School's Out For Summer!!

Don't let the Training, Respect, Respect, Honor, or Discipline take a vacation!! 

Taekwondo is an excellent want to keep your students mentally and physically engaged and off the couch this summer (year round too!). 

It is excellent for cross training, conditioning for students in their "off" season. It will help them stay mentally sharp as well!

Come join us during this "Summer Vacation" break! 

And don't TaeKwonDo is good for "every" body! Yours too!

Mr. Holman

 HEY PARENTS (and kids),

Start out the new year on a TEAM where every one PLAYS!  Olympic Taekwondo Academy TEAM TAEKWONDO! No one sits on the bench or gets rotated out. Tournaments coming up! Start your training NOW! 

Mom and Dad! Taekwondo is for you TOO! Great family time, builds Respect, Honor, and Discipline. Call or come in for our back - to - school specials. 

We love and appreciate our Military Families. Thank you for all you do!

5 Tenets of Tae Kwon Do

COURTESY (Ye-Ui) in a broader sense is kindness, humility, good manners, politeness, and respect.

INTEGRITY (Yom-Chi) generally speaking, is honesty, straight dealing, purity, moral soundness, and uprightness. To have integrity means to be honest with everyone and with yourself at all times.

PERSEVERANCE (In-Nae) is persistence, a steadfast pursuit of and an understanding of the aim, continuation in the practice of Tae Kwon Do regardless of the amount of obstacles, hindering circumstances, difficulties, or occasional "let downs" which are only temporary situations. The strong will to hold on, regardless of obstacles. Loyalty.

SELF-CONTROL (Guk-Gi) is a double edged sword: on the one hand, it is the physical control with regard to motions, precision of execution, prevention of unnecessary injuries (as opposed to acting wildly) or killing, due to lack of control. Experience is the best teacher, but all the physical reactions are based on the psychological makeup, maturity, and moral, ethical, and religious codes. Emotions are usually involved, to a certain degree, in the majority of situations, hence the need for emotional self control. The degree of controlling the particularly strong emotions such as love, hate, anger, surprise, joy, sadness, etc., show the level of achievement of each practitioner of Tae Kwon Do.
Emotions should be governed by a strong and conscious reason and aided by experience in principles. The success of application of this tenet in practical everyday life should result in creating the indomitable spirit.

INDOMITABLE SPIRIT (Baekjul-Bool Gool) Indomitable means unconquerable, unbreakable, unquenchable. To put it simply, it means that one has such strong unshakeable beliefs and principles that even sacrificing the most precious possession one has, one's own life, is not too high a price to pay in defending them. The most classical example of the application of this tenet is found in ancient Greek history, in the story of the Thermopylae, Leonidas and his 300 Spartans.

There are five tenets defined in the ITF.[16]

Courtesy (Ye-ui / 예의);    Showing courtesy to all, respecting others, having manners as well as maintaining the appropriate etiquette at all times, both within and outside the dojang (도장) (designated training area).

Integrity (Yeom-chi / 염치);    Although it may be similar, this form of integrity takes on a more wider role then defined in the common dictionary. In Taekwondo, integrity means not only to determine what is right or wrong but also having the conscience to feel guilt if one has done wrong and to have the integrity stand up for what is right.[16]

Perseverance (In-nae / 인내);    One will persevere time and time again until they have achieved a result which is adequate towards what one was trying to achieve.[16]

Self-control (Geuk-gi / 극기);    This means to not only have control over one's physical acts, but also their mental thoughts and actions.[16]

Indomitable spirit (Baek-jeol-bul-gul / 백절불굴);    To have indomitable spirit means to have the courage to stand up for what you believe in,[16] no matter what odds you are up against, and to always give 100% effort in whatever you do.

From the WTF website.

Taekwondo today is similar to the martial arts in other Oriental countries and shares some features with them, because in the course of its evolution it has gained many different styles that existed in the martial arts of the countries surrounding Korea, like Japan and China.

But Taekwondo is very different from many such oriental martial arts. First, physically it is very dynamic with active movements that include a mirage of foot skills. Second, the principle physical movements are in simpatico with that of the mind and life as a whole. Third, it possesses dynamic poses from another perspective.

