Kevin Kastelle wrote:
How do you see TaeKwonDo's benefits?

• In a survey of 200 parents whose children (ages 5-11) have been in
Martial Arts training for at least six months:
98% said their children's' behavior improved!
• Out of 127 teachers who had hyperactive students in Martial Arts for
at least six months:
(Ages 5-8) 79% improved
(Ages 9-11) 87% improved
(Ages 12-16) 97% improved
•
• Out of 172 adults enrolled in Martial Arts training, when questioned
about their attitude towards life:
(Ages 18-30) 97% said it had improved
(Ages 31-50) 100% said it had improved
(Ages 51-74) 100% said it had improved
•
• Out of 111 parents with handicapped children enrolled in Martial
Arts, when asked if there were any improvements in their childrens'
self-esteem and attitude:
o 87% saw improvement
o 13% saw no change (after six months)

• Academic teachers with students in Martial Arts training who had
practiced for at least one year:
(Ages 5-8) 95% improved dramatically
(Ages 9-12) 81% improved academically
(Ages 13-18) 91% improved academically
•
• In a survey of 121 adults (ages 18-65) enrolled in Martial Arts: in
their childrens' self-esteem and attitude:
o 73% lost 25 lbs. or more
o 25% lost at least 5 lbs.
o 2% gained 5 lbs. or le

"Every time you stay out late....
Every time you sleep in.....
Every time you miss a workout....
Every time you don't give 100%....
You make it that much easier
for me to beat you."
-  Unknown

The MIT Sport Taekwondo Club took second place at a tournament held at
New York University on Feb. 24, the largest tournament in the history
of the Ivy Northeast Collegiate Taekwondo League. Of the twenty four
colleges competing, only Cornell University surpassed the impressive
score of MIT's team, coached by Master Daniel Chuang.

The competition began with forms, or poomsae, competition, in which
competitors perform a choreographed sequence of kicks and hand
techniques. Club President Corinna Hui '09 secured the team's first
victory of the day with a gold medal in the women's red belt division.

MIT was dominant in blue belt forms, with Ning Wu G and Wenxian Hong
'10 taking first place and third place respectively in the men's
competition, and Elisabeth M. Markham '09 and Miranda J. Ha G doing
the same on the women's side.

At the green belt level, Michael Schneider G took first place among
the men with his powerful hand techniques. Shammi S. Quddus '10 and
Chensi Ouyang '08 earned first and third place among the women.

Andrew K. Sugaya '11 also earned second place in the very large white
and yellow belt division.

The sparring competitions were highly competitive in the very large
field, beginning with the advanced (A-Team) division. The women's A1
team (co-captain Karolina A. Corin G, Ha, Hui, and Stephanie R. Chiang
'08) had a very impressive showing, fighting through close matches and
sudden death overtimes all the way to the finals against Harvard
University A1. The team took the silver medal.

In the beginner (C-Team) and first-timer (D-Team) competitions, some
of MIT's newest team members had the opportunity to represent MIT in
the ring. MIT's women's C2 team (Jing "Jenny" Cheng '11, ZheChen
"Mary" Hong '10, and Ouyang) took third place after easily winning
three matches, falling only to Cornell University C1. First time
competitors John Sebastian Pineda '10 and JiHye Ham '08 took a gold
and silver medal respectively in the men's and women's D-Team
competitions.

The tournament ended with the intermediate (B-Team) division, which
provided a satisfying conclusion for MIT with the women's B1 (Ha, Hui,
and Chiang), B2 (Ranbel F. Sun '10, Han Zhu '09, and Markham), and B3
(Jaclyn J. Ho '09, Stephanie E. Nix '09, and Christine Chin
'09) sweeping first, second and third place for the second consecutive
tournament.

For the third tournament this year, MIT's men's A1 team (Wu, and
co-captains Christopher J. Han '09 and Jaroslaw Labaziewicz G) also
served as the men's B1 team. Fighting through a long and arduous day
of competition, they took a bronze medal in the B-Team contest.

MIT finished the tournament with 378 points to Cornell's 657,
retaining second place in the league among twenty schools after three
tournaments this season. The club is now preparing for the next INCTL
tournament at the University of Pennsylvania on April 5.

