Tool Box Hapkido

Why

2012-02-04T09:28:00.000-05:00

There was a reorganization where I work and I ended up with a new boss and a new job. During the some conversations while we were between meetings we started to talk about what we do for fun and on the weekends. I mentioned my martial arts practice and how much I enjoyed it. He had never really done much with the martial arts before, but listened and asked questions. The question of board breaking came up and the inevitable question came up.

Him - "Doesn't that hurt when you break a board with your hand or foot??"

Me - "Yeah, it does some times"

Him - "Then why do you do it?"

I gave him an explanation that seemed to satisfy him and we moved on, but it did start me thinking a little. Why do we break boards, what IS the purpose.

Is it to protect ourselves against pine board wielding savages bent to take over the world??? Umm, no not so much. Though if someone has the desire to attack me with a pine board rather than another weapon, please feel free I don't mind.

Is it some rite of passage? Not really, but a little closer to the truth. I would just like to refine that a little.

In my mind we break boards (and bricks and whatever else you chose to work with) to help focus us mentally to push through any obstacle even if we know that there may be pain or difficulties to accomplish something that needs to be done. You do this to help steel your mind and focus yourself. You accomplish this one purpose because it needs to be done. You have no doubts about the end result, you just do it.

You just do it because it needs to be done. You mind is focused on that ONE purpose.

So that is my thoughts, what are yours??? Let me know!

Resolutions

2012-01-08T12:44:00.000-05:00

When the New Year hits, people make resolutions of things they are going to do (or do better) in the coming year. Thus all the people trying to use the treadmill when I hit the gym yesterday. So I figured I should at least come up with some resolutions for my martial arts life for the coming year.

We will check back in in year to see how I did.

1. Do a curriculum review and update.
This one is already going (okay I cheated to make sure I got one, so sue me :) ). I am relooking at the techniques within the curriculum and seeing how I can improve on how I teach them and how I do them. I have another year of experience, hopefully I learning something in that year. Every technique in the curriculum works and has it positives points. My job is to find those points and figure out how to make it work for me and my students.

2. Teach at least one seminar this coming year.
Actually, I would like to teach more that one but you always have to start at one. Once you get one out of the way, feel free to move on to number two and beyond. I have one seminar that I am planning on in May to help raise some money for the American Diabetes Association and going to try to some more smaller informal ones during the year. Like I said, get one done and then we can talk on more.

3. Earn money for a charity.
This one is already in progress too. Going to send a check out today to the American Diabetes Association for the money I have gotten so far for the tshirt sales I have made thus far. It is a start and I hope to continue to add to that number during the year.

4. Incorporate my other skills and hobbies in my martial arts work.
So this one tends to move more toward my writing and picture taking. Going to try to write more this year and going to try to use my photography skills to enhance what I do. We shall see where it goes.

5. Publish at least one more e-book this year.
Yes, I said one more. I already have one. If you don't have it already, go to your favorite e-book vendor and look up Tool Box Hapkido or my name and you will find it. This one is in progress, but needs a kick start. Hopefully this will be it.

6. Write.
This one is pretty self explanatory, just write more. More blogs, more books, more articles, more tweets, etc. You get the idea.

7. Learn something new.
This one should be on everybody's list. Find something you want to figure out or know about and learn something about it. You can use a book, DVD, seminar, class, whatever. Just learn something. Enrich your mind. Grow a little, it is good for you.

So that should be more than enough. I am also going to print out this blog and post it by my computer to help motivate me. So what does your list contain for the new year??

Let me know and next blog I will try to cover some of them and give my view on it. Until next time.

Reflections

2011-12-25T21:19:00.001-05:00

Just a quick update as we celebrate the holiday season. Had two students test for their first Dan last weekend. They did an awesome job and made me proud of them. They were the first group from the Hagerstown Hapkido crew. This group I teach exclusively Hapkido and I highlight things with them I feel are important.

They work techniques slightly differently the group I teach in Frederick, a little harder and more realistic. I teach pieces of the technique I find very important and the reality of strikes to set things up. I also highlight chain get techniques together in case the first one doesn't work as you'd like.

I experiment on them with things I am working at the time. They help me work things out on how I want to teach things. They see things first, before I bring it to a larger audience. In some ways they teach me as I teach them.

What will next year bring? I am not sure, but am excited to see what new things we will work and how they will grow.

Bring it.

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Location:My couch

Turning stuff on paper into reality

2011-12-11T15:37:00.001-05:00

This Saturday I put two black belt eligible students in Hapkido through a pre-test to run them through things I wanted to make sure they knew and help prepare them for the Black Belt test the next week. I had a plan in my head on how I wanted this to go and what I wanted to cover. I had sketched out the specifics for each portion of the test and who was going to be doing what of the people I had coming to help. But as has been said, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.

I had envisioned the initial portion of the test being a heavy curriculum based exercise. Basically going over each belt level at random and in different order. In between I would put in various cardio and strength training stuff to get them tired and see how it affected them. The final piece was going to be a free form self defense exercise with padded weapons and special guest stars that they hadn't dealt with before (to give them a different style to deal with). I also was going to put the final bit to music to further help distract them and see how they did. Well, as the date came up for the test, some basic things changed which ended up mixing things up a bit.

The initial change was a time change for the actual test. The facility I was using had another scheduled event during the slot I was going to use (A Black Belt test on the primary style taught at the school), so I made the decision to move back the time to 6 pm. This caused an issue with availability of some of the folks I had set up to come and work, though. So the guest star list got hit. Then on the day of the test, I was heading out to pick up my son from the airport (he was supposed to get in around noon, plenty of time to get everything done I needed to get done). Well, when I got to the airport I found out that he had to be rescheduled and wouldn't get to the airport until 330 pm. Thankfully I had reading material at the airport or I might have gone crazy on my time there. Thankfully, there was enough time for me to drop him off at home and get to the studio for the test.

The only problem was in my rush to get out the door, I forgot the music. So scratch that piece. So as the students lined up, I came up with the options for the test with the new variables. The curriculum specific stuff grew in length and we covered pretty much the whole list of techniques. I had two options as partners and I had them switch occasionally so that people had different points of view. The students did well with it, all the techniques worked well (though there were some pauses during the test, but they eventually got to the right technique).

Then I decided to throw in some blocking and movement drills and rolling drills to mix things up a bit. Some of the drills were things they had seen before, some were things they hadn't. In either case, they responded well and performed the techniques.

Then it came to the final piece of the test, the free form self defense. So no music, no special guest stars but I did have a good group to work with. So I mixed it up with the people that were there. We did weapons for a bit and then we did striker and grappler scenarios. We mixed in multiple attackers and other variables to mix up the students. Guess what though.

They responded well. They did something and kept moving and fighting back. Just like they should and I had hoped.

So were things exactly how I had sketched them out on paper.

Nope.

But the final result was solid and made me proud of the students yet again. And really, isn't that what it is all about???

New projects

2011-11-28T15:32:00.001-05:00

I have started a couple of new projects this last week. Have to put the finishing touches on the latest project, still need pictures, and then I will put more work into this one. So what are these new projects? I am glad you asked.

They are basically a new way of looking at the Hapkido techniques I have been working and teach. I am breaking them up by static or with motion and further by weapon or not. Then looking at the techniques by joint under attack and attack situation. I am also going to try to highlight the anatomical and pressure point concerns. Should be an interesting analysis exercise. I will be interested into how it looks at the end. So far, so good.

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Countdown

2011-11-14T11:05:00.000-05:00

Black Belt testing is always nerve racking, even when you aren't the ones testing. I have a group of students that will be testing for their Black Belt in Hapkido next month at the parent school of mine with the Grandmaster of the federation presiding.

Needless to say I am a mite nervous about it.

I have been running them through all the stuff I expect to be on the test and make sure everything looks good and it is at the level they want. Everybody looks strong and solid so far. I am also testing them the week before on stuff I know that probably won't be in the main Black Belt test that I want them to know.

I know, odd of me, but hear me out.

There are some things that I emphasize more with these students than what is emphasized at the parent school. We all teach from the same curriculum, but I emphasize different things at this school. My style here is a little more hard edged and little more rough. Might be due to my ability or my past experience and growth as a martial artist.

Whatever the reason, they are going to have to show me what I want to see.

Just to give them a preview (in case they are reading the blog), there are a couple of main things I want to see:

- Understanding of the curriculum on a technique level.
- The ability to explain and demonstrate.
- and probably the most important piece of all, the ability to adapt and think on your feet.

This is probably the key part. You must be able to take what you know and adapt it to the situation at hand. Nothing is ever clean and easy in real life. You must be able to adapt.

And hopefully I will see that during this pre-test.

Testing thoughts

2011-10-23T20:44:00.001-04:00

As I wind down this Sunday evening, my thoughts go to the test I just ran this Saturday. Four students tested and everybody did well, hard work by everybody. What makes me really think though is the wide range of experience that tested. I had two students that are one step from black belt and one who was testing for the first time in Hapkido.

Looking at the veteran students I see the progress they have made from their first test. Not only the physical, but the mental.

Figuring out ways to look at things that they make sense.

Using their knowledge of what they have learned to make the new stuff work better.

That little gleam in their eyes when they work older techniques showing me they have them.

I treasure these times and look forward to their black belt test in a few months, but I also look forward to seeing the same growth in my rookie student.

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Location:The couch

Innovation is the mother of invention

2011-09-25T21:08:00.001-04:00

While working knife and gun defense techniques, I began to think about other options. The idea of edged weapons translated into blunt weapons. So rather than practicing with sticks that would have to be swung at a slow speed to avoid injury, I made my own. I got the idea from a book I just finished by Kelly McCann. I got some golf club plastic holders and some foam pipe insulation. And a whole lot of duct tape.

The next step was to bring them into class and try them out. You could swing them at top speed and when they make contact they don't cause injury. They sting a bit when your block isn't what it should be. But that kind of reminder can be good.

Helps you to remember to block better next time.

Also helps to expand your weapon defense options.

Which is a good thing.

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Location:The couch

One size does not fit all

2011-09-03T08:30:00.001-04:00

We all know that technique. You have the hand positioning and steps just like the instructor, but when you get to the finish, nothing. No tap, no pain.

It just doesn't seem to work. You ask you're instructor and they do it just like you did, only it works. There is pain on the finish.

You try again, nothing. Why?

Because the instructors hand position and steps are the way they are to make it work for them. They took the principle shown for the technique and adapted it to make it work for them. That is what they show you, the principle and how it works for them.

For them.

For their body type, their flexibility and strength.

