Yoga benefits young and old alike.  Beginning yoga in youth establishes healthy habits, mindfulness and discipline throughout life making the extraordinary possible.

At White Lotus Yoga and Cho’s Academy children are empowered with the ability to make positive choices.  The hallmark of this practice emphasize becoming strong, confident and successful people.  Our head instructors offer a lifetime of dedicated practice, providing your family with the highest quality experience.  Give your child this priceless gift.

We are conveniently located on PCH at Diamond across from beautiful Woods Cove and Pearl Street beaches.  Visitors are welcome to drop in for a class or to just say hello.

Namaste

Dana Sara

From Andrew’s Mother, Patience:

“Andrew had a super fun birthday! He was able to show his friends what he has learned at Cho’s Academy. Our family enjoyed the more relaxed pace of the party and watching Mr. Cho demonstrate to Andrew’s friends. ALL the children had a memorable time. We are so happy Mr. Cho is in Laguna!!!“

On January 24th Cho’s Academy proudly hosted Andrew Shutt’s birthday party.  Andrew turned 8 last month and is one of our hard-working white belt students.  The idea came from he and his family.  The party lasted a full 2 hours and included a mini kick/punch class, jump kick lessons, obstacle course fun, a demo by the birthday boy, everyone singing happy birthday… and of course, all kids were introduced to the atmosphere of discipline that is synonymous with our academy… fun was the priority but not without safety and order.

Contact Mr. Cho for more info.
949-281-7517

>> Watch Master Ameris Break 2 Baseball Bats With His Shin

Taken from the article:

Taekwondo is an Olympic sport.  It’s also a traditional Korean martial art that emphasizes morals and a strict code of conduct.  For these reasons, taekwondo is sometimes mistakenly viewed as ineffective for street-defense or useless in the mixed-martial arts arena.  Nothing could be further from the truth, however.  The key to making the art effective in the ring and on the street–or keeping it that way, depending on how you currently train–is to follow the five do’s and five dont’s for taekwondo fighters.

1. Do Have the Right Mind-Set
2. Do Get in Shape
3. Do Condition Your Body To Absorb Punishment
4. Do Aim for Vital Areas
5. Do Learn to Fight in the Four Zones

1. Don’t Think You’re in an Olympic Tournament
2. Don’t Regard Fighting as One-Step Sparring
3. Don’t Misjudge the Value of Forms
4. Don’t Look Down on Grappling
5. Don’t Forget the Reality Check

Details for each “do” and “don’t” can be read in the actual article.  Pick up the November issue at magazine stands now.  Order past issues directly from BlackBeltMag.com.

We started the evening with a packed class… kids and adults, students and their family members.  Everyone had a chance to participate.  We offered 30 minutes of Yoga, 30 minutes of Tae Kwon Do and ended the class by having all the families circle the school while Mr. Cho had each student highlight their best techniques… earning a round of applause from all (you could see kid’s self-esteem and confidence soar as a result).

Following the class we allowed the children to play freely.  Some children continued practicing TKD on their own… using the heavy bag, focus pads, gloves, etc… others built obstacle courses for themselves… and others simply hung out talking and laughing.

Gina’s showed up right on time with pizza for all.  We made sure all the children worked together to clean the dojang and prepare a designated dining area for eating.  Once the dining area was ready, everyone was ordered into a single-file line and given their pizza.

We all pitched in to help clean.  Then, everyone set up their own sleeping bags, blankets and pillows.  As we dimmed the lights to start the movie, the kids settled in and got comfortable to watch…

We had an intermission and at this time handed out the “goodie bags” which included glow sticks, a few toys and some candy… again, it was a great night and everyone really enjoyed themselves.

Can’t wait for the next one on Friday, December 4th!

>> View Photo Album Here (we’ll be sure to take more next time around)

~Jacob Cho

Taekwondo’s Hee II Cho values the stability of tradition, but recognizes the need to move forward
by Jose Fraguas (circa 1990)

He is one of the most renowned taekwondo mas­ters in the world. In the highly competitive taek­wondo community – where there are more kick­ers than pro football has punters – Cho’s reputa­tion lands him right at the top of the pack. His open mind and flexible sentiments about full-contact karate and boxing, along with his unorthodox teaching methodology, put a black mark on him among tra­ditional taekwondo instructors. At the same time, this has attracted flocks of students who are interested in learning the true essence of mar­tial arts. After decades of sharing his knowl­edge and experience with students from all over the world, Master Cho still trains every day and is living proof of an everlasting youth that can be obtained through dedi­cation and attention to training. Fittingly, his trademark is the most powerful spinning back­ kick the world of martial arts has ever known.  Hee Il Cho would have it no other way.

