From: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: the_dojang-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: The_Dojang-Digest V7 #149 Reply-To: the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: the_dojang-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: The_Dojang-Digest Mon, 6 March 2000 Vol 07 : Num 149 In this issue: the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow the_dojang: Re: The Flow the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow the_dojang: Re: Post for Jesse the_dojang: form flow the_dojang: Drill clairafication the_dojang: Which book first the_dojang: Selecting a school the_dojang: Congratulations, Donna [none] ========================================================================= The_Dojang, serving the Internet since June 1994. 800 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry, CA Taekwondo, and Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe the_dojang-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a plain text e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. To send e-mail to this list use the_dojang@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and online search the last four years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Silke Schulz" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 09:00:28 -0800 Subject: the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow Laura wrote: >>This may not work for you, dunno. Hope it helps a little. :^) I'll give it a shot....thanks. ------------------------------ From: Scott Date: Sun, 05 Mar 2000 19:33:38 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: The Flow Hey Silke, In my training Flow has always ment the transisition form one movement to another. This is affected by many things. Never seeing your form there's is little actual help I can give but here are a few things that I try and work on when doing my forms. First is the pace that the motions are done. Some times water flows fast and sometimes slow. Certain motions are ment to move faster with less pause between them. Others are ment to have a short pause, (sometime just for effect), between them. Look for sequences of hand techniques, or hand foot combinations. These usually flow well at a faster pace. Single kicking techniques and blocking techniques usually have a slight pause in them. For example hold a side kick at full extention for just a second. Or when in a one footed stance doing high and low blocks, pause. This helps demonstrate your control. Never rush so fast that you can't breath properly. This means you aren't doin gthe techniqe incorrectly and it will show in the form. How smoothly you change from one motion to another. This is mainly shown by your balance and foot work. Example when you do a side kick, does it fall back to the floor. or do you rechamber it and carfully step back into your stance. Usually a slight bent in the knee with help make your balance more smooth. When placeing you foot into position make sure that it moves smoothly until it reachs the exact spot that you want it then it stops and sets firmly. This usually means sliding it across the ground either just above or lightly touching the ground. It should look like your foot is on ice. When it sets into place in never adjusts. Pivioting and weight transfers all happen within the radius of the foot print. This shows that your balance is well centered and that you know exactly where to step to maintain your center. As a friend of mine once said "look like a panther creeping through the jungle". Carefully setting one foot silently down then the other. Do the sepreate motions look like they fit together. This is one of the funest things to work on. When you finish one move you need to be aware of what the next one is. Then figure out how your current position can be used to maximize the power in your next. And how to get to the next position with the least amount of wasted movement. Agian the side kick example. If I rechamber the kick and step down touching the floor with my foot, then step into the next stance, there is an unneeded pause. It will apprear as a hesitation. Instead rechamber the kick and bring in down but don't touch the ground. Instead as you foot reaches your ankle start to slide it (like on ice) to the next position it needs to be set in. This eliminates the hesitation look, allows you to maintian better balance, and gives the cat like look of control. At the same time your arms have to be doing something. They should never be "just there". They should be setup into postion for the next block/attack. This can be done by setting them before you move out of your last position or by "Squaring" them into to an intemediate position. This also adds to the look of control and balance. As your arms to flail about. They look like they are setup to move directly from one technique to another with purpose. No wasted effort, Everything with a purpose. Again Becareful the you don't rush a movement in order to get to the next one. This will make Techniques look sloppy and unfinished. Finish each technique perfectly and then transition to the next. The speed, balance, control and fluidness that you show during the transition is what give the form it's flow, or lack there of. Just my penny's worth. Scott From: "Silke Schulz" > Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 