Exploring the Secrets of Taekwondo

By Bob Cox

The year Chief Master Willie Rankins began his martial arts career, McDonalds had just rolled out the Big Mac, gasoline was 34 cents a gallon, Hey Jude was a number one hit song for 9 straight weeks and the Viet Cong launched the Tet Offensive. While all those events happened the year after he graduated from high school in 1967, Rankins enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and would serve his country for the next six years in Taiwan as the war in Southeast Asia dragged on.

During his years in the military, Rankins immersed himself into a daily regimen of practicing his primary passion: martial arts training. Karate and judo were the only self defense styles available to foreigners at the time, so that’s where Rankins got his initial training. A short time thereafter, he met Grand Master Clinton Robinson, who had just won the Taiwan National Taekwondo Championship. The two bonded over their love of martial arts and shared a grand vision of opening their own martial arts studio once they returned to America.

They follow through with their vision and now, nearly 50 years later, there are eleven Robinson’s Taekwondo franchises in the greater Sacramento area. I sat down with Chief Master Rankins, the owner of Robinson’s Taekwondo in Rancho Cordova recently to learn a few secrets about his long and exciting taekwondo journey.

Q: Why did you choose to learn taekwondo?

A: I got my first taste of taekwondo watching martial arts shows on television like The Green Hornet and Kung Fu. Any show that involved kicking and punching, I was glued to it. At that time, I didn’t know the difference between karate, kung fu or taekwondo. I just saw a bunch of people kicking and punching and it looked cool!

Q: Aside from the kicking and punching, was there anything else about martial arts that appealed to you?

A: Yes, I was taken with the ceremonies, especially the bowing and the show of respect. There is visible order that a person can see and if you apply yourself, you can achieve higher and higher ranks. I also like the meditative and spiritual side of martial arts.

Q: Is there anything else that has made martial arts appealing to you?

A: Yes, the fact that you know how to do something that very few people know how to do, that’s pretty cool. It’s like a big secret and everybody wants to know that secret. But, the only way you can receive that secret is to train. All credible martial arts have secrets, but they’re not given to new students.

Q: Why do martial art instructors conceal these secrets to new students?

A: To prevent their students from abusing their new skills and power. Sharing the secrets too early on how to do certain things in martial arts with a new student is like giving a bully a loaded gun. Our secrets are passed down to students that are loyal, disciplined and persevere.

Q: What are the differences among the most common martial arts like karate, kung fu and taekwondo?

A: All three include kicking, punching and jumping, so the difference is where the martial arts place their emphasis. Taekwondo puts its emphasis on the lower body, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not effective with using the upper body. Karate typically puts a lot of emphasis on the upper body but they also kick. Kung fu puts a lot of emphasis on circular motion and redirecting but it has linear movements too.

Q: What are the greatest gifts and benefits you’ve received from taekwondo?

A: When I came into martial arts, I was a young guy, fresh out of high school, very healthy, energetic and athletic. At this age, I’m more comfortable with my feet on the ground and being able to move with ease. I also concentrate more on the internal and spiritual parts of taekwondo for my personal health, especially breathing exercises and flexibility training.

Q: Is martial arts just for young people?

A: No, we have members in the taekwondo community that are over 75 years old and they still perform as if they were 25-30 years old. It’s really amazing, but taekwondo is part of their lifestyle. The body has to move in order to stay healthy. So that’s what taekwondo offers. I’ll absolutely never stop because the benefits are too great.

Q: When I was younger, I confused confidence with arrogance, but they are quite different, right?

A: Yes, night and day. Typically, people who lack confidence project arrogance. The structure of martial arts allows you to build confidence within yourself by building a strong mental attitude as well as a strong physical presence. It allows you to build that confidence from the inside out. Most people that practice martial arts are very confident and relaxed.

Q: What brings you the greatest joy when you’re teaching a new student?

A: Oh, success and helping a student develop confidence over time through training. I get positive feedback from my student’s parents all the time. One student named David started in my Dragon’s Program, which is for kids under age six. He started with me and stayed with me all the way through school. He later went to college and graduated from M.I.T. Parents have periodically come back to tell me how grateful they are that taekwondo played a major role in the children’s success by giving them the discipline and confidence that started right here.

Q: Is there one secret that’s helped you teach your students to excel in the classroom and in life?

A: Over the years, I’ve learned not to take second place in students training. Sometimes, students try to do too many things at the same time and they’re not becoming very good at anything. Taekwondo requires focus and practicing taekwondo will give you the focus you need to excel in life.

Q: What other organizations are you associated with besides Robinson’s Taekwondo?

A: I sit on the board of the United World Taekwondo Association (UWTA) and am an international instructor. The UWTA is a kukkiwon trusted organization and is the approved authority for progress, rank and curriculum worldwide for taekwondo. All athletes must have kukkiwon certification to participate in the Olympics.

Editor’s notes: Robinson’s Taekwondo of Rancho Cordova has been part of the community since April 1983. For more information, call (916) 638-5411, check out their website at www.robinsonstkd.com or visit their facility at 11015 Olson Dr. in Rancho Cordova.