Q: How did growing up during the Korean War affect you?

A: I’m the eldest of three brothers. After the war, times were hard. I still remember going hungry and scrounging around for a bowl of white rice. Today I consider that experience extremely valuable, because I’m conscious of whatever I have and am always thankful for it.

Q: Why did you start taking the martial arts?

A: I began my training in a typical fash­ion. At a local fair, I was beaten by five other youths, and I was black and blue for days. The worst was not the physical pain but the humiliation. As soon as I recovered, I began my train­ing in tang soo do. The classes were absolutely grueling. We trained for five or six hours a day and only the strong sur­vived. My instructor was incredibly rigid – we never ques­tioned anything and treated him like a god. After classes, I would sometimes have to wash his feet, and he still didn’t even speak to me for the first year. After training for three years, I received my black belt. After that, I moved with my family to Inchon, near Seoul. While living in Inchon, I realized that martial arts were my destiny in life.

Q: When did you join the military?

A: When I was 21. At the time I was already a fourth­ degree black belt. I taught taekwondo to the servicemen and continued my studies under general Choi Hong Hi. It was through his federation that I had the opportunity to teach in India, Germany and finally the United States. I came here as part of a demonstration team and I found the country to be a place where you could achieve anything you wanted to with hard work and dedication. I spend time in South Bend, Indi­ana, then in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and finally in New York City. I was living at the YMCA because I had no money, and my weight was down to something like I 15. I didn’t know what to do with my life, but I knew I was not going to do it in New York. So I took off again and moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Just when I was ready to quit the martial arts, a sympathetic landlord offered me six months free rent on a small building. With the last of my money I took out a tiny ad in the local newspaper. Just days later I had 50 students! From then on I never looked back.

Q: When did you move to California?

A: In 1976, I sold my schools and headed for California because I felt there was something more in store for me. I purchased a Chuck Norris school on Santa Monica Boulevard and [subsequently] opened Cho’s Taekwondo Studio. Califor­nia was like a foreign country to me. People were different. They still are different and I am not sure why – perhaps it has something to do with the climate and the easy lifestyle ­but students aren’t as disciplined; they are softer. Today, I have adapted my methods somewhat to accommodate their lifestyle, but back then I was still quite strict. I had students sparring full-contact with no protective gear. Also, I didn’t recognize the belts they’d gained under previous instructors. Of course, some parents thought my teaching methods were too harsh. My brethren in the Korean martial arts community criticized me because I was teaching boxing in my classes, and I didn’t have my students attired in white gi’s.

The Winning Attitude

We are bound only by the limitations we place upon ourselves. People spend more time saying, “I can’t,” and giving excuses than they ever do thinking, “I can.” I hear excuses all the time: “I can’t do this Master Cho because…” and so it goes. I. am no superman, but I always say to myself first, “I can and I will” – Hee Il Cho

Q: Why did you break with tradition?

A: I don’t like to live in the past. In the old days, the orig­inal reason why uniforms were white is because it was the only material available. But that’s got nothing whatsoever to do with the present. If you want to know why I started box­ing, just look where the best physical conditioning is and look where the money is. There is a reason why full-contact and kickboxing fighters use boxing and not karate punches – it’s because boxing works better! Although I agree it is not for everyone, martial artists can still learn a lot from boxing even if they still prefer their own art. And when the two are truly blended, taking the best from each, the result is effective. That blend is the martial art of the future.

Q: Don’t you think that inner peace can be attained through the study of martial arts?

A: If there is, you are not going to find it by going off on some mountain top and sitting for three hours in a cross-legged position. No, the only way you are going to find it is through actions – because life is action.

Q: You competed in the United States during your early years. Why?