You need to adapt the technique based on the principle shown and make it work for you. A good instructor will assist with this, but ultimately it is on you.

The principle is sound. The technique is viable and works.

You just need to figure it out. You have help, but ultimately you need to put in the work.

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Perspective

2011-08-13T13:57:00.001-04:00

As I was sitting on the bench off the mat waiting for my class to begin. I noticed a face sitting on the row that was not familiar to me. I put my book down and went over to talk to him.

He was from out of town and in the area on business. He trained in Taekwondo in New York and liked to check out local gyms when he was on the road to see what other places were doing in the martial arts. We watched the Krav Maga class before mine together and I gave him some background on our school and what he was watching. I also listened to him on his background in the Korean arts to include some work in Hapkido. Which interested me greatly since that is my art of choice. I also was teaching a class in that next. He said he was always interested in taking Hapkido.

So I asked him to come on the mat and take the next class. He was surprised at the offer, but agreed to give it a try.

I changed the class plan a little with him on the mat, going away from belt specific stuff to a more overall set of techniques. I went to a more random technique class, working on specific techniques not in any specific belt level. We worked a good number of them and then worked some quick react training with the whole class. It was a good high intensity class that students new and old seemed to enjoy.

My new friend thanked me for the class and for the introduction to my style of Hapkido. He offered to let me see what his school does if I get into his neck of the woods. He also said he would be back next time he is in the area. I look forward to that time.

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Location:The couch

The test

2011-07-31T18:37:00.001-04:00

Last week my first Hapkido students tested for their black belts at my Master's school. He head seen them before, so they weren't strangers but I was nervous just the same. Even though you aren't on the mat with them in body, you are in spirit. You go are with them through every movement. Every up and every down.

They did great and made me very proud. It made my day to see them get their belt and certificates. It also made my day to see my Master smile at how they did. Makes me feel I did a good job in preparing them and to opening their eyes to Hapkido. Looking forward to showing them the next step on the path.

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Location:My couch

First week back

2011-07-11T11:22:00.001-04:00

I was on vacation for about two weeks down in Florida. It was a great time of relaxation and recovery. It also meant that I didn't teach Hapkido class for that time. I used the time to step back and relook at what I was doing in classes and why. I looked at class structure and flow. I asked why I did things the way I did. The results??

I worked on coming up with themes for when I worked special technique before we got into curriculum. The themes include technique sets as well as concept work. I also decided to vary warmups depending on what I plan on working in class. If we are working on kicks heavy, hit the legs heavier. Now with a tweaked plan in hand it was on to classes.

How did it work??

So far, so good. I worked one theme in class (arm bars) and it seemed well received. I am planning a kick class this week, so I will vary the warmups then. It is still a work in progress, so I suspect I will continue to adjust. It is a continual learning process after all. For both the students and the teacher.

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But

2011-06-29T21:17:00.001-04:00

I am on vacation in Florida visiting family and old high school friends. It has been a fun and relaxing time thus far. Yesterday I met an old high school friend at his local martial arts gym. The gym was nice and classes were good. Lots of energy and joy in what they were doing. I talked with the Master at the studio for awhile on all thing martial arts. We talked his influences and style. I picked up some interesting ideas along the way. Things he does in his class I plan to adopt. We also talked Hapkido (my main love in the arts). He had some experience in it and liked it but had some reservations on it.

His worry was you could not do many of the techniques against a resisting opponent at full speed. That you had to hold back and initially learn in a static situation. Thus there was question in his mind on the effectiveness in a self defense situation.

I do understand his reservations and have heard them before. I also try to adjust my teaching to include resistance and movement once the student has the basics of the techniques down.

But

There still is some truth in what he said. Without practicing full speed and full force do we truly know the technique works? Is it effective? Is it useful?

I do understand these reservations but believe there is value in the techniques and what they bring. For safety reasons, we do not practice all out. But we do practice to a pain point. We do learn what needs to be done to cause our partner pain and discomfort. We do know it works to that point. Is that good enough?

For me, it is. But that is my opinion. You must formulate your own.

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Location:On vacation in Florida

That spark

2011-06-17T15:52:00.000-04:00

I have often wondered the reasons why I teach. Why do I choose to attempt to pass on what I know and educate my students on the martial arts?

There are the practical reasons of passing on the techniques themselves. Teaching the individual pieces and how to put them all together to get a functional and effective technique. The techniques and work itself also helps improve the physical help of the students. The stretching and the cardio help to improve physical well being. There is also the mental training of the martial arts. The ability to work through the techniques until they have them down. The constant work and repetition that anybody needs to really get the technique down.

These are all important and are reasons that I do teach.

The main reason though is seeing that spark in my students. The spark of love of the art and what it shows.

The spark that shows up when a certain technique finally makes sense. When all the pieces come together and produce a viable and effective technique.

The spark that must be nurtured by the instructor at the beginning like a burning ember. Eventually it builds up enough strength that it survives on its own and begins to grow.

That spark is a beautiful thing and smile every time I see it in my students.

Variations and Permatations

2011-06-05T17:39:00.000-04:00

When you initially start working a new technique, there is one right way to do it and only one right way to do it. The way your instructor shows you. You work hard to try to mimic their steps and hand positions to try to get the technique down until you can shadow them. The movements are the same. The steps are good and the hand position and movements solid. The results, however, are not the same.

That is when you need to work on the technique to adapt it to your unique body and style. Every technique has some core values and pieces that remain the same no matter who does them. Things like the joint that is being worked or the final outcome. These do not change no matter who does the technique, but how they get there and what they need to do to make it work will vary from person to person. Each person will have to put their own little spin on a technique to make it work for them. A different hand placement or a step at just the right time to pull it off.

There is no one size fits all.

There can't be. No single person is identical to another. There are differences in height, weight, flexibility and strength.

You have to figure out how to make it work for you.

Yes, I said YOU need to figure it out.

YOU need to play with it, you need to work with it, you need to make it your own.

When you do, it will work like your instructor had it work.

Then it is time to move onto the next one.

Time

2011-05-21T18:56:00.000-04:00

Time passes by quicker than we realize. I am always reminded of this whenever I run a belt test. Students that I remember when they were just getting their first belt are now a few steps from black belt. Their technique looks great and they seem to improve by leaps and bounds each day.

It also reminds me that I need to continue to challenge them, to make sure they keep pushing. Some people let up when they get black belt like crossing a finish line. I do not want this for my students (or for me for that matter).

I want them to always keep exploring and learning.

I want them to ask questions and then figure out the answers.

I want them to grow.

I want them to have joy in what they do.

In short, I want them always keep the enthusiasm of a white belt even when the colored belt they wear around their waist is much darker.

Never lose the wonder and excitement you had the first time you walked on that mat. There is so much more to learn and so much more to see.

Go for it.

Quick thoughts

2011-05-08T20:40:00.001-04:00

As I sit on the couch ready to watch the last episode of Amazing Race with my wife, I write this latest blog post. In thinking of what to cover, nothing major really hit my mind. This post is going to just cover some thoughts that have been going through my head of late.

Demos

As we head into the demo season I wonder what brings a person to spend time at our humble area and watch our routine. Is there something special in the routine we do? Is it the breaks?? Is it the forms?? Is it the self defense techniques we show? What is the secret sauce to bring in the crowds and keep them interested? I guess we will find out this season.

Self Defense

I have been of late working stuff in a more self defense slant. From weapon defenses to the basic locks and throws. What would work best in a more self defense situation? I basically have tried to make sure the blocks and grabs made sense. Then make sure whatever the technique is, I know how to transition to another technique. Not every technique will work the way you want, but if you are ready to transition to another one you will eventually find one that works.

Black Belts

My final thought is what it really means to be a black belts. What does it take (and what should it take) to test for one and what does it mean once you get one. Are there certain qualities that every black belt should have? When do you know when you reached your destination? I think it is different for everybody. For me, a black belt must always be striving to learn and grow and find a way to give back to the future students to help them

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Location:The couch

What does a black belt mean

2011-04-30T20:28:00.001-04:00

As I prepare to put together a black belt test for a group of students of mine later in the year I have begun to think what qualities I want the students to show to advance.

What techniques do you have to show?

How strong do you have to spar and for how long?

What internal qualities do you have to bring forth and show?

And in the end, what does that black belt really mean??

I think to everybody it is different. For people who don't train in the martial arts, the black belt is seem as the end state. This mythical piece of cloth that shows martial arts mastery and skill. This is one interpretation. One I don't agree with (and most who train don't), but one I understand. So what is a black belt mean to me??

It means you are ready to learn. Really learn. You are ready to take all the various pieces you learned on your journey and put them together into a cohesive unit. Combine them and refine them until they flow naturally and instinctively. There are times that you will flow from technique to technique, not really knowing the path you will take. It just happens.

It also means that you are willing to put in the time and training to really learn and stay with it. You are willing to put in the time and effort needed to work and get the techniques down. You are willing to keep going even when times get tough and the initial interest lags a little.

So in short, what does a black belt mean. What does that scrap of cloth that we use to tie off our uniforms really mean?

It means you have the inner will and perseverance to keep going. You have that thing inside you that doesn't allow you give up. It means you have a thirst for knowledge and that you are always asking questions of your techniques and look for answers.

At least that what it means to me. What does it mean to you?

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Location:The couch

Commonality

2011-04-24T15:55:00.001-04:00

The color belt technique set that I teach from groups the techniques by different offensive applications by your partner. Then there are a certain number of techniques per belt for each offensive application. The locks and finishes are similar at each belt, because after all there are only so many ways to effect a joint and cause pain. At times, it takes the student awhile to figure that out.

The student is so concentrating on the set of techniques that they are working, they don't recognize the common finishes that they saw in the last set of techniques. Their focus doesn't allow them to look out the box just yet. This does tend to happen when a student gets close to testing for black belt. They start to look back at the technique set as a whole and see commonalities. They note the recurring theme on finishes and how it is just a matter of moving to the right position to enact the lock.

I sometimes try to push this process along by showing a finish from the set they are working, but from a different offensive application. If they are looking at an arm grab, I work it from a clothing grab on the torso. The finish works the same, you just have to work a little different getting there. Sometimes I see the glint of recognition by a student, that they get the point.

There is commonality in the technique set and if you look close enough you will see the same finish from a variety of offensive applications. There are even more that we don't show because of time constraints. That is why it is important to play with your technique set a little once you have it down.

Look at it from a different angle or application. See how it works (or if it works, because sometime the work it takes to get to the point where you can work the finish really isn't work it). Review your old techniques too, time will give you new perspective. Finally, play with the techniques. Work them in different applications and scenarios. You may be surprised at what you find.

