Year End Results - 2007

Phew! Well firstly a Happy New Year to all – what a year 2007 was for me. I think the photo here shows it all – big smile, happy face, a few trophies and a Yellow Belt. I’m going to pat myself on the back and say I did much better than I ever thought I would last year.

Next year, 2008, my guess is that it will be much harder. I have the basics in Haedong Kumdo and have gone from a white belt to full yellow belt, albeit in three grading exams, in one year. This year I hope to raise two or three belt colours: Green, Blue and Blue/Red and with a bit of luck maybe get to Brown (?). I need to learn a further eight Forms then – I only needed one for the first year – so it will be a tall order. And, of course, there is all the other stuff to deal with as well: cutting drills, perfecting draws, stances and free sparing to mention just a few.

As they say in papers – watch this space to see how I measure up.

Special Trophy!

Humbled am I. Just when I thought I couldn’t do better, up pops a Special Award for my efforts this year. Presented to me by Master Paul Giffen it truly is ‘ice on the cake’.

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Again, thank you to all those who have helped me this year, including my family and friends.

Grading Day - 7th Gup

What a great end to a great week – especially after Sunday. Passed this grading feeling quite confident and at ease with Haedong Kumdo at last. I’m a Yellow belt, reminds me of 1974!

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Thank you again to all who have helped, trained, demonstrated and encouraged me through this year.

Christmas 'Trophy' Day

I’m still in shock. Wow, awesome – what a day! I entered this competition for the experience just hoping against hope that I wouldn’t come last, well at least not in everything.

And what happens? I have the Trophy’s to prove it otherwise I wouldn’t believe it myself but I won two firsts and a second out of the three individual competitions; Paper Cutting, Forms and Draws.

Haedong Kumdo Syllabus

Searching the Internet for information I came across a web site in Scotland which has the Haedong Kumdo Syllabus in a PDF file format available for students to download - see (www.dkma.co.uk/students.htm).

I asked Master Warren De-Vry for permission to put a link here and he kindly agreed – thank you. I’ve also placed a link in the Student Resources section and a link to the Club in Forres, Scotland under the Clubs section.

Using the syllabus with the training guide - Vol 1 really works well for me. I can practice what I need to know and concentrate on that, whilst planning ahead for the stuff I will need to lear in the comming months/years.

Swimming to Fitness

Objective achieved? Swimming is good for you and I think it has worked wonders for my training programme. I can maintain swimming thirty lengths in 30 minutes now and have just pushed it to thirty-two lengths which is exactly half a mile. That’s a good standard in my book and I’ll stick to that level. Swimming has been exceptional for toning my body and sliming me down to just over 15 st – which is a weight loss of almost 2 st in ten months. Everything is starting to get better!

Grand Master Edward Jacobsen - South Africa

Training earlier this week was so fantastic with Grand Master Jacobsen that I just had to get some more. So I went again on Sunday morning. It was just a great, more so because I had a little knowledge of what I was trying to achieve.

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In this photo Grand Master Jacobsen uses a Chukdo (Bamboo Sword) to spar with a more experienced student.

Sword Grip Change

Just found a video on YouTube which helps explain the actions necessary for the change a sword grip. The link is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfN499Z2f2s&feature=related have a look. I hope it helps as it is one of the biggest problems I have in handling the sword.
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I'll put a link under the Student Resourses section for more information.

Grand Master Edward Jacobsen - South Africa

Today was an opportunity just too good to miss – so I didn’t! Grand Master Jacobsen dropped in (from South Africa) to instruct us all personally in the art of Haedong Kumdo. What a fantastic evening it turned out to be and I just had to ask him to sign my little training book and get a photo. I have so much to learn and so far to go on this journey. Truely awesome!

Haedong Kumdo - Finland

Well, I don’t speak any Finnish but I did find this website about Haedong Kumdo from there. If anyone searches YouTube for videos I’m almost certain I recognize these guys (from Bergie’s pony tail) - sorry, but the music is dreadful! Fantastic photos of the Art from dedicated followers though. I hope I’ll meet them one day.

Here is the link http://www.haedong-kumdo.fi/valokuvat/list/all/ it’s well worth a permanent link in the blog. Thanks for the inspiration guys – brilliant cartwheel Jose!