Returning to Taekwondo After 40 Years

This weekend was quite significate for me, because I took my black belt test … and passed. My journey started way back when I was 15 years old in Whippany in 1977–78, and it took me many years to find my way back. A return to Taekwondo in my 60s wasn't as easy as you would think, but it was one of the best choices that I have made. The test today included physical fitness, forms (called Poomsae), one-step sparring (self-defense), kicking drills, full contact sparring, and finally board breaking. The whole day when fast, and the final feeling is surreal. You have a goal for so many years and suddenly you are standing there acctually realizing it happened. I’m thankful to God for giving me the strength for this journey. I’m very grateful for what I have received, to my wife, my intructors, and everyone who encouraged me every step of the way. I’m ready to collapse being exhausted, but grateful, and proud, and I’m excited for what comes next. 🥋

 

Silver today, gold tomorrow. Just received a silver medal for board breaking at this year’s competition—and matched first place in points! A small detail separated me from the top spot, but honestly? That’s just next year’s target. Grateful for the experience, the lessons, and everyone who’s supported the journey. Time to sharpen the edge and come back even stronger. Note: Tomorrow I have two more events!! More updates to come ... --------------------------- What I did: Broke 9 boards: Hammer Fist - 2 boards, Elbow Strike 3 boards, 1 each, Round House, Spinning Back Kick, Tornado Kick & Jumping Side Kick. How did I do: Went perfectly, with the except 2nd attempt on Spinning Back Kick which broke. Lesson's learn: Maximize Board Breaks, Presentation is Important (Kai More), Replace Round House with a jump or spinning kick, like a jumping front kick. Throw in a one leg doing a double kick.

✅ Poomsae Technical Tips 1. Stance Clarity & Transition Tiger Stance: Both knees slightly bent, weight mostly on back leg, heel of front foot lightly touching the ground. Long Stance: Front knee bent firmly, back leg straight with heel down, 4 feet distance between front and back foot. Make transitions clear and deliberate for judge visibility. 2. Knifehand Block (Sonnal Makki) Extend the blocking arm — avoid keeping it too tight or close to your body. Relax shoulder and arm to allow smooth movement. Finish with the block at shoulder height , slightly forward. Opposite hand should stay firmly chambered . 3. Long Stance Punch Mechanics Turn your shoulder into the punch for power and follow-through. Use full-body mechanics (hip and shoulder), not just arm strength. Punch with intent — project confidence and commitment. 4. Taeguk 8: Mountain Block (San Makki) Switch hands between left and right mountain blocks — don’t repeat the same h...

Getting back into TKD after all these years has been a lot tougher than I expected. Honestly, there have been moments where I seriously wondered what I was doing. Stretching has been one of the hardest parts. I’ve been working at it regularly—doing all the right things—but progress has been slow. Really slow. And just when I thought I was starting to improve, I pulled a muscle in my upper thigh (quad). That set me back big time. Not gonna lie, it was discouraging. Then there’s competition. Yeah… I’ve stepped into a few tournaments in my 60s. Most of the people out there are half my age (or less). It’s nerve-wracking. The body doesn’t move like it used to, and sometimes just standing out there feels like a win. But I do it—because I refuse to let fear or age be what holds me back. It’s humbling relearning techniques I used to know. I’m slower than I was. Recovery takes longer. But I’m still here, still moving, still growing. And honestly, the only reason I’ve made it this far is bec...

Tonight, I was honored and deeply grateful to reach a rare milestone—passing my final color belt test (Senior Bo-Dan/1st Keup) and officially becoming a black belt candidate! Lord willing, my black belt test will be this December. It’s been an incredible journey—one filled with challenges, growth, and moments I’ll never forget. I'm excited (and a little nervous) for what lies ahead. Huge thanks to Grandmaster Kang and Master Nam for their guidance, patience, and wisdom throughout the process. I wouldn’t be here without their support. Onward and upward!

The Benefits of Taking Taekwondo Now that I’m in my 60s, I find myself thinking less about just adding years and more about how to make those years worth living. It’s not only about staying alive longer but about staying active, mobile, and strong enough to actually enjoy life. My path into fitness has been gradual. Back in my 50s I started running. At first it was just about building endurance and getting my heart stronger. Over time I noticed real . changes.more energy, better stamina, and even improvements in my VO₂ max, which is a fancy way of saying my aerobic health was improving in a way that’s tied to long-term well-being. But as the years went on, I couldn’t ignore the muscle loss creeping in, especially around my core and shoulders. That’s when I picked up weight training. It gave me back strength I was missing, helped my posture, and gave me the stability I needed for other activities. The biggest shift though didn’t come until my 60s, when I walked into Master Kang’...

Today, I had the privilege of attending the first-ever Taekwondo Poomsae Seminar in Albany, New York, hosted by the Kukkiwon New York . The session was intense, packed into just a few hours, but it was an incredible experience that truly elevated my skills. A big thank you to Grand Master Kang and Master Nam for their expert guidance and teaching, which will definitely help us step up our game for upcoming competitions.