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What makes a black belt test a Black Belt test?

2011-04-15T21:22:00.001-04:00

What are the ingredients that make a belt test special?

What pieces are necessary to test the testers knowledge and commitment, but is fair to all?

These questions (and a few others) are running through my mind as I prepare for my first Black belt test for my students in Hagerstown. This will be the first Black belt test that I will be running and I want to make it the best I can for my students. I want to make sure it isn't too easy but we don't (figuratively) kill anyone. I also want to make sure it is special for them.

I remember my first Black belt test with great fondness. I remember what we we did during the test, but more importantly I remember the people at the test. The faces at the desk up front as I tested. Having certain people there to watch and help. It was special for me. I want to make sure I do that for my students.

Wish me luck.

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Seminar thoughts

2011-04-09T21:07:00.001-04:00

Back from a Combat Hapkido seminar in Pasadena, MD. It featured GM John Pellegrini founder of combat Hapkido. The theme was back to basics. He covered many basics of Hapkido, but they apply to other arts as well.

Footwork.
Hand position.
Stance.
Fundamental concepts like live hand and ki.

These are integral to Hapkido and need to be done well for any technique to be effective. The are the basics, the foundation of the art. But sometimes in our rush to advance they are neglected. The quest for the next belt or the new flashy technique takes over. We forget the pieces that are key to making all those techniques work.

Correct footwork and movement.
Correct position of hands for grabs and strikes.
Flow through each piece of the technique.

Without the foundation, the house falls. Good lessons and a reminder to keep working the fundamental pieces of the art.

And to practice, always practice.

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Location:The couch

Quick thoughts

2011-04-02T21:57:00.001-04:00

As I sit here on the couch watching some NCAA hoops, I think about the latest project. The deeper I dive into it the more questions arise.

What strikes should I include?

Should I look at kicks also?

If so, how deep should I dive in?

What defensive concepts should be highlighted?

Some of these have easy answers. Some not so much. I suspect this one will go through multiple versions before it goes live. Hopefully it causes the readers to think as much as it did for me.

Because that is the point.

To question and explore.

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Testing Time

2011-03-26T09:46:00.000-04:00

I am running a belt test later today with a number of my students testing for the next belt in the line. Belt tests always bring out a variety of emotions.

Fear of what will be on the test for the students.

Nervousness on how you will perform.

Excitement when the test is over and you did your best.

Pride in a job well done.

Those go through the minds of those taking the test, but they also go through the minds of those up front administering the test. Much to the surprise of some students I am sure.

I always try to make the test the best possible experience for my students. Testing their knowledge, but also allowing them to have a little fun with it. In truth on a technique level, I am testing my students every day in class. I see where they are with techniques, offer little tweaks and feel confidence that they have the technique basically down. You will not test with me unless I feel you have your stuff down. That is just the way it is. I still expect my students to execute come test time, but I understand that some mistakes may just be nerves rather than lack of knowledge.

I also experience pride when the test is over and I present the new belts and certificates. I know the students worked hard to get to where they are and that tests are never easy (both mentally and physically). It is an accomplishment when you get a new belt. It is good stuff.

Then comes the planning for the next set of techniques. How best to present them to the students so they learn them and they can pull them off. Also how best to make classes interesting and fun and make sure they are challenged each class.

But, I am getting ahead of myself there. Let's stay in the here and now. Today is test day. Good luck to all.

Why we do what we do

2011-03-12T10:16:00.000-05:00

Just a short one this week folks. Still working the latest project and am hoping to get some time in on it today to move it along. We shall see, should work out and I should have more to share rather soon.

I was reminded this week of why I do what I do. Why I put in hours to go in and teach and show the things I know. Why I try to put across how much I really love the art I am teaching.

A students father came up to me in class this week before my class started. He just wanted to tell me that his kid has changed their mind about Hapkido. They love it now and can't wait until next class. They are home practicing on their siblings so they can get better.

This made me smile both on the inside and outside.

This kid took class with me and was really petrified. Had major issues with some of the falls and rolls. Didn't think they could do it and were afraid to try. I tried to let them know it was ok to be afraid. It wasn't a natural thing to throw oneself at the ground only to catch yourself before you face plant. It was okay, we all go through it. You will get better the more you work it and you will pick it up. And they did, they did really well in class in all phases.

Then the father told me the following week how much they really love class now. It was just a reminder of why I continue doing what I do and why it is really all about the connection. Making that connection with the student, letting them see through you on how really cool this stuff is.

So, I just had to share. There will be other blogs for technical break downs of techniques and such. I just wanted to share how good it is to get reminded why we teach, why we share and why we work so hard at this stuff.

Breaking it down

2011-03-06T13:01:00.000-05:00

I am working on a new project now. It is really in the beginning phase where I am taking all the scribbles I have elsewhere and putting them all together in one book. What has really helped bring it together is breaking it all down on a white board. The process allows you to take the concept and actually break it apart in the pieces necessary to putting it together.

The book will have a lot of examples of defense versus attack sets, but I need to set that up. To do that I have to actually break down the specifics of the attacks and the defenses. To have the end game of the defense examples, you need the pieces of what the attack and defense concepts are.

This is both the practical side of what we are calling the actual attack/defense and also the theoretically side where I put in my reason for doing the things the way I am trying to do them. Each thing does have a reason and a purpose (though at times I am sure my students wonder that). I have to lay down what each piece in the puzzle does and is meant to do before combining them together into a coherent picture.

Each attack should have a reason.

Each defense should have a reason.

Once the concepts come together, the actual example sets should come together well. Note that I only said examples. This is not meant to cover every possibility, just a set few. This is done for a couple of good reasons.

One, I don't want this thing to be so huge that you could use that dang book as a defensive tool.

Two, I want to lay the groundwork and let the people who read it make their own conclusions and combinations.

This book is being put together for a couple of reasons. One of which is that I really feel this is the next step to the static defense concepts I worked in Tool Box Hapkido. It is just a natural extension and makes sense that this would be where we are going next.

The second reason will stay a secret for a bit. Can't give away all my secrets, can I?

Project update

2011-02-27T14:33:00.000-05:00

The latest project is an extension of the original Tool Box Hapkido book concept. Taking it to what, I think, is the next step, techniques off strikes. The concept is rather broad, so I have to set some limits on what we will be looking at and what pieces are important in the book.

There are a couple of basic pieces of the concept. You first need the set of strikes you want to concentrate on. The batch that I chose have more of a self defense slant and are the ones I suspect would be the most common ones seen. Thus no spin kicks or jump kicks. Truthfully if somebody launches into one of those toward you, just move and counterstrike. Blocking would be counterproductive.

Then you have to look at movement and blocking. These do hand in hand. If you block and don't incorporate some type of movement into it you better be darn sure that the block works. If not, you might be unhappy with the results. I also had to pare down the blocks that are going to be looked at. There are a large number of block options out there, but I stuck to the ones that allow the most flexibility to follow with a technique. This lent itself to open handed techniques. Also, I am going to emphasize to think of the blocks as strikes too, not just blocks. If you are going to hit the guy, cause some damage. Make him think twice about what he did and whether he wants to do it again.

The strikes should also include some strikes with weapons. I kept that simple also, blunt weapons and edged weapons. This keeps it pretty generic and can cover a large amount of offensive options.

The process keeps going and makes me look at the components of each strike/defense/counter sequence. Making sure I cover the basic pieces of each before combining them all together. This way the reader has something to look back to when working the combination.

The process is still ongoing and we are no where near done. That is fine though because I really do enjoy the process.

The Next Project

2011-02-20T12:03:00.000-05:00

Projects are always peculating in my head waiting for the right time to come out. Some of them actually happen (See Tool Box Hapkido, available now through many outlets and in two formats) and some just drift off never to be heard from again. I have had a couple of new projects in my head of late and it looks like two of them will actually have start coming to life as I have the time to spend on them now.

The first is a very straight forward project. The last Hapkido book I did was based on empty hand techniques from grabs and holds. It did not look into the idea of strikes. This next one will.

The next text will study the idea of Hapkido off various strikes, both empty handed and with weapon from a variety of angles and situations. The text will step through the basic concepts of attack types and then defensive options. It will look at empty handed attacks, both kicks and punches, blunt weapon attacks and edged weapon attacks. I will try to cover some options of the attacks in each case and use pictures as examples.

I will then cover some examples of options available with each attack/defense combination and the locks that can be performed off each. Then I will close it up with a basic conclusion and mention that these are put examples of options. To truly figure it out, you need to play with it and see.

This book is being worked for two reasons. One, and probably the most important one, it is something that interests me. It is something that flows organically off the original text. Kind of like a next step of sorts.

The second reason is I want to put something concrete together for a group of folks I have that are coming rather close to testing for their first dan. I want to come up with an addition to the curriculum that already exists within the Federation that will challenge them and cause them to think a bit. Most of the students in our curriculum when they reach this level it is the first time. For this crew, at least for some of them, it isn't. So where the existing curriculum is new to the black belt, in this case it isn't. So time for something just a bit different.

The second project is more of a difficult one and will take more thought. It is to expand the Tool Box Hapkido text idea into other fields of interest. Kind of create a framework where a large variety of things can live and grow to product interesting text. Where it actually goes, I do not know.

I do know, however, that I look forward to the ride.

Blocking thoughts

2011-02-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

In class this week one of the students asked to go over the basic blocks in the curriculum so he would have a chance to work them. They are a basic set of four:

palm down low block: press down with your flat palm at the attacking limb
palm middle block: a same side hand block that pushes across the body.
high block: a knife hand block that uses the outer edge of the arm as the block surface.
twist block: an off side hand block that incorporates movement to get to the outside of the attack.

I did all the blocking drills with both people in a horse stance with a partner punching middle level toward the center of their partner's chest. The horse stance piece was to get some leg strengthening in while we were working the drill. That is always a good thing. One thing I did abandon was the blocking person being in a horse stance. Why did I do that??

Because without movement, blocking is less effective. I won't say ineffective, but it definitely doesn't do the job nearly as well.

Now I have to get into what I mean by movement. Basically moving the body slightly to get the center line of your body out of the path of the attack. You can either move to the outside of the attack or to the inside of the attack. The block you use will normally set this up. A twist block goes nicely with an outside movement while the middle block works better with an inside movement.

When you block also you want to block just enough to move the strike away from its intended target but still keep slight contact with the striking limb. Why would you want to do that?