16:18:36 -0800 > Subject: the_dojang: Getting Forms to flow > > Perhaps some of you can help me with this: I asked the head judge of my > division at the tournament I competed in yesterday what I need to work on to > improve my form, and she responded that it didn't have the "flow" that I had > achieved with my previous form. It's frustrating, because I haven't > encountered this problem before, and this form will be with me for at least > another 15 months. > > First of all, what do you all consider "flow" to be, and do you have any > suggestions to improve it? I have tried visualization, but it hasn't helped > (probably because I can't get it to flow in my mind, either). I have also > struggled with this particular form with the turns...the time before this > that I competed with it, I ended the form facing the wrong direction, though > yesterday, I did get the turns right. > > Any ideas? > > Silke ------------------------------ From: "Silke Schulz" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 09:03:18 -0800 Subject: the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow Tink wrote: > First of all...what form are you working on? I'm working on Gae-Baek....do you know it? >Every form has it's own natural rhythm...perform it very slow...as slow as >you can...about 3 times...then as fast as you can about three times....then >do your white belt form about 3 times...now...close your eyes and see your >form in your mind...perform it with your eyes closed...see if you notice a >difference in your rhythm...flow is when each movement blends in with the >next like two separate techniques united as one technique...and the >subsequent rhythm of the following techniques as they flow together...do you >understand what I am talking about? I will try this. Can't hurt to try every angle. Thanks for your input. Silke ------------------------------ From: "Silke Schulz" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 09:11:17 -0800 Subject: the_dojang: Getting Forms to Flow Mark wrote: >>To accept the input from someone, I have to ask whether they are respected >>by you, whether they have the 'flow' in the forms that they perform, or even >>if they know what they are saying. I agree. However, I know this judge (actually, because our association is relatively small, I know most of the judges), and she can "do" as well as judge. >>Anyway, I interpret flow to mean intuitive understanding. Whenever I >>learn a new form, I learn the moves, the purpose, history (if any), and >>commit it to my conscious mind. My forms never flow until I find myself >>thinking something completely different while performing them. That is when >>the form flows...when it becomes part of the subconscious...part of you. >> I practice forms facing different directions, play music, videotape, do >>slow motion, develop modern fighting versions, blindfold myself...anything to >>break it down and understand it. Then I leave it alone, and just plain >>practice it. This is helpful. I had considered videotaping myself doing it. And I agree. My problem is that I don't "feel in tune" with this one yet. Probably why I've had trouble with the turns, too. Thanks for the advice, Silke ------------------------------ From: jsegovia@mindspring.com Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 12:52:16 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Re: Post for Jesse Let me first thank Master Mike McCarty for his very nice and very generous post. I am still working hard to just get back 'in' to Hapkido and have a very long way to go. Next, I want to say how much I enjoyed the demonstration at the new dojang in Weymouth, Mass and I'm so glad I made the trip. We didn't work anything out in advance, Master Whalen just grabbed his people and knowing the strengths of each one, used them in the best possible way to very quickly (and much too briefly) demonstrate the varied art of Hapkido. The butterflies all left after the first technique, and it's great how the adrenaline rush makes those kicks a little higher and the throws a little harder. I was extremely impressed with Master Mike. As befits his 5th Dan, he well understands the mechanics and the physics behind joint locks and throws, and is also quite the kicker and weapons man. Like every senior student of Hal's I've met, he's open and unassuming; there's no room for ego at Master Whalen's dojang. Master Mike's two black belt students who made the trip up from Connecticut were also very impressive; their knife defense techniques were immediate and precise, seemingly without any thought, and as soon as they started warming up I picked up a very nice breaking or throwing finish to the dropping or 'armpit' elbow break. And nobody had any compunctions at all about flip falling onto the brand new mats. Everything Master Mike says about Jack Oulette is true. Jack's a very humble guy who'll downplay his skill, but he *will* take you down, however much you want to resist. Unlike many of us, including me, Jack has had to use what he's got and he's still here to talk about it. I also really enjoyed dinner afterwards with Master Whalen, Master Mike and Jack. Unfortunately the opportunities to just sit around and share experiences about the martial arts are all too rare for me. I'm hoping they'll be more frequent in the future. Anyone in