Traditional Taekwondo Techniques Blog

The Fifth Precept of Gichin Funakoshi by Mireille Clark

noreply@blogger.com (Mir) — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:48:00 +0000

5. Spirit first, technique second.

It has taken me years of contemplation on this precept to even start to come to the understanding of what it is trying to say. I offer the following personal interpretation:

Inner Spirit is what makes a person continue despite set backs, limitations, mistakes, ridicule, and other challenges. Without the right Spirit in training, you cannot advance in technique. There has to be a mental environment of willingness to commit to the movements, dedication to achieving results, and courage to continue to allow a person to experience success.

Fear stops us. Fear of doing it wrong, Fear of being hurt, Fear of looking silly, Fear of being rejected, Fear of being too old/young/weak, etc. Fear motivates us to abandon the effort. We may choose to complain about others who have applied themselves and succeeded rather than think that we could have achieved the same, and maybe even better, if only we had put in the right Spirit with our efforts.

How many years can you stand in a dojo and do the same movements as others, and never ever understand the lessons contained in those exercises because you are only doing "just enough" to pass to the next rank? It's because your Spirit is lacking that you cannot experience the Art in what you are doing. Your heart doesn't beat fast with the exertion, and you cannot exhilarate in the flow of the movement because you haven't commited everything that you have into that strike. You have to picture WHAT you are doing with your movements so that you understand WHY you are doing them. Once you have acquired that knowledge then a world of possibilities opens to you.

Right inner Spirit is what is necessary in a self defense moment... with or without skill and technique. That inner desire, and focus to survive, and walk away from a confrontation will be more important than any complicated maneuver that you had learned in class. Your mind will find a way to keep you safe using the tools that you had provided yourself. If you spent all of your training time worried about how well your outfit looked, or trying to avoid doing the exercise properly because it was too difficult or physically draining, then you will have limited tools.

This is the same with life. Proper Spirit towards what we do, and why we do it, will allow us to benefit the most from every moment. We only have a limited amount of time on this planet to affect ourselves, and those around us. If we choose to put forth a positive, responsible, and grateful attitude in everything that we do, we can expect that this will become a good catalyst in the world around us ( even if we do not see instant results). If we choose to just mechanically move through the motions, then we will get limited results.

Train with your Spirit. How?

a) Face a challenge with a "yes" attitude. Do your best, and learn from the rest.

b) Ask your body to give more than what you think it can do. Tell yourself that you can do 1 more, and then do it.

c) Make each move in your training count. Feel the response of your body as it shifts weight, and work towards improving your balance, your power, your timing, etc.

d) Avoid looking at the clock. Time will continue whether or not you know what time it is.

e) Focus on what you are doing, and not what others are not doing. They are responsible for themselves and will get the results that they deserve from their efforts.

f) Be grateful for what you have achieved today. You are never guaranteed a tomorrow.. so be happy that today you were able to do what you did.

--
Colin Wee
Chung Sah Nim Joong Do Kwan (Perth)
Shihan, Hikaru Dojo
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Slagging MMA Kicks

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 02:47:00 +0000

Taekwondo gets slagged all the time.

And while I constantly make the distinction that not all Taekwondo is the Taekwondo I do, sometimes I look at who's doing the heckling and I wonder why some people aren't getting some of their own medicine back.

Today, let's slag MMA kicks. :-) Specifically the roundhouse kick taken from Muay Thai. Muay Thai exponents do them and they are purportedly the most powerful kicks out there. So everyone does them. But not everyone is a Muay Thai practitioner. And therefore not everyone is really doing the kick quite as nicely as a Muay Thai guy would do.

You know what I mean. Go to most any MMA competition and see how the roundhouse kick is done. Then compare it to the real deal in a Muay Thai competition. The MMA roundhouse kick is most likely the practitioner swinging the leg towards the opponent. It's a flail with little control. I'm not saying there's no power, but when you see a floppy foot, or an uncontrolled drop at the end of the kick - that's a far cry from the devastating roundhouse that you see from a Muay Thai practitioner.

Check out this following video to see how a Muay Thai kick is really delivered!

I included that first video of a MMA guy doing a roundhouse kick randomly picked from Youtube. To be fair to him, he's not doing a bad job. There is some control appropriate for the amount of power generation. And I like it that he demonstrated the kick at all three levels. But he's still looking a bit awkward using his upper body to pick the leg up from the ground and could increase his hip strength to improve this extraneous movement.

Why stop at slagging poorly done MMA roundhouse kicks. Let's look at the karate roundhouse kick - the mawashigeri. In fact, I really like the short range mawashigeri - it's one of my favourite kicks as it creates loads of power with a good amount of subterfuge. The short range mawashigeri folds the leg in a tight space, uses body compression to generate power and unleashes a very devastating kick in a small space.

The following video however is karate training methodology taken a little too far - let's fold and chamber the knee all the way around so everyone can see it coming. Chambering the knee at a height where you're going to deliver it but off at a 90 degree bearing to the target means you are not using the beautiful rotational/circumferential momentum that a roundhouse kick relies on. What am I talking about? Just draw a straight line from your foot to the target - the more deviation away from that line, the more inefficient is the kick. Of course there is that one tactical problem of letting the opponent see the kick coming from a mile away too.

Long range roundhouse kicks are swung using the body as a counterweight. The body is turned away in order for the leg to be swung around. The hips are the fulcrum and rotate in order for the leg to reach out. Check out yet the following random video I took off youtube.

One key success factor which Master Wu doesn't really talk about is to not to displace the centre of gravity too far backward. Many beginners lean back too much to try and get that lift happening in their kick.. In fact, one of the best points of the first MMA video is that the guy steps toward his opponent before throwing the kick at mid-range. Now I'm not saying that stepping in diagonally is the best way to initiate a kick, but it is a good tactical move to generate solid power and is fine for a sportive exchange.

The next key success factor is to not use the swinging of your hands to try and raise the legs. Who has seen a roundhouse kick coming? Everyone. Well, it's up to you to stop telegraphing. Develop your leg and hip muscles but kicking the air, kicking shields and kicking the bag. Do it slowly. Do it fast. Kick targets lightly. Switch off light switches with your toe. Get control over the leg and you'll be able to pull it off so smoothly the opponent won't see it coming until it's speeding up and crossing the gap!

Happy to get come backs from any MMA/Karate guys out there.

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Scoop Block from Wonhyo

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:54:00 +0000

The Scoop Block out of Wonhyo - can you see it in Step 19 and Step 22? In the diagram it's labelled Circular Block rather than a scoop.

I've seen (and I also teach) applications for this against a simple kick punch combination. Some use the circular technique against a leg to capture it to effect a takedown. Yet another Youtube application shows a funky circular block to defend against a roundhouse punch.

There are so many other (and better) ways to deal with basic attacks it's not even funny anymore. Also a capture is so much better when the 'scoop' is outside of the body frame, rather than right in front of it. Has no one stopped to ask what happens if you miss capturing the strike, I wonder. As for using a circular block as an arm lock - not entirely rubbish, but I know you don't have much experience doing arm locks so I'll give you points for trying.

The Scoop Block comes into it's own not against a foot or arm strike, but against a person grabbing you in a clinch or half clinch. The big reach over and scoop under can be done on the same side to capture one arm and ends up grabbing the other elbow. The kick performs a leg reap and the punch either dumps the attacker's head to the floor or punches him after he lands.

This is an excellent tactical skill to have. You are in front of a non-compliant opponent, have tried to do 'something' with his arm or take him down. And then are now capturing his arm and peforming a leg reap takedown. If not in a sportive or friendly situation, the arm control provides management of weapon arm, leaving the other arm free to continue to strike opponent.

Looking at variations on the theme - if I take the 'Twin outer forearm block' as a 'helmet' type self defence cover, you can gap close through a melee, and then use the lead arm to scoop an opponent's extended arm.

If you ever been hit, you'd know covering up is GOOD FOR YOU!

The resulting 'High inward single-hand shuto' then comes into its own as it brings the back hand downward in a serious response against a very aggressive opponent. You just apply it onto the shoulder or onto the neck as you are comfortable with. See the following image I'm borrowing off the web ...

This is about what I'm trying to get at. :-) And so should you.