THIS IS NOT THE 'DON'T BUY' GAS FOR ONE DAY, BUT IT  WILL SHOW YOU HOW
WE CAN GET GAS BACK DOWN TO     $1.30 PER GALLON.

This was sent by a retired Coca Cola executive.  It came from one of
his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton.  If you are tired
of the gas prices going up AND they will continue to rise this summer,
take time to read this please.

Phillip Hollsworth offered this good idea.
This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day"
campaign that was going around last April or May!
It's worth your consideration.  Join the resistance!!!!

I hear we are going to hit ose to $ 4.00 a gallon by next summe! r and
it might go higher!!  Want gasoline prices to come down?

We need to take some intelligent, united action.
The oil companies just laughed at that because the! y knew we wouldn't
continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas .

It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for em.
BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can
Really work.  Please read on and join with us!

By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $2.00 is
super cheap.  Me too!  It is currently $3.49 for regular unleaded in
my town, Se! attle.

Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to
think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75, we
need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the
marketplace..not sellers.

With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need
to take action.

The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit
someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas!  And, we can do
that WITHOUT hurting ourselves.

! How?  Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas.

But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all ! act together to
force a price war.

Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY
gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and
MOBIL.

If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their
prices.   If
they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon
and Mobil gas buyers.  It's really simple to do!  Now, don't wimp out
on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is
to reach millions of people!!

I am sending this note to 30 people.  If each of us send it to at
least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ...  and those 300 send it to at least
ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)... and so on, by the time the message
reaches the sixth group of people,e will have reached over THREE
MILLI! ON consumers .
If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends
each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!

If it goes one level further, you guessed it.....  THREE HUNDRED MILLION
PEOPLE!!!

Again, all you have to do is send this to 10 people.  That's all!

(If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have
to do is send this to 10 people....  Well, let's face it, you just
aren't a mathematician.  But I am .  so trust me on this one.
How long would all that take?  If each of us sends this e-mail out to
ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people
could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!!!

I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you!
Acting together we can make a difference.

If this makes sense to you, please pass this message on.  I suggest
that we not buy from EXXON/MOBIL UNTIL THEY LOWER THEIR PRICES TO THE
$2.00 RANGE AND KEEP THEM DOWN.  THIS CAN REALLY WORK.


                                   Keep it going
http://fairwageaffordablebenefits.blogspot.com/

One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. --
Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)

If you could change one thing about being a parent what would it be?

If you could,
Who's TaeKwonDo Technique would you most want to be able to perform
and why?

> >> >Subject: Crackpot friends
> >
> >
> >
> >An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a
> >pole
> >which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in
it while
> >the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water.
> >At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked
> >pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily,
> >with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of
> >course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments.
> >
> >But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and
miserable
> >that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After 2
years of
> >what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one
day by
> >the
> >stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side
causes water
> >to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled,
"Did you
> >notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the
> >other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw,
> >so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while
> >we walk back, you water them." "For two years I have been able to pick
> >these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just
> >the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."
> >
> >Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we
> >each have that make our lives together so very interesting and
> >rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and
> >look for the good in them.
> >
> >
> >So, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to
> >smell the flowers on your side of the path! And send this to any or all
> >of your crackpot friends within 5 minutes and see what happens!
> >

"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned." -- Peter Marshall
(1902-1949, American Presbyterian Clergyman)

Benefits for Adults

Brad Evenson
National Post

Thursday, March 25, 2004
Pacifists take note: Medical research shows why Vikings, gladiators
and samurai were so vigorous. It turns out fighting is good for you.
Two studies published today in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
suggest martial arts and wrestling can stave off disease.

"The true meaning of martial arts is the prolonging of life, not just
self-defence," says Peter Douris, a professor of physical therapy at
the New York Institute of Technology. "It's self-defence against the
ageing process. If you notice these [martial arts] masters as they get
older and older, they stay in incredible condition."

What makes fighting unique among most forms of exercise is the way it
blends strength, endurance, flexibility and balance. Although the
studies were small in scale, their findings should make people aware
of fitness alternatives to traditional sports such as running and
lifting weights. In recent years, millions of elderly North Americans
have discovered the benefits of tai chi, a Chinese martial art that
uses slow, smooth movements to train the body in balance, endurance
and strength. But Dr. Douris wanted to see whether a more dynamic art
form could offer benefits to people aged 40 to 60.

