Omaha Elite Taekwondo

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Mindset for Sparring Practice

Of course Sparring IS NOT fighting, there IS a difference.
In sparring you are trying to practice with safety in mind, in a fight safety does not exist.

The goal of each sparring session is to practice the same skills you need to succeed in a fight or match. This means that the way you think, feel and perform during a sparring session in class should approach the way you think, feel and act in a match or fight as closely as possible while maintaining the safety of the participants. Don't approach the situation as play... force yourself to perform. You are the actor, your mind and body is the audience. Your body must be made to believe that what it is experiencing is the real thing.

Look your opponent in the eyes, mess with their mind, control the pace, control the space, move first, never show weakness or fear. Every feint should be indistinguishable from the real attack. Every strike should be on target and have the potential to end the fight or create the opportunity to land the winning blow. Every engagement is a new battle. Every battle is an opportunity to win the war. Treat your sparring partner with respect and tough love. This is war, not play. This is hard work. This is serious. This is training. Don't accept less.

Tournament & Events Schedule Update 2/9/11

Click on the headings for more information

Testing: White Belt through Sr. Red Belt

Where:

Southwest YMCA 1301 Atwood Ave. Omaha, NE 68144

When:

Friday, February 11 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

2011 Missouri State Taekwondo ChampionshipsEdit HTML
When:	Saturday, March 12 from 7:00 am to 10:00 am

North East Iowa Taekwondo Championships
Where:	East High school 214 High Street Waterloo Iowa 50703
When:	Saturday, March 19 from 7:00 am to 10:00 am

2011 Kansas State TKD Championships
When:	Saturday, March 26 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm

Battle In Brainerd
Where:	Brainerd, Minnesota 56401
When:	Saturday, April 30 from 7:00 am to 10:00 am

Attending the Kansas City Classic Taekwondo Tournament
Where:	Blue Springs MO
When:	Saturday, May 14 at 4:30 pm until Sunday, May 15 at 7:30 pm

Monday, September 6, 2010

Video: Yellow Belt Patterns Taegeuk 1 & Taegeuk 2

Student Demonstration of Yellow Belt and Yellow Belt Black Stripe patterns: Taegeuk Il-Jang & Taegeuk E-Jang by Vivek, Rachel and Ian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLo4z_GT6qk

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Video: Taegeuk Il-Jang

Student Demonstration of Taegeuk Il-Jang by Vivek, Joshua & Ian

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Demonstration of Basic Kicking Techniques

Demonstration of basic kicking techniques by Leadership Team Members: Vivek, Rachel and Ian.

One-Step Sparring Sets 1-4

Solo demonstration of One-Step Sparring sets 1~4 by Vivek (1st gup Red Belt/ Black Belt Candidate)

Friday, July 23, 2010

UPDATED MINIMUM FITNESS REQUIREMENTS

Effective August 1st 2010. All testing candidates must meet the following minimum requirements for flexibility, strength and agility in order to test for promotion to the next belt. These standards are MINIMUMS that all students should strive to achieve on any given day. As martial artists we must train to meet the demands put upon our bodies by our chosen art. As a member of Omaha Elite Taekwondo you are committed to continually improve your level fitness, strength and skill.

The following list indicates the minimum requirements for Yellow belt through Black Belt.

NOTE!
Students that exceed the physical minimum may be eligible for skipping rank during promotion

YELLOW BELT THROUGH GREEN BELT

• *FMS Active Straight Leg Raise with the ankle reaching above knee height of the down leg.

• *FMS Trunk Stability Pushup score of 2.
• 20 Incline Pushups ( body at a 45 degree incline or better)

• 10 Supported Squats (hands holding onto a door frame or beam)

• 10 Horizontal Pullups (Bar height allows hanging without shoulders touching the floor. Butt may not touch the floor between reps)

• 250 Jump Rope Revolutions without a miss (10 bouncing step > 10 Alternate Step > Repeat)

GREEN BELT BLACK STRIPE THROUGH BLUE BELT BLACK STRIPE

• *FMS Active Straight Leg Raise with the ankle reaching above knee height of the down leg.

• *FMS Trunk Stability Pushup score of 3 (the body rising off the floor as a solid unit).

• 25 Half-Pushups (pushups down to an elevated object half the distance to the floor)

• 35 Half-Squats (pushups down to an elevated object so hip crease is at knee height)

• 10 Jackknife Pullups (start with legs parallel to the floor)

• 80 Jump Rope Revolutions in 30 seconds Figure Eight Entry + Alternate Step

FOR STUDENTS TESTING FOR RED BELT AND RED BLACK

• *FMS Active Straight Leg Raise with the ankle reaching above mid-thigh of the down leg.

• *FMS Trunk Stability Pushup score of 3 with the body rising off the floor as a solid unit.

• 10 Full Pushups (Elbows bend beyond 90 degrees on each rep.)