With an attacker's arm captured, you can do strikes and takedowns fairly easily.

Enjoy!

Colin

Taekwondo Won-hyo List of Posts

Won-hyo: Defending Against a Kick Punch Combination
Won Hyo: Defend Against Anything!!
Making Kata Work for You
Taekwondo Hyung: Won-Hyo Step 27 & 28 as Over the Shoulder Throw
Won-Hyo: Defensive Side Kick
Won Hyo: Scoop Block v Kick Punch Combo
Calibrating the Side Kick
Won Hyo Hyung Side Kick
Won-hyo: Where are your eyes on the back of your arse?
Won-hyo: The Kihon Kata Koma
Won-hyo: The Taekwondo Side Kick
I've Broken My Finger and Have Lost the Will to Fight
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Acquiring Roundhouse Kicking Power

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:17:00 +0000

I was working with a couple of young practitioners on the lawn a few days ago, and I noticed one of them kicking but only kicking with the leg. Kicking with the leg? Aren't all kicks done with the leg? Well, yes, but that's not what I mean. What I meant was that, I know that kicking power was quite important to this young man, and while I'm sure he felt like he could apply some power into his leg, well, what I was seeing was that he wasn't applying as much power as he could.

Many people equate striking power with fitness and muscle strength. The faster or stronger you are, the more power you can put into your strike - it's logical. But that only works when you are applying power correctly in the first place. For instance, if you're flapping your arms, straining to raise your leg up, feel unbalanced after sending your leg out, or if you take a little longer to get back to a guard position after firing a kick, well, chances are your kick isn't as effective as it could be.

Fitness and strength would only help you improve on a kick that's already good. Fitness and strength isn't going to give you a powerful kick.

So back to this informal session I had. My young friend had power through his leg but his body was fairly relaxed. The leg was basically a jab. What I wanted to explain was that for that particular long range 'roundhouse' kick, the power generation was done using a 'pendulum' type swing. It's not about just extending your leg and hitting the target.

So I got my friend in front of me and performed his kick on his gut. I made sure to hold my body still and kick him with enough power that he knew that the kick was solid. The kick hit, and for sure, you could see the hydrostatic shock going through his gut. Then what I did was to show him that for the force represented by the leg, it was connected to the body at the hip - that was the fulcrum, and the counterweight was the body. So what I wanted to do was to link the power of the leg to the greater mass of the body.

So I set up for a new kick, this time ratcheting the power of my leg down so that you could visually see that the power of the kick was less that what I levied on him at first. The second kick however, engaged my body mass more because I tightened up my core mucles, linked it up with the extension of the leg and the swinging motion of the kick. Upon impact I increase muscle tension so that the mass of the body was 'transmitted' into the target more effectively.

As the power of the kick went through his body, you could see the realisation that even if the leg was relaxed, the increased mass driving the circumferential momentum spiked the power applied by the strike.

The next question out of him was a very pertinent one - he doesn't see the body moving as much as a counterweight as indicated by my basic explanation. It's true. But the counterweight can still be applied effectively if you tighten the muscles at the right time, the shifting of the body and the hip need not be so overt as to show an equal and opposite movement because the body is not piece of machinery - all you need is the correct muscle control immediately before and immediately after the point of impact.

Links

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Chinese New Year 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:55:00 +0000

I'm planning a trip to Singapore, Chinese New Year 2013. Looking forward to meeting any fellow practitioners there, if anyone is interested.
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Taekwondo - Where is the Lock from?

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 04:33:00 +0000

Taekwondo has striking techniques, gap closing tactics, close quarter techniques, traps, locks and takedowns.

It is easy to say, hey, where did that wristlock come from; and similarly as easy to respond, it is a kotegaeshi wrist turn out from Aikido, or some leg reaping throw from Judo.

The fact however is that we don't train in aikido. Taekwondo's methodology is predominantly a linear-based style, a 'hard' style. We strike with hands and feet. But eventually any practitioner will have to forego the contraints of the methodology or style, look at objectives and do what is most appropriate at the time. Sometimes strikes and kicks flow into traps and locks. Eventually, some technique will be used that may not look entirely like kickboxing.

Kickboxing ... just to point out for arugment's sake ... is something which we do not do!

Aiki is something in which I enjoy greatly. But when it comes to our stylistic approach, whatever wrist lock or throw we use, is used and taught in the world view of a Taekwondo practitioner. It finds its place within the hyung we use, integrated with our self defence approach, and fits into our exercises hopefully in a useful and value-enhancing manner.

There is an idea that martial artists 'soften' with old age. For me, soften is not an accurate term, especially when looking at our stylistic approach. I am still a hard style, hip rotating, kicking and striking artist. 'Softening' is more accurately termed 'maturing' where I look at physical efficiencies and power generation tactics. But no, you don't see me turning into a predominantly throws and locks guy ... it's not going to happen.

Colin

Aikido Philosophy and Taekwondo Technique ... is it possible?
Handlocks for Hard Stylists
Taekwondo v Aikido
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Walking Up the Arm

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 13:06:00 +0000

Taekwondo Wonhyo features the very strange but captivating double forearm block sequence in steps 1-3

Taekwondo Pattern Won-hyo opens like Heian Nidan - with a double outside forearm block called Haiwan Uke in Japanese. And what follows is as I've just described - a "very strange but captivating" sequence of movements. In Karate, it's performed as an inside hammerfist strike, and then an outside horizontal hammerfist strike. In Taekwondo, it's been modified to a inside shuto, then a pull back of the punching hand and foot, and then a sideways 'mid punch.'

Let's take a look at where the Taekwondo student is while learning won-hyo. Up to this pattern, the practitioner should have learned enough basic techniques to be an effective striker and should be able to hurt an opponent's extremities (if not to break bones and joints), shut them down with blunt force trauma to head or core, and take down the opponent using simple throws and takedowns.

The way I see this sequence is as a gap closing tactic to 'walk up the opponent's arm.'

I've seen a number of applications to show how to apply this as a group of random blocks or strikes to an opponent - all of which become redundant considering you were already trained to hurt your opponent's joints and knock his lights out with more direct basic strikes.

It can be seen as the next progression of skills from those derived from the pull back or hikite movement from basic techniques. With the pull back hand, the student knows that you can use the non-striking hand to apply a pull back force while striking. Great when you've got that one shot opportunity - if the opponent is slowed down dealing with other things like working with a weapon, or dealing with multiple opponents, or if you are fast and accelerate enough so the opponent is left flinching in response to your attack. The pull back hand holds the opponent at bay and drags him to you while you strike him with your free hand.

This sequence from Won-hyo gets you to 'walk up the opponent's arm' so you can respond to the opponent grabbing you, or if your arms become entwined in his arms, or if you grab your opponent's arms.

The upper 'block' drags the opponent's arm toward you similar to what you'd do for an over the shoulder throw. The mid level block becomes a limb or joint destruction. Then the folding/chambering sequence allows you to grab or immobilise the arm and the final move is a lethal strike to opponent's neck or body.

Such skills to reduce the gap and drag the opponent also require you to think about the opponent's secondary weapon, the usage of your body to level the opponent's joints, and how best would you effect 'insertion' whilst the opponent is trying to counter strike at your body or head (see Overwhelm the Opponent). Many of these issues are resolved with this tactical sequence.

Keep practicing my brothers!

Colin

I'd like to give a special thanks to Traditional Taekwondo Techniques blog reader Attila Endre Kovacs from Hungary who contacted me and alerted me to the fact my domain was down. Attila has been practicing for almost as long as I have, and has great passion for what he does. I wish him all the best for his martial art and his continuing search for solutions and ideas to help him stay on the path.
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Taekwondo Won-Hyo Scoop Block

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:15:00 +0000

It's there in step 19 and 22 of Taekwondo Pattern Won-hyo, the arms move like you're gracefully turning a large steering wheel. In the pattern diagram above, it's called a 'Circular block,' but I normally call it a scoop block. You could use it as a block, no doubt. In fact almost any movement can offer an obstacle to an opponent trying to hit you or hurt you.

But this is more than just a simple parry. The circular motion for instance is something that I want to apply to an extended 'something,' a limb, a neck, etc. It's easy to think of it against a kick. The arms encircle the extended leg, and the front kick in step 20 is fired at the support leg, groin or lower abdominal region.