Taekwondo can be characterized by unity: the unity of body, mind, and life, and the unity of the pose ["poomsae"] and confrontation, and cracking down. When you do Taekwondo, you should make your mind peaceful and synchronize your mind with your movements, and extend this harmony to your life and society. This is how in Taekwondo the principle of physical movements, the principle of mind training, and the principle of life become one and the same. On the other hand, the right poomsae lead to the right confrontation, which will eventually produce great destructive power.

How come we reach such a unity in Taekwondo? Taekwondo is a way of life, much like having a job, raising a family, fighting for a cause, or any one of numerous raison d'etre. What makes Taekwondo different from these is that it is an activity for survival in extremely antagonistic situations. One must always overcome the enemy that is trying to cause harm. But simply winning a fight is not enough to guarantee one's safety, because the enemy may recuperate and attack again. Moreover, there may be many other enemies than the one that was just defeated. One cannot ever feel safe unless one gains permanent peace. To attain this permanent or lasting peace, one needs unity. This is what Taekwondo aim for. Otherwise Taekwondo would be no different from any other street-fighting skills.

Taekwondo pursues harmonious growth and improvements of life through its unique activities. This is why one could say Taekwondo is a way of life. To ultimately enable ourselves to lead more valuable lives, we would do well by finding the guiding principles deeply hidden in Taekwondo.

Thoughts for the day.......

     The new school year is approaching and so is the next Taekwondo tournament season. Start preparing now! Taekwondo is a Martial Art and a "Martial" Sport. NO ONE SITS ON THE BENCH! Unless they want to. Great fun, self confidence, self defense, FUN! Not to mention strength, coordination, balance, etc. Come and join the fun NOW Olympic Taekwondo Academy!!

Summer Time!

Any time is a great time to start Taekwondo!  Have fun this summer.  Keep active.  Learn self defense.  Keep your kids minds active and alert, and ready for the coming school year.  It's better than XBOX! Learn coordination, balance, self confidence, self control, respect, honor, and discipline!  OH and it's a great family activity!  A family that kicks together, sticks together!  Call now for details on our Summer Special!  Training for the upcoming tournament season!  No one sits on the bench! (unless they want to)

Eating in the Athlete's KitchenPrintAUG. 07, 2014, 1:29 P.M. (ET)By Nancy Clark, MS, RDMany teens and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are great athletes. In elementary school, they may not have been good at sitting quietly, but they certainly could excel at sports. Many found exercise had a calming, centering effect. With maturation, exercise still helps them get through their school/workday.

Athletes with ADHD often have trouble organizing an effective fueling protocol, including the basic tasks of shopping for and preparing food, as well as having the right foods available at the right times. This can create problems with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and hunger that gets disguised as inability to concentrate, stay focused on a task, edginess, hot temper and reduced athletic performance. Athletes with ADHD often disregard these symptoms, thinking they relate to their ADHD diagnosis, not hunger and poor diet.

Athletes with ADHD often take appetite-killing meds that easily disrupt normal fueling cycles and contribute to fluctuations in energy. Athletes need steady energy to be able to concentrate and perform at their best. Hence, athletes with ADHD need to vigilantly monitor their bodies for early signs of hunger, including feeling fatigued or moody. Some may seek an energy drink such as Red Bull or some coffee, but the solution is not caffeine. They need fuel!

When athletes with ADHD miss meals due to lack of planning, they often end up craving sweets—a sign the body is too hungry and wants a sugar fix. They can then easily succumb to overindulging in cookies, candy and other so-called junk foods. This may happen at 10 p.m., after their appetite-suppressing meds have worn off, and this can disrupt normal sleep patterns, as well as kill their appetite for their breakfast, and that perpetuates a bad eating cycle.

The information below is helpful for any athlete—not just those with ADHD:

• Take mealtimes seriously. If you can find the time to train and compete, you can also find the time to fuel right. In fact, all competitive athletes who don't show up for meals might as well not show up for events. Everyone loses his or her competitive edge with hit-or-miss fueling.

• Fuel your body on a regular schedule by eating even-sized meals at least every four hours. If meds curb your appetite, plan to eat by the clock, and not by (non-existent) hunger. If necessary, set the alarm on your watch or cellphone. If the sight or smell of food makes you nauseous, try cold beverages such as a fruit smoothie with additional protein powder.