To perform a lock or strike (or preferably both) to the attacking limb (or any other target that is open and available). The direction you move will also set up what lock or strike you will want to perform. We just worked some basic wrist lock and arm bar combos, but truthfully there are many different viable combinations. All you have to do is work it and find out what seems to work for you.

Yes, you get to play with your techniques again. Enjoy.

There is also the concept of two handed blocking, but we will save that for another day.

Curriculum Design

2011-02-04T14:55:00.000-05:00

The curriculum I teach has a very definite path to your 1st degree black belt. A group of techniques at each belt level, each looking a different situation. There is also a set of kicks and strikes that the student has to learn at each step along the way. A well documented path from white belt all the way up to black belt. A group of techniques to know at each belt level.

Logically structured.

Each step clearly spelled out with definite goals and hurdles to clear before moving on.

Then you get your black belt and then what.

The curriculum only spells out defense against weapons with no clear techniques laid out. The student is supposed to take specific strikes and gun positions and form their defense off them.

No clear steps nor no path.

No block of techniques to learn at each step.

No defined steps to go through before moving up a level.

Which is really how it should be. Once you get your black belt, your task should be really to refine the techniques you have already learned. You only had two months (or so) to work on them before testing on them. That is nowhere near enough time to get them truly down to where you can use them in any application.

Also there are next steps that flow pretty easy off each set. Grabs on the other side or different locations. Do the techniques still work on these variations?

Find out.

Play with it, work it until you come to your decision. Then work with it some more. Really learn the techniques from all angles and variations. Figure out how to make it work for you. Figure out when to use it and when it doesn't work so well.

That is why there isn't this huge set of techniques to learn at the black belt level. You already have a ton of stuff to go over. To pile on would just be cruel.

Which in this case, we don't want to be.

Self Defense application thoughts

2011-01-27T16:36:00.000-05:00

Of late, I have been looking into application of the Hapkido techniques I know into a more self defense situation. This normally involves looking at the technique in question and analyzing it for possible self defense application.

Does the technique in question make sense in an actual self defense application?

Is it quick to apply and doesn't involve too many steps?

And most importantly, does it work?

I will also tend to strip out some of the pieces that, while good in a curriculum environment, really add nothing to a self defense scenario. I have also gone to other sources, both written and DVD to find new ideas and ways to do things. Always a good idea to go outside your comfort zone a bit and look at ways others do things, even if they aren't straight traditional martial arts.

This has also led to the idea of knife defense. It just makes sense that after one looks at empty hand applications, the next step is applications where your opponent has something in his/her hand.

Knife defense is part of the curriculum I learn and teach, it shows up after the student has tested for 1st dan. The curriculum piece is a set of knife attacks with the finish up to the student. This leaves more freedom to the student to figure out what to do to defend and finish. It gives the student a chance to explore how to employ empty handed techniques in different scenarios which gets their mind going, which is always good.

It leads me to break the defense down into its basic components and then figure out who I can enhance my knowledge and skill in those components. The components I came up with were:

1. The attack itself
2. The block or dodge
3. The technique application
4. The finish
5. The exit

The attack itself can be either rotary or linear. It can be either off hand or same side. It can also come from up to down or down to up. There really are only so many applications that make sense. From each attack, we then move to the block or dodge.

This is where I have looked to DVDs and such for help. I tend to go for the block myself, I do not feel I am fast enough to dodge out and then go in and do something useful. Maybe a dodge because there is no other option, but that is pretty much it for me. The block will depend on the attacks and comes down to one basic principle for me.

Control the knife hand.

Figure out how to do that and you at least have one piece of the puzzle handled. You may struggle to move onto a finish that works, but if you control the knife hand you control the knife. If you control the knife, you control the possible damage.

I came up with all sorts of possible blocks and secures and was pretty happy with most of them. Then a question hit my head, how do I know that the block was successful and there was no damage involved. We work with rubber and hard plastic knives. If they scrape you or touch you, most of the time you don't notice. So I looked for a solution.

I found one. A knife that allows you to place chalk on the blade side, so when it contacts something it leave a mark behind. This way after you do that cool block, you can see if it worked as clean as you had hoped. It isn't in yet, so I haven't had a chance to play with it, but I look forward to it. I am sure this will cause me to re-look at some things.

Which can only lead to more knowledge and confidence in what you end up doing. Which is only a good thing.

Rinse and repeat

2011-01-23T11:30:00.000-05:00

During class this past week one of the students commented on how quickly I was able to apply a technique I was showing and how effective it was. This is a lower belt technique and one I had been doing for awhile so I have done it a lot. So I have figured out how to make it work for me.

Did it take a day?

Did it take a week?

Did it take a month?

Did it take a year?

No, it took as long as it took. It took as many repetitions as was needed to make it flow smoothly. It took time to figure out exactly where I needed to place my hands on the joint I was working and the angle I needed to move the joint to cause pain. It took time to figure out what footwork I needed to make the technique flow smoothly and cleanly. It took time to figure out how to flow to another technique if I was experiencing resistance along the path I was trying to work. Then it took time to put it all together and make it flow smoothly and quickly.

Each technique is different too. Some come rather quickly with only a few reps. Some take longer and don't fully come out until many years later and sometimes after you think you do have it down. There is one constant piece of this process though.

Repetition

You need to practice the technique correctly over and over to figure it out. You need to take the basics that you are given to work with and figure out what specific pieces need to be adjusted to make it work better for you. You must remember one thing.

When you are learning a technique within a certain curriculum, you are shown that technique in a way the general populace can make it work.

It isn't specific to your body size.

It isn't specific to your strength.

It isn't specific to your knowledge.

It can't be in that forum. Your instructor can give you the basics and the tools, but ultimately you need to figure out how to make that specific technique work for you. You need to put the work in.

So in class when we go over the same technique for what seems like the 100th time. Remember there is method to my madness. I am giving you the opportunity to explore that technique and make it your own. What you do with that opportunity is up to you and you alone.

Flow

2011-01-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

When we first learn a new technique, the technique is very broken and uneven. We strive to remember each step and each grip and pause between each transitions. This is actually a good thing. The first thing to get down when working a new technique is the mechanics of the technique itself. This should not be something we want to rush or hurry.

Work through each piece step by step. Adjust the hand position until you get it how you were shown by your instructor. Remember the footwork and when each step is required. Do the technique in pieces and concentrate on getting each piece down. Once each piece is down how you were shown it is time to play with it a little.

Yes, I said play with it.

When I show a technique I will show the technique how it works best for me. I will make sure to point that out, especially with the footwork. I will mention what each piece is meant to do and why I do what I do. It is up to you to adjust them to fit your body type and your body mechanics. You will know when a change is working better, or at least your partner will when they yelp in pain. The changes will not always work better, but they are worth exploring. Then you finally get the pieces down and have them tweaked to fit you.

Then comes the flow part. Then comes the speed. Then you actually see if you can perform the technique smoothly and fast enough to pull it off. Then you may bring to light some flaws in your footwork or hand positioning. Then you work changes and try again.

And try again.

And again.

Until it becomes natural and it just flows. Then you have it. It is a nice point to get to, but the journey too it is also sweet. Enjoy both.

Just a short thought

2010-12-31T19:46:00.001-05:00

Just a quick one as we move into the new year. I was asked by a student last weeks class when we were reviewing older techniques. I made note of a small bit of hand positioning and was asked why we didn't cover that when they first learned the technique. I answered simply that it wasn't time then for that. You weren't ready for small adjustments when you were learning the big pieces to the technique.

Basically your cup was full learning the large pieces of the technique. That small adjustment would have just fell to the floor, forgotten. Everything has its time.

Which is why we review. Also why we should review more than we do because that is when you truly learn.

Tool Box Hapkido Seminar thoughts

2010-12-19T16:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the last seminar of the year at the Korean Martial Arts location in Frederick, MD. It was a little different that what I have patterned the normal flow of the seminar in that all the people taking the seminar had previous experience. In most cases, the seminars are for folks with little or no Hapkido experience. So normally I have to introduce the concept of Hapkido and discuss how some of the techniques work and the importance of safety. With this group, I didn't really need to do that. What normally would take 30 minutes (with a short warm up included) ended up taking like 15 minutes. So we dug right into the techniques themselves.

The seminar covered some generic concepts at first to set the stage. We worked on the need for some kind of distraction technique (in most cases a strike of some sort) to help set up the technique you want to work. I also stressed the concept of high/low when it comes to the distractions technique. This basically comes down to if you want to work a technique high, strike low and if the technique is low, strike high. Makes sense, takes your opponents mind off the area you want to work. We then worked some basic finger techniques to help cause that little bit extra of pain that you need to open up room to work.

We then went over the concepts of working techniques off blocks from an opponents strikes. It is important to incorporate footwork in at this point and try to keep contact after the block so you can work. We then hit a variety of other stuff to include throw and sweep practice. Working through the line at least twice so each student got a chance to work the technique a good number of times and with a variety of partners.

The last piece we hit before finishing off with some freestyle work was flow drills. I have found a drill done by Mr. John Geyston that flows between 20 techniques total. I broke it down into a smaller block, we worked 6 techniques total and introduced it to the students here. I like the flow concept because it allows you to remember that you have the option to transition to another technique if the one you are trying isn't working the way you hope. Don't fight it or force it, move on.

We then finished with some freestyle work where the students took their turn in the middle and the rest of the class would grab or hold them and the person in the middle would react. What you react with isn't important at this time, just that you react. The goal of the drill is to get you to think about moving to a technique right after you feel the grab or hold. It also lets the student play with techniques with some resistance and see where they go and if they are effective.

All in all, I was happy with the seminar. Good group of folk and they all worked hard. Good way to end the year for sure.

Getting ready for the last seminar of the year

2010-12-10T10:17:00.000-05:00

I am trying to finish the year with a bang and have a Tool Box Hapkido seminar scheduled for the 18th of December in the Korean Martial Arts school in Frederick. It is a closed seminar this time, only members of the Korean Hapkido Federation schools.

This makes things a mite interesting.

The pretense for the Tool Box Hapkido seminars was to introduce the self defense aspects of Hapkido to people who are not familiar with the art and what it can bring. The ones to come in 2011 will probably be that way for sure. I am trying to reach out to yoga studios and places like that. Places that have a need for self defense, but probably have not heard of Hapkido or what it can do.

The techniques are normally basic (though effective) and there is lots of introduction and talking. This time, the people know the basics and they have heard me talk and introduce Hapkido. So we have to change things up a bit.

I am planning on highlighting the self defense aspect of the art. I want to add some stuff I have been working of late that aren't a part of the core curriculum, but I find to be very effective. I also want to keep it free flowing, so we can work techniques that interest the people in the audience. This way we can cover the pieces that the people in the seminar want to see and work. Should make for a fun seminar I suspect.

