Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 06:51:14 -0800 From: the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net Subject: The_Dojang digest, Vol 12 #63 - 8 msgs X-Mailer: Mailman v2.0.13.cisto1 MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Errors-To: the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net X-BeenThere: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Mailman-Version: 2.0.13.cisto1 Precedence: bulk Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net X-Subscribed-Address: kma@martialartsresource.com List-Id: The Internet's premier discussion forum on Korean Martial Arts. List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Unsubscribe: , List-Help: X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 2.63 (2004-01-11) on behemoth2.host4u.net X-Spam-Status: No, hits=-2.3 required=5.0 tests=ALL_NATURAL,BAYES_00, NO_REAL_NAME autolearn=no version=2.63 X-Spam-Level: Status: RO X-Status: X-Keywords: Send The_Dojang mailing list submissions to the_dojang@martialartsresource.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to the_dojang-request@martialartsresource.net You can reach the person managing the list at the_dojang-admin@martialartsresource.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of The_Dojang digest..." <<------------------ The_Dojang mailing list ------------------>> Serving the Internet since June 1994. Copyright 1994-2005: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The Internet's premier discussion forum devoted to Korean Martial Arts. 1900 members. See the Korean Martial Arts (KMA) FAQ and the online search engine for back issues of The_Dojang at http://MartialArtsResource.com Pil Seung! Today's Topics: 1. Drunken Form (Jye nigma) 2. found this on a website... (Jye nigma) 3. Fun Question (Jye nigma) 4. Re: Music (luke rose) 5. Re: Ong Bak (Klaas barends) 6. Re: Dakin (George Peters) 7. Stopping the tread(music) (George Peters) 8. From an article...Korea's new TKD (Jye nigma) --__--__-- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:43:18 -0800 (PST) From: Jye nigma To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net, jyesluv@hotmail.com Subject: [The_Dojang] Drunken Form Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Here is a drunken form demonstration. I know someone had inquired about it. *you may need to download a copy of winrar (which is like winzip) to unzip the .MPG file. http://www.buddha-fist.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=3 Here is also a river rock break done with the palm: http://www.buddha-fist.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=44 Jye --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search presents - Jib Jab's 'Second Term' --__--__-- Message: 2 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:48:33 -0800 (PST) From: Jye nigma To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] found this on a website... Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net HAPKIDO Posted on Saturday, January 22 @ 07:12:32 GMT by admin dukmoouk writes "In the Far East, Korea established a cultural base earlier than other Eastern countries. So to speak, the Orient was the source of culture and the source of culture was from Eastern people. Therefore, the origin of civilisation on the earth was Eastern countries. In ancient times, Han-In (the King of Heaven and ancestor to the very 1st generation of Korea) played with Gi energy. Energy is completed from Hapki which combines Gi. Han-In achieved a magical art which attained the exquisite principle of controlling Gi in his own way. Han-In’s son, Han-Ung Cheon-Hwang (the Great King), watched the earth from above and observed human life. Han-Ung wanted to ensure a bright future for human life and Han-In agreed that humans did indeed deserve to gain happiness. So, with 3,000 followers, Han-In descended to Mount T’aebaek. From there, he governed the people, taking charge of 360 areas of responsibility, attending to matters such as agriculture, illness and medicine, punishment, and good and evil. By establishing his Bedal dynasty, he sowed the seeds for the nation of Korea. Han-Ung Cheon-Hwang practiced the important Korean philosophy of Hong-Ik-In-Gan (giving for the benefit of others) received from Han-In. Click on "Read More..." to read further In Han-Ung times, in Su-Do Je-Dan, people trained their body, mind and spirit from Cheon Boo Kyeong, a book comprised of three parts. One of the parts, Cham Jeon Gae Kyeong, was about methods of controlling one’s own mind. After learning everything from Cham Jeon Gae Kyoung, that person would have gained a lot of clear knowledge. They would then be ready to obtain the principle of Sam-Hwa-Gi-Il from another part, that of Sam-Il-Shin-Go. This involved meditation. Through meditation, a person could enter the Su-Do world and become a perfect human. Han-Ung had a son named Dankun Wangom. Dankun succeeded his father and formed the very 1st Generation of Korea by creating the 1st Korean Kingdom, Chosun (now known as Ko-Chosun (Old Chosun)). Sam-Rang was the title of distinguished position in the (Ko-) Choson Kingdom. On the island of Kanghwa in Korea, there is a place called Sam-Rang-seong (Sam-Rang castle). This castle is a place where Sam-Rang lived and it was also the place where people could protect the