So, you want to be a Tae Kwon Do instructor. You’ve gone through the training, you know everything, and you’ve passed the test. Now the question is: what tools do you need to run class?
Tae Kwon Do instructors are akin to their classroom counterparts. They use lots of different tools. These include practice boards and agility ladders. There is a lot of variety between instructors, too. Instructors have a few tools that are generally universal, though. Here are the top 4 tools every Tae Kwon Do instructor needs to use!
When you joined your Tae Kwon Do school, you probably noticed one thing instantly. Tae Kwon do instructors have style! There are so many different colors and types of uniform out there. There are so many different styles, designs, and colors that Tae Kwon Do instructors like to wear. Which ones to pick?
Personally, The one I wear the most is an all black y-neck. It’s very comfortable, and often draws my students attention. It can be seen as a little intimidating. So, I don’t usually wear it when I teach younger kids. Instead, I prefer a more colorful uniform.
The one I wear for poomse competition is also one of my favorites. While I only wear it for competitions, I have colleagues who like to wear it to train and/or teach. It features a white top, navy blue neck, and navy blue pants to match. Two colleagues (recently engaged to each other) like to both wear this uniform. They certainly look like a charming couple with the matching uniforms.
If you’ve been training awhile, you’ve seen… shoes? Some Tae Kwon Do instructors have shoes. Why do Tae Kwon Do instructors have shoes, you ask? Simply put, these shoes are designed specifically for the dojang. The soles are designed specifically for Taekwondo movements. They include circles on the ball of the foot and the heel. This design allows students and instructors to move around much more easily. I’ve used them myself, and I find them to be quite comfortable. When I’m walking around the classroom for hours, I prefer comfortable shoes. I wear them only on the mat (I don’t want to get the mat dirty, that’d be a lot of pushups!).
This one is a Tae Kwon Do instructor must have. You know the paddle targets that you hold in your hand so your training partner can kick and/or punch? You probably use these for every class. When you started training, this was probably the first thing you hit. These targets are used by instructors all-day everyday. I honestly spend at least half the class time holding these targets and having students hit them as needed. They’re fairly comfortable, though my wrists sometimes hurt if I hold them for too long!
Books
If you’ve read any of my other posts, you know: Tae Kwon Do instructors love to read! From Sun Tzu to Marcus Aurelius, instructors can be quite knowledgeable and quite bookish. Here are some of the books I’ve found many of them reading.
Poomse books: Some books focus entirely on Tae Kwon Do forms (called Poomse). They can be very helpful in a person’s martial arts education if used correctly. If you want to know what your instructor is looking for in your forms, it’s best to ask them. However, if you’re looking for a book that instructors often use, there are many options. These options can help you learn a new form. Instructors also look for books to remind themselves of a form they haven’t taught in awhile. Here is one of the books that I commonly find in their bookshelf. This book,“Complete Taekwondo Poomse” by Sang H Kim and Kyu Hyung Lee, is an excellent text. It is great for those learning poomse. It provides extra help outside of class. The authors give readers many of the forms that schools commonly use. They also provide stretches and philosophy. An explanation of techniques the forms often need is included. They even have Korean vocabulary that is frequently used in classes!
History books: I know, I know. It sounds strange that athletes like instructors like reading so much. Yet, it’s true! Some even like to read about history. Now, some texts are more detailed than others. A good book to start with is Doug Cook’s “Taekwondo: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World”. This was one of the first Taekwondo history books I ever read. It’s certainly not the text for academics by any means. However, for enthusiasts, black belts, and the curious, it’s a very good starting place. Doug Cook has a talent for making an entertaining and educational text. If you’re about to become an instructor, an introductory knowledge to Tae Kwon Do history can be very helpful.
So there you go! Now you know what (in my opinion) a good Tae Kwon Do instructor needs! May you have good luck in your Taekwondo career!
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon links:
Link for Tae Kwon Do Shoes:
Link: https://amzn.to/4jc2I25
Link for hand targets:
Link: https://amzn.to/4a9q9oR
Complete Tae Kwon Do Poomsae book Link: https://amzn.to/4h5VQl6.
Doug Cook Book Link: https://amzn.to/4fRry4D
Dobok Links:
Competition y-neck link: https://amzn.to/3Pru1rM
Black Y-Neck: https://amzn.to/42edmj7
Colorful Dobok: https://amzn.to/4h8cqkd
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