"You are the master of your body, mind and spirit," Grandmaster Richard Parris

Grandmaster Parris breaks boards with a jump turn kick.

Becoming a black belt is a great lifetime achievement, but the bigger challenge for most of us is to begin training and to stick with it over the years. GM Parris runs Rising Sun Taekwon-Do in Toronto, Canada, where he offers martial arts classes that educate and motivate. And he's committed to maintaining high, traditional standards in Taekwon-Do.

Parris is a world champion in sparring and a world-class instructor who trained with the men who founded TKD in the 1960s. He's a four-time North American champion in various styles of Taekwon-Do and has won more than 500 international and national trophies.

A typical class at Rising Sun involves warm-ups, calisthenics, fundamentals in hand and leg techniques, patterns, step sparring, self-defense with locks and take-downs, and, further down the road, sparring. Through regular and focused training, students build:

• physical power, agility and strength;
• coordination and balance;
• methods of reducing stress and dealing with conflict;
• mutual respect and humility;
• patience and discipline;
• self-confidence and indomitable spirit.

Rising Sun runs group classes for adults and children (aged four and up), as well as private classes for fitness and Taekwon-Do. One-hour classes take place:

• Monday to Friday from 6:00 to 8:00
• Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The large gym is fully equipped with matted training area, weight room, change rooms, and showers for men and women.

Please contact Grandmaster Richard Parris for more information: 905-281-9521 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rising Sun Taekwon-Do is located at 1650 Dundas St. East, 2nd Floor, Mississauga (Toronto), Ontario, L4X 2Z3, CANADA.

GM Parris break seven boards with side kick (photo on pg. 9 of A Killing Art).