Make a Difference

If you really want to do something where you feel like you are actually making a difference to both yourself and society, I highly recommend taking up Taekwon-Do.  Not only do you increase your self confidence and fitness, you also increase your own level of safety and the safety of those around you. QSDTA Taekwon-Do isn’t all about competitions and full combat.  Although we do participate in sparring, it is either pre-arranged (for demonstrative purposes and to learn correct technique) or non-contact free sparring.  We also learn patterns, the history behind Taekwon-Do and also practical self defense.

Pre-arranged sparring consists of pre-arranged attacking and defending moves.  It is designed to teach how to block particular attacks and how to successfully execute an effective counter attack.  Pre-arranged sparring is learnt before you begin free sparring to allow you to learn the correct techniques for when you are free sparring.

QSTDA free sparring is essentially an extension of pre-arranged sparring, the main differences being that it is conducted in real time and each attack and block is up to you.  You get to choose the appropriate defense for each attack made by your opponent and you get to choose the appropriate counter attack for your opponent to defend against.

Patterns are an effective way of learning both the history of Taekwon-Do and also the many movements that can be used both in your free sparring and in practical self defense.  The patterns you will learn will not only teach you new techniques but they will also help you perfect your accuracy and increase your power.  Each pattern you learn also has a unique history behind it giving the student a useful insight in to Korean history and the history of Taekwon-Do.

Practical self defense will give you the necessary skills to get out of threatening situations.  With each coloured belt you will learn a new set of self defense techniques, increasing your ability to defend yourself – and others around you, if the need arises.

Through learning Taekwon-Do with QSDTA, I haven’t only learnt how to protect myself in the unfortunate case that a person does attack me.  I have also learnt how to be more aware of what is going on around me, how to notice the early warning signs of a possible threat and practical advice on how to avoid getting into threatening situations.

Before I started Taekwon-Do, I was very worried of walking home from the train station in the dark, after I’d finished work for the day.  I now have a greater awareness of what goes on around me and feel safer in the fact that, if something did happen, I would actually be able to protect myself.

Brenna Miller – 1st Gup (black tip) student at the Queensland Self Defense and Taekwon-Do Academy’s Chermside branch in Brisbane.  September 2007.