Taekwondo Trivia:
Things nobody told you about practicing Taekwondo but which you should know

The following is a list of Taekwondo trivia that you may never be told up front... Enjoy!

- Your opponent is just as scared of you as you are of your opponent.

- A black belt is confused: he is not allowed to beat you up, but he is not allowed to let you beat him up.

- Yes, that is in fact dead skin on the floor, and probably some toenails, and probably some wood chips from broken boards.

- If you miss your target board while breaking, it DOES hurt the board-holder's hands or fingers, no matter how he or she may react.

- Being a black belt does not mean you can perform miracles.

- Winning all the time simply makes you feel pressured to win all the time.

- The horseback-riding stance looks really goofy in pictures without your uniform on ... or even with your uniform on.

- If you want to be great at sparring, you must learn how to relax. That could be an oxymoron, if you think about it. A kick is coming at you that could break bones, and you have to relax?

- Accidently hitting someone really does feel worse for the person who does the kicking – if the kicker has a conscience.

- An instructor who is looking at the floor during class is probably trying to suppress her laughter.

- "To be honest, I don't know how I won - I don't even remember what I did to win!"

- There is always someone better, higher ranked, more flexible, better at kicks, and better at forms than you – even at the black belt level.

- Your instructor does wear street clothes.

- If a sparring partner or competitor says, “Take it easy on me,” that person usually doesn’t want to take it easy on you.

- From an instructor, "Does anyone need a break?" and "Do you need water?" are usually trick questions.

- Injuries and being hit never hurt the way you think it does.

- Every martial artist has bad days. Just try not to have them at tournaments or on test days.

- You may not call your instructor "Homey", "My main man/woman", or "Dude/dudette."

- When in doubt, bow.

- Drawing blood from your own knuckles is not a good thing. Drawing blood from an opponent is not a good thing.

- The instructor is always right.

- Trimming your toenails and fingernails is a MUST.

- Knowing the terminology is good, but executing the technique properly is better.

- White uniforms and dirty cars in the parking lot do not mix.

- When piled up on the floor after practice, everyone’s sparring gear looks very much alike.

- Sparring gear does not protect you nearly as well against baseball bats, golf clubs, or other improvised weapons when you’re messing around with your friends at home.

- Washing your uniform is a requirement! Please...