Sam-Shin (the Three Gods) who protect Korea, Han-In, Han-Ung and Han-Gum (also known as Cho Hwa Shin, Ko Hwa Shin and Chi Hwa Shin respectively) or, together, known as Hanalim (One God). Sam-Rang was the name of a person who protected Sam-Shin. Originally, they were called Sam-Shin-Shi-Jong-Ji-Rang. The public protection of Sam-Shin was passed on from generation to generation and, hence, the Sam-Rang castle became known as the place for protecting Sam-Shin. In addition, as well as guarding the castle, Sam-Rang were known as bodyguards who protected the King himself. King Ga-Rol was the 3rd Generation descendant of Dankun Wangom. During King Ga-Rol’s reign, the King talked to Sam-Rang Ul-Bo-Rok and ordered him to create an alphabet. Sam-Rang Ul-Bo-Rok invented Ka-Rim-To-Moon, the old Korean alphabet comprised of 38 characters. King Shol-La was the 25th Generation of the Dankun family. In his 47th year as King, King Shol-La had many Generals but wanted to know how to distinguish between those that were good and those that were bad. He asked Sam-Rang Hong-Wong-Sun for his advice on making a distinction. Sam-Rang Hong-Wong-Sun replied that if the King did something unscrupulous, there would be two types of General – those that would agree and bow to everything that the King did and those that would not. “A good person would not be afraid of anything, including direct talk with the King. They would talk to the King if something was wrong and not just obey everything he said.” As he explained, the King is like the beginning of water flowing down. The King, together with the General, is at the source of the water that is flowing down to the people and so the moving water must be clear. Most importantly, if the King is correct, and then the Generals are correct, then everybody is safe and well. It is also stated in a do*****ent that “If the Holy King is good, the general will also be good.” Sam-Rang did a lot of Gi training, so that they knew how to control the energy of their own body. They still had a connection with the sky and they were sometimes possessed by the Gods from above. They were human but they were perfect humans. They reigned over human life and were considered Bedal Gods, or Gods of the Korean People. Dankun ruled Korea for 1500 years. Then, from 57 B.C., three Kingdoms of Korea were formed, the Shilla Kingdom (57 B.C. – 935 A.D.), the Kokuryo Kingdom (37 B.C. – 668 A.D.) and the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C. – 660 A.D.). Gi martial arts spread throughout the age of the Three Kingdoms and evidence of the practice of Korean martial arts during these ancient times can still be found all over Korea. The wall paintings from the Kokuryo Kingdom found on Sam-Shil-Chong tomb mound, Su-Beok-Ta from the Baekje Kingdom and the statue of A and Um (also referred to as Kumkang-Yuksa) erected during the Shilla Kingdom inside Seokgulam cave in Bulguksa Temple are historical examples of expressions of power from the skill of controlling Gi in ancient times. During the Baekje Kingdom, Samrang continued to be the position of distinction. The equivalent position in the Shilla Kingdom was that of the Hwarang. The Hwarang were made up of the sons of the rich and noblesse and they had been sent by their families to train. In comparison, in the Kokuryeo Kingdom, everybody who was single and young, regardless of wealth or family status, could train at Kyoungdang. In Kyoungdang, they trained in horse-riding, archery practice, manner, singing, reading and Hapki. These practices were very strict and systematic. They were not allowed to be ungrateful to their parents, be disloyal to their nation or be disrespectful to a Master. Such behaviours were called Sam-Jeok (Three Enemies), so that it was an important attitude for them to avoid. Moreover, they were strongly against being lazy in their task, being disobedient to order and ignoring one’s mistakes. This was called Sam-Bo. The old theory of Sam-Shin practice also spread rapidly as everybody respected Shin-Si-Han-Ung. Sam-Shin practice spread from the Kokuryeo Kingdom, then expanded across the Shilla and Baekje Kingdoms. The higher-level Buddhist monk He-Yang introduced Pal-Kan-Kwe to the Shilla Kingdom. Pal-Kan-Kwe is a traditional Korean ceremony of Sam-Shin admiration (totemism). After this ceremony, people went up on Oo-Re-Roo-Gak and, from there, watched a competition called Bak-He which was part of the Guk-Joon national festival. The Korean scholar Dan-Je Shin Che-Ho shared some information about some of the one hundred skills that were used in this competition. “First, Han-Meng involved fighting against two people using stone strikes in water. The fighter stood in water with a person on his left side and a person on his right side. The winner and loser were decided by a series of stone strikes against one another. Second, Su-Bak involved empty hands fighting. That is, fighting an opponent without a weapon. This skill was introduced to Japan, where it was known as the art Yusul, and China, where it was known as the art of Kwanbop. Third, sword techniques were a main ability for a warrior of the Buyeo Kingdom, a Sun-In warrior of the Kokuryeo Kingdom and the Sam-Rang of the Shilla Kingdom Forth, Kung-Sul involved archery and was very popular in Korea. In ancient times, the Chinese admitted