How to Improve One's Concentration

by Nathaniel Rhine

At this week's training, my master brought to our attention the importance of concentration in all that we do, especially when we are training in the martial arts. Many student tend to just go through the motions when training. The instructor shows one how to perform a specific movement or technique, and the student simply mimics the instructor. But is that enough?

We went back to basics. In actual fact we not only went back to the basics, we even slowed down our movements drastically. My master taught us that in order to improve our concentration, one would have to learn how to breathe correctly. Interesting. Since the day we were born, we all know how to breathe, but do we really breathe efficiently? And does breathing affect one's concentration?

Simply, in order to increase our concentration, one must inhale through one's nose as one is about to execute a movement. Then one is to exhale 70% of one's oxygen as one would actually execute a movement, through one's mouth.

Example: when one is about to execute a straight punch, take in a deep breath as one would move towards his opponent, very slowly. As you begin to execute the punch, exhale very slowly through one's mouth, keeping 30% in the abdomen. The crucial point is to retain 30% of your oxygen in your abdomen. Notice, I mentioned that the movement must be slow. Slow so that the student can focus and concentrate on both his breathing and the actual technique he is executing.

Moving slowly is not as easy as it may look. By executing the techniques slowly one is learning several things. One, he is learning how to breathe correctly and get the most out of his breathing. Two, he is perfecting his technique, the correct positioning of the hands, legs, arms etc. Three, he is learning the importance of balance and how to improve it. Four, he is learning how to relax both the body and mind, and fifth, he his learning how to focus and improve his concentration.

Many students of the martial arts may know how to performs many techniques when they are performed at normal speed, or so they may think. Practice, what was just discussed above, and one will very quickly see that he may not have been executing his techniques correctly after all. And surely, he was not concentrating very well. Enjoy your training.

The Foot Fist Way - Movie Review

by Nathaniel Rhine

I had the opportunity to watch another martial arts movie on television tonight, and I must admit, I was very disappointed. Firstly, the movie was about a so-called Taekwondo instructor who misused and abused his authority.

The main actor, the Taekwondo instructor, made sexual advances towards one of his teen aged female students. Yes, unfortunately, there are a few "instructors" who may have misbehaved, however, should that be the message the director of the movie wanted to protray?

The instructor used very abusive language with his students who were children. One may scold their students from time to time and when necessary, however, using abusive and vulgar language is absolutely not acceptable.

Martial arts is to instill discipline and respect in the students, but with the character of the instructor in the movie, how is it possible that a man who lacked discipline and respect of self be in the position to teach it to his students? If anything, the students feared him more than respected him.

The greatest means of teaching children, and adults for that matter, is by setting a good example. The instructor in the movie set many examples, but none of them were good. He took his students to a party were alcohol was consumed, vulgar language was used and violence encouraged.

I could write more about this horrible example of a martial arts movie, but I won't. I would like to encourage martial artists and those who love the martial arts to speak out about movies such as this one. Martial arts are beautiful forms of art. The movie portrayed martial arts in general and Taekwondo in specific, that it has no value, no substance. On the contrary, martial arts, has taught millions of people throughout the world the importance of respect, discipline, hard work, perseverance, integrity, brotherhood and the list goes on.

Movie producers, actors, actresses and even those who call yourselves martial arts who want to have any involvement in such horrible movies, please think twice. You are doing the martial arts a great disservice.

I am a product of Taekwondo and proud to say that. The creation of this blog site is to promote and defend Taekwondo and the martial arts. I have done that from the very first time I stepped into a dojang (training center), and I will continue to do that has long as I have breath.

Thank you and long live the martial arts.

Koko Krunch Championship 2010 - April 10, 2010

Yours truly, Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the World Taekwondo Instructors' Acedemy (WTIA) Dojang in Sri Hartamas, Selangor, Malaysia after sparring class. Congratulations to all the students who participated in the Koko Krunch Championship 2010 held at Stadium Cheras in Kuala Lumpur! Thank you Sir Lee Cheong Boo for the photographs.