Ever since Steve Azar was a young aspiring martial artist, he
has been coached by Master Instructor Ron Leong. Now the tables are
turned.
Ever since Steve Azar was a young aspiring martial artist, he has been coached by Master Instructor Ron Leong. Now the tables are turned.
Leong, who is the co-owner with Azar of Leong’s Martial Arts in Morgan Hill, hopes to qualify for the Tae Kwon Do US Open next year representing the United States. The 41-year old is off to a good start after qualifying for the National Senior Tae Kwon Do Championship held in New Orleans May 21-25. To qualify to go on, Leong would need to medal in the nationals.
“There is a month and a half between tournaments so I am training like crazy two or three times a day,” Leong said.
Azar, a Live Oak graduate who has competed internationally, is now helping his master to train for the US Open.
“There are a lot of things Steve has experienced as an athlete,” Leong said. “It’s really all about goal setting and proving yourself. The by-product is being the champion and winning fights. It is really a process we try to teach to all of our kids. We want them to see that and what it takes.”
Leong recently won his fourth state championship after taking gold in the bantamweight class in Sonoma on March 1. Previously he won in 1989, 1991 and 1992. He was ranked as high as fourth in the nation in 1989. But even though that was more than ten years ago Leong said he still has what it takes.
“Right now I feel I am at my max only because I am going at a 100 percent all the time,” Leong said. “Cross training is definitely important to break up the monotony of the regular sessions.”
“I kind of want him to break up his workouts into sections so he is not doing it all in one stand,” Azar said.
Leong splits up his time between the weight room and the studio.
“We put on our gear and do simulated moved,” said Leong of the hogu drills. “You do it a 100 percent like you were fighting. You make contact so get used to the timing and the distance.”
Leong, who started into Tae Kwon Do in 1988, also holds a black belt in Kaju Kembo. Both Leong and Azar competed in the Goodwill Games against Mexico in 1986.
“Our students haven’t seen us before,” Leong said. “The goal is just to show people that you need to prove yourself all the time regardless of your age.”
Although Leong is in the older part of his age bracket, he’s been able to do well against younger age groups and has still found a way to win.
“I don’t train for the older guys,” Leong said. “I want to train with a guy who is going to push me – the guy who is going to beat me. That is the guy I fear.”
“I am waiting to fight that guy that has the dedication and experience that I know is out there somewhere,” Leong added. “If he’s not I am going to be the champ. If he is I am still going to be the champ because that is what I train for.”
But even though he may have a younger mindset sometimes his older body catches up with him.
“You can’t fight age,” Leong said. “I ask Steve if I look fast because I feel slow as I get older,” Leong said. “And I have to trust what he sees. I am sore all the time. It takes me a longer time to recover. I got to warm up more before I start.”
“I have been a Bruce Lee fan all my life,” Leong added. “One thing he said is that it doesn’t matter how old you are as long as you can compete with your age level.”
One thing that sets Leong and Azar apart from other competitors is doing different types of training.
“Every elite athlete will train hard,” Azar said. “We do stuff that keeps us unique like watching film. We have strategic wars watching films until late in the night just like some of the professional coaches do. We do the work to get there and the extra work to become the champs.”
Details: leongsmartialarts.com or call 644-3954.