It can also be used to capture the arm and/or wrap around the neck. If you wrap your arm around the neck, the front leg kick will surely hit something that can't move back. The 'pumping' action of the arms can also indicate that your body can rotate left or right, thus wrenching the neck and the upper body left or right with you. It's a devastating hold.

In practice, I use the scooping motion as a deflection for a kick, the front hand against a jab, and then the continuing circular motion as a block to a cross. It's a nice drill against a combination attack which may come very naturally. The scoop of course can be alternated with a leg block, and the arms can continue the circular 'windshield' wiping motion to stop oncoming attacks. The scooping and circular motion is a great way to get your arms moving in front of your face to stop things from landing. Sometimes it's just useful to be able to block something you know is coming but you can't see it yet.

Why I like to envision this as a control over an arm, is that I see other techniques focusing on the elbow in Won-hyo (see Overwhelm the Opponent, Over-the-shoulder Throw, and Chulgi: Punching Across the Body). Yes, I cite a technique taken from Chulgi - which refers to the 'koshi gamae' or hip preparatory stance or the ol' tea cup saucer. The hands pull to the hip, and what do you think they drag? One of the things they get to hold on to is the opponent's elbow. It makes a lot of sense to grab onto the elbow and either hyperextend the shoulder (if the elbow is bent) or just hyperextend the elbow, if the arm is straight. Both are equally good.

Keep practicing!

Links
Taekwondo Pattern Won-hyo list of posts

--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Getting the Most from Traditional Taekwondo Techniques Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 04:10:00 +0000

I never thought I needed to play tour guide on this blog. But hey, we've got more than 450 posts here! Of course many were written and fired from the hip - but that's what you get from going non-commercial (and beside the point)!!! I joke, of course.

However, if you want more from this blog, we'll need your participation and most importantly, feedback. For instance, look through the image below. 1 post for Choong-moo and 5 for Choong-gun. Now, who's fault is that? (A. Yours) If you want me to keep working at it, let's talk some more. Let's present ideas, chat about what works, and what doesn't work for you. Visit our school on FaceBook and send me your video links! I'm up to discuss anything, but would probably benefit from a little prodding.

Now, the main thing here is you can surf through this site several ways. You should check out the links on the Sitemap, and then scroll through the categories list to focus in on the particular Hyungs that you are working on right now. Of course you can read the latest article, but *anyone* can do that.

Certainly I was hoping to see more people come to our Traditional Taekwondo page on FaceBook. Please come say hi and, again, tell us what you're interested in reading. This resource was built as an opportunity to look at what Traditional Taekwondo is, for both my students and for everyone else.

Looking forward to seeing readers become more proactive.
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Simultaneous Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 05:24:00 +0000

The one steps I talked about in Had Enough of that Traditional One Step Nonsense typically refers to counters or go no sen type tactics. Meaning you see an opponent's move, you block/cover/parry and return the strike. That's how many of the one steps I learned early on were taught; they were a way to introduce basic techniques and to build skills to help distancing and timing.

I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss simultaneous attacks or sen no sen tactics. What I mean by this is you see the opponent about to move, you read approximately what he's going to do, and you fire off a tactic that lands at about the same time. The opponent's strike never lands because your's lands either first or because you've successfully moved away or curved out the body part your opponent was targeting.

Here are a few 'staple' simultaneous tactics:

Side thrust kick to groin or like above to ribs

The opponent is in the process of throwing a side kick (that's easy to read) or a long range roundhouse kick. You go close, lean backwards, and fire off a rising side thrust kick that aims the opponent's groin. It's a devastating kick when it hits you in the ribs, and much more so when it strikes an opponent who has a leg lifted to kick you.

Front kick to abdominals

The front kick is a no nonsense kick that's hard to read even if the opponent is facing directly at you. This can be done against many mid height or higher kicks, but is beautifully done against an opponent who likes to do that loping muay thai roundhouse kick. The front kick fired from the front leg needs to travel much less than other kicks, and will always get there first.

Low side kick to support leg

This is one of my favourites, but I'd really caution you whilst using this in training - most people (like about 90% of practitioners) don't have much control over their kicks. So if you use the low side kick to the knee to reach out to the support leg, you're going to be losing quite a few of your training buddies and popularity points. Low side kicks to support legs are great to use against almost all kicks. The opponent lifts their leg off the ground and whilst their kick is in the air, you can use your leg to block and then attack the support leg - which can't move from the ground.

Leg sweep. Or at least, trying to sweep the leg.

Leg sweeps are great to use against sliding side kicks or tornado type kicks. The opponent is not able to 'see' you dropping out of his radar too clearly, and the sweep takes out the support leg. Please try not to use this against people who have no clue about breakfalling.

High roundhouse against a punch or attack to upper gate.

I love using the high roundhouse closer than most - you can use the leg to reach up between the opponent's arms - and especially insinuate it through the arms when he's reaching out for you.

Hook kick to the head

One of my favourite taekwondo techniques when I was a younger black belt was a hook kick to the head. The opponent can be coming in for a jab or lunge punch or backfist. It doesn't matter - the hook kick crests the shoulder and the opponent sees the foot about 10 centimeters away from their head before it hits.

Turning back kick

The turning back kick can be used as a simultaneous attack or while retreating. The turning distracts the opponent and you are able to use your back leg to find that hole between his guard, and perhaps distance yourself away from your opponent. It's one of the more valuable 'gimmicky' kicks in your arsenal.

Short S Kick to the Knee

I've got some beef with Wing Chun instructors who talk smack about their art and put down everyone else's - of course that's only the opinion I've got from meeting the few wing chun practitioners I have come across. But one thing I really like about Wing Chun is the short range kicks they use. Their kicks counter kicks, support legs, and can be used to deal with strikes to the upper gate quite well - as can be seen above. The best is that the kick can be done without offsetting your centre of gravity too much, which means you can effectively use both your hands and legs in combination against your opponent.

Knowing the sens helps improve the way you train and how you drill techniques. As you can see, I've chosen kick heavy tactics, though when you start looking at reactive counters, simultaneous counters and then premptive attacks as a continuum, you get the idea that all your techniques are there to help you flow from one state to another.

Enjoy!
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Perspective on Punching with Vertical Fist v Horizontal Fist

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 02:19:00 +0000

This is a rehash of an old post on here titled Vertical and Horizontal Fist, which referred to Pat's Hook Punch, Vertical or Horizontal, that featured a video from Nat. I remember once in a martial arts forum, one of the older and fairly respected members inadvertently started a flame war because he began a post saying the basic punch starts like so on the ribs, gets rotated and hits when it's horizontal. That's not my aim, instead of a flame war, let's look at the horizontal fist and vertical fist from my perspective as an instructor.

In the video, Nat talked about using a vertical hook punch because of power, and varying it to a horizontal fist to gain reach in striking a taller opponent. In my original post, I talk about the 'lifecycle' of the punch where - at the halfway mark, you see the first rotating into the vertical fist, and then at full extension it corkscrews into the horizontal fist.

In our style, the staple punch impacts as a Karate punch does. At full extension we strike with the front face of the first two knuckles. We make impact using this weapon, because that's what we do - we train for it. So it is a preference, and it starts making sense trying to hit people with this part of the fist first.

Front face of the first two knuckles is our staple impact area

Generally, this contact area is used at full extension or when we're putting a lot of force behind the strike.

However, this is not the only punch we use. As I discussed, the 'lifecycle' of the punch means that we can make contact at any point before full extension, and that will be considered a 'punch' as good as anything else we got.

The vertical fist is also a legitimate tool, hitting with a different part of the fist

Yes, that's another image I ripped off the net showing a vertical fist. This is what we use typically when we make contact before the punch is fully extended. If you think of wing chun's straight blast, or any upset punch, hook punch, and uppercut - that sums it up. The contact point is no longer the front face of the first two knuckles but the lower three knuckles.

Mostly the difference between the horizontal or vertical fist is in the rotation of the arm and the closeness of the elbow to vertical axis. Meaning if I were to corkscrew and hit with a roundhouse punch/horizontal fist, this punch would be driven by shoulder rotation, my elbow is pointing out, and I would be striking with rotational momentum driven by arm and shoulder muscles. If I were to hit with a 'wing chun' type vertical fist, the elbow is dropped to six o'clock and I am hoping to lock the punch and deliver body mass through the legs at maximum impact.

The roundhouse gets the elbow lifted up, traveling parallel to the ground, and is driven with shoulder rotation

There are variations of course. I don't have to do a shoulder rotation roundhouse. I can power an 'oi zuke' lunge punch with a fist held more or less horizontal, with elbow rotated downwards to maybe 8 o'clock or 4 o'clock which allows me to use linear acceleration into my opponent. That's a great long distance tactic that few Taekwondo practitioners do nowadays.

This lunge punch is not entirely locked or connected to the body - look at the raised shoulder

This horizontal fist is not nearly fully extended, but you can see it's held closer to the body with elbow pointing maybe at around 4 o'clock

Loads of people talk about striking power of the strike in comparison to other strikes. For instance, many would say the boxer's punch is the most powerful strike. It's the most powerful strike because that's what they train in day-in-day-out, for sure. Aren't we all trying to make each strike as powerful as we can?

I think more importantly, it is important to communicate that different strikes and angles of entry help us achieve tactical advantage.

o Roundhouse punches for instance, allow me to crest the lead arm or shoulder and strike to the head.
o Lunge punches allow me to reach an opponent and strike through raised arms.
o Vertical punches allow me to flow between blocking and trapping, striking and locking very quickly.
o Short range reverse punches allow me to generate a lot of power in the short range while not looking like I'm doing so.

Punching over barriers is no problem

The most common mistake I see nowadays occurs because many beginners train with bag and gloves outside class. Many practitioners who use a bag tend to prefer lifting the elbow for a roundhouse punch, and to impact with the bottom three knuckles. That is a fine punch for when you're using a bag and gloves. However if you use those mechanics for all your strikes, it starts to reduce the versatility of punching angles and may in fact result in injuries if you impact really hard areas of the head with the smaller bones in your hand.

Punching with gloves is great, but you don't wear your bag gloves anywhere else

To gain the tactical advantages mentioned above, beginners should be allowed to make impact with targets at various ranges. Specifically using a dropped elbow and vertical fist in the short range, a horizontal fist with dropped elbow at full extension, and a relaxed shoulder rotated horizontal fist at medium range. Of key importance is to develop the front face of the knuckles as a viable striking tool first - given that the bottom three knuckles are used intuitively by most untrained students.

We also make it very apparent when beginners start, the difference between a lunge type strike and one that is driven by shoulder rotation. This distinction (fingers crossed) helps the beginner understand different punches generate power differently. Of course you can move from one method of generating power to another, stepping and rotate at the same time. But if you've just got the stand-there-hit-the-bag mindset, that fluidity may not be as intuitive as you think.

Keep training tiger ...

Links
Making the Taekwondo Punch less Upsetting
Traditional Taekwondo Perspective on the Chambered Fist
Taekwondo's Close Quarter Punches ... say again?
Reverse Snap Punch on a Makiwara

Note: Please help me support a free presentation I'm giving Nov 07 2012 here in Perth titled 'Building Resiliency Against Childhood Bullying.' My new company SuperParents is taking the best resources from martial arts and helping make a difference in the community. Would very much appreciate any support you can give.

Cheers,

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Had Enough of That Traditional One Step Nonsense

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 02:08:00 +0000

... so said the MMA Warrior to all who cared.

Last night, we visited a cornerstone of that 'traditional' nonsense - the one step sparring exercise.

I'm sure you're familiar with this worn routine. It was performed with a side step to the outside and a knife hand parry to the oncoming extremity, countering with a roundhouse kick to the midsection, and then control/trap reverse punch to the floating ribs.

Photo One: Colin wearing standard battle order

What we wanted to do with this exercise was discuss what happens if the opponent varies the level of the strike, and the underlying assumption is that we don't want to leave any part of our body near the oncoming weapon. This could be because it's a knife or a broken bottle, or because you haven't really seen what he's actually packing and you certainly don't want to leave your body in the way to find out.

Photo Two: Side-step-drag into a back stance variant to displace upper body

I side-step-drag into a back stance. As you can see my body has shifted off my previous centre-line. What is the first thing you might pick out is that instead of the normal upright back stance, Colin is in this wierd crouching-tiger-hidden-dragon position. That's because the opponent has come at me with a high section attack; I want to get my head away from it, cover nicely, and then use my front leg as the first choice to counter the opponent. Of course the choice of counter is entirely dependent on you and the situation.

Photo Three: Emptying the body and pulling that leg back

The opponent is now taking a slash to my mid section. I've chosen to pull the front leg back and empty or curve out my body. Hey, it's a neko ashi dachi cat stance! And here you thought you'd would never see that outside a competition arena. Now instead of the high section knife hand block, I've performed a low knife hand defence which parries or deflects the slashing motion. As you can see the upper body and head has not been displaced as much as in Photo Two, and the hips are pulled as far back as possible in the same side-step-drag motion we used in Photo Two.

Photo Four: Pulling that leg away.

In this last photo, I've side-step-rotated into a 'horse stance' or straddle stance or whatever 'nonsense' traditional label that's been applied to it. This is in response to not wanting your leg anywhere near a downward slashing motion or a strike aimed at the leg itself. As you can see, the leg has moved much more than in the first two photos, and the blocking hand is now an open hand, downward parry. The back hand has moved to cover the upper right quadrant - a position which could be used in the other two photos with good effect too.

There are many positives about 'situational combat' training that traditionalists should take heed of. It is important to cover, be aware of primary and secondary weapons, getting the body out of the way, cover/parry/block/trap tactics, etc. And doing all of that in a fluid dynamic exercise.

There is nothing wrong with tradition if tradition was the opportunity to discuss valuable 'street worthy' options. Are you progressively being stressed? Is your body moving enough to make your heart pound in your chest? Do you feel like your opponent is attacking you for real? Or are you just going through the same routine without thinking?

Don't knock it, folks. Traditional training is good training - it always has been. Being locked in the past however ... that was never what it was designed to be.

Keep practicing.

Colin

Links
Taekwondo One Step Sparring
The Art of the Head on Collision
Common Strategy
Taekwondo One Step Sparring (Different from above)

--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
Founder The SuperParents A Team
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Colin's Taekwondo v Taekwondo's Colin

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:35:00 +0000

I had an enjoyable chat with a high dan ranked instructor recently. Invariably, we talked about our varied experiences, and how to deliver those influences through our system. It surprised me to hear him say when he leaves his current system, he wants to approach his system like how I do. That piqued my interest, and made me think of another recent meeting I had a few months ago with a senior ITF instructor. That instructor also surprised me by asking me if I had created my own forms - as he had done so for his own school. My response was that I was still working on my black belt level patterns - both Taekwondo and Okinawan that continue to shape my philosophy. Eventually, all of it flows through the structure of Taekwondo. Even if I spent a day with some space traveler who taught me alien kung fu, and I found some new technique which I just had to 'borrow', and then replicated it in class - that ceases it being extra terrestrial, and it starts it's new life within the kwan. But just to be sure you understand, it doesn't boil down to a free-for-all grab fest of techniques. The 100 ways of explaining the same motion? That doesn't float my boat. Traditional Taekwondo's patterns have a personality, they speak to you of tactics and strategy. And in turn that makes you filter the world for Taekwondo as a living entity. I could not possibly add something that is alien to Taekwondo if it doesn't fit. My job is to look for that fit, and to let that natural assimilation occur. This is the extent of my ego on the art - and that is how my kwan works. Keep it real, my brothers.

Links
Choi: The Beginning
My Work as a Curator of a Taekwondo System
Taekwondo is the SAME as Karate
Historical Lessons Beyond Historical Facts
Karate v Taekwondo
1967 Choi Hong Hi Meets up with Mas Oyama
My Perspective on Taekwondo Sucks?
... and that's found in Traditional Taekwondo?
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
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Browned Out

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 05:54:00 +0000

We were working on an arm throw last Sunday inspired by Chulgi hyung.

The throw is done after bypassing opponent's attack, gap closing and controlling the neck from the outside. Several variations were shown. Of note the variations either trapped same side arm or opposite side.

I partnered up with a recently promoted 3rd gup student - and found myself in the rather unsettling position of having both arms trapped, having my neck controlled, leg jammed, and thrown by a very large and enthusiastic brown belter who outweighs me by about 20 kilos and towers over me. I am thrown and forced to breakfall with my feet, and then find my arm controlled and hyperextended. One knee crashes into my chest and the other hovers expectantly over my face.

Is it supposed to be anything other than devastatingly brutal?

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
Hikaru Dojo Shihan
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Locks and Throws Workshop July 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 06:34:00 +0000

Over the weekend we had the Locks and Throws Workshop as part of our continuing series to welcome practitioners from other schools to visit with us. The idea was to use this series as an opportunity to network with other instructors and their students, share openly what we do, and to grow through such encounters.

Traditional Taekwondo is not well known for its locks and throws. From my observation, locks and throws for hard stylists appear as either a 'module' within one or two mid-level belt ranks, or are introduced one at a time within the patterns up until black belt. This session sought to take that basic framework and try to apply it as part of the participant's combative skill - thus much of what we did started off from a trap/strike scenario, rather than from a wrist grab as most beginning locks are taught.

A good few of the participants we had had very little exposure to hand locks or throws or immobilisation techniques. However, because we were using rather simple motions to flow around the upper extremities, the rate of progression was surprisingly high. In fact, most kept up with our approach to short range combat, as well as orientating themselves with the prescribed locks.

It was good to introduce other concepts: our use of locks and throws within multi-opponent scenarios, issues of dealing with secondary weapons, and introducing leg throws using the same principles that were used during handlocks.

At the end of the session, I had a nice opportunity to chat with one of the participants who complimented me on my form, and who said it was clear how much time I have spent practicing what I do. The conversation quickly steered to how much we all liked training and learning about our various systems - and this is why I do what I do. I could easily hold off and continue doing only weekly classes. But bringing people together for intra-school workshops helps me present the material from a rarefied perspective and this helps consolidate the subject matter for my students. If other practitioners benefit from it at the same time, why not? We can all grow together!

Appreciation goes to Kidokwan Taekwondo, Vincent's Chinese Martial Arts and Wu Wei Dao for supporting this event. Gratitude to our group of uke Christian, Daniel San, and Joshua.

Photos from the workshop are available at JDK's FaceBook page.

Links
Smash with Your Foot Workshop Feb 2012

--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Women Self Defence - Developing a World Class Offering

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:14:00 +0000

I started researching material for women self defence classes from 1991 as part of my black belt program whilst training in the US. The following year I was invited by a friend in Asia to provide a 2 day training course through Association for Women for Action and Research. The course I delivered however only started on its quantum leap when I embarked on a rigorous commercialisation process from 2001 onwards. Below I will present some of my insights on how I developed a world class offering which has been used as the framework for some martial arts instructors and law enforcement officers internationally.

Why Have you Chosen to Deliver a One Off Course?
How do you teach a person to be effective in under 6 lessons? This is a challenge for any thinking martial art instructor and proves to be a challenge for all self defence courses. Basically it's difficult to squeeze in enough material and practical training in a few hours for a women to be effective in physical self defence. My thinking however is that fewer participants want to start off with a longer course, and I needed to get women through the door to listen to the material. So I developed a course that was heavier on theory and awareness, that provided thinking and tactical skills, that overviewed the opponents they may face, and that had a plan of action for such a situation.

You Have a Theme to Your Course?
The theme of my course is 'Not All Bad Things Are Done by Bad People.' Women Self Defence is rarely about being jumped in a dark alleyway. From FBI statistics I researched, though this might be a few years old, 83% of women are victimised by someone they know. This means that more often than not this is an opportunistic crime which is perpetrated by a colleague, or friend, or acquaintance, or relative that the victim has previously trusted. With this in mind, my course had to prepare the victim for such a betrayal, to reduce the fight/flight response, to engage them in physical self defence with less of a delay, and to empower them to understand that using aggressive physical self defence tactics is appropriate in this situation. These are all difficult themes that I thought most other instructors would not be able to cover as well as I could, and therefore my course would be like the 'intro' for other longer courses which may help participants gain the physical skills they need to survive such an attack.

What is the Most Surprising Thing You've Discovered While Giving this Class?
The most surprising thing that I have discovered is that most participants are unwilling to use physical force against an attacker. This discovery was one of the impetus for me to create my Fight or Flight Visualisation Tool which allowed participants to create a situational analysis for themselves and to give themselves permission to engage in physical self defence. Creating this tool was the first step in elevating the quality of my offering, as it further spurred me to centre the course around the needs of the participant - rather than just to dwell on the 'how to' of delivering them a few easy 'deadly techniques'.

Have Classes been Easy to Deliver?
Most classes are. There have been one or two that have met difficulties. One was when I was engaged by a women's refuge to come talk with the ladies about the threats they are facing. For many of those participants however, the emotional rawness of their ordeal was still fresh - and the content of what we were discussing was uncomfortable to them. The second, and far more trivial, difficulty was when I was providing women self defence training to a privatised high school and for some reason my training partner couldn't come on the day we were practicing ground fighting techniques. I had to literally raise my voice - and not smile - to force those young girls on each other so we could continue the lesson.

What Professional Insight would You Share with Other Instructors?
Be precise with your words. This is a sensitive topic, and a simplistic approach to it is inappropriate. No one wants to be victimized. No one wants to be raped. But these participants are not trained fighters; they are unused to violence. So giving them a particular technique and presenting it as their sole survival tool puts the onus on them. This means that if they fail to initiate that technique or perform it correctly, and then if they get raped, the emotional burden will land on themselves. All because some instructor believed that encouragement may help increase their effectiveness. You must temper your words and chose them with care. Give the participants options, but remember that even a passive defence is part of their available options, and survival and recovery are their key objectives.

Any Further Insight?
The self defence instructor needs to ponder this. It doesn't matter if the sex started as consensual or even if both partners had a long history of consensual intercourse; even if in the midst of sex IF a woman decides that it's got to stop, from that point it ceases to be consensual and becomes a sexual assault. Problem is the women might be on a soft-ish surface, pressed down by an opponent who might otherwise be a nice person but who still outweighs them by about 20-40 kilos. They've got their legs splayed and they've got something thrusting into a bodily orifice. The woman might be experiencing the effects of some alcohol-induced haze but is otherwise calling for the person to stop. Now, over to you.

This post is part of a Women Self Defence blogging carnival organised

by myself but hosted by Charlie Wildish at his blog. Please visit his blog

and support this initiative by martial art bloggers by clicking on the button below.

For the main Blogging Carnival page, please click on

http://bunkaijutsu.com/2012/07/womens-defence-blogging-carnival

--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Axe Kick - A Risky Taekwondo Sparring Technique

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 01:17:00 +0000

I don't like the use of the axe kick in sportive Taekwondo sparring.

Videos referenced from Taekwondo Animals

The problem with the axe kick is that it has to be brought all the way up, and then dropped a little way in order to hit the opponent somewhere in the head/neck or shoulder region. Wouldn't it be easier kicking the opponent somewhere lower down on the body? It would certainly expend less energy. And look at how much of your body is exposed. This seems to be an overly a risky technique with a poor return on invested effort.

I once had a visiting black belt who used this particular axe kick frequently in sparring. None of our students could understand why - since it wasn't really hitting them. When I pulled her aside she said the kick was to knock someone out. So I told her to perform the kick, and I lunged in and took the downward falling axe kick right on my forehead - full force. Then looked her in the eye and said there's a problem with this kick. The problem is that there are only certain situations where it'll work really well - and most times an opponent who is positioned to strike you will not be in those 'certain situations.'

The counter proposed in the above video is to create distance and then return fire with a roundhouse kick. Wouldn't it be more logical to jam the rising axe kick? To block it in mid air? Then sweep the leg or perform a high level punch? The person has his leg all the way up and is perched on his support leg. He's not going anywhere!?

The way we practice the axe kick is if the opponent and defender are both grabbing onto a weapon - the kick is aimed at the hand or forearm or elbow or bicep. The impact is intended for mid level, and allows the defender to bring in an alternate weapon when both of his primary weapons are occupied. This strike is leveled at an opponent trying to wrestle a weapon away from defender, and the hope is to crush the bones in his hands or loosen his grip or hyperextend an elbow joint - all extremely 'lucrative' pursuits if you're trying to free a weapon to use against him or other opponents.

