Hwal = Vitality

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

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

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

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 Rohaee (Rohai) hyung: Chodan, Ee dan and Sam dan.

The last two are Eesip Sa (Nijushiho) and Woon Shu (Unsu).

The Ne Ga Ryu (Chinese: Nei Chia) Internal (Soft [Kung] Style) use forms influenced by the northern Chinese Schools. These forms display deliberateness, stability, fluid motion and slow, quiet power.

These forms include Tsan Tjin (Sanchin), Jun Jang, Ssi San, Ssi Boai (Saifa; Saipa), Bae Rin Bba, SsanSsi Bbai, Sei San (Seisan; Hangetsu), Sai Hoo Ah, Goo Reung Hoo Ah (Kururunfa), Jin Toi, Ji-on, Tae Kuk Kwon, and Ne Bboo Jin (Naihanji; Naihanchi; Tekki) Cho Dan, Ee Dan and Sam Dan.

The Choong Ga Ryu

Chil sung Hyung and Yuk Ro Hyung.

 Yuk Ro Chodan - Du Mun (Great Gate)

Yuk Ro Ee Dan - Jung Jol (Cutting the Middle)

Yuk Ro Sam Dan -  Po Wol embrace the moon

Sal Chu - Killing Hammer

Choong Ro - Seize and Capture

Yuk ro Hyung

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 MooYei 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 difficult to open, and why it is known as the Great Gate.

2- Yuk Ro Ee Dan or Joong Jul which means Cutting the Middle. As a martial artist, much of the information that passes through the Great Gate will be either useful information that is obscured by fluff and is just pure useful knowledge.

3- Yuk Ro Sam Dan or Po Wol which means Embracing the Moon. When you've cut through the middle and sorted what has passed through the Great Gate, embrace the information you've discovered.

4- Yuk Ro Sa Dan or Yang Pyun which means high whip.  You will come to a point where your martial art skill will be at its highest, and as a warrior, like a lone person, high atop a hill, wielding a whip, and no one will be able to touch you.

5- Yuk Ro O Dan or Sahl Chu which means Killing Mace. With experience, you will have much knowledge and power and be able to kill with one blow, like a heavy hammer against your enemy

6- Yuk Ro Yuk Dan or Choong Ro which means Jumping, Capturing.  You will realize that with all your knowledge, it is not being untouchable or being able to kill with one blow that makes you a skilled martial artist, but being able to capture your enemy WITHOUT causing injury.
 By practicing the Yuk Ro, you walk the path to becoming a great, trusted and noble warrior

Breaking The Freeze

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 needs a reboot!

In behavioral biology there are three responses to extreme stress:

1. Fight
2. Flight
3. Freeze

The fight response won't be pretty like we practice in the school.  It will be a gut wrenching, wild flurry, off balance, heart pounding whirlpool of physical mayhem.  Go all out aggressive to survive.

The flight response is just- run!  Adrenaline will rush through your body and this action may seem like the best one.  Because you are adrenalized your balance will be off.  You may fall or bump into things because you are in tunnel vision mode.

Freezing may be due to a few things.   One, you don't have built in response to turn to.  Your body survival mechanism says staying still may allow the predator to ignore you [so hide in plain site]. 

The Tactical Freeze - You have chosen to freeze.  Your mind thinks "this will give them a chance to calm down".

 The Physiological freeze - Your body makes the shift from; It's the regular me, to the fighter me".  You are experiencing an adrenaline dump.  Now is the time to take action and break the freeze.  Move and scan to find a way to escape while planning to get down and dirty.  This is not time to spar, grapple or name call.  You need a savage, explosive attack to eyes, throat, groin and shin [ETGS also stands for escape to gain safety]

Seated self defense- Ninja style

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Jion

 

 

This advanced hyung was demonstrated for Great Grandmaster Song Ki Kim in 2014.
 

Jion, Tiger form
The form Jion is usually done by 5th Dan and is approximately 300 years old, and was named after the founder Jion , a Buddhist Saint. The animal representation is Ram or Goat.

