Alonzo Boynes teaches Taekwondo techniques during a session at his Kingstown dojo on Monday. He often works with families. Photo: NGOVOU GYANG

Sahil Khan spent part of his sixth birthday kicking and punching alongside his mother Angee Khan at the Boynes Taekwondo Academy in Kingstown.

 

Alonzo Boynes teaches Taekwondo techniques during a session at his Kingstown dojo on Monday. He often works with families. Photo: NGOVOU GYANG
They were among nearly 20 people in white uniforms who were practising the Korean martial art. Many of them were parent-child pairs.

Taekwondo is a good bonding activity for the family, said Alonzo Boynes, who began practising martial arts with his own son when he was 6, he said.

“My son is now my best friend,” Mr. Boynes said. “We’ve broken bones together, we’ve shed blood together, and we’ve sparred each other.”

Ms. Khan and her son haven’t gone through such extremes, but the mother said they enjoy learning side by side.

On Monday, Sahil was in a group with other boys his age as Mr. Boynes taught them basic versions of the moves the adults were learning nearby.

“Everybody show me the balls of your feet,” the instructor said. “Pull your toe back, and this kick is going to be the front snap kick.”

Another student, Romarno Peters, brought along his 4-year-old son Tyson. The pair began attending the class two months ago.

“He likes fighting, so if I can get him to fight in a positive way it’s great,” Mr. Peters said. “It’s better because now I can explain to him reasons to fight and not to fight.”

Other parents, such as Carlene Herbert, opt to watch their children from the sidelines.

“My sons are doing this because they are kind of short and they need to know how to defend themselves if nothing else,” Ms. Herbert said of her 8- and 10-year-old. “It also helps them with self-discipline, and it is a way for them to learn how to socialise and how to protect themselves.”

Mr. Peters agreed. Since his son began attending the sessions, he has been a lot more disciplined, he said.

“He used to be easily distracted, and since being here he’s settled,” he said. “He used to be shy, but now he is more open — but not wild. He is more social.”

Over the years, Mr. Boynes has taught many families Taekwondo, he said.

“To see your mom or your dad having a difficult time, then working hard to accomplish it, it develops you,” he said. “It keeps the family together. They now have something else they can do together, and that is a big deal.”

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