In Martial Arts, Trying is Good. Trying Too Hard is Bad.

When beginning a new sport or other physical activity, we have a tendency to want to "over-do" moves or overexert our body, and apply unnecessary strain to our muscles and joints. This is particularly true of new students of taekwondo, because when observing initially, it looks like a move or technique will require a lot of force to accomplish. True masters of the art of taekwondo, however, know that just the opposite is true. By tightening up your muscles, you reduce their range of motion, and since the true power in a taekwondo kick or hand thrust it so move through the object, not to it, students tend to stop short, and either land an ineffective blow or hurt themselves.

Observing black belts and seasoned fighters in taekwondo will show you quickly that tensing up is the worst thing to do. A true taekwondo master stands with his legs slightly apart and bent at the knees, body leaning forward on the balls of his feet so he can turn or move quickly, and has relaxed shoulders and unclenched hands. This is not from boredom or lack of interest, but instead mastery of the art. Masters know that in order to affect damage, blows must be unexpected, quick, and followed through. Tense muscles offer none of these advantages, and will in fact limit the range of motion, causing a blow to be ineffective or set the attacker off-balance.

Being tense is natural when starting a program that is new or foreign to us. It's true whether it's a physical activity like sports, a mental activity like taking a test, or a psychological activity like meeting new people. It's part of a human's fight-or-flight primal tendency. But as with all other tasks or activities, continued practice and education will allow the student to become more comfortable and skilled, which will take away the fear of the unknown, which will allow muscles to relax. This is why repetition is so important in martial arts, especially taekwondo. You don't defeat an opponent with strength, but rather quickness and agility. Neither of these are effective with tense muscles. Practicing the same moves over and over not only builds muscle memory, but it also allows you to be more confident and relaxed in the move, and thus make the move more effective when used.

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