Returning to Taekwondo After 40 Years

I'm 60 years old and one thing I can't do is stretch, but when trying to be good in TKD is be very important to be flexible.   So I have decided to work on my stretch and see if I can improve my hip flexibility in the next month .   Below is a picture showing where I am today.  Not very good.    So starting in 2023 - I will do 45 minutes of stretching 7 days a week, and see where I am at that point.  When I was a teenager I could almost do a complete split.  I hope that old me can be encouraged to come out!   Some of the stretching will be:  Lateral Lunge Single Leg Split Butterfly Vertical Leg Swings Lateral Leg Swings Middle Split

 Last week on December 14th I had my first belt test.   The belt test was for a white belt - which is the first step through the belts.   We had 15 minutes of warming up, with 15 minutes of form and one step sparing, and then 15 minutes of braking boards.  The judges were Grand Master Kang (9th degree), and a 7th degree black belt lady that travelled from New York.  After the test, they provided the new belt, certificate and trophy to each person that passed the test.   Their focus was energy and power and mentioned it several times.   Here a few pictures: Afterwards they celebrated with pizza - but since I was to be at prayer meeting, I took off immediately after the belt test.  Hopefully my test belt test will be in February. 

  I had my flags sewed onto my uniform and attended my first real class.   I'm a bit excited because, I was told by the instructor that I could take a belt test this mid-December.  I think my practice of the first form paid off, because they went over it with me and seemed surprised that I knew it so well.  My only concern is the drills, which there are two.  1) ready my left arm to do a high block, step out with my first leg into a horse stance - high block and then punch. 2) feet together, front kick with left leg, Axe kick with right foot, dropping into a long step, then left punch.  At least that's what I believe he said.  I have a couple weeks to figure it  out.  ;p   I was paired up with a fellow named Robert (green belt, grey hair).   He hurt his foot doing a round house kick.   There was another kid there that is India, his name is Ethen - he'll be testing with me.