"Pain is your friend".

Along with the many other dreams I decided to resurrect and pursue after the mid-life thing, I really wanted to get serious about achieving a back belt in the martial arts.

I began training in Tae Kwon Do and self-defense at Roshankish Tae Kwon Do, in Medford, MA after checking out a class that my friend, Sal, was taking. I joined the school and committed to working out three nights a week. I won a silver medal in my first sparring competition at the New Hampshire State Championships and also coached my wife Anita at her sparring competition (She's a red belt). After four years of training, I finally took my test and was awarded a black belt as a member of the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. And let me just say that breaking cement blocks hurts (mouse over the image), but it felt so good.

I think that the practice of martial arts is one of the best ways to keep yourself in great shape while acquiring valuable skills and techniques for living a confident and healthy life. Dedication, responsibility, discipline, respect and humility are just a view of the lessons that I have learned and I look forward to a lifetime of commitment to the way of Tae Kwon Do.

©2007 Chris Costello. All rights reserved.