Who is the ATA or American
The ATA or American Taekwondo Association is a family oriented martial arts
The "Songahm Star" is the |
"Martial Art" is a broad term encompassing the many styles of
physical discipline (fighting) arts that have been developed over the
centuries. To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another
"martial art" would be an oversimplified explanation of the world’s
largest centrally administered martial art. This system of teaching and
training is unequaled in the martial arts community.
During its early years, the ATA used the Chahng-hun style of forms (also used
by the International Taekwondo Federation). But although this style was widely
accepted in the community, Eternal
Grand Master H.U. Lee
felt that its forms did not accurately reflect Taekwondo — particularly the
strength and beauty of Taekwondo kicking
techniques. As a result, he believed the forms contributed little to the Taekwondo curriculum. For example,
white belts were expected to know front kicks and side kicks, but no front kick
appeared until the third (yellow belt) form, and there was no side kick until
the form after that!
From 1983 to 1990, Eternal Grand Master
Lee introduced the eighteen Songahm forms. These forms are part of a
fully-integrated curriculum, in which everything a student learns reinforces
everything else. The forms contain all or nearly all of the techniques that
students are expected to know at each rank, the one-step sparring segments
complement the forms, and all of these patterns lead logically to the movements
required for each succeeding rank.
The Songahm curriculum facilitates a smooth progression from one rank to the
next, so that students who begin Taekwondo feeling they’ll never be able to do
a simple block (for example) suddenly find themselves a few years later doing
360-degree jumping kicks with ease.
Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. To
say it is just self-defense would be to lose most of the valuable ideas and
philosophy behind this ancient art.
The heightened capacity for self-defense resulting from our Taekwondo is really
a fringe benefit that is gained by dedicating one’s self to the values,
philosophy and training of Songahm Taekwondo. When learning, a student is in a
true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also
on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and
loyalty.
A beginner does not focus on being a skilled martial artist within a month or
two, as a strong foundation in Taekwondo must be built first. Trying to advance
beyond your level without proper guidance is like building a house on concrete
that has not dried. Though the house may still stand, the foundation would not
be as strong and the appearance of the house may not be as presentable.
The ATA and its affiliated organizations help build a strong foundation of
Songahm Taekwondo in each of its members, a foundation from which advancement
in both the martial art (mind and
body) and in self defense can be built and added on to in perpetuity.
Changing Lives provides you with the
best Chesapeake and
Virginia Beach karate, taekwondo a Mixed Martial Arts Instruction. Changing
Lives Martial Arts teaches karate, taekwondo, kung fu and krav maga to everyone
from tiny tigers and kids to adults and seniors and all levels from beginners
to advanced. These disciplines, be it taekwondo, mixed martial arts, karate, or
kung fu, can be practiced by people of all ages, from the very young, to the elderly.
For adults wishing to practice these disciplines, the benefits of studying them
offer some of the same benefits as it does for children.
Many people consider
various types of martial arts as an extreme martial arts, hybrid martial art or
High Velocity Martial Art sports, taekwondo, and Karate? Extreme, hybrid or a
High Velocity dynamic style of sport fighting is seen in the world of Mixed
Martial Arts such as in the UFC. Traditional Karate and Sport Karate are two
very different types of training and styles states, Sr. Master Tracy Lee Thomas of
Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Martial Arts.
Western Wrestling and boxing along with various
other fighting forms, combat sports, reality based systems are indeed a physical
and mental martial arts forms of practice and theory that has evolved over the
years. The general public perception of the martial arts is thoughtfully seen
or envisioned as an “art” within the martial arts. The Origins that were brought from the East
to the West are a wide variety and have greatly seen an evolution over the past
few decades. Martial arts such as these include, Taekwondo, Karate, Kung-Fu,
Tai Chi, and Aikido. Tracy Lee Thomas,
a Martial Arts Master Instructor
states; “As seen in the sky, our universe holds an abundance of stars both
known and unknown that are of great value to our world. Traditional martial
arts like the stars in the universe, they hold an unfathomable amount of valued
treasures that await a student training in karate at Chesapeake
and Virginia Beach Changing Lives Martial Arts
. The
programs taught at Changing Lives is more than kicking and punching, it can
define a person and give them a more defined meaning in life. Through the
traditional aspects of martial arts training and life skills utilized within a
training course, one will strengthen and fine tune their mental and physical
awareness, agility and self discipline.
Changing
Lives ATA Martial Arts of both Virginia Beach, Virginia and Chesapeake,
Virginia offers all community members a free 3 day karate confidence course.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I3Nxg-vrh4