This Is A Guest Post:
5 years ago I became a black belt in a martial art I never thought I’d be committed to.
5 years ago, I earned my first dan black belt in Taekwondo after 4 years in the martial art.
I already have a little background in Aikido when I used to live in Cebu. College. When I graduated and came home, there wasn’t any Aikido dojo in the city. So the chance of becoming a black belt was gone.
Fast forward to April 2011, I discovered that a Taekwondo dojang exists in the city. I enrolled out of curiosity. A friend manages the gym they train in, so I figured it was legit. I came to love Taekwondo and I discovered kicking is one of my strong suits.
Self-defense is always a must, when you enroll in martial arts, fitness comes in second.
My sabumnim taught us well. He put me directly in advanced-practical self-defense classes. First lesson is the most practical one: if you can run, you run. And I definitely agree. You don’t train to street fight, you train to avoid fights. Training will help you keep your wits about you when you face an adversary. You will not panic.
I became a regular student, trained, and took part in the promotion tests. Unfortunately, I had to stop for a year because of injuries sustained during one of said tests. About a year of therapy and rest, I met my sabumnin and he told to me to come back to training. He allowed me to participate in the black belt promotion test a year after that.
When I received my first dan black belt.
My sabumnim gave me the opportunity to train players and eventually coached them in competitions both regional and national. Potential and dedicated players received full scholarships in universities and colleges in Manila.
Two years later, by God’s grace, my body was still able to take part in another promotion test. I now hold a second-dan black belt, and also a certified national instructor of the Philippine Taekwondo Association (PTA).
Then, COVID-19 happened.
And Taekwondo became a sport that is too dangerous for anyone to practice in this pandemic. Contact sports became a no-no and players stopped their training. But that shouldn’t prevent us because we can innovate. The PTA now issued a national directive to engage in online training. To keep the players active. Of course, physical training is far different but why would we allow COVID-19 to stop us from training, right? As long as we do it within quarantine rules.
Lemonade from lemons, yes?
There’s a verse from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians that I love when it comes to training and I would like to share it with you:
“but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
1 Cor 9:27, NASB
Because Taekwondo is a lifestyle. And that lifestyle takes a lot of discipline.
~ Camilla Yu ~
You may follow Cam Yu on her:
Youtube Channel: BetweenOranges
Blog: betweenoranges.wordpress.com
Mia, as I love to call Camilla Yu is one of my closest friends in college. She was one of the people who made me love the Harry Potter Books! We both wanted Muay Thai, but she chose a different path years ago, while I have not started towards that desire yet. I was supposed to take my first classes last April but, CoViD-19 happened. Must add the practice of discipline in my rules for 2020.
I would like to create attention to Taekwondo because I just love their initiative of taking a contact sport to a different level, where the practice evolves and adjusts along with the new normal of social distancing now. Training and practice should never cease whatever disease comes our way.
And before I’ll end this post, I’d like to say, “Happy 5th Black-Belt Year, Coach Cam Yu!”
Laurence
I wanted to do this when I was in college, basically for the purpose of self defense, and to make your body healthy and alert at all times. I hope you can do it soon again, with all the quarantine rules.
CA
I really want to try Muay Thai.
bethan taylor-swaine
I have so much respect for anyone who practices martial arts, it requires so much discipline and focus! Congratulations on getting your black belt, I hope you can get back on the mat soon x
GiGi Eats Celebrities
I am super proud of you! Black belt – that’s incredible! I have always secretly wanted to do taekwondo or karate, or something similar, but obviously, since I haven’t… Well, I clearly haven’t wanted to get involved THAT much! haha.
Charlotte Petit Noble
I love your dedication. Sports have always been part of my life. I was a gymnast for a long time. I also used to play handball, but I was more of a lone wolf, so gymnastic fitted me better.
Kiara Williams
I always had an interest in Taekwondo. But I didn’t realize that it would be effected because of the pandemic. Thanks for letting me know.
Lori Bosworth
That is amazing that you received your black belt within four years! I admire the discipline of taekwondo.
MELANIE EDJOURIAN
You did well to get you’re black belt in that amount of time. It’s great fun and good exercise. I wish I’d done it until black belt.
Amber Myers
How cool. I wish my kids would do something like this. I would like them to be able to defend themselves. Maybe one day!
ninalehan21
wow, well done for being committed. keep up the good work 🙂 My best friend loves Taekwondo
Tara Pittman
My boys would love this sport. This seems like a good sport t hat can help them be strong
julseliz
Congrats on that black belt! That is an amazing feat. I would love to enroll in some form of self defense but like you said quarantine has shut everything down. Keep up the amazing work!
Passion Piece
I wish I had done more sports when I was younger. Black belt it’s really something! Hope my kids will be more active in the future. 🙂
joanna
It is nice that you found a sport that you love and managed to achieve so much through hard training. I can’t even imagine how hard it must have been when you injured yourself and had to step down for a while.
Aditinona
That’s quite an inspirational post, I believe that if one is dedicated enough, nothing can stop you from achieveing your goals, not even a pandemic like Corona
Jim
That is inspiring. Nice read. These are sure challenging times but I am sure will pass if we are patient and cautious!
Claudia Blanton
that is defensively a lifestyle. Before my daughter got sick, she was heavily into competing in Taekwondo. She was about to go to the Nationals, when we figured out that she (actually 3 of us in the family) have a genetic disease that will keep her from following her dream of becoming a Master, and teaching. It is nice to see someone else passionate about this sport. Blessings!
chad
as a kid, i had the option to either do taekwondo or kungfu, i chose kungfu. I love both of course, taekwondo is awesome…
Kristine Nicole Alessandra
So impressive! My son enrolled in Aikido class as an elective subject in school, but when he transferred school, it was no longer offered there. I have high admiration for people who learn the art. I would want to learn too, but I guess I am past my time.
Cristina Petrini
As I had commented on your Facebook, I am passionate about martial arts although I have never tried or tried to approach it!
World In Eyes
It was really amazing to know about your entire journey..Am glad that you got that your first dan black belt…am sure that would be a great journey for you..Congrats for your first dan black belt…Great work..hoping that soon the situation would be better back again….
Monidipa
I really like people who practice martial arts. I wish I could do it too.
Di Hickman
Congratulations on your success in Taekwondo! I always wanted to do a martial art but due to health condition contact sports are not advised. I’ll live vicariously through you!
Kat Hibbert
I hope you can get back to it soon, seems like it was really doing great things for you!
aisasami
As someone who practices Tae Kwon Do, I love practicing the sport. I practice it for self defense at first but it has evolve into a lot more. I am goi9ng back to Tae kwon Do on Monday, the first time in 3 months.
forkwardthinkingfoodinista
Wow how amazing is this. go you and how proud you must be to be doing this for sure xx
Khushboo
Congrats on black belt. I also wanted to learn kick boxing. Its good to know you are so active.
Jen Walker
I’ve always wanted to get into marital arts, but it was frowned upon by my family because I am a girl. I’ve recently found a dojo here I am interested in, but COVID has put a pause on that plan. I should see if I can find any online options to get me started until it is safe to get into contact sports again.
CA
Go for it!
Louise Smith
Congrats on the black belt. You’ve done amazingly 🙂
Louise x
Agnes Dela Cruz
My son and daughter had their Taekwondo lessons when they were in grade school. But, it never became their sports.
Lovely
Taekwondo is such a great sport! You are so amazing being on the black belt!
xoxo
Lovely
http://mynameislovely.com
colossalumbrella
I wish I knew it well enough to defend myself. I learned Taekwondo a few years ago but then lost interest