Jion form means To Love the Sound of Shaolin or Temple Sound, it also means "JI is to develop technique and On means to build physical conditioning and ability in sparring.

 

                                                             

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kombatan Arnis

Great demo of Phillipine stick and empty hand techniques.  This make me miss my early days in martial arts with my Phillipine teachers.  Great men [Jose Deguzman and Armando Carandang] who inspired me to always be better.

 

The Phillipine arts teach stick and knife techniques before teaching empty hand.  Much of the stick technique translates to empty hand combat with destructions, trapping and locking.  It is a very deep and rich art.

Phillippine Martial Arts

I have always been a fan of Philippine martial arts.  My first two teachers are Phillipino.

Here is a video of martial arts icon Dan Inosanto with a demo and history of Philippine martial arts.

Momma’s, Go Ahead, Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Martial Artists

I couldn't have said it better myself, so instead let my friend, martial arts guru Tom Callos say it instead.

Kids who immerse themselves in martial arts practice don’t end up being the victims of bullies in school, they’re left alone, as bullies most usually pick on kids they know aren’t going to stand up for themselves. Kids who study the martial arts also usually end up being adults —who don’t get bullied in the workplace.

Kids who practice the martial arts hang out with teens and adults who practice the martial arts —and those are most often people who value physical exercise, good nutrition, calmness under pressure, and who set goals and methodically —and with no small amount of effort, —set out to achieve them. Not a bad crowd to hang out with at all.

Kids who study the martial arts often hear power words like “respect,” “courtesy,” “focus,” “compassion,” “kindness,” and “perseverance” 10,000 times more than any TV show or any amount of computer time provides in the same amount of time. Kids in the martial arts learn to put these words into action, too, in every practice session —and as a result, they often become the foundation for a lifetime of beliefs and practices.

Kids who practice the martial arts hear adults who practice martial arts saying things like, “If a picture is worth 1000 words, then an action is worth 1000 pictures,” and “If you can’t, then you must —and if you must, then you will,” and ““The ultimate aim of the martial arts lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants,” and “anger is an acid that does more harm to the vessel it is contained in than anything it is poured over” —and these ideas, kept in the mind and put to use, can, in one’s life, end up being absolute, concrete, worth their weight in gold game-changers.

Kids who practice the martial arts can grow up to be adults who write things like this —and who, nearly every day of the year, teach, coach, mentor, encourage, and motivate young people to not only look for and be their best, physically, mentally, and emotionally, but in how to take what they learn on the mats of their dojo —and put it to work in their lives, in their communities, in the world, to their own benefit and to the benefit of others.

Go ahead momma’s, let your babies grow up to be black belts.

—Tom Callos

Good Pain and Bad Pain

My main focus in my psychology training was called behaviorism. I studied concepts in motivational psychology.   We as human beings tend to move towards pleasure and to avoid pain.

If you have ever done anything physical in life you probably have experienced both good pain and bad pain. 

Something pops, a sharp pain shoots through you or possibly you get a kick in the groin and       an "uh oh" feeling takes hold of your brain - bad pain!

But all pain is not bad.

Good pain may seem like a paradox but good pain makes you stronger like exercise at your threshold, pushing that last heavy bag round or forcing yourself to improve by making greater effort in an area that you may have to push in.  Getting out of bed the morning after a hard workout might be considered bad pain but can you imagine lying in bed all day?

We tend to avoid pain on many levels.  Dwelling on it makes worse and prolongs it.

We receive value from good pain.    If you are having it tough, convert your knowledge of  good pain and focus on the benefit/positive results.

Train hard and know the difference


MB

Which Dog Do YOU Feed?

 

It's an old Indian proverb based on "The Good Wolf and The Bad Wolf" that live inside of us, constantly battling for control of our mind and the way we think.

 

The modern version is based on the courage dog and the fear dog and which one we like to feed.  The lesson to be learned is, the dog you feed the most wins the fight.

