The American Taekwondo Association in Virginia Beach and

Chesapeake Operate five locations.

Sr. Master Tracy Lee Thomas

7th Degree Master Instructor

The "Songahm Star" is the pattern that is formed on the ground if all 18 forms of the Songahm system
are completed. In a perfect Songahm Star, the distance from the center point of the star to the top point
is nine feet ("feet" being the student's foot length). The total distance from the top point to the bottom
point equals 18 feet, representing the number of forms in the Songahm system.

"Martial Art" is a broad term encompassing the many styles of physical discipline (fighting) arts that

have been developed over the centuries. To say that the style of Songahm Taekwondo is just another

"martial art" would be an oversimplified explanation of the world's largest centrally administered

martial art. This system of teaching and training is unequaled in the martial arts community.

During its early years, the ATA used the Chahng-hun style of forms (also used by the International

Taekwondo Federation). But although this style was widely accepted in the Taekwondo community,

Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee felt that its forms did not accurately reflect Taekwondo -- particularly

the strength and beauty of Taekwondo kicking techniques. As a result, he believed the forms

contributed little to the Taekwondo curriculum. For example, white belts were expected to know front

kicks and side kicks, but no front kick appeared until the third (yellow belt) form, and there was no

side kick until the form after that!

From 1983 to 1990, Eternal Grand Master introduced the eighteen Songahm forms. These forms are

part of a fully-integrated curriculum, in which everything a student learns reinforces everything else.

The forms contain all or nearly all of the techniques that students are expected to know at each rank,

the one-step sparring segments complement the forms, and all of these patterns lead logically to the

movements required for each succeeding rank.

The Songahm curriculum facilitates a smooth progression from one rank to the next, so that students

who begin Taekwondo feeling they'll never be able to do a simple block (for example) suddenly find

themselves a few years later doing 360-degree jumping kicks with ease.

Songahm Taekwondo also focuses on personal development of the mind and body. To say it is just

self-defense would be to lose most of the valuable ideas and philosophy behind this ancient art.

The heightened capacity for self-defense resulting from our Taekwondo is really a fringe benefit that is
gained by dedicating one's self to the values, philosophy and training of Songahm Taekwondo. When

learning, a student is in a true, traditional Taekwondo class, focusing not just on the physical but also

on discipline, honor, self-control, respect, courtesy, perseverance and loyalty.

A beginner does not focus on being a skilled martial artist within a month or two, as a strong

foundation in Taekwondo must be built first. Trying to advance beyond your level without proper

guidance is like building a house on concrete that has not dried. Though the house may still stand, the

foundation would not be as strong and the appearance of the house may not be as presentable.

The ATA and its affiliated organizations help build a strong foundation of Songahm Taekwondo in each

of its members, a foundation from which advancement in both the martial art (mind and body) and in

self defense can be built and added on to in perpetuity.

Changing Lives provides you with the best Chesapeake and Virginia Beach karate, taekwondo a Mixed

Martial Arts Instruction. Changing Lives Martial Arts teaches karate, taekwondo, kung fu and krav

maga to everyone from tiny tigers and kids to adults and seniors and all levels from beginners to

advanced. These disciplines, be it taekwondo, mixed martial arts, karate, or kung fu, can be practiced

by people of all ages, from the very young, to the elderly. For adults wishing to practice these

disciplines, the benefits of studying them offer some of the same benefits as it does for children.

Many people consider various types of martial arts as a extreme martial arts, hybrid martial
art or High Velocity Martial Art sports, taekwondo, and Karate? Extreme, hybrid or a High
Velocity dynamic style of sport fighting is seen in the world of Mixed Martial Arts such as in the UFC.
Traditional Karate and Sport Karate are two very different types of training and styles states, Sr.
Master Tracy Lee Thomas of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Martial Arts.

Western Wrestling and boxing along with various other fighting forms, combat sports, reality based

systems are indeed physical and mental martial arts forms of practice and theory that has evolved

over the years. The general public perception of the martial arts is thoughtfully seen or envisioned as

an “art” within the martial arts. The Origins that were brought from the East to the West are a wide

variety and have greatly seen a evolution over the past few decades. Martial arts such as these

include, Taekwondo, Karate, Kung-Fu, Tai Chi, and Aikido. Tracy Lee Thomas, a Martial Arts

Master Instructor states; “As seen in the sky, our universe holds an abundance of stars both known

and unknown that are of great value to our world. Traditional martial arts like the stars in the

universe, they hold an unfathomable amount of valued treasures that await a student training in

karate at Chesapeake and Virginia Beach Changing Lives Martial Arts . The programs taught at

Changing Lives is more than kicking and punching, it can define a person and give them a more
defined meaning in life. Through the traditional aspects of martial arts training and life skills utilized

within a training course, one will strengthen and fine tune their mental and physical awareness, agility

and self discipline.