There will also be prizes for best questions, etc. So if you are there, bring your enthusiasm and brain because I am going to work your body and mind. We are going ask questions and we are going to explore. It should be a blast.

Translation

2010-11-10T12:31:00.000-05:00

There comes a time in your training when you begin to look back at older techniques that you learned that you no longer really work as much as you used to. Some times these techniques no longer fall within the current curriculum umbrella and fall by the way side. This does not mean that the techniques have lost their use or effectiveness. There can be ways to translate the older techniques and make them fresh and more relevant. I have started to go through that process with some short stick techniques that I worked earlier in my training.

The techniques involved certain blocks, strikes and locks that can be applied utilizing a short stick in both a static (opponent standing still) and active (opponent striking either with a punch or a kick) scenario. I liked some of these techniques and wanted to revisit them. I did want to remove the short stick from the equation and add a baton in its place. Expandable steel batons can be bought readily now from most martial arts equipment sites and I picked one up myself recently. They have use in self defense applications and translate pretty well as a replacement for the short stick. So I went about my task of doing just that.

The blocking techniques from the set will probably not be used initially as they are against a shinai and are pretty basic. It might work with a baton on baton scenario to allow the student to work both strikes and blocks. Might be something I want to revisit at another time, but now I am going to put it aside as I feel there is more value looking at the strikes and the locks.

The strikes are an easy translation as it is a one for one thing. The existing curriculum involves strikes starting at the head and working down using both the tip and butt end of the stick. We did not specify the pressure points that were to be hit in the initial curriculum, but I would like to look into that further.

The locks will translate pretty well, but there must be some allowance for both weapon material (wood vice steel) and size (most batons are longer than the short stick I always used). These can be overcome, it will be something that will have to be worked. There will probably be some other lock applications that will need to be looked at also. I don't want to be confined to just the techniques in the old curriculum. The only addition required for an active technique vice a static technique will be the addition of a block of the opponents strike and then the move into the lock/strike combination.

This will probably be a work in progress that will take some time to get the kinks worked out. This is all part of the process though.

Curriculum thoughts and musings

2010-10-21T10:04:00.000-04:00

Asking questions about a subject helps to gain knowledge on the subject and get points out in the open. Some points are valid and lead to further exploration while others are forgotten shortly after they are asked. They serve a purpose though because they move things along. They make us thing. Really think about what we do and why. They allow things to grow and change. The change and growth then spark more questions and the learning keeps going.

Tool Box Hapkido was originally set up to put together useful seminars that highlight Hapkido techniques in a self defense atmosphere. Techniques that I have seen and used in my curriculum work were tweaked slightly and grouped differently to pull this off. The core of the technique was pretty much the same, though the pieces were changed and moved to simplify and streamline. I am pretty happy with the group of techniques now, though I am sure they will continue to change and be modified as time goes on. The seminars have also caused another thing to happen. It has caused me to look the curriculum that the techniques came from and begin to ask questions.

Questions like:

Why does this technique work the way it does?
Does it work different for different body types and opponents?
What is the purpose of the technique, what is the end game?
What other techniques flow well out of this technique?
Does the same technique work from a different initial reference?

There are more questions, but you get the idea.

Has this caused me to fundamentally change the curriculum itself? No. The groups of techniques at each belt level are the same. The techniques within each group are fundamentally the same.

But.

The pieces within the technique have begun to change and grow. The end game is the same, the purpose of the technique the same and they begin from the same point they always have. But the pieces of the technique, the things that make it work have changed subtly for some techniques. Part of it is repetition and part of it is the questions. The questions spark exploration and checking into other options and slight variations. I suspect this will continue as long as I work this curriculum. The techniques will continue to grow and evolve. This will allow them to improve and will also lead to new questions.

Which is a good thing.

Trapping and blocking

2010-10-10T22:38:00.000-04:00

As I review the Hapkido curriculum I am teaching right now and what I want to do during the seminars I am planning is attacks from an active perspective. This basically means that the opponent is actually performing some action and is in motion. This can be a punch, a kick or any number of other strike options.

Why does this interest me??

When you are trying to show techniques to students for the first time, you show them from a static state. The opponent walks up to you, does something and then just stands there until you perform a technique that causes him to stop doing whatever he is doing. This is really good for showing the basics of the technique and how the individual pieces come together to form something that is efficient and works. This allows the student to play with the technique a little and tweak it until it works correctly for them and they can duplicate this over time.

Basically, this is a good way to get the technique down to a point where you can use it.

But it does not tell the whole story.

Why??

Because this is not how things actually are. Things tend to be in constant motion, there are periods of rest where you have a static situation, but this is not the normal state. People are striking, pushing and doing things. Most of the time, things you would rather not have them do to you. So we also need to train in this environment also.

The best first way to do this is to work off a strike of some kind. The most common strike is the punch, so this is where we start.

The punches come in two basic categories: linear, or straight at you, or circular. In each case, you have to incorporate footwork and some method of actually deflecting or stopping the attack while maintaining the closeness you need to actually perform the technique you want to do. Notice I said deflect and maintain closeness. You do not want to deflect the technique with such force that you lose that closeness and are basically back at square one. You did stop the strike, but now your opponent is reloading for another one. Not good.

I also did not say catch, because this is a very low percentage move. You are meeting your opponents force at the point of greatest force and trying to move against it and basically stop its momentum. Not easy and not real practical. There are probably some people out there that can pull this off. I, am not one of them and I suspect most of my students aren't either.

So we go back to deflection. This deflection also needs to involve some footwork to get into the best position to get out of the away of the attack and be in a position to counter. The counter can be a strike or a joint lock or a combination of both. Whichever works best in the situation you find yourself in.

One place I have gone to for ideas on this is Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do. If you look at his work on this subject he advocates footwork and a front hand parry with an open hand normally followed by a rear strike. The parry is quick and a small motion, just enough to get the opponent's strike away from you. It keeps us close enough to do some of the locks we want to do. Thus we will learn and use these techniques to help us move along. Which is the point of practicing martial arts, learning and adapting to get better.

Progression

2010-09-26T11:13:00.000-04:00

The nature of the martial arts schools and clubs in North America (at least the ones I have had the pleasure to participate in or see) is they all have some type of belting system. You start out at the lowest belt, normally white and you start to learn that belt's curriculum. You put in your time, learn your material and then test on what you know. You move up the ladder and get ready to test for the next belt. Eventually the colors get really dark and it is time to test for the pinnacle of martial arts, the black belt.

And then what???

For the majority of students the black belt was the goal and once they reach that goal, the lose interest and move onto something else or get out of the art entirely. One of the reasons that tends to happen is the lack of definite steps between degrees of black belt as there are between white and black belt. There are definite steps and a group of techniques to be learned and visual evidence of progress when you are a color belt. Within black belts you don't see that visual evidence until you reach your next degree. That is not to say that there is not a set curriculum between degrees at most schools, that isn't true. The curriculum tends to be more open ended and has less "new" stuff in it than the color belt curriculum. I think that is actually a good thing.

Let me explain.

There are a finite number of ways to manipulate a wrist to cause pain. You can use them from multiple different scenarios, but there are only a certain number of techniques. There are a finite number of ways to strike somebody with your hands and feet. There are different targets and different vectors of attack, but there is a definite number. The names may change when you move art to art, but the strike is the same no matter what you call it. So there is a finite number of "new" things to learn and that is perfectly ok.

Once you have that finite number of techniques and strikes in your toolbox of possible options, it is now time to really dig into them.

Look at different angles.

Look at different entry points.

Look at different ways to chain techniques and strikes together.

So when we reach that black belt and the number of "new" techniques becomes smaller, now is the time to really dig into the "old" techniques. Try to really understand why they work and how they work. Try to teach them to somebody so they can understand them and use them. This is when real learning starts. This is how you keep that fire alive once you reach that black belt. This is how to grow.

Thoughts as we move into fall

2010-09-12T10:16:00.000-04:00

The year is more than half over and the wind begins to turn brisk. The Tool Box Hapkido classes in Hagerstown have been going for more than a year with a good core group forming and progress being seen. As we move into Fall and Winter I will begin to look at the curriculum and how I structure classes and begin to tweak things a bit. It is always a good thing to look at what you are doing and how you are doing it and figure out what is working and what really isn't.

The truth of the matter is, everything you put in your class structure doesn't always go as planned. Things don't fall together or flow the way you hoped or the interest from the class isn't really there. This is normal and to be expected. Things become too familiar and the interest wains (for both student and instructor). Things that we try to bring from outside the box actually need to stay out there, not really fitting within the structure of the class nor the Hapkido study. There are also times that things that really interest me, don't spark that interest in the students I teach. I don't take it personally, trust me.

Thus the time for change. I have started a curriculum analysis and am looking through each belt set and each technique to see how it works and what can be done possibly to make it work better. The purpose of the technique will stay the same, the way we get there might change.

It is also time to look at outside sources, both Hapkido and other arts. I stocked up with a number of DVDs and books over the past year and have not been able to put the time into them I have wanted. With the weather turning cooler and less on my plate, expect that to change. I will review and grab the good bits to be used in the class environment.

So students, expect to see some new stuff begin to pop up during classes. Expect to see things move and change. Expect growth and expect continued learning. Most of all, expect enthusiasm and love of the art we all practice in whatever form it manages to take.

Repetition

2010-08-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

There is a habit when you start learning any new martial arts curriculum to concentrate on the techniques within your present set. You focus so hard on the next belt and getting them down to the point they look good in the next test you neglect your older techniques.

That can be a mistake because you lose out on the one thing that really allows the techniques to improve and grow, repetition.

Repetition allows you to work on the finer points of the technique that become important when you want to do the technique with speed and power (which is the goal after all).

Repetition allows you to personalize the technique to take advantage of your size, flexibility and strength.

Repetition is key to figuring out how to actually make the thing work.

The student tends to lose focus on this due to the new and exciting techniques they have to learn for their next belt. The instructor will remind the student to do this by occasionally having the students work older techniques. This is also when you will notice your instructor begin to correct small things that were let go when the technique was initially learned. The instructor will also have the students adjust the technique to give the best effect. The student will begin to play with the technique in different applications and work on different entry points, footwork and hand position. This fine tuning allows the student to make the technique their own.

All through the magic of repetition. So if you notice me making you review older techniques and you notice the same technique keeps showing up over and over. There is a method to my madness.