 

Both of these dogs are present in us.  You can't stop fear dog from being part of us.  Fear is always going to be a part of us but we can weaken his strength.  Negative thoughts and expectations feed the fear dog and leads us to stinking thinking along with feeling and performing poorly. 

 

We need to lock fear dog away!

 

 

Feeding the courage dog takes special care.  Look at the positive side of things, set and achieve small goals to feel like you are making progress.  Courage dog makes you a better person through empathy, patience, understanding, kindness  and thoughtfulness. 

 

When you arrive somewhere are people happy to see you or walking on eggshells waiting to see what kind of mood you are in?  Feeding courage dog helps you avoid conflict and makes you a better friend. 

 

Don't let fear control you and take you to the dark side.

 

                                      Right now make a sign where you can see it every day.

 

"Which dog are YOU feeding"?

FEAR

False Expectations Appearing Real

In my opinion your mind is a great asset or liability in martial arts training and combat.  How many times have we doubted ourselves when we truly had all the tools to take care of business but not the confidence to follow through.  I have had tournament experiences where I was psyched out and I know I was the better martial artist and times when I was bouncing in the nightclub and instinct took over and the battle was actually won before the first punch was thrown because of my level of confidence.

Training your mind to kick into gear is a multi pronged approach.

• Visualize the victory
• assume it will go just as you plan
• Be mad that someone would not treat you respectfully
• Don't be compassionate- some people deserve a beating.
• The "woofing" that is going on should be like listening in a different language.  The words have no meaning.
• Don't let the gesturing/physical intimidation get to you.  If they get too close smash them.
• Don't feel fear, feel domination and confidence by visualizing the total victory
• Have a calm/focused mind that cannot be beat.
• Interpret pain as motivation to strengthen your resolve
• Do the unexpected
• Deliver with rapid execution
• Breathe

Focus Of Power

 Power Control - Him Jo Jeol.   (Him    Joe Juul)

One concept that takes many years to perfect is the concept of focusing power in a technique.





Too many times we have told our students, snap your punch, thrust your kick or lock your stance.  What we really want to see them do is focus their power at the right time in the movement.  Whether it is a static move like a punch in Keecho hyung or a side kick in Basai so we know many of these techniques lack power.

Using the 8 key concept shin chook.  Shin 신 Chook 적 (Expand/Contract or Relax/Tense).  Shin Chook is one of the most used concepts when we examine the development of powerful technique.

Without the speedy relaxation in the movement we cannot sufficiently place power at the end of the movement.  Try being stiff and hard too soon will only impede the energy to be released on impact. 

The Ryu

 

The Hyung of Tang Soo Do were influenced by Ryu, or styles.  

Weh Ga Ryu (Outside/External House Style). Weh Ga Ryu came from Southern Chinese Schools emphasizing speed, aggressiveness and dynamic action. Examples of the Weh Ga Ryu style are the Kee Cho Hyung, Pyung Ahn Hyung, and Bassai.

 

Another Ryu is Neh Ga Ryu (Inside/Internal House Style). Neh Ga Ryu came from Northern Chinese Schools emphasizing more deliberate technique, stability and fluid motion. Most of our advanced Hyung come from the Neh Ga Ryu, such as Nai Han Ji and Sip Su.
 

The third Ryu is the Joong Gan Ryu (Middle Way Style) This Ryu was a Korean influence due to the fact that they had to be versatile because of the threat of living between China and Japan. The traditional Tang Soo Do Hyung like the Yuk Ro Hyung and Chil Sung Hyung come from this style.
 

The types of moves in a Hyung are important to the character also. These techniques often represent something from nature. By symbolizing an animal in our Hyung we show a respect for nature, as we should for all life. The Joong Gan Ryu is not based on animal forms but on human/natural style of breathing.  Grandmaster Hwang Kee made special emphasis in teaching these styles of breathing to further develop Tang Soo Do training.  Your hyung is not truly Tang Soo unless these breathing techniques are accurately incorporated into your training.

In a later post we will talk about ho hop as it relates to this.

