I am the proud mom of three, young, active boys currently ages 5, 8 and 10. When my sons were 3, 6 and 8, and we were having trouble teaching them to control their bodies, my husband recommended that I find a Taekwondo studio. Years ago he had taken Taekwondo and thought it would have a positive influence on them individually, as brothers and possibly on our whole family. I was doubtful. Although, our boys are bright, happy and tons of fun, they are very high energy and often play physically with each other, every hug turning into a Half-Nelson! I didn’t want to encourage fighting or any more physicality!! But my world was quickly becoming a wild monkey-filled Romper Room and without any local family, I needed some help. As a former competitive swimmer, I was unfamiliar with any martial arts let alone what made Taekwondo unique. But with my husband’s encouragement and sage advice... “it is all about finding the right Masterâ€... I went looking. And boy, did I find the real deal.
Master Jung is a remarkable teacher, leader and Taekwondo artist. A Korean National Champion in his own right, all you have to do is YouTube “Master Jung’s Flying Feet†and you will know his skill, power and speed is beyond impressive and his dedication to his craft absolute. Often seeming to defy gravity, Master Jung moves like liquid magic.
But even more remarkable is his patience, loving nature and willingness to work with and for every human being that walks through his door, regardless of their natural physical ability or capacity, as long as they try their best. He is a consummate teacher. Consistent, kind and fair, he clearly communicates his expectations to children and adults alike and through the very nature of his program dedicates himself to helping you be the best person, family and athlete you can be.
After starting at Master Jung’s US Taekwondo in Norwood myself (My boys insisted this almost 45 year old lady give TKD a try and now with my husband and our boys, we all do family classes together!), I very quickly realized that this was so much more than exercise and self-defense. Master Jung is highly dedicated to character education and achieving excellence through hard work. Talent and physical ability come secondary as far as priorities at this studio. Master Jung talks to both kids and adults about how to be a good person, friend and teammate. He lives by a creed that emphasizes positive self-esteem achieved through self-discipline and kindness. This is SO much more than just kicking and hitting. Taekwondo means, Tae - hand or hit, Kwon - foot or kick and Do - the way. Master Jung instills in all his students the importance of knowing, going and showing “the wayâ€.
Now, quietly in Norwood far from his homeland, Master Jung, his wife and recently newborn son, are building an extended family out of his Taekwondo studio. With an admirable work ethic at its core and based on a strong philosophy of character, this family is about saying what you mean, doing what you say and living true to yourself and for the betterment of others. I feel that with his help, we are going to be able to raise our boys to be good men. Strong, loving human beings imbued with an internalized sense of self-worth, humility, work ethic and compassion for others. What more could a mother want for her sons? And it is SO much fun! We LOVE it and are having such a good time!
If you want to give yourself and your family a true gift, you must try US Taekwondo Norwood with Master Jung. It was one of the best decisions my family and I ever made. You will be so glad you did.