This week's goal is to finish memorizing Palgwe #8. I'm 80% there right now. After that, there's only one form left to memorize: Pyongwon. I've walked through it with my teammates, and it's not nearly as intimidating as Palgwe #8. No worries. Also, I have only five more nunchuck patterns to memorize, then I know everything. ;-)
All of this has been made possible by my fellow 4th-dan candidates, Cathi and Andrea in particular. I've been going to our school's headquarters at West Union and practicing with them after the 11:00 AM class. Since our head instructor doesn't actually teach any of the advanced techniques we need to know (grr, long-running source of frustration), we're on our own. Fortunately Cathi has gleaned all of these techniques from various sources, so she's become the go-to person for the rest of us.
So, now the agenda for the test is set in stone. No more surprises, no more trying to guess what the Grandmaster expects from us. I'm not losing any weight (my eating has gone to hell) but my body feels good. My resting heart rate is dropping, and so is my recovery time (thanks again, ADAPT Training). My bad knee is what it is; not so much pain, but the range of motion is definitely restricted. I'm still confident, and I will be very ready on May 15.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Three weeks later, I'm feeling fairly settled in at Saltzman. I'm enjoying getting to know the students, and I enjoy being a mentor for their martial arts journey. It's also been fun seeing the students from my first tenure at Saltzman who are still there. They have really helped me feel welcome.
Last weekend, I was telling my wife that I was a little bummed to be missing the belt tests at West Union. I feel like I have a stake in the students' success at the tests. Some of them struggle so much just to get ready for the test. I want to be there to watch them and offer whatever support I can. Imagine my surprise when, on Monday, Master Kim told me I was coming back to West Union to work at the belt tests. He likes the way I do the post-test announcements (promoting the summer camps, the annual trip to Korea, new class schedules for newly promoted students, etc). Saturday I'm back at Saltzman to work that belt test. So many of the West Union students let me know that they missed me. I miss them, too. No matter how frustrating The Job can be, the people are my family.
As far as my training goes, I have been practicing forms on a regular basis. Still have two more to learn; that shouldn't be a problem. Between DVDs and YouTube I'll get them. The nunchuck patterns will be harder. There isn't any recorded material on them, so I'm just going to have to find some time when I can take up master Jung on his offer to help.
Last weekend, I was telling my wife that I was a little bummed to be missing the belt tests at West Union. I feel like I have a stake in the students' success at the tests. Some of them struggle so much just to get ready for the test. I want to be there to watch them and offer whatever support I can. Imagine my surprise when, on Monday, Master Kim told me I was coming back to West Union to work at the belt tests. He likes the way I do the post-test announcements (promoting the summer camps, the annual trip to Korea, new class schedules for newly promoted students, etc). Saturday I'm back at Saltzman to work that belt test. So many of the West Union students let me know that they missed me. I miss them, too. No matter how frustrating The Job can be, the people are my family.
As far as my training goes, I have been practicing forms on a regular basis. Still have two more to learn; that shouldn't be a problem. Between DVDs and YouTube I'll get them. The nunchuck patterns will be harder. There isn't any recorded material on them, so I'm just going to have to find some time when I can take up master Jung on his offer to help.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Curveball of the week, knocked out of the park
My TKD journey has taken an interesting turn since my last post. The master instructor of my school's Saltzman Road branch had to abruptly return to Korea due to a family emergency. Grandmaster Kim has asked me to fill in at Saltzman (along with him) until a suitable replacement can be found.
What this means to me right now is (a) more hours and money, both of which are very welcome, (b) my own training will be severely limited; GM Kim has graciously offered to help me find a solution for the weapons skills I still lack, (c) I have the opportunity to work closely with GM Kim (who is an amazing teacher) in a small-class setting and learn as much of his teaching methods as possible, and (d) I can show GM Kim what I am capable of. In short, this is a huge opportunity.
Today was my first day at Saltzman since a six-month stint when the school first opened a couple years ago. Saltzman is a small dojang with a student body of around 70. The students are very enthusiastic and eager to learn; their former master must have made quite a positive impression on them. Today's classes were very small (two to six students) but they had a great energy to them. I think everyone enjoyed themselves, and I know everyone got some good solid practice today. GM Kim seemed pleased with the day, and so was I.