• 10 Half-Rep Pullups (From full flexion down to 90 degree flexion) OR (from dead hang up to 90 degree flexion)

• 30 Full Squats (Hip crease descends below knee height)

• 160 Jump Rope Revolutions in 60 seconds Figure Eight Entry + Alternate Step

FOR STUDENTS TESTING FOR BLACK BELT

• *FMS Active Straight Leg Raise with the ankle reaching above mid-thigh of the down leg..

• 20 Full Pushups for under 16, 50 pushups for 16 & above

• 5 Full Pullups for under 16 & 10 for age 16 & above

• 30 Deck Squats (Full Squat, Rock back, Roll Back into squat without use of hands, stand, repeat)

• 180 Jump Rope Revolutions in 60 seconds

FMS: Learn more about the Functional Movement Screen at
http://www.functionalmovement.com/SITE/publications/downloads/FMSPB.pdf

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Testimonials

"We never expected to find such a life-changing and meaningful program at the YMCA. The credit goes entirely to my son’s instructors and their ability to motivate the kids and keep them excited about an extracurricular activity that can benefit them over their entire life." -Karin Siefkes

Scott Stevens is simply one of the best teachers I have ever encountered. He always shows respect for his students and finds a way to inspire them to greatness. 3 of my kids are enrolled and 2 of them have participated in the Junior Olympics with Scott as their coach. Scott doesn't just teach the kids about martial arts, he lives the tenets of martial arts and is a shining example for all of us.-Guy Finley

"Over the past two years of taekwondo, my son has gained self-confidence and is developing his leadership abilities. His teachers regularly comment on his concentration and focus." - Diane Dove

Omaha Elite Taekwondo Club, lead by J Scott Stevens, is our only choice in martial arts training because it follows the true standards of Taekwondo as set by the Kukkiwon in Seoul, Korea. Mr. Stevens obviously has a true love of Taekwondo and it's clear that he cares about each student's success, in Taekwondo, at school, at home, in every part of their life. Our whole family participates in lessons with Omaha Elite Taekwondo Club and we feel the life-long benefits of physical fittness, positive self-esteem, self-control, personal integrity, and much more. Mr. Stevens encourages each student to work hard, to be their personal best and sets a fine example for all. My kids love the opportunities to test their skills in competition. We compete in local, regional, national, and even international events....we're very proud of how well we're trained and how well the team does!-green48

"I wanted to pass along our sincere appreciation for your ‘Superior’ instruction and dedication to out children. Although, you are Taekwondo instructors, your involvement with the children goes above and beyond martial arts instruction. Darren and Dillon are more responsible, more disciplined and they are world-class athletes due to your credit.

Over the 3-years that Darren and Dillon have been under your guidance, we’ve seen your unmatched devotion to every child you teach. Your ability to be strict in such a diplomatic way with the children is unmatched. We’ve not talked with a single parent that doesn’t share our thoughts.

Also, we would like you to know how appreciative we are of your extra efforts. We talk to so many parents whose kids do martial arts in the Omaha area, and we’ve not found one parent that can talk as highly about a school or the instruction their kids receive. We cannot count on all our fingers and toes the extra activities, both related to Taekwondo and extracurricular activities such as, setting up local tournaments, or having party nights, or holiday outings. I’ve just not seen anyone in an instruction role take such an interest in going above-and-beyond to ensure the kids actually enjoy their instruction and environment.

As you know, we are moving out of state. Both of you have set such a precedent, that We’re certain we will have a hard time finding a school with instructors that can match your passion and attention – Darren and Dillon are already sharing these feelings. You will be missed as a friend to the kids and a friend to me and Lindsay."

Tanner and Lindsay Ingham

Scott Stevens is a outstanding instructor. Before moving to the YMCA program my son was a member of ITA (International TaeKwonDo Association) at 180th and Center with Mr. Boughtin. We were frustrated with his training there and the lack of personal attention and concern Mr. Boughtin showed for his students. We felt like it was all about the buisness and less about the art of TaeKwonDo. We were nervous to move to the YMCA because we were told by the ITA people that the program there couldn't possibly be a good quality program.

The first time I watched Mr. Steven's students practice I was blown away by the stark differece in their level of skill in comparison to the ITA students. Mr. Steven's students had wonderful form, powerful kicks, and apparently much more dicipline. They really understood the art and reached for excellence.

Mr. Steven's gave my son personal attentiona and was always available to us when we had concerns or needed to talk. The experiece was all together on a different level. Those students who make it to black belt under Mr. Stevens have truly earned their rank and mastered the art.
-Stephanie Morgan

"Over the past two years of taekwondo, my son has gained self-confidence and is developing his leadership abilities. His teachers regularly comment on his concentration and focus".
Diane Dove"You’ve done a great job working with those kids. They focus up and pay attention to you, they hang on every word you say. I like that. You are helping my son grow physically and mentally strong."

Joe Calder

"Thanks for all you hard work. Michelle and I can really see the improvement in our sons."

