Many people, myself included, are not familiar with Choi Kwang Do other than the fact that it is a form of martial arts. Barry Humphrey, the deputy master at Universal Martial Art Cairns, was nice enough to provide my five-year-old son with a one-on-one trial lesson for us to see what Choi Kwang Do is all about.
And, after watching my son with Barry for a half an hour, it was easy to see that the principles of Choi resonated extremely well with him.
Choi Kwang Do (the art of Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi) is a dynamic, innovative approach to martial arts training. It is generally recognised to be the fastest growing martial arts system in the world.
The emphasis is on the personal and social development of the individual, rather than on sports competition. Universal Martial Art Cairns is non-contact and non-competitive, your progress is judged, not in terms of how you perform compared to others, but purely in terms of the progress you make in relation to yourself and your own ability.
Barry taught my son how to protect his face, how to prevent an attack, how to remain focused and in control, how to kick and how to breathe.
The focus in my son’s eyes was quite amazing to watch, especially considering he normally doesn’t focus on anything except for Big Hero 6 for longer than five minutes. Barry got down on his level and worked with him in a way that connected to my son. This was quite rare to watch to be honest.
While results of Choi Kwang Do can take months to notice, I have to say that my son seemed a lot more focused and in control than he has in months, perhaps even years. Some of the parents tell me that they have also noticed incredible improvement in their children’s ability to focus and their behaviour at school and at home.
As Barry explains, “Choi Kwang Do comes down to three things. Give 100 percent in class. Give 100 percent in education. And give 100 percent in good behaviour at home.”
Junior Promise
- To always do my best and never give up
- To obey my parents and teachers
- To tell the truth and honour my word
- To always be polite
- To never misuse what I learn in class
Adult Pledge
- To set positive goals and strive to achieve them
- To apply self discipline to further my personal development
- To stand for justice and honour my word
- To promote friendly relationships among all people
- To use what I learn in class in a constructive manner
There are a number of Choi Kwang Do courses for children aged four to adult including preps, juniors and mixed.
For more information, contact Barry at ckdadmin@bigpond.com, visit the website at www.umacairns.com or call 0414 782 189.
