1000’s of belts earned, 100+ competitions attended, and so many memories.

Master Cha moved Red Phoenix Tae Kwon Do to Calgary in 2005 and he’s sharing some reflections on his 15 years in the city.

1. People train in Tae Kwon Do for many reasons. Whether adults or children, our students tried Tae Kwon Do (and stayed) for all kinds of reasons – overall fitness and flexibility, building a network in a new city, setting a stretch goal, trying something they’ve wanted to do since they were kids, cross training, self defense, and more. All of these are benefits of Tae Kwon Do.
2. The TKD journey isn’t bounded by age. Many of our first students still attend classes with us. They’ve reached their second and third degree black belts, competed (or not), moved back after attending university in another city, raised families, and continue to train. We’ve had “greats” and “grands” train with the youngest generation in the family class.
3. A new black belt generation: Some of our first students who earned their black belt with us have now brought their children for Tae Kwon Do classes, and even to family classes. With martial arts classes for 3 year olds and up, Tae Kwon Do quickly becomes a family experience.
4. A door to self awareness: Tae Kwon Do helped some kids learn more about themselves, what they are capable of, as well as improve their focus and perseverance. We’ve seen students find new friends at Tae Kwon Do, build self confidence, and learn new ways of relating with their peers. They've also taken up a training challenge, stepped out and competed in poomse or sparring at a tournament.
5. The path to black belt is fast but slow. Students have set out to earn a black belt and faced setbacks, paused their practice, returned to class, and steadily progressed to reach their goal. Through tremendous challenges, Tae Kwon Do has held a steady place in their lives.
6. Trust builds friendships and a network: Students created strong friendships, met future work colleagues, and built business connections through classes. The trust is built through target drills and step sparring moves, which can apply to the business world too.
7. A ki-hap can kick start a louder voice. Trying out a loud voice and powerful motions can translate into more confidence, ability to take on risk, and make change. It’s a powerful thing to see what you’re capable of in a new environment.

We’re excited for another 15 years in Calgary and for everything we will keep on learning.