tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12328251597659403402012-03-03T03:30:48.051+02:00A Blog on Martial Art Technique and Philosophy With Emphasis on (ITF) Taekwon-Do.Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.comBlogger2171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-9409367542790638512012-02-28T10:45:00.001+02:002012-02-28T10:53:03.029+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>It was my&nbsp;privilege&nbsp;to train at the Potchefstroom Dojang last week Tuesday with a nice group of enthusiastic students. I was happy to cover the most basic kicks:&nbsp;front snap kick, turning kick, side piercing kick, hook kick, and back kick; and also show how we combine these five kicks into a balance and coordination exercise that we call "Five Direction Kicking" --&nbsp;<i>O-ju-chagi</i>, which is one of our Soo Shim Kwan's basic drills. Then we focussed on the sine wave principle in a similar way as I did with the two previous seminars in Pinetown and Pretoria respectively, although my time was much more constrained. After class we had a short thirty minute over-time in which we looked at how to &nbsp;perform&nbsp;<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/search/label/balgyeong" target="_blank">balgyeong</a>&nbsp;techniques.<br /><br />Although the students were all of lower rank, I saw much potential in them and their eagerness and enthusiasm reflected the passion of their instructor, Bsbnim Philip de Vos, the current full time instructor of the Potchefstroom Taekwon-Dojang.<br /><br />I have to apologise to the Potchefstroom Dojang for spending such a short time with you. Unfortunately things just didn't work out as planned during this trip to South Africa. I hope to stay much longer in Potchefstroom when I visit again next year,&nbsp;God-willing.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-940936754279063851?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-87610046068654914492012-02-08T00:35:00.001+02:002012-02-08T00:35:55.755+02:00<p><a href='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nlGqjelUkh0/TzGnR2Z3pII/AAAAAAAADho/Cz6Rm6iBTLQ/2012-02-07%25252020.41.27_edit0.jpg'><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nlGqjelUkh0/TzGnR2Z3pII/AAAAAAAADho/Cz6Rm6iBTLQ/s400/2012-02-07%25252020.41.27_edit0.jpg' /></a></p>The seminar at the ATC dojang in Pretoria went well, I think. It was a full class of keen students of all ranks and ages, so I attempted to keep it both simple and interesting. As planned, I focused on the sine wave principle and how it can be applied in a variety of techniques, from basic movements to throws and take downs. I particularly spent time on demonstrating how one can "ride" a continuous wave, using the downward phases for techniques that require downward mass, and using upward phases for techniques that have upward trajectories. <br/> <br/> Afterwards the black belts came together for a short black belt training session. I shared with them the concept of balgyeong (impact techniques, rather than momentum techniques). This too, was well received. <br/> <br/> My appreciation goes to the ATC dojang, in particular Sbnims Karel and Annari Wethmar for inviting me to present the workshop. It has become an annual institution for me to visit the ATC dojang on my South Africa trips, and also a highlight to visit with them once a year.<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8761004606865491449?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-90154759305433273462012-02-03T13:40:00.001+02:002012-02-03T13:40:17.883+02:00I'll be giving a workshop at the ATC dojang in Pretoria this coming Tuesday night. My focus will be similar to what we did in Pinetown two weeks ago, illustrating the sinewave principle in many different types of techniques, including joint applications and throws. <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-9015475930543327346?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-54863236797750227632012-01-23T23:36:00.001+02:002012-01-23T23:36:48.387+02:00<p><a href='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h0a0j9QxM0A/Tx3S645F5wI/AAAAAAAADgk/EdtzhZ1jOaA/2012-01-23%25252020.58.52_edit0.jpg'><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-h0a0j9QxM0A/Tx3S645F5wI/AAAAAAAADgk/EdtzhZ1jOaA/s400/2012-01-23%25252020.58.52_edit0.jpg' /></a></p>Tonight I visited with the great Pinetown Stingers group of KwaZulu Natal, whom are part of the San Kwan affiliation. The San Kwan and the Soo Shim Kwan have a long and fruitful history together. My own understanding of the martial arts was positively enhanced during the times that I lived in KwaZulu Natal and trained with many members of the San Kwan. <br/> <br/> During tonight's session at the Pinetown Stingers dojang, I gave a workshop regarding the sine wave motion in different types of techniques, from basic stepping drills, to defences against wrist release and strike (grab and punch) attacks, to throwing technique and take downs. <br/> <br/> As always, it was lots of fun to hangout with my Taekwon-Do brothers and sisters from Natal.<div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5486323679775022763?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-18864956145816638952012-01-15T23:40:00.001+02:002012-01-15T23:40:40.321+02:00While travelling I often read. One of the books I'm currently reading is on the 'Do' (aka Dao or Tao). Principles from the Daoist philosophy are quite prominent in Far Eastern martial arts; just think of the many martial arts that have 'Do' as part of their name: Aikido, Hapkido, Jeet Kune Do, Judo, Taekwon-Do, Tang Soo Do, etc. This 'Do'-suffix is actually a farely recent phenomenon, but it does not take a way from the fact that principles of the 'Do' are central to Oriental martial arts -- one can hardly see the taegeukdo (the yin-yang symbol) which is probably the most iconic of Daoist symbolism, without thinking of Oriental martial arts. <br/> <br/> An interesting aspect of Daoist philosophy is how it views battle and war. War, and victory in war, is not viewed particularly favourfully. When a society has moved from a state of harmony, tranquility, and being in the will of "heaven", to a state of war, turmoil and against "heaven", it has already failed. War, then, may be a meens of getting back on course, but it is in itself a sign of failure. Within the Daoist philosophy war is seen as an act of cleaning up the mess. The ideal is not winning the war; the ideal is not having the situation get out of control, "messy" in the first place. <br/> <br/> Hans-Georg Moeller, in his The Philosophy of the Daodejing, describe it this way: "The [Daodejing -- the main text on the 'Do'] does not make any rhetorical attempts to adorn warfare at all. In this text, war is primarily seen as a social disaster and, consequently, there are two very simple and practical attitudes that it advises. First: avoid it. Second, if you cannot avoid it, win it with the least possible damage to yourself." <br/> <br/> Traditional martial arts often highlights the importance of avoiding conflict, of not getting into a fight. This may seem paradoxical as the thing practised, namely the art of fighting (martial arts), is avoided. One would not practise a musical instrument with the aim of never doing a recital, or practise sculpture or painting without hoping to one day have an exhibition of one's art work. Yet, the traditional martial arts seem to suggest just this -- the martial artists is told to practise, practise diligently, but to try and avoid fighting, avoid the thing practised for. From a Western philosophical standpoint this is quite nonsensical. Not so, when viewed from the Daodejing. The way of 'Do' is the way of harmony. Going to war is viewed as something that occurs when things have gone wrong. For the 'Do', disharmony is a flaw in the system, a mistake in what ought to be a harmonious system. Practise in the martial arts is similar as practise in paramedics. The paramedics do not train their discipline with the hope that people will get injured, but when an injury occurs they try to return the injured person to a state of healing, keeping in mind the erroneous circumstances. Similarly, the martial artists do not practise martial arts with the hope of fighting, but when violent disharmony occurs, the martial artists attempt a form of rappid "damage control". War is always viewed as "social disaster", as something that has gone wrong, as something that needs to be urgently remedied, cleaned up; the aim is not winning, but fixing the problem -- returning society to a state of harmony, with each other and with "heaven". <br/> <br/> Now compare this view with the current prevelant view espoused by sport combat, be it Taekwon-Do tournaments, MMA fights / UFC championships, or the wars going on in the world at present. <br/> <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1886495614581663895?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-51410269930617879252012-01-11T08:35:00.001+02:002012-01-11T08:35:07.252+02:00Dear friends, <br/> <br/> I'm currently in South Africa for my annual trip "home". I'm therefore not able to write posts as frequently. <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5141026993061787925?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-88577833373217480602011-12-27T10:12:00.001+02:002011-12-30T11:37:22.211+02:00<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/XHdPh3CEfGM" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />I watched this video of a 98 year old Judo grandmaster who continued practising Judo at a very advanced age. Albeit weakness, she is still to a degree active in her art and teaches Judo three times a week. You can read more about Grandmaster Keiko Fukuda <a href="http://www.judoinfo.com/fukuda.htm" target="_blank">here</a>. I find this very inspiring because for me the martial arts is a lifelong endeavour, a lifelong pleasure. For it to be a lifelong activity one has to take care of your body. Many practitioners are forced to retire from their practice prematurely because of injuries and unnecessarily wear and tear. It is unfortunate that so few martial art schools emphasize healthy living and healthy training practises. <br /><br />For many martial artists that focus on sport their competitive ambition cause them to end their practiseat quite a young age. Here in South Korea the national (WTF) Tae Kwon Do team members typically retire from competition in their early to middle twenties, and sadly usually with arthritis! The intense training may win them Olympic medals, but the price is lifelong aches and pains. (We see similar early retirement and associated arthritis in other strenuously physical sports such as gymnastics.)<br /><br />In its early form (ITF) Taekwon-Do was a hard style martial art. Although quite effective, the strain put on the joints on those early practitioners caused many of them to suffer in the long-run. It is not unusual to hear of those old practitioners having severe arthritis, austere knee and hip-joint pains and even associated surgeries such as hip-replacements. There life is one of constant painkillers and other remedial drugs. Fortunately, there came a change. The modification from an original hard style to the inclusion of soft style principles in Taekwon-Do is one of ITF Taekwon-Do's greatest evolutions. Not only did it diversify the arsenal of techniques, it also brought a healthy balance to the style with much less stress on the joints. The unnecessarily hard techniques have been tempered with soft style principles that are still tremendously powerful, but with less strain on the body.<br /><br />Instructors bear a responsibility to teach safe training methods and to promote a healthy lifestyle, but ultimately the responsibility is with the individual practitioners. Each person should know that while the human body is surprisingly resilient, the way we treat it will affect its long term health. Health into old age is seldom chance, and more often the result of living sensibly, adhering to sound <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/p/health-principles.html" target="_blank">health principles</a>. <br /><br />Wednesday morning I woke up with a severely aching knee. The previous evening I did Taekwon-Do followed by a Yoosool (Korean jiu-jitsu) session. I don't know if the kicking was the cause or the grappling. During the Taekwon-Do class I led us through a series of seldom practised kicks, like low twisting kicks, sweep kicks and so on. During the Yoosool class I grappled a couple of times and it is hard to tell during a grappling bout how one's legs are bent. Be it as it may, Wednesday I suffered from unusual pain on the outside of my knee. Luckily I have a good knee guard which I wore for the day and had the good sense to keep it relatively still for much of the day. I also applied some ointment (eucalyptus oil). While it was still a little tender on Thursday evening, after a good long warm-up and loosening up of the joints, I was able to teach a fairly effective class, followed by another Yoosool session. Had I stubbornly ignored the pain, trying to prove my toughness, and gone back to training on Wednesday again, I'm sure I would still have have suffered from acute pain. Health is a gift that is not to be unduly neglected—it is often something we can actively manage and nourish.<br /><br />It is my wish, as we enter 2012, that you will continue to grow in technique and health, so that you can still enjoy your martial art training well into your golden years.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8857783337321748060?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-68692935973293812812011-12-21T06:12:00.002+02:002011-12-21T06:13:35.563+02:00<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K1Cfy4d9-to" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />The video shows some Koreans doing a Taekwon-Do tricking performance. I think it was as part of a promotion for the recent Thai / Korean family film&nbsp;<i>The Kick</i> <i>더 킥</i>. See the trailer below and read more about the film at <i><a href="http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_The_Kick.php#synopsis" target="_blank">HanCinema</a></i>.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GBcLZjYqkjQ" width="500"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6869293597329381281?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-74937774914349455142011-12-16T10:19:00.000+02:002011-12-16T10:19:16.986+02:00The end of the semester always keeps me busy, this year more so than most, so I don't have the chance to add posts as regularly as I'd like. In any case, I saw this little insert about Taekkyeon, one of the main martial styles from which Taekwon-Do developed, on <i><a href="http://www.arirang.co.kr/index.asp" target="_blank">Arirang</a></i>, a television station dedicated to promoting Korea and Korean culture.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BfuH1dXW1yI" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />The insert on Taekkyeon is a little skewed as it might imply that there is only one master dedicated to the survival of Taekkyeon, when in fact there are three main branches of Taekkyeon, also stemming from the late Teacher Song Duk-ki whom is credited for&nbsp;resuscitating Taekkyeon after its&nbsp;suppression&nbsp;during the Japanese occupation.<br /><br />The three branches are the Korea Taekkyon Association (KTA), the Korea Traditional Taekgyeon Association (KTTA), and the Kyulyun Taekyun Association (KTA). Personally I think the KTA (<a href="http://www.taekyun.org/yui/" target="_blank">Kyulyun Taekyun Association</a>) is the form of Taekkyeon that follows most closely the teachings of Teacher Song Duk-gi, and is therefore technically the most traditional Taekkyeon system. (Although I'm sure each of the three groups will claim the same.)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7493777491434945514?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-72465463085141953932011-12-03T17:41:00.000+02:002011-12-03T17:41:32.634+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zNfjzRxi20/Tto9qjaDGmI/AAAAAAAADYk/lYAaoyASY8E/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zNfjzRxi20/Tto9qjaDGmI/AAAAAAAADYk/lYAaoyASY8E/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_34.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://last%20month%20we%20looked%20at%20the%20side%20break%20fall./" target="_blank">Last month</a> in <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> we looked at the side break fall.&nbsp;This month's <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> (<a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_34.pdf" target="_blank">Issue #34</a>) my series on break falling continues. You can read my latest contribution on pages 49-52, in which I cover the front break fall, the back break fall, and the bridge break fall, with assistance from members of the <i>Soo Shim Kwan</i> dojang in Potchefstroom, South Africa.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>There is a particularly nice essay in this month's issue by Stuart Anslow (the editor of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i>) on the Korean word <i>Eui-Ri</i> 의리, meaning <i>fidelity</i>, which is an important concept in Korea and the martial arts. It starts on p. 63.&nbsp;</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7246546308514195393?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-60174380994401017782011-11-28T18:24:00.003+02:002011-12-05T11:52:29.054+02:00Sometimes I am asked if Taekwon-Do has any weapon training. The answer is no; Taekwon-Do does not have weapons as part of its official syllabus. <br /><br />This is, of course, a half truth, as most Taekwon-Do instructors will tell you: An important part of Taekwon-Do self-defence training is defence against weapons. Because one needs to understand the dynamics of a weapon in order to protect yourself against it, many Taekwon-Do practitioners actually train in weapons.¹ While the promotional syllabus of Taekwon-Do may not require you to wield any weapons, it will require you to demonstrate defences against weapons and to do so you will likely need to familiarise yourself with that weapon. Therefore, weapon training does exist in Taekwon-Do, but somewhat unofficially. <br /><br />If we were to look for an authentic Taekwon-Do weapon, what would it be? <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9DkKCWgzuEg/TtOsYEzHd2I/AAAAAAAADYE/kgQlxGf1zfU/s1600/SouthKorea_Bayonet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9DkKCWgzuEg/TtOsYEzHd2I/AAAAAAAADYE/kgQlxGf1zfU/s320/SouthKorea_Bayonet.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South Korean soldiers with bayonets.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?192851-Today-s-Photos-Wednesday-January-19th-2011" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>It is my opinion that if Taekwon-Do were ever to have included offensive weapon training in the syllabus, it would most likely have been the bayonet. Taekwon-Do developed out of the ashes of WWI, WWII and the Korean War. Apart from the firearms, the other most common battlefield weapon was the bayonet—a rifle fitted with a dagger at the front. Most of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_masters_of_taekwondo" target="_blank">original Taekwon-Do masters</a> who helped pioneer Taekwon-Do were military soldiers with battle experience, so they would have done at least basic training with the bayonet. Apart from firearm training, the bayonet would have bean the main weapon they would have trained in.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y11Y2T9t7Gg/TtOvRcWgUdI/AAAAAAAADYU/gTHjCe_o--0/s1600/JapaneseSoldierBayonet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y11Y2T9t7Gg/TtOvRcWgUdI/AAAAAAAADYU/gTHjCe_o--0/s200/JapaneseSoldierBayonet.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese soldiers using bayonets<br />on Chinese&nbsp;prisoners of war.<br /><a href="http://nightwisher87.xanga.com/575336659/chinesekorean-hate-towards-japanese/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></td></tr></tbody></table>It is not surprising that the ITF Encyclopaedia includes self-defence suggestions against bayonets. Not only was it a weapon employed by the Korean military, but even before the modern Korean army existed, the bayonet had been a very threatening presence in Korea.&nbsp;The bayonet was a common part of the Japanese soldiers' arsenal during the time that they occupied Korea and during Imperial Japan's invasion into the rest of Asia.<br /><br />I do not know exactly what the bayonet training in the ROK Army consisted of, but it is not too difficult to infer the basic techniques. Looking at the types of bayonet attacks against which defences are suggested in the ITF Encyclopaedia, we can deduce that these were the likely offensive bayonet techniques that were taught in the ROK Army. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--iVSc3CkTKY/TtOshCb1EXI/AAAAAAAADYM/3bXog15_pJg/s1600/FemaleSouthKoreaReserveOfficerBayonet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--iVSc3CkTKY/TtOshCb1EXI/AAAAAAAADYM/3bXog15_pJg/s200/FemaleSouthKoreaReserveOfficerBayonet.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Female members of South Korea's <br />Reserve Officer Training Corps<br />(ROTC) join a bayonet drill at <br />the Army Cadet Command <br />camp in Seongnam south of <br />Seoul on January 19, 2011.<br /><a href="http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?192851-Today-s-Photos-Wednesday-January-19th-2011" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The ITF Encyclopaedia shows two uses of the weapon. Either the bayonet is used to thrust or slash, or the butt of the rifle is used as a strike. Straight bayonet thrusts to the torso, particularly the solar plexus, and to the throat are the main attacks; side slashes with the bayonet, straight rifle butt strokes at the chest and face, and other types of strokes with the rifle butt are auxiliary attacks. I will see if I can get my hands on an actual ROK Army bayonet training manual; until then, we can learn from other military manuals, such as the <a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-25-150/ch7.htm" target="_blank">U.S. Army Field Manual</a>. <br /><br />Although modern warfare is becoming increasingly impersonal with battles often fought at a distance and drone strikes becoming progressively popular, the bayonet is still a common part of most military basic training. Active use of the bayonet have still been used as recently as the Iraqi war. There is a&nbsp;report of <a href="http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=0bd_1249524865" target="_blank">British troops employing a bayonet charge</a> during the Iraqi War in 2004: "approximately 20 British troops in Basra were ambushed and forced out of their vehicles by about 100 Shiite militia fighters. When ammunition ran low, the British troops fixed bayonets and charged the enemy. About 20 militiamen were killed in the assault without any British deaths."<br /><br />Interestingly, Japan has a sport similar to Kendo, but based on the bayonet instead of the sword, called Jukendo ("Way of the Bayonet"). A wooden rifle replica is used, with a blunted tip instead of an actual bayonet. Unlike actual bayonet attacks that include strikes with the rifle butt, and bayonet slashes, Jukendo seems to only allow straight thrusts with the bayonet. The main targets are the opponent's throat, chest and side of the lower&nbsp;abdomen. Because strikes with the rifle butt are not allowed, the competitors often find themselves very close to each other, but without any course of offence, which I find disappointing. If I were to make a Jukendo version for training in Taekwon-Do, it would definitely include strikes with the rifle butt.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BKEP_uSg6q4" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><b><i><br /></i></b><br /><b><i><br /></i></b><br /><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Footnote:</span></i></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">1. While I won't call myself an expert in any weapon, I have trained in the long staff (based on Tang Soo Do and Hapkido syllabi), the middle staff (based on Tang Soo Do and Filipino Stick Fighting syllabi) and the short stick (based on Tang Soo Do and Hapkido syllabi). My first Taekwon-Do instructor also taught principles for adopting weapons into the Taekwon-Do patterns. I'm not sure if he used the principles of any particular system, but it is not much different from what I've learned from either Tang Soo Do or Hapkido's use of weapons. In Hapkido I was introduced to some sword techniques by two different Hapkido masters, both teaching it somewhat differently; they focussed on Gomdo and Kendo respectively. Hapkido is also known for its use of the cane. I have also done some knife-training and a little gun training. Ironically, as a boy that grew up on a farm in South Africa, I've never been a fan of guns.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6017438099440101778?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-6671532316552687682011-11-22T09:22:00.005+02:002011-11-28T03:27:45.886+02:00I've used the phrases “Civilian Defence” and “Civilian Self-Defence Systems” a couple of times on this blog before, particularly during the recent controversial post “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-taekwon-do-is-not-good-for-self.html">Why Taekwon-Do Is Not Good for Self-Defence</a>” and its <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-taekwon-do-is-not-good-for-self_18.html">follow-up</a>. I think that before I can continue my argument, I need to clarify what I mean by “Civilian Defence,” and what I understand a “Civilian Defence System” to be.<br /><br /><b>Civilian Defence</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zl_7r5qq9t8/TstML-aw5dI/AAAAAAAADWk/y3TvjVNzfhk/s1600/Selfdefence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zl_7r5qq9t8/TstML-aw5dI/AAAAAAAADWk/y3TvjVNzfhk/s1600/Selfdefence.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://eaglemartialartsnj.com/" target="_blank">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">For me¹ “civilian defence” refers to the principles, strategies and techniques employed by civilians, as opposed to (military) combatants, to defend themselves within a civilised context; in other words, in a society where the rule of law is generally upheld—thus not in the contexts of war or anarchy. Civilian defence is purposed to defend (the members of) civil society from uncivil elements and to uphold the laws that keep such a civil society in place. In the context of war, civil laws are to a degree suspended, i.e. martial law; and during a state of anarchy, civil laws are ignored or non-existent. However, in a civil society a civilian defending him or herself has to do so within the bounds of the law governing the society he or she lives in. Breaking society's expectations of civility, even for the purpose of self-defence, may result in prosecution. While a civil society allows self-defence, it does so with certain conditions.</span></div><br /><br />A “civilian defence system” is the system of principles, strategies and techniques taught, followed and practised by a fraternity (e.g. club / martial art style) of civilians with the intend to defend themselves within the conditions provided by civil society.<br /><br /><b>A Civil Society</b>²<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yezMIMezPcY/TstKH2BbNYI/AAAAAAAADWU/E2tJ4GzI0E0/s1600/HarmNone_SilverRule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yezMIMezPcY/TstKH2BbNYI/AAAAAAAADWU/E2tJ4GzI0E0/s1600/HarmNone_SilverRule.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://rctcbcmalice.blogspot.com/2010_08_22_archive.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>What do I mean by a “civil society”? Simply, it is a society where there is a rule of law governing on the basic principles derived, in part, from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Silver_Rule">Silver Rule</a>: “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.” In short, “Harm None.” In a civil society this rule is even extended to criminals and to your attackers. The law will allow you to defend yourself, but only to a degree; certain conditions apply. Use of violence by a civilian is frowned upon in a civil society . While the use of violence for the purpose of self-defence is typically permissible within the confounds of the law of a civil society, it is restricted. For instance, your use of force in self-defence may not be “excessive”; that is, you are not allowed to use any more violence and/or physical force than is absolutely necessary to dissuade the immediate threat and unless you can prove serious threat to life and limb, you cannot cause grave harm or long-term harm to your attacker. Were you to break your attacker's knee or maybe grope out an eye ball, law will probably look very unfavourably upon you, even if the attacker “deserved” such reaction from you.<br /><br />The law sees all acts of violence as illegal. When you use violence in order to defend yourself, you are also doing something illegal. However, this unlawful action is temporarily permissible in order to protect your own “life and limb” or that of a third party. To legally use violence in self-defence, <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/11/taekwon-do-and-law.html">as Mr Eades pointed out in his article</a>, it must be in a response to a criminal attack upon you (or a third party). Furthermore, your defensive reaction must be both a reasonable and necessary response directed against the attacker. In other words, most people in this civil society should agree that it was a reasonable reaction. Breaking someone's knee for slapping you in the face is not a reasonable response. Also, your reaction must be “necessary to avert the attack”; this means that if there is another option available to you to have prevented choosing a violent defensive response, you are obligated to take it. That means that if an intoxicated guy drunkenly swings a punch at you and you can comfortably sidestep and avoid the attack, then that is probably a more suitable action than stepping in and doing an elbow strike to the guys temple, followed by two knee strikes to the gut!<br /><br />A civil society, therefore, is a society based on the Silver Rule and requires civil behaviour. Even in your dealings with an aggressor, the law in a civil society still requires from you a certain degree of civility—your self-defence is only legally permissible provided you keep certain conditions.<br /><br /><b>Civilian Self-Defence Systems</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Es2c0-xGt44/TstLN8mOhyI/AAAAAAAADWc/zcFgJSUo3jc/s1600/Iran_MilitaryCombat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Es2c0-xGt44/TstLN8mOhyI/AAAAAAAADWc/zcFgJSUo3jc/s320/Iran_MilitaryCombat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A military combat system and a civilian self-defence<br />system differ in principle, strategy and technique.</td></tr></tbody></table>A civilian self-defence system caters for civilians wanting to protect themselves, while adhering to the conditions of self-defence required by the law. A military combat system centres almost exclusively around very hard, brutal and even lethal techniques. A civilian self-defence system cannot be based solely on the same arsenal of techniques. A civilian self-defence system may indeed be lethal; however, it must provide a broad spectrum of techniques, including a wide section of techniques that are not unnecessarily brutal. In should include a “soft” alternative. In other words, a civilian self-defence system must include principles, strategies and techniques that provide “civil” solutions to a violent attack, if possible.<br /><br />Furthermore, a civilian self-defence system is highly contextual. What is “civil” behaviour in one culture is not necessarily “civil” behaviour in another culture; also, the threats and likely types of attacks and criminal profiles differ widely in different places. The type of civilian self-defence training that Koreans in South Korea with its extremely low crime rate and absence of guns require are drastically different from South Africa with its high crime rate and an abundance of guns and other weapons.<br /><br /><b>Non-Ideal Civilian Self-Defence Systems</b><br /><br /><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-taekwon-do-is-not-good-for-self.html">As I argued before</a>, original Taekwon-Do does not provide such “civil” solutions, primarily because of its military origin. For this reason, original Taekwon-Do is not a good civilian self-defence system. I am not saying that Taekwon-Do cannot be a good civilian self-defence system. <i>It can be</i>. However, it requires a re-evaluation of its original purpose; i.e. a rethinking of its principles and strategies. It also requires an augmentation of its original arsenal of techniques.<br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ouSyG4-RW48/TstDhqwCrRI/AAAAAAAADV8/k-sZCgnznJQ/s1600/ShastarVidya.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ouSyG4-RW48/TstDhqwCrRI/AAAAAAAADV8/k-sZCgnznJQ/s320/ShastarVidya.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Shastar Vidya -- Image Source: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15480741">BBC</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>While I believe that original Taekwon-Do, like Krav Maga, is not a good civilian self-defence system because of its military roots, it does not follow that I believe simply any traditional system is unequivocally a good alternative. Take <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/11/shastar-vidya.html">Shatar Vidya</a>, the traditional Indian martial art that focusses on traditional bladed weapons. There is practically no way one can use this art with its spears and swords and other weaponry for everyday civilian self-defence. The mere carrying of those weapons in public are likely illegal. (Then again, this style also developed from a military context, even though it is practised as traditional martial art now.)<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qCj3Pp3LZmY/TstEw22t75I/AAAAAAAADWE/yF0_-no_QbM/s1600/Aikido_Bow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qCj3Pp3LZmY/TstEw22t75I/AAAAAAAADWE/yF0_-no_QbM/s1600/Aikido_Bow.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Aikido -- <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=D&amp;q=http://centeraikido.com/&amp;usg=AFQjCNEhpUBd3jRYLdxGplNGXerZsXSSaw">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Just because a martial art is traditional style that did not develop from a military context does not by default make it a good civilian self-defence system, either. Take Aikido for instance. One would be tempted to think that because Aikido is so overtly “civil” it is the perfect civilian self-defence system. Unfortunately Aikido's lack of hard techniques (deficiency in basic guards, blocks and strikes), shows it to be as limited in scope and application as a fully offensive military combat system like Krav Maga. The solution is not replacing one extreme with another extreme, but rather a blend of hard and soft, offensive and defensive principles, techniques, and strategies.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8V8hgHt-KYw/TstJeR6MjwI/AAAAAAAADWM/7Y-f04Dff9g/s1600/kids_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8V8hgHt-KYw/TstJeR6MjwI/AAAAAAAADWM/7Y-f04Dff9g/s320/kids_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://mykaratekicks.blogspot.com/2011/11/is-martial-arts-right-for-children-with.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>I also believe that most traditional martial arts, even though they have a wide arsenal of techniques, may still be bad civilian self-defence systems because of the principles and strategies that are not focussed on modern contextual realistic self-defence scenarios. Take for instance my article: “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-like-your-self-defence.html">I Don't Like Your Self-Defence</a>”. Most martial art schools do not teach proper self-defence, and while the martial arts themselves may have the potential to be effective civilian self-defence systems, the way they are taught make them poor self-defence systems. In fact, most martial art schools are not self-defence focussed. Instead they are health focussed, like most Tai-Chi groups; or sport focussed , like Judo, WTF, or MMA gyms; or focussed on character building and discipline for children, like most Karate and Tang Soo Do schools; or disciplines for ascetic development like most Aikido and Shaolin centres. Any martial art club where the principle focus is on health, sport, character building, and ascetic development, or other such martial art related aspect, will inevitably neglect true self-defence training. It is merely a case of priorities. If self-defence training is not the first priority, then it is obviously a lessor priority. Determining if something is a priority is, at least in part, decided upon how much attention it receives.<br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:</b><br /><br />1. The first time I heard of the concept of “civilian defence systems” was, I think in 2007. It was during my annual trip in South Africa—I was hanging out with a friend of mine, <a href="http://www.camdev.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=4&amp;Itemid=15">James Reader</a>, a psychologist and host of creativity workshops. James explained to me this concept, as he understood it from his instructor, Bob Davies, a renowned Karate instructor from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. I hoped to meet with Master Davies at the time, but was told that he was on a sabbatical of sorts for ascetic purposes, and not meeting with anybody. My return visits in South Africa never afforded me the time to look Master Davies up. My interest in the idea of “civilian defence” made me research it online, where I discovered the <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/">blog of Dan Djurdjevic</a>, who wrote an <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/08/civilian-defence-and-traditional.html">extensive post</a> on the topic.<br /><br />2. The keen (ITF) Taekwon-Do practitioner will note the correlation between “civil society” and what General Choi Hong-Hi, the principle founder of Taekwon-Do, called “Moral Culture” (<i>ITF Taekwon-Do Encyclopaedia</i>, Volume 1, p. 45-68). In his treatise on the topic, Gen. Choi quotes Confucius: “to promote the sense of morality one must treat others with faithfulness and sincerity based on righteousness, and to eliminate completely vicious thinking.”<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-667153231655268768?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-51470599793365482152011-11-14T12:08:00.005+02:002011-11-14T12:20:22.788+02:00In preparation for my continued discussion on Taekwon-Do's value for civilian defence, I pulled the following article by Mr David Eades from the archives of&nbsp;<i>The Sidekick</i>¹ -- Issue #5, December 2006.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Taekwon-Do and the Law: The Legalities of Self-Defence</b><br /><b><b>By David Eades</b></b></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qze34Yd2M0E/TsDn6wNbpNI/AAAAAAAADUc/CSyVOmVzkmI/s1600/gavel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qze34Yd2M0E/TsDn6wNbpNI/AAAAAAAADUc/CSyVOmVzkmI/s320/gavel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ifrl-blog.blogspot.com/2011_01_02_archive.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><i>Although different approaches to self-defence are covered in the dojang, seldom is the legal consequences contemplated. In this article by Boosabumnim David Eades he looks at the legal requirements for self-defence to stand up in the South African courtroom. This is the first in a series of articles centred on the theme: Taekwon-Do and the Law. – Editor.</i><br /><br />The nature of Taekwon-Do opens the door to serious legal concern, in the next few articles I will attempt to discuss these issues and contemplate the possible legal situations that may arise both in and out of class. A responsible practitioner should be aware of his or her abilities and the consequences that may flow from using the art.<br /><br />It is important to understand when criminal liability arises so I will discuss this first and then lead onto the topic of self-defence. To commit a crime the State must prove that there was a:<br /><br />1. Voluntary human act or omission<br />2. that is unlawful,<br />3. intentional,<br />4. and committed by a person capable of committing a crime (capacity).<br /><br />From the above it is clear that only humans may commit criminal acts and in certain situations it does not require a person to act, e.g. a parent has a duty to protect his/her child. The act must further be in breach of some law thus making it unlawful. You cannot be prosecuted for a law that does not exist or only existed after you committed the crime. Except for killing a person you may only be found guilty if you intended the consequences that occurred (even if you did not directly intend the consequence but only foresaw that they may occur), however for culpable homicide the court will accept negligence. As a Taekwon-Do practitioner your knowledge of the human anatomy and how to cause damage is heightened and the court will take this into account when determining whether you had the necessary foresight to have intended the consequences that occurred. Generally children below 14 years and people not capable of understanding their actions cannot commit a crime as they do not understand what they are doing, this strictly falls into the scope of intention.<br /><br />Self-defence is a justification to committing a crime, basically you are saying, “Yes, I did commit a crime, but it was justifiable as it is in the defence of my own legally protected interests.” The self-defence action therefore renders the unlawful actions lawful.