Q&A - Taekwon-Do brings family together

Taekwon-Do student Sarah Victor, 30, has been dedicated to the martial arts for about six years.

The Tucumcari native and stay-at-home mother suggests its one of the things that keeps her family together. She and her husband as well as three of her four children are students of Eastern New Mexico Taekwon-Do with Steve Blakeley in Portales.

She says Taekwon-Do has helped make her a stronger and confident person.

Sarah Victor

Martial arts has made her more confident

What brought you to practice martial arts?

My husband worked out with Master Blakeley when he was in junior high and high school and wanted to get back into it. He started, then our son William did. I had no interest at first but I finally gave in and realized I love it.

What has kept you doing it for this long?

It's our family sport. Everyone except Zaydah (because she's not old enough) are in Taekwon-Do. I love that it's "exercise with a purpose." Plus the friends we've made are irreplaceable.

How many times a week do you practice and for how long?

Classes are two nights a week for an hour but since I am preparing for my black belt test I have been working out 6-7 times a week for about two hours a day.

What's the hardest part about staying disciplined?

Sometimes when I learn something new that I struggle with, breaking in particular, I get discouraged, but the great support system we have plus Master Blakeley as an instructor, I can't give up.

What's your most favorite move that you learned and why? How do you do it?

I love using knees and elbows but they are illegal during tournaments. Knees come upward usually with a shoulder grab for leverage and elbows either come upward or straight across depending on target and positioning.

What is a goal you have this year that you haven't reached yet in your practice?

I will be testing for my black belt next month which I'm super excited and extremely nervous about.

Who is your favorite famed martial artist and why?

I really like Jackie Chan because he does his own stunts sometimes even injured and he's hilarious.

What's your favorite martial arts movie?

Forbidden Kingdom.

How do you find the time to balance your practice and the rest of your responsibilities?

Taekwon-Do is a part of life for us so besides church and home, we spend most of our time there. We know when our classes are so we make it a priority to schedule things around Taekwon-Do. There are five other days that we can do other things.

Do you spar? What was your most memorable fight and why?

Sparring is my favorite part of Taekwon-Do. I was terrified to do it the first time but quickly realized I loved it. My mom came to one of our tournaments and after sparring my mom said "we finally found your sport." My most memorable fight was at our local tournament a few years ago. I was in a division with my friend from Oklahoma that I had met at Taekwon-Do summer camp. Before our division started, we made a pact that we would still be friends no matter who won. We both walked out of the ring rubbing our noses and smiling. We've remained friends even though I won.

What has practicing martial arts taught you as a person?

Confidence and awareness. People often don't pay attention to their surroundings and that is the first line of defense. I have so much more confidence after being in Taekwon-Do that I don't think I would have otherwise.

Why should people practice?

As I said before, it's exercise with a purpose. You don't only stay in shape but there's a purpose behind everything we do. So you are not only healthier but you can also defend yourself if needed. It is great too because you don't have to be an expert when you start. You do what you can and just commit to improving. That means that anyone can do it no matter their age or the shape they're in. For example, my father-in-law, Billy, just started and he's in his 60's. I couldn't be prouder.