United Kingdom Web Site

The United Kingdom webiste for Haedong Kumdo has been updated with more photos - the photo on the left is of me and is one of many on the site.

http://www.haedongkumdo.co.uk/

Shaun Hughes has done another excellent job of the design - brilliant job.

Haedong Kumdo - Philippines

I've been looking around the Internet (again) and found another Country has taken up this spectacular sword art.

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I've placed a link with the others in the Haedong Kumdo Links section - wow. All interesting stuff and some great photos!

Cart Wheel

I'm having a real difficulty with this one - who on earth thought this one up? The forward roll yes but the Cart Wheel looks like a scene from a Bruce Lee film (anyone else old enough to remember Bruce Lee? Chuck Norris? Ah well ..

And so, the conversation with my 7 year old daughter went along the lines of "Well Amy ... if you think you can do any better ...." Doh .. back to the drawing board!

Gymnastics Anyone?

Hi, these acrobatic 'sword' moves - they really hurt, especially when you land, shall we say, not on your feet.

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Anyhow, schools being what they are these days my daughter Amy has decided to take up Gymnastics. I take her to a club on Saturday afternoons and need to hang around for an hour. Or rather I did. Now, to fill in the time, I actually try and do the stuff .... laugh .... you will be.

Maybe it will be easier when my foot is better ... and my back ... and my arm ... and my .....?

Competition Day

Well, it wasn’t to be really was it? Still I went along to the competition and had a great time. I am a little disappointed with the result but what could I expect other than to not win anything. I did win experience though!

The competition was really well attended and the Haedong Kumdo had entries from several clubs, including some guys from Scotland – wow! Thanks for coming guys, you did really well and I learnt lots!

The Haedong Kumdo ‘star of the show’ for me was Roy Curry. Roy won the Form competition in spectacular fashion with a beautifully performed Form which was truly amazing to watch. I’m a long way from that standard – but not as far away as I used to be! I also need to mention two colleagues Stuart Burton (1st in Draws) and Lewis Edwards (2nd in Draws) - a fantastic result.

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Oh, and I must say a big thank you to those involved in organising it all - great job and worth every moment. Thanks!

The photo is of some of our Dragon Academy Tang Soo Do students – they did really well in the completion too, so deserve a mention and at least a photo. I think I’ll also have to think more seriously about taking up Tang Soo Do – in the future. Maybe without the sparing as I’m worried I may just grab someone and throw them - Ippon Seoinage? – it would be so cool, well, maybe not.

Grading Day - 5th Gup

My colleagues seemed to whiste through this grading (show offs) but, I guess because of my foot injury (still painful), I found it really hard and was glad that it was all over and a little relieved to pass. I don't want to be in that state for a grading again.

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And I have a competition to take part in this weekend - doh, why?

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So there we are - another Grading completed, phew, am now a blue belt - I think that's about half way? Another two Forms taught and practiced - it's getting very taxing on the brain cells.

All in the mind?

This injury is getting to me now. It seems the more I train the longer I’m going to be out of action. But I can’t go on at half speed – things to do, monsters to kill …. grading, competition and lots of other things to achieve.

One thing I have thought through though is completing Forms ‘in my head’. The idea may be of use to others and it seems to work for me so have a stab at it – no need to break your foot before you start!

Basically, find some quiet time and space and just imagine, in your head, that you are doing a particular Form or Draw. Take you’re time and concentrate it really works. I also check out the Form with the training book and/or my notes book and, surprisingly, have come up with a few revisions which I need to correct when next training for real.

I’m going to try the grading next week, with my foot and ankle strapped up, and then see how I get on before deciding on the competition for 8 June 2008.

Bananas!

I’ve just been playing with my ‘live’ sword – like you do! Seeing what it will do, how it works, getting used to the weight and feel of the blade as well as trying not to imagine what would happen if I had an accident with it!

Now, about this razor sharp cutting edge, how to appreciate this? So I thought I would get out a banana and rest the blade on top of it to see what it would do. Doh!

Well as you can see – no effort, no hacking or downward force needed, the simple weight of the blade sliced through the banana skin all the way through in one clean, sharp cut. Ouch!

That’s my nerve gone for today – will practice again soon – oh dear!

Broke my Foot - Update

Well, I’m over the shock of this training disaster? My left foot is still painful and bruised but at least the swelling has gone down. I’ve chipped a small bone off one of the other bones in my foot and it is now cutting into me when I move – especially when I train. (You didn’t think I was going to stop training did you?)

The Achilles tendon is still sore too – in fact more so than the break. It actually stops you from even walking properly – every step I take is painful and makes me limp. More frustratingly I can’t jump or twist or even stand on up my toes.

I will need to cut down on the training as it is pointless and I may even do more damage. I’m no longer sure about entering the competition, especially with me doing Yedo 5. I’m not even sure I will grade this time – what a setback!

Never say never though! And I can still swim!

Broke my Foot!

How stupid can you be? I’ve not only broken a small bone in my left foot but pulled the Achilles tendon in my right leg at the same time. I thought I was at the bottom of the ladder but had one step to go – and missed.

It’s not a bad break, no need to set in plaster – it’s just swollen and very badly bruised. In fact it looks far worse than it feels – but my right leg is causing me lots of pain. Stupid, stupid boy!

I’ve got three weeks to my grading and four weeks to the competition – why now? I’m really in a bad mood. No training!