<br /><br />To act in “legal” self-defence it must be in response to: <br />a) an attack, <br />b) upon a legally protected interest,<br />c) that was unlawful.<br /><br />Therefore, the attack must have commenced or have been imminent against a person’s property, ‘life and limb’ or a third party. The attack must also be unlawful; therefore, the defence does not work against lawful infringements such as a lawful arrest.<br /><br />Consequently the defence must be:<br />a) necessary to avert the attack,<br />b) a reasonable response, and<br />c) directed against the attacker.<br /><br />In South African Law there is no absolute duty to retreat, however as Taekwon-Do students who are aware of their ability to cause damage this should generally be a first response. The best form of defence is to avoid the situation; however, there are certain situations where a person is placed in a situation where self-defence is the only option. If the attack has finished, self-defence will not justify one’s actions. The defence must also be proportional to the attack. This does not mean that if your attacker pulls out a knife you cannot pull out a gun, rather if your life is clearly not in danger you cannot in a response to an attack kill your attacker. The court will look at your actions and decide if your action was reasonable, therefore it is a subjective test&nbsp;that does not require strict liability. Finally, the defence must be directed at the attacker and not a third party. (An attack at a third party may be justified under the grounds of necessity but that is another article for another issue.)<br /><br />Here are a few examples of when one cannot act in self-defence:<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>X, in attempting to rob Y, attacks Y but shortly thereafter realises he cannot overpower Y and abandons the attack. If while walking away Y attacks X, Y cannot claim that she was acting in self-defence because the attack had finished.</li><li>X, Y’s unruly but harmless friend, starts ‘play fighting’ with Y. Y cannot claim she was acting in self-defence if she causes serious damage to X because the defence was not proportionate.</li><li>If X approach Y but does not pose a serious threat, Y cannot pull out a gun and shoot X. The response must be reasonable to the attack. However if Y can prove that she reasonably felt that her life was being threatened by X she may rely on self-defence.</li><li>Where X attacks Y and Y throws a stone at X in self-defence, but misses and hits Z, a passer-by, Y cannot rely on self-defence to validate her actions. However, she may rely on necessity or the fact that she lacked the intention to cause Z harm.</li></ul><br />In assessing whether a person acted in self-defence the court will look at the above factors and decide if the person acted reasonably or not. Remember, you are innocent until proven guilty and in all criminal cases the State must prove your guilt beyond all reasonable doubt, so it is more likely that you will be found innocent than guilty (unless you are guilty). If it turns out that the person did act in self-defence her actions will be seen as lawful and she will not be criminally liable.<br /><br />In writing this article, I have relied heavily on Burchell, J. <i>Principles of Criminal Law</i>. 3rd Ed. Juta, Cape Town.<br /><br />---<br /><br />Footnote 1: <i>The Sidekick</i> was a&nbsp;quarterly eZine I edited for the SA-ITF. Because we did not receive enough regular submissions it was decided to suspend it indefinitely. The research and consequent articles I would have contributed to <i>The Sidekick</i> I now submit to <i><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/search/label/Totally%20Tae%20Kwon%20Do">Totally Tae Kwon Do</a></i> magazine every month.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5147059979336548215?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-2797816324230352902011-11-09T06:37:00.000+02:002011-11-09T06:37:10.431+02:00I recently read the BBC article "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15480741">The Only Living Master of a Dying Martial Art</a>", about the Indian martial art Shastar Vidya. It was quite interesting. Then today on Google+ I stumbled onto this related video (below).&nbsp;I have a feeling that I will make reference to this martial art in a future post I'm planning to write. In the meantime, anyone interested in traditional and / or weapons styles, might find it interesting.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5wPQKmhlFUA" width="500"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-279781632423035290?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-65630882297125562882011-11-02T17:15:00.001+02:002011-11-03T03:20:29.559+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c7_PVkhbMS8/TrFedNn1A3I/AAAAAAAADOU/HoV9bI4eIEI/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c7_PVkhbMS8/TrFedNn1A3I/AAAAAAAADOU/HoV9bI4eIEI/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_33.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_33.pdf">Issue #33 of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i></a> magazine is available for download. For this issue I revisited something from my archives -- the basic side break fall. You can see it on pages 27 and 28.<br /><br />Other interesting articles that I look forward to read is the one on Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace, whom I have always admired. Even though Mr. Wallace is of an advanced age, he is still as flexible as ever and continues to teach. What an inspiration for us who wish to be involve in the martial arts for all our lives! Another article that is sure to be interesting is the one on adrenaline and the physiological affects it has on your body during a fight. I'm also curious about the article on "Training Troops in a War Zone!" We find the roots of Taekwon-Do in the military, so it will be interesting to see how (if at all?) Taekwon-Do is still applied for military combat purposes.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6563088229712556288?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-13011522284670672982011-10-29T17:58:00.002+02:002011-11-04T13:31:39.593+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTJOgzarg7I/TrPM4sgYcUI/AAAAAAAADOk/_Ijb3dS-API/s1600/GrandmasterKang_TaekwondoHallofFame.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BTJOgzarg7I/TrPM4sgYcUI/AAAAAAAADOk/_Ijb3dS-API/s320/GrandmasterKang_TaekwondoHallofFame.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandmaster Kang Shin Chul (right) and myself.</td></tr></tbody></table>Grandmaster Kang Shin Chul was inducted into the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> on August 25, 2011. At the banquet after the certification ceremony Grandmaster Kang performed the following creative pattern. I recorded it on my tablet so the quality and stability is not too great.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gr5wbAuW2cE" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />Grandmaster Kang is a WTF Taekwondo practitioner so my reaction to his form is somewhat mixed, particularly because while I recognise some iconic WTF-style pattern motions, this form is hardly typical of WTF patterns. It is, as I wrote somewhere else, much too flamboyant. Then again, that is part of Grandmaster Kang's character. However, I'm referring to more than just the outfit. I'm more specifically referring to the&nbsp;fluidity&nbsp;and flow, to the ample circular motions, of his pattern, which doesn't reflect even the high level WTF patterns; see for example <i>Ilyo</i>, one of the highest WTF patterns.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jB2cTVl3LRk" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />Grandmaster Kang's pattern reminds me far more of Taekkyeon patterns than of WTF Taekwondo patterns; consider, for example, these forms by three Taekkyeon grandmasters:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZxCeXzk4GP8" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />While I see resemblances, what Grandmaster Kang is doing is definitely not Taekkyeon. He is combining rigid WTF fundamental strikes with fluid WTF kicks to create a new form that is maybe more reflective of how WTF is performed in reality. Think about WTF demonstrations: what one often see is the flashy spinning kicks with hardly any hand techniques, rather than the karatesque WTF patterns. So maybe Grandmaster Kang is presenting us with a more authentic WTF, than what we typically see in the WTF patterns.<br /><br />The white colour and long sleeves of Grandmaster Kang's <i>hanbok</i> does remind me somewhat of the <i>jangsam </i>robe worn by <i>seungmu</i> dancers. Traditionally the <i>seungmu </i>dance was performed by Korean Buddhist monks. I'm not sure, but this may be part of his inspiration.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="284" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ic2xmvHm1Ag" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />As an outsider (I'm not a WTF practitioner), it is, to be honest, difficult for me to reconcile my stereotypical expectation of a WTF pattern and the creative form Grandmaster Kang demonstrated at the banquet. Then again, as a grandmaster he is at liberty to perform his martial art whichever way he likes. After all, if it is truly a martial <i>art</i>, there must be room for <i>artistic </i>expression. And as one Taekkyeon grandmaster told me, "Because we live in a civilized society, people don't train in Taekkyeon to learn self-defence, but to enjoy it" (rough paraphrase). The same is most likely true for WTF in South Korea. Since people don't train in WTF Taekwondo in Korea for self-defence purposes there is really no reason why the patterns <i>ought </i>to have practical application. They could just function as a type of "martial dance", and that would be a good description for Grandmaster Kang's pattern, wouldn't it?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1301152228467067298?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-53853102344611066032011-10-26T17:32:00.002+02:002011-10-29T15:49:54.108+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62_gpi_YdZk/TqwD9h8AxbI/AAAAAAAADNE/n_HHAGY-VP4/s1600/2011_TKD_HallofFame.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-62_gpi_YdZk/TqwD9h8AxbI/AAAAAAAADNE/n_HHAGY-VP4/s400/2011_TKD_HallofFame.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <i><a href="http://www.lacancha.com/greatest.html">Taekwondo Hall of Fame</a></i></td></tr></tbody></table>I attended the recent <i>2011 Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> ceremony, that was held at the Kukkiwon, Seoul, on August 25th in support of Master Kim Hoon. I knew that he was to receive a citation, so I wanted to be there in representation of <a href="http://www.thewaymartialarts.com/">'The Way' Martial Art Academy of Seoul</a>, the only ITF dojang in Seoul. I also went in support of instructors <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/andre-conchon-david-kerr.html">Anton Conchon and David Kerr</a> from Brazil whom I met a few days earlier when they visited 'The Way'. Instructor Conchon received a citation for his contribution as an instructor and Mr. Kerr was inducted for his achievements as a multiple world champion. I was further excited about the opportunity to meet a number of other people I hold in high esteem, for instance Master <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/noemi-prone.html">Noemi Prone</a> of whom I wrote before.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gXY1QUW-Po/TqfC3f7-mgI/AAAAAAAADMc/JnBTPRY_yRI/s1600/TKD_HallOfFameCitation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gXY1QUW-Po/TqfC3f7-mgI/AAAAAAAADMc/JnBTPRY_yRI/s400/TKD_HallOfFameCitation.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br />Great was my surprise towards the end of the ceremony when I also heard my own name called.&nbsp;At first I thought it must have been some kind of mistake, but was indeed my name and title, "Research &amp; Education Director for South Africa-ITF", printed on it. Since I wasn't sure what to make of this, I even went so far as to contact the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame </i>executive director, Master Gerard Robbins, to ask him why I had received a citation from the organization and how I should report back to my national governing body (SA-ITF). He graciously indulged me and seemed somewhat surprised that I should ask such a question. I guess not that many people ask why they receive something when they receive it; I hope that my inquiry wasn't&nbsp;discourteous. He&nbsp;explained that I received the citation because of my work in research and education for South Africa and for my support of the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> and referred to the post I wrote on Master Noemi Prone as an example of said support. He added that: "You can report back to South Africa that you were recognized by the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> with a citation for your hard work."<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F6OViTAlLa4/Tqgj16HcpcI/AAAAAAAADMk/7n1UXVgCaX8/s1600/HallOfFame_Citation02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F6OViTAlLa4/Tqgj16HcpcI/AAAAAAAADMk/7n1UXVgCaX8/s320/HallOfFame_Citation02.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and Master Gerard Robbins, <br />Executive Director&nbsp;of the <br /><i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i>.</td></tr></tbody></table>On a side note, the certificate erroneously describes me as "Master".&nbsp;&nbsp;Although Korean martial arts use "master" for an instructor from 4th Dan and higher, within the ITF system one is only called a "master" from 7th Dan. I am still far from there. See my post on the&nbsp;<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/01/instructor-master-and-grandmaster.html">titles used in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>.<br /><br />Also, for sake of clarification, I was <u>not</u> inducted into the Hall of Fame; I was merely given a general "citation"--an honourable mention. The <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> has different levels for honouring someone. There are two types of certifications awarded by the Hall of Fame: a citation and an induction. The latter, of course, is when someone becomes a member of the Hall of Fame. This is not the case for someone receiving a citation. Furthermore, as I understand it, there are general citations and specific citations; examples of specific citations are citations for leadership, coaching, and so on. These carry more value than general citations as the one I received.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5385310234461106603?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-282343626874936662011-10-19T14:07:00.003+02:002011-10-20T04:47:32.392+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-daUkI9HAeOE/Tp628WzUm9I/AAAAAAAADIQ/-hQoLE_XRz0/s1600/BlueHouse_me.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-daUkI9HAeOE/Tp628WzUm9I/AAAAAAAADIQ/-hQoLE_XRz0/s320/BlueHouse_me.JPG" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in front of the "Blue House"</td></tr></tbody></table>Today I visited the Blue House—the official residency of the Head of State of the Republic of Korea. The Korean name for the Blue House is <i>Cheongwadae</i> 청와대, which literally translates to <i>blue tiled pavilion</i>, referring to the conspicuous aqua blue colour of the tiles of the Reception House&nbsp;(영빈관). While only three buildings, the Reception House and its two adjacent buildings, have blue tiles, the whole compound and a complex of official buildings are all collectively referred to as the Blue House.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bsr9wDNZ4LI/Tp62pZCZOwI/AAAAAAAADII/veW77GOUPJw/s1600/BlueHouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bsr9wDNZ4LI/Tp62pZCZOwI/AAAAAAAADII/veW77GOUPJw/s400/BlueHouse.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Reception Hall at the Blue House, with its two adjacent<br />buildings: "Choongmoo" and "Sejong".</td></tr></tbody></table>ITF Taekwon-Do practitioners may find it interesting to know that the two buildings adjacent to the Reception House are named “Choong-Moo” and “Sejong”. There are two ITF patterns with the same names, referring to two illustrious historic Korean figures.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdxRHXHlIck/Tp64NrBazrI/AAAAAAAADIg/a9mM-oq3AXA/s1600/Yi_Sun-sin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BdxRHXHlIck/Tp64NrBazrI/AAAAAAAADIg/a9mM-oq3AXA/s320/Yi_Sun-sin.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A statue of Admiral Yi Sun-Shin,<br />at Gwangwhamun Plaza, Seoul.</td></tr></tbody></table>Choong-Moo, of course, refers to Admiral Yi Sun-Shin, the naval commander that protected Korea from attempted Japanese invasions during the Imjin War (1592-1598). Admiral Yi Sun-Shin's strategic naval defence was so ingenious that he even gained the respect of his enemies. The title of “Choong-Moo” was bestowed upon Admiral Yi Sun-Shin posthumously. The title has been given to only nine people—all known as “great generals” or <i>Choongmoogong </i>(충무공 / 忠武公). The hanja characters roughly translate as loyal-martial-male.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdO0C1hjjOQ/Tp63wgMfHeI/AAAAAAAADIY/C0is8et8_8A/s1600/King_Sejong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pdO0C1hjjOQ/Tp63wgMfHeI/AAAAAAAADIY/C0is8et8_8A/s320/King_Sejong.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A statue of King Sejong the Great,<br />in Gwanghwamun Plaza, Seoul.</td></tr></tbody></table>“Sejong” refers to King Sejong the Great (세종대왕 / 世宗大王). There are only two “Great Kings” in Korean history, King Sejong the Great and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/kwang-gae-teul.html">King Gwang-Gae To the Great</a>. Both have ITF patterns named after them. Probably King Sejong's greatest contribution to Korea is the creation of Hangeul, the Korean phonetic alphabet. At the time of his reign in the early to middle 1400s most of East Asia, including Korea, used Chinese characters, which is actually a very difficult writing-reading system to acquire. It is said that one has to master around 4000 characters before you can read a Chinese newspaper. For this reason the literacy rate in Korea was terribly low as most peasants did not have the time and luxury to devote to the study of Chinese characters. King Sejong's introduction of Hangeul changed all that and brought literacy to the masses. Hangeul is an extremely easy alphabet. There is a Korean saying that a wise man can learn Hangeul in an afternoon, a fool can learn it in a week. King Sejong also contributed greatly to Korea's advancement in science, technology, literature and the arts. <br /><br />Another martial art related thing at the Blue House is probably the awful incident that occurred in 1968. Thirty-one North Korean assassins infiltrated the Blue House, purposed to murder then President Park Chung-Hee. The commandos were highly skilled combatants, trained in various skills, including martial arts. During the ensuing conflict with Blue House security 28 of the 31 commandos were killed, one escaped and one was captured. South Korean casualties counted to 26 deaths and 66 wounded—mainly police and military, but also some civilians. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dtAEpWBZQNQ/Tp663JrRQlI/AAAAAAAADIo/xPDPTG5Wt3M/s1600/Kim-shin-jo-capured.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dtAEpWBZQNQ/Tp663JrRQlI/AAAAAAAADIo/xPDPTG5Wt3M/s320/Kim-shin-jo-capured.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Shin Jo, the North Korean commando that was<br />captured during the "Blue House Raid" of 1968.</td></tr></tbody></table>The captured assassin, Kim Shin-Jo, is particularly intriguing from a martial art point of view. After his capture he was often forced to fight South Korean soldiers one-on-one. Much was learned about the hand-to-hand combat ability of North Korea's elite soldiers at the time. I plan to write something about Kim Shin-Jo and how his fighting against South Korean soldiers caused a reformation to the hand-to-hand combat trained by South Korea's special forces. It also gives us a strange glimpse into the possible changes that came into ITF Taekwon-Do when it was taken to North Korea.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-spCfZgq86BU/Tp67rsburwI/AAAAAAAADIw/FRe5Lj9V6GI/s1600/KimShinJo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-spCfZgq86BU/Tp67rsburwI/AAAAAAAADIw/FRe5Lj9V6GI/s320/KimShinJo.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kim Shin-Jo, South Korean citizen and Christian pastor.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote><br />"I tried to kill the president. I was the enemy," Kim said. "But the South Korean people showed me sympathy and forgiveness. I was touched and moved." -- <i>CNN Article</i></blockquote>Some interesting facts about Kim Shin-Jo: he is still alive. He is around 70 years old and lives in South Korea as a South Korean citizen. He has converted to Christianity and is actually a pastor of a protestant church in Seoul. While the martial art connection interests me, I'm equally intrigued by the power of the Gospel: what an amazing power that can disarm a hardened killer at an intrinsic level, by changing his life, his way of thinking—turning hatred into mercy!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-28234362687493666?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-39891231297261400112011-10-18T17:27:00.002+02:002011-10-23T13:35:00.314+02:00To my surprise a recent post in which I argue that <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-taekwon-do-is-not-good-for-self.html">Taekwon-Do is not a good system for civilian defence</a> opened up a can of worms on a martial art forum. Actually it is not really surprising as the post was intended to be somewhat controversial. I am after all saying that the “Korean Art of Self-Defence” is not good for self-defence. What was surprising is not that people are talking about it, but rather who is talking about it. I would have thought that primarily Taekwon-Do people would take offence, but it seems like it is some people in the traditional martial art community in general, rather than the Taekwon-Do community in particular, who is taking offence. And coming to my defence are Taekwon-Do practitioners, but also practitioners of other traditional martial arts; including in part Dan Djurdjevic, a fellow <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/">blogger</a> and martial artist to whom I have referred to on a number of occasions here on the <i>Soo Shim Kwan</i> blog.<br /><br />You can see the thread where the discussion is happening <a href="http://www.traditionalfightingartsforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&amp;t=2116">here</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.traditionalfightingartsforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&amp;t=2116"><img border="0" height="35" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k4NQUI8vGA0/Tp2On5E69oI/AAAAAAAADHo/Oki4jjH3HMA/s320/Traditional+Fighting+Arts+Forum.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br />I decided that I'm not going to engage in the conversation on the thread. Not because I don't like such discussions, but rather because of the lack of time at present to devote to it on a forum. (Forum discussion usually span days and I'm in the middle of Midterm exams requiring me to grade a multitude of papers for at least two weeks.) Also, the post I wrote is part of a larger series of posts (at least in my mind) that started with “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-difference-between-taekwon-do-and.html">What's the Difference Between Taekwon-Do and Hapkido?</a>” and continued with “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/techniques-if-serious-harm-is-not.html">Techniques: when serious harm is not intended</a>”. Since I'm still in the process of building my argument through these posts I don't want to argue my case just yet as I'm still exploring it for myself.<br /><br />Back to the <a href="http://www.traditionalfightingartsforum.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=8&amp;t=2116">thread</a> I mentioned: What I have garnered from the discussion there is that I might be misunderstood to say that Taekwon-Do (and by implication all traditional martial arts) are too dangerous for self-defence because every traditional technique is so potentially lethal. To this I have to reply both yes and no.&nbsp;I will not speak for other traditional arts like for instance Karate, because I'm not a Karateka. I'm speaking solely now for (ITF) Taekwon-Do.&nbsp;Yes, I think that original Taekwon-Do, which I called “authentic”[1] Taekwon-Do in the mentioned post, is not appropriate for civilian defence, because, yes, it is/was too lethal. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t18puNCXWw0/Tp2Qy7REQ4I/AAAAAAAADHw/Gd1ZdrmxSxk/s1600/%25ED%2583%259C%25EA%25B6%258C%25EB%258F%2584%25ED%2583%2591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t18puNCXWw0/Tp2Qy7REQ4I/AAAAAAAADHw/Gd1ZdrmxSxk/s320/%25ED%2583%259C%25EA%25B6%258C%25EB%258F%2584%25ED%2583%2591.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Taekwon-Do pagoda (monument) at<br />the military base on Jeju Island where<br />"original" Taekwon-Do was developed as <br />part of&nbsp;the 29th Infantry Division in the 1950s.</td></tr></tbody></table>Taekwon-Do—contrary to what the South Korean marketers would have you believe—is not 2000 years old. It did not start as a traditional martial art. While original Taekwon-Do does have roots in primarily Shotokan Karate and some Taekkyeon, as well as some other styles, it's primary development occurred in the 29th Infantry Division of the South Korean Army. At that time it's purpose was as a military combat system. The immediate context was World War II and the Korean War—this is what it was developed for: as a system of hand-to-hand combat to be used in the types of wars of the time. Those involved in developing it were war veterans and some of them, for example Major Nam Tae-Hi, had actual hand-to-hand combat experience on the battlefield. It was later applied and battle tested during the Vietnam War. This is the context of Taekwon-Do's development—actual real war. There are different sources you can read up on this. The one I like the most is <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1770410228/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=skryfblok-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=1770410228">A Killing Art: The Untold History of Tae Kwon Do</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=skryfblok-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1770410228&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></i>. (I'm looking forward to read Master George Vitale's recent doctoral thesis on the history of Taekwon-Do.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6yGeSwUsc8/Tp2S48eFqSI/AAAAAAAADH4/hQehaoKKllc/s1600/NamTaeHi_VietnamArmy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b6yGeSwUsc8/Tp2S48eFqSI/AAAAAAAADH4/hQehaoKKllc/s320/NamTaeHi_VietnamArmy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Centre: Major Nam Tae Hi, teaching Taekwon-Do<br />to the Vietnamese Military in the 1960s.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.lacancha.com/greatest.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In its original form, Taekwon-Do was excessively hard and not appropriate for civilian defence. The type of training involved is also not something that most normal civilians would wish to endure. Practically all of those original masters are suffering from serious arthritis, terrible knee and / or hip joint problems and other ailments that can be directly linked to the harsh type of training they partook in. Original Taekwon-Do, as practised in the early South Korean military, was not meant for civilian use. Taekwon-Do only later became a traditional martial art taught to civilians; the moment it started being taught to civilians it started to change.<br /><br />The other point I made in my post was that Taekwon-Do as it is mostly taught today is nothing like original Taekwon-Do. It is something that is terribly watered down and it too is not appropriate for civilian self-defence, not because it is necessarily too dangerous; rather the opposite. In this watered down state, what is taught as “self-defence” is usually unrealistic. (See:&nbsp;“<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-like-your-self-defence.html">Why I Don't Like Your Self-Defence</a>”.) It is furthermore not good as a civilian defence system because unlike many other traditional martial arts it does not have a fully developed arsenal of “control” techniques. While control techniques are not the only valuable techniques for civilian defence, they definitely are one important set of techniques for civilian defence. <br /><br />The reason Taekwon-Do does not have a proper arsenal of control techniques is because it was not originally meant as a civilian defence system—it was meant as a military combat system. The original control techniques that Taekwon-Do could have inherited from the styles (e.g. Karate and Taekkyeon) it developed out of were mostly dropped because such techniques were not considered effective for military combat. Remember that a military combat system is an infantryman's last resort. It is used when your artillery failed. You don't use it to control the enemy, like a policeman might do with a petty-criminal, you use it in a desperate act of defence in which it is quite likely that you will die, lest you eliminate the enemy soldier directly in front of you as swiftly as possible. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kjsY_tH21FE/Tp2VTVByVWI/AAAAAAAADIA/JaQ_c7hkY3w/s1600/choiwithstudentsindoboks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kjsY_tH21FE/Tp2VTVByVWI/AAAAAAAADIA/JaQ_c7hkY3w/s320/choiwithstudentsindoboks.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo of Hapkido "founder" Choi Yong Sul with<br />students in 1951. While Taekwon-Do was developing<br />in the military, Hapkido was being established outside<br />the military; i.e. as a civilian martial art.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.hapkidonetwork.com/photo/choi-yongsul-with-hapkido?context=user">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The other thing that prevented Taekwon-Do from building up an arsenal of control techniques is that another martial art entered the civilian scene while Taekwon-Do was still focussing on the military scene—Hapkido; and unlike Taekwon-Do, Hapkido was at the time almost exclusively preoccupied with control techniques. Early Hapkido (known as Hapki-Yoosool) was for all intends and purposes basically Japanese jujitsu—more specifically,&nbsp;Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu.&nbsp;This earliest form of Hapkido had practically no strikes or kicks. These only came later. I'm hypothesizing that while Taekwon-Do filled the military combat niche back then, Hapkido filled the civilian defence niche. No wonder that when Taekwon-Do did become a system taught to civilians in Korea it evolved into something wholly different—a sport, in the form of WTF taekwondo [2]—for that was the obvious remaining niche [3]. Hapkido techniques were assimilated into Taekwon-Do, but this obviously occurred later.<br /><br />For Taekwon-Do to function as a proper civilian defence system requires a number of things. I mentioned some of those things in the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/10/why-taekwon-do-is-not-good-for-self.html">previous post</a>. For one, it must take account of what is currently taught as self-defence and admit that it is not very reflective of reality. Also, it needs more “soft” style techniques. This is what I'm currently researching—the soft techniques in Taekwon-Do and how they can be used for civilian defensive purposes. The specific type of techniques I'm currently preoccupied with is pushing techniques.<br /><br />I'm not saying that Taekwon-Do cannot be used for (civilian) self-defence. It can. However, <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-like-your-self-defence.html">the current thing that is most commonly taught as “self-defence”</a> in many Taekwon-dojang is not appropriate for actual real life self-defence. Neither is a complete return to Taekwon-Do's military combat roots. The solution is to be found some place else and will also require the adoption of “foreign” techniques. Many instructors have already done so (as have I), so some people reading this post may actually have no idea what the whole fuss is about.<br /><br />Finally, I'm speaking of “civilian self-defence” contextualised within a relatively&nbsp;“civil society.”&nbsp;While one can infer what I mean by this, I'm sure that not that many people really understand what is implied by this. The concept of “civilian self-defence” or a&nbsp;“civilian defence system”&nbsp;&nbsp;also warrants a future post, if only in summary here, since it has been <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/08/civilian-defence-and-traditional.html">discussed in much detail elsewhere</a>.<br /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Footnote 1:</b> I used the term “authentic” Taekwon-Do in the previous post, rather than “original” Taekwon-Do. The reason is because of the many splits in Taekwon-Do many people are claiming to teach “original” Taekwon-Do. What I am actually trying to say when I use “authentic” or “original” Taekwon-Do with in the context of these post is that early form of Taekwon-Do that developed within the 29th Infantry Division of the South Korean Army in the 1950s. </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Footnote 2:</b> The taekwondo currently taught to soldiers in general in the South Korean military is not the original actual combat focussed version that it once was. Now it is a version of WTF taekwondo and soldiers are actually awarded WTF black belts during their military service. Soldiers in special force units, for instance the South Korean navy seals learn a different and much more effective hand-to-hand combat system.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>Footnote 3:</b> There is actually another remaining niche, an ascetic one. In Korea the most iconic martial art focussing on asceticism is probably Seon Moo Do (Zen Martial Way), practised at two or three Buddhist monasteries in South Korea. There is, however, no mainstream martial art with a clear ascetic focus in Korea, in the same way as Aikido in Japan. Most all Korean martial arts have some ascetic components, ITF Taekwon-Do slightly more so than most, but it is not so heavily focussed that one could call them true ascetic martial arts, and none really fill the ascetic niche. Unlike Japan that is a mostly secular society and an ascetic martial art like Aikido may actually fill some “spiritual” need, Korea is not as secular. Both Christianity and Buddhism are very active in South Korea, so that an ascetic search is more likely to be catered for by religion than martial arts. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-3989123129726140011?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-42944846781286503532011-10-12T15:00:00.000+02:002011-10-12T15:00:27.276+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mXn5figb_cA/TpWL94vFpBI/AAAAAAAADGs/Gb_UUjafo-g/s1600/maleacuchart2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mXn5figb_cA/TpWL94vFpBI/AAAAAAAADGs/Gb_UUjafo-g/s400/maleacuchart2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.healthstylesexercise.com/catalog/fitball-pressure-points-package-p-321.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Like many martial artists, I have an interest in pressure points. There are some problems, however, with targeting pressure points during a fight. Pressure points are best activated at very specific angles. For instance, some pressure points are only activated when the force applied to them presses at a 45 degree. Not to mention how small pressure points tend to be. If you are two centimetres of target, the pressure point is hardly affected. Further more, pressure points do not react the same to the same stimuli. Some are best activated through direct continuous pressure—being pressed, others are activated through a pulse—being hit, and others are activated through friction—being rubbed. These variables make pressure point attacks quite difficult.<br /><br />For this reason I like to target pressure points that are easy to access; in other words, the target area is relatively big. Therefore I like to target plexuses. A “plexus” is a cluster of intersection nerves; in other words, a group of nerves that come together in a type of nerve knot. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rxS2ZjiIBM/TpWJHQdLqFI/AAAAAAAADGc/eOheolspm2M/s1600/Celiac+Plexus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4rxS2ZjiIBM/TpWJHQdLqFI/AAAAAAAADGc/eOheolspm2M/s320/Celiac+Plexus.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Celiac Plexus with Surrounding Organs<br /><a href="http://www.anatomyatlases.org/atlasofanatomy/plate35/04celiacplexus.shtml"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35GVrNrBoCM/TpWJ0hYWOFI/AAAAAAAADGk/3mOrd6jZHMY/s1600/Celiac_plexus_coronal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-35GVrNrBoCM/TpWJ0hYWOFI/AAAAAAAADGk/3mOrd6jZHMY/s200/Celiac_plexus_coronal.png" width="196" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Celiac_plexus_coronal.png">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Probably the most famous plexus for martial artists is the solar plexus. Better known in academic circles as the <b>celiac plexus</b>, the solar plexus is situated vertically roughly a little below the bottom of the sternum (xyphoid process), but embedded deep into the trunk. In Taekwon-Do it is generally reached with a penetrating punch, rear elbow thrust, turning kick or side-piercing kick. Because the solar plexus contain nerves that link to most of the internal organs, trauma to this plexus can shock a person's whole system. However, the celiac plexus is seated deeper into the torso than most people imagine, so actually striking the “solar plexus” is not that easy. The adverse affects achieved by attacking the “solar plexus” are most likely a result of other vulnerable targets in the same area, for instance the highly fragile xyphoid process, which is a cartridge bone that breaks quite easily; the diaphragm that goes numb when struck and makes it difficult to breath—being “winded”; the stomache, which, when full, can cause nausea if struck; and so on. Some people, especially large (i.e. overweight) people, may not be adversely affected when the “solar plexus” is targeted, purely because of the layer of protective blubber. While the celiac plexus is in theory a great target, it is not always as easy to reach.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5CWMkFgMpM/TpWNJ20b2aI/AAAAAAAADHE/oyjFwnKPkjk/s1600/cervical_burners_anatomy01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d5CWMkFgMpM/TpWNJ20b2aI/AAAAAAAADHE/oyjFwnKPkjk/s320/cervical_burners_anatomy01.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.concordortho.com/patient-education/topic-detail-popup.aspx?topicID=058683b55d974f2952a2995f76121bef">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H2-tKc4VocA/TpWMJhpyljI/AAAAAAAADG0/qeyNsJzz94I/s1600/Brachial_Plexus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H2-tKc4VocA/TpWMJhpyljI/AAAAAAAADG0/qeyNsJzz94I/s200/Brachial_Plexus.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.medicalook.com/human_anatomy/organs/Brachial_nerve_plexus.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>One of the plexus that I believe is the easiest to access is the <b>brachial plexus</b>, a group of nerves that runs from the spine through the side-front of the neck, disappears under the clavicle (collarbone) into the axilla (armpit) and then disperse into the arm. What I like about this plexus is that a good amount of trauma will severely affect the whole arm because the brachial plexus contains the arm's major nerves: ulna nerve, radial nerve and medial nerve. Other nerves, like some of the pectoral nerves and scapular nerves, also make up part of the brachial plexus. The place to reach it is just above the clavicle (collarbone) on the side-front of the neck. The nerves lie relatively shallow, so they are easy to strike. An efficient attack for this target is the inward knife-hand strike travelling at a somewhat downward angle, like the inward knife-hand strike in movement #2 in the pattern Won-Hyo. You can also use a side-fist strike to hammer into this target. A less easy place to target the brachial plexus, but one that is also highly effective, is in the armpit. Were your attacker swinging towards you with a hay maker punch, you could possibly duck-and-weave, while striking the armpit with your first, preferably a middle-knuckle fist for most penetration. Breaking the clavicle will also affect the brachial plexus. Trauma to the brachial plexus results in severe pain and possible (temporary) loss of motor control much of the arm or even complete (temporary) paralysis of the arm.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGe7CDU0RzE/TpWMl8VAUDI/AAAAAAAADG8/B1730hUMCi0/s1600/CervicalPlexus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tGe7CDU0RzE/TpWMl8VAUDI/AAAAAAAADG8/B1730hUMCi0/s320/CervicalPlexus.gif" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://bentollenaar.com/_MM_Book/Ch.17.htm">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In close proximity of the brachial plexus is the <i>cervical plexus</i>, which is also relatively easy to access. The “superficial cervical plexus” is located vertically in line with the Angle of Mandible (the point behind the earlobe), down towards the middle of the neck. Because this plexus have nerves going up into the skull, trauma to it causes an unnerving affect on the side of the face and head. It can also lead to possible unconsciousness. An easy attack to the cervical plexus is a knife-hand or side-fist strike. Turning kicks (aka roundhouse kicks) to the plexus have also caused many a knock-out in Taekwon-Do, Muay Thai boxing, MMA and similar tournaments. (Honestly, I'm not sure if the knock-outs we most often see with kicks to this plexus is truly because of trauma to the cervical plexus itself, or merely because of the trauma caused to the head, i.e. brain, in general.) It is an easily accessible plexus and is not necessarily that dangerous if activated with care by a professional; however, it's close proximity to the brain makes this a dangerous vital spot to target, especially with kicks which are less precise, so only train it under the instruction of a professional instructor.