What this means to me right now is (a) more hours and money, both of which are very welcome, (b) my own training will be severely limited; GM Kim has graciously offered to help me find a solution for the weapons skills I still lack, (c) I have the opportunity to work closely with GM Kim (who is an amazing teacher) in a small-class setting and learn as much of his teaching methods as possible, and (d) I can show GM Kim what I am capable of. In short, this is a huge opportunity.
Today was my first day at Saltzman since a six-month stint when the school first opened a couple years ago. Saltzman is a small dojang with a student body of around 70. The students are very enthusiastic and eager to learn; their former master must have made quite a positive impression on them. Today's classes were very small (two to six students) but they had a great energy to them. I think everyone enjoyed themselves, and I know everyone got some good solid practice today. GM Kim seemed pleased with the day, and so was I.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Chasm
I've been diligently working on my conditioning at ADAPT and at home. I have pretty much stopped attending TKD classes except for sparring; I want to get as many rounds in as possible before May. The (non-sparring) classes simply don't offer anything I find useful at this point in my training. I get my conditioning outside of the dojang, and I'm not interested in practicing crazy-irrelevant stuff such as handstands and kip-ups.
As far as the other stuff goes, I'm still on my own. Let's be clear here: there are NO classes that I can attend as a student in which I can learn the techniques I still lack. NONE. I am working during both of the classes where weapons and forms are taught by a master. I can learn the forms from DVDs and YouTube, so that's how I'm doing it (only two more to learn!). The nunchuck stuff? Well, beats me. I get to watch Master Jung teaching other students the techniques I don't know while I'm busy with the beginners. The other master candidates have learned the techniques from the one student (!) who was taught by master J.K. Kim at the Lake Oswego school. What would your reaction be if you signed up for (and paid for) a college class, only to find out that the teacher insisted that you learn the curriculum from another student in the class?
Through all these challenges, I am left with the rather ironic knowledge that I love taekwondo. When the training is good, and it can be good, I enjoy it so much. I have punched through some severe anxieties because of TKD. For the first time in my life I believe in myself, my abilities, and my inherent goodness as a person; this is all from good TKD training. I'm having a blast in the sparring classes; the pain feels good!
Most importantly, in spite of the feedback I get from my employers, I know that I'm a very good teacher. I have a lot more to offer than my current circumstances allow, and it won't be long before this all comes out to shine. More details to come.
As far as the other stuff goes, I'm still on my own. Let's be clear here: there are NO classes that I can attend as a student in which I can learn the techniques I still lack. NONE. I am working during both of the classes where weapons and forms are taught by a master. I can learn the forms from DVDs and YouTube, so that's how I'm doing it (only two more to learn!). The nunchuck stuff? Well, beats me. I get to watch Master Jung teaching other students the techniques I don't know while I'm busy with the beginners. The other master candidates have learned the techniques from the one student (!) who was taught by master J.K. Kim at the Lake Oswego school. What would your reaction be if you signed up for (and paid for) a college class, only to find out that the teacher insisted that you learn the curriculum from another student in the class?
Through all these challenges, I am left with the rather ironic knowledge that I love taekwondo. When the training is good, and it can be good, I enjoy it so much. I have punched through some severe anxieties because of TKD. For the first time in my life I believe in myself, my abilities, and my inherent goodness as a person; this is all from good TKD training. I'm having a blast in the sparring classes; the pain feels good!
Most importantly, in spite of the feedback I get from my employers, I know that I'm a very good teacher. I have a lot more to offer than my current circumstances allow, and it won't be long before this all comes out to shine. More details to come.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Connect/disconnect
I'm pleased to report that the adjustments I've made to my eating habits are working. I'm down about five pounds. I can't be complacent, though; I've got to stay focused on eating clean and drinking plenty of water. I'm averaging about 2 1/2 liters a day.