Look at the below diagram step 25b to 26 of Bassai, and then step 28a.

Bassai has moves that correlate to Taekwondo Pattern Hwa-rang

Both steps incorporate some leg lift and then a corresponding hand strike. The first move is a leg lift ala Toi Gye's mountain block, and is how we perform Hwa-rang step 24-25. The knee can be leveled against an attackers grab or wrist control or between a tug-of-war with a weapon. The knee strike hits hand or elbow region, loosening the grip, and the lower block comes dome on top of forearm or bicep to destroy the opponent's extremity. Same thing with step 28a - the axe kick makes impact with the opponent's extremity, then you sandwich a part of the opponent between left hand and right elbow. Nowhere do you see the axe kick performed as the finishing blow (ala the sparring video above).

Traditional Taekwondo Pattern Hwa-rang - we perform step 24-25 with an axe kick and then a lower block, elbow strike

Where I think this sportive axe kick might work would be for an opponent losing his balance or backpedaling. Or if he's performing a spinning technique and you are sure that spinning technique is going to go awry. Having that head and neck exposed means you can deliver the downward falling payload full force with less chance of retaliation.

Links
Taekwondo Techniques from Hwa-Rang
Taekwondo Back Kick is Risky but Lucrative
High Roundhouse Kick to the Head

--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Choi: The Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 04:43:00 +0000

I read Yoshikawa's Musashi a number of years ago, and have pondered the ever-shrinking lines of distinction between the real 16th Century polymath Miyamoto Musashi and Yoshikawa's fictionalised account of the sword saint.

One of my favourite martial arts books, Musashi is an important novel in the present-day cult worship of the 16th Century swordsman

Musashi is a long epic, detailing the journey of the Miyamoto Musashi beginning just after the Battle of Sekigahara, the insight he gained leading to his revolutionary and previously unheard of two sword style, and the climactic battle with Sasaki Kojiro on Ganryu Island. Written as an 'serial' for the Asahi Shimbun starting in 1935, Yoshikawa's Musashi, whilst based on fact, is popularly received as a true account of the man himself.

Yoshikawa's work was part of my inspiration for starting research on Choi: The Beginning, which is really a historical fiction series surrounding the Founder of Taekwondo General Choi Hong Hi. I have always felt there is too little literature in the world of Taekwondo world and I wanted to do something about it. So I set about researching events important to General Choi, from about when he was born in 1918 to 1960. I needed to see the world in which these Taekwondo pioneers lived in and when important personal events occurred. To gain further clarity I even juxtaposed these events with what was going on in the world of Karate.

Never ever forget how tough they had it. While there are the corollaries of the human condition, our world affords us luxuries that pioneers of Taekwondo never had. We must respect them for what they accomplished with what little they had.

My idea was to immerse myself in those years so I could recreate the sights and sounds of a Korea at war and in civil unrest. Then I busied myself extrapolating from what I found, filling in the gaps with my own perspective as a Traditional Taekwondo instructor.

While writing the series, a student of mine coincidentally loaned me a copy of Alex Gillis's A Killing Art. Already having the general historical background allowed me to really appreciate the work Alex Gillis did on the book. But it made me even more aware of Yoshikawa's lesson - and that was I shouldn't let facts get in the way of a good story.

Alex Gillis' book is an interesting read for any serious student of the art.

My series Choi: The Beginning started taking a life of its own very quickly. It started off with the mundane smells of cheap KT&G cigarettes and the constant resentment Koreans felt to the years of having the Japanese hell bent on erasing their cultural heritage. But where it really developed a 'hyper reality' for me was when I started 'repurposing' classical literature related to Taekwondo forms. For instance, Yulgok's Four Seven Debate on Myohap or 'Wondrous Fusion' helped describe Chonji's inseparable Heaven and Earth. Wonhyo's Geumgang Sammaegyeongnon or 'Exposition of the Adamantine Absorption Scripture' allowed me to look into Choi's mind and explain how he could extrapolate from his previous training to understand that "all positions have at least some validity" with the new Taekwondo system he was creating.

Yulgok's Four Seven debate on Myohap or wondrous fusion - 'repurposed' to reflect Choi's thinking.

These gems of course all made their way into the young General's personal journal, of which then landed in my hot little hands. What blew me away was being able to travel to Korea and seeing Yulgok's Myohap scratched as graffiti into the cell wall. Graffiti etched by no other than a young Choi who was imprisoned as a rebel by the Japanese army for his involvement in the Pyongyang Hak-byung incident. It's incredible how far a directed imagination can take you.

Of course, none of these things really happened, and in fact Alex Gillis, the authority on Taekwondo's early history would proffer a reality that is sinister, more political and much harder-to-swallow. But I fear there is little wisdom to be gained from that version of events.

Where am I at with this series? Like Musashi when he enters a township and is overwhelmed by the heat, the press of the people, and the powerful rhythm of a Taiko drummer using two batons, my next article is about how our young Choi is walking past the parade square on the way to a meeting and gets jolted by the movement and shouting coming from recruits practicing bayonet fighting drills. In that instant, he has the realisation of the timing that is necessary between footwork, hand strikes and long range attacks.

This is a Korean saying used to describe how a young Choi guided his group of students, and reflects the common thinking of traditional martial art instructors.

Certainly any serious practitioner has their perspective of what works, but is there a difference on how the Founder of a martial art gets to that point and beyond? What can you accomplish with an hour of your time? What did Choi Hong Hi accomplish with an hour of his time? What obstacles do you face? Do you know the enormity of the obstacles he faced? This series is as much a mirror for our own development as it is about Choi's.

Come discover what you can take away from this story at Totally Taekwondo Magazine.

Links
My work as a curator of a Taekwondo system
Historical lessons beyond historical facts
Never let an analogy get the better of you
1967 Choi Hong Hi meets up with Mas Oyama
Taekwondo History
FAQs

In the arts,

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Choong-gun: Double Punch

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 14:49:00 +0000

Yama Tsuki - Twin Fist Punch ... would you really ever do something like this?

A status update on FaceBook just recently had me writing that someone should put the above technique interpretation out of its misery. If ever there was an advantage for throwing multiple strikes at the same time, we'd be punching with both hands and throwing in a kick for good measure.

No, I don't like the idea of throwing two simultaneous strikes, unless somehow it was sandwiching something of the opponent between your two hands. And, no, I don't really care much for the yama tsuki bunkai as you see it above.

Choong-gun - Step 31 shows off Taekwondo's 'U-shaped' block in a back stance.

Today we practiced the twin fist or U-shaped block/punch as an actual strike against an opponent. We used the lead hand to grab onto the opponent's lead hand, strip it down and we launched a high level strike that crested over the opponent's shoulder to strike at the temple or behind the ear. The move works well even if the opponent is grabbing you (as opposed to you grabbing your opponent).

Most of the punches from our hyungs up to this level have been fired from the chambered position at the hip, through centreline to either middle, low, or high sections on the opponent. Such a strike is typically looked upon unfavourably by modern day practitioners who think boxing type punches are far superior than traditional martial style strikes. Choong-gun's twin fist punch however is the first strike that gets the elbow parallel to the ground - just like you were hitting a punching bag whilst bobbing or weaving under an opponent's strike.

Can you see the bottom hand applying some form of control to the opponent and the top striking
hand just tagging him in the head?

The lift of the elbow gets your arm over the opponent's shoulder and it allows you to 'expose' the front face of your knuckles. Without the lift of the elbow, striking a target which is much higher than your own face height means you are exposing more of your fingers to hard corners of the opponent's face. This means you are increasing the probability that your fingers might break if your punch doesn't land just right.

Apologies for the artwork - that's about the best I can do on MS Paint (actually it's the best I can do on any medium), but at least it shows one pragmatic solution for both arms being out at the same time. The base hand is pulling down on the opponent's lead arm, and the striking arm rises over opponent's shoulder.

The aspect of the head being lowered and the arm raising above it poses two scenarios. One is when your opponent is towering above you, and you are raising your entire arm to strike over his lead hand or shoulder. The next is if there is some tactical advantage to dropping your head whilst performing the strike.

