Down on the bottom of the left hand side is a button that you can use to call me. You enter in your name and your telephone number and you will receive a call that will go directly to my voicemail where you can leave me a message. The system is run through Google Voice so your number will be kept private. If you leave me a message there, please remember to leave me your name and number and when a good time to contact you would be.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

Within the next month or so I’m hoping to have a new logo for Legendres TKD. One of my fellow black belts Heather Vallejo is a very talented artist and she is creating a new logo for the school for me. Shortly after I have the logo, I’m hoping to have some t-shirts printed and offer them for sale. As soon as I have them I’ll let you all know when, where, and how to get them.

Mrs. Vallejo is also doing another logo for a class that will hopefully be beginning in January at the Davenport North YMCA. The new program is a little dragons program. The program is a martial arts program designed for kids ages 4 to 7 years old. Keep checking back to find out more information on the program.

Make sure to keep checking back for the new logo’s. I’ll post them as soon as I have them.

Thank you,

Mr. Legendre

1. Courtesy
2. Integrity
3. Perseverance
4. Self Control
5. Indomitable Spirit

Each of these articles will cover one of the tenets and talk a bit about how they relate to Tae Kwon Do and to your personal life outside Tae Kwon Do.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

April 4th is promotional testing. You’ve been told about the implementation of the new forms in to the curriculum which will be a requirement for April promotion. You will need to work extra hard of you want to test for your next belt with the added material. If you’re not ready for April promotion, then there will be June promotion two short months afterward.

April 18th is The 37th Annual US Open Metropolitan Tae Kwon Do Championships hosted by Grandmaster Kim. I have participated in this tournament almost every year since I started Tae Kwon Do. There are trophies for every division and Grand Champion trophies. The Grandchampion trophies are over 6 foot tall for adult categories. I have been lucky enough to have won a Grandchampionship and hopefully be going to defend mine from last year. Come cheer me on and I’ll cheer you all on also. It’s a real family type tournament and everybody will benefit from the expreience.

Start getting ready for both promotion and tournament and have fun this April.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

I have been taught the new yellow belt form, which will be a requirement for the next promotion. All yellow belts and above will be required to know this form. If you already know Chun Ji you will be required to know that form also. With the added forms it will be more difficult for everybody to get ready for promotion every two months. If you put in extra work outside of class this will increase your chances of testing more frequently, but not guarantee it.

Over the next week or so I will be updating the yellow belt study guide and coming out with an orange belt study guide. I’ll put them on the website as soon as I get them done, and will have them for handouts for the class shortly after that.

Everybody is doing great in class. Keep working hard. One thing to remember is that you want to be a black belt not wear one. The hard work is what will make you a black belt. The final product of all that hard work is a just little piece of cloth that you tie around your waist.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

Here is a link to the information sheet that will be passed out during class about the upcoming promotion.

If you have any questions please ask Mr. Legendre in class.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

Right now we are on the holiday break for classes. The next session begins on January 6th and runs until February 19th. Classes cost $60 for YMCA members and $80 for non-members.

For the first session we had 6 students. They did awesome at their first promotion.

To kick off the new session, we are going to have a demonstration on January 17th. We’ll break boards, do forms, maybe see some weapons, and if you ask really nicely… Maybe have Ms. Dayna Huor again.

Hope to see you at the start of the new session.

Mr. Kenneth Legendre

5th Dan Tae Kwon Do

Saturday December 6th 2008 promotional testing

• Location of testing

• Testing schedule

• Students must have their uniform with the patches sewn on correctly

The December promotion will have a special tea ceremony at 9:00 am for those who passed their master promotion testing. It is not mandatory to attend the tea ceremony.

For white belts, please plan on arriving early in order to have time to change into your uniform and get stretched out. After your promotional testing is finished, you are free to leave the dojang. When leaving, please be quiet so that the other students still testing can concentrate.

One final note about testing: Mr. Legendre will be testing for his 5th degree later in the day. Black belt promotion is scheduled to start around 4:30, but Mr. Legendre’s test will probably happen after that. You are free to leave and return later in order to watch the testing.

If you have any questions concerning promotional testing please ask Mr. Legendre during class or you can email him.

Thanks,

Mr. Legendre

The instructors are Mr. Kenneth Legendre and Mrs. Courtney Legendre. The Legendre’s met in tae kwon do and have been married for 2 years. Mr. Kenneth Legendre is a 4th degree black belt in tae kwon do. He has been training in tae kwon do for almost 19 years and began instructing over 15 years ago. He is an excelent martial artist having been crowned grand champion 7 times at tournaments throughout the midwest in forms, breaking, and sparring. Mr. Legendre has studied various other martial arts throughout the years including T’ai Chi, Judo, Juijitsu, Kendo, and Hapkiye. He has traveled to Korea, the country where tae kwon do was originated, and trained. Mrs. Courtney Legendre is a 2nd degree black belt in tae kwon do. She has been training over 5 years. Mrs. Legendre is currently pregnant with the next generation in the Legendre tae kwon do family.

Tae kwon do is “The art of kicking and punching.” The exceptional tae kwon doist will be able to jump and kick, spin and kick, and both jump spin and kick. Sparring between two exceptional martial artist can look like a blur to the untrained eye.

The Legendre tae kwon do program is a traditional style martial arts program focusing on teaching the art in martial arts. The forms taught are the Chang Han forms initially, but the Tae Guek forms are also being incorporated into the black belt levels. For the beginning student basic kicks, punches, and self defense techniques are taught. Board breaking is also done by all students to increase confidence in their abilities. Once the student reaches yellow belt light contact sparring is started. At each belt rank the student learns new kicks, punches, self defense techniques, and forms.

The journey from white to black belt takes a minimum of 2 years and for most students takes 3 years or longer. It took Mr. Legendre almost 6 years to attain his black and Mrs. Legendre took 2 and a half years. Mr. Legendre plans on testing for his 5th degree in December of 2008.