GIBSONTON, Fla. (WFLA) – You may have heard of the viral “bottle cap challenge” taking over social media. Some feisty Taekwondo students at a Gibsonton dojo attempted the challenge last week.
Challenge participants attempt to delicately unscrew a bottle cap with their foot mid roundhouse kick. Videos of the challenge are often slowed down so viewers get the full effect.
It can also be done in a more adorable fashion, as students at Kim’s Taekwondo Education Center demonstrated.
“Our students all had heard about the bottle cap challenge obviously all kinds of masters and celebrities are doing it. SO we thought ‘why not give it a try?’” said manager Joanna Ryan, who is a second-degree black belt.
“So we got some of the plastic bottles so they wouldn’t hurt their feet and had them practice. They had a blast doing that and our master did it and I tried it, so we all got to try and have fun.”
Photos and videos of the challenge were posted to the center’s Facebook page.
Mi-sum Kim is the owner of Kim’s Taekwondo and a first-degree black belt. She said she and her fiance’s students are taught more than just a martial art or how to kick the top of a plastic bottle.
“I’m South Korean and many people want to know about South Korea because they love K-Pop,” she laughed.
“So we teach them Korean and we give them experience about Korean culture.”
The students absolutely love what they’re learning.
“I believe that Taekwondo is important for a child to learn because it boosts their self-esteem and focus and it also helps them learn how to protect themselves and those around them,” said Joshua Ryan, a third-degree black belt.
With summer winding down, Joanna Ryan wants the Gibsonton and Riverview communities to know Kim’s Taekwondo offers after school programs.
“[They learn] focus and courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control and indomitable spirit. So we work with the kids, we help them with their homework. We foster a growing environment for their learning, not only academically but physically, gross motor, small motor skills, we do the whole package,” she told us.
“We love our kids… and we want to provide an environment that helps nurture them, that helps them strive to be better people, helps them become a better part of the community and you know, make our world a better place. So, that’s what we’re here to do.”