that Korean archery was great and excellent. Fifth, Kyeok-Goo involved demonstrating ball-skills in a ball ground. Sixth, Kum-Hwan involved fighting people by throwing them Seventh, Ju-Ma involved horse-riding. Finally, eighth was Hae-Reop, which involved going out hunting. Although there were one hundred skills during the Shilla Kingdom, in Pal-Kan-Kwe competition, the eight skills mentioned above were the most famous skills used.” It may be added that, such customs were not limited to Korea. Indeed, during its Yo, Kum and Cheoung Dynasties, China also held similar martial arts festivals. The popularity of Korean martial arts continued to grow. During the Koryeo Dynasty in Korea, national Hapki was so popular that the instruction of martial arts was made by King Jeong-Jo’s order. Even before that, Gi martial arts had greatly expanded throughout the three Kingdoms age of Korea, and then spread to other neighbouring countries. In particular, people from the Kokuryo Kingdom in the North emigrated to China and people from the Shilla and Baekje Kingdoms in the South emigrated to Japan. With them, Korean martial arts were exported. In his book, Domiki from the University of Waseda in Japan explained history in the following way: “In the age of Kamajula, original Hapkido was from the Sam-Rang Won-Eoi-Kwang. They then taught it to the Japanese Minamoto family and the Minamoto family passed it on to the Takeda family. It stayed in the Takeda family and, after seven generations, it was introduced to Takeda Sogaku, who was the 35th Generation of the Takeda family. Takeda Sogaku then handed it down to Takedaga who was also his best student.” More recently, for 90 days Takeda Sogaku taught Morihei Ueshiba some of the external and circular skills of Hapkido, and, from this, Ueshiba later founded aikido. Thus, original Japanese Hapkido was from the Sam-Rang Won-Eoi-Kwang who were a Korean noble family of the Shilla Kingdom. Indeed, such has been confirmed by books which were written by Japanese scholars. It is also reported that the Sam-Rang Won-Eoi-Kwang family introduced the magical art of combining Gi to Japan. The origin of Hapkido is Korea and Japanese Hapkido originated from Korean Sam-Rang. Sam-Rang protected Sam-Shin and trained in the principle of Sam-Shin, so that Sam-Rang and Sam-Shin have an inseparable relationship. Sam-Shin philosophy and the reasoning behind Sam-Shin practice is like that of Hapkido. Thus, Sam-Rang and Hapki have an inseparable relationship too. Over the years, we can notice that Hapkido has continued to expand and be exported to China and Japan. Back in the period of Dankun, the Great King of (Ko-) Choson, Chi-Woo Cheon-Hwang, conquered Yum Je Yu Man, the 8th Generation descendant of Yum Je Shin Wan. Chi-Woo took over Yu Man’s land and Yum Je Yu Man fled to Ta-Lok castle. From this time, Chi-Woo went to war in Ta-Lok castle with the owner of the castle, the Great King of China, Hun Won. This war is known as Ta-Lok’s greatest war and lasted ten years, during which Chi-Woo and Hun-Won fought more than 70 times. Unfortunately, one of the casualties of war was Chi-Woo’s general, Chi-Woo-Bi, who had been arrested by Hun Won and died. According to Chinese history it is claimed that Chi-Woo died in the same war. Yet, in fact, Chi-Woo lived for a long time after the war, controlling He-De land, before eventually passing away years later. His grave is in San Dung castle. After his death, Chi-Woo’s sons divided into 10 groups, with each group expanding and controlling many parts of China. The Dong-Hi tribe also established the custom of an annual ceremony, in honour of Chi-Woo. The ceremony was held every year and was respected by all Chinese people including the noblesse and royal family until the Jin and Han periods. In addition, Gi energy martial art progressed impressively and developed into several different kinds of styles of martial arts. Indeed, overall, we can recognise that the basics of many Japanese and Chinese martial arts did in fact originate from Korea. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search presents - Jib Jab's 'Second Term' --__--__-- Message: 3 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:51:55 -0800 (PST) From: Jye nigma To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Fun Question Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Ok, here's a fun question I just thought of....if you would have a remake of an old martial art movie hit the big screen what would it be? and who would you want to star in it? Jye __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com --__--__-- Message: 4 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:56:39 -0800 (PST) From: luke rose To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: Music Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net >From second hand information I've heard that music can have the same affect on the brain that alcohol and cocaine has. No wonder those rockstars are so crazy.lol. Has anyone heard the same? Or are there any rockstars that can confer?lol Luke Original Message: Message: 15 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 16:45:32 -0800 (PST) From: Jye nigma Subject: Re: [The_Dojang] Re: Music To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net It's my experience that music is extremely