May 9th, 2021Attitude, attendance and ability
Sa Bom, or teacher, is Damien Smith who moved the school from Shepherds Flat, with classes held on Tuesdays and Thursdays for all levels and ages.
Participant, provisional black belt and volunteer instructor Kellie Rodan said she had always been interested in martial arts and had looked into jiu jitsu and taekwondo but started tang soo tao after her children started training with Damien.
“It was just like ‘this is it’. I liked the meditation at the start, the stretching. It’s not Cobra Kai, not a tough school, it’s a gentle school and Damien looks after everyone as an individual. And it’s not about going out and looking for a fight, it’s an art form about movement and it’s really helped with my core and learning about my own body. It’s all about personal growth and keeping your body moving, which is integral as we age.”
Instructor Pierre Martin, who also volunteers his time, has been practising tang soo tao, which started in Australia in Darwin in 1974, for about 11 years and says it is for all abilities.
“It is never too late to start and it’s about doing the right movements and maintenance of the body so we can all grow old gracefully. It gives you confidence in your body.
“We grade on three principles – attitude, attendance and ability. Coming regularly is where the discipline starts. We all have busy lives but making the effort to come and train for an hour twice a week is where we see people changing. You can’t get that from a video or YouTube.
“Attitude is all about how we hold ourselves here or in the outside world and abilities come down to mind and body training. We have had plenty of students in their 40s starting out without the fittest bodies but they have the right attitude and attendance and then they overcome their challenges and gain ability. You really do get what you put in.”
Contact Damien on 0428 994 859, Kellie on 0400 128 044 or send a message via Facebook: Tang Soo Tao Daylesford.
Above, Damian runs students through their paces, instructors Kellie Rodan and Pierre Martin, and Kellie and student Danielle
Words: Donna Kelly | Image: Kyle Barnes
