Hi
I thought it might be useful for me to keep a record of my Taekwon-do journey, as I get older my memory is not so great (makes it hard to remember patterns lol).
This is intended as a type of resume for my own personal use, I hope it is not viewed as showing off or "big noting", that is not its purpose, I have worked hard for a very long time, and want a record of that hard work.
I started my Martial Arts journey, when I was 13 years old in Rockdale, Sydney, NSW. I started because I needed to learn how to defend myself, I was on my own, a girl, and had no real protection.
I started with Judo, a the police boys club, it was a great way to learn how to fall, roll and manouvure my body.
My next expeience was in Zen Do Kai, in this disapline I learnt how to improve my fighting, there was a lot of sparring and I was a young and very angry girl, so this suited me very well. I loved sparring and could not wait to get into the ring and let rip. I got to Black Belt level. I was fortunate enough to train with Mr Lance Chipchase a former Australian Muay Thai Champion.
Then there was a series of experimentations with different styles, Wing Chung, Kung Fu, Kick Boxing and Tai Chi, I was looking for my instructor, my Guru, I just did not know it at the time.
Later when I had become a mother. I took my daughter to the local hall in the Hills and watched her in the kids class. I sat there and was very impressed with the instructor. The style was Taekwon-do and the Instructor was Ming Tuck Low (now Grand Master Ming Tuck Low).
I realised that I had been searching for my Instructor and in Grand Master Low I found someone who was very skilled, had great technical knowledge and was gentle and humble. It was the man that drew me to the style. I had found him, my Instructor.
I have been with Grand Master Low and Taekwon-do for 25 years now and I am currently a 5th Dan Black Belt.