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Showing posts from 2015

Hwal = Vitality

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Moo Do Creed (Moo Duk Kwan Hun Jang) The purpose of Moo Do is Hwal -               to cultivate ourselves. Moo Do does not end in offense or defense. It is one step further, the purpose is life itself. Even facing the enemy, our goal is to save them. The principles of Moo Do are the principles of Nature.   Guided by Moo Do we may achieve the goal of Hwal in the principles of Nature   To do so we must concentrate, stress the beauty, line and speed, and study scientifically To provide all this is our creed.                                                                           - Hwang Kee Lets not forget the philosophical part of the art! Master Bogdanski  

Know When to Hold Them

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The Kenny Rogers song comes to mind. "Know when to hold them, know when to fold them" We all have a tendency to push all day every day, that is what helped make us Black Belts and successful in life. Know when to take a break. Sleep; Keeps you heart healthy Reduces stress Reduces inflammation Increases alertness Helps your body and mind recover Sleep is when your body repairs itself. I love to sleep and hate to sleep.  Sleep feels so good but keeps you from being active.  Yes we need it.

Age 62 and Training Hard

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. At age 62 I know I need to keep up my fitness.   With significant cartilage loss in my knees I can't jog anywhere.  I would be a limping mess.  A few years ago I rediscovered bike riding as a way to keep my legs strong and get some good cardio. Yesterday I did a 16 mile hill course.  It took one hour and fourty four minutes.  I sweat, my heart pounded and my legs burned.  It was challenging and fun and I got to see lots of beautiful views of NE Connecticut. One day you will wake up and you will feel like you are aging.  I read you will begin to feel old when you turn 58.  Don't let it happen! P.S. - Today I sparred 6 rounds and felt fantastic.

24 Hours

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KJN Whenever you celebrate a victory, savor it for 24 hours and then move on.  It's time to set up the next one.  Take what you learned, make it a little better and get to it. Lets do this on the loss side too.  When something goes wrong and it will, give it 24 hours and move on.  It's not a roadblock, just a detour.  We learn from our failures.

Tang Soo Do Hyung Introspective

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The forms (hyung) used by Tang Soo Do are believed to be the intermediate forms between Okinawa and Japan. These include Kee Cho Hyung Il Bu, Ee Bu, and Sam Bu. These are similar to Taikyoku Shodan, Nidan and Sandan.    Next are the Pyung Ahn (Okinawan: Pinan; Japanese: Heian) Cho Dan, Ee Dan, Sam Dan, Sa Dan and Oh Dan. External (Hard Style), influenced by Southern Chinese Schools, These belong to the We Ga Ryu (Chinese: Wai Chia) They are characterized by aggressiveness, dynamic action and spontaneity. Basai Dae is the Tang Soo Do version of Bassai Dai. Next is Passi So (Passai or Bassai Sho). Following these is jin Do (Chinto or Gankaku). The twelfth form is O Sip Sa Bo (U Sei Shi Ho; Gojushiho), followed by Wang Shu (Wansu; Empi/Embi). Tjin is the Tang Soo Do version of Ji-in. So Rim Jang Kwon and Dam Toi are unique to Tang Soo Do. Hyung seventeen and eighteen are Kong Sang Koon Dae and Kong Sang Koon So (Kusanku Dai and Sho; Kanku Dai and Sho). Tang Soo Do has three

Yuk ro Hyung

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The Kwon Bup [fist fighting method] section of the   Moo   Yei   Do   Bo Tong Ji describes the most effective techniques for empty hand combat that were known up to the time (aproximately 1790). These were   interpreted by Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee and he created the six Yuk Ro Hyungs from them.The name Yuk Ro comes from the   Moo Yei Do   Bo Tong Ji. Yuk Ro, which means "Six Paths" are meant to strengthen a practitioner's bones and make them very hard for sustaining very little injury in the event of an attack and then inflicting greater injury   to an adversary in battle. The Six-Fold Path is related to the Chil Sung Hyung in its intent of development. Chil Sung Hyung are intended to develop the artist as a person and Yuk Ro Hyung are intended to develop the artist as a warrior. 1- Yuk Ro Cho Dan or Du Mun which means (enter) Top or Great Gate.   As a martial artist, you must open your mind to information. Indeed, the gateway to the mind if often the   most  difficu

Breaking The Freeze

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Before the first punch is thrown in a fight, several things happen. When an opponent begins his "interview" they will posture and verbalize agressively to test your sense of courage and self defense potential.  Remember they probably chose you as a target already because you may have been giving off signs of vulnerabilty. At first you may feel like this is incredulous.  Your brain asks this question; Is this aggressiveness really happening to me or am I mistaken?   Being the do-gooder, a well mannered person and a person that learned fighting is wrong, you can't believe that people could be so mean [silly you]. After almost a decade bouncing in bars I learned to tune myself into the concept that I could be attacked anytime, anywhere and always had my mindset tuned that way. In previous years I had been a victim of the "freeze" when a confrontation started and also felt this a few times in tournament sparring.  It's like your computer is stuck and n