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12 myths about practical self defense that I’ve heard from other martial artists, and why I think they’re bull.

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Episode 8: The Bare Minimum Martial Artists Should Know about Sexual Assault

Episode 10: The Stranger Danger Problem

When Parents Aren’t Around by Jamie Clubb

An excellent deep dive into the story of Kitty Genovese and how its mistelling got us to where we are today: You’re Wrong About – Kitty Genovese and “Bystander Apathy”

I know I’m not the only one disappointed that we’re not having class tonight. If you want to have some martial arts at home tonight, here’s something you can do instead.

The subject for the day was supposed to be Master Carlson’s Grab Bag of Doom. For this lesson, we’ll explore the history and culture where taekwondo comes from.

See if you can do the following:

Part 1:

Take 15 minutes and learn to read Korean. Now you can read the crazy squiggles on belts and uniforms and rank certificates! See if you can write your name, or see if you can read these words:

Overachievers: Give this podcast a listen.

Part 2:

Take 1 1/2 minutes and take a look around the Taekwondo Museum in Seoul, Korea. If you pause at 29 seconds, you can see nine bronze plates on the right half of the display. Those show the emblems of each of the original nine kwans, the original taekwondo schools that joined forces to create Kukkiwon, the official governing body of taekwondo. The one right smack in the center is Kang Duk Won, which is the kwan that you are training in today. Here’s a better look at it:

Overachievers: Learn a little about the larger facility. It looks like the videos are broken, but they aren’t. They’ll load if you click on them, and you can see Korea’s national taekwondo demonstration team doing a very flashy performance.

Part 3:

You’re probably ready to move around by now. Most of you have a jegi already, but if you don’t, you can make one really easily. Take it outside! Start with some jegi chagi (the warm up exercise) to get your hips ready to move. Then try some traditional jegi games.

Overachievers: Try hitting it with your taekwondo techniques. Try everything–punches, ridge hands, roundhouse kicks, side kicks, spin hook kicks, or whatever else you can think of.

Have fun, and let me know how it goes!

Most people learn at least a little language and culture when they begin studying martial arts.  Taking it further than that has its pros and cons.

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