• Organize your eating into four “food buckets.” Consume the contents of a bucket every four hours, either as a meal (breakfast, early lunch, late lunch and dinner) or as smaller mini-meals based on wholesome foods, not sweets.

For most athletes, each meal/food bucket should be the caloric equivalent of two or three slices of pizza. That's about 500 to 800 calories per bucket (or 2,000 to 3,200 calories per day), depending on your body size, sport and energy needs. For athletes on appetite-curbing ADHD meds, the breakfast bucket should be the biggest bucket and incorporate some of the lunch calories that will otherwise get left uneaten.

The following sample menu has four food buckets that offer a steady supply of energy for an ADHD high school athlete:

7 a.m.                        Breakfast                                 Bagel + peanut butter + tall glass milk + banana

                                                                                       OR 3-egg omelet (lowfat cheese, veg) + toast + fruit

                                                                                       Better bet if unable to stomach all of lunch:Bagel & peanut                                       

                                                                                       butter + omelet + milk + banana

11 a.m.*                    Lunch #1                                 Tuna sandwich/whole wheat bread + string cheese  + milk

3 p.m.*                      Lunch #2                                 Pre-exercise:  Energy bar + apple   

                                                                                      Recovery: Dried fruit & nuts + pretzels

7 p.m.*                      Dinner                                     Chicken + brown rice + veggies + milk

* Remember, if you take ADHD meds, you may not feel hungry, but your body still needs fuel. Figure out what you can eat, regardless!

• Eat BEFORE your appetite-killing meds kick in. Again, figure out how to front-load your calories. For example, one athlete with ADHD started eating a hearty sandwich for breakfast. Another enjoyed “planned overs” from dinner the night before. By front-loading, they felt calmer during the day, had better workouts in the afternoon and were better able to focus on the task at hand.

• Plan to fill your food buckets with foods in their natural state, and limit your intake of highly processed foods. Some health professionals believe additives and food coloring in processed foods can trigger hyperactivity in certain people. Plus, highly processed foods often offer less nutritional value and fewer health benefits. Shop for fresh foods along the outside aisles of the grocery store: fresh fruit, vegetables, lean meats, low fat dairy and whole grain breads.

• Include a protein-rich food in each food bucket, such as eggs, cottage cheese, peanut butter, lowfat cheese, Greek yogurt or turkey/cheese roll-ups. Again, nothing is wrong with having dinner for breakfast; enjoy that cheeseburger and oven-baked French fries, and then roll the scrambled eggs and cheese into a wrap for lunch. Protein is satiating and helps stabilize blood sugar. A trail mix made with nuts and dried fruit is another option with compact calories for easy nibbling.

• Make a shopping list before you go to the grocery store, and shop after having eaten a meal. That enhances your chances of choosing more of the best sports foods and less of the rest. Examples include: orange juice rather than sports drink; oranges instead of orange juice; oatmeal (served with a little honey) instead of frosted flakes (with a lot of sugar); whole wheat bread rather than white bread; scrambled eggs instead of Eggo waffles; baked potatoes in place of French fries; plain yogurt sweetened with maple syrup instead of pre-sweetened yogurt; trail mix rather than M&Ms; protein bars rather than candy bars.

If you find yourself edgy and unable to focus in the afternoon, experiment with reorganizing your meals and snacks into four (calorically-equal) food buckets and notice the benefits: better focus, fewer cravings for sweets and better performance.

For more information about management of ADHD in kids and adults, visit http://www.additudemag.com.

Boston-area sports nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD, counsels both casual and competitive athletes. Her private practice is in Newton, Mass. (617-795-1875). For information about her new Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 5th edition, seewww.nancyclarkrd.com. For online education, also see www.sportsnutritionworkshop.com.

Looking forward to seeing all of our Olympic Taekwondo Academy family today at 5:30. See you there!

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Congratulations to Olympic Taekwondo Academy Student, Leilani, going to USAT Taekwondo National Championship. July 5 2014 San Jose, CA. 

Good Luck bringing home the Gold! :-)

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