16/09/12 Woke up 50 minutes before a black belt day, yea thats how I role. The aim of the day was to provide a day for Red belts and above, and as you know I have recently got back into TKD, and have been re-registered straight in as a black belt. So I feel a bit of pressure to get up to par. There was a nice bit of people introducing themselves to each other at the start. A lot of people who I had not seen at the club before turned up so it was cool to meet new people. Something my current instructor seems keen on is people getting to know each other within the organsation I think this is really good. There should be a culture within TKD that allows you to be welcome at any club,without the CI getting his nose out of his joint because of the “I don't likse so and so” (Within ITF/WTF respectivly) Anyway thats getting into my philisophy of TKD unity,moving on! Tenets and Oath, followed by a warm up, some fundemental moves. Then we worked through the patterns Chon Ji>Joon Gun. Some 1,2 and 3 step sparring. Then Hwa Rang (My favourite) followed by Choong-Moo. This was followed by some self defence , for this I paired with one of the V'dans who has is very keen on realistic physical application,which I think is imporatant , half hearted applications or effort grind my gears to no end. This was followed by a presenation for those who had graded in March of their certificates. Lunch was had. Followed by a kind of discussion period under the heading “moral culture” but focused mainly on etiquette ,still a good thing to include. Another warm up, with some light stretching then a good bit of time spent on black belt patterns I swear Gae Bek is becoming a love hate relationship, its a bit confusing but at the same time varied in moves, flow and speed. We moved on to to some special tech , in relation to your grading syllabus, for me it was jumping turning kick. My flexibility is the only player holding be back. Group photo, and that was the end of a good day. Raz
Updated with detail. Proff Chang Un will be doing a seminar in Novemeber, though I don't know if he will actually be running it... GM Rhee will be holding one also, around the same time. Though the cost is not posted so I will enquire to that, not that its a big thing for me, but when you travel and stay the night, it all adds up. Raz
Very much doubt Prof. Chang un will be doing a seminar himself, as hes not actually a martial artist AFAIA. Also, i think the GM Rhee seminars are £25 Stuart
Yes this is correct. Prof. Chang Ung is a politician & must be a gifted one as he has been entrusted with a very important position by his home govt. As an IOC member he yields influence on the world sport's stage. He held many positions on the domestic level over the years, including teaching at the college level. He also earned a PhD as well. While he is not a MAist, I look at him as Dr. Kim Un Yong, who we know did wonders for SK TKD or Kukki TKD, WTF etc.! I am sure this was why Gen. Choi wanted him. He created many gifted MAists, but needed a politician to continue his lifelong work on his political agenda after he passed! JMHO
Yes I agree, although Choi Jung Hwa seemed the more natural heir, having someone with political tact and familiar with matters of the kind certainly offers its benefits. Raz
Yes & at some point that may be a better fit. However we must remember that Gen. Choi was very political & had his own political agenda that he dreamed of implementing & was something he worked his whole adult life in exile on! For this he needed a politician, as no TKD leader could follow in those politically charged footsteps! IMHO
Currently in the UK with my wife and her family until next year so will try to make the GM Rhee seminar in November. Do we know if non-affiliated ITFers can participate?
Thanks for posting the flyer which says all welcome! I would have been very surprised if that wasn't the case, as he stated a reason for leaving the ITF-NK was so that he would be free to work with all, regardless of affiliation, politics, etc.
Me to, though the whole independant thing does still perplex me. Not at his level though as he will not be grading any time soon! But how do independant instructors get graded? Raz
It is problematic & would also depend on the Art & level of promotion. In today's world of Internet communications, one can get ripped apart for self promoting, even if they are the most dedicated, talented MAists, who can't stand politics all other nasty aspects that orgs can at times have. They can gather friends & peers, having them evaluate & promote if they deem worthy. They can seek an ind org, having them evaluate & promote if they deem worthy. They can have a well thought of MAist come in & have them evaluate & promote if they deem worthy. Or they can rely on some type of tradition to explain why they were elevated. I was communicating once with someone who had difficulty with a renowned GM attaining 9th Dan, because they apparently didn't have some board, panel, org or group sanction the promotion. I found that funny, as this was a leading Pioneer, who was instrumental in helping to create aspects of TKD & spread it around the world. He had 2 people he thought of as his teachers. One of them promoted him eventually to 8th Dan. They were both deceased. So he waited around 21 years to attain the rank of 9th Dan, as he wouldn't hold the same rank as his teachers, when they were still alive. I thought that was honorable. But he was criticized for not having someone sanction the elevation! When I responded, but this very senior pioneer, lost his teachers, who would promote him? The reply was still, he should have gotten some outside entity to approve! I have come across criticism for promotions to 9th dan by all the ITFs, many after the splits & death of Gen. Choi. I think people have to get past pieces of papers & focus on more of the actual person, what they have accomplished & can do, JMHO!
I`ll tell you this, when I went independant in 1999, in the UK at least, it was pretty difficult because the bigger groups would only grade their own and there were very few high grade Independant Masters. As time went on, some of the bigger groups allowed 'outsiders' to grade with them (as long as they had no previous history with them), but it was always a risky business, because they charged quite a lot of money and if you didnt pass, it would remain a question of whether it was due to technical ability (or lack there of), differences in 'their way' and 'your way' or worse, simply politics! Times have moved on more however. More groups allow outsiders to grade with them in a fairer way (one notable example that I know of is PUMA - they are open to helping outsiders in this way and are fair in how they deal with it from what Ive heard), plus of course there are many more senior grades that head smaller Independant groups or are more open. Though I havnt encountered it myself, there is still sadly a lot snobbery within ITF aligned groups because they feel theirs is 'the original' and all esle is lacking and they categorise anyone who parted ways with the ITF, no matter their grade and history, as non-genuine! I`m sure its not all, but I have heard quite a few tales about this! Finally, I think those that are open, but remain ITF affiliated are bound by there orgs not to do outside gradings, because they would get in trouble or even expelled if they didnt toe the line here! Stuart
Is this GM CK Choi your refering to here? Am I correct in saying, he is actually senior to GM Rhee Ki Ha and only gained the equal grade of 9th degree because of what you stated above, where as, if he had remained ITF, he would still be senior? Stuart
There is no doubt that GM CK Choi is senior to GM Rhee Ki Ha. There are so many in the world senior to him, that is why I find the title 1st GM strange to say the least. GM Rhee, although a pivotal figure in original TKD's spread, came on the scene in the 1960s, while there were so many on the scene in the 1940s & 50s. GM Hwang Kwang Sung is in a similar situation. But GM Rhee, once there, was there steadfastly, being very loyal to the Founder, through thick & thin, with some very bad times & an awful lot of pressure put on him & his family by the KCIA & others over the years. This is why I think Gen. Choi referred to him as the best student ever of TKD. GM Hwang joined the ITF in the 1960s, but went under the radar during the KCIA political pressure days. He resurfaced in the late 1980s when SK was in the early stages of transition to democracy & the freedoms that are enjoyed under that type of govt. GM Park Jong Soo resurfaced, as did GM Kong Yong Il in the late 1990s, as by then SK was not only a democracy, but they had a center-left govt that made great outreach to NK. So the taboo was weakened & going to NK was in vogue during that time period.
