February 2026 Updates – Week 3
February 16, 2026
February 2026
Bring–A–Buddy Month
16 February 2026
Chestertown and Easton
Random Acts of Kindness Week
Regular Class Schedules All Week
- Wednesday 02/18: Belt Promotions in Easton at 5:30 PM
- Friday 02/20: Belt Promotions Chestertown at 5:30 PM
- Saturday 02/21: Regular Class at 10:30 AM
- Red Belt Clinic in Chestertown at 1:00 PM
February is Bring-A-Buddy Month
In the Spirit of Sharing and Togetherness,
Bring-A-Buddy to Class and if they sign-up to become Students then you can earn a Tang$oo Dollars Card (gift card worth $25)!
Weekly Outstanding Students
Chestertown
Leader of the Week – Hailey Dawson
Student of the Week – Audrey Pope
Tang Soo Spirit of the Week – Adam Jamar
Easton
Leader of the Week – Audrey Pope
Student of the Week – Cypress Dunaway
Tang Soo Spirit of the Week – Harrison Sand
Parent’s Night Out: Valentine’s Day
Fantastic Event! Everyone had a Great Class and loads of FUN playing games, coloring, watching movies and hanging out with the Instructors and Leaders!
Pizza, Juice, Treats and little gifts to take home, too!
Be on the Lookout for the next one!
Tang Soo!!
2026 Kent News Reader Awards!
Still Time to Vote!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You for the Nominations!
Our Nomination Categories are:
Best Gym: (as Phoenix Personal Fitness and Martial Arts)
Best Martial Arts Business: (as Eastern Shore Tang Soo Do)
Best Personal Trainer: (as Mark Pagano)
We appreciate all of you! However, that was only Phase 1…Now it is time to Vote!
Voting Is Open February 5 until February 22. Here is the link to Vote:
https://stardem.secondstreetapp.com/Kent-County-News-Reader-Approved-2026/
Let’s Rock Phase 2! Thank You! Tang Soo!
(Let’s also vote for Slack Tide Yoga for Best Yoga Studio)
Even if you don’t Win, you Learn…which is in itself Winning!
10th Annual Chesapeake Bay Invitational
The Perfect Tournament to WIN AND to LEARN
10th Year! It’s Hard to Believe!
Saturday March 7th in Odenton, MD
It started as a training seminar to help our students prepare for the upcoming Spring Tournament Season. In conjunction with Synergy Martial Arts, we wanted to provide a realistic feel for how competition works and to provide a way for parents to understand what happens at tournaments. As it grew, we began using it as a way to train judges, referees and scorekeepers as well. Then it became an Interschool tournament…and now, we realize that this has become an annual tradition and it has been going on for 10 Years!!!
This year, we will have commemorative T-Shirts, and we are introducing our 1st round of Grand Champion Trophies!
Coffee and Food trucks will be available All Day!
We Thank You All for being a Part of this Annual Tradition!
Tang Soo!
Spring Tournament/Fun Dates
- March 7th – Chesapeake Bay Invitational
- March 28th – Garden State Championships**
- May 15 – Picture Day in Easton 3:00 – 8:00 PM
- May 16 – Picture Day in Chestertown 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
- May 30?? – Saturday in the Park in Chestertown 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- June 5th & 6th – CS Kim Karate National Championships **Date Change
- June 14 – Annual Picnic and Belt Promotions: Tuckahoe State Park
- Sunday 12:00 Noon to 4:00 PM
Basic Tang Soo Do Etiquette
Taken from the pages or our Student Handbook
- Practitioners must remove their shoes prior to entering the Do Jang or any office area of an instructor.
A Person is Great Not because they haven’t Failed, a Person is Great because Failure hasn’t Stopped Them
– Confucius (paraphrased)
Belt Tests and Promotions
- Promotions for Colored Belts (posted) will be:
- Wednesday February 18 at 5:30 PM in Easton
- Friday February 20 at 5:30 PM in Chestertown
- Weapons Proficiency Testing – Saturday February 28 at 10:00 AM in Chestertown
- Tiny Tigers Testing – Friday March 13 at 5:00 PM in Easton
- Belt (Gup) Testing – Saturday March 14 at 10:00 AM in Easton
- Tiny Tigers Testing – Friday March 20 at 5:00 PM in Chestertown
- April – Red Belts, Black Belt Pre-Tests/Re-Certs/Rank Tests (tentative and still subject to change).
- Saturday April 18th at Eastern Shore Tang Soo Do in Chestertown**
- Saturday April 25th at Synergy Martial Arts in Odenton
- Saturday May 2nd at Eastern Shore Tang Soo Do in Chestertown**
- Next Belt/Gup Test in Chestertown Saturday May TBA. Tang Soo!
Lunar New Year: Spring Festival
Tuesday February 17 – Wednesday March 03
Year of the Fire Horse
Lunar New Year, Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Seollal, Tibetan Losar, also called Spring Festival, is typically celebrated in Asian countries and begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 or 16 days later. The lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, so the dates of the holiday vary slightly from year to year, beginning sometime between January 21 and February 20 according to Western calendars.
