Testimonial from Black Belt Daniel Dvorsky

"Philosophy of Training"
a Black Belt Essay by Daniel Dvorsky, 5th dan black belt

As a method for training, Taekwondo uses the body to develop the mind and the mind to develop the body. We combine what is physical and what is mental, what is outside and what is within, and unseparate these parts into a natural whole. This practice enables the student to better understand their own nature. We learn completeness and simple satisfaction through Taekwondo and can make it the same in all acts of life.

Through Taekwondo I have realized I may never be as good as Master Chong or Master Rhee or anyone else. I am here, however, to be as good as me, and I can that good if I let myself. What I embark upon is a path to my own perfection and never perfection itself. And yet this involvement, this endless preparation, this sense of duty, this continuous path brings me no further than right here...right now. This is because martial arts is not a destination but a path and those who are truly courageous and "perfect" are the ones who continue to move forward and try.