<br /><br />In summary, plexuses are clusters of nerves. Unlike a single pressure point that requires very precise activation, a plexus is bigger and therefore easier to activate. The solar plexus is probably the most famous plexus in the martial arts, but it is actually quite difficult to reach as it is embedded deep into the torso. Much more attainable plexuses are the brachial plexus and the cervical plexus, both situated in the neck area. When training to attack these targets make sure to do so under the supervision of a professional.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-4294484678128650353?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-27732890139862752052011-10-10T13:28:00.001+02:002011-10-11T03:18:43.804+02:00In this post I want to explain why I think Taekwon-Do is not good for self-defence and it is probably not for the reasons you might expect. Paradoxically, I think that authentic Taekwon-Do is too good a system, and for this very reason it is a bad form of defence for civilians.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=skryfblok-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=as1&amp;asins=1770410228&amp;ref=tf_til&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div><br />Taekwon-Do is called the Korean Art of Self-Defence. The Korean version of the <i>Condensed ITF Encyclopaedia </i>states: “이런 점이 태권도를 <b>호신예술</b>이라 부르는 리유의 하나이라 하겠다.” The definition of Taekwon-Do is distilled in this idea: Taekwon-Do as a 'self-defence art'—호신예술. When taught and trained properly, I do not doubt the effectiveness of Taekwon-Do as a good combat system. Unfortunately it is exactly this point that has me concerned. Taekwon-Do is too effective. When trained particularly for combat, Taekwon-Do looks almost exactly like Krav Maga, another exceptional combat system. The problem with both these styles is that they are brutally effective. When performed correctly they will seriously injure the opponent, possibly fracture something, and can cause death. The reason for this is that both styles were developed as systems of combat for military purposes. There is a reason why Alex Gillis called his book on Taekwon-Do's history “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1770410228/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=skryfblok-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1770410228">A Killing Art</a>”.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0LOwyn0u9w/TpLKY4-ON0I/AAAAAAAADGU/MUj2uXfTDPQ/s1600/ROK_In_Vietnam1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="333" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W0LOwyn0u9w/TpLKY4-ON0I/AAAAAAAADGU/MUj2uXfTDPQ/s400/ROK_In_Vietnam1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Korean Soldiers in Vietnam were versed in early forms of Taekwon-Do<br /><a href="http://www.bullshido.net/forums/showthread.php?t=32258&amp;page=3"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>When you are on the battlefield with your attacker intending to kill you, retaliation of the kind that authentic Taekwon-Do and Krav Maga offers is reasonable—in fact, it is expected. However, very few of us are combatants engaging national enemies. Our attackers may indeed be violent criminals intend on killing us, in which case we need to defend ourself at the level of brutality that such an encounter necessitates, but a significant percentage of attacks do not by default require the type of aggression and savagery asked for by a combatant on a battlefield. As non-combatants, in other words as civilians, living in normal society rather than the battlefield, we are required by law to act civil. Even when we are attacked, law puts certain limits on self-defence. Law does not allow me to break the knee of a pickpocket. Law will look very unfavourably on me for fracturing with repeated elbow strikes the skull of a man that hit me once in the face. Killing someone unless I can prove that my life was in definite jeopardy will have me incarcerated. The law only allows me to use the amount of force to escape from the situation and nothing more. Imagine being attacked by your drunk Uncle Fred at the family reunion. This is where the problem with martial arts like Taekwon-Do and Krav Maga comes in. We have great arsenals of combative techniques, but a lousy arsenal for civilian defence. Styles like Taekwon-Do and Krav Maga lacks the more civil techniques required when you do not need to fracture someone's skull. <br /><br />In modern society where the rule of law is generally in effect, a softer type of martial art that will limit the physical damage to the opponent is better. Proper Taekwon-Do, like Krav Maga, is too barbarous.<br /><br />Since true combative violence is frowned upon by normal society, Taekwon-Do has undergone some serious changes, particularly in the way it is packaged to the masses. The focus has moved away from it being taught as an actual military combat system, to it being presented as sport or a recreational activity. Emphasis is put on tournament sparring, which has little value for actual self-defence; or emphasis is put on it as an artistic discipline, not much different from dance or an ascetic discipline such as yoga. Self-defence practised in this version of Taekwon-Do is highly stylised, basically choreographed performances. What is left is something that looks like it could be used for self-defence, but it has been tamed to such a degree that if a real violent attack were to occur, combined with the chaos that goes along with real life violence, it would be ill-equipped to handle the situation. Basically, it is a type of <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/i-dont-like-your-self-defence.html">pre-arranged sparring pretending to be self-defence</a>.<br /><br />So what am I saying? I'm saying that Taekwon-Do provides us with two extremes, neither of which is ideal for civilians in a civil society wanting to defend themselves. On the one hand we have a brutal combat system that is of value for combatants on a battlefield, but does not provide us with the delicate tools to properly take care of a much less violent civilian situation, like when your drunk uncle Fred gets raucous at the family reunion. The Taekwon-Do combatant is equipped with kicks, punches, strikes, all of which will severely hurt dear uncle Fred. On the other hand, we have a recreational activity with ritualised and stylistic combat mimicking which is great for teaching children discipline or wonderful as an artistic or ascetic recreation. Regrettably to achieve this level of “civility” Taekwon-Do has been watered down so much and been stylised to such a degree that if a real violent situation occurs, it often lacks the authenticity of genuine fighting that real self-defence against real violence call for. <br /><br />It is within the context of normal civilians living in generally law-abiding societies that I think Taekwon-Do is not a good system for actual self-defence. The type of “self-defence” required in these societies are not the type of “self-defence” that real Taekwon-Do offers. What authentic Taekwon-Do offers is much too barbarous to fit in a civil society and its usuage is likely to get you thrown in jail. An apt form of “self-defence” in a relatively civil society will be a system with less hard attacks and more controlling (i.e. “soft style”) techniques.<br /><br />I believe that there is a solution to this problem, but it will require a serious rethinking of how Taekwon-Do is practised. It will require a re-evaluation of what self-defence in a civil society—rather than the battlefield—looks like. It will require a re-evaluation of the types of techniques that are typically trained, with a new emphasis on “soft” techniques, and may even require the adoption of “foreign” techniques. And finally, it will require the honesty to admit that what is often practised as “self-defence” are instead stylized rituals that mimics fighting, but is not the real thing. We have to rethink the purpose of Taekwon-Do as a civilian defence system, rather than a martial system, i.e. a system intended for warfare.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6NcKfCeX8M/TpLTxLgIcMI/AAAAAAAADGY/WQmyvYe2ziY/s1600/crime_sa_reality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T6NcKfCeX8M/TpLTxLgIcMI/AAAAAAAADGY/WQmyvYe2ziY/s400/crime_sa_reality.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://southafrica-pig.blogspot.com/">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Now having said that Taekwon-Do is not good for self-defence in a typically civil society, there are societies that are not as civil as the one I allude to above, where crimes are often violent and life threatening. I'm thinking, for example, of my home country, South Africa. In such a violent society almost all direct encounters with crime are potentially life threatening. Self-defence in this type of society is much different from a society like the one I live in presently, South Korea, where cases of violent crimes are ridiculously low. In a country where violent crimes are prevalent, authentic Taekwon-Do with its brutishly effective techniques are indeed a good system for self-defence. Unfortunately, Taekwon-Do is seldom taught in its authentic combat focussed form, so that what people often learn are the “stylistic combat mimicking” I spoke about earlier, instead of the “Killing Art” it originally was. <br /><br />Of course, speaking about self-defence, it is important to remember that training in self-defence is a much bigger issue than merely the acquisition of an arsenal of techniques.<br /><br />If you are really interested in self-defence, consider these books as starters:<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=skryfblok-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=as1&amp;asins=1594391297&amp;ref=tf_til&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=skryfblok-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=as1&amp;asins=1594391181&amp;ref=tf_til&amp;fc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;lt1=_blank&amp;m=amazon&amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;bc1=000000&amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;f=ifr" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /><br />I highly recommend both.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2773289013986275205?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-42071879854570410262011-10-10T11:49:00.001+02:002011-10-16T18:09:45.148+02:00Readers of this blog, I need your input!<br /><br />I'm in the process of researching pushing techniques 미로술기&nbsp;in Taekwon-Do for a post I wish to write. Unfortunately there are hardly any resources available on the topic and the ITF Encyclopaedia also has very little to say about the topic.<br /><br />If you think you understand how pushing techniques work in Taekwon-Do, or if your instructors have ever explained pushing techniques in any special way, or if you have seen interesting approaches to pushing techniques, please let me know.<br /><br />Any ideas are welcome.<br /><br />Cheers!<br /><br />Sanko<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-4207187985457041026?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-34905130555010540322011-10-06T10:38:00.000+02:002011-10-06T10:38:24.197+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJAIUv0UGRk/To1n7vK6ZcI/AAAAAAAADFs/fobiy8xSEDg/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJAIUv0UGRk/To1n7vK6ZcI/AAAAAAAADFs/fobiy8xSEDg/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_32.jpg" /></a></div>This month's issue of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> magazine contains my contribution "5 Types of Blocking", which evolved from an earlier post <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/blocking-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">here</a> on the <i>Soo Shim Kwan</i> blog.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_32.pdf">Issue #32</a> also contains reports from the recent ITF World Championships that was hosted in Pyeongyang, North Korea, including the news of <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/03/master-vitale.html">Master George Vitale</a> who defended his doctorate thesis in North Korea, focussing on the history of Taekwon-Do and its benefits.&nbsp;<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-3490513055501054032?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-56247982341671807402011-10-02T18:28:00.001+02:002011-10-02T21:20:17.077+02:00A couple of posts ago I mentioned that <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-difference-between-taekwon-do-and.html">a major difference between Taekwon-Do and Hapkido</a> is that Taekwon-Do traditionally does not have “arresting techniques”, known in Korean as <i>chepo-sulgi</i> 체포술기. These are techniques used to control and pin an opponent—for instance joint locks—that you can use to “arrest” your opponent; in other words, keep him still and compliant while you wait for the police to arrive and take him away. One uses these types of techniques when you do not wish to seriously harm a person. Taekwon-Do was developed in the South Korean military, within the contexts of WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. It's purpose was not for civilian use, but military use. Techniques are therefore intended to harm, not control, the opponent. How then, do we handle a situation in which you do not wish to seriously harm your opponent?<br /><br />There are two categories of techniques that the Taekwon-Do aresenal does include which are less brutal in nature. Unfortunately, even these techniques are not all that safe and can still cause serious injury—indirectly in the case of the first category, and directly, if performed without the necessary control, in the case of the other. These two categories are <i>pushing techniques</i> and <i>throwing techniques</i>.<br /><br /><b>Pushing Techniques 미로술기</b><br /><br />Almost all techniques in Taekwon-Do employ attacking and blocking tools that are innately hard and often conditioned to make them harder still. Furthermore, the force is often concentrated onto small surface areas, for example only the first two knuckles instead of the whole fist, to increase the pressure and so cause more injury.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2V4BFK6nNA/ToiPjiLPlfI/AAAAAAAADB0/wQ-1JZcmFRA/s1600/Pushing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b2V4BFK6nNA/ToiPjiLPlfI/AAAAAAAADB0/wQ-1JZcmFRA/s1600/Pushing.JPG" /></a></div>Pushing techniques, on the other hand, frequently use softer parts of the anatomy and have the force spread over larger surface areas, for instance the open palms. When pushing techniques are performed with harder anatomical structures like the forearms, it is done in such away that the opponent is not hurt. The purpose is not to cause direct damage; rather, the purpose of a pushing technique is to break the structural integrity—or more specifically, the equilibrium—of the opponent and to create distance between oneself and one's opponent. Pushing techniques can be described as “soft techniques” 유술기.<br /><br />Although pushing techniques can be used against a person with little direct harm, they can still be indirectly dangerous. Pushing techniques are generally aimed at breaking the opponent's balance, often causing the opponent to fall. People not versed in proper break falling methods are more likely to get hurt when falling. People have died from falling and hitting their heads against a hard surface. Pushing techniques are better than other offensive techniques if you do not wish to hurt someone, but they still carry a measure of risk.<br /><br /><b>Throwing Techniques 던지기</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PF_aGJYCd_g/ToiOa0hKC5I/AAAAAAAADBs/VArpi2lpfEc/s1600/Throwing.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PF_aGJYCd_g/ToiOa0hKC5I/AAAAAAAADBs/VArpi2lpfEc/s1600/Throwing.JPG" /></a></div>According to the <i>ITF Encyclopaedia</i>, one reason for doing a throwing technique is “when you do not wish to seriously injure an opponent” (Volume 5, p. 341). The reason is not that throwing techniques are not dangerous, but because a person acquainted with throwing techniques can more easily control how hard they perform the throw. Depending on the type of throw, one can also sometimes prevent the opponent's head from hitting the floor. Throwing is therefore a relatively safer category of techniques if you do not wish that much harm to your opponent. The problem, however, is that it is not always that easy to control a throwing technique. During moments of duress you may perform the throw harder than intended, especially if adrenalin is rushing through your system. Also, a person that does not know proper break falling techniques may still get injured, even if the throw is performed with reasonable control.<br /><br />In conclusion, pushing techniques and controlled throwing techniques are offensive techniques that can be used if you do not wish to cause too serious and direct injury to an opponent. Beware, however, that accidental injury can still occur. Personally I believe that since most of us do not practise Taekwon-Do for military combat use, we need to further supplement our Taekwon-Do arsenal with techniques that are more appropriate for civilian defence.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5624798234167180740?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-48697289070392155862011-09-29T18:06:00.002+02:002011-10-26T17:08:33.425+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AFlbtVwtlsg/Tlh6CxNNy2I/AAAAAAAAC7o/ZNYT1TfcYqs/s1600/SLatGukgiwon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AFlbtVwtlsg/Tlh6CxNNy2I/AAAAAAAAC7o/ZNYT1TfcYqs/s400/SLatGukgiwon.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A gangster in front of the Kukkiwon</td></tr></tbody></table>I've been living in Korea for nearly five years now and never really made any serious effort to visit the Kukkiwon. The main reason is probably because I'm chiefly an ITF Taekwon-Do practitioner and the Kukkiwon is the WTF taekwondo Mecca. While ITF Taekwon-Do and WTF Taekwon-Do are related, they styles are significantly different that for me to visit the Kukkiwon would have had no direct benefit, other than for interests sake. I therefore had no reason to visit the Kukkiwon before. The first time I came to Korea I actually lived quite near to the Kukkiwon and although I lived in the area for about a year and a half and was even curious about going thereon occasion, I just never got around to it. This changed recently.<br /><br />The <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame </i>Ceremony was held at the Kukkiwon last month, so I ended up going there at long last. I would probably not have gone was it not for the fact that Master Kim Hoon, the head of the ITF dojang (<a href="http://www.thewaymartialarts.com/">'The Way' Martial Art Academy of Seoul</a>) that I am a part of, was going to receive a citation from the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i>, so I was eager to support him. That's how I ended up visiting the Kukkiwon at last.<br /><br />Yip, that's me in front of the Kukkiwon trying to look like a gangster. Let me know if I succeeded. My attempt at looking like a gangster is quite on purpose and tongue in cheek. If you know the real history of Taekwon-Do you will likely catch the joke.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-4869728907039215586?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-88606528819553529362011-09-19T19:26:00.004+02:002011-09-20T03:48:05.044+02:00I wrote about the reaction arm in fundamental techniques, particularly traditional punching, a few weeks ago. <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/reaction-arm.html">In that particular post</a> I basically said that there are two main views regarding the function of the reaction arm. The one view sees it as critical for maintaining proper structural balance. The second view holds that these reaction arms act as pulling techniques. Therefore, an interpretation for a traditional punch would basically be that you pull your opponent towards you with the one hand (reaction hand) while pommeling him with the other. There is a third view which I did not mention in that post, partially because it is such a very traditional view that is dismissed by many people, and because it doesn't apply to most techniques—only a small group of techniques may actually benefit from this interpretation of the reaction arm. <br /><br />This third view considers the spine of the body as one's central axis and your arms as extensions on opposite sides of each other that rotates around this axis. There are two objects that can help you envisage this view.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_-cOYxfudQ/TndwqXn484I/AAAAAAAADAI/vuGLhnMofR4/s1600/KoreanPelletDrum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-X_-cOYxfudQ/TndwqXn484I/AAAAAAAADAI/vuGLhnMofR4/s400/KoreanPelletDrum.jpg" width="93" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Korean pellet drum,<br />which is called a <i>do </i>도 in Korean.</td></tr></tbody></table>The first object is a pellet drum, known in Korean as a <i>do </i>도 / 鼗 or <i>nodo </i>노도 / 路鼗. A pellet drum has two membranes on opposite ends of the barrel. On the sides of the barrel are two strings with pellets attached at their ends. A pole is attached through the drum (through the barrel, not the membranes).<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gTPUFszoLxQ/TndxjC9Pt4I/AAAAAAAADAM/CJVH3Qaz9Gc/s1600/denden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gTPUFszoLxQ/TndxjC9Pt4I/AAAAAAAADAM/CJVH3Qaz9Gc/s1600/denden.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Japanese pellet drum toy, <br />known as a <i>denden daiko</i> でんでん太鼓.</td></tr></tbody></table>One plays a pellet drum by swiftly rotating the pole in one direction and then in the other direction, which causes the pellets to swing because of the centrifugal force that occurs when the pole is rotated. The pellets hit the membranes and create sound. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNSG787FI8g/Tndu33l2c3I/AAAAAAAADAE/w4_kemWKcdA/s1600/Aeolipile.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hNSG787FI8g/Tndu33l2c3I/AAAAAAAADAE/w4_kemWKcdA/s320/Aeolipile.JPG" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aeolipile, aka Hero's Steam Engine</td></tr></tbody></table>The second object is an aeolipile, sometimes refered to as Hero's steam engine, after Hero of Alexandria that described its mechanics in the first century A.D. An aeilipile is basically a boiler that is so set-up that it can rotate around an axis. On opposite sides of the boiler are two curved nozzles pointing in opposite directions to each other and perpendicular to the axis of the boiler. When steam escapes from these nozzles, thrust is caused, based on the the rocket principle in accordance with Newton's Third Law of Motion. This causes the boiler to spin around its axis.<br /><br />Both objects are somewhat flawed to describe what happens in the human body in the third view of the reaction arm. Nonetheless, they help to illustrate the underlying idea. Note that in both cases there is a pair of opposing elements: the two strings-and-pellets on the drum and the opposing curved nozzles on the aeolipile. In both cases the pair of opposing elements rotate around a central axis. The traditional martial art idea is that the one opposing element contributes to the force of the other opposing element. In other words, by forcefully swinging my arm in one direction, this adds to the force of the other arm moving in the opposite direction. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09fQnM-Zu5c/Tndt4cHeHiI/AAAAAAAADAA/boMlz2TTlzE/s1600/PakHokPai_HongKong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-09fQnM-Zu5c/Tndt4cHeHiI/AAAAAAAADAA/boMlz2TTlzE/s320/PakHokPai_HongKong.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me trying out<i> Pak Hok Pai</i> in Hong Kong</td></tr></tbody></table>In some of the Chinese martial arts one sees this idea flamboyantly applied. Sometimes the arms are literally flung in opposite directions just like the strings-and-pellets on the pellet drum. A good example where this idea is applied is <i>Pak Hok Pai</i>, the (Tibetan) White Crane Kung Fu system. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="369" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-h8VSdxLDd4" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />There is definitely power in these techniques caused by the centrifugal force, but I would be hard pressed to say that the arms moving in opposite directions cause the noticeable force in each other. It is probably more correct to say that the arms swing because of the centrifugal force. It is not the arms in themselves that cause the force. It is easy to demonstrate that the arms do not directly influence each other's reaction to the centrifugal force. Stay on one spot and then start to spin around, keeping both arms relaxed so that they naturally swing away from your body because of the centrifugal force acting on them. Now bring one arm towards your body, keeping it tight against you. The fact that this arm is kept from acting on the centrifugal force, contrary to the other arm, does not influence the other arm from still swinging normally as before while you keep on spinning on the spot. The essence of the force, therefore, lies not in your arms working in opposite directions, but lies in the actual rotation of your body that is spinning around an axis. (What is properly influenced when you use only one arm during this spinning exercise is your balance. You have better equilibrium with both arms out.)<br /><br />The important thing is therefore not the opposite directions that your arms are moving in; <i>the important thing is the rotation of the body around its axis which causes centrifugal force</i>. While I don't believe that the arms moving in opposite directions contribute to each other's force, that doesn't mean that they could not contribute in another way. If pulling back my arm helps me in rotating my body around it's axis faster, then it can actually influence the centrifugal force, which in turn will influence the other arm. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0UYraKBgtbY/Tndtb2KjdcI/AAAAAAAAC_8/rvBFWQqh008/s1600/JetGlove.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0UYraKBgtbY/Tndtb2KjdcI/AAAAAAAAC_8/rvBFWQqh008/s1600/JetGlove.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sanko's Imaginary Jet-Propelled Rotating Glove-Weapon</td></tr></tbody></table><br />To explain this, imagine a ridiculous weapon I invented for this post that works similar to an aeolipile. The weapon is made up of a structure with two beams attached at opposite ends of an axis. At the far end of one of the beams is the attacking tool—a boxer's glove—attached perpendicularly to the beam. Perpendicularly attached at the far end of the other beam is a rocket engine. The jet propulsion of the rocket, in accordance with Newton's Third Law of Motion, causes the structure to rotate around the axis, resulting in the glove hitting a person standing close by. We see here that the beam moving in one direction causes the motion of the beam moving in the opposite direction—the glove's force is equal and opposite to the force of the rocket. <br /><br />Speaking of this principle of <i>Reaction Force</i>, i.e. Newton's Third Law of Motion, the <i>ITF Encyclopaedia </i>states that “A punch with the right fist is aided by pulling back the left fist to the hip” (Volume 2, p. 15). The encyclopaedia doesn't expand on this topic, so it is unclear how pulling back the left fist contributes to the punch with the right hand. The only way I see this to be feasible is if the reaction arm (the one that is pulled back) contributes to the acceleration of the body's rotation around its axis. This in turn will help to push the punching arm which is structurally on the opposite side of the body, just like the glove is opposite to the rocket as depicted in my imaginary weapon.<br /><br />Many traditional martial arts are of the view that the reaction arm contributes to the force of the acting arm; that pulling back the non-punching arm aids the punching arm. It must be remembered, however, that the reaction arm is not directly affecting the acting arm; instead, it is possible for the reaction arm to contribute to the rotation force of the body. If the reaction arm is not positively affecting the rotation of the body around its axis, then it is not contributing to the force of the strike. On the other hand, if the reaction arm contributes to the rotation of my body around its axis, then it may very well contribute to the force of the punching arm.<br /><br />It is important to remember, as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, that only some techniques—those that potentially benefit from centrifugal force—will benefit from the reaction arm in this way. For many techniques the reaction arm does not contribute to centrifugal force; instead it contributes to better structural balance and its associated benefits.<br /><br />Read the previous post on "<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/reaction-arm.html">The Reaction Arm</a>."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8860652881955352936?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-81034075399804523492011-09-13T07:34:00.000+02:002011-09-13T07:34:33.216+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2sRsEM10DU/Tm7rDxiuEpI/AAAAAAAAC_s/i3E8YmVaJ3A/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n2sRsEM10DU/Tm7rDxiuEpI/AAAAAAAAC_s/i3E8YmVaJ3A/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue_31.jpg" /></a></div>In <a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_31.pdf">Issue #31</a> of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> magazine you can read my contribution "How Do You Quantify Taekwon-Do?" (p. 13, 14). In it I ask the problematic question regarding how we measure the value of Taekwon-Do. Do we measure it by numbers? In other words, do we count the number of medals won, the number of students in the dojang, or the number of black belts in an organization? If not, do we measure it by students' ability to defend themselves, the positive transformation of their characters and living of the 'Do'? How would one measure such intangible things?<br /><br />As always, there are many interesting reads in<i> Totally Tae Kwon Do</i>. One I plan to spend some time on is "The Cross-Limb 'Loadings' Rule Meets Weiss's Rubric" by Master F. M. Van Hecke.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8103407539980452349?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-83018550513449056102011-09-13T07:06:00.001+02:002011-09-19T03:58:39.509+02:00Taekwon-Do was established when a group of Kwan merged together under the umbrella term Tae Kwon Do. The word Kwan 관 / 館 is a Korean word that literally means house, building, hall, gymnasium or school, but has the connotative meaning of a family or clan—a martial art clan; i.e. a group of martial artists that share the same culture, philosophy and technique. In the 1940s the original five Kwan were established: Song Moo Kwan, Chung Do Kwan, Moo Do Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, and Jidokwan. In the 1950s a further four Kwan were established: Han Moo Kwan, Oh Do Kwan, Kang Duk Won and Jung Do Kwan. (See this <a href="http://tae.kwon.free.fr/index2/jidokwan/kwans">French website</a> for a quick overview of how the nine Kwan fit together.)<br /><br />By looking at what martial arts were practiced in these original Kwan and/or by their founders we can get a good idea as to which martial arts contributed to what are the actual roots of this modern Korean martial art known as Taekwon-Do. The umbrella name Tae Kwon Do was accepted in 1955, and the official Korea Taekwondo Association was first established in 1959/60 and finally affirmed in 1965. To complete this exercise our focus will be on looking at the martial arts practised in these Kwan by 1960; in other words, those martial arts that contributed to “original Tae Kwon Do.” Taekwon-Do has changed dramatically since 1960; however, our aim here is not to see how Taekwon-Do had turned out, but merely to see what the original ingredients for Taekwon-Do were.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqgrypf9AQo/Tm7a4VcZ1oI/AAAAAAAAC_I/D0QNBQkWvhw/s1600/KWAN_SongMooKwan.jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqgrypf9AQo/Tm7a4VcZ1oI/AAAAAAAAC_I/D0QNBQkWvhw/s200/KWAN_SongMooKwan.jpg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Song Moo Kwan</b> founder Roh Byung Jick is said to have practiced as a child techniques that he saw practiced at local Buddhist temples. It is uncertain what exactly the martial art was that was practiced at these temples. Later in life Roh went to Japan to study where he practiced <b>Shotokan Karate</b> under Gichin Funakoshi. <br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WLYjS5qJFLA/Tm7bMQPCalI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/qclyJjqf4TA/s1600/Chung-Do-kwan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WLYjS5qJFLA/Tm7bMQPCalI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/qclyJjqf4TA/s200/Chung-Do-kwan.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><b>Chung Do Kwan </b>founder Lee Won Kyeok secretly practised <b>Taekkyeon </b>as a child. Later he also went to Japan to study and practised <b>Shotokan Karate</b> under Gichin Funakoshi. He claimed to have also traveled to China were he practised <b>Kung Fu</b>. It is uncertain what style of Kung Fu he had practised; he was however the first to use the term Tang Soo Do (Chinese-Hand-Way) for his style. However, Tang Soo is the Korean rendition of Kara-Te or Karate. The original forms practised by the Chung Do Kwan was the Pyong-Ahn forms, which are basically the Pinan kata from Okinawa that were used in Shotokan Karate under the name Heian. <br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fdu_BDMhRIU/Tm7bAOZCCjI/AAAAAAAAC_M/8n0Tc1PZC0E/s1600/KWAN_Moo_Duk_Kwan+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Fdu_BDMhRIU/Tm7bAOZCCjI/AAAAAAAAC_M/8n0Tc1PZC0E/s200/KWAN_Moo_Duk_Kwan+copy.jpg" width="192" /></a></div><b>Moon Duk Kwan</b> was founded by Hwang Kee. He supposedly studied <b>Taekkyeon </b>by himself as a boy by copying a Taekkyeon expert he saw in his neighborhood; however, he didn't have any formal training in Taekkyeon. As a railway worker he often travelled to Manchuria (China) where he practised <b>Kung Fu</b>. In 1957 a librarian from Korea National University in Seoul gave him access to the <i>Muye Dobo Tongji</i>, an ancient Korean martial art manuscript. From this he extrapolated <b>Soo Bahk</b>, an old Korean form of combat. Because Hwang Kee did not want to unify into the new Taekwon-Do system, it is uncertain how much his martial art knowledge contributed to what became early Taekwon-Do. <br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7to4YHX6i8/Tm7bkFU4w2I/AAAAAAAAC_U/KT--fiZxnus/s1600/changmookwan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f7to4YHX6i8/Tm7bkFU4w2I/AAAAAAAAC_U/KT--fiZxnus/s200/changmookwan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Chang Moo Kwan</b> was founded by Yoon Byung In who had studied <b>Kung Fu</b> (<b>Baji Quan</b> known as Balji Kwon in Korean) in Manchuria under a Mongolian instructor. He also practised <b>Shudokan Karate</b> in Japan with Kanken Toyama.<br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSdoz1lYh4c/Tm7bqZaWsiI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/e0JIzMUm_Js/s1600/KWAN_Jidokwan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nSdoz1lYh4c/Tm7bqZaWsiI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/e0JIzMUm_Js/s200/KWAN_Jidokwan.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b>Jido Kwan</b> founder Chun Sang Sup practiced <b>Shotokan Karate</b> under Gichin Funakoshi in Japan. Although he called his style Kong Soo Do, it was basically just Karate. Chun Sang Sup was also close friends with Yoon Byung In (Chang Moo Kwan) and frequently trained with him. They sometimes travelled to Manchuria together where they practised in <b>Kung Fu</b>, probably <b>Baji Quan</b>. The Jido Kwan also had Judo ties. (It was the first gym to teach Judo in Korea.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hA_P_u48qmM/Tm7cCDXGdaI/AAAAAAAAC_c/J4jokzbaBog/s1600/Han+Moo+Kwan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hA_P_u48qmM/Tm7cCDXGdaI/AAAAAAAAC_c/J4jokzbaBog/s200/Han+Moo+Kwan.png" width="200" /></a></div><b>Han Moo Kwan</b> founder Lee Kyo Yoon was originally a student of Chun Sang Sup (Jido Kwan). His style was most probably based on Shotokan Karate with some Kung Fu influence and may have included some Judo.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4XA54d8wG4/Tm7d-wbon1I/AAAAAAAAC_g/kVCoTCKxLXc/s1600/OhDoKwan.tmp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X4XA54d8wG4/Tm7d-wbon1I/AAAAAAAAC_g/kVCoTCKxLXc/s200/OhDoKwan.tmp.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><b>Oh Do Kwan</b> was founded by General Choi Hong Hi (known as the “Father of Taekwon-Do” and Nam Tae Hi (Choi's “Right-Hand Man”). General Choi practiced in some <b>Taekkyeon </b>as a child and later studied <b>Shotokan Karate</b> under Gichin Funakoshi while at university in Japan. The Oh Do Kwan system was used in the South Korean military. Most of the military instructors that taught the Oh Do Kwan system was originally from the Chung Do Kwan, including Nam Tae Hi.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dyZjuKdwBW0/Tm7ePc4N42I/AAAAAAAAC_k/2nnMIDtPQ2k/s1600/kangduk.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dyZjuKdwBW0/Tm7ePc4N42I/AAAAAAAAC_k/2nnMIDtPQ2k/s200/kangduk.GIF" width="200" /></a></div><b>Kang Duk Kwan</b> was founded by two Chang Moo Kwan students, Hong Jong Pyo and Park Chul Hee. It is accepted that their style was not much different from Chang Moo Kwan: Kung Fu (Baji Quan) and Shudokan Karate. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9YFLOq1oTGs/Tm7emYWFQII/AAAAAAAAC_o/9v3HA0lrHK0/s1600/jung_do_kwan.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9YFLOq1oTGs/Tm7emYWFQII/AAAAAAAAC_o/9v3HA0lrHK0/s200/jung_do_kwan.gif" width="200" /></a></div><b>Jung Do Kwan</b> was founded by Young Woo Lee, a former student of Chung Do Kwan. It is accepted that their style was not much different from Chung Do Kwan: Mostly Shotokan Karate with some Taekkyeon and Kung Fu incluence. <br /><br />From this list we can get a good idea of the original influences on what became known as Taekwon-Do. The strongest influence was undoubtedly Shotokan Karate. Other influences were Taekkyeon and Kung Fu, probably Baji Quan. We can expand this list by looking at the “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Original_masters_of_taekwondo">Original Twelve Taekwon-Do Masters</a>.” This group was put together by the Korea Taekwon-Do Association in 1960 to promote Taekwon-Do. Apart from their training in Taekwon-Do under the leadership of General Choi Hong Hi and Nam Tae Hi, some of them were also versed in western boxing, Judo, and gymnastics. It is also believed that General Choi Hong Hi incorporated Hapkido (at the time probably Hapki-Yusul) into the system to expand the self-defence arsenal. General Choi Hong Hi who was the first person to write a book on Taekwon-Do and later also the ITF Encyclopaedia had the strongest influence in standardizing the original syllabus that was used by the Korea Taekwon-Do Association, therefore his martial art experience in Taekkyeon and Shotokan Karate is the be considered the most influential, particularly as far as ITF Taekwon-Do, of which he was the founder and first president, is concerned. Also strongly influential on ITF Taekwon-Do were the original instructors that were mostly from the Chung Do Kwan. Again Taekkyeon and Shotokan Karate are the major influences, along with some Kung Fu.<br /><br /><br />Regarding ITF Taekwon-Do, which is my primary style and the main topic on this blog, I stand by my view that <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/hard-style-and-soft-style-techniques.html">Shotokan Karate and Taekkyeon</a> are the two main roots. Other noteworthy influences of which we can observe some technical material in ITF Taekwon-Do are Western Boxing, Judo, Hapki-Yoosool and maybe some Kung Fu.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8301855051344905610?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-19066852528219094292011-09-12T12:21:00.003+02:002011-09-19T03:49:08.806+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8rHLyo0YH1M/Tm3S2USaXmI/AAAAAAAAC-k/7NRV2javCpE/s1600/Hapkido_Med.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8rHLyo0YH1M/Tm3S2USaXmI/AAAAAAAAC-k/7NRV2javCpE/s400/Hapkido_Med.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.americandragonacademy.com/dragons_lair1.htm"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Since I have black belts in both (ITF) Taekwon-Do and Hapkido, I guess that I am in the position to answer that inevitable question: “What is the difference between Taekwon-Do and Hapkido?” The most common answer to this question is that:<br /><br /><blockquote>Both Taekwon-Do and Hapkido are Korean martial arts and have as part of their respective arsenals kicking and striking techniques, as well as joint manipulation and throwing techniques, but that there is a difference in emphasis. Taekwon-Do emphasizes kicking and striking and Hapkido emphasizes joint manipulation and throwing. </blockquote><br />The problem with this answer is that it doesn't really discuss the actual difference, the actual uniqueness of the two martial arts. It is pointing out their similarity and then arguing for a difference in degree. Basically this answer is saying that the two martial arts are essentially the same, like hot water and cold water that are in essence the same, but only different in temperature. That there is a difference in emphasis is true and may satisfy the curiosity of someone with little or no real knowledge of the martial arts, but for anyone else, the answer of emphasis seems, at worst a sign of little depth of understanding of the two martial arts, or at least a sign of explanatory laziness. To truly answer the question thoroughly will require an extensive discussion stretching many many pages! For this reason I am indeed guilty of explanatory laziness. However, in this post I will attempt to highlight some real differences between Taekwon-Do and Hapkido. Since my own study is mostly in ITF Taekwon-Do, this is where my focus will be: the difference between ITF Taekwon-Do and Hapkido <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Footnote 1)</span>. Note, that there are people much more experienced who have studied both arts for a much longer time than myself, that are better qualified to answer the question.<br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>Different Names, Different Origins </b><br /><br />Not surprisingly, a good place to start is to see why there exist such an emphasis on the different techniques. In other words, why does Hapkido emphasize joint manipulation and throws and Taekwon-Do emphasize kicking and striking. As someone that spends his time with words <span style="font-size: x-small;">(Footnote 2)</span>, I believe there is much to be learned from names. <br /><br />Just by looking at the name Tae Kwon Do (foot-fist-way), it is already obvious that the emphasis in Taekwon-Do is kicking and striking. Taekwon-Do has two main roots, a native Korean root and a foreign Japanese root: Taekkyeon and Karate, respectively. The principle founder of Taekwon-Do, General Choi Hong-Hi, practised in Taekkyeon as a child and later in Shotokan Karate while studying in Japan.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t_ZmJSkbL4/TDXxpC8cYiI/AAAAAAAACDg/P3D251ihWqY/s320/taekkyon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t_ZmJSkbL4/TDXxpC8cYiI/AAAAAAAACDg/P3D251ihWqY/s320/taekkyon.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Taekkyeon</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Taekkyeon is a martial art with great emphasis on foot techniques which are often circular in nature (crescent style kicks). Taekkyeon kicks are frequently used for attacking the lower limbs—foot sweeps, but also include some high crescent kicks, as well as jumping kicks. There are also hand techniques in Taekkyeon that focus mostly on grabbing, pulling or pushing the opponent, often in combination with foot sweeps or foot hooks; the aim being to topple the opponent. The first syllable in Taekwon-Do was deliberately chosen to mimic the first syllable in Taekkyeon. <br /><br />The second part of Taekwon-Do—i.e. “kwon”—means to “break or smash with the fist or hand,” sometimes translated into English merely as “[fighting] fist” or “boxing.” This connects with Taekwon-Do's Japanese root in Karate 空手. The name Karate literally translates as “empty hand” (Footnote 3). Many of Taekwon-Do's techniques derive from Karate, especially Shotokan Karate. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cyxz9j6aVRQ/TZF_pMOxu_I/AAAAAAAACvI/bxV7scoGAYE/s1600/KoreanMarines_Vietnam_Flickr_manhhai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cyxz9j6aVRQ/TZF_pMOxu_I/AAAAAAAACvI/bxV7scoGAYE/s320/KoreanMarines_Vietnam_Flickr_manhhai.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Korean marines training during the Vietnam War<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/13476480@N07/3685505399/">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Taekwon-Do's chief developed as a modern martial art occurred in the 1950s and 1960s. By the time the term “Tae Kwon Do” was chosen, the emphasis on “foot-fist-way”, i.e. the way of kicking and striking, was already firmly established. However, during this time other styles such as judo and the early forms of Hapkido were also practised in Korea. General Choi who pioneered and oversaw Taekwon-Do training in the South Korean military and some of the other pioneers who were also versed in these martial arts included techniques from these styles. Now joint-manipulation and throwing and other grappling techniques became part of the Taekwon-Do arsenal, but more as a “self-defence” supplementation than part of the core syllabus. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJtZ1KtebqU/Tm3SPs-F9bI/AAAAAAAAC-g/RUNQBLIOvII/s1600/hapkidotrainingphoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eJtZ1KtebqU/Tm3SPs-F9bI/AAAAAAAAC-g/RUNQBLIOvII/s320/hapkidotrainingphoto.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.marctedeschi.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>The opposite happened with Hapkido. It is generally accepted that Hapkido started with Choi Yong-Sul, a Korean man that acted as a servant in the household of a Daito Ryu Aiki-Jujutsu master. What is Aiki-Jujutsu? Tokyo Asahi explained it as follows in 1930: “This technique is a perfect self-defense art where you avoid being cut, hit or kicked, while at the same time you don't hit, kick or cut. As the attack comes you handle it expediently using the power of your opponent. So even women and children can execute these techniques.” (Footnote 4) In other words, Aiki-Jujutsu did not emphasize kicking and hitting / striking. It was based on exploiting the momentum of the attacker, focusing on throwing and joint-manipulation. When Choi Yong-Sul returned to Korea from Japan after the WWII, he began to teach, what he called Yusul. “Yu-” is the Korean pronunciation for “Ju-” in Japanese, as found in “Jujutsu” or “Judo.” It literally means “soft”; “Yusul” means soft techniques, in other words techniques that exploit the opponent's motions by pulling or pushing the opponent and manipulating his limbs. Soft-styles are low on active offensive techniques like kicking and striking. Because Yusul might be confused with Judo (Judo in Korean is Yudo), Grandmaster Choi later changed the name from Yusul to Yu Kwon Sul; i.e. “soft-fist-techniques.” This change in name also indicates that something additional came into what he was teaching. It wasn't just “soft techniques,” meaning joint-manipulation and throwing techniques, anymore, but now also included “fist” techniques. A strong cross-pollination with the modern eclectic styles in Korea occurred, especially in the late 1950s—at this time the hard styles had already merged under the umbrella term “Taekwon-Do” in 1955.This early form of Hapkido began to include techniques from the prevailing Korean styles such as kicking techniques and striking techniques. By the time new names for this style such as Hapki Yusul and Hapki Yu Kwon Sul and Kido emerged, it goes without saying, that “soft techniques” was still the foundation and kicking and striking were supplementary. In the middle of the 1960s the International Taekwon-Do Federation, i.e. ITF Taekwon-Do, was established. At the same time the name Hapkido became widely accepted. Hap-ki-do can be translated as “coordinate-energy-way” or the Way of Harmonious Energy. Unlike the earlier name Yu Kwon Sul, or even Tae Kwon Do, that basically describe the techniques these styles emphasize, the name Hapkido (Footnote 5) is more a description of underlying principles. <br /><br />So far we have established why there exists a difference in the type of techniques emphasized in Taekwon-Do and Hapkido respectively. From their very start Taekwon-Do focused on kicking and striking and Hapkido focussed on “soft techniques”—joint manipulation and throwing techniques. Kicking and striking is something that was incorporated into Hapkido later in its development and similarly joint-manipulation and throwing techniques were also assimilated into Taekwon-Do when it was already established as a foot-fist-way. So what are the truly unique things in these individual Korean styles?<br /><br /><b>Arresting Techniques </b><br /><br />We find the answer when looking at the early authorities that used these styles. Taekwon-Do was from its very beginning a military combative system. The spearhead for Taekwon-Do was the 29th Infantry Division of the South Korean military, which developed towards the end or shortly after World War II and the Korean War. It was later again battle tested in the Vietnam War. Hapkido on the other hand was taken up by the Korean Police Force. The brutality of Taekwon-Do that was appropriate for the battlefield was ill-equipped for controlling civilians. Unlike a soldier who uses combat to kill or seriously injure an enemy, a police officer is there to protect civilians. For this, a police officer needs techniques that can control a person, without causing serious harm or killing them. Hapkido provided the solution. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttxVg0bvNE8/Tm3XGeM-1bI/AAAAAAAAC-w/VCZYRXXBfLE/s1600/Hyperflexingwristlocksmall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ttxVg0bvNE8/Tm3XGeM-1bI/AAAAAAAAC-w/VCZYRXXBfLE/s1600/Hyperflexingwristlocksmall.JPG" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Joint-manipulation techniques in Hapkido are used to control the opponent by either causing pain—resulting in pain compliance—or physically manipulating the skeletal system or musculature of the person. Either way, it is possible to physically control the opponent, or literally pin the opponent down on the floor. This usually involves what is generally known as joint-locks. In the police force such techniques are invaluable. In Korean these techniques are known as <i>chepo-sulgi</i> 체포술기, from the verb <i>chepo-hada</i> 체포하다 that basically means arresting or apprehending. In other words, these are techniques used by law enforcement to arrest or apprehend a person.<br /><br />ITF Taekwon-Do does not have <i>chepo-sulgi</i> or joint locks. Joint-manipulation in Taekwon-Do are not used to control (i.e. arrest or “lock”) an opponent, but to break the joint. A typical self-defense maneuver in Hapkido for when somebody grabs your wrist is to put the opponent's grabbing hand into a wrist lock. The equivalent in Taekwon-Do is not a joint-lock but a joint-break. For such self-defense scenarios the ITF Encyclopaedia prescribes three solutions: an attack, a release with counter-attack, or a break. In other words, if someone were to grab your wrist you can defend yourself from this by either directly attacking your attacker with your free limbs; or you “release” yourself by pulling your wrist free from his grip and then doing a counter-attack; or you can break the opponent's wrist. The ITF Encyclopaedia does not provide as one of the options joint-manipulation to cause pain to the opponent's joint. The ITF Encyclopaedia is very specific about the fact that it is a joint-breaking technique. Any joint-locks or <i>chepo-sulgi</i> currently found in ITF Taekwon-Do is something that was added much much later and is not part of the original curriculum (i.e. it is not in the ITF Encyclopaedia).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImpPwWWya3M/Tm3WKdS6v9I/AAAAAAAAC-s/7Ef_qdqFEmU/s1600/Hapkido_pinning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ImpPwWWya3M/Tm3WKdS6v9I/AAAAAAAAC-s/7Ef_qdqFEmU/s1600/Hapkido_pinning.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.martialartsclubdirectory.com/martial-arts-101/hapkido/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Furthermore, Hapkido has many techniques used for pinning the opponent against the floor or against a wall. Such techniques are used to keep the opponent immobilized until more police backup arrives and the person is formally arrested and taken away. Taekwon-Do does not have pinning techniques. Instead it offers various attacks for finishing off the opponent while he is on the floor, which is inline with Taekwon-Do's function as an originally military combat system. <br /><br />Here we see a true distinction between Taekwon-Do and Hapkido. Hapkido has <i>chepo-sulgi</i>—arresting or locking and pinning techniques—that Taekwon-Do just doesn't have. <br /><br /><b>Weapons</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrczlwjPYFY/Tm3YZoa-dkI/AAAAAAAAC-0/rucj5Ar6q8I/s1600/Hapkido_long_stick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XrczlwjPYFY/Tm3YZoa-dkI/AAAAAAAAC-0/rucj5Ar6q8I/s320/Hapkido_long_stick.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://home-loan-house.com/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Something else that Hapkido has is weapons. Weapons were not part of the original practice in Hapkido, but with time a variety of weapons became part of the curriculum, such as the short stick, the staff, the cane, the nunchaku and the sword. Taekwon-Do may sometimes include weapon practice, but this is only as a means to an end. Defense against weapons is part of the Taekwon-Do curriculum, so many instructors feel that in order to properly defend oneself against a weapon, you should understand the weapon and these instructors therefore teach basic principles for using different weapons. Actual weapon training merely for the sake of using weapons is not part of the Taekwon-Do curriculum. <br /><br /><br /><b>Patterns</b><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mV5ixSLchpo/Tm3ZVoCpx2I/AAAAAAAAC-4/luSGQDeevco/s1600/hyung_3_dosan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mV5ixSLchpo/Tm3ZVoCpx2I/AAAAAAAAC-4/luSGQDeevco/s320/hyung_3_dosan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.freewebs.com/fahmifaiz92/taekwondoitfpatterns.htm"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Something that Taekwon-Do has, which Hapkido for the larger part does not have, is patterns or forms. In ITF Taekwon-Do they are known as teul 틀, while in WTF Taekwon-Do the word poomsae 품새is more generally used. Historically the term hyung 형 was used. Patterns are basically a series of fundamental movements sequenced together to form a hypothetical combative encounter with an imaginary opponent. It is basically a type of choreographed shadow boxing and is common in many oriental martial arts. The purpose is to train certain sequences of fundamental movements, including footwork, balance, rhythm, breath control, and other qualities.The patterns are also used as a vehicle for teaching about Korean history, philosophy and oriental etiquette and ethics.<br /><br /><b>Other</b> <br /><br />There are a number of other things both similarities, with different emphases, and unique differences that I have not included. For instance,<i> Ki / Gi</i>. In Hapkido there is a focus on <i>Ki</i>-training. ITF Taekwon-Do acknowledge the value of <i>Ki</i>, but training focus primarily on the application of Newtonian physics. Or Korean history and oriental etiquette and ethics (“Moral Culture”) that are heavily emphasized in ITF Taekwon-Do, but not as much in Hapkido. Of course, each style also have some unique techniques; for instance both Taekwon-Do and Hapkido have unique kicks that they do not share with each other. How power generation works in the two styles also differ. Hapkido, for example, focus on the <i>danjeon</i>, while Taekwon-Do focus on the waist—<i>danjeon </i>and waist are possible synonyms, with slight differences in meaning. There is much still that can be discussed. I didn't even mention choking techniques, for instance. As I said earlier, a comprehensive analysis of the differences of the two styles would take a very very long time.<br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br /><br />Taekwon-Do and Hapkido are both Korean martial arts and both developed primarily out of Korean and Japanese styles. Taekwon-Do was strongly influenced by Japan's hard style Karate, while Hapkido evolved out of the Japanese soft style Aiki-Jujutsu. While Taekwon-Do and Hapkido developed to both include kicking and striking, and joint-manipulation and trowing techniques, there has been a difference in emphasis from the start: Taekwon-Do focussing more on kicking and striking and Hapkido focussing more on joint-manipulation and throwing. Apart from the difference in emphasis, Taekwon-Do was rooted as a military combat system, while Hapkido grew to function within the police force. Hapkido therefore developed techniques useful for the police in arresting and apprehending civilians, while Taekwon-Do's techniques remained brutish, for use against foreign enemies, not native civilians. This resulted in Hapkido having “arresting techniques”, but Taekwon-Do not. Hapkido also incorporated weapon training as part of its eclectic arsenal. Taekwon-Do does not emphasize weapon training, although it does emphasize defense against weapons. Furthermore, Taekwon-Do has patterns which are often used to teach Korean history, philosophy, oriental etiquette and ethics, and other technical skills. Traditionally, Hapkido does not have patterns and doesn't emphasize the teaching of Korean history, philosophy and oriental ethics. These are just some of the major differences between these two Korean arts.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnotes:</b></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnote 1:</b> My Hapkido black belts are from the Korea Hapkido Federation 대한합기도협회 and Korean Hapkido Federal Union 대한합기도총연맹. My primary training has been with instructors from the Korea Hapkido Federation.</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnote 2:</b> I'm a university lecturer in an English Department and teach, among other things, poetry. A big part of the study of poetry is to understand the denotative meaning of words. </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnote 3:</b> Although Karate 空手 currently translates as empty hand, it used to translate as Tang hand. Tang referring to China's Tang Dynasty. Karate's roots, in other words, are to be found in China. The Korean martial art Tang Soo Do translates as Tang Hand Way. It is sometimes called Karate-Do, or Korean Karate. Tang Soo Do is basically a Koreanized version of Karate. </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnote 4:</b> Tedeschi, M. 2000. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hapkido-Traditions-Philosophy-Marc-Tedeschi/dp/0834804441?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=skryfblok-20&amp;link_code=btl&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969" target="_blank">Hapkido: Traditions, Philosophy, Technique</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=skryfblok-20&amp;l=btl&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969&amp;o=1&amp;a=0834804441" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Footnote 5:</b> It is noteworthy that Hapkido 合氣道 and Aikido 合気道 (a Japanese style that also developed out of Aiki-Jujutsu around the same period) means practically the same. However, unlike Hapkido that included a large variety of kicks and strikes into its syllabus, Aikido developed separately without such offensive techniques. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1906685252821909429?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-87793160233913985332011-09-04T12:48:00.001+02:002011-09-04T12:50:56.097+02:00I thought it good to review some of the common Taekwon-Do etiquette that are generally expected of students. Much of the text below I've gathered from a variety of ITF syllabi through the years. I can unfortunately not remember the original sources. Nonetheless, these “rules” are fairly common around the world and are generally applicable in all ITF Taekwon-Do schools. <br /><br /><b>In the Dojang</b><br /><br /><ul><li>Don't be late for class. To be late shows disrespect for your fellow students, your instructor and the art. Instructors often plan a class with the students in mind that are likely to be in class, so if you are going to be late, inform the instructor. It is just good manners.</li> <li>Upon entering and leaving the dojang bow to the class. Also make sure to bow to the instructor and all black belt members as a sign of greeting and respect. Bow and acknowledge others present in the dojang which should include firstly the instructor, the assistant instructor, then senior members. Children will acknowledge adults. Similar courtesies should be paid when visiting other martial arts dojang.</li> <li>Where several people are entering, ensure the senior person or adult is shown the courtesy of entering first.</li> <li>Remove footwear prior to stepping onto the training area. Ensure shoes or other articles are neatly stored in accordance with the wishes of the instructor.</li> <li>While a class is in session, do not hang around or play around in the dojang. If you talk, let it be Taekwon-Do.</li> <li>If you are early which is preferable, start warming up or practice your patterns.</li> <li>Members should arrive at least 10 minutes before the commencement of class and be prepared both physically and mentally.</li> <li>If the instructor is occupied, the most senior member present will commence training promptly until the instructor arrives.</li> <li>If you are late change into dobok as quickly as possible, quickly loosen up and then stand on attention and wait for the instructor to invite you to join the rest of the class. Make sure to do your changing and loosening up as quickly as possible so that nobody needs to wait for you. It is considered very rude and disrespectful to have the class have to wait for you. When late, stand at the back or side of the dojang in such a manner that you are clearly visible to the instructor, but not disturbing, until the instructor acknowledge and invite you onto the training area.</li> <li>Never be disrespectful to your instructor during class. If you disagree with the use of a technique, discuss it after the class in private. Never speak to your instructor on first name basis while you are in dobok. Use the appropriate titles.</li> <li>All members must treat each other with courtesy.</li> <li>When seeking to meet or ask a question of the instructor or senior, a student should stand at attention and keep alert to the situation at hand until approached or spoken to by the instructor or senior. The student shall ensure the dobok is well adjusted prior to the meeting.</li> <li>Visiting instructors or seniors should be acknowledged by all members present upon meeting and entering the dojang.</li> <li>During training members should not leave the dojang without the permission of the instructor.</li> <li>The junior students present shall be responsible for the setting up and tidying up of equipment and the dojang floor at each training session. The senior members (other than the instructor or his/her assistant) shall supervise the putting away of equipment by junior members after the completion of training having regards to the wishes of the instructor.</li> <li>Members must ensure their dojang is kept tidy.</li> <li>Members should ensure visitors are treated with courtesy, provided with seating, accompanied and given advice where necessary.</li> <li>Members must not make any unnecessary noise or disturbance inside the dojang.</li> <li>All training fees or payments must be paid promptly at times indicated by the instructor. (During the first week of each month.)</li> </ul><b>Dress</b><br /><ul><li>The correct uniform is a correct dobok top with a correct dobok trousers. Black belts shall where official black belts and have a 3cm wide trimming around the bottom of the jacket; 4th Dan’s and above are distinguished by a 3cm black stripes down the outside of the jacket sleeves and trousers.</li> <li>Do not wear jewellery as it can cause injury to yourself and other students.</li> <li>Dobok must always be clean, ironed and worn correctly. They should be in good repair. Female students may where a white (or corresponding belt colour) T-shirt or sport-bra under their dobok jacket. Ensure that your dobok is clean and neat at all times and your belt tied correctly - this shows your pride in the art.</li> <li>Wash your dobok regularly. A dirty or smelly dobok shows disrespect to the style and your training partners.</li> <li>Belts shall be worn by those qualified for them, wrapped around the waist once and tied in the correct manner.</li> <li>During training, if the dobok needs to be tidied up, the student must turn about to adjust. Don't fidget with your dobok while facing the instructor or seniors.</li> <li>Dobok should not be worn outside the dojang unless on special occasions as specified by the instructor. The DO-bok is intended for the DO-jang.</li> <li>In the hot summer months the club T-shirt instead of the dobok jacket can be worn with permission from the instructor.</li> </ul><div>If there is anything you think that is also typically common Taekwon-Do etiquette for the dojang that I have missed, please share it in the comments.&nbsp;</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8779316023391398533?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-78623411656446292152011-09-02T07:31:00.002+02:002011-09-02T07:37:30.216+02:00<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0U4LbFhoq4/TmBnI0203-I/AAAAAAAAC8A/8gQSsXz_PyQ/s1600/hwang_su-il.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M0U4LbFhoq4/TmBnI0203-I/AAAAAAAAC8A/8gQSsXz_PyQ/s320/hwang_su-il.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hwang Su-Il (6th Dan)</td></tr> </tbody></table><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMN-uEv9JRQ/TmBoZEhrPqI/AAAAAAAAC8E/U1DIXmOzNRw/s1600/Hwoarang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bMN-uEv9JRQ/TmBoZEhrPqI/AAAAAAAAC8E/U1DIXmOzNRw/s320/Hwoarang.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>Master Hwang Su-il is one of the most famous Taekwon-Do practitioners, in part because of his involvement with the <i>Tekken</i> 3D fighting video game. The movements of the character <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_characters_in_the_Tekken_series#Hwoarang">Hwaorang</a> (introduced in <i>Tekken 3</i>) were based on actual movements of Master Hwang, using motion capture technology. Since I posted about having met him back in 2009, many people in search of information on Master Hwang's Taekwon-Do school in Japan end up here. That <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2009/07/hwang-su-il.html">original post</a> on Master Hwang has proven to be the second most viewed entry on my blog. (The most viewed post is “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-i-have-against-tournament-sparring.html">What I Have Against Tournament Sparring – Part 2</a>.”) <br /><br />People landing at my blog in search of information on Master Hwang Su-Il are usually looking for information about his dojang in Japan. I asked a Japanese friend, Instructor Yuki Kaneko, to translate some useful information about Master Hwang Su-Il from Japanese into English for me, which he graciously did. I hope it is of value to some of you. <br /><br />The name of Master Hwang's dojang is <i>Taekwon-Do Hwarang Hwang Dojo</i>. (Dojo is Japanese for the Korean dojang; roughly translated in English as gym or school.) Master Hwang's dojo has eleven branch schools; however, the main branch is the Taekwon-Do Nakano Dojo.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-xwRhSyhts/TmBp5nm7MnI/AAAAAAAAC8M/8xamMwQfe2g/s1600/TKD_Hwarang_Hwang_Dojo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="59" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u-xwRhSyhts/TmBp5nm7MnI/AAAAAAAAC8M/8xamMwQfe2g/s320/TKD_Hwarang_Hwang_Dojo.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>Address:</b><br /><br />Kimura Building, 1st Floor,<br />1-6-6 Yamato-cho, <br />Nakano-ku, Tokyo, <br />165-0034, <br />Japan<br /><br />It is near Nogata 1-Chome Koban (Police Station). <br /><br /><b>Contact details:</b><br /><br />Telephone No. : +81-3-5327-4077<br />E-mail Address: suil_hwang [at] nifty.com<br />Homepage URL: <a href="http://tkd-hwangdojo.jp/">http://tkd-hwangdojo.jp</a>/&nbsp;(Japanese only)<br /><br /><b>Training Time Schedule</b><br /><br />Sunday: Senior /Adult (All Levels) 11:30AM-1:00PM<br />Monday: Senior / Adult (All levels) 8:00-9:30PM<br />Tuesday: Kids 5:00-6:00PM, Senior / Adult (All levels) 7:30-9:00PM<br />Wednesday: No class<br />Thursday: Senior / Adult (Beginners) 7:30-8:30PM, (Intermediate &amp; Advanced) 9:00-10:00PM<br />Friday: Kids 5:00-6:00PM, Senior / Adult (Beginners &amp; Intermediate) 7:30-8:30PM, Adult (Advanced) 9:00-10:00PM<br />Saturday: Senior / Adult (Advanced) 11:30AM-1:00PM, (Beginners) 1:00-2:30PM<br /><br /><b>Some Basic Information About Master Hwang Su-il</b><br /><br />Master Hwang Su-il (6th Dan) was born on 31 July, 1970. He is a Japanese citizen, but of Korean ancestry. Apart from being the athlete on whom the Tekken character Hwaorang's movements are based, Master Hwang has a very successful career as a ITF Taekwon-Do competitor. In 1992 he was the Sparring World Champion during the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in the light weight division. At the next World Championships (1994) he obtained a bronze medal in the middle weight division. In 2000 he was the middle weight champion at the 1st Asian ITF Championships. In 2010 at the ITF World Veteran Championships, he won gold in both sparring (under 64kg) and patterns (6th Dan class). The ITF World Veteran Championships are for adults of forty years and older. During his career, Master Hwang has consistently proven to be one of the world's great Taekwon-Do players and through his example continues to be a role model for other Taekwon-Do practitioners around the world. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/D4lHfkdoAwM" width="500"></iframe></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7862341165644629215?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-67786026894349895832011-08-31T12:01:00.009+02:002011-09-20T03:47:50.127+02:00The reaction arm in traditional martial arts punching and other fundamental movements is quite controversial. The reaction arm is, for instance when doing a front punch, the arm that is pulled back to the hip, while the other fist is flung to the target. Although controversial, for the traditional martial artist there are many proposed reasons for employing the reaction arm. In this post I will mention the two most prominent reasons that I am aware of, as this topic is viewed within ITF Taekwon-Do. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N6zqEsu90E/TgF1S7zExQI/AAAAAAAAC1k/KClcnvYGR6o/s1600/Walking+Stance+Front+Forefist+Punch.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N6zqEsu90E/TgF1S7zExQI/AAAAAAAAC1k/KClcnvYGR6o/s200/Walking+Stance+Front+Forefist+Punch.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A front fore fist punch with&nbsp;the <br />reverse arm pulled back&nbsp;towards <br />the&nbsp;hip.&nbsp;(<a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>First, the “reaction arm” functions exactly as its name implies, as a <i>reaction </i>to the punching arm's <i>action</i>. This has a counter-balancing effect. If you were to punch with all your strength and with your whole body weight behind the punch, the resultant force will actually jerk you off balance. Always keeping good structural balance and good posture is paramount in traditional martial arts as the moment you are off-balance or your body structure is unsound, you are strategically disadvantaged, something that your enemy can exploit. <br /><br />A lot of Taekwon-Do training occurs without hitting an actual target and many of the punches and kicks are done in the air, without any contact. During such training the reaction arm is crucial for keeping good balance and structural alignment. Not doing so may lead to bad habits and overextension of joints, which could lead to long term ailments. However, when you actually do hit something, the reaction arm is not necessarily required because the object you are hitting is providing the reaction force as we know, based on Newton's Third Law of Motion. In other words, when you train against a punching bag or when you actually hit a person, you may at times, and sometimes should, opt to do it without the reaction arm. In ITF Taekwon-Do we actually see this. Certain training is done with the reaction arm (e.g. fundamental technique training), while other exercises are done without the reaction arm (e.g. tournament sparring drills). The discrepancy doesn't mean that the one is “traditional” and the other “practical,” it merely means that one form of training assumes more force that could affect your structure and another form of training that assumes that you will be hitting actual objects. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-07tfutezHL0/Tl3-XwSruII/AAAAAAAAC74/4CguNw95_7w/s1600/Won-Hyo+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-07tfutezHL0/Tl3-XwSruII/AAAAAAAAC74/4CguNw95_7w/s200/Won-Hyo+2.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A knife-hand inward strike&nbsp;with <br />the reverse arm&nbsp;covering the torso.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Furthermore, some reaction arm techniques, while aiming to ensure proper balance, also act as guards, covering vital spots on your anatomy. Take for instance the knife hand inward strike where the reaction arm covers the front of your body which has many targets that are potentially easy for your opponent to reach at this close distance. There are quite a number of techniques where the reaction arm seem to have this&nbsp;auxiliary&nbsp;defensive function.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEnmgANrvz0/TKCoYxBHPQI/AAAAAAAACdg/3O25ifxd_Pk/s1600/ArmBar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEnmgANrvz0/TKCoYxBHPQI/AAAAAAAACdg/3O25ifxd_Pk/s200/ArmBar.jpg" width="132" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Me demonstrating an arm</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">bar: pulling with one hand,</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">while pressing with the other.</span></td></tr></tbody></table>The second interpretation for the use of the reaction arm is that it functions as a pull. This is another example where ITF Taekwon-Do seem to base its technical philosophy on Newtonion physics. In this case it suggests that a technique will be more forceful if one combines the oncoming (pulled) momentum of your opponent plus the forward momentum of your own strike. Basically, one can actually pull your opponent into your punch and this will theoretically increase the effectiveness of the strike. It also prevents your opponent from dodging the attack. This is not something one see in most combat sports, not because it is not feasible, but probably because of the nature of the sport and sport equipment—sport rules that discourage grabbing or gloves preventing you from grabbing. When one look at gloveless combat sports like certain forms of Karate, one does occasionally see such pulling-while-punching techniques as in the video below. I personally also like to teach applications where the reaction arm is used to great effect as a grab and pull while attacking with the other arm.&nbsp;This combination of pulling and pushing is a common theme in martial arts.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-kpnznBeFDs" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />These are the two main ideas regarding the reaction arm in ITF Taekwon-Do. The first is that it acts as a reaction force that helps with proper balance and postural structure, which is especially necessary when&nbsp;practicing&nbsp;without the presence of a physical target. If you do hit an actual target you may often omit the reaction arm because the object will provide the reaction force according to Newton's Third Law of Motion. The second interpretation of the reaction arm is that it functions as a pull, which combines with the forward momentum of your attack, resulting in a more forceful collision. The reaction arm may also be part of other pull-push combination techniques.<br /><br />What are your thoughts on the reaction arm?<br /><br />Read my follow-up post on the reaction arm, which presents a third view based on centrifugal force: "<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/09/another-perspective-on-reaction-arm.html">Another Perspective on the Reaction Arm</a>."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6778602689434989583?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-75355907762285572452011-08-28T17:16:00.007+02:002011-10-26T16:42:56.190+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kdxhSKOXjRE/TlpYkXC3AVI/AAAAAAAAC7s/FFKN2H153Rs/s1600/NoemiProne_SankoLewis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kdxhSKOXjRE/TlpYkXC3AVI/AAAAAAAAC7s/FFKN2H153Rs/s320/NoemiProne_SankoLewis.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Noemi Prone and myself.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />On Thursday, at the <i>2011 Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> I met someone I never thought I'd meet, someone I've always considered somewhat of a legend, the great pattern specialist <a href="http://www.noemiprone.com/">Master Noemi Prone</a> (6th Dan). Master Prone is the adopted daughter of the late General Choi Hong-Hi, the principle founder of Taekwon-Do. I have no qualms about calling her a master even though that title is usually reserved for 7th and 8th Dans in ITF Taekwon-Do. It is well accepted that Master Prone has mastered the pattern Moon-Moo and actually set a new standard in pattern perfectionism, power and aesthetics, which is strived towards by younger generations of ITF practitioners. I remember as a young martial artist looking at her performance of Moon-Moo in absolute awe. To this day, whenever I look at her iconic performance of the pattern for the <i>Legacy CD-ROM series</i>&nbsp;(see below), I am still filled with a sense of great admiration. Her power, control, flexibility, balance and focus have been an inspiration for thousands.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/TeEePQz7DI4" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><br />I still remember seeing footage of her during an ITF World Championships and the sense of awe I experienced that bordered on fear as she shouted the pattern's name at the end. She did it with the intensity of a true <i>kihap </i>– a “spirit shout”. In some martial art legends a real <i>kihap </i>can instil dread in an opponent, sometimes causing them to faint or flee in terror.<br /><br />My impression of Master Prone has therefore also been somewhat clouded by these powerful pattern performances. Meeting her on Thursday left me surprised. She was nothing like I imagined her. I imagined her to be a stern unapproachable person. This was not the case at all. She turned out to be a very friendly, open, and amiable individual. While she doesn't come across as shy, neither is she very outgoing and although this might seem unflattering in some people, it only accentuated her humble character. After having met her I can only speak of her in pleasant terms.<br /><br />Something that caught my eye while we were dining at the same table at the <i>Hall of Fame</i> banquet was that she did not consume any alcohol. I noticed it because I don't drink either. Alcohol plays a conspicuous part in Korean culture and my abstanence often leave me feeling somewhat uncomfortable at such martial art socializing events where people are often expected to drink and toast. When I asked her about it she said that she doesn't like drinking and prefers water; I was happy to ask the waiter to bring more water to our table.<br /><br />During the <i>2011 Taekwondo Hall of Fame Ceremony</i>, Master Prone was inducted into the<i> Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> for her great achievements. She had won medals at World Championships on numerous occasions, including gold medals in 1990 (Canada – Patterns), 1992 (North Korea – Power-Breaking), and 2004 (South Korea – Patterns), making her a three times world champion. She is known as a high level competitor in patterns, sparring and power-breaking. She received her 1st Dan in 1986 and received her 6th Dan in 2006. <br /><br />Master Prone is from Argentina. She is / was the vice president of the ITF Taekwon-Do Federation of Argentina and is also a prominent member of a number of other sports organizations. She has also been declared sportsperson of the century by the Taekwondo Association of Argentina (TAA) and received numerous other awards in Argentina.<br /><br />Although she is a great female role model for thousands of female Taekwon-Doin, her achievements really transcend gender. I know that I have always looked up to her and I know of many males that share my admiration. This post, is in part, a small tribute to this phenomenal Taekwon-Do woman.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7535590776228557245?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-15423567856573812622011-08-23T10:06:00.004+02:002011-10-26T16:42:16.607+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihsMWEyT18k/TlNaTjdXeXI/AAAAAAAAC7U/naFD5n40qvg/s1600/AndreConchon_DavidKerr_TheWay01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ihsMWEyT18k/TlNaTjdXeXI/AAAAAAAAC7U/naFD5n40qvg/s320/AndreConchon_DavidKerr_TheWay01.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Last night, instructor's Andre Conchon and four times ITF World Champs sparring winner David Kerr visited us for training at <i><a href="http://www.thewaymartialarts.com/">The Way</a></i>, the ITF Dojang in Seoul.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AT5NfxWkevM/TlNdGTWC6NI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/hR7Ly7LLmaM/s1600/KimHoon_AndreConchon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AT5NfxWkevM/TlNdGTWC6NI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/hR7Ly7LLmaM/s200/KimHoon_AndreConchon.JPG" width="132" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sbnim Kim Hoon &amp; <br />Sbnim Andre Conchon</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qXjGDGIeOg/TlNdG-OdFRI/AAAAAAAAC7c/PJlQpKcbpoU/s1600/KimHoon_DavidKerr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qXjGDGIeOg/TlNdG-OdFRI/AAAAAAAAC7c/PJlQpKcbpoU/s200/KimHoon_DavidKerr.JPG" width="132" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sbnim Kim Hoon &amp; <br />Sbnim David Kerr</td></tr></tbody></table>We had a great training session. Master Kim-Hoon led us through warm-ups and some basic kicking exercising and pad-drills. Afterwards Instructor Andre Conchon had us practise evasion and counter-attack drills for the side-piercing kick, using side-stepping&nbsp;maneuvers. With such excellent sparring specific exercises, it is easy to see how come Mr David Kerr was able to win the World Champs four times! We ended the training by going through the patterns from Chon-Ji Teul to Gae-Baek Teul. Afterwards Master Kim-Hoon presented our guests with the <a href="http://www.kyobobook.co.kr/product/detailViewKor.laf?ejkGb=KOR&amp;mallGb=KOR&amp;barcode=9788992618571&amp;orderClick=LAW">ITF 태권도 가이드북</a> ("ITF Taekwon-Do Guidebook"), a book he authored in 2008 as part of his work in reintroducing original ITF Taekwon-Do in South Korea.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGNzN0iXYo8/TlNd8q1kZOI/AAAAAAAAC7g/r-6T4XsBMcY/s1600/DavidKerr_SankoLewis_OkChanYang_AndreConchon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WGNzN0iXYo8/TlNd8q1kZOI/AAAAAAAAC7g/r-6T4XsBMcY/s320/DavidKerr_SankoLewis_OkChanYang_AndreConchon.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Kerr, myself, Ok Chan-Yang and Andre Conchon still<br />flustered and sweaty after a fun and exhausting training session.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Afterwards some of us went to a local hangout to cool down. The locals introduced our guests to <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makgeolli">makgeolli</a></i> 막걸리&nbsp;(I had some yogurt-drink instead) and <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pajeon">pajeon</a> </i>파전.<br /><br />Instructors Conchon and Kerr are presently in Korea to attend the <i>Taekwondo Hall of Fame</i> ceremony that will be held at the Kukkiwon on Thursday, August 24, 2011. To read more about Mr. Conchon, Mr. Kerr and the development of ITF Taekwon-Do in Brazil, read Mr. Conchon's contribution to <a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_20.pdf">Issue 20</a> of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do Magazine</i>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1542356785657381262?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-10461385501118527572011-08-22T09:55:00.000+02:002011-08-22T09:55:31.458+02:00Last Thursday evening, Lynne, a student at <a href="http://www.thewaymartialarts.com/">'The Way' Martial Art Academy of Seoul</a>--the only ITF dojang in Seoul, had her 1st Dan promotional test. As part of the test she prepared a pattern self-defence demonstration using selections from the pattern Choong-Moo. Assisting her was Tim.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="311" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/QhEfCPDsPYM" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />Congratulations to Lynne on attaining her black belt. Lynne&nbsp;practices&nbsp;basically everyday, often attending multiple training sessions per day. This is a black belt well deserved. Apart from answering theory questions thrown at her from the black belts attending, Lynne also answered the pattern theory all in Korean! Now <i>that </i>was impressive!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1046138550111852757?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-52074864014699707702011-08-19T10:25:00.011+02:002011-08-21T15:51:29.799+02:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_6rsf2h6EcA/Tk4mu4AU90I/AAAAAAAAC6g/n2V2NHkPJKc/s1600/TaeHyeong_Punch+and+JayKang_Block.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_6rsf2h6EcA/Tk4mu4AU90I/AAAAAAAAC6g/n2V2NHkPJKc/s200/TaeHyeong_Punch+and+JayKang_Block.jpg" width="159" /></a>In a previous post&nbsp;regarding “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/defensive-techniques-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">Defensive Techniques in Taekwon-Do</a>”&nbsp;I grouped blocks in Taekwon-Do into two categories: hard blocks and soft blocks. My correspondences¹ with a fellow martial art blogger,&nbsp;Dan Djurdjevic of “<a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/">The Way of Least Resistance</a>”, made me contemplate the whole issue of blocking techniques again, causing me to realise that a simple dichotomy of hard blocks versus soft blocks doesn't adequately reveal the nuances of blocking techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do.<br /><br /><b>What is a Blocking Technique?</b><br /><br />For purposes of our discussion we need a definition for what a blocking technique is. To do this, let's start by looking at the Korean terminology. The Korean word for blocking technique is <i>makgi gisool </i>막기기술; blocking is <i>makgi </i>막기. The root verb is <i>makda </i>막다, which carry the meanings of obstruction, i.e. “to obstruct the way” 길을막다; to curb, check or prevent something from happening; to guard against something; to ward off something, like “warding off attacks” 공격을 마다 or “preventing the enemy from entering into” 적의 침입을 막다.<br /><br />Based on this we can define a blocking technique as a method (typically involving a blocking tool²) to prevent an opponent's attack (i.e. his attacking tool) from entering into your sphere of safety. A blocking technique “obstructs the way” of the attack to prevent the attacking tool from reaching its target. The Korean root word reveals to us that a blocking technique is purposed to “prevent” something from happening—to ward off attacks, by somehow obstructing the way. To “prevent” the attack from reaching its target, the blocking technique has to <i>intercept </i>it and to “ward off” the attack it has to <i>redirect </i>its force.<br /><br />Put simply, all blocks have this one thing in common: to prevent the opponent's attacking tool from reaching its target.&nbsp;With the exception of checking blocks, this is achieved by&nbsp;<i>intercepting and redirecting</i> the attacker's attack.<br /><br />Not all blocks achieve this goal in the same manner and some blocks have additional goals beyond merely preventing the attack from reaching its target. Part of the purpose is to also decrease the attacker's tactical advantage and if possible, increase your own tactical advantage. (Tactical advantage usually involves advantageous positioning.)<br /><br /><b>Hard Blocks / Offensive Blocks</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s41O5AZyA7Y/TlD2b1dFf5I/AAAAAAAAC7I/NG_8cmJ35uA/s1600/Po-Eun+6.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s41O5AZyA7Y/TlD2b1dFf5I/AAAAAAAAC7I/NG_8cmJ35uA/s200/Po-Eun+6.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A (Front Forefist) Pressing Block in<br />Sitting Stance. This block literally<br />punches the instep of an opponent's<br />front kick, making it an obviously<br />offensive type of block.<br />-- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a>.</span></td></tr> </tbody></table>Apart from intercepting and redirecting, another purpose of some blocks, as I have tabled before, is also to hurt the attacking limb of the attacker. The block, therefore, acts offensively. Previously I've called these offensive-blocks “hard blocks.”&nbsp;See my post “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/thoughts-on-hard-blocks-in-itf-taekwon.html">Thoughts on Hard Blocks in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>.”<br /><br />While Mr Djurdjevic (reasoning from his involvement in traditional Karate and Chinese internal styles) effectively argues against blocks also being attacks&nbsp;(see his post “<a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-blocks-are-not-strikes-in-disguise.html">Why blocks are not 'strikes in disguise'</a>”), the idea that some blocks in ITF Taekwon-Do have an offensive function is undeniable since the ITF Encyclopaedia states that the “defense itself . . . carries out the attacking role at the same time” (Volume 3, p. 185). That ITF practitioners are therefore to view some blocks as also offensive techniques is part of our tradition. However, I agree with Mr Djurdjevic that “[b]locks can be strikes – but that doesn't mean that they always are.” We ought not unnecessarily interpret every traditional block as a possible attack. In my mind there is a certain category of blocks—what I used to call&nbsp;“hard blocks” but now prefer to call&nbsp;“offensive blocks”—that has this function “to intercept and redirect” while also “[carrying] out the attacking role at the same time.”<br /><br />Of course, there are also other types of blocks that are not offensive in nature.<br /><br /><b>Other Blocks</b><br /><br />In my previous post on&nbsp;“<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/defensive-techniques-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">Defensive Techniques in Taekwon-Do</a>”&nbsp;I proposed only two categories—hard blocks and soft blocks. Hard blocks are blocks that are also offensive and soft blocks are the rest. I've realised that this is an oversimplification. So in the rest of this post I hope to take another look at “soft blocks” and identify some other categories. So far I have identified four additional categories: deflections, diversions, disequilibriums and checks.<br /><br /><b>Deflections / Parries</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gj-XksNkqEQ/TlD0YdsGLtI/AAAAAAAAC7E/LymHQ5CGSxA/s1600/Ju-Che+35B.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gj-XksNkqEQ/TlD0YdsGLtI/AAAAAAAAC7E/LymHQ5CGSxA/s200/Ju-Che+35B.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Forearm Downward Block in<br />L-stance -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>All blocks intercept and redirect the attack, but it is the way in which they do so that differ. Deflections are blocks that bump into the attacking limb at an angle (sometimes acute angles, other times perpendicularly), which causes the attack to divert from its path. The amount of time the blocking tool is in contact with the attacking limb is very short—just enough to bump it off course. These blocks usually cover a relatively short distance and have a forceful “snappiness” about them. <br /><br />A deflection-block can rightly be called a parry. <br /><br />Examples of deflection-blocks are the waist block, some palm or back hand blocks, parries from one's sparring guard posture, on occasion some of the typical forearm blocks, some upward and downward blocks, and so on.<br /><br /><b>Diversions</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJZfCZYbFuM/TK17_UyVLEI/AAAAAAAAChc/IvtjdOE8OWM/s1600/Yul-Gok+19.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJZfCZYbFuM/TK17_UyVLEI/AAAAAAAAChc/IvtjdOE8OWM/s200/Yul-Gok+19.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A Palm Hooking Block with the<br />Rear / Reverse Hand in<br />Walking Stance -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>While a deflection-block forcefully changes the course of the attack, a diversion-block changes the attacks direction in a smoother or less forceful manner. The amount of time the blocking tool is in contact with the attacking limb is relatively longer, so that the blocking tool guides the attacking limb into a <i>new </i>direction. This type of block also covers a relatively longer distance, usually in a curved path, as it guides the opponent's attack astray. Diversion-blocks are usually what we have in mind when we think of&nbsp;“soft blocks”&nbsp;and is the type of blocking one would imagine for soft style martial arts like Tai-Chi Chuan.<br /><br />Examples of diversion-blocks are the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/10/hooking-block.html">hooking block</a>, palm pressing blocks, the circular block, and so on. <br /><br /><b>Disequilibriums</b><br /><br />A disequilibrium is a blocking technique that aims at breaking the balance of the opponent and do so by either pushing the attacker off balance or pulling (“luring”) him off balance. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YxGhzLSg5PY/TlDtfW4_DCI/AAAAAAAAC6w/5VWYFmgzE8Y/s1600/Hwa-Rang+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YxGhzLSg5PY/TlDtfW4_DCI/AAAAAAAAC6w/5VWYFmgzE8Y/s200/Hwa-Rang+1.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A Palm Pushing Block <br />in&nbsp;Sitting Stance -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>Blocks that function in a pushing manner aim to intercept the attacking tool as high up the limb as possible—the closer to the shoulder or hip the better. In fact, blocks like the pushing block target the shoulder or pelvis. If the block is done below the major joint (i.e. the elbow or knee), it is performed against the natural bend of the joint, because otherwise the lower-limb may merely bend naturally without the opponent's balance being affected. The scooping block is an example. <br /><br />The luring block is “designed to put the opponent off balance or to make the attack in vain by drawing the attacking tool beyond its intended point of focus” (<i>ITF Encyclopaedia</i>, Volume 3, p. 287). The luring block might function by actually pulling the attacking limb beyond its point of focus, but often it merely “leads” the limb further than intended—not necessarily holding onto the limb, but rather guiding it along the same path, beyond the opponent's position of balance. This concept is comparable to a principle found in Aikido where the opponent's vector is exploited by enhancing it. <br /><br /><b>Obstructions</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JNtAE4HEwdY/TlDzTbi6k3I/AAAAAAAAC68/08xVBS-n-64/s1600/Choong-Moo+27.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JNtAE4HEwdY/TlDzTbi6k3I/AAAAAAAAC68/08xVBS-n-64/s200/Choong-Moo+27.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Knife-hand Checking X-block in<br />L-stance -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>There is a special name in ITF Taekwon-Do for the blocks in this category—they are known as <i>checking blocks</i>. Checking blocks are authentic <i>blocks</i>, in that they function as actual obstructions put in the way of the attack's path. Checking blocks do not intercept and redirect, they literally just “obstruct the way” 길을 막다. There are different types of checking blocks, but usually they involve both arms to function as barriers against the attacking limb, for instance the X-checking block or the twin-straight forearm checking block. These blocks are often used against powerful kicks, where the mass and associated force of the kicking leg will overcome the attempted interception and redirection of a much lighter and weaker forearm block. <br /><br /><b>Summary</b><br /><br />It is possible to group blocks into a dichotomy of hard blocks and soft blocks. Although sometimes useful, this proves to be a too simplistic view of the ways blocking techniques are used in ITF Taekwon-Do. Instead, a more nuanced differentiation group blocks into five categories: (1) offensive-blocks, (2) deflections or parries, (3) diversions, (4) disequilibriums or unbalancing-blocks, and (5) obstructions or checking blocks. Offensive-blocks aim to injure the opponent's attacking limb. Parries deflect the attacking limb off course by bumping into them at an angle, which changes the trajectory. Diversion-blocks guide the attacking limb off course, often at a curve. Disequilibriums focus on breaking the balance of the opponent. Finally, checking blocks put a barrier in the path of the attack and so literally block or obstruct the way of the attack. <br /><br /><b><i>Read More:</i></b><br /><br />The catalyst that inspired me to write this post was&nbsp;Mr Djurdjevic's post on&nbsp;“<a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/07/hard-blocks.html">Hard Blocks</a>.”<br /><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>Footnotes:</i></b> <br /><br />1. Our&nbsp;“correspondences”&nbsp;refer to comments we left each other on some posts here on my blog (see <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/thoughts-on-hard-blocks-in-itf-taekwon.html">here</a>) and also at his blog (see <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/07/hard-blocks.html">here</a>).</div><div><br />2. <i>Volume 2</i> of the ITF Encyclopaedia identifies the most common blocking and attacking tools; i.e. parts of the anatomy that are most commonly used for defence and offence. </div></div></div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5207486401469970770?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SooShimKwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-27765080047864928232011-08-15T08:06:00.001+02:002011-08-15T08:07:21.789+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCINsj2fAv8/Tkivc7bTm6I/AAAAAAAAC6I/V29jmDZYY4A/s1600/Taegeukgi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eCINsj2fAv8/Tkivc7bTm6I/AAAAAAAAC6I/V29jmDZYY4A/s1600/Taegeukgi.gif" /></a></div><br />Annually on August 15, South Korea celebrates <i>Gwangbokjeol&nbsp;</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px;">광복절&nbsp;</span>or "Restoration of Light Day", also known as "Victory Over Japan Day" or "Independence Day" (not to be confused with "Declaration of Independence Day" on <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/sam-il-teul.html">March 1st</a>), as a national holiday. The day is celebrated with various official ceremonies, parades and activities. The <i>Taegeukgi </i>(national flag) is displayed everywhere, hoisted on poles, hanging from street lamps, attached to windowsills, and draped from buildings.<br /><br />Listen to the offical <i>Gwangbokjeol </i>anthem at this&nbsp;<a href="http://narasarang.mpva.go.kr/upload/multimedia/song/%EB%B3%B4%ED%9B%88%EC%B2%98%20-%20%EA%B4%91%EB%B3%B5%EC%A0%88%EB%85%B8%EB%9E%98.mp3">mp3</a>,&nbsp;provided by the <i>Ministry of Patriots and Veteran Affairs</i>.<br /><br />The day is often associated with Korean patriots that fought against the Japanese occupation, in particular the independence activist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahn_Joong-Gun">Ahn Joong Gun</a> (after which the Taekwon-Do pattern <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/04/joong-gun-tul.html">Joong-Gun</a> is named).<br /><br />The North Korea&nbsp;equivalent to&nbsp;<i>Gwangbokjeol&nbsp;</i>is known as&nbsp;<i>Jogukhaebangeui nal&nbsp;</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;">조국해방의 날,&nbsp;</span>"Fatherland Liberation Day".<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2776508004786492823?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-60083026551431180792011-08-15T06:25:00.006+02:002011-08-19T11:28:52.321+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pxs9kgyJZZY/TkiovbannbI/AAAAAAAAC6E/PMfqECHciW0/s1600/English_Korean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Pxs9kgyJZZY/TkiovbannbI/AAAAAAAAC6E/PMfqECHciW0/s200/English_Korean.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.iappfind.com/app/318941079"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />In my <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/08/problem-with-korean-terminology.html">previous post</a> I pointed out some problems with the use of Korean by non-Korean speakers for Taekwon-Do terminology. Basically, foreign speakers of Korean generally mispronounce the Korean terminology terribly, resulting in miscommunication when people from different dojang train together. As I highlighted in the previous post, the reason for the mispronunciation is that there doesn't exist an official method for romanization. Instead there are many methods and none of them are fully intuitive to how an English speaker would pronounce the words. A further problem is that the ITF Encyclopaedia is also not consistent with how it romanizes the Korean terminology into English. My suggestion in the previous post was to learn <i>hangeul </i>(the Korean alphabet), for this will at least insure proper pronunciation. In this post I hope to emphasize the importance of using the Korean terminology. I hope to do this by illustrating the problem with using the English terminology. <br /><br />When General Choi Hong-Hi, the principle founder of Taekwon-Do, wrote the first Taekwon-Do books, he did something quite remarkable. He broke away from the old tradition of giving techniques symbolic names like “weaving clouds”, “pulling the dragon's tale”, “crouching tiger”, and so on, or terms based on Chinese characters. Instead of using abstract descriptions relying on visual imagery or Chinese iconography, he replaced them with clear technical descriptions. Horse-riding stance became sitting stance. Tiger claw became open hand or open fist. While a handful of symbolic terms were still retained, for the most part the terms became obviously technical. It is important to remember that the context of Taekwon-Do's development was the military where there is little room for poetic descriptions. His emphasis on clear technical terminology was part of his agenda to make Taekwon-Do a martial art based on scientific principles, applicable for military combat use. The great thing about this is that it took away ambiguity. There is no uncertainty as to what is meant with a “front forefist punch”. <br /><br />From an understanding of the original Korean terms, I have been able to get a very clear understanding of the technicality of a technique. Unfortunately the translation of these technical terms into English have been sadly unsatisfactory. Direct translations are not necessarily most appropriate in all cases. Sometimes, I think, alternative English substitutes could work better. A direct translation from Korean for one's “instep” is “back of the foot.” While we can figure out what “back of the foot” means, based on our understanding of “back of the hand,” the commonly accepted English word “instep” is most appropriate. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJZfCZYbFuM/TK17_UyVLEI/AAAAAAAAChc/IvtjdOE8OWM/s1600/Yul-Gok+19.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BJZfCZYbFuM/TK17_UyVLEI/AAAAAAAAChc/IvtjdOE8OWM/s200/Yul-Gok+19.bmp" width="150" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">"Reverse Hooking Block"<br /><a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>Although many techniques have been translated correctly, a bunch of techniques have not been translated with equal accuracy. Take for instance the “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/10/hooking-block.html">hooking block</a>.” As I explained in the post devoted to this block, “hooking” is an unfortunate translation of the verb. A better translation would have been “covering block” or “wiping block”. The confusion is further compiled when you are confronted with two different kicks, both claiming to “hook.” Or consider, for example, the use of “reverse” in “reverse knife-hand block” and “reverse turning kick”. In neither case is “reverse” the best English translation for the respective Korean words. In the first case, the Korean word here is “back” or “backside” (i.e. backside of the knife-hand) and in the second it is “opposite” (i.e. inverted turning kick / a turning kick that moves in the opposite direction). <br /><br />To really understand a technique, I am of the opinion that you have to learn the Korean term for it; not merely learning how to pronounce it in Korean, but actually understand its meaning. The English names are sometimes badly translated, so knowledge of the actual Korean term may often give you better or deeper understanding of the technique—take for instance my analysis of the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/itf-taekwon-dos-side-piercing-kick.html">side-piercing kick</a>. <br /><div><br /></div><div>To research the meaning of a Korean word you obviously need to be able to use a Korean dictionary. One can, for instance, use online dictionaries like <a href="http://endic.naver.com/"><i>Naver</i>'s dictionary</a> combined with <i><a href="http://translate.google.com/">Google Translate</a></i>. Of course it is much easier to make use of a Korean-English dictionary if you know basic <i>hangeul </i>(it is easy to learn!). Korean friends with a good command of English can also help you to make sense of the meaning of Taekwon-Do terminology. An important thing is not to assume that the English terms are proper. Whenever a term is confusing (for instance, why is it called "reverse side-kick" rather than "spinning side-kick"?) or make use of visual imagery (for instance "axe kick" or "hammer fist strike"—it ought to be "downward kick" or "side-fist strike"), chances are the English translation is not optimal.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6008302655143118079?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SooShimKwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-26117133300008890902011-08-14T18:53:00.003+02:002011-09-07T05:09:02.170+02:00Looking at “sabum” 사범, the Korean word for instructor – how do you pronounce that “u”? Are you pronouncing it sa-boom? sa-bam? sabom? The latter is probably closer to the correct pronunciation. How about “gup” 급, meaning your rank? Do you pronounce the “u” as an “ah” or as an “oo”? Neither is correct. Actually the vowel in “gup” doesn't exist in English. The closest is probably the article “a”, as in “I'm a man,” but pronounced with your jaw closed more and the corners of your lips pulled back in a wide fake smile. The “u” in the words <i>sabum</i>, <i>gup </i>and <i>Dan-Gun</i> is each pronounced differently in Korean. In each of these words, “u” is used to represent a completely different vowel sound [어] [으] [우]. Of course, the typical English speaking Taekwon-Do practitioner has no idea that this is the case and if they knew that there actually is a difference, they cannot tell how the “u” ought to be pronounced differently, unless they can find the original Korean characters and know how to read them.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4XPpmbCdKw/TkgDRM6TvWI/AAAAAAAAC6A/tt7bZH6yEeY/s1600/Hangeul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y4XPpmbCdKw/TkgDRM6TvWI/AAAAAAAAC6A/tt7bZH6yEeY/s400/Hangeul.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">A Hangeul-Romanization Chart -- <a href="http://www.joop.in/Archive/learn-to-read-and-pronounce-korean-hangul-in-2-days/">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The problem is that there is no absolute standard for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_romanization">romanization of Korean</a> characters into English—“romanization” means to transliterate the Korean characters into the Roman characters that we use in English. Because there is no absolute standard, different people use different systems to Romanize Korean into English, hence the “u” is used differently by different people. The “u” could represent /oo/ like in “pool” or /ah/ as in “bucket” or /o/ as in “gone” and so on. Since non-Korean speakers are not sure how to interpret the “u” they pronounce it any which way. This does not only apply to the “u”, many other romanized characters are equally unclear. The result is that the Korean terminology of Taekwon-Do techniques are often pronounced terribly wrong. This is quite unfortunate because the reason we use Korean terminology in the first place is in order to have one set of terminology that everybody, regardless of their personal language, can understand. In theory I should be able to walk into any dojang anywhere in the world and still understand the training session, because we are all using the same commands, but because the Korean terminology is often so terribly mispronounced this is seldom possible. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2VIUKZeoUsg/TkgB2xoxNQI/AAAAAAAAC58/X-1ahnQ2e-I/s1600/ITF_Encyclopaedia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2VIUKZeoUsg/TkgB2xoxNQI/AAAAAAAAC58/X-1ahnQ2e-I/s200/ITF_Encyclopaedia.jpg" width="171" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">ITF 15 Volume Encyclopaedia<br /><a href="http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/martial_arts/encyclopedia_taekwondo_05.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The problem is increased by the fact that the English version of the ITF Encyclopaedia is inconsistent. A technique may be spelled in English one way on one page and then differently a few pages later. While there exists about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_romanization">four or more Romanization standards</a>, the ITF Encyclopaedia is not consistently using any specific one of these. Furthermore, the Romanization standards are not intuitive, in the sense that one cannot just look at how the words are romanized and pronounce them correctly. You first have to spent some time studying the system. In my opinion, if you are going to spend time figuring out how to pronounce your romanization system of choice, you can just as well spend that time on learning Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Unfortunately this doesn't solve the problem as most people will be using romanizations and you may still have to write techniques in romanized form for the benefit of those that cannot read Hangeul. <br /><br />What's the solution? Well, if there was one unified international Taekwon-Do body, it could have decided on a single romanization system. This would have ensured standardization and even if people pronounced things wrong, at least they would have pronounced it wrong together, and thus still be communicable. I strongly suggest that national governing bodies ought to at least decide on a specific romanization system for their countries. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"></div>For myself, I have committed to learn Hangeul (it is really easy, just do it), to at least ensure that I personally pronounce the techniques correctly. But I've also decided on one romanization system. I use the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revised_Romanization_of_Korean">Revised Romanization of Korean</a> (RRK), currently used as the official system for South Korea. While I don't think it is perfect, it is nevertheless a good standard that is not too difficult to learn and easier to apply than some of the other systems. It also reflects the consonants better than most other systems and is plain ASCII text friendly (it doesn't require breves and other diacritics). Although I do try to consistently use the RRK, I've decided to retain the old spelling of names; for instance, according to this system "Tae<b>k</b>won-Do" ought to be spelled "Tae<b>g</b>won-Do." It may be a better reflection of the pronunciation, but I'm too used to the old spelling, so that Taegwon-Do seems terribly unsightly. Apart from such familiar spelling of names, I usually try to keep to the RRK's suggestions. I've also recently bought myself the Korean version of the <i>ITF Taekwon-Do Condensed Encyclopaedia</i> (ITF Taekwon-Do Bible). With this I can look up the correct Korean spelling of all the techniques to ensure that I'm pronouncing them correctly. Finally, I ask Koreans. Of course, seeing as I live in Korea this is easier for me to do than for most, but if you have access to a Korean speaker, this is probably the easiest way to ensure that you at least pronounce the terminology properly.<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=skryfblok-20&amp;l=bil&amp;camp=213689&amp;creative=392969&amp;o=1&amp;a=B000JMFC0W" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />If you have any questions about terminology I'd be happy to try and help.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2611713330000889090?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-69071313243326626482011-08-02T16:19:00.005+02:002011-08-15T05:27:32.791+02:00<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_r2rDBVFAv4" width="425"></iframe></div> <br />Animals fight with their armour and/or weapons facing their foe. A porcupine, with its spikes pointing to the rear will turn around when threatened and may actually charge at its enemeny, by reversing towards him. A stag, on the other hand, runs at its foe with its head lowered, since its weapons are situated on its head. Knowing this about these animals we know that its better to approach a porcupine from the front and a stag from the flank or rear. It seems obvious, then, that we approach our target from the angle it is least protected or least armed. <br /> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anXoUelt8k8/TkZQt_IwhzI/AAAAAAAAC48/jER5srExjp0/s1600/WebRedDeerFight150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-anXoUelt8k8/TkZQt_IwhzI/AAAAAAAAC48/jER5srExjp0/s200/WebRedDeerFight150.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Red Deer Stags Sparring -- <a href="http://www.arturodefrias.com/photo_1775371.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><div>Now, let's look at humans. Man is most vulnerable on its front where most of its vital spots are situated. For this reason, its weapons (arms and legs) are best at protecting it from frontal attacks. The arms can easily parry and guard frontal attacks. Human predators (violent criminals) know this all too well, that is why violent attacks are often ambush attacks coming from the side or rear. The victim seldom sees the attack coming and even if she did, there is not much she can do to protect herself from this angle. We do not have eyes in the back of our heads and even if we did, we do not have arms back there to guard and block and counter-attack. <br /> <br />There are three things, I think, that ought to be obvious from this observation. <br /> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W2it12YYgH8/TkZTRfuPFDI/AAAAAAAAC5M/z9wefURUyFI/s1600/Ambush-the+act+of+concealing+yourself+and+lying%25C2%25A0in%25C2%25A0wait+to+attack+by+surprise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W2it12YYgH8/TkZTRfuPFDI/AAAAAAAAC5M/z9wefURUyFI/s200/Ambush-the+act+of+concealing+yourself+and+lying%25C2%25A0in%25C2%25A0wait+to+attack+by+surprise.jpg" width="166" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">"Ambush" -- <a href="http://grevignette.blogspot.com/2010/11/randomz.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><div>First, we ought to find and work on defensive strategies for surprise attacks coming from the rear or side-rear. Do you have any strategy for when you are attacked from the side or behind? If not, then you have a serious hole in your self-defence armour. I'm not suggesting that there is a sure way of escape from an ambush attack; I <i>am </i>saying that one should at least have some strategy or worst case scenario plan. (Here's one idea from <i><a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_14211_defend-against-surprise.html">eHow</a></i>.) <br /> <br />Secondly, since attacking the rear is clearly the best place to attack from since your opponent is at his most vulnerable, martial artists ought to be very familiar with possible attacks from the rear. Since most martial artists are so conditioned to approach their opponents from the front, they are uncertain what to do when their opponent has his back turned to them. Tournament rules that consider attacks to the rear illegal, further strengthens this conditioning. Learning where and how to attack someone with his back turned to you is a very important skill. <br /> <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wj8IEkyj-fI/TkZU6gxfXtI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/ush3Pau7PZc/s1600/Drilling+attacking+the+turtle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wj8IEkyj-fI/TkZU6gxfXtI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/ush3Pau7PZc/s200/Drilling+attacking+the+turtle.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.slideyfoot.com/2009/07/roy-dean-seminar-day-one.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <br /><div>Lastly, seeing as attacking the rear is so effective, time should be spent on learning how to get to the back. Your opponent will always try to keep you in sight; in other words, in front of him. Learning strategies and footwork to quickly get to your opponent's back seems to me invaliable skills to acquire. Many martial arts admonish to 'never give your back'. While this is a crucial maxim for the defender, 'gaining the back' of ones opponent ought to be an equally important maxim for the attacker and is one exploited by grapplers often enough. There is no reason why stand-up fighters cannot employ the same mind-set. One argument against this might be that attacking your foe from behind is bad sportsmanship or unfair. This is true for sportsmen, but since my focus in this post is self-defence and not tournaments, I don't care too much for fair play and neither does the thug I'm training to defend myself against.</div></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6907131324332662648?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-63591815797384677552011-08-02T16:09:00.002+02:002011-08-13T11:53:19.365+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPYIV6TOUhU/TkZI1VjYvII/AAAAAAAAC44/rs14AZltGuE/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPYIV6TOUhU/TkZI1VjYvII/AAAAAAAAC44/rs14AZltGuE/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue30.jpg" /></a></div>In this month's <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do Magazine</i> (<a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_30.pdf">Issue #30</a>), you can read my contribution "'Walking on the Right Side': Re-evaluating the Value of Your Techniques" (p. 35-37).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6359181579738467755?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-29477837690221927592011-07-31T09:20:00.000+02:002011-07-31T09:20:32.376+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UE1wOwwKgYg/TjUBy9J2_eI/AAAAAAAAC3s/V2QbcTrkkFk/s1600/Hannuman_Damian_Kicking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UE1wOwwKgYg/TjUBy9J2_eI/AAAAAAAAC3s/V2QbcTrkkFk/s320/Hannuman_Damian_Kicking.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Damian Mavis as the main villain in the Thai movie "Hannuman"</span></td></tr></tbody></table>Currently hanging out with Damian Mavis, who is a martial artist (ITF Taekwon-Do, Muay Thai, Kyokushin, grappling, BJJ, MMA, Shaolin Kenpo Kung-Fu, and others), actor and stuntman living in Thailand. Some recent projects Mr Mavis worked on included <i>Hangover II</i>, <i>Scorpion King III</i> and <i>The Impossible</i>. <br /><br />Mr Mavis is the pioneer for ITF Taekwon-Do in Thailand; he opened the first ITF Taekwon-dojang in Thailand in Bangkok 2004. I will be writing a feature of Mr Mavis for a future issue of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i>.<br /><br />Check out a Muay Thai fight he competed in Thailand some time back.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/X37mtbP52BE" width="500"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2947783769022192759?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-75504228883238045902011-07-17T12:48:00.001+02:002011-07-17T12:48:16.444+02:00I'm currently traveling in South-East Asia: Thailand, Laos and southern China. Therefore my posts will be less regular over the next few weeks. <div style='clear: both; text-align: center; font-size: xx-small;'>Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.2</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7550422888323804590?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-65813804316802290522011-07-12T04:29:00.004+02:002011-08-13T13:06:47.380+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0kXtj6rFfUc/Thu2S8TsCEI/AAAAAAAAC3U/hdSrfYmC7AM/s1600/Concussion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0kXtj6rFfUc/Thu2S8TsCEI/AAAAAAAAC3U/hdSrfYmC7AM/s320/Concussion.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.conquestchronicles.com/pages/the_concussion">Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>A student in class got a concussion yesterday and had to go to hospital. The interesting thing about it was that no single hit to the head looked that serious. I really do not think that any of them were, in and of themselves, that traumatic, but this just points out the problem with concussions: They do not always occur because of a single big trauma; instead, they could occur because of several small traumas.<br /><br />So what is a concussion? Basically it is when the brain gets bruised. A knock to the head makes the brain bump against the skull and this causes it to bruise. Every time the knock is repeated, the severity of the bruise increases.<br /><br />Some concussion symptoms are immediate, for instance getting knocked out, feeling dizzy, seeing stars and / or a ringing in the ears.<br /><br />Other symptoms often come later for instance:<br /><br /><ul><li>dizziness</li> <li>confusion</li> <li>problems concentrating</li> <li>not remembering what happened</li> <li>slurred speech</li> <li>nausea</li> <li>tiredness</li> <li>loss of balance</li> <li>persistent&nbsp;or increasing headache&nbsp;</li> <li>a feeling of pressure in the head</li> <li>light sensitivity</li> <li>irritability</li> <li>dilated pupils or pupils of unequal size</li> </ul><div>Any or all of these symptoms could indicate concussion. A little headache or dizziness is usually not something to worry about, but a persistent or increasing headache, and the addition of any of these other symptoms should be taken seriously and requires medical assessment.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Unless there is brain swelling, bleeding or other severe problems, the best medicine is merely resting and keeping still. Remember that the severity of a concussion increases with repetition, so do not do any activity that could cause your head to bump or shake. A two weak rest from sport activities (including sparring) is usually required, maybe longer depending on the trauma.<br /><br />Bruising, including bruising of the brain, i.e. concussion, is common in martial art training. It is part of the risk and often an inevitable part of practicing a contact / combat sport. Concussion could occur accidentally, for instance you running into your opponent's technique or slipping and hitting your head on the floor. Sometimes it is not accidental and either you did not guard / block properly or your opponent purposed to knocked you out, which may or may not be legal in your system. Either way, it comes with the territory. Sparring in the martial arts are often about hitting and getting hit. The main idea is to hit your opponent without being hit yourself. Often easier said than done, but that, after all, is what training is about. I say this not to play down the seriousness of concussions, but to emphasize the reality of what a martial art is intrinsically about. If you decide to participate in a contact / combat sport, then know that there are obviously risks involved.<br /><br />Read more at <a href="http://martialartsandsportscience.com.au/Info/Ko%27s%20&amp;%20Concussions.htm"><i>Martial Arts and Sport Science</i></a>.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6581380431680229052?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-86415662909311142412011-07-06T06:03:00.003+02:002011-07-06T06:05:02.675+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FwlfAE9k6zQ/ThPdTKGHnSI/AAAAAAAAC3M/XY1HzAqUYj8/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue29.jpg" /></div>For the latest issue (<a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_29.pdf">Issue #29</a>) of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> I submitted an edited version of my post "<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/defensive-techniques-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">Defensive Techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>". You can read it on p.19-21 and features <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/04/promotional-tests-at-way.html">Cory who recently tested for 1st Dan</a>.<br /><br />Another article I think is the&nbsp;valuable reading is the essay by Mr. Doug Cook about the "Influence of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism in Traditional Taekwondo" (p. 11-13).<br /><br />Patricia DeArmas' essay on the recent "Taekwon-Do Goodwill Tour" (p. 15-17) by the North Korean ITF Taekwon-Do Team that visited the USA also makes for interesting reading. This is the second such a Goodwill Tour. The first occurred in 2007 and is a focus of a documentary by LUVFilms: <i><a href="http://www.tong-ilmovie.com/">Tong-Il: Breaking Boards, Bricks and Borders</a></i>.<br /><br />As always, <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> features a variety of interesting articles and this issue is no exceptions. Other topics covered are marketing, nutrition, conditioning, relationships, and pressure point strike pattern application.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8641566290931114241?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-86378102564011795562011-07-03T15:35:00.007+02:002011-08-13T12:16:13.498+02:00<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Note</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">: This post is not purposed as medical advice. Please consult a health practitioner if you are concerned about your health. </span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQF8T4c6ieE/ThBnVzB_saI/AAAAAAAAC20/Ed1vmoTafJ0/s1600/Fighter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQF8T4c6ieE/ThBnVzB_saI/AAAAAAAAC20/Ed1vmoTafJ0/s320/Fighter.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.athletesreport.com/?p=183">Source</a></span></td></tr> </tbody></table>Health is something we emphasise at the <span style="font-style: italic;">Soo Shim Kwan</span>. I believe that the martial arts could be an excellent contributor to one's health as it is an excellent form of exercise. The first point in <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/p/charter.html">our charter</a> states that we aim at developing “the whole person--physically, mentally and morally: stressing a healthy lifestyle by means of certain '<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/p/health-principles.html">Health Principles</a>' and encouraging the virtues reflected in the 'Moral Culture', the 'Student Oath' and 'Tenets of Taekwon-Do'.” We also “encourage responsible training that will ensure active involvement in Taekwon-Do into old age.”<br /><br />Ultimately, martial arts is about preserving your life; not only from an assailant, but also from the stress of life, including the stress of an unhealthy lifestyle. As [martial] artists our art medium is the human body. It is therefore important to be intimately familiar with the human body in general, but especially with our own bodies. One's body often presents clear signs, indicating its state of health. Becoming familiar with such signs is an important part of being a martial artist.<br /><br /><i><b>Following are some signs that can warn you if your body is in a state of “dis-ease”:</b></i><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pulse</span><br /><br />Make a habit of taking your pulse. A healthy martial artist's pulse would be below 70 beats per minute when at rest. If you are fit your heart will beat slower, but stronger. A well conditioned athlete may have a pulse rate of around 40-60 beats per minute. A high pulse rate when at rest or an irregular heart beat are not good signs.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wApHeaY5JQU/ThBn0oeE8hI/AAAAAAAAC24/YuvZlMEvlQk/s1600/heart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wApHeaY5JQU/ThBn0oeE8hI/AAAAAAAAC24/YuvZlMEvlQk/s320/heart.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.basingstokekarate.com/category/health-and-fitness/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source</span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table>(Note that infants and children have a faster pulse rate than adults and does not necessarily indicate an unhealthy condition.)<br /><br /><b>Blood Pressure</b><br /><br />Healthy blood pressure has a systolic pressure under 120 and diastolic blood pressure under 80. If you follow the health recommendations advised in our <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/p/health-principles.html">Health Principles</a>, your blood pressure will generally be well under 120/80, especially if you follow a balanced primarily plant based diet. (Some sources suggest the optimal blood pressure to be 115/76). Too low blood pressure, however, is also not a good sign. If you regularly want to faint when standing up from a reclining or sitting position, you may have too low blood pressure.<br /><br /><b>Body Odour</b><br /><br />Unless you experienced an adrenalin rush or do not wash regularly, you ought not to have a strong body odour. Our skin is one of the main organs for ridding the body of toxins, so if&nbsp;&nbsp;you have smelly body odour it is likely a sign of a body burdened with toxins. During hard exercise, your sweat ought not to smell too strong or offensive. If your sweat is generally smelly during or after exercise you should seriously consider a detox program.<br /><br />(Remember also to wash your training uniform regularly, especially after sweating as the moisture could encourage mould and unpleasant odours. While not strictly a health hazard, it does make the training environment quite unpleasant!)<br /><br /><b>Urine Colour and Smell</b><br /><br />When you are healthy your urine will be a pale tan colour. If your urine is a dark colour it usually indicates a system burdened with toxins. You may be dehydrated or your system is fighting off an infection. (Note that some foods and supplements like a Vitamin B-Complex may colour your urine.) When your body is healthy and well hydrated your urine will not have a strong smell. If your urine has a distinctly noticeably and unusually strong smell it is an indication that your kidneys are burdened to rid toxins from your body, that your urine is highly concentrated. Make sure to always drink enough water.<br /><br /><b>Mucous</b><br /><br />Your body generally use mucous to flush things out of it. Clear mucous could indicate outside stressors like pollen which your body cannot combat because of a weak immune system. Yellow or coloured mucous may indicate that you already have an infection. If you have a mucous discharge, know that your body feels under attack and is trying to rid itself of foreign entities through this emergency avenue. The presence of mucous usually indicates your immune system struggling, so take measures to enhance your immune system. At least increase your consumption of Vitamin C and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/01/alkaline-ph-for-improved-performance.html">alkalise your diet</a>.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZlFAfu_RGQ/ThBqng4LDxI/AAAAAAAAC28/YFjXZWSkb6k/s1600/Einstein-tongue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JZlFAfu_RGQ/ThBqng4LDxI/AAAAAAAAC28/YFjXZWSkb6k/s320/Einstein-tongue.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><b>Tongue</b><br /><br />When your tongue is white and furry, it could indicate that your digestive system is clogged or burdened under unhealthy foods, particularly foods that are too rich or contains too many empty carbs. A clear, pink tongue tends to indicate a healthy digestive system. Read more about "<a href="http://health.msn.com/health-topics/what-your-tongue-is-telling-you-about-your-health">What Your Tongue Is Telling You About Your Health</a>."<br /><br /><b>Regularity</b><br /><br />If your diet is healthy and your digestive system working properly you ought to go regularly—a meal should pass the body within 24 hours of consumption. The stool should leave the body with not much effort. If this is not the case, it usually indicates a struggling digestive system because of an unhealthy diet. The stool should be an elongated S-shape that slips effortlessly into the water, not hard pellets popping into the water. Help keep your digestive tract healthy by including enough fiber in your diet. You could also add flax seed to your diet. When in moisture, flax seeds produce a gel coating that can lubricate the digestive track.<br /><br /><b>Sleep</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VsHHUXmOlz4/ThBsMUkWmpI/AAAAAAAAC3A/ygPv5T4TesE/s1600/Dark%252Bcircle%252Bunder%252Beye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VsHHUXmOlz4/ThBsMUkWmpI/AAAAAAAAC3A/ygPv5T4TesE/s200/Dark%252Bcircle%252Bunder%252Beye.jpg" width="181" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wow.ie/ask-the-expert-dark-circles-under-eyes/"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source</span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table>If you do not sleep well, it is clear that something is wrong. This could either be from psychological stress or physiological unease. If you do not rest well, your whole system will be affected, so it is paramount that you find the cause of your restlessness. About seven hours of sleep is usually considered healthy.<br /><br /><b>Eyes</b><br /><br />It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. They can also be windows to your body's state of well being. Bloodshot eyes, puffy eyes, the white of the eyes appearing yellow, and dark circles around the eyes are all possible signs of an unhealthy or stressed system. You might not be getting enough rest, your body may be burdened with toxins, your liver or kidneys may not be functioning at optimum, you may have too salty a diet. Clear, bright eyes are considered attractive, in part because they reflect a healthy constitution.<br /><br /><b>Swelling</b><br /><br />Any swelling in your body is a sign of something being wrong, generally inflammation of some sort.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfZb77J0f6s/ThBs5EuhLyI/AAAAAAAAC3E/d5JFD2bqzLs/s1600/JointPain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZfZb77J0f6s/ThBs5EuhLyI/AAAAAAAAC3E/d5JFD2bqzLs/s320/JointPain.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/joint-pain-relief-remedies"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source</span></a></td></tr> </tbody></table><b>Joint Aches</b><br /><br />Aching joints tend to signal inflammation. There could be many causes; one thing it might indicate is an overly acidic system. Achy joints are a martial artists enemy. Make sure to drink enough water, and try to <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/01/alkaline-ph-for-improved-performance.html">alkalise your body through a diet rich in leafy greens vegetables and low acid-forming foods</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>...ooOoo... </b></div><br />If you notice any of these signs, know that your body is not at ease—literally or figuratively under attack. Look at your life style and see what could be the probable causes and visit a health practitioner if any symptoms persist.<br /><br />A healthy life style is part of the discipline of a true martial artist.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8637810256401179556?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SooShimKwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-61636568617808460702011-06-29T05:18:00.002+02:002011-10-25T06:36:38.378+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SJJllTBCg-k/TgqY1O9y5hI/AAAAAAAAC2I/H6tMm0Z0uW8/s1600/blackbelt_toppro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SJJllTBCg-k/TgqY1O9y5hI/AAAAAAAAC2I/H6tMm0Z0uW8/s320/blackbelt_toppro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=5774156984">Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>As a senior black belt (4th degree) at '<a href="http://www.thewaymartialarts.com/">The Way</a>' (the ITF dojang in Seoul), I teach ITF Taekwon-Do and some Hapkido at least once a week, sometimes twice a week, to a mixed group of ranks, including some first degree black belts.<br /><br />One thing I have heard from some of the black belts attending my classes is that they sometimes feel like white belts again. I'm recounting this, not to blow my own horn, but to make two other points: black belts are not necessarily experts and we are all still learning.<br /><br />General Choi Hong-Hi, the principle founder of Taekwon-Do and author of the <i>ITF Encyclopaedia</i>, was quite clear about the fact that the first degree black belt is still but a novice:<br /><br /><blockquote><b>First Degree—Expert or Novice?</b><br /><br />One of the greatest misconceptions within the martial arts is the notion that all black belt holders are experts. It is understandable that those unacquainted with the martial arts might make this equation. However, students should certainly recognize that this is not always the case. Too often, novice black belt holders advertise themselves as experts and eventually even convince themselves.<br /><br />The first degree black belt holder has usually learned enough technique to defend himself against a single opponent. He can be compared to a fledgeling who has acquired enough feathers to leave the nest and fend for himself. The first degree is a starting point. The student has merely built a foundation. The job of building the house lies ahead.<br /><br />The novice black belt holder will now really begin to learn technique. Now that he has mastered the alphabet, he can begin to read. Years of hard work and study await him before he can even begin to consider himself an instructor and expert.<br /><br />A perceptive student will, at this stage, suddenly realize how very little he knows.<br /><br />The black belt holder also enters a new era of responsibility. Though a freshman, he has entered a strong honorable fraternity of the black belt holders of the entire world; and his actions inside and outside the training hall will be carefully scrutinized. His conduct will reflect on all black belt holders and he must constantly strive to set up an example for all grader holders.<br /><br />Some will certainly advance into the expert stages. However, far too many will believe the misconception and will remain in novice, mentally and technically.<br /><br /><i>ITF Encyclopaedia, Volume 1: p. 94, 95.</i></blockquote><br />In my years as an instructor, one especially unfortunate thing I've noticed with some black belts is a type of thinking-they-know-it-all attitude. While the instructor is teaching a particular technique, this black belt will do another technique he or she thinks to be a better variation or will teach his or her training partner another application. Not only does it deprive the training partner the opportunity to study the techniques the instructor intends for their growth, it also deprives themselves the opportunity of rehearsing the 'basics' and having the instructor tweak their technique. The black belt may think that they are so familiar with the technique, that they have perfected it, that they need not practise it. As a 4th Dan black belt I can honestly say that I still benefit from a senior instructor checking my fundamental movements and would be very reluctant to claim to have attained perfection of a particular technique.<br /><br />To really learn, we need to put our pride on a shelf and open ourselves to the possibility that we do not know everything; for only the humble can be taught. The moment you think you 'know it', is the moment you stopped yourself from learning and improving that particular skill.<div><br /></div><div>Also Read: <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/10/allowing-rank-to-simplify-our-world.html">"Allowing Rank to Simplify Our World"</a> by Joong Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6163656861780846070?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-58238272258728793432011-06-28T04:53:00.000+02:002011-06-28T04:53:13.727+02:00<i>Balgyeong </i>in ITF Taekwon-Do, just like the sine wave motion, did not develop out of nowhere. In my mind there is a definite root from which both these ideas came and I believe that root is to be found in Taekkyeon. If Shotokan Karate is the source for the hard techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do, then Taekkyeon is, at least in part¹, the base for the soft techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do. <br /><br />In the video clip below, from <i>BBC Three</i>'s <i>Mind, Body &amp; Kick Ass Moves</i>, Taekkyeon Grandmaster Do Gi-Hyun talks about the differences in motion between Japanese hard styles, Chinese soft styles, and traditional Korean styles. Yes, these are generalizations, but notice when he demonstrates Korean styles that he is in fact doing a <i>balgyeong </i>motion. (You can see it from around 2:05 to 2:25.)<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l3nmjKvOADo" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />I have spoken to Grandmaster Do about the fact that ITF Taekwon-Do has much in common with Taekkyeon. He wasn't too open to the possibility and I do not blame him. WTF Taekwon-Do is adamantly claiming a lineage from Taekkyeon, but when one looks at WTF Taekwon-Do’s fundamental movements it doesn’t resemble Taekkyeon at all. WTF Taekwon-Do is too Karatesque for such a claim to be taken seriously. However, the “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/09/sine-wave-motion-linear-karate-movement.html">bounciness</a>” of ITF Taekwon-Do is in my opinion very Taekkyeon-like and having practiced Taekkyeon I’ve become convinced that this is the origin of the sine wave motion. Grandmaster Choi Hong-Hi, ITF Taekwon-Do's principle founder, trained somewhat in Taekkyeon as an adolescent under his calligraphy master. It seems like these early experiences started to seep back into ITF Taekwon-Do during its later development. Apart from the “bounciness” we share with Taekkyeon, there is also a shared “relaxation” and “subtleness.” While the focus in Karate is in speed, the focus in ITF Taekwon-Do is not speed as such, but acceleration—moving from a relaxed stillness and the accelerating into an explosive snap, and back to being completely relaxed again. <br /><br />So when I claim that ITF Taekwon-Do contains <i>balgyeong</i>, i.e. <i>fajin</i>, I do not mean that ITF Taekwon-Do was directly influenced by Chinese internal martial arts like Tai Chi Quan or even that the <i>balgyeong </i>in ITF Taekwon-Do is exactly the same as the <i>fajin </i>in Tai Chi Quan or Hsing-I Quan. Yes, I claim a commonality, but not a shared root. ITF Taekwon-Do is definitely not the same as Tai Chi Quan or the same as Hsing-I Quan; still, there are things that they share. That Taekkyeon (and by implication ITF Taekwon-Do) and Tai Chi Quan should share the same type of motion should not be considered odd. Many disparate martial arts have overlapping principles and techniques. It is quite foreseeable that Judo, Samo and Greco-Roman wrestling may all have a couple of shared principles and techniques, even though they developed in different parts of the world. There is only so many ways in which we can use the human body; therefore it is inevitable that cultures from around the world should come to similar conclusions. The bow and arrow was used by the Native Americans, ancient Japanese, and Southern Africa's Bushmen—this weapon presumably developed independently and although they may not look exactly the same in these three societies, the mechanics is pretty much exact. Similarly, the fact that we see <i>balgyeong </i>in Korea's Taekkyeon and ITF Taekwon-Do, in China's Tai Chi Quan and Hsing-I Quan, and Russia's Systema, all with presumably different origins, is not too surprising. What is surprising is that the West hasn't made more of this concept, but that is fodder for another post. <br /><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnote<i></i></b><br /><br />1. I say “in part,” because besides the Taekkyeon root, Taekwon-Do had some other influences as well in its early development. For instance, Master George Vitale (8th Dan)—one of the foremost Taekwon-Do historians—told me that in its early days Taekwon-Do was exposed to such soft styles as Judo and Hapkido. Be that as it may, it is my conviction that our <i>balgyeong </i>motions germinated from the Taekkyeon connection.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5823827225872879343?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-50375791855097658232011-06-24T16:02:00.003+02:002011-06-26T18:32:41.530+02:00<div class="western">Last night, 23 June 2011, I received my 2^nd Dan Hapkido Certificate. Ironically, it was exactly one year ago that I officially “quit” formal training at a <i>hapkidojang </i>and wrote the post below on one of my other blogs. </div><blockquote><i><b>23 June 2010</b></i></blockquote><blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t_ZmJSkbL4/TCI1UdbdQGI/AAAAAAAACBo/XCLnz547XSM/s320/Sanko_Duke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t_ZmJSkbL4/TCI1UdbdQGI/AAAAAAAACBo/XCLnz547XSM/s320/Sanko_Duke.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Myself and one of the instructors at my previous <i>hapkidojang</i>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="western">Earlier this evening I went to see the Head of the Hapkido gym where I have been training since I came to Korea the first time. I went to tell him that I am discontinuing my regular training at his school and that I will instead continue my training in Hapkido on occasion with instructors irregularly, most likely over weekends. After explaining it to him, getting my black belt from where it hung between the other black belts, bowing to him and the other members in the dojang, and giving my final salute, I left the gym; feeling overwhelmingly sad. I have “outgrown” that school and the only way for me to progress is to leave it. <br /><br />It is not that I have learned everything that that school and the master can teach me—far from it! There is still much I can learn. It is just that the ratio between what I am learning (and the rate at which I’m learning it) to the time, effort, and money I'm investing is not worth it for me at the present moment. I guess the language barrier has become a big contributing factor towards my decision. There is only so much one can learn via the monkey-see-monkey-do method. I've long passed that level in my martial art career. I am truly sad about leaving. This dojang was my very first and longest lasting martial art “home” in Korea. To tell my instructor that I’m leaving home is similar to a young bird leaving its nest. It is frightening. But it is also necessary because only outside the nest can the bird really mature. I’m not cutting all ties with the dojang; I will still visit there every so often; but for now, the bird has left the nest. <br /><br />The moment I stepped out of the dojang, knowing that I’ve chosen a new path for my Hapkido-journey, I felt immediately homesick. I walked to a restaurant to have dinner, but had lost my appetite. When my food arrived I let it stand—pretending to let it cool off—for probably a quarter of an hour before I started to eat. While the decision caused melancholy, I am not regretting it. Another Hapkido instructor (and also a close friend) explained to me that there comes a time in every Hapkido practitioner’s journey that he has to find his own <i>Do </i>– “Way.”<br /><br />When I arrived home tonight and read my emails, I saw a notice from a bookshop informing me that a Hapkido book I ordered had arrived. I’ll go pick it up tomorrow. </div></blockquote><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western">And now a year later. My Hapkido journey did not end. Although I have been studying Hapkido mostly informally since last year, there has nevertheless been growth. I've been reading books, watching instructional videos, applying principles, practised and even taught some Hapkido at <i>The Way</i> dojang.</div><div class="western">I've learned so much from Hapkido. Ironically, I've learned so much about ITF Taekwon-Do from my study of other martial arts, especially Hapkido. I remember clearly before I came to Korea in 2006 the frustration I felt because I could see the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/09/wave-principle.html">Wave / Circle principle</a> in ITF Taekwon-Do, I could intuit it, but I had no functional cognitive entry point to truly understand it, nor its application. I knew that I had to study a martial art that focusses on this principle and was eager to start studying Hapkido once I came to Korea. And as providence would have it, not only did I find a nice dojang to train at, but one of the instructors was also a 4^th Dan in ITF Taekwon-Do and we could discuss Hapkido using our common ITF Taekwon-Do language. I am convinced that both my Taekwon-Do and Hapkido training were enhanced by this. I also gained a great friend in the proses.</div><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western">I've been eligible (time-wise) to test for 2^nd Dan probably since early 2009, but only got to it earlier this year. Honestly, it wasn't really something I actively thought about until Master Bae (7^th Dan) mentioned to me last year that I ought to do it. Because of my suspension of formal training last year I did not think about it again until a few months ago.&nbsp;</div><div class="western"><br /></div><div class="western">I feel that now a new phase in my Hapkido journey has started once again. Part of it is to once more find the next part of my <i>Do </i>(“Way”). Will it involve the path I'm on at present? Will it involve seeking out new teachers and a new dojang? Will it involve more actively teaching Hapkido? </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5037579185509765823?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-57791061065888078452011-06-22T17:52:00.004+02:002011-07-03T17:39:43.939+02:00Over the last couple of weeks I published several posts on the topic of <i>balgyeong </i>발경/ <i>fajin </i>發勁 in ITF Taekwon-Do. I argued that ITF Taekwon-Do has evolved to include this way of power generation that is usually associated with Chinese internal styles like Hsing-I Quan and Tai Chi Quan. What I did not discuss is whether this is a good thing or not. Is this “new” way of applying the <i>Theory of Power</i> in certain ITF Taekwon-Do techniques advantageous? Is it a valuable contribution to the style? Is it better to <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-karate-or-hsing-i-balgyeong-in-itf.html">hit like a crowbar or hit like a ball-on-chain</a>? In this post I want to explore some of these questions?<br /><br />In order to compare and discuss these two methods I will call the first <i>momentum techniques</i> and the second <i>balgyeong </i>or <i>impulse techniques</i>. <br /><br />Since the inception of the <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power"><i>Theory of Power</i></a>, ITF Taekwon-Do techniques focussed on momentum. Speaking of “momentum” I'm really speaking about <i>Force</i>, in the classical mechanics sense, where <i>Force</i> is the product of <i>mass </i>and <i>acceleration</i>: <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">F</span></i> = <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">m</span> </i>x <i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a</span></i>. The idea is to “accelerate as much body mass as possible in the direction of the technique,” as I explained in a <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/04/basics-of-power-generation-in-itf.html">previous post on power generation in Taekwon-Do</a>. Almost every technique pushes / breaks / drives <i>through </i>the target like a locomotive through an obstacle. Probably the place where one can truly see this in action is in power-breaking. Look, for instance, at the power-breaking demonstration in the video below. Notice how the techniques drive through the target, continuing past the moment of impact—fulfilling the martial art saying to “aim behind the [surface of the[ target” or “strike <i>through </i>the target.”<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/M6DRXnyxhrw" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />The effectiveness of these techniques are undeniable. <br /><br /><i>Balgyeong </i>techniques work differently, although the idea of using momentum is still apt. In <i>balgyeong </i>the momentum is accelerated and then transferred <i>into </i>the target, instead of driven <i>through </i>the target. The preparatory position or “pull back” that is needed for greater acceleration (the greater the distance, the more time there is for acceleration) is usually far less in <i>balgyeong</i> techniques. Acceleration in <i>balgyeong </i>is achieved through <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/08/whiplike-action-ie-kinetic-chaining.html"><i>kinetic chaining</i></a> instead. Glen Levy shows off his<i> balgyeong / fajin</i> strikes in the video below.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/uzP41WzhrYA" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />Finding good examples online of <i>balgyeong / fajin</i> power-breaking is very difficult, in part because it is very difficult to break things with <i>balgyeong</i>. One might therefore be tempted to think that since <i>balgyeong </i>cannot break bricks as easily as momentum techniques can, that <i>balgyeong </i>is therefore inferior. This is a bad assumption, in part because <i>balgyeong </i>is not meant for breaking objects. To break something you have to push against an object with continued pressure until its structural integrity gives way and it snaps. <i>Balgyeong </i>does not work like that. A <i>balgyeong </i>technique<i> transfer energy <u>into</u> the target</i>, not <i>through </i>the target. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sYIyEac9Mf4/TgLF1KHmB-I/AAAAAAAAC18/hF-edndMpqY/s1600/WTFChestprotector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sYIyEac9Mf4/TgLF1KHmB-I/AAAAAAAAC18/hF-edndMpqY/s1600/WTFChestprotector.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"WTF Chest Protector"<br /><a href="http://martialartsoutpost.com/sparring-gear/adidas/adidas-reversible-competition-chest-guard">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>To explain the difference, allow the following personal anecdote. The first time I realised that there is actually a difference in power transference in ITF Taekwon-Do was in 2004, when a student brought a WTF chest protector to class one evening. One student named Almero, quite a big guy (or at least taller and heavier than myself), was excited because now his instructor (i.e. me) could kick him full power and he could get a sense of the power of the techniques. I first kicked him with a side piercing kick. He stumbled a couple meters backward and fell on his back near the other side of the room. We were both impressed. Next up was a turning kick. I positioned. And kicked. Almero did not move back at all. Instead, he dropped down right where he stood. Unlike the side piercing kick that pushed him back (continuing the momentum of the technique), with the turning kick the force did not go through him, but <i>into </i>him (as an <i>impulse </i>of energy). While the side piercing kick looked much more impressive, the turning kick dropped Almero where he stood even through the thick chest protector. Once he regained his energy, he did not want to “play” any more.<br /><br />You can practise these two methods on a punching / kicking bag. Some techniques will push the bag, so that it swings back forcefully. These are momentum techniques. Other techniques, if done with <i>balgyeong</i>, will not make the bag swing much; instead the bag will shudder as the force is transferred as an impulse <i>into </i>the bag. <br /><br />So how do these two methods translate when applied on a human being? Well, the momentum technique will usually push the opponent back. If you do the technique with great acceleration, then the technique may actually break the bones of the opponent, for instance breaking his ribs or other bones—something I've experienced personally. A <i>balgyeong </i>technique, on the other hand, will not push the opponent back that much and is unlikely to break bones. Rather, the force goes into the opponent as an impulse of energy causing internal trauma. Instead of breaking bones, a <i>balgyeong </i>technique could harm the internal organs, for instance a blow to the chest could possibly cause cardiac arrest. <i>Balgyeong </i>techniques are also more likely to shock the nervous system; that is why so many people whom have experienced a <i>balgyeong </i>strike say that they suddenly feel weak, as if all their energy has been drained from them.<br /><br />The question which is better, momentum techniques or <i>balgyeong </i>techniques, being hit with a crowbar or with a ball-on-chain, is a bad question. It's comparing apples with oranges. The real question should be: “What do you hope to achieve with the technique?” Momentum techniques and <i>balgyeong </i>/ impulse techniques are different methods of transferring energy, with different results. Depending on the desired result, one would choose the appropriate method. Regarding the question if <i>balgyeong </i>is a valuable contribution to the style I would answer “yes.” It gives the ITF Taekwon-Do practitioner more options and a greater arsenal of techniques. While momentum techniques were very effective within Taekwon-Do's original context as a military martial art, I think <i>balgyeong </i>techniques bring value to Taekwon-Do in its new context as a system for civilian defence. (Read more about "civilian defence systems" <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/08/civilian-defence-and-traditional.html">here</a>.)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5779106106588807845?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-70961087916182770992011-06-21T15:50:00.006+02:002011-06-24T04:41:19.719+02:00I think I'm slowly coming to the end of this series of posts regarding <i>balgyeong </i>발경/ <i>fajin </i>發勁 in ITF Taekwon-Do. I envision, maybe, two more posts on the topic.<br /><br />In the previous two posts (see <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-karate-or-hsing-i-balgyeong-in-itf.html">here</a> and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/balgyeong-and-gichikiqi-in-itf-taekwon.html">here</a>) on <i>balgyeong </i>I argued that ITF Taekwon-Do has evolved to include this other method of doing techniques, that's different from the methodology it inherited from Shotokan Karate and I'm not talking about the sine wave motion, although relaxation and the wave principle that the sine wave motion requires were probably the catalyst for doing certain techniques the <i>balgyeong</i> way. If it is true, as I argue, that <i>balgyeong </i>has become part of ITF Taekwon-Do, then <u>why don't we see more of it</u>? Following I propose answers to this question.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jLSgx02yN38/TgFwwH0QRvI/AAAAAAAAC1c/l7zrODCVLrs/s1600/Nopunde+bandae+dollyo+chagi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jLSgx02yN38/TgFwwH0QRvI/AAAAAAAAC1c/l7zrODCVLrs/s200/Nopunde+bandae+dollyo+chagi.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Reverse Turning Kick" -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1Vqq-HtyuE/TgFwgFU0aqI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/ZtmyDW1NRAc/s1600/Gunnun+so+sonkal+dung+nopunde+ap+taerigi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c1Vqq-HtyuE/TgFwgFU0aqI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/ZtmyDW1NRAc/s200/Gunnun+so+sonkal+dung+nopunde+ap+taerigi.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Ridge Hand Front Strike" -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The first reason we do not see <i>balgyeong </i>often is, as I have mentioned in a previous post, not all Taekwon-Do techniques lend themselves to <i>balgyeong</i>. To perform <i>balgyeong </i>the technique is zapped towards the target and immediately upon contact one removes your whole bodily structure. The idea is that if your body keeps contact with the opponent, some of the rebound force will return back into your body. In order to prevent this from happening you quickly withdraw your weapon (attacking tool), so that the force generated is transferred into the target as a pulse of energy. That is why <i>balgyeong </i>strikes are sometimes called “impulse” or “impact” strikes. With some Taekwon-Do techniques it is almost impossible to quickly withdraw your attacking tool in the way that <i>balgyeong </i>requires. An example of such a technique that does not lend itself to <i>balgyeong </i>is the spinning reverse turning kick. Done in the traditional way, the reverse turning kick hits the target with the leg fully extended, swinging through the target. Another example is the ridge hand front strike where the arm is also extended in such a way that a quick recoil after it hits the target is not possible. Both these techniques hit their targets <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-karate-or-hsing-i-balgyeong-in-itf.html">like a crowbar, rather than a ball-on-chain</a>. There are many such Taekwon-Do techniques that just do not function properly as <i>balgyeong </i>techniques and, I believe, forcing a <i>balgyeong </i>methodology onto them may actually detract from the efficiency of these techniques. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-__2P7-QPZm8/TgFztnLmOQI/AAAAAAAAC1g/bC5DQqmThFM/s1600/sinewave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="169" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-__2P7-QPZm8/TgFztnLmOQI/AAAAAAAAC1g/bC5DQqmThFM/s320/sinewave.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Sine Wave Movement" -- <a href="http://www.ultkd.net/practice/sinewave.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>There is, however, a large percentage of the Taekwon-Do arsenal for which the <i>balgyeong </i>methodology does make sense. Unfortunately, and this brings us to the second reason we do not see that much <i>balgyeong</i>, is that it is a relatively recent development in ITF Taekwon-Do. I assume that it is something that developed either in tandem or maybe shortly after the newer version of the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/sine-wave-and-motion.html">sine wave motion</a>. As I mentioned earlier, both the sine wave motion and <i>balgyeong </i>share two base elements: relaxation and the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/09/wave-principle.html">wave principle</a>. The sine wave motion is often <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/09/sine-wave-motion-and-wave-principle.html">misunderstood</a> or <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/09/we-look-at-sine-wave-motion-in-its.html">understood superficially</a> and therefore shunned—even by portions of the ITF community. The same could be true for <i>balgyeong</i>. In fact, <i>balgyeong </i>is probably even less understood because at least the sine wave motion is labelled and has an associated vocabulary. This is not the case for <i>balgyeong</i>. I have understood conceptually and practised <i>balgyeong </i>for quite some time, but <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/thoughts-on-fajin-balkyeong-in-itf.html">until recently</a> I've never actually known what to call it. I had to borrow Chinese internal martial art terminology (e.g. <i>fajin</i>) to describe it. Even though the ingredients for <i>balgyeong </i>are all mentioned (in separate places) in the ITF Encyclopaedia, the actual concept is never distinctly labelled or explained. It will therefore take some time still before the majority of ITF players around the world are familiar with it, although quite a number already apply it. And I'm sure, were I to explain the concept to ITF practitioners, many of them would tell me they understand what I'm talking about and that they are, in fact, applying it. (Try it: explain it to your fellow ITF practitioners and hear their response. I'll be curious to find out.)<br /><br />A further reason why <i>balgyeong </i>is not readily seen is because of tournaments and particularly the influence of the pattern category. Patterns are considered by many one of the ultimate estimates of skill in Taekwon-Do. It receives a very important place in ITF Taekwon-Do competitions. Unfortunately sport has a way of corrupting the essence of a martial art. I've discussed the issue I have with tournaments before (see for instance <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-i-have-against-tournament-sparring.html">here</a>, <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/12/what-i-have-against-tournament-sparring.html">here</a>, and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-do-you-quantifu-taekwon-do.html">here</a>), but these were specifically in relation to the negative effects of <i>tournament sparring</i>. I feel similarly about the negative effects of <i>tournament patterns</i>. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N6zqEsu90E/TgF1S7zExQI/AAAAAAAAC1k/KClcnvYGR6o/s1600/Walking+Stance+Front+Forefist+Punch.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4N6zqEsu90E/TgF1S7zExQI/AAAAAAAAC1k/KClcnvYGR6o/s320/Walking+Stance+Front+Forefist+Punch.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">"Walking Stance Front Punch" -- <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Image Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>The pattern player has it as his or her goal to impress the judges. While it is true that patterns have an aesthetic quality, this aspect of the pattern is especially amplified during tournaments. For instance, kicks that are to be performed at middle height are often performed at high section. This is, of course, to show off the practitioners balance, flexibility and leg strength; however, it is technically “wrong” as the original directions for the pattern requires a middle kick, not a high kick. At tournaments such errors are often overlooked. Another thing that tournament patterns promote is to momentarily pause the attacking or blocking tool at the point of impact. This is to help the judges clearly see the exact point of impact; yet at the cost of the correctness of the technique. Take the simple punch as case in point. The ITF Encyclopaedia clearly states that the muscles should be relaxed “immediately after the fist has reached the target” (Vol. 3, p. 29) and that the “moment the attacking tool reaches the target, pull it back . . .” (Vol. 3, p. 17). If these maxims were followed, the typical ITF Taekwon-Do punch would typify <i>balgyeong</i>, but this is not how punches are generally performed, especially not in tournament patterns. Instead, the arms are momentarily paused in the fully extended punching position. The emphasis on tournament patterns ingrain a non-<i>balgyeong </i>methodology—not only by senior practitioners, but also by the onlookers who are often younger or lower ranking practitioners who in turn emulate this “wrong¹” methodology.<br /><br />Doing punches (and other techniques) “wrongly” in patterns need not be the norm as it is now. An example where a technique is quickly retracted after impact with the target is the front snap kick. The reason it is performed this way is because the ITF Encyclopaedia admonishes that the “kicking foot must be withdrawn immediately after the kick” (Vol 4. p. 41). As we have noted earlier, practically the same is advised for the punch; however it has become the expected norm to withdraw the front snap kick in patterns, but not the norm for punches. You can see this in the video below where an excellent pattern practitioner, Sabeomnim Jaroslaw Suska (5th Dan), performs the pattern <i>Kwang Gae</i>. Start watching from around 1:14. Notice how he does the front snap kick, compared with how he does the front punch.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BSDUQxu17h4" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />This is an excellent pattern for tournament purposes; however, there is a technical inconsistency. What we ought to see after a punch is the musculature of the arm immediately relaxing, leaving the arm slightly bend and the attacking tool (the fist) withdrawn from the point of impact, i.e. the imagined target. Therefore, because punches are often done “wrongly” (for tournament purposes), techniques such as the punch that could be performed with <i>balgyeong </i>are frequently performed without <i>balgyeong</i>. The punch is just one example of many such techniques; for instance back fist strikes, some knife-hand strikes, some blocks, and so on.<br /><br />To conclude, <i>balgyeong </i>is not the only way we apply the <i>Theory of Power</i> in techniques. Also, not all techniques necessarily benefit from <i>balgyeong</i>, nor do the mechanics of all techniques lend themselves to proper execution of <i>balgyeong</i>. Furthermore, <i>balgyeong </i>is not yet well understood worldwide, and therefore not a fully incorporated methodology in ITF Taekwon-Do everywhere. Moreover, one of the main opportunities to witness <i>balgyeong </i>is in patterns, but unfortunately patterns are often practised for tournament purposes which erroneously require the practitioner to momentarily pause the technique at the supposed moment of impact, which is contrary to correct application of <i>balgyeong </i>that requires the immediate relaxation and withdrawal of the attacking or blocking tool instantly after impact. For these reasons, even though I have argued that <i>balgyeong </i>is part of ITF Taekwon-Do, we do not see it practised that often. <br /><br /><br /><br /><b><br />Footnote:<i></i></b><br /><br />1.) I write “wrong” in quotation marks, because the actual erroneousness of the technique is relative. It depends on what you hope to achieve with the technique. There are times when one may wish to perform a technique without <i>balgyeong</i>, depending on the desired result. Theoretically a <i>balgyeong </i>technique causes more internal damage, while a non-<i>balgyeong </i>technique causes more topical damage.<br /><br />Regarding this “wrong” way of doing patterns, I must admit that I am often guilty of it myself and, worse, even teaching it at times. The problem is that since this is the expected norm in tournaments, practitioners that perform outside of the norm cannot compete with those that adhere to the expected norm. Students wanting help with their patterns for tournament purposes I help with this in mind.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7096108791618277099?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-21365945547537669062011-06-17T06:41:00.007+02:002011-06-27T08:21:00.592+02:00In my <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-karate-or-hsing-i-balgyeong-in-itf.html">previous post</a> I established that ITF Taekwon-Do also apply the principle of <i>balgyeong </i>발경, known in the Chinese internal martial arts as <i>fajin </i>發勁. This has not always been the case; in its early history Taekwon-Do resembled Shotokan Karate and had little kungfu-like qualities. This changed as ITF Taekwon-Do became much more relaxed in its motions with an emphasis on kinetic chaining and dropping the body weight. And while I believe <i>balgyeong </i>is part of ITF Taekwon-Do, it is not used across the board; some techniques do not lend themselves to the mechanics of <i>balgyeong</i>. There therefore seems to be two types of techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do: those that employ <i>balgyeong</i>; and those that do not. (I'm yet to build up an effective vocabulary to describe the two adequately.) <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Uotx_TXBU0/TfrXsXY82HI/AAAAAAAAC1I/8Jn9Vs_Js2U/s1600/Ki_%25E6%25B0%25A3_calligraphy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3Uotx_TXBU0/TfrXsXY82HI/AAAAAAAAC1I/8Jn9Vs_Js2U/s200/Ki_%25E6%25B0%25A3_calligraphy.png" width="200" /></a></div><br />My discussion of <i>balgyeong </i>has so far been a very mechanistic one and it is possible that I'm neglecting an important part of it. Inherent to <i>balgyeong / fajin</i>, according to the internal martial arts, is the concept of <i>Gi¹</i>—also referred to as <i>Ki, Qi</i> or <i>Chi</i>. Because it is pronounced “ghee” /기/ in Korean, I will adopt the term <i>Gi </i>henceforth even though the ITF Encyclopaedia has rendered it “<i>Ki</i>.” Some traditional stylist say that one need not concern oneself with such esoteric abstractions as <i>Gi </i>to understand <i>balgyeong / fajin</i>. <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/09/understanding-internal-arts.html">Dan Djurdjevic</a>, for instance, feels that the idea of <i>Gi </i>was developed as part of a “pre-scientific paradigm,” which have become void now that we have a better paradigm (Newtonian physics) to explain the transfer of energy with. So for some internal martial art practitioners it is possible to understand <i>balgyeong / fajin</i> without going into abstruse discussions of ethereal energies. One gets an almost similar sentiment from the ITF Encyclopeadia, which has very little to say about the topic. The actual term <i>Gi </i>(“<i>Ki</i>”) receives no mention in the <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power"><i>Theory of Power</i></a> or <i>Training Secrets</i>. While it may be implied, as we will see later, the emphasis in the <i>Theory of Power</i> is almost exclusively on an application of Newtonian physics. <br /><br />Nonetheless, the quote Master Kim Hoon gave me regarding <i>balgyeong </i>does refer to <i>Gi </i>and if we are to understand <i>balgyeong </i>and its possible relevance to ITF Taekwon-Do, we have to look at this element too. Here is the definition for <i>balgyeong </i>Master Kim Hoon passed on to me:<br /><br /><blockquote>발경(發勁-힘을 발휘함) 육합(六合:三盤(다리,허리,어깨),心,意,氣)을 하나로 뭉쳐 온 몸의 힘을 폭탄처럼 터뜨리는 것. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://chodangi.com/zboard/zboard.php?id=chodang_sangmugi&amp;page=3&amp;sn1=&amp;divpage=1&amp;sn=off&amp;ss=on&amp;sc=on&amp;select_arrange=hit&amp;desc=desc&amp;no=1022&amp;PHPSESSID=76d2200624654262f21b360bf527a092">Source</a>)</span></blockquote><br />It basically says that there are six things, two pairs of three elements, which when applied harmoniously creates explosive power. The first group focus on the mechanics of <i>balgyeong </i>and includes the legs, hips and shoulders (다리, 허리, 어깨). It is this mechanistic part of <i>balgyeong </i>that I discussed in previous posts (see <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/thoughts-on-fajin-balkyeong-in-itf.html">here</a> and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/06/like-karate-or-hsing-i-balgyeong-in-itf.html">here</a>). The second group includes the more esoteric elements: the heart or mind 心; one's thoughts, intention or will 意; and <i>Gi </i>氣. <br /><br /><br />Let's first look at what <i>Gi </i>is and then we can see how it is part of ITF Taekwon-Do and ITF Taekwon-Do's use of <i>balgyeong</i>. <br /><br />Literally translated <i>Gi </i>氣 means air, gas, steam, or vapour. By implication it could also refer to one's breath and connotatively to one's spirit.² It is often interpreted to mean life-energy. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpWhJrKf96o/TfrdCyxbfXI/AAAAAAAAC1M/_nZD-zl_gfg/s1600/art-zen.com.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wpWhJrKf96o/TfrdCyxbfXI/AAAAAAAAC1M/_nZD-zl_gfg/s320/art-zen.com.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr align="center"><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.art-zen.com/en/art_zen_painting_tchan_sumie.php">Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In the Orient it is believed that <i>Gi </i>energy permeates all living things. It can also be found in high abundance in fresh air, especially early in the morning around trees and flowing water, such as rivers and waterfalls.³ Martial artists, especially those concerned with <i>Gi</i>, can frequently be found training in such <i>Gi </i>encouraging conditions. In China elderly people can often be seen practising Tai Chi Quan early in the morning in parks in order to improve their health. In Korea elderly people often go hiking in the mountains for similar reasons. The ITF Encyclopaedia describes <i>Gi </i>as “spirit” or “a form of active energy which fills every physical cell and organ.” <br /><br />What is interesting is that General Choi Hong-Hi in the ITF Encyclopaedia explained the concept of <i>Gi</i> using two terms; firstly <i>Gi </i>氣 / 기, which we discussed above, and secondly “Chi” or “Ji” 志 / 지 (Vol. 1, p. 58, 59).<br /><br />The hanja character for <i>Ji </i>is 志 and is made up of two root forms 士and 心. The first means scholar and the second means heart or mind: together the meaning denotes one's will; purposeful thought; determination. The ITF Encyclopaedia explains it as “will” or the “motivating force.” According to General Choi <i>Ji </i>志 leads and <i>Gi </i>氣 follows (Vol. 1, p. 59). In other words, <i>Gi </i>is directed by our will. The application of <i>Gi</i>, life-energy, is achieved through purposeful thought, determination, motivation or will-power. <br /><br />There is also another, more practical way, in which <i>Gi </i>could be considered part of Taekwon-Do training. If we translate <i>Gi </i>to mean breath, then <i>Gi </i>is a significant part of ITF Taekwon-Do power generation and training. “Breath Control” is one of the six elements that constitutes the <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power"><i>Theory of Power</i></a> and is therefore part of how we perform every technique.<br /><br />Let's return to the three elements that's part of <i>balgyeong</i>, which we mentioned earlier: First, <i>Shim </i>/ 심/ 心—the heart or mind 心; second, <i>Eui </i>/ 의 / 意—one's thoughts, intention or will; and third, <i>Gi </i>/ 기 / 氣—life energy, breath or spirit. <br /><br />General Choi mentions <i>Gi </i>and <i>Ji</i>. At first glance it would seem that only <i>Gi </i>corresponds with the three elements above. However, the other two (heart or mind 心, and one's thoughts, intention or will 意) are both implied in <i>Ji</i>. The character 心, meaning heart or mind, is embedded in <i>Ji </i>志. The remaining character 意 can be translated as heart, soul, conscience, thought, opinion and mind. These are all related to <i>Sim </i>心 and <i>Ji </i>志.<br /><br />Since <i>Ji </i>and <i>Gi </i>are both considered part of ITF Taekwon-Do, then one can assume that all six the elements that make up part of the definition of <i>balgyeong </i>is also part of ITF Taekwon-Do. <br /><br />Whether all six these elements are in fact practiced in applicable techniques by all ITF Taekwon-Do practitioners is, of course, questionable. Nonetheless, a practitioner wishing to perform ITF Taekwon-Do in a way that actively uses <i>balgyeong / fajin</i> in his or her techniques is in my opinion, from a theoretical basis, at liberty to do so. <br /><br /><br /><b><br />Footnotes:</b><br /><br />1. The ITF Encyclopaedia uses the McCune–Reischauer system of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korean_romanization">romanization</a> for Korean into English which renders /g/ as “k”.<br /><br />2. There exists a close semantic relationship between the Oriental concept of Gi and some Biblical terms; for instance the Hebrew word <i>neshamah </i>נשׁמה, which also means wind or air, as well as vital breath. It is used in the Creation account when God breathes the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam (Genesis 2:7). A synonym is <i>ruach </i>רוּח, which also means wind, breath, strong exhalation, life-energy, or spirit. This term is used already in the second verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:2), referring to the Spirit of God. From the context we understand that the “Spirit” of God is not merely the breath of God, but indeed some intelligent agency. The Greek translation is <i>pneuma </i>πνεῦμα and can also be translated as a current of air, breath, wind, or by implication a spirit and sometimes one's mind. All three variations, while meaning wind or breath, has the connotative meaning of spirit, or some type of intelligence; i.e. one's reasoning ability or will. <br /><br />3. Interestingly, the air around trees and flowing water has a high content of negatively charged ions. Negative ions are known to alleviate stress, decrease depression and other physiological benefits.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2136594554753766906?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-60269108215461449512011-06-16T05:43:00.006+02:002011-06-27T08:10:51.743+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yQ4aCd3Rmc/Tfl4DjcyxjI/AAAAAAAAC08/e4hoW6rVh00/s1600/crowbar1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9yQ4aCd3Rmc/Tfl4DjcyxjI/AAAAAAAAC08/e4hoW6rVh00/s1600/crowbar1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.armchair.com/defense/bw/bw11.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>Apparently Bruce Lee once described the difference between strikes in Karate versus the strikes in Kung-Fu as follows: “a Karate punch is like being hit with a crowbar, while a Gongfu punch is like being hit by a metal ball on the end of a chain.” I have not been able to confirm <a href="http://www.plumpub.com/info/Articles/art_zoryafajin.htm">this quotation</a>, but the idea is vivid enough and serves the purpose of this post, which is to ask the question: “Does ITF Taekwon-Do hit like Karate (i.e. like a crowbar) or like Hsing-I or Tai-Chi Quan (i.e. a ball on a chain)?"<br /><br />The&nbsp;ball-on-chain&nbsp;method is, of course, what is known in the Chinese internal styles as <i>fajin&nbsp;</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">發勁</span>. (<i>Balgeong&nbsp;</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial,Tahoma,Helvetica,FreeSans,sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">발경&nbsp;</span>in Korean.) It is described <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/09/understanding-internal-arts.html">by one martial artist</a> as “impulse” or the “explosive transfer of momentum” and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/impact-and-momentum-techniques.html">by another</a> as “impact.”<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdqYlT2wMRI/Tfl5jyLqmII/AAAAAAAAC1A/mTP-Jy1QBLI/s1600/Gogo-Yubaris-Chain-Mace-Kill-Bill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EdqYlT2wMRI/Tfl5jyLqmII/AAAAAAAAC1A/mTP-Jy1QBLI/s320/Gogo-Yubaris-Chain-Mace-Kill-Bill.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://ubertrivia.com/2011/03/19/the-25-most-awesome-movie-weapons/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table>I can think of at least two differences when being hit by a crowbar versus being hit by a ball on a chain. The first is the structural integrity of the crowbar. When the iron rod hits you, it does not change form. It stays hard and rigid. On the other hand, the chain to which the ball is attached does not have the structural integrity of the iron rod. As the ball is swung toward the target the chain might be stretched erect and give the illusion of it being a rigid structure, but once the ball has hit the target and the momentum that kept the chain erect is transferred into the target, the chain collapses. Secondly, the crowbar seems to stay connected to the target longer than the iron ball. After the iron ball hits the target its force is transferred into the target and the ball merely drops. The crowbar, on the other hand, is more likely to continue moving with the target; as if, in a sense, pushing the target or it might bounce off the target. True, the ball might also bounce off, but it is more likely to just drop down. Imagine the correctly played white snooker ball that comes to a quick halt after it hits the other ball as most of its momentum is transferred into the other ball; or Newton's collision ball phenomenon. (These latter examples do not really visualize the essence of <i>balgyeong</i>, which is more concerned with transferring energy <i>into </i>the target, rather than <i>through </i>the target.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0WytqcMDzM/TfmUx2xVT0I/AAAAAAAAC1E/JgwJiZHaLDY/s1600/collision-r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0WytqcMDzM/TfmUx2xVT0I/AAAAAAAAC1E/JgwJiZHaLDY/s320/collision-r.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />So which is it for ITF Taekwon-Do, crowbar or ball-on-chain? <br /><br />Well, let's look at refer to the ITF Encyclopaedia&nbsp;in search of the answer. In the section on <i>Concentration </i>in the <i>Theory of Power</i> we find the following statement: “the shorter the time for the concentration, the greater will be the power of the blow” (Vol. 2, p. 20). Another section in the Encyclopaedia concerning attacking techniques states the following: “The moment the attacking tool reaches the target, pull it back . . .” (Vol. 3, p. 17). The attacking tool does not spend unnecessary time on the target. Once the momentum is transferred, it is pulled-back. Regarding punching the Encyclopaedia says that one should: “Avoid unnecessary tension of the arms and shoulders” and “Relax the muscles immediately after the fist has reached the target” (Vol. 3, p. 29). <br /><br />In other words, the attacking tool acts more like a ball-on-chain, very quickly transferring its momentum into the target and immediately “relaxing” afterwards. The structure is not kept like a crowbar, but instead it relaxes like a ball-on-chain. Techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do also adhere to the principle of kinetic chaining where the “hip is jerked slightly before the action in order to concentrate the larger muscles of the hip and abdomen together with the smaller muscles of the four extremities against the target simultaneously.” This, of course happens sequentially. For example, in a punch, first the hips rotates towards the target, then the shoulders, then the arm is snapped forward—all of this is preceded by motion from the legs based on the “knee spring”—forming one continuous kinetic chain.<br /><br />If <i>fajin / balgyeong</i> can be defined as kinetic chaining with emphasis on the quick transferal of momentum—impulse or impact—<i>into </i>the target, achieved by relaxed movements before and directly after the blow, then I believe ITF Taekwon-Do more closely follow the ball-on-chain method than the crowbar method. In other words, an ITF Taekwon-Do punch is more like a Hsing-I Quan punch than a Karate punch.<br /><br />It is important to remember that this has not always been (and in a sense is still not always) the case. Taekwon-Do's father is Shotokan Karate and in the early days of Taekwon-Do the movements very much resembled Karate. The real change towards this <i>balgyeong </i>way of moving occurred later in ITF Taekwon-Do's evolution (I'm guessing the early 80s) even though the principles (i.e. <i>Theory of Power</i>) were set to paper from quite early on. <br /><br />However, the observant practitioner will discover that ITF Taekwon-Do does not utilise the <i>balgyeong </i>method exclusively. ITF Taekwon-Do seems to be using both the ball-on-chain and the crowbar, depending on the technique. The turning kick, for instance, works on the ball-on-chain principle, while the spinning reverse turning kick (not the reverse hook kick) is based on the crowbar principle. The basic front punch employs the ball-on-chain method while the ridge-hand strike uses the crowbar method. The front snap kick is ball-on-chain; the front pushing kick is crowbar. The twisting kick, ball-on-chain; the downward kick, crowbar. And the side-piercing kick can be performed either on the ball-on-chain principle or on the crowbar principle, depending on the desired effect. <br /><br />Although there has been an evolution in how ITF Taekwon-Do approaches power generation, it has not completely thrown off its Shotokan Karate heritage. It would seem that power generation in ITF Taekwon-Do is situational; sometimes used typically Karate ways of power generation, other times using <i>balgyeong</i>. The determining factor is usually the technique employed, but could also be the effect desired. What is significant, however, is that some of the most iconic Karate-like movements, for instance the walking stance front fore fist punch or the low forearm block, doesn't strictly employ the same Karate-like mechanics any more.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-6026910821546144951?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-15075763390627967402011-06-08T14:54:00.003+02:002011-06-12T14:23:37.242+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QmgOMSo7ZK4/Te9tS-i0RCI/AAAAAAAAC0w/uX85v4PlXwo/s1600/randy_couture_vs._lyoto_machida.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QmgOMSo7ZK4/Te9tS-i0RCI/AAAAAAAAC0w/uX85v4PlXwo/s1600/randy_couture_vs._lyoto_machida.gif" /></a></div><br />When Lyoto Machida's knocked out Randy Couture with a step over jumping front kick at UFC 129 a few weeks back, the martial art world went ballistic. The reason is because it is considered common knowledge that kicks above the waist are useless. Well, I, for one, have never been an adherent to that philosophy, and called it once "<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/06/high-kick-myth.html">The High Kick Myth</a>".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ce2JAE2jsj8/Te9tac7RTPI/AAAAAAAAC00/9wIuazPR2Tc/s1600/Randy+Couture+vs.+Lyoto+Machida+4.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ce2JAE2jsj8/Te9tac7RTPI/AAAAAAAAC00/9wIuazPR2Tc/s1600/Randy+Couture+vs.+Lyoto+Machida+4.gif" /></a></div><br />A few years back I hosted a "Diversification Seminar" at my dojang in Potchefstroom. Different instructors from different martial arts taught skills from their respective skill sets. I taught Hapkido, a friend taught grappling, another boxing, and my brother taught advanced kicking. One technique he taught was exactly this step over jumping front kick to the face employed by Machida. Some of the attendees didn't seem to convinced about the efficiency of the technique and probably dismissed it. While my brother may not have convinced them of its value, I hope that Machida's performance have.<br /><br /><i><b>Further Reading:</b></i><br /><br /><ul><li>Collin Wee at <i>Traditional Tae Kwon Do Techniques</i> shares <a href="http://traditionaltaekwondo.blogspot.com/2011/05/ten-ways-to-improve-your-front-kick.html"><i>10 Ways to Improve Your Front Kick</i></a>.</li><li>Dan Djurdjevic at <i>The Way of Least Resistance</i> explains the difference between <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/06/enter-front-kick.html">the front snap kick often practised in traditional martial arts</a>, versus the front push kick often favoured by sport fighters, typified in Muay Thai and MMA. </li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1507576339062796740?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-29043529425361344572011-06-08T14:31:00.000+02:002011-06-08T14:31:21.158+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qbFojot3mdM/Te9re0ZsYLI/AAAAAAAAC0s/xhVfA2V7OpM/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qbFojot3mdM/Te9re0ZsYLI/AAAAAAAAC0s/xhVfA2V7OpM/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue28.jpg" /></a></div>This month's issue of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do </i>(<a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_28.pdf">Issue #28</a>) features my contribution "Saju Jjireugi and Saju Makgi: A Techno-Philosophical Exploration" (p. 13-15) based on a <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/04/saju-jjireugi-and-saju-makgi-techno.html">blog post I wrote in April</a>.<br /><br />Another interesting read, I think, is Master Doug Cook's essay "Preserving Tradition" (p. 17-20). In it he argues the value of tradition in a time when everything has become diluted, mostly due to the extreme emphasis in sport. This reminded me of the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/02/how-do-you-quantifu-taekwon-do.html">discussions I had in South Africa</a> with some instructors about the unhealthy emphasis on the sport aspect of Taekwon-Do these days. While I'm definitely not for keeping tradition just for the sake of tradition, I admit that there is value in it and that an over emphasis on sport comes at a price, as I've <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-i-have-against-tournament-sparring.html">argued before</a>.<br /><br />The article "Reality Check: Edged Weapons" (p. 23-26) by Jon Mackey is indeed a reality check and concerns the brutally violent and deadly knife culture that is prevalent in Ireland and around the world. I have not written much about knife defence on this blog, but <a href="http://www.taekwondo.co.za/">SA-ITF</a> members may be aware that we have discussed this topic on the <i>eSAITF </i>email-forum in the past.<br /><br />I'm yet to read all the other contributions in this issue, but am sure there will be food for thought in them too.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2904352942536134457?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-27818938030019824542011-06-06T16:47:00.006+02:002011-06-27T08:05:16.601+02:00After my <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/recent-post-by-another-blogger-made-me.html">previous post on Hsing-I Quan</a> I've been thinking a lot about “fajin” and how it relates to power generation in ITF Taekwon-Do. <i>Fajin </i>發勁 is a Chinese word and describes a way of doing one's movements in Chinese internal martial arts. In Korean it is known as “balgyeong” 발경 and is almost exclusively used in relation to Taegeuk-Kwon 태극권, the Korean name for Tai-Chi Quan 太極拳. <i>Fajin / balgyeong</i> is sometimes paralleled to sneezing as the energy is metaphorically (or is it literally?) released from deep within the body, similar to a sneeze. <br /><br />The video below shows a Tai-Chi practitioner demonstrating <i>fajin </i>in his motions.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/j_vcWq2GYXs" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />Looking at motions that demonstrate fajin, I cannot help but see overlap with movements in ITF Taekwon-Do. I asked Master Kim Hoon about <i>balgyeon </i>but he said that while he is familiar with the concept, it has never been his area of study, so he could not expand on it much. Instead he sent me the following description:<br /><br /><blockquote>발경(發勁-힘을 발휘함) 육합(六合:三盤(다리,허리,어깨),心,意,氣)을 하나로 뭉쳐 온 몸의 힘을 폭탄처럼 터뜨리는 것. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://chodangi.com/zboard/zboard.php?id=chodang_sangmugi&amp;page=3&amp;sn1=&amp;divpage=1&amp;sn=off&amp;ss=on&amp;sc=on&amp;select_arrange=hit&amp;desc=desc&amp;no=1022&amp;PHPSESSID=76d2200624654262f21b360bf527a092">Source</a>)</span></blockquote><br />The description seems to indicate that there are six elements to <i>balgyeong</i>, grouped as a pair of triplets. The first three elements concern the mechanics of the movements, involving the legs, hips and shoulders (다리, 허리, 어깨). The second group is more esoteric and concerns the heart or mind, the intention or will, and <i>gi </i>(aka <i>ki / qi</i>) or life-energy (心, 意, 氣). Regarding the first group, the description basically talks about coordinating the legs, hips, and shoulders sequentially, to generate explosive power. I will have to think more about the second group and how it relates to ITF Taekwon-Do, but as for the first group, I think the relationship of legs, hips and shoulders are obvious to those familiar with kinetic chaining or sequential motion as employed in ITF Taekwon-Do.<br /><br />One Tai-Chi website, <a href="http://www.martialtaichi.co.uk/articles/fajin.php"><i>MartialTaiChi.co.uk</i></a>, describes a fa-jin strike as follows:<br /><br /><blockquote>The following illustrations will attempt to show levels of relative muscular tension during a <i>fajin</i> strike.</blockquote><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yhamebGdyYo/TezfVUYrCDI/AAAAAAAAC0k/B-KfQ19hmEs/s1600/fa_jin_illus.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yhamebGdyYo/TezfVUYrCDI/AAAAAAAAC0k/B-KfQ19hmEs/s1600/fa_jin_illus.gif" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">(<a href="http://www.martialtaichi.co.uk/articles/fajin.php">Source</a>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote>The white portions of the body show only <i>peng </i>or background tension, such as that required to stand up. The power (<i>jin</i>) is generated by firing successive muscle groups, starting with the rear foot and pushing up from the braced rear heel through each muscle in turn, adding acceleration through each successive muscle or group of muscles. The red areas show the body parts where the momentum is currently being accelerated and the orange through to yellow sections show the body settling back to a lower level of tension such as that necessary to brace against the impact. The fighter should not rise up as her power pushes through her body, rather she should sink lower and compress to brace the strike. The whole process should happen in a fraction of a second. Notice how the whole body returns to its background <i>peng </i>levels once the power has been released so that the fighter may return to a state whereby she is equally ready to move any portion of her body.</blockquote><br />A typical ITF Taekwon-Do fundamental punch works on similar kinetic chaining principles. Before the shoulders rotate, it is preceded by the turning of the hip, which in turn is part of a greater leg-motion initiated by the knee-spring. Although the process is never so clearly described in the ITF Encyclopaedia, the principles are embedded in the <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power"><i>Theory of Power</i></a> and <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/9-training-secrets-of-taekwon-do"><i>Training Secrets</i></a>, as well as other descriptive passages in the ITF Encyclopaedia. I've posted about kinetic chaining a number of times before. (See the “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/search/label/kinetic%20chaining">Kinetic Chaining</a>” keyword tag.)<br /><br />But <i>fajin </i>is not merely kinetic chaining. If it was, then we can describe what a baseball pitcher does as <i>fajin </i>or a pro boxer's cross punch as <i>fajin</i>. Maybe I am wrong, and <i>fajin </i>is merely kinetic chaining, but my gut tells me differently. For one thing, in the video above of the Tai-Chi practitioner demonstrating <i>fajin</i>, one can see why the sneezing metaphor is used. The same sneezing metaphor does not fit the description of the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/examples-of-sine-wave-and-hip-rotation.html">baseball pitcher</a> and western boxer. See for example the <i>Fight Science</i> explanation of <a href="http://youtu.be/tAcl0HuBj6c">kinetic chaining as used by a boxer to achieve a knock-out punch</a>. The kinetic chaining is obvious, but there is no “sneezing.”<br /><br />Dan Djurdjevic describes <i>fajin </i>as “an explosive transfer of momentum - impulse.” For me, ITF Taekwon-Do is all about momentum, but do we approach our use of moment like the Chen style Tai-Chi or Hsing-I practitioner or do we approach our use of momentum like a boxer? <br /><br />I have my thoughts and will probably divulge them a little later. In the meantime, what's the method you employ? And how do you think ITF Taekwon-Do go about generating momentum?<br /><br /><i>Further Reading:</i><br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/impact-and-momentum-techniques.html">Impact and Momentum Techniques</a></li><li>Dan Djurdevic's post on "<a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2008/09/understanding-internal-arts.html">Understanding the Internal Arts</a>" in which he defines <i>fajin</i>. </li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2781893803001982454?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-28050444649200014272011-05-29T14:49:00.005+02:002011-06-06T14:08:58.978+02:00A recent post by another <a href="http://dojorat.blogspot.com/">blogger</a> made me look at the Chinese internal style Hsing-I Quan (aka Xingyiquan) <span lang="zh">形意拳</span> again. There are two things that stood out to me when I looked into Hsing-I Quan today.<br /><br />The first is the striking similarity (no pun intended) in movement between Hsing-I Quan and ITF Taekwon-Do. The blogger <a href="http://dojorat.blogspot.com/2011/03/xingyi-can-be-soft.html">quotes</a> Tim Cartmell who describes movement in Hsing-I Quan as “mass in motion” and “controlled falling.” This is probably the central thesis of <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/04/basics-of-power-generation-in-itf.html">power generation in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>, which I described before as: "accelerate as much body mass as possible in the direction of the technique, with emphasis on strong exhalation, and without compromising your balance and posture."<br /><br />Look at the two <i>YouTube </i>videos below. In the first we see the Hsing-I Quan practitioner (Master Hai Yang) performing the Five Elements and Linking Forms. In the second video another practitioner begins with a “water bending” sequence, followed by the Five Elements. The Five Elements Forms are the fundamental sequences in Hsing-I Quang training. If you truly understand the basic principles of movement in ITF Taekwon-Do, the similarities in movement between Hsing-I and ITF Taekwon-Do are glaringly obvious. Notice, for instance, the sense of an intermediate position in the forms. Although the intermediate positions are not as clearly paused as seen in the videos below, it is very clear that ITF Taekwon-Do and Hsing-I Quang have this in common. Also notice, especially in the second video, how the practitioner clearly accelerates his mass by turning his hip in the direction of the technique, while at the same time dropping his body weight down, similar to the motions in ITF Taekwon-Do.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iQZ3xn-UmjI" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6coUVC5uUL0" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />A descriptive line in <i>Wikipedia </i>describes <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingyiquan">Hsing-I Quan</a> as follows: “. . . xingyiquan uses coordinated movements to generate bursts of power intended to overwhelm the opponent, simultaneously attacking and defending.” ITF Taekwon-Do is all about “coordinated movements to generate bursts of power”and higher level Taekwon-Do training focus on “simultaneously attacking and defending,” as seen, for instance, in One Step Sparring. But it is that idea of “mass in motion” and “controlled falling” that I find most interesting.<br /><br />This is not the first time I've noticed similarties between ITF Taekwon-Do and Chinese internal martial arts, of which the three main ones are Tai Chi Quan, Baqua Zhang and Hsing-I Quan. In a <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/itf-taekwon-do-from-hard-style-karate.html">previous post</a> I referred to the similarities between ITF Taekwon-Do and Chen style Tai Chi Quan.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ghJV-W2HKIM/TeI3hZCRhVI/AAAAAAAAC0g/GnHfhykpSSU/s1600/KWON_boxing_%25E6%258B%25B3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ghJV-W2HKIM/TeI3hZCRhVI/AAAAAAAAC0g/GnHfhykpSSU/s1600/KWON_boxing_%25E6%258B%25B3.png" /></a></td></tr><tr> <td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"to strike or break with the fist"</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The second thing I realised while looking into Hsing-I Quan regards the name. I've always assumed that the last character is Kwan (Hangeul: 관 / Hanja: 館), meaning “house” or within the context of the martial arts, “style”; thus the “Style of Hsing-I.” I thought it is the same character one sees in <i>Moo Do Kwan</i> or <i>Soo Shim Kwan</i>. I was completely mistaken. It is not Kwan, but Kwon (Hangeul: 권 / Hanja: <span lang="zh">拳</span>). The Korean for Hsing-I Quan <span lang="zh">形意拳 </span>is Hyeong Eui Kwon 형의권. The last character in Hsing-I Quan 권 / <span lang="zh">拳 </span>is actually the middle character in Tae Kwon Do 태권도 / <span lang="ko-Hani">跆拳道</span>.<br /><br />I find this profoundly interesting. It means that General Choi Hong-Hi, the principal founder of Taekwon-Do and also the person who proposed the name Taekwon-Do, specifically chose this character <span lang="ko-Hani">拳 </span>that is present in the names of such iconic Chinese internal martial arts as Hsing-I Quan and Tai Chi Quan. Kwon 권 / <span lang="zh">拳,</span> as every Taekwon-Doin knows, means “to strike or break with the fist.” True, the character can literally translate as fist 주먹 and is often used to denote “pugilism” or "boxing,” but keep in mind that General Choi was a <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/taekwon-do-and-calligraphy.html">calligraphist</a> and had an intimate knowledge of Chinese (Hanja) characters and must have been fully aware of the connotation this character has with such Chinese martial arts as Hsing-I Quan and Tai Chi Quan. By choosing the name Tae Kwon Do 태권도 / <span lang="ko-Hani">跆拳道</span> he was positioning Taekwon-Do within a specific group of martial arts. The first character links it to Korean martial arts (referring phonemically to Taekkyeon); the second syllable referred to traditional Chinese martial arts like Hsing-I Quan, Tai Chi Quan, Shaolin Quan, and so on; and the final character positioned Taekwon-Do as one of the new modern styles, like Aikido and Judo, that emerged in Japan.<br /><br />I'm pleased with my (belated) 권 / <span lang="zh">拳</span> discovery as it confirms something I have intuitively felt for quite some time. I cannot believe I've overlooked it for so long.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-2805044464920001427?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-59892021247241595712011-05-28T17:17:00.002+02:002011-11-03T17:30:26.952+02:00A young man who is new to the martial arts asked me this afternoon about the differences between ITF Taekwon-Do and WTF Taekwon-Do. I gave him the boring answer: WTF is a sport; ITF is an art. (The setting was not ideal for a detailed compare-and-contrast exposition.) The reference to sport, of course, took the conversation into the way WTF does tournament sparring and why they spar with their arms dangling by their sides. <br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rx1DYqnwEZo/TPdTvCOlEEI/AAAAAAAACmk/5zcepj0od7s/s1600/WTFsparring_wwwfocusfitnesscentre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rx1DYqnwEZo/TPdTvCOlEEI/AAAAAAAACmk/5zcepj0od7s/s320/WTFsparring_wwwfocusfitnesscentre.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Source: <a href="http://www.focusfitnesscentre.com/page3.htm">Focus Fitness Centre, Scotland</a></td></tr></tbody></table>It all comes down to tournament rules and sport sparring – a topic <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogsp/">I've complaint about before</a>. There are three main reasons why WTF Taekwon-Do players do not use their hands to guard as is common (even obvious) in most other martial arts. <br /><br />The first is the padding. With their bodies protected with body armour and their heads with a helmet, the player does not feel a real sense of danger. When you are kicked, it just doesn't hurt enough for you to use your arms to guard. When I was a colour belt the black belts I sparred against during class training cracked a rib and bruised my sternum. This was needed only once for me to learn to guard properly. Pain is a wonderful teacher. Body armour removes the fear of pain and therefore also the incentive to guard with the arms. <br /><br />The second is that punches to head in WTF Taekwon-Do is illegal. Because you do not have to worry about being punched in the face, there is no reason to keep the hands up to guard for face punches. Yes, kicks to the head is legal, but you have a helmet for protection and the power of the kicks make it unlikely for the blocks to work in any case. Again, keeping your arms up is not a serious consideration.. <br /><br />Finally, points are scored by means of “shock techniques.” The techniques basically has to shift the opponent or knock him out. Although it is legally permisible to score a point to the body with a punch, it is extremely difficult to achieve that type of “shock” power necessary, especially keeping in mind that the opponent has a thick chest protector on.<br /><br />In short, the reason WTF tend not to use hand techniques (including keeping their arms up for guarding) is strongly determined by their tournament rules. <br /><br />ITF Taekwon-Do may not suffer from a hand issue that much, but that does not mean that tournament sparring does not affect us negatively either. For one, attacks below the belt are illegal in typical ITF tournament sparring. The result is an unfortunate lack of knowledge by most ITF practitioners of how to perform the many possible low attacks; and even more importantly, how to defend oneself from low attacks. I've learned more about low attacks (and defences against low attacks) in two months of Taekkyeon training than in 15 years of Taekwon-Do study, even though most of the Taekkyeon ideas are embedded in ITF as well. Part of the reason why I learned so much in such a short time is because in Taekkyeon the sparring focusses on low attacks. Apart from low attacks, other things we (ITF practitioners) should spend time on are the clinch and grappling; for the same reason -- these ranges of fighting tend to be neglected in ITF Taekwon-Do, not because they are not part of Taekwon-Do, but because they are illegal in tournament sparring.<br /><br />Luckily a few people still teach traditional sparring where anything goes and students can learn about the whole arsenal that ITF Taekwon-Do has to offer.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-5989202124724159571?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-79893210825297519372011-05-24T18:35:00.003+02:002011-05-29T10:36:50.977+02:00<blockquote>I think more and more that 'art' in combative or martial arts is probably the right word. It is and must be a creative, spontaneous process. The logical part of the brain, the one that tries to remember what you were taught or what you 'should' do is too slow. But so is the creative part, if it is bounded.<i> – Rory Miller (Violence Expert)</i></blockquote><br />In previous posts I've been quite adamant that I do not consider Taekwon-Do a martial science, but rather “a martial art based on certain scientific principles.” One reason I feel so strongly about this is because Taekwon-Do claims to be a system of self-defence. Self-defence presupposes chaos and uncertainty. For a scientific system to function effectively, chaos and uncertainty cannot exist.<br /><br />In previous posts I tried to explain in what way Taekwon-Do is to be understood as an art (see <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/principle-based-martial-art.html">here</a> and <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/should-one-always-move-this-way.html">here</a>). In this post I will discuss an occasion in which Taekwon-Do is indeed a science and then see how we can merge these two concepts resulting in a “martial art based on scientific principles.”<br /><br />While I strongly believe that Taekwon-Do is not a science, there are many aspects of Taekwon-Do that is indeed scientific. Probably the best illustration of this is found in one of ITF Taekwon-Do's sport categories: power breaking.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yUjbbYq0S-E/TdvdwGuowZI/AAAAAAAAC0M/COuefudwrWo/s1600/Willie+Smith.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yUjbbYq0S-E/TdvdwGuowZI/AAAAAAAAC0M/COuefudwrWo/s320/Willie+Smith.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/principle-based-martial-art.html">C J Photographers</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>In a tournament, power breaking involves the breaking of wooden (pine) boards or special plastic boards that can be reassembled afterwards known as rebreakable boards. Sometimes bricks, tiles, ice, wooden poles and even flat stones are also broken. The objects are broken with Taekwon-Do techniques, such as punches, strikes and kicks. Heavy people can break such things with mere brute muscular strength. Surprisingly, smaller individuals are also able to do astonishing breaking, although they are lighter in weight and weaker in strength. How do they accomplish it? They achieve this through the application of certain scientific (Newtonian) principles. Power breaking is an aspect of ITF Taekwon-Do that is wholly scientific. Effective breaking is only achieved if scientific principles such as angle of force, penetration of force, duration of force, momentum (mass and speed) are correctly applied. One can increase the force of the technique by scientifically adjusting the angle, the penetration, the duration and momentum. You practise this over and over again, perfecting your technique. This is possible because the variables are so few: the boards do not randomly change in density; the boards do not randomly change position; the boards do not randomly change angle; the boards do not have a mind of their own and don't dodge as you punch them or try to kick you as you come close; the boards do not have friends that attack you from behind; the boards do not jump you in a parking lot when you least expect it. It is easy to be scientific when you can control or manipulate the variables. It requires something else completely when you do not control and cannot predict the variables.<br /><br />Below is the scene from<i> Enter the Dragon</i> where Bruce Lee famously says: "Boards don't hit back."<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OMaHDtiTZEA" width="500"></iframe><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DVt_LcWKW48/TdxHk76xO_I/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vDRn6oVSOYk/s1600/self-defense.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DVt_LcWKW48/TdxHk76xO_I/AAAAAAAAC0Q/vDRn6oVSOYk/s320/self-defense.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.womens-self-defense.org/">Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Certain aspects of Taekwon-Do like power breaking, special technique breaking, and even prearranged sparring can be very scientific. If Taekwon-Do was limited to these aspects only, then it would definitely have been a martial science, since we can control or predict the variables as one can control and predict the variables in a scientific experiment. But Taekwon-Do claims to be more. It claims to ultimately be a form of self-defence. Real occurrences of self-defence do not occur in a closed system like a scientific experiment. Instead, self-defence occurs in the chaos of life, where science must make room for creativity, spontaneity, and improvisation. (Creativity, spontaneity, and improvisation tend to be exceedingly 'unscientific' activities.) In other words, real self-defence requires an artistic expression, rather than a purely scientific aptitude. <br /><br />However, ITF Taekwon-Do does rely heavily on scientific principles gained from Newtonian physics, biomechanics and anatomy. We use these scientific fields as the maxims for moving our bodies and approaching the bodies of our opponents, in the same way as a painter approaches his paints, brushes and canvas according to a certain “art manifesto.” <br /><br />While some aspects of ITF Taekwon-Do can be defined “scientific,” the system as a whole is better defined as “a martial art based on certain scientific principles.”<br /><br /><b>Read More:</b><br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/principle-based-martial-art.html">"A Principle Based (Martial) Art"</a>, in which I discuss the idea of a martial <i>art </i>based on scientific principles and compare it to other arts based on a manifesto.</li><li><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/05/should-one-always-move-this-way.html">"Should one always move this way?"</a>, in which I discuss the two schools of thought: the one a wholly scientific approach and the other a more creative approach that embraces improvisation.&nbsp; </li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-7989321082529751937?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-91671345746088733772011-05-22T07:52:00.006+02:002011-07-06T07:28:31.703+02:00Traditional martial arts instructor Dan Djurdjevic has recently started revisiting basic techniques at his blog <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/"><i>The Way of Least Resistance</i></a>. I especially like his discussions on blocking techniques.<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/05/back-to-basics-blocking.html">Back to Basics (Blocking)</a></li><li><a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/05/why-block-with-forearm-rather-than-palm.html">Why Block With the Forearm (Rather than the Palm)?</a></li></ul>Focussing on Karate-type blocks, Mr Djurdjevic defines blocks as follows:<br /><br /><blockquote>a more correct term would be "deflection", "parry" or "interception". Generally traditional blocks are used to intercept and redirect attacks rather than stop them dead in their tracks. In karate and other Japanese/Okinawan arts these techniques are classified as "uke". "Uke" comes from the Japanese word "ukeru" meaning "to receive".</blockquote><br />While our (ITF) system performs its fundamental movements somewhat differently from the way Mr Djurdjevic explains the traditional blocks in his system, there is enough overlap to make it valuable reading (as with most of his blog).<br /><br />How do we view blocking in ITF Taekwon-Do? As I wrote in the post “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/defensive-techniques-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">Defensive Techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>” in ITF we have two categories of blocks, which I term soft blocks and hard blocks. “The purpose of a hard block is to 'attack' and hurt the opponent's attacking limb and so protect yourself. In so doing the opponent's attack is forcefully redirected.” On the other hand, “[t]he purpose of soft blocks are to deflect an attack by redirecting the force of the attack, or to unbalance the opponent using some kind of pushing motion. Unlike hard blocks that put emphasis on hurting the opponent's attacking tool, soft blocks put emphasis on redirecting [or deflecting] the force of the attack and / or breaking the opponent's equilibrium.”<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LHoPxJUa87k/TdipoVEu34I/AAAAAAAAC0I/Wo4EtRNZ4Rw/s1600/miyagijong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LHoPxJUa87k/TdipoVEu34I/AAAAAAAAC0I/Wo4EtRNZ4Rw/s1600/miyagijong.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Okinawa Karate practitioners doing forearm<br />conditioning exercises. (<a href="http://www.hgweb.nl/isshinryu/articles/miyagi.htm">Source</a>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table>What I'm not reading in Mr Djurdjevic's posts on blocking is the idea that blocks are purposed to hurt the opponent as is the case with our hard blocks. Even his discussion on forearm blocks focus more on their function to deflect attacks. It seems that his approach to blocking is in line with how we use soft blocks. Hard blocks in ITF Taekwon-Do are used as attacks, albeit attacking of the opponents attacking limbs; deflection of an incoming attack is a secondary, although a very important function. (You can read of Mr. Djurdjevic's understanding of the hard block versus soft block issue <a href="http://dandjurdjevic.blogspot.com/2011/07/hard-blocks.html">here</a>.) The emphasis on “attacking” with hard blocks in ITF Taekwon-Do becomes especially clear when you consider that some ITF instructors require their students to perform board breaking with their blocks, using for instance the forearms to “strike” through boards employing typical blocking motions like the outer forearm outward low block (the first movement in pattern <i>Chon-Ji</i>). Although not all instructors require their students to break boards with blocks (only one of my instructors stressed it), most Taekwon-Do instructors emphasize the conditioning of blocking tools. The idea of hard blocks being considered as attacks is also highlighted in the tournament sparring rules of one of the ITF-groups where a properly executed fundamental block can earn you a point. In other words, just as one can score a point for a punch to a target area, so too can one score a point for a proper fundamental block to your opponent's attacking limb.<br /><br />There is, of course, a problem with the idea of using blocks as attacks. Blocks are reactive in nature, which means that blocks innately begin after your assailant commenced his attack. For it to be effective your hard block must be extremely fast. It is analogous to landing a punch to your opponent before his fist reaches you, even though he started his punch before you started yours. It is possible, but extremely difficult and requires super fast reflexes. This is one of the reasons why we almost never see traditional blocking in ITF tournaments even though it could score points.<br /><br />Still, such attack-blocks are possible. My first instructor, Mr Johan Bolton, told me of one of his peers who specialised in blocking during tournaments. I can't remember the name of the person (I think it was one of the Ackerman-brothers). He would set out to purposefully hurt his opponent's limbs during tournaments by means of very fast and very hard blocks and when a successful block landed his opponent would shift that limb to the rear, too scared to attack with it again, lest it be hurt more. Apparently he won a number of fights by practically disarming his opponents. While I've never personally seen anybody use hard blocks in tournaments like this before, I have no reason to distrust this account by Mr Bolton. Furthermore, I have no doubt of the ability of hard blocks to damage someone as I have myself used hard blocks on someone before, only to later find out (by means of X-rays) that the blocks resulted in bone fractures.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCnIDDwgnMQ/TNap_ENokbI/AAAAAAAACkg/v7y489w5wyk/s1600/Joong-Gun+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCnIDDwgnMQ/TNap_ENokbI/AAAAAAAACkg/v7y489w5wyk/s320/Joong-Gun+1.bmp" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Ridge hand (aka reverse-knife hand) block.</span><br /><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Source: <a href="http://sonkal.taekwondo.cz/index-en.html">Sonkal</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Using hard blocks as attacks need not be limited to limbs only. One can just as easily use a forearm block to strike the neck of an opponent, for instance. By grabbing an opponent's wrist with one hand, you can use the other arm to perform an inward forearm block on the opponent's elbow joint. A close acquaintance of mine used an outward ridge hand block on the ear of a rowdy suspect while he was in the police force. The block resulted in severe trauma to the man's inner ear causing blood to emerge from his ear and nose. These are just a few examples of hard blocks being used, not merely to hurt attacking limbs, but as actually attacks to vital spots.<br /><br />When we practise hard blocks merely as methods of deflection we are not doing them as they were meant to be used in ITF Taekwon-Do. If the focus is on merely deflecting, avoiding or surviving an incoming attack, soft blocks, body shifting and guards are better suited. I explained these in the aforementioned post: “<a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/11/defensive-techniques-in-itf-taekwon-do.html">Defensive Techniques in ITF Taekwon-Do</a>.”<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-9167134574608873377?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-89576007397374912442011-05-15T15:10:00.001+02:002011-05-17T07:30:46.786+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlBrJCHbLV4/Tc_QS47ls6I/AAAAAAAACzg/1A8KHB9EIjo/s1600/Happy-Teachers-Day-150x150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlBrJCHbLV4/Tc_QS47ls6I/AAAAAAAACzg/1A8KHB9EIjo/s200/Happy-Teachers-Day-150x150.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.mangolanguages.com/blog/happy-national-teachers-day/">Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>May 15th is Teachers' Day (스승의 날) in South Korea. Martial arts instructors also qualify, so it is appropriate for me to wish all the martial art instructors that visit this blog a Happy Teachers' Day. <br /><br />In Korea, Teachers' Day is a day on which students show their appreciation to their teachers for sharing their knowledge and for nurturing the academic growth of the students. Students usually give carnations, cards and sometimes gifts to their teachers.&nbsp; For instance, I received a carnation, chocolates, Korean rice cake and other gifts. If Teachers' Day happen over a weekend, like this year, students may prepare their tokens of appreciation on the Friday before or the Monday after the weekend. <br /><br />And to all my own martial art instructors I have had during the many years I have been active in the martial arts, thank you for the many lessons (many of them life-lessons) you have taught me through the years. Also, to the other martial art bloggers, I'm learning much from reading your blogs too. Happy Teachers' Day!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-8957600739737491244?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-44816164829962135352011-05-14T16:59:00.006+02:002011-07-03T10:16:06.617+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdo_bYFw_64/Tc6PusV4GbI/AAAAAAAACzI/1zHK5eJ6rSE/s1600/GwangGaeTo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xdo_bYFw_64/Tc6PusV4GbI/AAAAAAAACzI/1zHK5eJ6rSE/s320/GwangGaeTo.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Kwang-Gae, better romanized Gwang-Gae, is one of the three 1st Dan patterns. It is named after Great King Gwang-Gae To <span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hang">광개토태왕.&nbsp; </span></span>The ITF Encyclopaedia describes the meaning of the pattern as follows:<br /><blockquote>KWANG-GAE is named after the famous Kwang-Gae-Toh-Wang, the 19th King of the Koguryo Dynasty, who regained all the lost territories including the greater part of Manchuria. The diagram represents the expansion and recovery of lost territory. The 39 movements refer to the first two figures of 391 A. D, the year he came to the throne. </blockquote>Although the number of movements refer to the year he came to the thrown, it could also possibly refer to his death. He died at age 39. He was 17 when he became king and reigned for 22 years.<br /><br />There are only two Korean kings called "Great King," they are Great King Gwang-Gae To and Great King Sejong, the latter commissioned the Korean alphabet, Hangeul, which brought literacy to the masses.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XdVdL3vao8/Tc6Q1VrbkfI/AAAAAAAACzM/dJbWR_ke9yg/s1600/Goguryeo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7XdVdL3vao8/Tc6Q1VrbkfI/AAAAAAAACzM/dJbWR_ke9yg/s320/Goguryeo.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>Gwang-Gae To <span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hani">廣開土</span></span> is his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posthumous_name">posthumous name</a>. Its meaning has to do with expansion of territory. Based on the Chinese (Hanja) characters, the first syllable (<span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hani">廣</span></span>) in his posthumous name means broad or wide. The second character (<span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hani">開</span></span>) means to open something or to start something (e.g. start a project). Finally, the last character (<span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hani">土</span></span>) refers to soil or earth. During his life time Great King Gwang-Gae To was known as King Yeong-Nak (영낙) the Great. Since I couldn't find the Chinese characters in which his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Era_name">renal name</a> is based, I cannot look up the meaning of it. His birth name was Go Damdeok (Korean: 고담덕 / Hanja: <span style="font-size: 115%;"><span lang="ko-Hani">高談德</span></span>). His family name, Go, means high or lofty and is the same first syllable in Goguryeo, the ancient Korean kingdom he inherited and expanded. His name Dam-deok literally means "talk-virtue." Personally I like his birth name better as it reflects the virtuous or ethical nature of Great King Gwang-Gae's governance. Even though he regained lost territory and expanded the Goguryeo borders deep into Manchuria, he did not force his personal culture onto the many different tribes and people that came under his reign -- he allowed them to "maintain [their] own lifestyle, customs, religion and values" (<a href="http://www.koreabrand.net/en/know/know_view.do?CATE_CD=0005&amp;SEQ=1229">Yun Myeon-Cheol</a>).<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr7qDDAgBNc/ThAk1mtQzrI/AAAAAAAAC2o/JYfhkYOnjag/s1600/GwangGaeToSteel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kr7qDDAgBNc/ThAk1mtQzrI/AAAAAAAAC2o/JYfhkYOnjag/s320/GwangGaeToSteel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"The Gwang Gae To Steel" <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/program/program_koreanstory_detail.htm??lang=e&amp;current_page=4&amp;No=19916">Source</a></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Much of what we know about Great King Gwang-Gae To comes from the Gwang-Gae To Stele, a giant stone inscribed with classical Chinese characters. The a stele is a granite obelisk, about seven meters tall. It was erected by Gwang-Gae To's son, King Jangsu. The stele is on the border of China and North Korea. There is a copy of the stele at the South Korea's National War Museum in Seoul.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.juntong-taekwondo.com/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=93&amp;Itemid=109">Read more</a> about Great King Gwang-Gae To.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYNaiMg18Q0/Tc9uJ20h07I/AAAAAAAACzQ/7JXUgt9-xZQ/s1600/HeavenHandToCloseReadyStance.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="128" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yYNaiMg18Q0/Tc9uJ20h07I/AAAAAAAACzQ/7JXUgt9-xZQ/s320/HeavenHandToCloseReadyStance.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The pattern is quite interesting. It has a very unique feel about it. Many of the movements are performed in slow motion. There are also many motions that move in wide elliptical paths. For instance, the first movement, the Heaven Hand to Close Ready Stance B position, traces an elliptical path in the air.&nbsp; <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGyZwguvCsA/Tc9vVuSd8JI/AAAAAAAACzU/s9hXT76OCxk/s1600/LowKnifeHandInwardBlock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WGyZwguvCsA/Tc9vVuSd8JI/AAAAAAAACzU/s9hXT76OCxk/s200/LowKnifeHandInwardBlock.JPG" width="158" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nloRqR8x7XI/Tc9vcZkZq5I/AAAAAAAACzY/NBlnq-AV294/s1600/SideFistDownwardStrike.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nloRqR8x7XI/Tc9vcZkZq5I/AAAAAAAACzY/NBlnq-AV294/s200/SideFistDownwardStrike.JPG" width="145" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmrSHnMmoBg/Tc9wMiSZ1nI/AAAAAAAACzc/bQmJm1YJEHY/s1600/HookingBlock.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kmrSHnMmoBg/Tc9wMiSZ1nI/AAAAAAAACzc/bQmJm1YJEHY/s200/HookingBlock.JPG" width="137" /></a></div>To me it looks like the motions symbolize both gathering (regaining lost territory) and expansion. The slow motions may refer to his patient and strategic character, followed by strong decisive techniques, like the various stomping motions in the pattern, depicting his effective military action. Kwang-Gae Teul is definitely a pattern that requires careful study. It is one of the patterns that reflects the hard-soft nature of ITF Taekwon-Do excellently. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/9QcmRQWUxao" width="500"></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-4481616482996213535?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-6885291458940046222011-05-10T14:06:00.003+02:002011-05-11T02:37:38.099+02:00<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;; font-size: 100%;">I realised that I've never actually properly explained the basic understanding of the sine wave motion on this blog. I've always assumed that readers of this blog know what I'm talking about and from there move onto a deeper interpretation of the sine wave motion. So, herewith, the sine wave motion as it is typically understood by most ITF practitioners. The following is something I wrote many years ago and is part of the </span><span style="font-size: 100%;"><i style="font-family: courier new;">Soo Shim Kwan </i></span><span style="font-family: &quot;; font-size: 100%;">handbook. (My understanding of the sine wave motion has evolved since I originally wrote this.)</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q7o_i0AVICQ/TH0h9aea1kI/AAAAAAAACTg/BS1pKBrVAZA/s1600/sinewave015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q7o_i0AVICQ/TH0h9aea1kI/AAAAAAAACTg/BS1pKBrVAZA/s400/sinewave015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />Sine Wave and Motion</b></div><br /><i>By Sanko Lewis with references to the ITF Encyclopaedia and the essay: “Pattern Speeds and Sinewave Study” by Paul McPhail (VI Dan) – www.itfnz.org.nz (2004).</i><br /><br />The sinewave-motion is a method of power generation utilized by ITF Taekwon-Do. The obvious purpose of sinewave is to lift the body mass, thereby increasing potential energy and then converting the stored energy into kinetic energy by dropping the body mass into the technique. Taekwon-Do techniques, therefore, usually work in a natural partnership with gravity.<br /><br />The above description only explains the last half of the total sinewave-motion. A full sinewave-motion involves that the body is first relaxed (dropped) prior to the raising and dropping of the body mass.<br /><br />The aim of this initial part of the sinewave-motion is to consciously relax the muscles. Following below is a list of reasons why relaxing is advocated:<br /><br /><ul><li>In a stressed environment the musculature have a tendency to tense up. Relaxed muscles are faster and more reflexive than tensed muscles.</li><li>Naturally bending the limbs, specifically the legs, allow for better thrust.</li><li>Lowering the centre of gravity contributes to a balanced initial foundation from where the technique can commence.</li><li>Relaxing the muscles reduce the unnecessary use of energy.</li><li>Muscle cells uses up ATP-energy when active. Cells only need a short time of relaxation to produce ATP.</li><li>Relaxed muscles ensure smooth graceful motion.</li><li>Conscious relaxation helps to focus the mind on the task at hand; mentally preparing for attack or defence.</li></ul><blockquote><br />“The relaxation desired is relaxation of muscles, rather than of the mind or attention.” – Bruce Lee.</blockquote><br />At the beginning of the sinewave-motion the body is relaxed, the limbs slightly bent and the mind focussed.<br /><br />The middle part of the sinewave-motion, when the body mass is raised, usually coincide with the backward-motion referred to in the<i> <a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/9-training-secrets-of-taekwon-do">Training Secrets</a></i> of Taekwon-Do. The raising of the body mass is achieved by raising the hip as suggested in the <i><a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power">Theory of Power</a> – Mass</i>.<br /><br />As for the last part of the sinewave-motion, the body mass is not merely dropped down, but is usually accelerated down at the end of the sinewave-motion. This is achieved by utilizing the knee-spring action and by jerking the hip (rotating the waist) in the direction of the attacking or blocking tool as described in the <i><a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power">Theory of Power</a> – Mass</i>. (There are some exceptions.) Power should be unleashed gradually throughout the sinewave-motion and must achieve maximum acceleration during this last part, specifically at the point of contact with the opponent’s body. Every muscle of the body must be concentrated towards the appropriate tool at the proper time. (Refer to the <i><a href="http://taekwondo.co.za/index.php/about-taekwondo/theory-of-taekwon-do/5-theory-of-power">Theory of Power</a> – Concentration</i>.)<br /><br />The down-up-down motion of sinewave should always be performed smoothly like a wave in water. The motion is never performed jerkily (saw-tooth motion) as this will in fact reduce accumulated momentum.<br /><br /><ul><li><b>Full sinewave</b> requires that the body is relaxed (down); the mass is then raised (up); and completed by finally dropping the body mass into the technique (down). This down-up-down motion completes one movement / technique with full sinewave.<b>&nbsp;</b></li><li><b>½ sinewave</b> means that upon completion of the first movement, the practitioner immediately moves up and then drops the body mass down to complete the next movement (up-down).<b>&nbsp;</b></li><li><b>¼ sinewave</b> means you are already up at the completion of the first movement and only drops down into the next movement (down).</li></ul><br />Fundamental movements (e.g. in patterns) may also be described according to the particular speed, tempo-quality of the technique, the method of breathing used, and attitude of the performer.<br /><br /><ul><li><b>Normal motion</b> is the speed and tempo at which individual movements / techniques are normally performed in patterns; with the usual characteristically short-sharp exhalation (normal Taekwon-Do breathing).<b>&nbsp;</b></li><li><b>Slow motion</b> movement is performed slowly with slow breathing. This is used to emphasize an important movement and to check balance and control. The tempo of slow motion is about four times that of normal motion. The attitude is that of focus and concentration.</li><li><b>Fast motion</b> is performed urgently and aggressively with normal breathing. Fast motion is nearly always attacks, usually two punches. The sinewave is cut short; springing straight from the first movement into the next.<b> </b><b>&nbsp;</b></li><li><b>Continuous motion</b> links movements together with no pause between the end of one movement and the start of the next. Inhale once at the beginning of the series of movements and exhale in a continuous flow of air but emphasizing each movement. Try to link the movements smoothly, with grace and beauty. Continuous movements always start with a block.<b>&nbsp;</b></li><li><b>Connecting motion</b> joins two movements with one breath and one sinewave. Connecting motion is always with two movements using opposite arms.</li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-688529145894004622?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-12775177202267438832011-05-10T13:27:00.001+02:002011-05-11T02:39:58.688+02:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMZUdHNhuD8/TckfkQQfFII/AAAAAAAACy0/WC0edgJPm00/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMZUdHNhuD8/TckfkQQfFII/AAAAAAAACy0/WC0edgJPm00/s1600/TotallyTKD_Issue27.jpg" /></a></div>For this month's issue of<i> Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> (<a href="http://www.raynerslanetkd.com/TTKD/TotallyTKD_Issue_27.pdf">Issue #27</a>) I submitted an article based on an earlier post here regarding the <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/some-thoughts-on-double-forearm-block.html">double forearm block</a>. It starts on p. 37. Of all the contributions I have made to <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> this article was received the least favourable. Actually, this is the only one that I've been made aware of <a href="http://totallytkd.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=issue27&amp;action=display&amp;thread=256">actual disagreement</a>. It leaves me with three possible conclusions. First, my article was misunderstood, which means I did not communicate clearly enough. Second, I'm wrong. Third, there are different ways of doing the double forearm block (i.e. different angles that it reaches its target), resulting in different understandings of the technique, with my understanding being incompatible with the understanding of someone doing the technique differently.<br /><br />At present I'm thinking it is the first option -- I'm misunderstood. From what I've read so far, it is thought that I believe the extra arm brings more force to the technique; which is not my opinion at all. I pertinently said that:<br /><blockquote>"Bringing the other arm forward with the double forearm block does not contribute substantially to the force of the technique."&nbsp;</blockquote>My view is not that the arm brought forward adds to the force, rather that the angle at which the block intercepts the attack is what makes it a stronger block.<br /><br />In any case, the second option, i.e. that I'm wrong, is also possible. Read the article and decide for yourself.<br /><br />This month's issue of <i>Totally Tae Kwon Do</i> features the final instalment of <i><a href="http://www.jungshin.co.za/index.html">Kanghan Jangshin</a> Kwanjangnim </i>Tristian Vardy's series on children's physiology and Taekwon-Do. The conclusion of his four-part article is also a farewell in a sense, as Sabeominm Vardy is leaving South Africa and relocating to Australia. The <i>Soo Shim Kwan</i> wishes him and his family all the best. <br /><br />I also liked the interview Mr Stuart Anslow did with Grandmaster Kim Bok-Man. The interview reaffirmed my insistence of the definite <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2010/07/taekkyeon-and-itf-taekwon-do.html">influence of Taekkyeon</a> on ITF Taekwon-Do. While Grandmaster Kim Bok-Man disagreed with sine wave motion, he does affirm the influence of Taekkyeon on Taekwon-Do.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-1277517720226743883?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-33891430054309274172011-05-05T04:06:00.007+02:002011-05-11T02:49:32.121+02:00<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AVVl8UM-Gfk/TcncgaGXWRI/AAAAAAAACy4/kvhMMAIV0UY/s1600/zen_circle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AVVl8UM-Gfk/TcncgaGXWRI/AAAAAAAACy4/kvhMMAIV0UY/s320/zen_circle.png" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://zencrafting.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-is-zen-crafting.html"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Image Source</span></a></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"The flea who falls must jump; the flea who jumps must fall."</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">-- Alan Watts, <i>Way of Zen </i></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-3389143005430927417?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Skryfblokhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00329458286217107784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-8846279561846743512011-05-04T11:31:00.004+02:002011-05-04T11:40:50.288+02:00In the following two part video, my <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090307162058AATddXz"><span style="font-style: italic;">dongsaeng</span></a> Ok Chanyang takes us through a full body twenty minute stretching routine. The routine is excellent for martial artists, especially on those days that you are not training or as a part of a thorough warm-up or cool-down before or after a long and taxing training session.<br /><br /><iframe width="500" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-UEB9cR4lDI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><iframe width="500" height="405" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/d-91z9JFUQY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/1232825159765940340-884627956184674351?l=sooshimkwan.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>SooShimKwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08864922377526465321noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1232825159765940340.post-6822685687450718242011-05-01T10:09:00.008+02:002011-05-04T06:08:22.426+02:00This morning I had a dream in which I was speaking at a seminar of sorts, talking about the basic way of moving in (ITF) Taekwon-Do. An attendee interrupted and asked if one should “always move this way.” His question was if one should always—under all circumstances, including during a violent self-defence encounter—move in this 'traditional' way one would move like when you do your fundamental movements, for instance when doing patterns. Implicit to his question was another question: “If not, why do you practise moving in this—traditional—way at all?” My immediate response was something along the lines of “Ideally 'yes', but most likely 'no'” and then as I continued to explain my answer I woke up. While in bed I continued for a few moments to think about what the rest of my answer would involve. Following is some of that answer:<br /><br /><b>Two Schools of Thought </b><br /><br />There are two schools of thought in traditional martial arts regarding the actual use of traditional techniques (what we in Taekwon-Do call fundamental movements) in actual fighting. The one school says that one should practise such traditional techniques ceaselessly until you are able to perform them perfectly in the traditional way under all circumstances. The goal is to become so perfect and reflexive at performing your traditional techniques that they can actually function and look in a real fight, in exactly the way they do when you do patterns or fundamental technique line drills or prearranged sparring. The other school says that traditional techniques are ideals. We should strive towards them, but like any ideal, it is unlikely to achieve them all the time, in all circumstances. These ideals are the most powerful and stable ways to perform such a technique and that when we are in an actual fight, we will try to emulate the ideal as close as the chaos of a real fight allows, but at the same time adapting traditional techniques to make them “street” or “chaos” friendly. The first school of thought aims at perfection all the time, every time, and is quite inflexible in how the techniques are performed. The second school strives towards the ideal, but because perfection is unlikely, they are more flexible in the application of the techniques.<br /><br />I adhere to the second school of thought. This relates back to a previous post in which I argued that in practise, Taekwon-Do is a martial art <a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com/2011/03/principle-based-martial-art.html">based on scientific principles, not a science<i> per se</i></a>. It is not a science <i>per se</i> because to do something that is scientifically accurately predictable requires you to be in a closed chaos-free environment. We can achieve something like that in the dojang, but not in real life.<br /><br />The first school of thought I described above and the scientific view of Taekwon-Do are basically the same. They espouse the view that there is a perfect way to perform a technique, which we can test scientifically, and this perfect way is the fundamental movements. Like any scientific hypothesis this can be tested in a laboratory and the results will be the same around the world. I like the idea, and a part of me wish for this view to be feasible, but I am not convinced that this view of Taekwon-Do can be sustained.<br /><br /><b>All People Are Not the Same </b><br /><br /><table style="TEXT-ALIGN: left; FLOAT: left; MARGIN-RIGHT: 1em" class="tr-caption-container" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; MARGIN-LEFT: auto; CLEAR: left; MARGIN-RIGHT: auto" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsiGV7nVtiY/Tb0l7XEx-BI/AAAAAAAACyY/KcxT2L7RzEU/s1600/hong-man-choi-vs-fedor_display_image.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jsiGV7nVtiY/Tb0l7XEx-BI/AAAAAAAACyY/KcxT2L7RzEU/s320/hong-man-choi-vs-fedor_display_image.jpg" border="0" height="298" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class="tr-caption">Giant Choi Hong-Man (right), definitely does not fit the<br />stereotype that Koreans have shorter limbs than Caucasians.</td></tr></tbody></table>Firstly, to sustain this view by scientific