"I was interested in middle aged people like me," said the 47-year-old
researcher.

Dr. Douris recruited seven men and two women who had practised a
Korean martial art called soo bahk do. However, he says other forms,
such as karate, judo, tae kwon do and kung fu would confer similar
benefits. The subjects had done the martial art for three years or
more, but did no other exercise.

He compared them with adults of the same age and gender who did no
exercise, measuring body fat, balance, flexibility, muscle and grip
strength. "The difference was incredible," he said.

For example, the sedentary group had 12% more body fat than the soo
bahk do group. The martial arts group performed more than twice as
many push ups and situps in 60 seconds.

They could also hold their balance on one leg with eyes closed for an
average 62 seconds, compared with only 26 seconds for the sedentary
group. In a test called the "sit and reach test," the soo bahk do
group enjoyed 114% more flexibility in the hamstrings, low back and
hip joints. Not only does fighting help fitness, but it may also
prevent illness. In a study of teenaged boys, a team of California
researchers found wrestling added a powerful boost to the immune system.

Until now, most studies of immunity and activity focused on adults.
But in recent years, evidence has piled up that exercise can bolster
the immune systems of children, which can influence their growth.
"What is emerging from this is that the role of exercise in children
is not only for growth and development, but also in the immune
response," says researcher Dan Cooper, a professor of pediatrics at
the University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Cooper and his colleagues measured the levels of white blood cells
of 14- to 18-year-old boys at a high school after a 90-minute
wrestling practice.

They chose wrestling because of its intense blend of resistance,
endurance and stretching exercise.

"What I think is interesting about the wrestler paper is here is an
activity that is done by kids," he says. "It's comparable to other
sports, and before we had sports, probably it's comparable to what
children did during the early evolution of man."

They found the cell counts rose sharply after the exercise, especially
a class of cells called natural killer (NK) cells. The most aggressive
of all immune cells, NK cells are the first line of defence against
viral infections and cancers. They patrol the bloodstream, seeking out
"banners" on healthy, normal cells. When they find diseased cells
without this flag, the NK cells blast them with a lethal burst of
chemicals that destroys them.

Dr. Cooper suggests immune chemicals produced by exercise, such as an
inflammatory protein called IL-6 may help children grow. "[IL-6] may
cause the formation of new blood vessels," he says. "The formation of
new blood vessels in the muscle is probably one of the most important
adaptive mechanisms. It's what allows you, the second time you do the
activity, to do it better and more efficiently." In fact, he suspects
many forms of illness caused by defects in the immune system, such as
diabetes, asthma or arthritis, may be caused by a lack of vigorous
exercise, such as wrestling or martial arts, in childhood.

© National Post 2004

TaeKwonDo Benefits:
Benefits for Childeren
     * In a survey of 200 parents whose children (ages 5-11) have been
in Martial Arts training for at least six months:
       98% said their childrens' behaviour improved!

     * Out of 127 teachers who had hyperactive students in Martial Arts
for at least six months:
       (Ages 5-8)  79% improved
       (Ages 9-11)  87% improved
       (Ages 12-16)  97% improved

     * Out of 172 adults enrolled in Martial Arts training, when
questioned about their attitude towards life:
       (Ages 18-30)  97% said it had improved
       (Ages 31-50)  100% said it had improved
       (Ages 51-74)  100% said it had improved

     * Out of 111 parents with handicapped children enrolled in Martial
Arts, when asked if there were any improvements in their childrens'
self-esteem and attitude:
           o 87% saw improvement
           o 13% saw no change (after six months)


     * Academic teachers with students in Martial Arts training who had
practiced for at least one year:
       (Ages 5-8)  95% improved dramatically
       (Ages 9-12)  81% improved academically
       (Ages 13-18)  91% improved academically

     * In a survey of 121 adults (ages 18-65) enrolled in Martial Arts:
in their childrens' self-esteem and attitude:
           o 73% lost 25 lbs. or more
           o 25% lost at least 5 lbs.
           o 2% gained 5 lbs. or le


       Source: According to the United States Martial Arts Foundation
       Chairman, Robert Ferguson.

