techniques.

A makiwara consists of a straight board with the top portion fitted for punching. The board itself is made from a seven or eight foot long four-by-four, cut diagnonally so that the very top is about half an inch thick. Traditionally, the striking surface of the makiwara consisted of a bundle of straw with rope tightly wound around it at the top foot of the board. A piece of sponge rubber, two inches thick, four inches wide and one foot long, covered with canvas or leather, is widely used. Anything that cushions the shock of impact can be used. For example, a tightly bundled t-shirt attached with duct tape would work just as well.