Essay
Nathaniel Sizemore
The Hardest Thing

Announcement

No class March 15, 2023

Trillium TKD students,

I will be out of town this week, so we will not be having class this week. We’ll be back in the dojang (the Korean word for ‘gym’ or ’training hall’) on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

While I’m traveling, I won’t have access to my normal exercise routine — but I’ll still keep training, and so can you! This week, challenge yourself to do at least three sets of the following workout, three times this week:

Darebee.com's Power Mode Workout

(You’ll recognize most of these exercises from class, but you can also see a video of these movements at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sp5cOai5klU.) And when you’re done with those exercises, do one right four-direction punch, and one left four direction punch drill. Remember to think about stepping back and blocking as the preparation for driving the following punch forward! If you need a refresher, Ms. Christine Young has an excellent video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4WctUWigY8

Have a great week, and keep challenging yourself — if you don’t tend to your garden regularly, it will soon become overgrown with weeds and will not produce the fruits that you want.

New Date and Time: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM!

In order to make it easier for more people to train, Trillium Taekwon-Do will be holding classes on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM. This new schedule goes into effect starting September 7, 2022. We’ll still be at the Community Wellness Center in Marlinton.

Hopefully, this change will make it easier to fit regular training into the puzzle of work, school, and other commitments.

Class canceled for Feburary 2022

While the current Omicron wave appears to have peaked nationally, West Virginia is still seeing rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and breaking hospitalization numbers records daily. In light of those trends, we will not be holding classes for February. Hopefully, in another month we will start to see improvements in the data and less risk to our community.

I’ve chosen a new challenge from https://darebee.com/challenges.html to help keep me motivated while I eagerly await returning to the gym. Stay warm, keep training, and hopefully we’ll all be back in the dojang in March.

Class canceled for January 2022

COVID-19 cases are currently twice the previous record in West Virginia, and hospitalizations are beginning to increase as well. While it is encouraging that the death rate is not currently tracking the increase in cases, it may be too soon to tell what the full impact of this latest wave will be. Given that we’ve already seen outbreaks in the schools and major employers in the county, I do not believe it is prudent to hold in-person classes at this time. We’ll hopefully pick back up the first week of February.

Many people assume that the difficult parts of Taekwon-Do are learning the patterns, or the sometimes-grueling amounts of push-ups or drills we do, sparring, or some other physical aspect of the martial arts. I believe that those are the easy bits; it is far harder to act with integrity, to always demonstrate self-control.

It’s easy to look at this situation as a setback; we don’t have the opportunity to train with others, to work on step sparring or self-defense drills or simply enjoy working out with others. However, I encourage you to use our current situation to your advantage. We’ve been given an opportunity to work on different skills. Can I force myself to do a bodyweight workout at home, even when nobody is telling me to do it? Can I do patterns in the snow, in the cold wid? Can I take the time to go through my Taekwon-Do notebook and write down questions for the next time we do have class? Can I demonstrate perseverance and integrity?

Keep training.

Training Day

Mr. Sizemore will not be in class on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021, due to a scheduling conflict with work. Students are encouraged to use the time and space to work on patterns and anything they might think needs some extra focus and attention. The Deck of Many Exercises is also a fine motivator (and a good workout!) if someone wants to bring some cards and work out together.

Remember to abide by current health and safety rules for the Rec Center.

Classes postponed for December

The Pocahontas County school system is operating their remote learning schedule this week due to continuing spread of COVID-19. Trillium Taekwon-Do will continue to follow these guidelines. Additionally, given the increasing likelihood of further community spread as well as the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, we will be postponing classes for the entire month of December.

It is my hope that we’ll be able to resume in-person classes beginning January, 2021. Until then, enjoy the season, stay safe, and continue to train! I’ll be posting some recommendations and ideas for training at home — mentally and physically — in the coming weeks.

Mask use policy effective October 27, 2020

Face masks (covering the mouth and nose) will be required at all times and for all participants and spectators in any indoor Trillium Taekwon-Do class or event beginning Tuesday, October 27, 2020.

As an instructor, it is my responsibility to ensure that our training is conducted as safely as possible. Normally, this includes basic gear such as mouth guards and sparring equipment, as well as teaching how to perform techniques with precision, accuracy, and control. Given the public health risks posed by COVID-19, we must now include the use of face masks to this list of safety measures, or we cannot hold class.

This is not a decision I make lightly or in haste. I have reviewed guidelines and consulted with many sources, including multiple public health organizations, local and international medical professionals, state and local government, and other martial arts instructors. Using masks will allow us to train indoors while not exposing ourselves — or our community — to unnecessary risks.