The Journey: Taekwondo Life

It's me again, Brian Joseph Dizon. BJ for short. I'd like to tell you guys how i love this sports called Taekwondo. When did i start? How was the first time? Is it really  can protect you? Self-defense nga ba talaga o kailangan lang sa yabang? So many questions before I enter this martial arts thing. At first, of course, another scary moment... Number one, di naman ako mahilig sa away. Taekwondo is full contact sports so i'd rather be prepared for some action. When i saw them training as in some of them are crying in pain. Their trainer is forcing them to split for them to be able to kick higher. I was scared with that. But then i really love martial arts. Kung fu is one of my favorites. Nakakatuwa nga eh, i remembered before, everytime makakapanood ako ng movie na kung fu. I'm always  amazed. The flying kicks, walking on air, jumping so high, walking on the water. Incredible! I also dreamed of becoming a ninja. Hahaha! This is how my Taekwondo story started. It all sparked from a child's little dream...

I was already in 2nd year high school when i entered the world of Taekwondo. Actually, napariwara ako nun. Medyo nag lay low ako sa swimming. I smoked, was drunkard and even cut classes. Grabe talaga! But when my cousin encouraged me to join their team, at first, i refused because for me mas masarap kayang uminom at mag gala kesa sa magtraining. Then few weeks passed, lagi ko nakikita cousin ko na sipa ng sipa and he was enjoying it. And i saw some of his moves na talagang napa nganga ako and craved for some more. That is the time na nakisali sali ako sa ginagawa nya and he never had second thoughts to teach me some basic kicks. He also made a customized kicking bag made of an old sack of rice with sand for us to do self training. I really appreciated what he did. It was school days again, i' was thinking of what to do after class, and then suddenly Taekwondo just popped out of my head and i remembered that my cousin had their trainings everyday after class so i ran going to their gym and watched them train. I really enjoyed watching them. Di pa ako sumali nun kasi nahihiya ako. Hahaha!

From that moment, I watched them again and again. I also watched them compete on their first competition. I was shocked when i saw how my cousin suffered from his bleeding groin. It came to a point na parang ayaw ko na sumali. Haha! But my cousin never let me lose hope he always encouraged me to join and also told me that it is fun to be with his team mates. In fairness nadala ako sa mga pinagsasasabi ng cousin ko kaya hayun, napasabak din ako sa first training. I was surprised that i can kick na pala the proper way because my cousin taught me the basics. I even had a sparring on my first day. Nakakatakot pero i did it. The first training was fun and i really enjoyed it but when we got home, i was dead tired and never had a chance to eat dinner and my whole body was aching. The next morning, i can't even get up from the bed to prepare for school because of body pain. Na late na nga ako sa school eh. A week passed, nagtuluy-tuloy ang training ko sa Taekwondo and then parang hinahanap hanap na ng katawan ko ang sakit every after the training.

First competition. That was our school intramurals. I was so scared coz i only had a week training. Tapos bihasa na makakalaban ko. Selection pa man din yun for the city meet and regional competition. I was so nervous and shocked when i knew that my opponent is one of the senior member of the team. "Oh my" was the only words that came out of my mouth when one of the officials announced the next fight, and that was me and the senior member. The referee is already on his position and I was just waiting for him to call us in the center of the ring. The moment came, the referee called us and my heart beats faster and then he announced to start the fight. My opponent landed a first kick on my tummy and it hurt me really bad but i never showed it to the referee, baka kasi tawagan ako ng warning at ihinto ang laban. He scored 1 point for that. But then i continued the fight. After 1 minute and 50 seconds, the 10 seconds left i landed an out-in kick on his face and made me scored two points and declared me to be the winner of that match. I was so happy and really can't believe what had happened. I became one of the best players on that day of the competition.

