On March 1st 2019 (not 1919) i took over Basingstoke TAGB and i am pleased to say students are performing well and above all i think we are all enjoying our training. However sitting on your laurels is not something i do very often. I have found that in life its important to always learn and seek to improve yourself and ultimately others. Yes training is hard sometimes but its necessary to get better at our techniques and to build our confidence.
I am reminded by a great quote from the founder of Tae Kwon-Do General Choi Hong Hi who once said "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to go to his class".
So i decided to ensure that i should learn more, especially if i am asking my students to. A few months ago i stayed with some friends in Cornwall, Guy and Lisa Southard. Between them they run Bude, Plymouth and Okehampton. I was asked if i wanted to train. I accepted and the following day i also went to one of their gradings. Grand Master Dew welcomed me with "Martyn what are you doing here" :). It was a great experience. To see another teacher of Tae Kwon-Do is really inspiring. It can be a very lonely job.
Thanks to Guy and Lisa i returned and when on holiday near Bude i went to that club also. I learned again. So on Facebook i shared it and received an invite to train with Julie Smith at Chippenham juniors. What another wonderful and useful experience. I learned again and in my lesson i tried out some new ideas. Little did i know that at Chippenham in the evening Master Andy Tombling and his good wife Jackie were running the senior class.
It was a great experience and i have now been invited to train with another instructor, if i can make it, Ben Cheriton.
Its my hope that i can attend 50 lessons with multiple instructors before next October when by the grace of Grand Master Dew and my instructor Master Gellard, i may be able to take my 5th Degree Black Belt.
Its great to think you know it all, but i quickly knew that i had to learn if i was to improve and my students were to improve. My aim has always been that my students will be
better than me.
So take the plunge if on holiday, or staying away with work. Ask if you can train with another club while you are there. Who knows maybe you will teach them something :).
For a list of all South West Clubs goto www.blackbeltschools.com