A: I believe that you will never know how good you are if you don’t test your skills against other martial artists. When I came here from Korea, I saw that the Amer­ican fighters were doing things differently. I had to see if the way I trained really worked. Of course, I did lose once in a while but that was mostly from excessive con­tact. I knocked a lot of people out. In the tournaments at that time, with the exception of punches to the face, the blows were rarely pulled, which was fine with me. In Korea, we fought with no protective gear and went full-out. That’s the way it should be, because if you practice pulling the blow, that’s the way you are going to react out on the street.

Q: Were you impressed with the masters you met here when you first arrived?

A: It was funny, in a way, because when I first came to United States I was very rigid. I adhered strictly to tradition. But gradually I came to see that the masters were really just people who had a little more knowledge than I did. They cer­tainly weren’t gods, though there was a time when I regarded them as such. But that was a long time ago.

Q: What point have you reached in your personal mar­tial arts journey?

A: I have reached a moment in my life in which much dis­turbs me about the martial arts. The time has arrived for the fresh air of change to sweep away the static insular attitudes and exchange them for new ideas and rejuvenation. This needs to be a porous acceptance of change within all aspects of the various systems of martial arts, especially from the martial artists themselves.

Each today is the only true reality. We may be the sum total of our past, and the pasts of millions who lived before us, but life is what we are doing, thinking, feeling, and creat­ing now – at this moment. That is reality. I cannot live cap­tured by the ideals of the past or in fear of my future. Neither am I afraid to admit change into my life, especially within my teachings of taekwondo.

If there is a superior way of teaching or developing tech­niques, I want to know about them and adapt that way into the methods I have established. The future of all systems of martial arts depends on continual growth. While holding onto our noble traditions, we should explore new concepts and training methods.

My martial arts’ ancestors may curl up and cringe at my ideas, but I am interested in analyzing and exploring the most effective scientific methods for developing techniques. The great masters of the past were indeed excellent teach­ers but, surrounded as we are today by new technology and innovative research into new training methods, there may be better ways of developing certain techniques. I, therefore, do not feel guilty nor compelled to stick to one method for­mulated many years ago.

Q: What’s your opinion on full-contact karate and kickboxing?

A: Full-contact karate has definitely put pressure on tra­ditional martial arts and questioned its effectiveness. Often, when matched with an experienced full­ contact fighter, the traditional stylist gets slaughtered. However, I don’t want to compare a full-contact fighter to a , martial art and say which is better. Kickboxing is beneficial for, developing physical strength, endurance and prowess. But it is a sport and not a martial art. Full-contact kickboxing is com­petitive and should only be done by those who wish to make a tremendous commitment to the sport. Why, though, have the Amer­icans so successfully dominated the full­ contact and point tournaments? Because they have usually not limited themselves to training solely within one system. They carefully observe many different systems and take the best each has to offer, putting the various techniques together to suit themselves. I am not – by any means – advocating that a student jump from one style to another. However, I do think it is important for instructors to analyze the success of these types of fighters. I have only trained in taekwondo and believe it to be one of the finest systems of martial arts. But I will adopt a technique from any other style if I see that technique is more effective than my own method.

Q: Have you made changes in the art?

A: I have incorporated basic boxing techniques into my advanced classes. I trained as a boxer in Korea and realize that my knowledge of boxing definitely helped me become a successful fighter. Boxing is scientifically designed to gener­ate the most power possible from each motion executed; additionally, it teaches good avoidance techniques, which is vital to any fighter. My students’ fighting has vastly improved and the results from our tournaments are excellent. There’s no use hiding beneath the precarious umbrella of our so-called mystical past, which sanctions the belief that one blow will finish a fight every time. Rather, we should accept change and be open to other options and outcomes. I don’t want to give the impression that I am hoping for an amalgamation of all systems – I’m not. I hope, rather, for an adaptation and acceptance of all styles. Taekwondo is a great kicking style; Japanese karate masters have some of the fastest hands; Chi­nese systems are designed more for the aesthetic aspects of the martial arts. Each system has its own diverse and unique set of principles and rules, which could never merge. What we should do is learn more from each other with open minds. Personally, I have put extra emphasis on weight training and increased intensity during workouts, and I have added boxing techniques to the training regimen as well. The weight train­ing program should be a specific routine to meet the individ­ual’s needs; however, it is a supplementary training for a martial arts workout, not a substitute for it.