Why I started Taekwondo ... I first began TaeKwonDo in 1977, when I was 15 years old. Growing up, I was a pacifist by nature, which unfortunately made me an easy target for bullies. I had always been curious about the martial arts—mostly from hearing stories about Bruce Lee and watching the TV show Kung Fu —but I never thought I would actually train. That changed when a friend invited me to join him for a free TaeKwonDo class. Honestly, I only went because he had a coupon. To my surprise, from the very first class I was hooked. My friend never came back, but I did. For the first time in my life, I felt empowered. Training gave me a confidence I had never known before, and it began to show in the way I carried myself at school. Bullies quickly noticed the difference. On one occasion in Shop class, a kid deliberately bumped into me and started mocking me. Instead of shrinking back like I normally would, I jumped onto a table, delivered a flying front snap kick to his chest, and followed ...

  I’m incredibly grateful to have passed my Junior Bodan Belt Test in Taekwondo this evening! It’s an honor to continue training under Master Nam’s guidance. Now, I’m eagerly looking forward to my final color belt test this June. It's been an incredible journey, and I'm excited for what’s ahead!

  I had an exciting day at the New Jersey State USA TaeKwonDo Championship in Newark, NJ! It turned out to be a rich and rewarding experience, I received a gold medal in P oomsae (forms) and a gold medal in Board Breaking in my division (The old guy red belt division). This means I qualify to compete in the National Championship which is scheduled in July out in California.

  Since I don't compete on Sundays, I am only registered for Poomsae and Board Breaking on Saturday, March 8th.  

  This evening, I successfully tested for my Bo-Dan belt (half black, half red). Bo-Dan are the ranks preceding black belt. If all goes well (DV), I’ll start the series of black belt tests in 2025. In the picture with me is Master Nam, for which I owe great respect and appreciation.

            I had an exciting and adventurous day competing at the New Jersey TaeKwonDo Open! It turned out to be a fantastic experience—I earned a silver medal in Poomsae (forms) and a gold medal in Olympic Sparring in my division (red belt). This was my first time trying Olympic-style sparring, so it was a significant learning opportunity. I also made several new friends along the way. One gentleman, in particular, kindly stepped in to be my coach, helping me put on my gear and offering invaluable advice from my corner. It’s moments like these that make the journey in TaeKwonDo so rewarding! Lesson's Learnt:   Comment #1:   For the Poomsae I was more relaxed, but I had a moment in my form where I forgot the next movement and had a 2 second pause - which I think costed me the gold in Poomsae. The good thing was I did not stop, I went blank, but did not show it, took a deep breath, and then recovered.  In the end the judges wer...

  7th New Jersey Tae Kwon Do Open Championships I registered for this NJ TKD Open Championship as a Red Belt for WT Forms.   Likely my last tournament for 2024.   I thought this would test my nerves before the Houston tournament.   :) 

 This is exciting tournament, but will require far more preparations for.  I am required to know and compete in four different TaeGeuk forms5-8.   I've already forgotten 5-6, and I presently learning number 7.   I sat down with Master Nam last week, and he told me to relearn 5-6, and learn 7 during the month of October, then learn 8 during the last two months.  This will be my biggest challenge up to this point.  The pressure was big the last two (in person tournaments) but this is going to be huge.  

  This is me, almost 62 years old. I’ve just finished the promotion test for my red belt (4th Keub). I never thought I’d make it even this far at my age, but I’m so glad (by God's grace) I’ve stuck with it!!! Being Red is important because I've now been training for 2 years, brings me into the Advance belts ranks, and marks that I only have three more color belts before my black belt. Note: I had to do a break a one inch board doing a tornado kick. I was bringing my leg up too close to my body, and it took three attempts to break the board. I definitely need to work on this.

 My Latest Competition is an online tournament called the  4th Han Wong Worldwide Open Online Poomsae & Speed Kicking Championship 2024. I only entered the Poomsae Competition doing my TAEGUK OH JANG (5) form. The form has been recorded at my Do Jang, and updated to youtube here ( LINK ) The registration closes on July 24 and the competition is aired live on 07/30/2024. Update:  I won in my division (Under 65, advance, male) since I was the only one in my division.  However I was grateful that I received a 7.8 score - which is quite respectable and gives me a new goal of doing better.  ( link to the final video of competitors - I'm at the very end). 

On June 12, 2024 I was testing for my brown belt test (5th Keub) in the Korean art of Tae Kwon Do. The picture below is with my examiner Grand Master Jae J Kang which is a 9th degree Black Belt. Kukkiwon Certified. Grateful my wife came and witnessed me doing my test.

 I was reminded by my TKD master of the pressure of competition, and that as you compete more and more you are able to deal better with the pressure.   While this is true, there are hacks that may help you from choking under pressure.   Don't just practice under optimal environments.   Practice, under pressure, and various pressures before competition.  1.     Why wait - if you can create a pressured situation in which is expose yourself to stress before the competition, then do it.   This may include - asking for your teachers or students to review your form and asking for criticisms.   You may want to do a form next to someone else that is doing a different form.  Don't limit your audience, practice your form in public before friends, family, or even strangers.   Asking someone to blow an Air Horn while you are doing the form.     2.  Practice the forum with closed eyes (utili...