Teen and Adult        12yrs & Up

Taekwondo for Teens & Adults is specifically designed to meet the wide variety of needs in the 12 and up age group.  We understand that people in this age group are primarily interested in achieving and maintaining physical fitness, learning self-defense, and/or participating in a constructive social activity.  Taekwondo offers these benefits and so much more.

Songahm Taekwondo – this is the physical curriculum including stances, kicks, blocks, and strikes.  These techniques are organized into patterns of moves called forms for display and the development of memorization and focus.  Practicing these techniques individually or in forms develops coordination, strength, and flexibility.

Self-defense training includes practicing responses to specific attacks.  These responses include the use of basic pressure points and joint locks.  A large part of self-defense is projecting strength and confidence, being alert and aware, increasing reaction time, and knowing how to avoid potentially dangerous situations.  One of the best ways to increase awareness and reaction time is through classroom and tournament sparring.

Classroom sparring traditionally begins at the intermediate rank level and consists of a spontaneous, but strategic and controlled, exchange of techniques.  In tournament sparring, the first person to attain 5 points or the person with the most points after the two minutes have passed wins the match.  However, white, orange and yellow belts begin with something called one-step sparring also known as one-steps. One-steps are similar to a short, choreographed fight scene in which the attacker provides an offensive technique and the defender blocks and counters.

Other curriculum such as weapon and board breaking is added at the intermediate and advanced color belt training.

Songahm Philosophy - Songahm Taekwondo is a martial art which seeks to train people physically and mentally.  The philosophy is the heart and spirit of Songahm Taekwondo.  Just about every symbol and design has a special meaning that reflects the philosophy of the Grand Master (Dae Sah-boo Nim) and the Grand Masters (Dae Sah-boo) of times past.

For example, Songahm means pine tree and rock.  Eternal Grand Master H. U. Lee chose the pine tree as a symbol of Taekwondo for two reasons: first, because, in the Korean culture, it is regarded as a symbol of happiness, longevity, and unchanging loyalty; second, because of the parallelism between the pine tree and the student of Songahm Taekwondo.

The color belt philosophy for white belt is: as with the pine tree, the seed must now be planted and nourished in order to develop strong roots.  This means that the student has no knowledge of Taekwondo and begins with a pure, clean slate.  The translation of Shim Jun, the name for the first degree black belt form, is: begin planting seeds for the future.  This means that the black belt is renewing the growth cycle by being a leader and example for the color belt students.