Q: Do you consider yourself a non-traditionalist?

A: I see myself as a traditionalist and non-traditionalist. I follow the mental, ethical, and moral principles of traditional martial arts, which includes self-control, perseverance and indomitable spirit. As a non-traditional master, I have adapted my training regimen to my students and will incor­porate new techniques to benefit them. As I said, I maintain an open mind to all styles of fighting and recognize the ben­efits of each discipline.

Q: What is your opinion of all the jealousy in martial arts?

A: It is arrogant egotism that has created bad feelings between martial artists. The days when instructors strutted about puffed-up with their feelings of importance are long gone I hope. Because all that nonsense gets in the way of presenting martial arts to the public for what it is: a physical and mental art form that gives students a deeper under­standing of themselves and a greater capacity toward achieving self-fulfillment.

Q: How important is forms training in your teaching?

A: Students often ask why I teach forms and how does per­forming a hyung benefit them. On a simple level, performing forms has been compared to learning the letters of the alpha­bet. Put the letters together and you have a word; the words can then be made into a sentence.

It takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline, well­-practiced techniques and men­tal concentration to perform a form well. We start with the sim­plest forms, containing only a few simple movements. Grad­ually, we build up a repertoire of more complicated forms with increasingly varied and complex techniques. The prac­tice of forms helps develop precision, controlled timing, breath control, balance in movement, focus and much more.

From the instructor’s point of view, forms also provide a perfect vehicle to enable the instructor to evaluate a student’s progress on many different levels. Forms also provide a means to physically illustrate the aesthetic aspect of a partic­ular style and a student’s personal interpretation of that style. Styles that don’t have forms, to my way of thinking, lack in depth and miss an important part of the arts.

Q: What is your expectation for the fi1ture of the arts?

A: It is my hope that the future will bring martial artists closer together and that the childish egotism of the past will become a thing of the past. I eagerly await the prospect of change within the arts, of exciting new training methods, and the further prosperity of the martial arts all over the world.

Q: Do you agree with the description “Hee Il Cho is a man of contrasts?”

A: Yes, I guess it’s true. I am a man of action, but I also admit to having many contrasts. Like many Koreans, I am quiet, reserved and introspective. And yet I insist on being open to change and to throwing out what is unessential. If one hopes to improve his art and his life then that is an absolute necessity. Life is change.

We are proud to offer Muay Thai Kickboxing Workshops on a monthly basis (usually the last Saturday of each month–check the Cho’s Academy Website to confirm actual dates).

Muay Thai is a martial art from Thailand. It complements Tae Kwon Do, focusing on low leg kicks, knee strikes, elbow strikes, work from the clinch and takedowns (offensive & defensive).

Muay Thai is one of the more popular stand up styles preferred by modern day MMA practitioners.

Grant Pierce is a Muay Thai instructor under Prida “Kak” Koonala, and has over a decade of Muay Thai training, competition and teaching experience. He is also a 2nd Degree Tae Kwon Do Black Belt and a former apprentice instructor in Jeet Kune Do Concepts and Filipino Martial Arts under Burton Richardson.

Workshop Highlights:

• Basic and Advanced Thai Pad Drills
• Partner Drills to Develop Timing, Distance, Attack and Defense Skills
• Muay Thai Clinching and Throwing Techniques
• Functional Leg Kicking, Knee and Elbow Techniques
• Conditioning Drills
• Optional Sparring

This workshop is for adults all ages, skill levels and athletic ability.  It is great for those looking to learn self-defense and/or simply get a great workout.

Advance sign-up is required by email or phone.  Visit the Cho’s Academy Website for more info.

~Jacob Cho

CLICK ON PICS FOR LARGER VIEW

It has been nearly a year now since classes have begun at Cho’s Academy, Laguna Beach. I am excited and proud to announce that classes are continuing to grow, and all of our students are working hard and progressing.

We currently have kids enrolled ranging in ages from 3 1/2 – 12 years old; divided into three age-specific groups.

Children at our academy are required to work hard but have fun too.

Free trial lessons are offered by appointment.  Call 949-281-7517.
You may also visit our Website to learn more:  Kids Info ~ Head Instructor Bio

Don’t forget about the informative and candid parent testimonials below.