I just got back from  Kickfest 2008 and it was definitely an action
packed
night. 18 fights, both MMA  and kickboxing and one boxing match.

Juan won his fight by judges  decision though he injured himself part way
through the first round. He went for  a left leg fast kick and when he
put his
back foot down he hit the ground  instantly. I'm not sure if maybe he
twisted
his knee or ankle. He was pretty  impressive to me for my first time
seeing him
fight at all. I've met him before  years ago but never saw him fight.
It was
obvious that his hands needed work but  he got off two very nice cover
punches
that made sweat fly off the guys head.  Overall he looked good.

Someone that I didn't expect to see was fighting  also, Eui Lee. He
had an
MMA match.  I was hoping I'd get to see his kicks,  as I'd seen him
competing
and competed at his tournament before in the past.  However, he
quickly took the
guy to the ground, took full mount and proceeded to  "ground and
pound" until
the ref stopped the match. Overall he looked good also,  I just wished
the
fight was longer.



Mike  Hollingsworth
Capoeira & Taekwondo

Understanding More About The World Hanmadang

   To understand more about the World Hanmadang, a Kukkiwon
International Event we must think outside  the box of  sport Olympic
Taekwondo. Yes we will still do sport Taekwondo, but now in America
we have more than just sport. Now we as instructors can offer every
student in Taekwondo an international event with the possibility of
winning. In actuality we can now build all student's confidence to a
higher learning capability with which they can become stronger and
better because we have more tools to do it with. In traditional
martial arts of old it's about family and the building of each
individual to be unique. In order to make the Kukkiwon Hanmadang
Methodology useful to each instructor we must get back to traditional
martial arts with the teaching, that all Taekwondoians are family and
that unity with loyalty is necessary. In order to do this we need to
think:

   Family

   Unity

   Technique

   Festival

   Fun

   Stressless competition environment, yet teaching the important
points of life that make things more enjoyable.



   Some of the Hanmadang events are listed here:

   Team Poomse

   Individual Poomse

   Aerobic Poomse

   Musical Poomse

   Self- Defense with different categories

   Board Breaking with hands and feet.



   More information to come. Closely watch for the United States
Taekwondo Federation web site which will be up Friday 1-11-2007 at
www.unitedstatestaekwondofederation.com

Kevin Kastelle wrote:
Check this out!

http://www.history.com/minisites/humanweapon

2008 Hanmadang, To Be Held in the USA

HAN, Hye - Jin: Translation by James Kim (2007/11/28)

Kukkiwon Committee, 2008 World Taekwondo Hanmadang in USA confirmed

Anaheim Convention Center

To determine next year's World Taekwondo Hanmadang's location, things
are getting hectic. In the midst of it all, Kukkiwon finally confirmed
that next year's host will be United States.

Kukkiwon announced this decision on the 27th and confirmed that '2008
World Taekwondo Hanmadang' with the proposal from President Sang Chul
Lee from USTF, will be held in the United States at the Anaheim
Convention Center.

Hanmadang will take place from July 16th through the 20th of 2008 at
the Anaheim Convention Center. USTF will contribute $600,000 out of
estimated cost of $900,000 to host the event and the remainder will be
provided by Kukkiwon in the amount of $300,000.

With this announcement, Hanmadang which is held in Korea for the past
16 years is finally taking place in a foreign land. Kukkiwon also
announced that every other year, Hanmadang will be hosted by a
different country. That means 2008 will be in US, 2009 back in Korea,
and in 2010 different country will be hosting Hanmadang.

USTF's President Lee told MOOKAS NEWS "to host Hanmadang in the US
means that Taekwondo is finally a global martial art." "this will be a
memorable event that surpasses even an Olympic Taekwondo that will
make Korea proud."

http://www.martialartsteachers.com/index.php?page=Jim+Carrey+Karate+Segment&acti\
on=download&file_id=350

Recently I watched two young boys following their dad into the store
as they were saying, "Daddy, what do we get if we're good in the store
today?"

His answer was, "A happy family. That's what you get!"

Now there's a dad I like!