Feb 1

Written by: David DiBella
2/1/2008 10:09 AM

It's easy to view our training, whether it be martial arts or physical fitness, as an individual endeavor. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that we have all had individuals in our lives who have provided inspiration and guidance needed to help us achieve our goals. It is important that we too provide leadership to others.  Leadership can be in the form of hard work and dedication that provides an example to others. Also, leadership can be in the form of mentoring.  We can take others under our wings or lend a helping hand and share our knowledge.

We never really fully understand something until we teach it.  I remember when I started teaching Tae Kwon Do.  Students would ask questions regarding technique.  Even though I spent years training and the techniques in question were ingrained in my memory and could be performed without thinking, I often had difficulty articulating how it was done.  Students would ask, "How do I get from position A to position B?".  I would have to run through it in mind and break down what had become second nature.  Teaching forced me to revisit all the details and view my training from others' perspectives.  Teaching is the natural progression of one's training.

I have been extremely fortunate to have had a great teacher, Master Yong Taek Chung, and view teaching others as the only way to thank him for what he has given me.

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