I've gotten to know the junior masters a little better in the last few days. Master Jung has offered to help me improve my skills in the way I want to improve them. The bottom line is that I will devote my training time to the things that are needful and useful to me, not the goofy demo team stuff. Listen: the demo team can do things I could never do, and I respect their dedication to their craft. For my purposes, though, demo just doesn't appeal to me. I like to see them, but it's not something I would care to do myself. Anyway, I'm feeling like a student once again, and it feels good.
As the test draws closer I find myself getting more disenchanted with being an employee at WCT. This isn't a new development; my philosophical differences with the people in charge have been simmering for years. I'm just disgusted with the low standard of discipline there. This is what I expect from myself and others: show up on time, behave, do your best, and don't waste time (yours or anyone else's). If you don't want to train, stay home. That's what I do.
I've gotten to know the junior masters a little better in the last few days. Master Jung has offered to help me improve my skills in the way I want to improve them. The bottom line is that I will devote my training time to the things that are needful and useful to me, not the goofy demo team stuff. Listen: the demo team can do things I could never do, and I respect their dedication to their craft. For my purposes, though, demo just doesn't appeal to me. I like to see them, but it's not something I would care to do myself. Anyway, I'm feeling like a student once again, and it feels good.
As the test draws closer I find myself getting more disenchanted with being an employee at WCT. This isn't a new development; my philosophical differences with the people in charge have been simmering for years. I'm just disgusted with the low standard of discipline there. This is what I expect from myself and others: show up on time, behave, do your best, and don't waste time (yours or anyone else's). If you don't want to train, stay home. That's what I do.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Watch what I do
Feeling much better; the cold is pretty much reduced to a minor annoyance rather than debilitating headaches and congestion. I'm back in the groove at ADAPT, so the conditioning is back on track.
I have missed this week's TKD classes because my bad knee is being uncooperative. I don't want to push so hard that I hurt myself badly before the test. Frankly, the last couple TKD classes I attended had little to do with improving my skills. I'm not all that interested in doing kip-ups, handstands, and other tumbling stunts.
A couple years ago I met a TKD grandmaster in Tennessee. She spoke of "the lonely path" of an advanced martial arts student; after reaching a level of expertise at several different styles, she found herself largely on her own when trying to continue learning and improving. That's how I feel now. The skill training I need is, at best, hard to come by; the other master candidates at my school (there are five of us) occasionally get together unofficially and practice techniques we have gleaned from various sources. My master instructors are, frankly, not being much help at all. That's the way it's been for several years, so this doesn't come as any surprise. I'm on my own.
Having said that, I still am 100% confident that I will be at my best come May 15th. I might not train the same way that other people do, but when I am training I don't screw around. I don't have time for people who screw around, either. And I don't have time for ineffectual classes. Go ahead, question my heart. I want you to. Go ahead and doubt me, I don't care. Don't listen to what I say, WATCH WHAT I DO.
I have missed this week's TKD classes because my bad knee is being uncooperative. I don't want to push so hard that I hurt myself badly before the test. Frankly, the last couple TKD classes I attended had little to do with improving my skills. I'm not all that interested in doing kip-ups, handstands, and other tumbling stunts.
A couple years ago I met a TKD grandmaster in Tennessee. She spoke of "the lonely path" of an advanced martial arts student; after reaching a level of expertise at several different styles, she found herself largely on her own when trying to continue learning and improving. That's how I feel now. The skill training I need is, at best, hard to come by; the other master candidates at my school (there are five of us) occasionally get together unofficially and practice techniques we have gleaned from various sources. My master instructors are, frankly, not being much help at all. That's the way it's been for several years, so this doesn't come as any surprise. I'm on my own.
Having said that, I still am 100% confident that I will be at my best come May 15th. I might not train the same way that other people do, but when I am training I don't screw around. I don't have time for people who screw around, either. And I don't have time for ineffectual classes. Go ahead, question my heart. I want you to. Go ahead and doubt me, I don't care. Don't listen to what I say, WATCH WHAT I DO.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
A small wrench in the works
I only managed one TKD class and two ADAPT sessions this week. I've got one of those colds that's mostly in my sinuses, so there are a lot of headaches. Cold medicine helps a little. I'm not feeling very masterful this week.
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