Foreword – As the only magazine serving all of Holly Springs, we often get requests to publish certain articles or ideas. We encourage you to reach us if you have something to share. In the case of Eugene Yamnitsy, he reached out to us to help with part of his 3rd Degree Black Belt test, which requires him to reach out and communicate the benefits of studying the martial art Tae Kwon Do. You’ll find his essay below:
I’ve been practicing martial arts on and off since a young age. Whether it was Judo or Taekwondo, it was mainly driven by a desire to be able to protect myself from bullies at school and on the street. And believe me when I say that it was a good set of skills to have growing as a Jewish boy in the former Soviet Union.
Coming back to Taekwondo after an 8-year break has led me to reflect on my lifestyle, relationship with kids, and career aspirations.
Lifestyle
For the last 8 years, I’ve been finding excuses for not going to the gym, going for a run, or going back to practice Taekwondo. Mainly, this was the usual “too much work”, “need to take care of kids”, etc. As stress kept being built up, it seemed like going back to Taekwondo was the last thing I needed in an already crazy schedule. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Going to a class at 7pm on a weekday is tough: I often just want to rest after a stressful day at work. However, every single time I go to a class, I come back refreshed, recharged, and de-stressed. This is courtesy of a great cardio workout, and doing something way different from the normal routine. As a result, I’ve gotten back in shape, I feel great, and I manage stress way better.
Relationship with Kids
I have never imagined how big of an impact it would be to practice together with my son. It’s a great bonding activity during the class, and it gives us a topic of common interest to discuss outside of the studio. Additionally, our instructor, Master Kim, gives us tools to help our kids develop into more disciplined, more respectful individuals. When my 6-year-old son does not show proper respect, doesn’t fold his clothes, or forgets to clean up after his meal, we have a common language discussing the “Home Rules” each Taekwondo student in Master Kim’s dojang has to follow.
Career
In the past 10 or so years, I found passion for teaching. Whether I was teaching a software infrastructure class I developed for my team, a development methodology workshop, or a class on entrepreneurship, it’s something that I feel I’m good at, and it gave me a sense of fulfillment. When I joined Young-In Martial Arts, I started assisting instructors, and over time I intend to become one. Throughout this experience, I reminded myself that teaching is something that I see in my future.
Additionally, when it comes to public speaking, I used to get fairly nervous. While the anxiety didn’t go away completely, I noticed a positive change in my recent presentations in front of big crowds, and that came after several [belt] tests I had to pass in front of spectators.
A few words about my current dojang. Yong-In Martial Arts in Holly Springs is a unique Taekwondo school. Many Taekwondo schools advertise their focus on building discipline, developing respect, and focus, but based on my experience with three prior schools, few actually do so deliberately. Many masters assume that just through practice of the art a student will develop these qualities. Master Kim takes a different approach: no class passes by without a conversation on the Taekwondo philosophy, what it means to be respectful and disciplined, and what it means to be confident and focused. Master Kim has a unique way to reach children and instill these and other important qualities through repetition, examples, positive reinforcement, humor, and the environment of fun. Mahatma Gandhi said “A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create.” This quote comes to mind when I think about the way Master Kim structures his curriculum. Leadership is taught throughout. Every black belt is encouraged and required to assist in classes, something that I love doing.
Conclusion
Taekwondo has more to offer than just a hobby. It can have a positive effect on multiple aspects of your life. Whether your goal is to get in shape, become more confident, develop character, or build a stronger relationship with your family member, join a Taekwondo studio and see the benefits for yourself.