Approximately 10 days before the beginning of the new lunar year, houses are thoroughly cleaned to remove any bad luck that might be lingering inside, a custom called “sweeping of the grounds.” Traditionally, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are reserved for family celebrations, including religious ceremonies honoring ancestors. Also on New Year’s Day, family members receive red envelopes (lai see) containing small amounts of money. Dances and fireworks are prevalent throughout the holidays, culminating in the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the last day of the New Year’s celebrations. On this night colorful lanterns light up the houses, and traditional foods such as yuanxiao (sticky rice balls that symbolize family unity), fagao (prosperity cake), and yusheng (raw fish and vegetable salad) are served.
The origins of the Lunar New Year festival are thousands of years old and are steeped in legends. One legend is that of Nian, a hideous beast believed to feast on human flesh on New Year’s Day. Because Nian feared the color red, loud noises, and fire, red paper decorations were pasted to doors, lanterns were burned all night, and firecrackers were lit to frighten the beast away.
2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse: The 2026 Year of the Fire Horse (starting Feb 17) represents a rare, 60-year cycle bringing intense energy, passion, and rapid transformation. It symbolizes a time for bold, independent action, breaking from traditions, and high-stakes, ambitious pursuits. However, this high-energy year also poses risks of impulsiveness, volatility, and burnout.
Korean New Years Greeting: Haengbokan Saehae Doeseyo (행복한 새해 되세요) which translates to “Have a Happy New Year!”
Key Aspects of the 2026 Fire Horse Year:
- The Symbolism: The Horse represents speed, strength, and freedom, while Fire amplifies these with passion and innovation.
- Energy and Trends: The year is expected to be fast-paced, pushing for significant breakthroughs, social change, and technological advancement.
- Challenges:
The intense, fiery energy can lead to unpredictability, conflict, and a need for careful, strategic planning to manage volatility
.
- Industry Impact: Industries related to fire—such as technology, AI, and digital services—are predicted to thrive.
- Individual Focus: It is a time for taking risks, pursuing major life changes, and practicing self-care to manage heightened emotional and physical stress.
Cultural Significance
This is the first Fire Horse year since 1966. The “Red Horse” (赤馬) is seen as a powerful, albeit tumultuous, time, often associated with a desire for independence and a reevaluation of societal norms.
There are 2 Main Reasons for Failing in Karate:
- You didn’t Learn the Lesson you were Taught.
- You didn’t Practice the Lesson you were Taught.
National Random Acts of Kindness Week
February 15-21 is National Random Acts of Kindness Week!
Tuesday February 17 is National Random Acts of Kindness Day!
As Martial Artists, it is in our code of conduct to be respectful, honorable, and kind to others. So, here is my challenge…
Let’s ALL of us attempt to do ONE Act of Random Kindness (ARK), each day this week. I encourage everyone to share their experience in class each night, no matter how small, big, or seemingly insignificant you may feel the ARK to be, because I am sure that the Act will have made a difference to the recipient. Fulfill your challenge with your Parents (by doing something unexpected and kind for them), or a Family member, a Friend, or even for a complete Stranger. Let us know how it makes you feel to do something Random and Kind for others. Thank You for your participation in this.
Tang Soo!!
Discipline is not about showing others your Strength, it’s about Mastering Yourself Every Day. – Unknown
Chesapeake Bay Invitational
Saturday March 7th, 2026
The Perfect Tournament to LEARN – PRACTICE – WATCH
Hosted at Synergy Martial Arts. Co-Hosted by Phoenix Martial Arts
This Tournament is a Great way to break into Competition and begin to understand Tournaments in general!
Competition Divisions consist of:
Forms Breaking
Sparring Weapons
Competitors are further divided and matched up by age and rank, within each competition category.
Rules for Judging are explained before each event.
Medals are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place!
This is a Fantastic first experience and a Great way to practice for All Tournaments for the coming year!
Pre-Registration Investment is $65 (Flat Fee) by Saturday February 28th
At the Door is $75
Get your registration form NOW!
Chesapeake Bay Invitational, Hosted at Synergy Martial Arts
1360 Blair Drive, Odenton, MD 21113
Check-In: 9:00 AM Start Time: 10:00 AM
Your Competition in Not with Other People…
It’s with your Procrastination.
It’s with your Excuses.
It’s with the Skill that you Neglect.
Compete against That and Conquer Yourself. – Unknown
February/March – Clinics/Events
February 18 – Belt Promotions: Easton
February 20 – Belt Promotions: Chestertown
February 21 – Red Belt Clinic 1:00 PM in Chestertown
February 27 – Tournament Prep All Classes
February 28 – Weapons Test: Chestertown 10:00 AM
March 06 –Tournament Prep All Classes
March 07 – Chesapeake Bay Invitational Tournament
March 13 – Tiny Tiger Testing in Easton at 5:00 PM
March 13 – JUDO Clinic in Chestertown
March 14 – Belt Testing at 10:00 AM in Easton
March 14 – Leadership Clinic at 1:00 PM in Easton
March 20 – Tiny Tiger Testing in Chestertown at 5:00 PM
March 21 – Black Belt Clinic at 1:00 PM in Chestertown
March 27 – Tournament Prep All Classes
March 28 – Garden State Championships: Woodbury NJ
Black Belt is a White Belt who Never Gave Up!
Just Don’t Quit!
About the Author: phoenixpersonalfitness