Technique Themes

2010-08-05T11:08:00.000-04:00

During normal class time I like to mix it up on occasion and work on stuff outside the standard curriculum set. I normally will use whatever comes to mind and whatever is holding my interest at the time. Normally, it is a random set of techniques and finishes that tend to flow organically from the initial technique. The only issues that comes up is that there tends to be some duplication and things start to get stale. To try to avoid the staleness, I am trying to come up with themes of technique sets that can be worked in class time. They will still tend to be techniques that are holding my interest at the time and will tend to flow off the initial technique to a variety of finishes.

The options that I am looking at presently (and please remember this is a partial list):

- A 10 technique flow chain off an initial wrist lock. This chain is taken off something John Geyston does in his locking DVD. He does a total of 20 techniques in his chain, but I am planning on breaking them down into two sets of 10. The techniques flow organically and are a combination of locks and control techniques that work well together. I am still working them myself to make sure I have them down well enough to teach. They are coming and will probably be making their debut soon.

- A study on attack vector off an opponents strike. This is much more simple than it sounds. For each attack there are two vectors you can take when moving toward the attacker to neutralize the attack (basically block) and return the attack. You can either go inside and work there or move to the outside and work there. The options available are limitless and we won't cover everything. It is more about getting you to think about the options that are available to you.

- A work on blocking and striking off an attack. This is basically a set of techniques that is used extensively in Combat Hapkido and something that makes perfect sense. The strikes can be varied as well as the blocks, depending on which vector you take.

- The bringing of liveness into the techniques. This comes from the fact that we show techniques in a very static format when we teach them. Basically your opponent grabs you in a certain way and then just stands there and waits for you to do whatever you do. Not very likely in the field. The idea is to have your opponent show a little more resistance to the technique. Also you should provide some type of distraction technique to allow you to perform the technique. This is also a Combat Hapkido theme and again, makes perfect sense.

So those are some of the things to expect in a class or seminar to appear soon. There will be more to come and I suspect these may change a little the more I work with them. Either way, it should make the students (and me) think.

Seminar Look Back

2010-07-27T13:03:00.000-04:00

On Saturday 24 July I ran a Tool Box Hapkido seminar at Premier Martial Arts in Hagerstown. I was lucky enough to pick one of the hottest days of the year as it was over 100 degrees out. That and vacations might have caused the small number that showed up. The group that showed up was 5 total people and they were very into it. They did a very good job with the techniques.

The seminar ran for a little less than 3 hours. The first part of the seminar was a quick warm up and an intro on what we were going to be doing. This was important due to the difference in what was covered in the seminar and what is normally covered in a curriculum class.

The seminar then worked into blocking techniques off strikes. The concept of attack vector was also covered, whether to move to the inside of the opponent or the outside. Each vector provides different options for attack. We then worked some specific techniques off each vector.

The seminar was very focused on application of technique in real world settings. There is a finite set of locks that is covered in the seminar. There were a number of wrist locks and a number of arm bars. The lock set is kept small to allow the techniques to be worked enough to make them stick. Or at least hopefully stick.

The small seminar allowed me to work with each person individually and work through their issues. One thing that you will notice is that techniques become very personnel. There is no one solution that work for everybody. You must work from the technique theory and the individuals physical attributes and limitations. There are always small things that make big differences in making the technique personal and work well.

The seminar also allowed me to see what worked and what didn't. This will allow me to tweak the next version of the seminar to make it work better to get across the techniques that are covered. Each time I run I suspect, there will be tweaks. Hopefully it keeps getting better.

Doing What We Do

2010-07-16T14:58:00.000-04:00

I know, a bit of an odd title, but bear with me for awhile on this.

Doing the stuff we do in the martial arts gig, there must be great love for the art and enjoyment in it. At least to make it last and endure at least, there does. Not all places stay true to this concept. There are always schools that jump from fad to fad, changing their name with what ever is hot at the time. Kind of rolling with the tide of popularity and public perception of what is relevant and cool. Am I saying that they don't love what they do? No, but they don't love the art itself. Maybe they love the whole process and martial arts as a concept rather than the individual art itself. Maybe they haven't found the art that they really do love. I don't pretend to know.

What I do know, however, is that I love what I am doing. I love the art itself even though it may not be the hot, popular art at the time. Let me know when the next Hapkido stylist fights in the UFC. That will be when we start becoming a little more relevant in peoples minds.

I love working the techniques that I know and further refining them and making them better. Like sanding off the rough edges very slowly and with time. I love learning new things each time I work a technique. Whether it is foot movement, hand positioning or just the general flow of the technique. I know it sounds odd that I learn something each time I work a technique, but I do. It may not be a major, earth shaking discovery each time, but there is always something there. I hope this comes out when I teach in my classes.

I love the teaching aspect also. I haven't always been able to say this. This was something that grew with time. I got away from it for awhile. Burnt out for the large number of classes I was helping with and the internal politics at the school I was going to. My own situation was also going through a period of change. A good period, mind you, but a period of change none the less. I moved onto a school where I could just be a student again and take class. I found I missed it though. I missed working with students. I did start working a different discipline for a bit and helping out instructing, but something was missing.

I was missing Hapkido itself. I still practiced my old techniques and enjoyed working them. I had fellow students that were interested in learning, so I was more than happy to show them stuff. Then it grew and became more formal. I enjoyed every step and still do to this day.

I do not however feel that I have nothing to learn from other arts. That would be dumb and closed minded on my part. I have plenty to learn and try to pick the minds of people who work other arts. They help me get better and little things end up moving into my Hapkido. There is always a transformational aspect of a martial art. We make sure to not lose our traditional past, but we do not allow it to blind us to ways in which we can grow and get better.

So to the question "Why do I do what I do"

Because it is a part of me and it is something I love to do. I hope I am at least a little good at it to.

Format in chaos

2010-07-09T11:22:00.000-04:00

My classes tend to alternate between a straight curriculum exploration and a more free form Hapkido riff. Each class has it's own positives and challenges.

Straight Curriculum

A straight curriculum class is just like it sounds. We do normal warm ups and then move onto falling and rolling practice. Depending on the class, we can spend a good bit of time here to actually work on technique or just do some minor stuff to continue the warm up and give some practice.

Then we move into the curriculum exploration. The class breaks up into partners and then works on the techniques in the belt level. They will normally review the techniques they have already seen until I can get around and work with them on new techniques. An important piece in there is to work on the techniques that they have already seen and know. Repetition is key on any of these techniques and this allows the students to get that. When I do make it over to that pairing, I make sure to see all of the techniques that they have seen before we move on. If the techniques need some work, I will make corrections and then have them work those. I will not show new techniques in this case. This isn't to punish the student, but to make sure they spend the necessary time on the techniques before moving on. It is a contest to accumulate as many techniques as quickly as possible, it is to get enough confidence and repetition in the techniques so that the student feels comfortable with them.

Notice I did not say have down. Initially, the student needs to get comfortable with the techniques and have the basics down. With time and repetition (there is that term again), the techniques get stronger and better. It takes time and the student needs to allow this and try not to get frustrated. There are some techniques in the color belt curriculum that I am still working on and not fully happy with yet.

Free Form Hapkido Riff

This class starts similar to the other in that we have a warm up to get everything loose and ready for the techniques. Then we move into rolls and falls and may even throw some kicks in there. I tend to spend a bit more time here than in the curriculum class since we have the time to play.

Then we move onto a Hapkido riff, depending on where my mind is on that day. For those who are not familiar with the term riff, it is a music term where the player does some unscripted improvisational stuff during the song.

The riff will normally have a theme and we will then work off that. The students will still pair up and I will demo the technique we are going to work with the most senior student in class. So if I do pull you up front and throw you around a bit, it is not a punishment. Just go with the flow.

The themes I am working right now are an arm bar riff, a throw and sweep riff, a wrist lock riff and then a riff off punches. Each has it's own merit and some have been done more than once (like the arm bar riff). They are all works in progress and, depending on the class and what questions I get, they tend to be different each time. These classes help the students think outside the box a bit and allow me to do that also. I do enjoy these classes a good bit and will continue to work them.

So remember when you are in class and we don't work straight curriculum, there is a method to my madness.

Change of pace

2010-06-29T16:01:00.000-04:00

There are times you get comfortable with your own routine and need to change things up. I have gotten to the point where I have my class pace down and have gotten comfortable teaching what I teach and how I teach it. There is nothing wrong with routine. Routine can be comfortable and you begin to sharpen up your skills and your teaching method. Repetition is needed to work stuff through and you can only get that by the routine of doing the same thing consistently. This is all good stuff. There are times though you need to change stuff up a bit. It can be as simple as taking a class from another instructor to get another perspective.

I did that today. The instructor whose class I took is one I am familiar with and have had the pleasure of taking a class with him before. It had been awhile though, so he had changed his class a bit.

His warm ups were different from what I normally do. He focused on more of a warming up of the joints than I do and gave the students a chance to warm themselves up with what they feel they need to focus on. It gave me some ideas on things I can bring into my own classes that may help mix things up a bit on occasion.

He emphasized things that I don't normally emphasize during the main class time like rolling and falling. I do some of it, but it is more a part of the warm up structure and not a part of the class itself. Maybe that should change some classes. Again, would be a good place to allow some repetition to take place.

Working techniques within the curriculum also gave me a different view too. He has a different take of some of the techniques and it started a discussion on the reasons behind some of the techniques and how we apply them. I learned some good stuff from him and working that different take. It made me more comfortable with some of the techniques and made me think about why I do the things the way I do.

Which is a good thing. It was a good time and I look forward to the next time I am able to get a class in. It will also help me inject some new things into my classes. Tweak things a little. Give them a little different view on some things.

Good things all.

What we learn from breaking

2010-06-20T16:56:00.000-04:00

I had a test this week and during each test after the students have gone through all their techniques and such they have to break a board. The way in which you break the board will change each time, but for the most part (unless I am running long on the test), we finish with a board break. Some students have trouble with them, but they get them eventually. I am sure as they are attempting to break this pine board that is being held in front of them, they are wondering why in the heck they have to break the darn thing.

Do I need kindling?? Nope, no fireplace in the home i live in and anyway pine doesn't burn well.

Do I feel a need to see my students pound their hands and feet against inanimate objects?? Nope, even though at times I am sure they think this is the reason behind it.

Am I trying to teach them how to protect themselves?? No, I am reasonably sure that they will never meet an attacker wielding a piece of pine meaning to do them harm.

They why do I do it?

Because of the mental side of it.

I know they can break through a 1 inch piece of pine if they strike it right.

Their body has the strength to pull it off, no problem.