Next is about the Provicial Meet. First day of training, puro nalang stamina. Nakakasawa na kung minsan. Same routine. Kabisado ko na nga lahat eh. Pray, stretch, jog, warm up, kickings, foot works, etc. . . Same...same....same.... Wala na bang bago? That's when i decided to have aquatic training. Every after my Taekwondo training, i'll go to a nearest resort and have some laps for 2-3 hours. After that, uwi, tulog. Wala ng kain kain. Haha! That's how we trained before. I didn't noticed that i already have the discipline needed for a "jin" (taekwondo player). The day of the provincial meet came, and i'm so relax because our team doesn't have competitors meaning to say, wala kaming gagawin kundi tumulong sa match ng elementary level. Sad to say, walang regional meet na naganap so, back to normanl after provincial meet. Kalungkot. Back to school, same routine, training after school, go home, wake up early, prepare for school, study, trainong, etc...

 

Will just continue my Taekwondo journey in my next blog. I'll tell you how my training was in preparation for the provincial meet. Check it on my next blog.

Thanks for reading. Please follow this blog. God bless.

My Adventures: The start

This is Beejay. I created this blog just to share the world my life's little adventures. Actually, I don't know where to start but I really want to tell the world of so many things. I guess the best way is to start it from the beginning, when I was in elementary.

I studied in 2 elementary school campuses. First, I studied at Balanga Elementary school in Talisay Balanga, City Bataan for grades 1 to 3. Then, I transferred to Maximino delos Reyes Elementary school for grades 4 to 6. I transferred because the school nearer our house. Instead of paying for my transport service, I just walk going to school. My first day at Maximino was a bit scary. New environment and I don't know anybody at that time. At first they put me in the lower section, this is because they don't know my capacity yet. Then after 1 week they asked me if I want to transfer to section 1 which is the highest section. I refused cause I'm already at ease with my new classmates and teachers.

When the Sports Day came, some teachers were going around classes asking if somebody wants to try and join in any of the  sports activities. That was the day when I entered the world of sports. I joined the swimming team for he first time. We practiced just 2 days before the competition. I was worried that I may not win the game. The competition day came, there were many teachers and coaches with their athletes competing, this is the selection process to be able to compete at the Provincial Meet. Officials called all athletes for warm up. After 5 minutes of warming up, they announced that the competition will start at any moment. My heart started beating faster and faster. Then the first event held for the 50 meters freestyle, I was one of  the participants on c that event. Then my name was called, I was in the middle lane. On that moment, I can't hear anything, I felt like my heart stopped beating my jaws are shivering and cold on my whole body. Then the official said, "On your mark!", then a gunshot. I was shocked and didn't notice that all of them already jumped into the water and started to swim then I heard my coach shouting, "Brian talon na". That was the time that I jumped in and hit the water for the first time. And you know what happened? I got the first place. After the first day of competition, the awarding ceremony. I was excited for my name to be called and stepped on the stage and got my certificate, that was my most inspiring moment. I got 7 certificates and all of them are first place.