The net effect of landing your fist in your opponent's face is that the opponent's head is rocked backwards and is stunned for a moment. Whilst you already have your centre of gravity forward, then there is an opportunity for you to do a takedown either wedging your body against his and disrupting his centre of gravity OR if you go for a leg grab takedown.

As Sanko from Soo Shim Kwan says, the move that I am referring to in Choong-gun is indeed depicted as a block in my style with hands held in a 'tiger-mouth' position. In my own syllabus I interpret this as a defence against a head grab either from front or back. However, given that there is tactical advantage of punching higher than head height, this is a good add on lesson for an intermediate belt at this stage of his training.

Keep training.

Taekwondo Choong-gun Links

Pragmatic Self Defence Images
Taekwondo Upset Punch
Choong-gun Mid Reverse Knife Hand Block
Why Yet Another Set of Side Kicks?

Question: Any readers from New Zealand, Singapore, or Italy here? I've got some travel planned and am wondering if anyone would like to train whilst I am visiting this year.
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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A Story about Saving a Little Girl

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Thu, 31 May 2012 05:58:00 +0000

Maritime Museum at Fremantle Black Belt Obstacle Course

This is a story about how I saved a little girl.

I refrain from using the word 'heroically' in the title just because there was no time to think about heroics, nor about ability, nor about the consequences of failure. As I often think about my role as an instructor, I was but the 'lens'.

A beautiful sunny day in Fremantle several years ago found my children and several friends at the Maritime Museum. It's got amazing architecture and beautiful sweeping views of the ocean. Go visit if you have the chance.

When we were finished, the other parents and their children exited the building through the big revolving glass door. It was a huge feature, and it was moving quite fast. I decided to take up the rear so everyone, including my children could go through safely.

As the last person through, I slowed to a walking pace when I entered and looked backward. To my dismay a little girl was walking toward me, and seemed intent on entering the revolving door. She was perhaps only 4 years old. So I put up my hand to indicate she should stop. But while she looked at me, she didn't comply (tsk tsk tsk), and continued walking towards the door.

The revolving door caught her at just the right time, and her body was sandwiched within the circumference between one of the revolving blades and the metal frame. As I looked at her, her face was getting squashed by one of the large glass panels, and time started to travel slower.

All I knew was that there was this large rotating door that needed to be stopped and reversed, and there was no time to be fluffing around trying to push it the other way. So I drove a forebalance chongul seogi stance into it with as much power as I could - intent on stopping that vast structure on a dime. When my knee hit the glass, there was huge scary resonation and the entire moving structure started reverberating all around me.

The same Taekwondo 'door stopper' skill but this time used against an opponent.

It was a kodak moment. The girl was sandwiched in place - held safe only by my knee wedging it still. Her eyes were wide with shock but the door had only begun squashing her cheeks, so there was no pain involved.

You know, I've never practiced self defence against a revolving door before. But there you have it, when required, the skills and the mindset we use in practice can affect the course of events around you. Of course I could have walked up ahead accompanying my children through. What was it that affected my intuition and which made me bring up the rear like that? And how did I choose what could otherwise be described as a 'non-technique' to stop that door, saving the girl from requiring the services of a cosmetic surgeon?

Eventually when I ensured the door was stopped in place, I looked down and notice picture perfect form. It's of course somewhat strange to see this done so out-of-context, but it was a simple move which was required by the circumstance - nothing more nothing less.

And this is a lesson for what good martial arts should be. While many a teenage pimply adolescent (including myself once a long time ago) yearns for victory and glory against some ugly aggressor, martial art training should be for the greater good. The best of us is keeping it understated, and your role is but that 'lens' through which the essence of training flows.

Be safe.

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Blogging Carnival at Bunkai Jutsu

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Tue, 29 May 2012 03:02:00 +0000

Following the recent Anti-Bully Blogging Carnival hosted here, I am pleased to announce that Charlie Wildish from Bunkai Jutsu is hosting the next carnival on Women's Self Defence on July 14th 2012. The blogging carnival is a way to get martial art bloggers to work together on specific themes, and for such themes to bring value to both the martial arts world and the local community. If you have a martial art blog, a website, or even a similarly themed FaceBook page, and if you'd like to get involved or if you'd like to get yourself on our mailing list go to Colin's Blogging Carnivals.

Please participate and support the next carnival by clicking:

See you there!

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Knife Defence by Hanshi Tim White

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Wed, 23 May 2012 07:16:00 +0000

Check & Stun Knife Defence Program by Hanshi Tim White

Several years ago I had the honour of training in Hanshi Tim White's Check & Stun Knife Defense Program that he designed and uses for the police defence tactics training he offers professionaly. It was immediately clear to me that I should have brought a much larger knife to this session. The tactics he used were hard-hitting, effective and no-nonsense. I was battered and bruised.

The moves were simple in order for an untrained defender to initiate physical self defence and cope with a knife wielding attacker whilst under duress. Most of the elements required no fine motor skills - you lay into the attacker and no one fiddles around trying to find a lock. At the time I was a 4th degree black belt, not used to giving up, but when you have this mountain of an 8th Dan smashing your knife wielding hand ... let me tell you, it took a lot of control not to flinch, drop the knife, cover and retreat.

Of course I wasn't jacked up on steriods or drugs or heavy metal, but the second strike assumes I am - and what felt like a baseball bat gets slammed into the neck. It's more than a bit uncomfortable. The strike is designed to shut you down immediately - and as you can see from the photos, it's a staple of this program.

Of course I wasn't jacked up on steriods or drugs or heavy metal, but the second strike assumes I am - and what felt like a baseball bat gets slammed into the neck.

A major lesson for any of student - see how simple the blocks and strikes are. This is what practical martial arts is. You reduce the target area on your body by dropping your head/tucking your chin in and raising your arms, then go for solid targets using simple moves that you learn at white and yellow belt level. Don't forget you can also distract the attacker by engaging him verbally with a question. Then all you've got to do is lay into the knife wielding arm and neck with intent because beginners and intermediate students lack a good amount of experience to fiddle around. Besides, holding back in this sort of scenario will get you slashed .

In a few of the photos - sorry they're so small - you can see Hanshi maintaining a reference point on my stabbing arm. What this does is to apply forward pressure onto the attacker, so that if and when I retract my arm, the 'defender' can continue pushing forward to finish off the tactical combination. The trapping arm is also a source of distraction - as an attacker, I don't 'like' having that lead weapon thwarted or 'trapped' and will actively pull away. This creates an additional delay before I can think of launching a secondary attack.

The program in itself is a very simple approach of dealing with an edged weapon, and that's why it is perfect for participants who typically aren't formally trained: deflect the knife wielding arm, attack the limb, and shut the person down. It is also a great 'plug and play' module that can be used agnostically by other stylists - you can use this program, and then tack on whatever moves you feel comfortable with before or after direct engagement.

Keep it simple, folks!

Traditional Taekwondo Self Defence Links
Women Self Defence
Martial Arts and Self Defence
Nat from TDA Training Asked if I am Causing Conflict ...
Martial Arts Against Martial Arts (The Best Blog Post)
Aikido Philosophy, Taekwondo Technique ... Is it possible???
Self Defence: Trained v Untrained
Your Nuts With Taekwondo
Basic Taekwondo Perspective on Self Defence - How to Be Effective when Fear Strikes
Poomse teaches proper mental attitude towards self defense by M Clark
Fantastic Self Defence Vid Posted at Mokuren Dojo
The One TKD Book You Must Get, 15 Jan 2008
Martial Arts Blogs
Multi-person Drill
Relying on What You've Got From Traditional Taekwondo
Won-hyo: The Kihon Kata Koma
Black Belt Coaching Course
Taekwondo Self Defence Against Shoulder Grab from Behind
Article: The Best Defence
Always Innovate
I fear for my students

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Overwhelm the Opponent

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Mon, 21 May 2012 03:32:00 +0000

What a pretty technique. It's effortless. Uke would probably catch some air.

Over the weekend I was honoured by an invitation from Master Peter Wong 7th Dan to teach a group of his black belt student practitioners. One of the drills we did accomplished what you see in the photo above - addressing both opposite and same side arms. Our end result was to attack the opponent's arm or elbow and hyperextend it. No, it wouldn't result in a pretty photo op.