Monte and Michelle Monteleagre

"Simply put OETC and it's instructor Scott Stevens is the only way to go for Taekwondo training. His programs teaches discipline, builds self esteem and physical fitness. We saw many positive changes in our son from the first day, and Mr. Stevens did an awesome job preparing him for his Junior Olympic trip in 2007. You simply can not go wrong with this program."
-Bitstamp

"OETC is the "best bang for your buck"!!! The program teaches self esteem, self respect, good sportsmanship while promoting physical and mental fitness. The OETC group is like a second family to many of its participants and parents. Mr. Stevens is extremely knowledgeable and experienced; his passion for Taekwondo rubs off on everyone. He knows all his students names as well as their parents. OETC regularly competes at tournaments and most OETC competitors are miles ahead of their competition - in both forms and sparring. "
runnergirl66

“We wanted to drop you a quick note on how much we appreciate what your program has done for our son.

Aaron has had a bully problem at school, and with the confidence and self esteem he has gained from Taekwondo he has been able to stand up to this bully. His focus at school has improved and his overall
personality has improved. This was especially evident when he went through conditioning for Junior Olympics. He is looking forward to attending Junior Olympics next year and hopes to attain his black belt before high school.

Thank you so much for the time and talent you invest in teaching Taekwondo."
Matt and Sandra Bittner

"When my son Matthew first started school he had difficulty listening and his mind wandered both at school and at home. He struggled with homework and school was frustrating for him.
Since starting Omaha Elite Tae Kwon Do, my son Matthew’s behavior has improved a great deal. He is listening a lot better at home and school. He is doing excellent work at school and He feels proud of himself, especially when he accomplishes new things. His overall attitude has really improved.

I have observed the following improvements since Matthew has been attending Mr. Steven’s Tae Kwon Do classes:

Matt’s homework skills have improved
Matt is more focused
Matt’s memory skills have improved
Matt has more self-confidence and discipline
Matt is more self-aware
Mr. Steven’s worked with Matthew in private sessions and his overall abilities just improved immensely. Mr. Steven’s individual attention pinpointed the areas that Matt needed to work on and correct while making Matt more confident. Matt’s form and sparring ability just exploded.

I would recommend Omaha Elite Tae Kwon Do to any parent to help their child improve their overall social skills. I would also highly recommend Mr. Steven’s private lessons for any parent who wants to give their child that extra push to reach their full potential."

Chuck Fagan

"Mr. Stevens is the best teachers I have ever encountered. He always respect his students and encourage them to follow the taekwondo principles. My son is enrolled and he has been in several tournaments with OETC. Mr. Stevens doesn't just teach the kids about martial arts, he lives the tenets of martial arts and is a shining example for all of us."
-fereunmar

"The changes in Justin’s demeanor, and overall attitude improved within the first three months of starting taekwondo. Justin’s interest and excitement became even more evident after Scott Stevens took over as instructor at the "Y".

Marty Brown, Elkhorn

"Mr. Stevens is the first teacher/instructor who has been able to get Brian to practice outside of class. Whatever he does different, I would sure like to know so I can pass the info on to his regular school teacher".

Diana Davis

"The teacher’s commitment, building self-esteem and respect for others, is great for the kids".

Frederick LeRouge

"Mr. Stevens is the best instructor I’ve found. He loves all of his kids and always takes the time to help them achieve their goals".

Helen Flyr–

"I like seeing my Taekwondo friends three times a week and how much we cheer for and encourage each other. I also enjoy coming home, tired, and sore, but feeling like I’ve worked hard. I have made new friends and become less shy and more open and sure of myself. I always look forward to the classes. Mr. Stevens is very helpful and always answers all our questions".

Rachel Swab

"I just wanted to let you know that Carah came out of class last night looking like my kid again. She was drenched in sweat, exhausted and had a huge smile on her face! It was a smile that I haven't seen in a very long time. She was genuinely excited to tell me about class. Mackenzie is having a great time, too. She is very proud. Thanks to all of you for your hard work and dedication."

Jobi Drefs

"It is very important to us that Alexis continues in Taekwondo! You have made a HUGE impression on her. She told me on the way home last night that she was so glad that she got to take classes from you.... I don’t think you TRULY realize what an IMPACT you have on these kids... it is a VERY special gift you give to them....Thank you"

Krista

We fell very fortunate to have Mr. Stevens. I have found him to be very qualified, up to date on training issues, open to new ideas, goal oriented, and always interested in constantly seeking new ways to improve himself as an instructor and the program in general.

Candy Woodward

We love the workout, the structure and discipline in the classroom – the opportunity to seek advancement through testing and tournaments. It is great fun with a great instructor. We also enjoy the relationships with other students and parents.

Deanna Beal

PRIVATE LESSONS

Group class is great but going one-on-one with Mr. Stevens is a real, serious workout! I’m exhausted yet pumped about all I accomplish in private lessons plus its time that I feel I can be more myself, like we can talk and be less rigid than in group class.

Kelsey Rodgers, age 15:

In private lessons I get all of Mr. Stevens’ attention. He can really see that I’m working hard and I can ask lots of questions without distractions. We get to fine-tune my Forms and work on Sparring techniques better than in the group classes.

Rachel Rodgers, age 11: