If I could do it, you can too!

Apart from Bsb Yolandi, you all know me only as a black belt. Some of you knew me as a 2nd Dan, others as a 3rd Dan.

But I have discovered proof that will hopefully convince you that I was once a colour belt too! The photo below was sent to me by an old Taekwon-Do acquaintance, Abrie Coetzee.


On the right is my brother, Bsb Tiny, in the middle is Abrie, and on the left is, yes you've guessed it, me. I was 18 years when the photo was taken. Now you have to believe it - that I, being as clumsy as I was, got to where I'm now. So if I could do it, all of you can and I look forward to seeing you all surpassing me!

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko

Cheers!

A warm thank you to everyone that was able to join the little farewell last night. You are not only Taekwon-Do students to me, but most definitely my friends as well.

Here are two photos we took. The first, just after we had our fill at the Spur,

...and the other while having some decadent ice-cream.


God's been providing for me in "mysterious ways" again -- and it seems I will indeed depart on Wednesdag (20 August) and arrive in Korea after about 30-something hours on Thursday (21 August) in the afternoon.

But there is one more opportunity to see each other at the Parkour-session this coming Sunday, at 14:00 - starting in the Student Centre (Potchefstroom Campus).

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko

Farewell to Bsb Sanko

Bsb Sanko lewis is going to Korea and is leaving us on the 20th August. We wish you a safe journey and good luck with everything that comes your way.

You will be missed at the Soo Shim Kwan dojang.

A get together with Bsb Sanko to say final goodbyes will be held on the 14th August.

Club chairperson

Since we are an official University Sport, we have a club chairperson that represents Taekwon-Do at the Indoor Sport's Meetings, every Monday.

The 2007/2008 Taekwon-Do Club chairperson was Willem Boshoff. I just want to thank Willem for selflessly representing us there every Monday, even though he himself could not attend the Taekwon-Do classes anymore because of a clashing time table. Thank you Willem, it is really appreciated.

Taking over from Willem as 2008/2009 chairperson is Rijnhardt Maneschijn. Thanks Rijnhardt!

Recent SA-Champs

Hi everyone. Sorry for the late update.

I'm proud of all the Soo Shim Kwan members (and friends) that attended the South African National Taekwon-Do Championship last weekend (1-3 May), either as competitors or as supporters. A special congratulations to those of you that won medals: Khatija (Silver - Sparring), Charl (Silver - Sparring), Rijnhardt (Bronze - Sparring) and Werner (Bronze - Special Technique Breaking). Of the five members that competed, four brought back medals. Well done! Even thought we are the smallest federation, we can always stand proud.

Some photos...

Charl receiving his medal:

Franco doing that famous "Crane-style" kick from Karate Kid: ;)

Philip (right) on duty as an umpire:


Rijnhardt planting a kick on a competitors face!:


Werner looking cool:


Sanko and Rijnardt (and the medic oom):


Our loyal supporter, Stuward:


Why don't we have any photos of Khatija, Retha or Gerhard?!

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko

July newsletter

The July issue of the SA-ITF's Newsletter is available for download as a zipped file from the SA-ITF website. It contains a short write-up regarding our recent seminar with Master Kim Jong Su.

Thoughts on Triangles

The following is from Retha's keyboard and also features on eSAITF as message #348:

Seminars with master Kim are always an experience. Since this seminar comes as a new deal between him, our kwan and a sister/brother kwan (is a kwan male or female?), he has started revising the very basics of Taekwon-Do with us.

He spent some time, showing us the angles in our triangles :-) I knew this before, but I never knew it like this. In any technique a triangle can be formed in multiple ways. The interesting thing is that in some guards and hand techniques the three points are represented by your body. In a stance, for good balance the third point is outside of your body; your body forming the base of the triangle. If you want to topple your opponent, you would attack him from the direction of the empty point. And interestingly enough, at some point he also demonstrated that in some cases (specifically sparring) the third point becomes your opponent. I think he showed the base points in your body, but when I think about it in sparring there is an empty point. You and your opponent would form the base of the triangle, while the third point represents the direction you could move in: moving towards the empty point gives you the most chance of successful flight, moving from the best chance of successful attack. It seems that there are triangles everywhere.

These two pictures are from the ITF Encyclopaedia depicting the triangle in the parallel stance and L-stance punches.

1st Session with Master Kim

We had a good session yesterday with Master Kim at the Vanderbijlpark Dojang. This was the first of five sessions with him planned for this year, and co-hosted by us (Soo Shim Kwan) and the Shim Duk Kwan.

I’ve learned a couple of new things. I also realised that I don’t always practise what I preach. Although I know the theory, I sometimes fail to implement it in practise. That is the nice thing about training under someone. As an instructor I seldom have someone checking my techniques – so it was great to have Master Kim showing me on my mistakes. The importance of spotters in training was emphasized I think – so when you train outside of class hours, try to train with a friend that can spot your technique, or train in front of a large mirror.

I liked how he simplified the stances by focussing on how they overlap, i.e. the knee position for the back-leg in the L-stance is the same as in the sitting-stance; the knee position for the front-leg in the L-stance is the same as in the walking-stance, etc.

Master Kim also affirmed the importance of breaking down techniques to their simplest building blocks, in order to learn proper technique and not attain bad habits – which take a long time to unlearn.

The next session with Master Kim will be hosted at our dojang in Potchefstroom.

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko

Carbo-loading

With the SA-Champs about only two weeks away (1-3 August) some of you may be considering carbo-loading in preparation of the event.

There’s a section on carbo-loading in my article on Carbohydrates (PDF-document).

The whole series of articles on Taekwon-Do and Nutrition can be downloaded at our university website.

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko

eZines, Newsletters and Links

Hi,

I’m just reminding you of two (relatively) recent electronic publications by the SA-ITF, which you can download (right-click and save-as) from the links below.

The Sidekick (July 2008)

This is an eZine (electronic magazine) produced by the SA-ITF’s Research & Education Directorate of which I’m the director. The Sidekick contains many interesting Taekwon-Do essays and articles; including our (Soo Shim Kwan) contribution regarding breakfall techniques.

The SA-ITF Newsletter (May 2008)

Taekwon-Do news from around South Africa is collected and disseminated via the Newsletter. Find out what’s happening at other Taekwon-Do kwan and dojang in South Africa.

Also remember to occasionally visit the official SA-ITF website and make sure to register for our email forum: eSAITF.

Taekwon!

Bsb Sanko