WE Just Move!

Kicking Your Way to College: How Taekwondo Can Boost Your Admissions Profile

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 15:28:53 GMT

As college admissions become increasingly competitive, students are always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd. While strong academics and extracurricular activities are important, some students may overlook the benefits of participating in a sport like taekwondo. Not only can taekwondo help students develop important life skills, but it can also boost their college admissions profile in a variety of ways. From demonstrating dedication and discipline to opening up opportunities for scholarships and athletic recruitment, taekwondo can be a powerful tool for students looking to make an impact in the college admissions process.

Taekwondo has been an Olympic sport since the 2000 Sydney Games, which has greatly increased its popularity and visibility worldwide. This means that students who have achieved a high level of skill in taekwondo and have competed at the national or international level are not only demonstrating their athletic abilities but also their potential to represent their country on the Olympic stage. This kind of achievement can be particularly impressive to college admissions committees, as it shows that the student has already achieved a level of success that few people have. Additionally, being an Olympic sport can open-up opportunities for scholarships and other forms of financial aid specifically for Olympic hopefuls, which can be a significant advantage for students looking to attend college.

Admissions committees are always looking for well-rounded applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to their passions, whether it's in the arts, athletics, or academics. Participating in a sport like taekwondo demonstrates a level of dedication, discipline, and perseverance that is highly valued by colleges and universities.

Being on the national ranking also shows that you have achieved a high level of skill in your sport and have distinguished yourself among your peers.

Participating in a sport like taekwondo can also help you develop important life skills that are valuable in college and beyond. For example, practicing taekwondo can improve your time management skills, teamwork, and leadership abilities, all of which are important for success in college and in the workforce.

Many colleges and universities in the US offer support for taekwondo athletes in the form of scholarships, coaching, training facilities, and other resources. Here are some examples of colleges and universities that are known for their support of taekwondo athletes:

New York University (NYU) : NYU has a highly competitive taekwondo team that competes at the national level, and the university offers scholarships to athletes who compete on the varsity team.
University of California, Berkeley : Berkeley has a strong taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides training facilities and coaching support for taekwondo athletes.
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) : UCLA has a varsity taekwondo team that competes at the national level, and the university provides scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
University of Maryland, College Park : Maryland has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association (NCTA), and the university provides coaching support and training facilities for athletes.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) : MIT has a student-run taekwondo club that competes in regional and national tournaments, and the university provides training facilities and coaching support for athletes.
Duke University : Duke has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university offers scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
University of Arizona : Arizona has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university provides training facilities and coaching support for athletes.
University of Texas at Austin : Texas has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides coaching support and training facilities for taekwondo athletes.
University of California, San Diego : UC San Diego has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides training facilities and coaching support for taekwondo athletes.
University of California, Irvine : UC Irvine has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university offers scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
Cornell University : Cornell has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides coaching support and training facilities for taekwondo athletes.
Stanford University: Stanford has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university offers scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: UNC Chapel Hill has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides coaching support and training facilities for taekwondo athletes.
University of Southern California (USC): USC has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university offers scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides training facilities and coaching support for taekwondo athletes.
University of Virginia: UVA has a varsity taekwondo team that competes in the NCTA, and the university offers scholarships and coaching support for athletes.
Yale University: Yale has a competitive taekwondo program that includes a varsity team and a student-run club. The university provides coaching support and training facilities for taekwondo athletes.

It's worth noting that each college and university has its own unique resources and level of support for taekwondo athletes, so it's important to research individual schools to determine what opportunities and resources are available.

In conclusion, taekwondo can be a powerful tool for students looking to enhance their college applications. By demonstrating dedication, discipline, and perseverance through their taekwondo practice, students can showcase their well-roundedness and unique skills to admissions committees. Being on the national ranking can open doors to athletic scholarships and opportunities to contribute to a college's varsity team. Additionally, the life skills developed through taekwondo, such as time management and leadership, can help students thrive in college and beyond. So, for those looking to make a kickstart to their college admissions journey, consider taking up taekwondo and see the benefits it can bring to your future endeavors.

8 virtues of a Black Belt

183:747839238 (Pedro Osses) — Sat, 28 Jan 2023 22:39:31 GMT

Indomitable Spirit

I met Grandmaster Young Kun Chun when I was a teenager. He was not only my Master, he was more like a second father to me. He taught me a lot of things, but most importantly he taught me how to be a good men.

Master Chung was invited to Chile by his Korean compatriot - Master Kim - to promote Taekwondo in the country. He started a school in Viña del Mar in 1980, as my friend and also Master Rodrigo Sanchez remembered. He then opened another school in Santiago in 1983, when I met him.

Along with another martial arts "brothers", we have his legacy on our shoulders. I learnt day by day by his side during many years how to stand out for my school, my family and my country. I want to share some of that legacy with you today in honor to him and to Taekwondo itself as a way of life.

Grandmaster Young Kun Chun with my son Pedro Javier in Reñaca (Chile) in 2017

These are the 8 virtues of a Black Belt:

8 ways to enjoy your food and be healthy

Sun, 18 Dec 2022 04:15:00 GMT

There are no quick fixes. Good nutrition habits requires commitment, patience and determination.

There are specific groups who may need more dietary supplements. For example, older people often do not make proper adjustments in their diets when energy needs decline. Although calorie needs generally drop with age, the need for protein, vitamins, and minerals does not decline.

In the past decade, technology has created a lifestyle paradox. Although technology enables people to complete daily activities with greater efficiency, it has replaced everyday movement. This decline has resulted in increased dysfunction and obesity. It is obvious that the need for professional, personalized physical training is increasing. Fitness training can be a luxury, but it is moving toward becoming a necessity.

In today’s sedentary culture, who is a potential client for a fitness regime? Everybody! It is difficult to imagine anyone who does not have a desire to look and feel better, perform at a higher level, be healthier and more confident, enjoy a better quality of life, and reduce chronic pain.

Here you have 8 ways to enjoy your food and be healthier:

A good step toward get a good life is to abandon fast food .
Instead, get enroll in the slow food movement and set more time to enjoy your food
Prepare you own meal and be aware of every single bite; take the time to chew it, to taste it.
Buy fresh ingredients such as fruits, veggies, grains, nuts and beans.
Before eating, just smile , take a deep breath, and be present.
When eating, just eat . Do not watch TV or check your phone while eating.
If you have company, have a pleasant conversation .
Finally, if you decide to go out, then select a good place to eat . Remember always that quality is more important than quantity.

Simple healthy diet habits, including learning home cooking, can make a big difference and it is easier on the pocket as well. For instance, there are huge benefits available by adding something as simple as wheatgrass to one’s diet. I raise my own sprouts at home and have found tremendous benefits from a daily double shot of wheatgrass juice. I offer this as an example of a simple, clean, easy and inexpensive dietary experiment I have found beneficial. Natural supplements including fish oil/omega 3, glucosamine, Echinacea, and flaxseed and others are worth consideration in an integrated wellness plan.

Remember that you are what you eat. It is simple as that.

About Pedro Osses

8 ways to fight the toxic traps of our minds

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 02:20:00 GMT

Marilyn called me yesterday to tell me how she had spent the entire night with insomnia dealing with awful cramps in her legs. She was in pain. When I saw her in person I understood immediately that - besides her medical condition - she was a victim of the toxic ways of her mind and needed to find a different state of mind in order to get over the crisis.

Here you have 8 insightful thoughts about getting into a healthier state of mind

Meditation is a powerful tool to free the body and mind of the vicious path of the stress that leads to physical illness. However we do not need to go home and sit in the Lotus position in order to free ourselves. Meditation starts with awareness and it gets better if we enter into the continuum of active relaxation . We can practice this while we are working, driving, walking or even shopping.
You can start your path to free yourself of stress and illness now by learning one simple technique. Stop for a moment and try to identify where you are carrying stress in your body. You may notice that your back, stomach, or neck for instance are uncomfortable or in pain.
Any journey begins with a first step. So what is the key place to start the practice of active relaxation? Proper breathing patterns are the integral to all stress relief techniques. Most of the time we are not aware of our breathing patterns. Let’s start on this path of awareness relaxation now.
Place a hand on your chest and the other one into your stomach. Slowly, deeply and regularly breath through your nose (if comfortable) filling your lungs as deeply as possible. Imagine breathing into your stomach. The hand on your stomach should move up and down as you inhale and exhale. This is called diaphragmatic breathing and it consists of breathing deep into your lungs by flexing your diaphragm – a sheet of muscle across the bottom of the rib cage that draws air into and expels air (and toxicity) from the lungs when you breathe.
At first some may find practicing this breathing technique unusual or even a bit stressful, but it is necessary to meditate. This technique will be crucial as we seek to change the way we deal with difficult situations and if we are go deep into the mastery of our meditative practice. Imagine, learning how to deal with and get rid of frustrations and fears! This is one path of freedom. So try it. Spend a few minutes, or even one breath, practicing diaphragmatic breathing, and re-evaluate the stress in your body. You are likely to find a relief you might not have expected.
Many think of breathing as a mere flexing of their rib cage, but this shallow breathing doesn’t provide the stress relief found by proper diaphragmatic breathing. By training yourself to breathe with your diaphragm you are taking the first step on the road to a meditative practice that, if followed, will lead you into a safe place and toward a road to recovery from stress and illness.
When we start living in the present we understand that we cannot look for freedom or happiness in our past or future. Integrate diaphragmatic breathing into your life as you encounter stressful situations, memories or worries.
You are a master, as is every single person around you. Something as simple as proper breathing can help you unleash personal power and health you never imagined possible by relaxing the body, expelling toxins and helping you move toward freeing your mind of its toxic ways.

About Pedro Osses

One year of Success

Sat, 16 Apr 2022 18:12:32 GMT

WE are the champions...

We are celebrating one year of our school WE Martial Arts and we want to celebrate our anniversary recognizing our Coach, Athletes, partners and supporting families.

One year ago, on April 2021 we started this adventure with lots of dreams. Thanks to the City of Pinecrest and the Parks and Recreations Department we launched our WE Martial Arts Program in Evelyn Green Park, where our Dojo is located.

Last June we decided to compete in the USA TKD Regionals in Greenville, South Carolina with our 3 talented kids: Samantha, PJ and Lewis. Thanks to the many years of experience of our coach Pedro Osses, and the years of training and dedication of our Athletes, we got medals both in Sparing and Poomsae. That took us to the Nationals in San Antonio, Texas in July 2021. And we did it again! We got Gold, Silver and Bronze in different categories.

This past February we were invited by the USA Taekwondo Federation to compete in the 2021 US Grand Prix Finals in Colorado Springs. Medalists from Grand Prix Series & Nationals & top ranked athletes were invited.

Colorado Springs is known as the Olympic City of USA and we had the chance to see in action our favorite Taekwondo Olympic Athletes in the Olympic Training Center and also to see some fabulous fights for the Pan-American Olympic Games Qualification.

We got back home with Gold and Silver both in Sparring and Poomsae, and our hearts filled with gratitud for such an amazing experience.

This year has passed with lots of lessons learned. We want to express our gratitude to the amazing staff at the City of Pinecrest, to our students that bring enthusiasm to every single class, to our Coach Pedro Osses for his commitment and to our supporting families that believe in what we are doing.

Cheers!

Junelly R. Osses

3 Tough Little Guys with a Big Dream

Sun, 06 Jun 2021 17:19:52 GMT

Samantha Rothan (11), Pedro Javier Osses (10), and Lewis Fernandez (9) are three little guys with a big dream. They are dreaming of the upcoming challenge that is only a few weeks away: The Taekwondo USA Grand Prix Series.

The Taekwondo USA Grand Prix is a brand-new Major Tournament on the National Team Pathways, that will be held for the East Region in South Carolina between June the 24th and the 27th. These three young athletes are training hard, as Master Pedro says: “for themselves, their families, their school, and maybe one day for their country”. Our 3 tough little guys, as we call them, are part of our Young Athlete Olympic Program, also known as YAOP.

Sami and P.J. - my niece and my son, respectively - have been practicing taekwondo for the last 6 years. We met the Fernandez family 3 years ago when our kids were part of a Taekwondo exhibition team. Lewis, their youngest son, always brought his big spirit and personality into the Dojo.

In March 2020, COVID changed many things for us personally, as well as our community. Just as many families and communities worldwide, we had to reinvent ourselves. Through this process and during a very challenging time for everyone, we opened our school " WE Martial Arts " in April of this year. The City of Pinecrest was attracted to our idea of creating a niche Martial Arts Program focused on Taekwondo as an Olympic Sport. Since then, we have been training in the community center at Evelyn Greer Park, 4 times a week. My husband, Master Pedro, was personally driven by the opportunity to give his own kids the option to pursue a career as athletes, and to extend this opportunity to other talented, aspiring athletes in the local community, so we put the program together and followed the guidelines of USA Taekwondo (USAT), the governing body for this sport in the United States and recognized by the United States Olympic Committee.

Pedro spent many years of his life training as a competitor with the Chilean National Team, and wanted to pass on to his students not only what he received from his Master, Young Kun Chun, but also the essence of Olympism. In his Master Pedro’s own words, “I got from my Master how to live an honorable life, and I got from the competition a sense of living with the joy of effort, good example and respect for different cultures”.

In one of our after-dinner conversations, I asked Pedro what will set us apart from the rest of the schools in the area. We agreed that there are very good schools around. For instance, our own kids attended two great schools such as Believe Martial Arts, with Master Toni Graff, and K Martial Arts, with Master Jung. We concluded that our school is a niche school focused on preparing Young Athletes for competition, both in Poomsae (forms) and Kyrogui (Sparring), while embracing the main principles of Martial Arts.

After the Taekwondo USA Grand Prix Series 2021, our YAOP Athletes are going to continue training for the next Regional and National Competitions of 2022. The USA TKD has the goal to dominate the sport at the LA 2028 Olympic Games, and we are aiming to forge that path for our “three little guys” as well.

While we were speaking about our goals and our school, Master Pedro confided in me, “I have been following USA TKD in the last years and I think they are definitely changing and doing something different that can take our sport to a different level.”

We could not be more thrilled about watching our YAOP team grow and improve in their skills and character, and we wish the best luck to them on their exciting journey!

Meet our YAOP Athletes

Where am I physically? Am I healthy? Am I fit?

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 02:57:00 GMT

Let me show you through these lines the importance of an assessment.

A fitness assessment is a systematic problem-solving method that provides basic information which can be use for making educated decisions about the progression of the aging process and its impact on your future health, decisions about appropriate exercises, therapy, treatment, or diet. In addition, gives insight information into past, present, and perhaps your future as well as covering present habits, hobbies, movement abilities, and past and present medical history. All of this information, is essential, to have a clear understanding of the current physical structure and function of your body.

In my practice, I have noticed that many elderly clients typically exhibit five or more chronic degenerative conditions. On the physiological aspect of their lives this may tend to shy away from the remedies (such a resistance training) out of fear injury or feelings of inadequacy. However, there are studies that show a great deal of promise for musculoskeletal regeneration. Musculoskeletal degeneration may not be entirely age-related, and therefore, it is believed that certain measures can be taken to prevent progression to functional immobility. Also, it has been show that many of the structural deficits that create this lack on functional capacity (loss of muscle strength and diminished proprioception) slowed down through training and sometimes can even be reversed.