After 2 months of waiting, finally, it's time for our training again for the preparation for Provincial Meet. Medyo, mas mahirap na ang training and more serious also. I need to win on this competition, selection na to for regionals. A week past and we're still on our training. I remember before every time i woke up all of my team mates in Pto. Rivas is waiting for me outside na, yun pala, makiki almusal pa muna sila sa amin bago kami pumunta sa training venue. I also remember, sometimes, one or two of our team mates don't have their fair going to the training venue so hihingi ako ng extra money sa mom ko para lang makapag training sila. Bait ko noh? Haha! Masaya kasi pag madami. Di pala kami nakaranas ng jogging nun. Ewan ko ba, di yata kami sanay mag jogging basta ang alam namin, pag swimmer ka, di ka na pwedeng mag jogging. Haha! Almost everyday same thing, same routine ang nangyayari. I don't much about swimming training pa before so i decided to buy a training tape before para makakuha ako ng some techniques in training. Di naman namin nagawa co'z of luck of swimming equipments. Goggles nga wala kami eh. 3 of my swim mates don't have swimming trunks, so they're using they're mom's or dad's cycling. Kakaawa nga eh. Buti nalang naging swimmer din mga tito and tita ko so i don't need to buy swimming equipments. Nanghingi nalang ako. Hehe! After a long week training, dumating na din ang araw. First day is the parade of course, dun na din binigay ang uniform and surprisingly, we also got our new swimming trunks and swimsuit for the girls. I'm so happy that all of my team mates already had their own swimming trunks and swimsuit. I'm so thankful to the Lord that time. That would be our first time again in Provincial meet Parade. I also saw some of my Tito and Tita on the parade. Of course they were so proud of me that i came to that stage. After 1 day of parade we go to our quarters and had some rest for tomorrows big event. The morning sun rise up and we prepared for our game, we prayed first to ask guidance and then eat breakfast then go to the swimming. As we entered the swimming pool premisses, we saw our opponents and our hearts beats faster and faster. One of our girl team mate cried dahil sa kaba. Hahaha! Sinabi ko nalang sa sarili ko na swimming lang to, di naman masakit pag lumangoy. Haha! Warm up na agad kami tapos rest tapos event proper na agad. Unang salang pa ako. 50 meters freestyle. I got the 1st place of course, 50 meters butterfly first place again. The next day, unang salang na naman ako, 100 meters freestyle, first again, 100 meter butterfly, 2nd naman, 200 meters freestyle, 2nd again. Relay naman, we got the first place in 4x50 meters freestyle, 2nd place in 4x100 meters freestyle. 1st place sa 4x50 meters, medley relay and 2nd place sa 4x100 meters medley relay. Yan mga achievements na natanggap namin during provincial meet. We're so happy when they announced the players who will be competing on the regionals, i'm one of the lucky one. Of course sadly, some of my team mates didn't make it. At least, i'm so thankful to them co'z i knew that they gave their best but their best wasn't good enough. I just told them that it's not the end of their road naman eh. Next target is regional.

My first National Competition. My career continues. Then on my 6th grade, someone gave me opportunity to compete on the nationals. I'm very excited and proud that they trusted me to represent Bataan as one of the competitors in the upcoming Batang Pinoy 2001 that held at Sta. Rosa Laguna. They called us for a meeting and told us what to do and what to bring and what is the big break that they gave us. We're so happy that time that we can't express it in a way that everyone will know that we are competing not only for ourselves but for the Municipality of Bataan. Then we had our training that last for about 4 weeks or at least one month for preparation. It was fun and exciting knowing that it's our first time to compete on the nationals. The day came and we're about to travel for 3-5 hours going to Sta. Rosa Laguna from Bataan. Of course, my family and all my friends supported me for the big break. After 5 hours of travel we finally arrived. I forgot the name of the school we quartered in. The next morning, our trainor/coach told us to prepare co'z we're going to have a parade. On the parade, i noticed that we're the only one team that has no uniform all of the others have theirs and take note they have a complete uniform from head to toe. Kakainggit nga eh. Well anyway, it doesn't matter for me. Pero nakaka inggit talaga. Haha! Finally, the first day of the competition came. I had a game on the first day, 50 meters freestyle and 50 meters butterfly then 4x50 meters freestyle relay. On the 50 meters freestyle, i only ranked on 6th place overall. On the 50 meters butterfly, it was close, i landed at 4th place in overall tally. In the relay we never got the chance to bring the 3rd place co'z all our opponents are really strong. We even think that they're tireless. Well, it's ok for us because that's only our first time. Haha! Nagdahilan ba? I don't have a game on the 2nd and 3rd day so i just rest and watched other game and relax. on the final day of the competition, i had 3 games left and it was long distance swim. On my first swim, 200 meters freestyle, i got the 9th place in overall, 8th place on the 100meters butterfly and 4th place in 200 meters Individual Medley. After this national competition, we prepared naman for the upcoming regionals.

I'll share you my adventure on the regional meet on my next blog. Check it above.

Thanks for reading.