powerful. It can heavily influenece a certain mood. You ever find yourself "setting the mood" with soft music? Or find yourself driving fast with a fast tempo song? In my opinion music is like uncut emotional drugs. I say that because your emotions along with moods can be altered relatively quickly with music alone. I've heard writers say that they write scripts to certain music to inspire the scene. Music was the african slaves source of extra strength, music is one form of brainwashing tools used by many organizations, music sets up a scene in a movie that with the music scares the hell out of us and without the music turned up, we'd be like...'oooooooooookaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy', so we can see the power of music in many things. In training it gives us that extra umph to squeeze out some good reps or whatever. But if you don't agree with all that...just think, on kung fu movies when the good guy is getting beaten up and is about to lose, he kicks some major a$$ when music comes on...lol Jye Jye --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Search presents - Jib Jab's 'Second Term' --__--__-- Message: 5 From: Klaas barends Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2005 11:09:26 +0900 To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: Ong Bak Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net > Has anyone checked out ong bak yet? Yeah last year or so...... it's a nice entertaining movie. Nice fighting scenes, well put together. Funny sometimes. -- kind regards, Klaas Barends http://www.hapkido.nl/ Dutch HKD Federation http://www.sangmookwan.com/ SangMooKwan International Training Center Korea --__--__-- Message: 6 From: "George Peters" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 22:33:25 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] Re: Dakin Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Wow! You took me back a little in time when you included "I just want to celebrate" in a workout selection. Just after the song came out on 45 single, I recorded it repeatly on a tape to use for "fast music" ie; something to do sprints(40yd dash) to. Worked well. Suprising how an old metalhead can evolve, though. My son turned me on to a lot of the newer hip hop for work out and running and I really enjoy it a lot. He loaded a lot of this onto my Mp3 player and it is great either in the gym or on the track. Just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions on workout tunes, I'm having a good time sorting through them. Respectfully, George --__--__-- Message: 7 From: "George Peters" To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 22:43:26 -0500 Subject: [The_Dojang] Stopping the tread(music) Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Good Sirs, Someone mentioned stopping the thread before someone explodes. Might I point out the nice selections of traditional music available at most martial arts suppliers? I DO use this when I do forms. This sets my mood and lets me pay attention to what I'm doing. I love the heavy metal and hip hop for workouts and running though. Respectfully, George --__--__-- Message: 8 Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 18:17:23 -0800 (PST) From: Jye nigma To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net, itf-taekwondo@yahoogroups.com Subject: [The_Dojang] From an article...Korea's new TKD Reply-To: the_dojang@martialartsresource.net Korea's New Tae Kwon DoAn Old Dog is Teaching Some New Tricksby Jane Hallander When beginning old-style tae kwon do front and side kicks, the body is upright and the knee rises before the foot is thrust or snapped out. Korean tae kwon do fighters are the undisputed champions of international tae kwon do competition. Some followers of the fighting arts argue it's because tae kwon do originated in Korea. But the fighting system isn't just for Koreans. It is very popular worldwide, especially in the U.S. Then why don't more Americans win international tae kwon do tournaments? The answer is simple. Tae kwon do in the U.S. is generally not updated to the new tae kwon do fighting styles now popular in Korea. American tae kwon do schools have simply not kept up with the Koreans' many new training techniques. But there's hope. As more young tae kwon do champions immigrate from Korea to America, they bring their fresh and highly effective fighting techniques with them. One such new-age instructor is Jung Woo Suh, a seventh-degree black belt in the World Tae Kwon Do Federation. Not only is Suh a high-ranking member of the organization that promises to secure tae kwon do a spot in the 1988 Olympic Games, he's also a Korean national and World Games champion. Suh currently teaches the latest brand of the Korean art in his San Jose, California, martial art school. Superior Training Specifically, why do Koreans win most international tae kwon do championships? For starters, certain high schools and colleges in Korea have special tae kwon do curricula and scholarships that allow students to have the best possible training. In fact, Suh is a product of Seoul High School, which has an extensive tae kwon do program. These young martial artists have all of the speed and power necessary to win championships. And when their physical abilities are coupled with superior training and coaching, they often