the Weymouth area, feel free to come by the new school, or to the dojang at the Quincy YMCA. Jesse ------------------------------ From: "Mac" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 12:11:20 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: form flow Mark Gajdostik had a great response. For me, making a form flow is "living" the form, the imaginary fight. Not just simply a series of individual moves, even performed perfectly can appear robotic, without "life". Live it, feel it, enjoy it.... and it will "flow". Understand, or is this a bit too esoteric? ------------------------------ From: "Mac" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 12:23:19 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Drill clairafication In my previous post to the Dojang_Digest about a drill I learned while at JR West's Hapkido seminar, I have the correct term for what Master Mike Reed was telling me they did in Han Moo Do, it is "Yu Shim Kang Kwon Han". Yu Shim Kang Kwon translates to "a relaxed mind brings a strong punch" and they use the word Han at the end to round out the phrase and to symbolize the Han Mu Do system. The word Han has many meanings. You have the students learn their techniques or do their forms saying something like this or siumlar. Master Reed further suggested "as far as knowing the ABCs in their sleep, just change the rhythm. Get them to add by 3s or do multiplication tables." Basically, anything that keeps their mind occupied while trying to perform techniques/forms. If y'all try this out, let me know how it works for you. My kids loved the challenge, but like I stated previously, I think they could do their ABCs in their sleep. So now we'll try it a little differently like in the above examples. Happy training, Mac ------------------------------ From: "J. R. West" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 12:47:42 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Which book first Out of all of Dr. Kimm's books, I think that the it is a toss-up between the "HapKiDo Bible" and "HanMuDo", unless you are a KukSool player (Dr. Kimm has a great book on KukSool techniques, and he was "Chiefmaster" of the World kukSoolWon Assn. about 20 years ago). If your interest is less technical and more cerebral, then "Philosophy of Masters" is for you. You simply can't go wrong...J. R. West ------------------------------ From: "J. R. West" Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 13:16:58 -0600 Subject: the_dojang: Selecting a school My criteria is simple, find the best instructor regardless of style, and learn whatever is taught there. A great style (?) with a poor instructor is NO bargain. When my son (2nd dan, HapKiDo) was considering going off to college, he found that there was a great Shotokan Instructor in the same city, and my son said "I guess I'll study how to punch and kick for the next couple of years since I could learn more from him than some of the Korean-Style guys". I tell people that call me that they should visit every school within driving distance and observe the green belts and black belts, then pick the school that has the best students at that level, because that is what YOU will look like. If a school has been operating for a few years and has no blackbelts, then something is wrong. If the blackbelts have poor basic motion, then chances are that you will have poor basic motion when you are a black belt. Associations, driving distance and several other factors are minor at best, but I would always ask the instructor how much it will cost me to attain my black belt including dues, test fees, tournaments, seminars, equipment and Good knows what else. I would also suggest that an intelligent person stay away from any school that promises that you will be a black belt in X amount of time. I once called another school in my area to make a point to some visitors, I asked how long it would take for me to earn my 1st degree, and would I be able to defend myself. "ABSOLUTELY a black belt within 18 months" I was assured, and "of course you could defend yourself, you'd be a black belt" was the answer, at which point I told this instructor that I didn't have any arms or legs. The silence was deafening!, but the point was made. Another point is the "feel" of the school, check how the students and instructors relate and TRUST YOUR JUDGMENT...Good Luck...J.R. West ------------------------------ From: jsegovia@mindspring.com Date: Mon, 06 Mar 2000 15:43:17 -0500 Subject: the_dojang: Congratulations, Donna Congratulations on passing your Brown Belt test, Donna. Stick-to-it-iveness is the hardest thing, but the only thing that brings results. Jesse Donna wrote: > I passed with flying colors. ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2000 13:00:51 -0800 (PST) Subject: [none] ------------------------------ End of The_Dojang-Digest V7 #149 ******************************** It's a great day for Taekwondo! Support the USTU by joining today. US Taekwondo Union, 1 Olympic Plaza, Ste 405, Colorado Spgs, CO 80909 719-578-4632 FAX 719-578-4642 ustutkd1@aol.com http://www.ustu.com To unsubscribe from the_dojang-digest send the command: unsubscribe the_dojang-digest -or- unsubscribe the_dojang-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry, CA Taekwondo, and Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.