I am approaching both my 70th birthday and my 3rd Dan test. I’ve been practicing Haidong Gumdo for 7 years. Why am I doing this? Well for several reasons. First if I wasn’t I suspect I would be an invalid, having melted into my desk chair. I credit Gumdo for making my life something to enjoy rather than endured. Secondly I am a goal oriented person, having challenges and things to achieve enliven me.
But that could be obtained in any Martial Art, why am I in love with White Tiger Martial Arts? It would be very easy to credit Master Frankovich, and I will! His understanding of body mechanics, decades of experience and dedication to excellence would be a great selling point for his school. But more important, I feel, is the culture he has fostered. While encouraging us to excellence he rarely is judgemental and even then his critical eye is to improve rather than belittle his students. Also while I am certain he has an ego, it rarely shows in exalting himself. He is more concerned with finding his satisfaction in the success of his students. This love of the art and his students permeates and is reflected in the “gumbros”(I term he doesn’t like) Rather than force his students into a mold he allows creativity to express itself. The disco ball and glow in the dark Deathstar is a wonderfully goofy exhibit of that. His dojang is full of people who take the art seriously, but not themselves. Everyone is willing to help each other and all remember their clumsy, stupid beginnings. From Austin to Alice, they love each other and want to excel in life. Why am I doing this? Because I would be immeasurably poorer without White Tiger Martial Arts.
Author: Master Robert Frankovich
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