emerge as winners. They're well educated, too. Today's Korean tae kwon do winners aren't the uneducated streetfighters of yesteryear. According to Suh, 70 percent of Korean tae kwon do team members are high school and college students. So why don't American tae kwon do practitioners in the same age bracket also win international tournaments? In the early 1970s, new forms and fighting tactics were developed in Korea. These techniques were designed to take advantage of a fighter's maximum efficiency, while maintaining his speed and power. Korea's new taegu forms replaced the older palgue forms still taught extensively in the U.S. Running kicks replaced the old one punch one kick routine of tae kwon do's past. Unfortunately, many U.S. tae kwon do instructors have either lost touch with modern tae kwon do techniques or simply can't meet their rigorous physical demands. Consequently, many in- structors in the U.S. are quick to say the stances are too high, the new kicks lack power, or the new forms aren't pretty enough. If these excuses were true, Americans would be winning interna- tional competitions alongside their Korean counterparts. Unfortunately, Americans aren't winning enough. Korea's new tae kwon do is geared toward all types of competition fighting from Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments to professional kickboxing matches. Perhaps the most revolutionary aspect is the footwork. Fancy Footwork The modern walking stance is a completely natural way of moving. It's a relatively short upright stance that allows the tae kwon do practitioner to move quickly in any direction. The older low stances forced the martial artist to move too slowly. Also, the combination of a low and wide stance meant the fighter had to first raise his body before he could perform any technique - a very time-consuming endeavor. Just like boxing, tae kwon do footwork is now broken down into steps rather than stances. For instance, the walking stance is executed by stepping 15 degrees to the side. The front of the leading foot and the heel of the back foot are in a straight line with one another. From that close, natural stance, any kind of step or footwork easily follows. Steps are broken down in basic numbers and directions. The double step is, as its name implies, a sideways movement. However, besides being evasive footwork, the side step is also a hop that propels the tae kwon do practitioner into a jump kick which is aimed at his opponent's unprotected side. The tae kwon do stylist can now quickly move forward and backward in short steps as a boxer does. Sometimes the tae kwon do fighter will change his forward foot with a hop, which allows him to instantly angle his body away from his opponent's blows. If the tae kwon do fighter wants to confuse his opponents who won't know which foot he intends to kick with, he can change his forward foot two or three times in rapid succession. Perhaps most confusing to an opponent is the triangle step. Here, the tae kwon do stylist does a side-step hop to completely change direction while both feet are in the air. Upgraded Kicks Kicking techniques have also greatly improved. Tae kwon do kicks now incorporate moving footwork. Nowadays, tae kwon do kicks start from the knee. The joint is held close-in to protect against an opponent's kick. Modern tae kwon do stylists don't move their bodies very much when they kick. The idea is to kick quickly and powerfully without telegraphing their intentions. With the knee held in close and turned slightly to cover the groin, more speed is available. In fact, the kicking leg can be used offensively and defensively at the same time. For instance, the tae kwon do practitioner might deflect an oncoming front kick with his own upraised leg, which immediately turns into an offensive kicking leg, enabling him to defend and attack with the same action. Old-style tae kwon do front kicks are wide open kicks that leave vulnerable areas of the body exposed to a quick counterattack. However, the modern version leaves no room for counter- blows. With the knee instantly brought up and turned slightly inward, today's tae kwon do stylist can easily block kicks and has many kicking options available against a front kick. Side kicks performed the old way first require the knee to be cocked into kicking position. The fighter leans forward toward his target as he kicks, leaving himself open to a counterstrike. But the new method says the knee should come up at an angle that's directed away from the target as the tae kwon do practitioner turns his body toward his opponent. From that position he not only protects himself, but puts all of his body's power and momentum into his kick. Even the fairly straightforward backside kick has undergone major changes in tae kwon do. The martial artist who knows the new method can actually do away with blocking his opponent's back-side kick and can simply launch his own back side kick to the inside of his opponent's blow. In the old way, the fighter first cocks his kicking leg, leaving himself open to a kick from his opponent. The modern Korean method doesn't open the leg as widely and keeps the knee in closer. This prevents any counterkicks and facilitates a speedy back-side kick. Roundhouse kicks used to call for the fighter to first cock the knee of his kicking leg, then