In the physical education classes of Ironwood Ridge High School, Tucson, Arizona, one would expect students to be shooting basketballs, spiking volleyballs, and hitting tennis balls. Students do this and more at the local High School, but a more unusual sport has come to the school. Many students are now earning their P.E. credit by participating in the martial art Taekwondo.

Taekwondo is a martial art originating in Korea. At IRHS, Instructor Mark Pawley, a fourth degree black belt, teaches the class. IRHS is the only school in the country to offer Taekwondo. Going in, students expect to kick and punch a few things and earn their credit no problem. However, in-coming white belts are surprised by what they see.

White belts begin by picking out a belt supplied by the school (you earn your own belt as you move up). The first day is terrifying. Here they are, a majority of them freshmen, just ready to begin their High School career. There is a certain way to do everything in Taekwondo. You bow to the Korean and American flags hanging on the dojang walls, for fear of a higher-ranking student forcing you to do push-ups. There is a certain way you tie your belt. Then you line up in order by rank and age. Not to mention you have to say “yes, sir” and “no, sir” to everyone, for fear of doing push-ups.

One has to admit, it sounds like an absolutely terrifying place to be. But students at IRHS love Taekwondo.

“I love all the energy everybody has,” says Megan Summers, a sophomore at IRHS and green-white-stripe belt. “because they’re so into it.”

“It’s very disciplined, but the activity is fun,” said Maureen Corr, a purple belt. “I like learning new things and succeeding as I practice them.”

At first, it seems unusual that anyone would really enjoy learning how to hurt someone else. But Taekwondo is not about trying to kick someone else’s butt. It’s about attaining a higher mental and physical ability, yet still retaining humility (students are specifically told not to use Taekwondo to hurt someone else).

Mark Pawley does this by giving students what is lovingly called a “die day”, every few months (including the annual “Halloween”, “Thanksgiving”, and “back-from-break” die days). It leaves students panting and exhausted, but any student is proud to make it through these days of rigorous exercise.

But everyday in the dojang is intense. The day begins with anywhere from three to six laps around the gym and a series of stretches, many of which are designed especially for Taekwondo. Then students are divided into groups by rank, usually with lower ranks in one group (typically white, orange, and yellow belts), intermediate ranks in a second group (typically green-white-stripe and green belts), and higher ranks in a third (typically purple belts above), with the groups varying depends on what the students learn. One group will learn special hand movements, later in the year proceeding on to connecting the moves, another will work on kicks, and the third group will work on cardio and physical exercises.
After spending a few weeks learning hand movements, the moves are connected in forms, a series of twenty or more moves. Each belt has its own form, with the forms getting progressively harder with each belt. Every form follows one of the four sets of three stripes, arranged in a certain pattern, on the Korean flag. Each form has its own element and every belt has a special meaning. Students must learn everything about their belt.

White, orange, and yellow belts have one-steps. One-steps consist of five or so moves, typically done straight ahead. Students also learn one-step sparring, allowing them to perform the one-steps with someone else. It teaches students to distance themselves correctly (you’re not allowed to hit anyone), control their techniques, and properly perform their one-steps. Red belts (the last belt before black) have one-steps and three-steps, which are similar to one-steps.

Once a student earns the rank of green-white-stripe belt, they put on gear and begin sparring. The sparring gear is protects students very well, and unless they do something incredibly stupid, no student is harmed. When sparring, students actually kick each other, typically in rounds lasting only a minute and half. The new rank also deviates from learning one-steps to sparring segments, a series of connected moves, done differently from one-steps.

Students learn the five tenets of Taekwondo: courtesy, shown by bowing to the flags and other students; honor, represented by humility and actively participating in class; integrity, practiced by participation, humility, and respect to other students; perseverance, shown when a student makes his/her way through a die day and pushes his/herself to participate, no matter how difficult class things become; and self-control, shown by a student’s ability to maintain control over their actions.

Taekwondo is a unique activity for Southern Arizonan students to help raise mental discipline and physical ability. By choosing to participate in this excellent class, students can increase their physical ability, improve their character, and gain life-long friends along the way.