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

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

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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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.

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

• Hwa-Rang: how to do a high roundhouse kick to the head
• Hwa-Rang: calibrating short range roundhouse kick
• Power generation in roundhouse kicks

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