Since then I had about a 3yrs gap in practicing Martial Arts. Luckily for me, one of my close friends who also happened to be a Black Belt in WTF Tae Kwon Do began advertising classes at my school during my final year of A-Levels. When I was practicing Karate I had always been interested in learning Tae Kwon Do, because the Karate I learnt was a traditional Okinawan Karate and it did not involve much kicking. So without having to think twice I signed up for the class and I began practicing Tae Kwon Do for just over a year until I finished my A-Levels.
The following October, 2000 I began my studies at Aston University, but unfortunately there was no Tae Kwon Do club there and I ended up not practicing Tae Kwon Do for another 4yrs. It was never my intention to leave such a blank in my Tae Kwon Do career, but the temptation for socialising with my friends overwhelmed me, and I finished my studies there. However, the following September, 2004 I began my studies at University of Warwick and one day I came across this advertisement for Tae Kwon Do. I knew I missed practicing it, but I had no idea how much I really missed it. I was also feeling a little frustrated for not having a regular training routine so I decided to join the club.
It was a slow and painful process when I finally got back into Tae Kwon Do. I had lost my flexibility and the frame of mind necessary for sparring, and frankly I was really shocked with how out of shape I had become. All this frustration began to consume my mind and when I realised I was doing something to do with Tae Kwon Do everyday to make up for the time I wasted. Since then I have never looked back nor started doubting my limit in progressing, and I developed this huge hunger for getting a Black Belt.
A lot of things have happened since I got back into practicing, and I faced good and bad patches of progression, but I finally reached my first objective of attaining a 1st Degree Black Belt in May 2006 at the age of 25. (Thanks are due to Mr Raiwa V, Mr Sowerby IV, Mr Tizick IV, Mrs Tizick III, Mr Naughton II, Mr Simmons II, and Mr Wilcox II) I had worked so hard for this, but I also began to realise that this is not the ultimate goal I wanted to achieve. Now I see reaching 1st degree Black Belt as a true start of my Tae Kwon Do career. Up to now I have learnt all the fundamentals, but from now on I am going to practice how to use them properly, and develop better and a deeper understanding of each movement in Tae Kwon Do.
I would like to take Tae Kwon Do as a life long achievement, and hopefully I will be able to reach further and become a better practitioner. In the near future, I would also like to teach the art of Tae Kwon Do and pass on the skills and knowledge I have gained to the others. The speed of progression and level of standards will vary between each person, but what I would like to accomplish is to let everybody feel the joy of practicing the art, to appreciate the beauty of it, and to help them get something positive through the experience.
And I hope I can help people to enjoy practicing Tae Kwon Do as much as I do!
Taro came to TST during a summer break from Warwick uni, and continued his training ever since. Until quite recently Taro train at both Warwick and TST. He first walked through our doors as a green belt, and took to our sign wave style straight away, so easily so people were surprised when he told us he only started doing sign wave when he came to TST, as he made it look like he'd done it for years.
Taro puts a lot of study into his TKD, and has made it his life's goal to become better. His ability to perform patterns is ascetically pleasing to watch. He still takes on board every comment and works to improve, which is great for somebody of such a high standard, as it shows he his still humble and willing to get better. He is now achieving some good results in tournaments, turning second and third places, into firsts.Taro is also a good free sparer, and one of the most unpredictable fighters I've come across, always able to change style and rhythm.
Like all our instructors he is a great all round TKDist.
Taro used to take classes at Warwick Uni, but since his studies ended and he became a full time TST student, Taro's teaching had been limited.
We have now set him up a class of his own, to allow him to improve on his teaching ability and work under us, which will I hope allow him in the near future to achieve his own personal goal of opening up his own school.
Mr J Tizick