Before I quit my job to come to Redeemer, I had lots of money. Well, not lots, but enough to afford a few luxuries, like expensive lessons in kickboxing and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Now that I’m here, I can’t afford to do exciting stuff like that, and my Saturdays are better spent reading history books than going to martial arts tournaments anyway. I loved fighting, and I still do, but it’s a luxury I’ve chosen to forego for the sake of getting a respectable Christ-centered education.The Redeemer Tae Kwon Do club was natural fit for me. I joined at the beginning of the fall semester, and by the time exams rolled around, I had earned my yellow belt, which I received in a belt ceremony during the exam period (pictured). Yellow doesn’t compare very well with some of the accolades I’ve earned in kickboxing or jiu-jitsu, but it’s a start, and I’ve certainly enjoyed learning and developed an appreciation for the art itself and the principles of Korean culture on which it’s founded.
The meetings are run by Master Hyung Im, an 8th degree black belt from Seoul , who also teaches at a Tae Kwon Do school in Caledonia . We start with a light cardio warm-up, followed by stretching, lessons on TKD technique, and finally some strength and conditioning exercises to end the class. There’s a wide variety of fitness levels and athletic ability among the participants, which could be a hindrance in other places, but because our club is free from the yelling and aggressiveness that often comes with martial arts, everybody’s able to work towards their own goals, whether that be greater fitness and flexibility, the ability to defend oneself, or simply the getting to the next belt level.
(Picture taken by Dustin Addink)
I’m planning to continue with the club until the end of the school year. I joined thinking it would be a lackluster substitute for BJJ and kickboxing, but it’s turned out to be a much richer experience than I had expected. My high kicks are looking a lot more graceful these days, too. The Redeemer Tae Kwon Do club meets in the Black Box on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:30 PM. Newcomers are always welcome.
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