Many people ask this basic, yet complicated question: How often should I go to TaeKwonDo or HapKiDo class?

When I signed up, Master Yun said, “Come twice a week. Three times a week is even better.” So when I was a white and orange belt, I went twice a week. I would go on Tuesdays and on Fridays.

After a few more belts, I decided that in order to be able to remember all the previous forms, kicks, and miscellaneous other movements, I needed to start going 3 times a week. So I added Wednesday Tae Kwon Do to my calendar.

Then, once I became red belt, it becomes mandatory to remember earlier belt forms for your stripe testing. So I started going on Saturday. A year goes by, and I become a bo black. Bo black training starts, and I remember that you have to spar during the black belt test. So I started taking class on Thursdays as well.

By the time I took my black belt test, I was taking TKD classes four or five times a week, including sparring on Thursdays.

A senior black belt told my mom that going four times a week is optimal because “you’re going to the studio more often than you’re not” in any given week. I guess this means my body doesn’t have a chance to forget my kicks, forms and breaking. Really good advice.

Why not go five or six times a week? I think rest is equally important. Another senior black belt told me that it’s important to let your body heal in between  really hard training sessions. I have boy scouts and Kumon on Mondays, so I don’t go Mondays. I like to relax on Fridays and the studio is closed on Sundays. So it all works out.

What schedule is right for you? Only you can decide, but going more often than you’re going now is probably the right thing to do.

by CJ, 13, black belt in TKD