The trick is they need to convince themselves they can do it.

They need to train their mind, to get the focus necessary to bang through whatever is put in front of them.

They need to convince themselves they can do it.

Then, they can learn from it. They can learn the focus piece that will allow them to focus on any task put in front of them and bang through it just like that pine board. They can learn the mental training piece that shows them their mind can do amazing and wonderful things if they just let it. In short, they can figure out a piece of them they didn't know was inside. They can nurture it and grow it and it will serve them well in the rest of their life.

And if they do ever meet somebody in a dark alley with a pine board meaning to do them harm, they will have it handled.

What I think

2010-06-12T11:11:00.000-04:00

Now, you do expect in this blog I will (and am) telling you what I think about all things Hapkido and martial arts. I will go into technique discussion, class pace and curriculum analysis. This, however, is not one of those blogs.

Some actions around and about me as I have been training in the last week or so have gotten me thinking about belt advancement and promotion. Now, I in no way think promotion is a bad thing or should be discouraged. Promotion is a way to celebrate achievement and to allow the student to progress and learn. The question is when is it time to promote, ah that is the sticky bit.

In the last couple of month Tool Box Hapkido has become a more formal entity, with the students I am training in Hagerstown now falling under that umbrella. I now control when they test and how frequently. This is not something I take lightly, I will tell you. I want my students to be proficient in their present belt curriculum, but also want to make sure I challenge them to learn and improve. So, I am working to make sure I promote the students when I feel they are ready, not necessarily falling under a certain sequence. This allows me to help control their progression up the belt and keep them challenged. Initially in the lower belts, they will move quickly. As they move up, the time between testing will grow longer. This is due to the more advanced techniques being more difficult than the earlier techniques, plus the hope that they are covering the lower belt techiques also to further improve and work on them. They key (at least to me) is to make sure the student stays challenged and interested, but is not being pushed quicker than is healthy for their training.

The thing that a lot of students get caught up in getting to that almighty goal of black belt as quick as possible. Don't get me wrong, goal setting is a very good thing and helps in training. What one must do though is not let the push to reach that goal interfere with enjoying and learning the training on the way there. If you just learn the curriculum enough to test for the next belt and then abandon it, what have you actually learned??? Test taking skills?? The ability to perform under pressure?? Good things, I assure you but you miss the point of the training in the first place.

The curriculum is put into place as a whole broken down into finite pieces. Each piece when added to the earlier ones begin to build the whole picture.

It all goes together.

It all works together.

And most importantly, it is all important.

This can get lost if you don't review the older technique occasionally. This review, coupled with your new knowledge in the more advanced curriculum, will allow the technique to flow more, to be crisper and to work better. And trust me, this is a very good thing.

If you rush through the curriculum to reach that holy grail, that black belt. What do you really have in the end??

A fabric belt.

Some broken boards.

A nice certificate.

But what you miss is even more important that all of that put together.

A working knowledge of a set of techniques that work together and support each other.

And that my friends is why we train.

Curriculum Analysis

2010-06-05T15:21:00.000-04:00

Curriculum Analysis

The curriculum I teach contains many techniques that I have worked for 9 years or so with some tweaks and some that are new and only a couple of years old to me. The curriculum was created by two senior black belts that moved to the new school that had no Hapkido program at the time with some changes requested by the owner of the new studio. Through this process the belt level breakdown, the number of techniques per belt level and the emphasis on finishing techniques was created. A curriculum is always a living thing, though, and I felt I needed to review the curriculum since now I was teaching by myself at my own location. I needed to make sure I still kept the spirit of the curriculum, but include some of the new things that I have learned in the time since I began working the curriculum.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am not expecting large expansive changes to the techniques nor the places at which they are shown in the belt progression. I like the curriculum as it is, but feel I need to add small pieces that I feel enhance what we are trying to show. In many cases, it is stuff I am already showing my students on the mat. I just wanted to put some of it on paper to make sure I emphasize the same thing each time. To put a little of me into the curriculum.

I am doing this by breaking down the techniques by the finish in a couple of general categories. The categories I am using are wrist manipulations, arm bar/locks, sweeps, throws and chokes. This will give me an idea on the progression of that specific finish through the belt levels and also lets me know where we are emphasizing certain technique sets. Then, I am want to look at other applications of the specific techniques from different situations to allow me to branch out a bit with the students when we get to that technique. So I can show them that this technique is not specific to only the situation we are showing it in the curriculum set, but has a number of other applications.

I also want to look at which direction the technique brings us, to the inside of the opponent or to the outside of the opponent. This allows me to see how many of each we show at each belt level and augment where I think it is necessary to show more options from a direction we are not highlighting. Again, just gives us more places to go with the techniques.

I am not sure where this is going to lead and what changes I will end up making. I do know it will make me re-look at techniques from different angles and views and be able to understand the techniques a little better and hopefully bring more information to the mat for the students. Which I think are two pretty good reasons, myself.

Liveness in techniques

2010-05-29T16:10:00.000-04:00

Liveness
I got this month's Black Belt magazine during my last visit to Border's and enjoyed most of the articles in it (there is even a good Hapkido article in there on Combat Hapkido and Grand Master Pellegrini), but one article in particular caught my eye. It discussed introducing liveness into your training and went through how the writer accomplished this in his classes. The writer's martial arts base seemed to be BJJ (at least from the pictures that were included in the article), but he said it can and should (and could) be applied to any art. I then tried to think about how I could bring it into my classes. (Without having any unfortunate accidents in class)

One thing I picked up from the Combat Hapkido seminar I went to earlier in the month was the need for some kind of distraction technique to allow you to enact the lock you are looking to do. The basic premise of that was nobody is going to grab you and then sit there while you go into all that is necessary to enact the lock in question. You need something to take their mind off the joint that you are looking to attack.

In class right now we just go straight into a lock from a very static situation. This is done to give the students a good base on the technique in general and confidence in the application. We do try to bring a bit of the need for distraction techniques into class during the session at the end of class where we work from random grabs from other students. A student gets grabbed and then must react with a technique. The technique does not have to be from the curriculum (and normally is not from the curriculum) and at times goes a number of different ways before they get to the technique that does the job. This does help the student think on their feet a bit, but doesn't quite pull it off completely. It does help though.

In my last class, I was asked how easy it would be to pull of these locks in a live situation. I then brought the idea of using some kind of strike to take the attention off the joint that is being attacked. A well placed strike to the groin on leg or a poke in the eye or face will take the attackers mind off the hand they just grabbed you with and want to defend against the attack (or just wince in pain after you hit them in the groin) I think that helped explain the concept to the student a bit.

There was also question to the application of some of the grabs we show (the specific one in question was a dual grab with one hand on each wrist). The only thing I could think of was a pull forward with your opponent grabbing you on the wrist to pull it off. Then the student started trying to see how he could pull off the techniques from the pull. In most cases they could pull off the technique, but one in specific had an issue. I thought about it a bit and showed a slight variation on the technique that would allow the lock to happen by shortening the circle that leads into the lock and a slight body turn. This helped show the student that the technique still worked, but with the motion there was a need for a slight change to make it effective.

I then decided after thinking about it some more that we should try to work that into class a little more. Have your partner offer a little more resistance than normal to the technique and work in some distraction technique to help free up access to the joint in question. We shall see where that leads, I am sure I will adjust it further but I hope it allows my students to gain even more from the techniques and see where there are real world applications. I will keep you posted (and my students who read this, get ready for something a bit new).

Technique Exploration

2010-05-17T11:02:00.000-04:00

Technique Exploration

The Hapkido curriculum that I work from teaches a variety of techniques from different situations. There is a finite set of techniques in each set and the situations range from a static fighting stance to a ground stance. In between you work a variety of clothing grabs from the front and the back as well as a variety of wrist control situations. The technique set tries to show a variety of different submissions, throws and sweeps to give you different options.

What we need to understand, however, is this finite group of techniques in the set is but a subset of the options available from that situation. There are many more available that are not shown in the curriculum but are available and work very well. You just need to look for them. How does one start to look for them??

Technique Breakdown

You should break the whole technique down into sections that are based on decisions and what is available at that position. We will attempt to do just that in a very basic sense. We will just break it down into two distinct pieces. Please remember, there are many, many more options than are being discussed here. This is just a subset, that will hopefully get you thinking.

Attack Orientation

Each technique starts from an initial decision that shapes what comes next. Do you want to go inside or outside? The answer to this questions helps shape up the options available to you when you get there.

When I say inside, I mean to the inside of the opponents attack.

When I say outside, I mean to move to the outside of the opponents attack normally the opponents arm.

Available Technique Set

Each decision allows you a set of techniques available to you once you get there. Always remember that when you move that you should control the opponent with your movement and arms. I will tend to keep one of my hands close to the opponents wrist no matter which way I move. When I move to the outside, I tend to have the second hand on the outside of the opponent's bicep. When I move to the inside, I tend to hand the second hand on the inside of the opponent's bicep. This allows you to better control your opponent and perform your desired technique.

So, you have moved to your position of choice, now what do you do when you get there??

You have a number of options available in each case, but here are some of your options.

Inside:
- Sweep your opponent to the group by taking out the closest leg and pushing at the shoulder.
- Position yourself for a hip throw. Make sure you get your center of gravity under where your opponent's is and create a strong base.
- Enact a wrist lock on the retained hand.
- Perform a choke or headlock by wrapping around the opponent's neck.

Outside:
- Arm bar your opponent down
- Wrist lock on the retained hand.
- Arm bar to take down chain, with opponent ending up on their back.

Closing

In short, you have a number of ways to go. Each move, opens up more and more options. The only way you find them is to explore them. You will notice techniques that appear in your standard curriculum set. You will notice techniques that are in the curriculum, but from a different application. You will also notice techniques that are new to you. Some will work well for you, some won't.

But the only way you will figure any of this out is to take your curriculum set and explore a bit. Break things down to their discrete parts and go in a different direction than the curriculum calls for and see where it leads. You may find something useful, you may not. Either way, you will have learned something.

A different tact

2010-05-07T14:49:00.000-04:00

Some times we get too comfortable in our own area of the martial arts. We work the same stuff over and over and it become old hat. Commonplace. Routine. Same old, same old.

Don't get me wrong, you do tend to learn something new each time you work a technique (I am still learning on techniques I first saw 10 years ago), but some times you need to take yourself out of your comfort zone a bit. You need to look at things from a different point of view. This happened for me this past weekend.