Ours would never look anywhere near as effortless as what you see above. Taken directly from Won-hyo this is what we did - We pounded the opponent into the ribs. Grabbed tricep skinfolds from the arm. Smashed our forearms into opponent's neck. Trapped his arms. Went for punches to the temple. And then we grabbed an upheld arm to apply our end strike to the extremity.

The net effect was to overwhelm the opponent. To hurt him.

Even in a controlled environment, the opponent should feel threatened by the onslaught. You are inflicting pain from one spot of the body to another. And this shuts higher-level thinking down. It's hard to deal with an attack like that ... and that is exactly why we have to practice like this. For both opponents.

The attacks follow technique sequences directly from the pattern, but it doesn't have to be applied exactly like that. You can just use one strike over and over again, or choose to bypass one or a few of the strikes. In fact, headbutt your opponent and see the same hands fly up to his face. Then take one of his arms, strip it away from him and attack that extremity. Martial art tactics were always meant to be mix and match.

They fully enjoyed and appreciated your instruction and would like to have you back again. Its always beneficial to experience other Instructor's training methods and learn from one another.

- Master Peter Wong

I hit every one of those black belts hard, grabbed painful skinfolds, hit their shins, made them do spiderman pushups, squat kicks, took a few of them down, drove my knee into their ribs when they were on the floor, and I remember tickling one of the younger black belts while he was immobilized on the floor. And they enjoyed it! Fantastic!

Looking forward to doing that again soon. :-)

For a follow up to this post see 'Walking up the arm'.

Links
Taekwondo Won-hyo List of Posts

Won-hyo: Defending Against a Kick Punch Combination
Won Hyo: Defend Against Anything!!
Making Kata Work for You
Taekwondo Hyung: Won-Hyo Step 27 & 28 as Over the Shoulder Throw
Won-Hyo: Defensive Side Kick
Won Hyo: Scoop Block v Kick Punch Combo
Calibrating the Side Kick
Won Hyo Hyung Side Kick
Won-hyo: Where are your eyes on the back of your arse?
Won-hyo: The Kihon Kata Koma
Won-hyo: The Taekwondo Side Kick
I've Broken My Finger and Have Lost the Will to Fight

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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Taekwondo Won-hyo: Over-the-shoulder throw

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Fri, 18 May 2012 03:12:00 +0000

This is a revisit of an old post Taekwondo Hyung: Won-hyo Step 27 and 28 as Over the Shoulder Throw published August 3 2008. Thought I'd search for some images to see the flow of the Over the Shoulder Throw or Judo's Seoinage but specifically for hard stylists.

Beginning with the standard Judo grip, first you drive into the non-compliant opponent pushing him backward with your forward momentum. The opponent may stumble back or seek to push toward you.

The setup requires you to 'punch' the opponent and driving him forward with the right arm, whilst pulling back with your left ... not necessarily too far, but you're setting him up and confusing him so that it makes your throw easier.

This is where your Tsurite or 'lifting hand' is going to lift up the opponent's elbow similar to the 'Haiwan Uke' or the high level double forearm block in Won-hyo.

This is how the arm looks as it's being lifted.

That's the technique we're tacking on to preparatory stages of the 'throw' in Steps 27 and 28 of Won-hyo.

The net effect should be that the opponent is pushed back, and then while his arm is lifted, he is forcefully jerked forward. So you begin the throw by driving forward into the opponent - then you switch your legs and then throw him by driving him forward over your hip. Don't forget to get your hips lower or 'under' his hips, so that there's an obstacle under his centre of gravity.

Thanks to Soo Shim Kwan, we can describe this down up down motion using Taekwondo's Sine Wave. You go down to get your hips under, you push up to throw him over, and then when he lands, you again drop, driving your knees into the lump laying on the floor.

See that end position? That's NOT what I'm talking about. What I'd like to see is the thrower (the Tori) with back straight up, and knees driven into the guy's ribs or head. If you ever find yourself bent over like this guy, make sure to protect yourself against the opponent's leg - he's going to want to kick you in the chops for throwing him on the floor.

That's more like it. In my book you throw the opponent either across the room or you throw him right at your feet. Once he's close by hold him tight so you know where he is! :-)

In the end you're holding the opponent up and you shift your hands to a 'Teacup Saucer' or koshi gamae 'hip preparatory' stance controlling his wrist. This extends the opponent's arm and if you so desire, you can drop down into a kneeling position which will hyperextend his elbow over your knee. Too easy!

Links
Taekwondo Won-hyo
Seoinage is not a crack-of-the-butt throw
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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The Way, the Zone, Stress Testing and the hope for a better person

noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee) — Tue, 15 May 2012 12:11:00 +0000

Dojo - The place you practice the Way

In recent weeks, I've come across people who are preparing themselves for academic tests and exams.

However they're preparing themselves for their tests, few of them prepare themselves for the stress of the situation.

In my previous life as an Assistant National Coach, much of what we do is to prepare the sportsman for the rigors of competition. What we do is a mix of physical ritual and mental visualisation. We do this in the hope to bring the relaxedness found in certain aspects of practice into the competition environment. We put in a lot of effort in order that the sportsman consistently enters 'the zone' and of course to peak at the right time.

Without too many words, we do many similar practices in the martial arts.

I remember a time I was planning for a dojo to be built at the back of my house. One of the consultants that participated in the planning process was a kenjutsu practitioner, and whilst he was drawing up rough plans for my little backyard dojo, he described the surrounding and the path he wanted to create leading up to this place. He says traditional outdoor dojos typically come with this 'path' so that as the practitioner is walking up to the dojo, they leave the outside world behind them and prepare themselves mentally to enter the space of the training hall, the place where you practice 'the Way.'

The dojo. It beckons you and asks you to enter into its world.

What an elegant way of mental preparation, to have the environment welcome you into this sacred space where you put aside worldly concerns in order to work on the way.

But what is the Way? Just recently I read on another blog that the kanji shows a person balancing on a boat. The Way, or 'do' or 'tao' originally indicated the natural order of the Universe. The later Buddhist connotation indicated a middle path that is achieved through the following of doctrine. Ch'an or Zen, a particular sect of Buddhism further believes that 'do' is about being present; not to be waylaid by extraneous thought.

The place where you engage in 'Walking the path', however, is not to be mistaken for some blissed out state. The path especially for the warrior is a path that is described by constant striving in physical, mental, and spiritual terms. It's partly analogous to modern sports psychology, where the modern approach would be to include any preparation to get that person into 'the Zone' as consistently as possible for peak performance.

This is the destination all modern sportsmen are driven towards - irrespective of their behaviour or character flaws.

In addition to the concepts of physical ritual and mental visualisation I mentioned before, lots of this preparation is about stress testing the participant. This idea that a practitioner only has to do technique to perfection and will be adequate for the challenges of real confrontation is ridiculous. Stress testing is a valuable tool to prepare the individual for confrontation and combat. Such stressors that you can replicate in your training environment that will mimic the kind of stressors that you will face in competition or conflict will mean your practitioner will be able to focus on the task at hand rather than be a loose and unpredictable cannon which will misfire at the wrong time.

Facing one opponent is easy? Well, then increase the time of those encounters. Still coming out tops? Bring in fresh opponents. When that's fine, introduce two opponents. Then when that becomes easy, tie up one arm, and repeat. Keep on increasing the odds and make sure the student practitioners keeps his cool. That's stress testing.

The priority of 'Do' of course is not solely on physical preparation as high-level sports people seek, as martial artists we want the mind centred and we want the individual to be progressing spiritually through further study and meditation.

While there are those who would speak poorly of martial art philosophy and traditional training techniques, the Way is not an excuse for poor performance nor does it mutually exclude solid ability. It is merely a philosophy of how things should be. Many think of the Way as tied to those schools which have isolated themselves from practicality or from reality.

I urge all practitioners to understand their path, and to look at how they are improving on themselves.

Link
Martial Art Parables
Our SuperPower
Martial Arts Effectiveness and Religion
How to Practise Martial Arts

Colin
--
Colin Wee
Joong Do Kwan Chung Sah Nim
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