Tae Kwon Do My Life and Philosophy »

Discover the life and philosophy of a world-renowned Tae Kwon Do champion!

International Tae Kwon Do master Yeon Hwan Park is one of the world's premier authorities on this popular martial art. A ninth-degree black belt and former coach of the U.S. Olympic and Pan-American Tae Kwon Do teams, Master Park trained in his native Korea before teaching Tae Kwon Do in Africa and then settling in the United States. The proprietor of a successful Tae Kwon Do dojang in New York and a major influence on the spread of Tae Kwon Do throughout the United States, Master Park has been featured in the New York Times and Newsday, on the cover of nearly every major martial arts magazine, and on major television networks.

In Tae Kwon Do: My Life and Philosophy Master Park recounts his exciting life, discusses his setbacks and successes, and explains the philosophy behind this ancient fighting system. Master Park uses events from his personal experience to illustrate how principles of Tae Kwon Do shape every part of a practitioner's life. This engaging narrative reveals the moral and spiritual philosophy behind the martial art and how it guided the life of one of Tae Kwon Do's greatest champions. It is essential, inspirational reading for all practitioners.

Preface vii

My Tae Kwon Do Life

1 Tae Kwon Do: My Religion 1

2 Seniors in the "Big Sea" 7

3 Marine Corps Tae Kwon Do Team 13

4 College Athletes' Qualification Contest 17

5 Heading for Africa 21

6 Expelled for Meeting with North Koreans 27

7 Going to the United States, a Country Full of Challenges 31

8 Sowing the Seeds of Classical Tae Kwon Do 35

9 Bullied in the Neighborhood 39

10 Becoming a Civic Leader 43

11 Head Coach of the United States Taekwondo Union 47

12 Participating in the 1988 Olympics 51

13 Hosting the Eleventh World Taekwondo Championships in 1993 59

14 Overcoming Life's Hardships with a Tae Kwon Do Spirit 65

15 Tae Kwon Do Department at the University of Bridgeport 71

16 Civic Services for Korean Communities 77

17 New York Taekwondo Members Supporting Board for the 2002 World Cup 83

18 Compassionate Activities with the "Do" of Tae Kwon Do 89

19 Hosting New York Open Taekwondo Championship 93

20 Teaching and Taught by Tae Kwon Do 97

21 My Modest Dreams in New York and Olympic Hopes 99

22 Tae Kwon Do Entering the Formal Curriculum of a U.S. Elementary School 103

23 My Views on Tae Kwon Do 107

My Philosophy

24 The Philosophy of Tae Kwon Do 113

25 Spiritual, Physical, and Social Influence of Tae Kwon Do Practice on Children's Maturity and Development 117

26 Tae Kwon Do and the Education of Humanity 123

27 Family Health in the New Millennium 123

28 The Scale of Leadership Development at Each Age Level 125

29 A Note to Parents 127

30 What Do We Teach Our Kids in Tae Kwon Do? 129

31 A Taste of the Moral Philosophy of Tae Kwon Do 131

32 The Value of Tae Kwon Do for Children 135

33 What Does It Mean to Be aBlack Belt? 143

34 Education at the Dinner Table 147

Appendixes

Appendix I Rules of Etiquette for Tae Kwon Do Practitioners 151

Appendix II Good Advice 157

Index 159

About the Author 165