snap his leg out, while leaning forward. This invited a quick counterattack to his open and defenseless body. But the new method keeps the knee turned toward the inside, foliowing which is a powerful close-in roundhouse kick. This allows the kicker to kick inside of his opponent's round- house attempt. The back-spin kick is no exception to the new revamped techniques. Suh says the old method is too wide, unbalanced and leaves the fighter unprotected. In the new version, the tae kwon do fighter brings the knee in close and snaps the kick out in a whip-like fashion, and the tae kwon do stylist doesn't lose his balance. The modern tae kwon do fighter lowers his entire body when he delivers a back-spin kick. If he's combating a roundhouse kick, he doesn't need to block. His body is already lower than his opponent's roundhouse, so he simply follows through with his own back-spin Another revolutionary kicking technique is what Suh calls a running kick. No, it's not like Chinese wushu, where performers run and jump into their techniques. Rather, the running kick is a series of forward steps with a kick inbetween each step. In other words, a forward running kick sequence consists of a step forward, a front kick, a step forward, front kick and so forth. The same action applies to running roundhouse kicks and ax kicks. Running kicks are always done with as much speed as possible, but still maintain maximum power. They can be executed by kicking with the same foot or alternating feet between steps. Running kicks are continuous kicking techniques that leave no room for counterattAr.k Kicking Surface New roundhouse kicking techniques also dictate which portion of the foot makes contact with its target. Instead of primarily striking with the ball of the foot, today's improved tae kwon do practitioners kick with the top of the foot first. Why? There are many reasons. First, it's easier to score a tournament point when striking with the top of the foot. It's also easier to find an accessi- ble opening in an opponent's defenses. For self-defense purposes, the top of the foot penetrates better than the ball of the foot. Of course, the ball of the foot is still used, but not as frequently as before. Other kicks, such as the back-spin kick, have also changed regarding striking surface. Before, the kicker's heel made first contact, but modern tae kwon do stylists prefer to strike with the bottom or ball of the foot. Along with new footwork comes improved hand techniques. Although the basic hand movements between the old and new tae kwon do are similar, the difference lies in the speed, angle and distance of the techniques. For instance, an old-style downward blocktraveled all. the way to the outside of the knee. However, the new low block only moves far enough to deflect the blow and stays close to the martial artist's centerline. This is a much faster and more efficient defense and allows the tae kwon do stylist to quickly move into his counterattack. In the ready position, hands are loosely held and are positioned about the same distance away from the body as in American boxing. If they are held too far away from the body, the fighter is too open to his opponent's attack. If held in too close, he can't defend and strike easily. Suh says that in a good fighting position the chin is tucked, the eyes look up at about a 15-degree angle, and the fists are held just below eye level. He also stresses the importance of using both hands, another recent concept in tae kwon do fighting. For instance, if an opponent kicks, the modern tae kwon do defender will block the kick with one hand and simultaneously counterpunch with the other. The Role of Forms What good is forms training if tae kwon do has evolved into a system of sheer speed, power and accuracy? In Korea, Suh explains, forms play a valuable role in tae kwon do, but only as training aids in learning the basics. After the basics are mastered, students spend most of their time sparring. Koreans always practice while wearing protective equipment. As a result, they don't get hurt easily and are used to delivering their techniques full force. In Korea, there is no forms competition, only competitive sparring. "Americans can easily beat Koreans in forms competitions," Suh says, "because their forms are much more attractive and are better executed. Koreans use forms only as practical training aids. They consider the made-up forms so often seen in the U.S. as strictly show, not martial arts." Those are the differences between tae kwon do in Korea and in the U.S. today. And they spell big trouble for American tae kwon do fighters. Perhaps if enough instructors like Suh come here, the old ways will change. Then American and Korean tae kwon do fighters will join hands and win international tournaments together. --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - now with 250MB free storage. Learn more. --__--__-- _______________________________________________ The_Dojang mailing list The_Dojang@martialartsresource.net http://martialartsresource.net/mailman/listinfo/the_dojang http://the-dojang.net Old digest issues @ ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com/pub/the_dojang Copyright 1994-2005: Ray Terry and http://MartialArtsResource.com Standard disclaimers apply. Remember September 11. End of The_Dojang Digest