But, guess what? Simply incorporating a properly structured and monitored exercise program can have a dramatic impact on the overall of your heath, change your well being and daily life and avoid an elderly time full of chronic degenerative conditions.

To understand the needs and specific problems of the individual before training a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) helps to determine and qualify a person for the kinds and levels of activity that they may be exposed to. Low to moderate to high activity levels may be indicated.

The PAR-Q aids in identifying people for whom certain activities may not be appropriate or who may need further medical attention. Identifying the quality of movement, such as simple joint rotation (shoulders, wrists, hips, and ankles) will provide important information about a person’s functional capacity, and quality of movement as well. There are a great variety of assessments to determinate physical capacity including squats, sitting and standing from a seated position, or a single-leg stance, etc. It is important to understand that a fitness assessment is not designed to diagnose any condition, but rather to observe the individual structural and functional status.

Perhaps you should check throughout your variables (personal needs, money, location, time, etc) and find out the best help you can get: personal training, physical therapy, spas, therapy clinics, books, videos, etc. The important thing to get better is the commitment to educate yourself.

About Pedro Osses

Once again

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 03:33:00 GMT

It is this time of the year when I become older. Tomorrow is my birthday and one of the things that have always fascinated me is how to get older and keep a good quality of life, accepting that our bodies are not the same they used to be 20 years ago.

In my personal life, I have experienced a long list of life events related to family members and older friends. Since I was a little child, I saw relatives getting old from both sides of the family in a normal family evolution. Although, it is normal to get old in certain ways there were people in my family, and friends, who aged with different approaches to their lives until their last day. Their approaches to life and the results to their health fascinated me, and have provided valuable insight I want to share with others.

My family exposed me to great habits and a good lifestyle. My mother always provided a good nutritious diet. While in some ways it may not have been the most perfect household you can image, I had a good childhood. Besides being in a fairly normal family we all participated in sports throughout our childhood.

I was lucky to become involved with Master Chun Young Keun (9no Dan) from Korea who taught me not just how to defend myself and compete in tournaments and in life, but also taught me how to take care of my health. My master always said, “It is always easy to learn to punch or kick, but to protect and heal someone — that is the real deal.”

So there I was the lucky, healthy one watching others getting sicker and sicker. I did not know exactly what was causing all this to happen to others, but it always intrigued me how people nearly my same age or oldsters and with similar customs was dealt such different results in their lives. Time passed for me, as it does for everyone. Personal development, curiosity, education and experiences in life have given me answers to many of these childhood questions.

Maybe it is going to sound simplistic, but in simplicity is where the beauty lives. Awareness is the key, then great habits, therefore good health. The commitment for ourselves is a consequence, as I always have pointed out.

About Pedro Osses

8 thoughts about routine

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 04:01:00 GMT

Routine: a simple word that involves a lot. If we do not manage it, it could become a dangerous animal.

Here you have 8 thoughts about routine.

Routine can work as an analgesic that keeps us away from our reality. It is like a drug.
Routine can makes us accept our chronic conditions as normal, and we simply forget. We forget how to heal, we forget how to connect with our own bodies.
Routine makes us believe that is easier to take a pill and erase all the vestiges of our pain from our nervous system. People buy "miracles" over the counter for 5 bucks, because it is easier to take a “pain reliever” than to remember how to heal.
Discover the true causes of your pain. The secret to getting long lasting relief is to discover what is causing it.
Take a look at your habits and you will find a lot of answers. Be aware. After finding the answers you can start working on your muscles imbalances, on the pressure created by poor joint movement and on the inflammation of the surrounding tissues.
Finding the ways and the right therapy to solve these problems is crucial for your recovery. This discover is ESENTIAL, and if you do not work on the essential, you will be trapped in your own body.

About Pedro Osses