I began training with Rouleau's Taekwondo four years ago. I came in as a green belt after five years away from Taekwondo. Since then I have found my participation in this class to be extremely rewarding.

Taekwondo training in general is very rewarding in many ways. It is a great feeling to practice a technique over and over, and finally get it right. It is a great, full body workout and can be a lot of fun. Taekwondo training is a huge improvement on spending 1-2 hours in a gym on machine after machine. I think that for anybody to find a long-term fitness program, they must enjoy it. Taekwondo is definitely the fitness program I needed. I had some tough things to deal with a few years ago, and this resulted in some weight gain. Fortunately, Taekwondo helped to pull me out of that physically, as well as emotionally. In fact, I am in better shape now than I was when I was playing sports in high school. My head is also in a better place with something positive to focus on and work toward.

Rouleau's Taekwondo training is definitely something special. The instructors can be very motivational and are great at finding ways to make you want to push yourself beyond what you think possible. The motivational quality of the instructors partially comes from knowing that they once stood where I now stand. They have been through the very same training that they are putting me through. It is tradition. The instructors are making sure that I am living up to their high standards, and are making sure that I am not a weak link in the chain that the Black Belts are all a part of. They are helping me to become the best martial artist that I can be. I am now preparing for my Black Belt test (hopefully to be soon). I feel confident knowing that when I do get to step up in front of the Black Belt Board to begin my test, that I will be ready, as they will never set me up for failure. I will know that I am ready, because they all know that I am ready.

The training environment is not only made special by the instructors, but by the other students in class. There is no laughing or criticism when somebody has trouble learning a particular technique. There is nothing but others around trying to help, and then sharing your excitement when you finally get it right, or when you are promoted to your next rank. We definitely have a very supportive environment for learning.

On a more personal note, I have made some connections with others from this class that are very special to me. I have met friends that I never would have met had it not been for our shared interest in Taekwondo.