A year ago, when friends Dana Sara and Jacob Cho began pursuing their dream of opening a Laguna Beach studio that combined their respective arts in yoga and tae kwon do, realtors and others advised them of the obstacles to opening a business here. They ignored the advice, and last week Cho’s Academy opened its doors, filling one of many empty storefronts in the 1900 block of S. Coast Highway.

Combining the two arts was Sara’s vision, though it took years and several serendipitous turns for the partnership to come to fruition. Experts in their respective fields, both partners share a vision of teaching and practicing a happy, healthy and balanced lifestyle with the benefit of self-defense skills.

Sara began practicing yoga with her mother as a small child, and has now been teaching for 27 years. Cho, whose father is Grandmaster Hee Il Cho, a living marital arts legend, has lived and breathed tae kwon do his whole life.
The partnership began by coincidence. Sara met Cho in Los Angeles a decade ago because Cho’s Tae Kwon Do abutted her dance studio. She trained there with Cho and his father. The friendship blossomed almost instantly.

Cho remained in Los Angeles, studying, competing, teaching and managing, while Sara, a sponsored snowboarder, made her way to Jackson Hole, Wyo., where she taught yoga and dance, in addition to hitting the slopes.

When Cho came to Laguna Beach three years ago, the seed for the business alliance took root. He grew to love Laguna for its small town feel, for its beaches and canyons, and especially for its residents’ sense of community, appreciation for the arts, and respect for healthy lifestyles. Here, Cho felt he could put down roots and open an academy.

Cho contacted Sara in Wyoming and encouraged her to relocate. “You’re going to love it here, and we’re going to open a school here. It’s going to be great!” Sara recalls Cho telling her.

Sara says Cho’s call came at a time when she felt ready to “warm up” and get back to the beach. She agreed with Cho’s assessment of Laguna. “It seems to be a vortex for creative people and passionate people,” said Sara, who relocated a year ago.

Everything fell into place. When she enrolled her daughter in Anneliese’s, even that was a perfect fit. There was one space left in the third grade, and she got it, along with a scholarship.

While Sara and Cho worked on plans for the academy, Sara organized a drama club for the Anneliese’s school and started teaching yoga there while Cho also taught students’ tae kwon do, inadvertently building a client base.
Cindy Pratt’s daughters Maya and Zoe are among the academy’s first students, having first taken tae kwon do from Cho at Anneliese’s School. Pratt, who lives in Mission Viejo, says she trusts Cho, who made learning self-defense skills fun for her daughters, while instilling a sense of respect for others. She appreciates Cho’s dexterity at building confidence in Zoe, 12, who has problems with motor skills.

Despite the poor economy and competition from local outposts of national franchises, Sara and Cho also exude confidence over the potential of their academy. Their confidence stems from lifetime experience as practitioners of their respective arts, Cho’s family legacy, and their family-oriented approach.

“I teach traditional tae kwon do as was taught to my father by his masters in Korea, including the traditional techniques and traditional school setting of discipline and respect,” said Cho. “These days, this is extremely rare.”

The two principals offer a depth of teaching experience and a sense of belonging unavailable elsewhere, Sara believes. “For us, everyone who walks in our door is family, and we get to know them personally,”
she said.

Valerie Ahmed got to know Sara when her daughter took yoga at Anneliese’s School. “I’m comfortable leaving my child with her, and I’m not comfortable leaving my child with anybody,” Ahmed said.

Liesa Schimmepfennig, who works at Anneliese Schools in program development, took a holistic yoga class that Sara taught for school staff. She was impressed with Sara’s understanding of technique and “loving but firm” teaching style. She believes the academy “will bring depth, excellence and passion to our citizens, young and old.”

Seven people attended the first yoga class last Saturday. The partners say the academy has received an outpouring of community support, which is why they want to give back with this weekend’s special opening celebration from 2:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the studio at 1966 S. Coast Highway. There will be Korean BBQ and other treats, a bounce house for kids, a raffle and silent auction, and live music by local musicians.  The proceeds from the silent auction will be split between SchoolPower and Seeds Arts and Education.

Cho’s goal is not to woo students from rival studios, but to add to the local martial arts and yoga communities. “There is no amount of money that can buy good health, happiness, strength of character and longevity,” he said. “Learning the two arts we teach offers it all.”