Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Grading

I've posted lots of information about the summer camp below but missed out the grading. Yesterday I was tested for promotion to blue belt. I performed the pattern Yul-gok (not without a wobble in bending stance still) but with snappier kicks and reasonable height I think. Pauline also performed her red belt pattern, very snappy and smart it was. We did some two step and one step sparring and then free sparring and then finished with theory and breaking.

Despite working on my breaking all weekend I failed to brake with either turning kicks and reverse turning kick. I was given the opportunity to choose my technique and broke with a side kick. I chose a hand technique (elbow strike) and broke a green board with that too and then the examining instructor suddenly left the room. He returned with a pile of wooden boards which were brought down onto the top of the breaking horse with a dramatic force that threw out a cloud of wood dust into the faces of the two assisting blackbelts. One board was fitted to the holder and Master Cutler simply said 'reverse turning kick, your choice of leg'. So I lined up and smashed right through it... phew! Three breaks = good result.

The grading examiner was Senior Master Paul Cutler VIII degree.

Blue belt is a time when I'm told that many people give up training. I'm going to put on the breaks and focus on conditioning and technique now and not grading for a while so that everything feels really solid before putting red on the belt.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



Over the August bank holiday weekend Alex and I attended a TaeKwon-Do training camp in Ireland put on by Senior Master Paul Cutler VIII degree. I should say that there is only one IX degree in the UKTA (our association), Grandmaster Rhee Ki Ha, and he is pictured in the bottom right of this image. The founder of TaeKwon-Do General Choi Hong Hi is pictured above him and Senior Master Paul Culter is the President of the UKTA and he shared many fascinating stories over the weekend.

The weekend included a lot of different types of training and you can see some of what we did in the pictures that I have included on this blog below. It was attended by adults and some children but not that many. Mostly black belts but a few colour belts too. It was a deeply inspiring experience.

This image captures a lot of things that are symbolic in TaeKwon-Do. What is not obvious however is that practitioners of the art view themselves to be part of a large family. Here we see someone from Nepal (with his back to the camera) with Mike Carr (III degree) and Senior Master Culter. Mike is not UKTA but he is ITF. Whilst there have been political issues all of us here train from what is written in the TaeKwon-Do Encyclopaedia through our instructors. Master Cutler's knowledge comes from the words written there and his conversations with Grandmaster Rhee. It really doesn't get much more authentic than that.

I love this picture; apart from all of the symbolic information if you look closely you can clearly see the teacher student relationship between Mike and Master Cutler. He is someone who cares a great deal about the generations who will carry the standard of TaeKwon-Do in to the future.

I hope you enjoy the images. If you train ITF style TaeKwon-Do I think that you should seriously consider attending one of his courses.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler


Senior Master Paul Cutler demonstrating a high section twisting kick. This was not posed for my camera incidentally, it was extremely fast and you can see how accurate too. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



IV Degree black belts working on patterns.

I was given permission to stay and photograph this black belt seminar. It was a very special opportunity to see teaching at such a high level and I learned quite a bit whilst trying to get some snaps that express the sense of atmosphere in the room at this time. You have to imagine the sound of training I'm afraid but if you are familiar with ITF TKD then you will have idea. Very inspiring.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Senior Master Cutler 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



Our Dojang and most of the students with Senior Master Cutler.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



One of the guys from Nepal spent an enthusiastic hour breaking in the air so I tried to get a few snaps.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



Bang!

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

The breaking equipment. This is one of the red belts preparing two boards for breaking.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler



Party time

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler


We were given other activities to do over the weekend. Rock climbing (unfortunately in heavy rain) and an assault course. We stayed with the same team of people for everything and it was wonderful getting to meet and know them. This is a picture of the people in my team working together. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

 
We were joined by 3 people from Nepal. They threw themselves into everything and demonstrated some impressive kicking (as you will have seen already from previous images). It was exciting to have them around. 

Senior Master Cutler inspecting the schedule before our 'show'



You'll see from the next post what is happening here. I've posted this because it seems like a good natural picture.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler


In our teams we were asked to choose a film... then given the task of presenting it or a scene from it with a TaeKwon Do twist. This is just one of the many very silly pictures I have. Can you guess what the film is? I'll tell you in a moment. I should say that you can see me here with Lucy on my back. Lucy is almost 14 and already a blackbelt (there is a picture of her kicking in the sea later). 
Ok so our film was The Blues Brothers and we were performing car chases! Hilarious though. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Training on the beach. 

Yesterday we all attended a 2 hour seminar on the beach. After working through patterns we did two step and one step sparring and I was fortunate enough to be able to take some snaps. These are some of them. 

Senior Master Paul Cutler teaching a 2 hour TaeKwon-Do Seminar

I think this look says it all. This man is a huge inspiration to a lot of people. 

TaeKwon

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Me working on my serious martial arts face during our seminar on the beach :)

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler


Working on 2 step sparring with Mike during our 2 hour seminar on the beach. We are being watched carefully by Senior Master Paul Culter VIII Degree. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler


Laura and Pauline before her grading for black tags...which she passed :)



TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Both IV degree international instructors from North West England. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Some of the black belts. The person at the front has a black stripe on his Dobok because he is a IV degree international instructor. There were (I think) 8 people there who were IIIrd or IV degree black belts.

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Senior Master Paul Cutler correcting my bending stance ahead of my 5th Kup grading that day. He is VIII degree TaeKwon Do Senior Master which makes this picture extremely special. 

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

This is Mike with Senior Master Paul Cutler during our 2 hour class on the beach.



I T F International TaeKwon-Do Federation

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

TaeKwon-Do summer camp with Senior Master Paul Cutler

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Saturday, August 14, 2010

UKTA Welsh National Competition

Ok, I'm the person on the right wearing blue gloves. You can see my old knee support quite clearly here too.

This was a difficult round because my opponent seemed determined to take me out below the belt as you can see. Alex found this image on her club's website.

It was my only match of the day however and I'm very proud to say that she didn't get the better of me (I won and walked away with legs and integrity intact too) despite her loud shouting supporters and low kicking.

Thanks to Maria for the loan of her lucky head protection.



Friday, August 13, 2010

Shhh don't tell Mum

Well at least I can type...just! I'm sure it is no biggie but I bashed my thumb training TaeKwon Do last night sparring. Went to A&E and they did an x-ray. I'm told the bones are fine but today it is more swollen and much more painful. Going to give you a bell later Mum for expert know how. For now I learn the value of my thumbs!

Whimper

Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Gift of Confidence: a Vygotskian View of Emotions

‘Our investigation is guided by the realization that human beings come into existence, attain consciousness and develop throughout their lives in relationship to others.’ 
Holbrook Mahn & Vera John-Steiner (2002)

Singing Tree- image taken from the linked website

Go here to listen. Thanks Scott for posting this on Facebook!

http://www.visitburnley.com/countryside/SingRing.php


Wednesday, August 11, 2010