KJN

 

 

Message from my 2nd Teacher

I began training in Kyokushin karate in 1969.  These are my first two teachers.  On the left, Joe Deguzman and on the right Armando Carandang.  I was wearing a green uniform for outside summer classes.
These men began training in their homeland the Phillipines.  They were both Navy men who were stationed in New London.
Mr. Carandang was also a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and Shorinji Kenpo as well as very experienced in Arnis De Mano (Phillipine stick fighting).  Often times we would meet him at his apartment and venture down to his basement for training.  One day when we arrived he had us dress in his new kendo armor.

This was to protect us from his full power blows during sparring.  He would swing our heavy bag away from himself and as it came towards him, he would fold it in half with his side kick.  

I have stayed in touch with him although he is currently living outside Washington, D.C.

I invited him to my eight dan graduation and I wanted to share a note from him.  Thank you Sir for helping me become the Black Belt and the man I am today.
We walk on the shoulders of our teachers.


From:  Armando Carandang
To:  Mike Bogdanski

Dear Mike

I deeply regret that I'll unable to attend your promotion due to distance and my recuperation.

I am extremely fortunate to have you as a student for more than forty one years.  You are an outstanding Martial Art student, a superb sensei and above all else a good and loyal friend.  Your dedication to the Martial Art are always in the highest caliber. You have met every challenge with distinction and can look back with justifiable pride on Martial Art.

Lita and I wish you and your family every success and happiness for the future.

Sincerely and with warmest regard,

Armando Carandang

Hyung Training

Hyung (Forms)

Forms are a fundamental and elemental part of our training. Ancient people had a deep interest in the development of forms as well as a profound understanding of them. Below is a quote from the Moo Yei Do Bo Tong Ji, which is the oldest documentation of Korean Martial Arts (300 Years), the author is unknown:
“Performing with hands and feet and conditioning the body is the beginning of the study of the art of Soo Bahk. In actual combat, form does not seem in an obvious way to be a necessary part of the martial arts. However practicing forms perfects the ability to perform hand and foot techniques freely. This is fundamental to making the best use of one’s body at all times.”
Basic to all martial arts is this: After the basic movements are learned they are applied to and transformed into forms. As established, traditional and clearly defined sets of steps, jumps, blocks, kicks and punches, each of the forms in our art has a unity and purposed. The elements which make up the character or personality of a form are as follows:

1. Form Sequence
2. Power Control
3. Tension and Relaxation
4. Speed and Rhythm Control
5. Direction of Movements
6. Spirit or Attitude
7. Power of Technique
8. Understanding Form Technique
9. Distinctive Features of the Form
10. Perfect Finish
11. Precision of Movements
12. Intentness

Promoted To 8th Dan

You can't imagine the feeling you get at this kind of promotion.
Here I am being presented my certificate to Pahl Dan by Grandmaster Estioko of Sacramento, California.  Grandmaster is the second American to be awarded Dan rank in Tang Soo Do.  I will post again later about his journey.

This was an amazing weekend.  Getting ready to run the Nationals,  Senior Master training with Kwan Jang Nim Estioko.  Promoted to 8th Dan with my long time friend and Tang Soo brother Wesley "Chipper" Jenkins.  An accomplishment of a lifetime!

I want to thank all my teachers.  I believe we stand on the shoulders of all of our teachers.
I will have to post some photos and comments about their teaching and my learning.
I want thank my wife for supporting me in this pursuit.
I especially want to thank my student, business partner and training partner Master Kristin Duethorn for her constant push to be a great Black Belt, which in turn forces me to be a great teacher.  Our workouts over the years have been rigorous and plentiful and together we have sought true Tang Soo Do and Moo Do training.

When I began training in martial arts, somewhere around green belt, a friend asked me how high a Black Belt I hoped to achieve.  After a little thought I said 3rd degree Black.  He asked how I came to that?  I responded, that is how high my teacher is.  One thing I have learned is that we can all do better than we think we can.

Writing this has brought on many more thoughts of things I would like to write about.  I will need to be more consistent with my blogging.

Thanks for the journey and the memories!


MB