I went out to Pasadena, MD for a Combat Hapkido seminar with Grand Master John Pellegrini. It was at the facility used by Master James Sherman and much thanks to him for putting on such a great seminar. It ran from 1000 to 1600 with breaks in between technique sets and a longer one for lunch. I was partnered with one my students from the Hagerstown school (who did an outstanding job, I must say. Great work Amanda!). Grand Master Pellegrini would demonstrate a technique on somebody from the group and then we would work it with our partner. I even got to help Grand Master Pellegrini show the techniques twice. I mostly winced and tapped.

Some of the techniques were rather familiar, some were brand new. The new ones did have a base in something I have worked before, but were slightly different. When we hit a point where we were having issues with any technique, a Combat Hapkido instructor would be walking around to help. They would explain it from their point of view and give a little hands on critique. It did help a good bit in getting the technique down having somebody to correct your positioning and movement on the spot. We worked a set number of techniques and then were done for the day. What was nice is toward the end of the day, small groups starting forming to put our heads together on the techniques. In some cases, perfect strangers up until that day. Each bringing their own experience and view on the technique and each offering a little something that would help.

I must say, the seminar really has gotten me more excited about my techniques again and has led me to re-look as some techniques I haven't worked in some time. I intend to use the new knowledge I gained from the seminar to help give the technique new life of sorts. I am also going to try to work some of the stuff we learned into my classes to show my students, because I think it does add something.

I won't give you a blow by blow of what we covered, but there were a bunch of different concepts that he covered. Three really stuck with me:

- Learn how to block (he called it a shield) to control the blow and flow to some offensive move. Basically block to gain and advantage, not just deflect the attack.

- Block to either gain inside or outside position in order to work the next technique.

- Every technique should begin with some kind of distraction technique. Makes the opponent worry about something else as you work the lock.

I am going to work these into my curriculum to help enhance it and also bought four DVDs at the seminar to further enhance my training. Nice to see things from a different view some times. What you see, sometimes amazes you.

Taking steps outside the box

2010-04-28T13:03:00.000-04:00

I am always looking for ways to improve my technique and my teaching style. I will read (and reread) many Hapkido books trying to look for different ways to look at techniques I already know and use. As of late I have been rereading the Tedechi book (in chunks, that thing is a weapon unto itself with it's size and weight) on his views on wrist locks and arm bars. He has many varieties of each and breaks each down in detail.

What you need to remember though is basically there are only a finite set of possible lock options based on the human anatomy. The joints have a defined range of motion and there are a finite set of ways to go against that range of motion to cause pain. Simple anatomy and simple physics on how you apply the force to the joint. But, there is always a different way to look at things.

Certain teachers will highlight certain points in the technique when teaching it. Whether it is hand position, angle of motion or footwork involved. Each is important, but each teacher will highlight only a portion of it. If you go to different sources (or teachers in this case) you will get different views. Some will be more technical and precise on hand position and footwork. Others will emphasize the flow to the technique and how you just have to feel it some times. All of this is important and all of this will help your technique. But very rarely will you get it all from one source.

It is also important to look outside the traditional Hapkido view of the world. Again, this stuff works because of basic physics and basic anatomy. You have to realize that the Koreans weren't the only ones to figure out how this stuff worked to cause pain :)

There is stuff in Jiu Jitsu, in Aikido, in Chin Na which is all very similar to the technique we use in Hapkido but there is a slight change. It may be how the technique is applied and with how much force. It may be different situations where the technique can be used. But they all go back to the basic anatomy of the joint and the way physics works with applied force. And you know what, it is all useful and can all help your technique.

The main reason for this post though is that I am going to a Combat Hapkido seminar this Saturday in Pasadena, MD where GM John Pellegrini will be showing Combat Hapkido close quarter and disarming techniques. Is this stuff that is part of the curriculum I teach and learn right now? Nope. Is this stuff that has the potential to be very interesting and useful? Heck yes!! Am I excited about learning new stuff and will be looking at ways to apply it to the stuff I already know? Again, heck yes!

In short, don't always look in the same place every time for ways to hone your technique. Some times to improve and grow you need to look a little outside the box.

Slow progress

2010-04-14T16:34:00.000-04:00

Slow progress is progress none the less. I tend not to jump into things without some prior planning and some serious thinking. Thus, at times, some projects start out somewhat slowly. The Tool Box Hapkido stuff falls into that category.

I began with blogging and working on the handbook of sorts for what I wanted to do. With the handbook, I tried to distill the Hapkido techniques I have learned and been working with for the past 10 years or so into three complexity levels with a number of techniques in each level. The techniques were meant to be the more practical ones with simplified (though still effective) finishes. Some techniques were left out as I wanted to concentrate on the techniques themselves rather than supporting stuff that allows some to function better. So that meant many of the throws and sweeps were left out as I didn't want to cover falls and rolls.

The book was self published and I have been real happy with how it turned out. Getting the word out to the right places that it is there is next and I am also working that. The next piece was to actually get some of the supporting stuff I needed to get things rolling, such as a uniform of some sort (I went with tshirts, since again I wanted to be informal and practical) and pictures.

The uniform order went in last night and I am very excited about it. I went with a design I liked and am looking forward to seeing the prelim art soon. Once I get the shirts in, then I want to take a large number of pictures in them performing techniques and just posing for the promo material.

Slow steps. But steps none the less. Just have to keep taking them and enjoying the journey along the way.

Ideas, inkings and thoughts

2010-04-02T10:59:00.000-04:00

I am trying some different stuff with the Hapkido classes I have been teaching. We do the normal warm ups, rolling and falling drills and the self defense curriculum for each person belt pretty much every class. But, there are classes now where I don't go heavy with the curriculum techniques and instead focus on some specific technique explorations.

It gives the students something new to work with and also helps them think outside the box a little and there is some similarity between what I am showing and the specific techniques in the curriculum, but they are slightly different. Either another way to get to the same result or just another defensive technique from a similar grab or hold. In short, it is something new and fun for both the students and me.

I am going to try now to make each class a theme of sort. Work with specific groups of techniques and go from there. Still keep it somewhat loose, though. Want it to be an exploration, not necessarily another extension of the curriculum. Last nights class we worked an arm bar sequence I like. Coming into the standard arm bar we work in curriculum, but then taking it somewhere different than where it goes with curriculum. Gives the students a chance to see some other options for finish and I also try to give reasons for pursuing the new options so they have context.

It also gives the students a chance to ask questions. Then we explore it and see where it goes. Some times it just doesn't quite work all that well, but sometimes it ends in a rather cool finish or sequence. Gives me a chance to work my brain a little and them a chance to get their questions answered and get them in the habit of asking questions. There is always a different way to look at things and no specific way is right or wrong or better, it is just another option.

Next class I think we are going to work some wrist lock variations. We shall see where that path leads!

The questions that arise

2010-03-19T14:39:00.000-04:00

In any class environment, whether it is a Martial Arts class or a more traditional class in a high school or college, there will be questions coming from the students. Whether it is a simple case of needing more explanation or an question that takes the original concept and puts a twist on it. These questions always happen and you know what.

That is a good thing.

If you aren't asking for questions or clarification, you aren't trying to make the knowledge your own. No teacher is perfect and is able to present a concept to an entire class where everyone will get it.

Can't happen, too many different methods of learning.

Some folks need to hear the steps spoken out.

Some folks need to see it done.

Some folks need to do it themselves to figure it out.

So there is no one way to explain anything so that everybody in the room will get it. So we have questions. Then we try another way to explain it. Come at it from a different angle or tact. This helps folks figure it out.

Heck, this helps the instructor learn also. The questions that are asked in class do two things for me:

1. Evaluate how I am showing the technique. If I have too many questions and they are about key concepts I am trying to show, maybe I need to go about it in another way.

2. It makes me look at the technique from a different angle and, normally, I learn something new about it. Maybe it is the importance of hand position on the grab on a wrist manipulation or arm bar. Maybe it is the footwork needed to bring it all together.

So, in short, I learn too.

Which again, is a good thing.

Questions also bring forth new questions. You may take the technique off in a different direction to see how it works in other applications or if there are new variables. A lot of times you find out some pretty cool stuff.

You learn. All of you.

Which is a very good thing indeed.

Change

2010-02-28T21:50:00.000-05:00

Change is a constant in every day life. Things have a certain time and when that time is up, we move onto what is next. This is true also in our training.

When I began my training in the martial arts, I trained in a traditional Taekwondo school with a large number of senior black belt instructors. I trained for black belt and strove to join that group. Each instructor gave their own unique perspective on things and each class was different. I enjoyed that and looked forward to learning more from them and even training side by side with them in some classes. I made it to my black belt and then.....

A large number of them left for a variety of reasons.

Change.

There was still a good core group left and we regrouped and forged on. The black belts who left went on to better things, some continued their training and some went onto the next scene in their life. I kept learning and growing and now began to teach a little. I found I really enjoyed it.

Change was good.

A few years later I was one of the main instructors at the same school and the lead instructor left. The assumption was I would take over the duties (or most of them at least), but I was at a point in my life where that is not what I wanted. I was newly married and wanted to enjoy my family. So I moved on too. I found a new school with a different, harder style. A whole new group of things to learn and people to learn them from. I did learn. I grew.

Change again was good.

Recently at a school I am at another change occurred. People moved on and there is a flux in the school. More change.

Again, I will make this change be for the good. I will enjoy this new path before me, wherever it may lead.

Pain

2010-02-05T16:40:00.001-05:00

One of the unfortunate truths of practicing martial arts is that eventually, you will hurt yourself. You will move the wrong way and twist/tweak something and pain will enter your life. It is a fact of life.

Or you will do it the way I did recently playing another sport, volleyball. They were nice enough to leave temporary net bases near the court and I was lucky enough to find one and twist my ankle. And it hurt, a good bit. I was pretty much off my feet the rest of the day. It did start to feel better as the week went on, but there were things I still couldn't do and I had classes to teach. So you know what I did......

I worked within the parameters of where I was at the time. I listened to my body, listened to the pain. Let it guide me on what I could and could not do. We still worked on valid stuff in classes and hopefully people learned and had fun. I learned too ( though I learn in every class when I teach, even when healthy).

I learned to work within your parameters, listen to what your body. Let pain be your friend and heed it's warnings and you will be fine. Now, I will admit I push myself a little more than I probably should in some cases. I do have a pretty high pain threshold (well earned), but I still try to make sure I don't push to far. There are always limits. Always.

So, go out there and train. Even if you feel pain and don't feel 100%. There are still things to learn and do. Just listen to your body.

Balancing in Classes

2010-01-22T13:16:00.000-05:00

Any time you are up front teaching a class there involves some type of balance. When I talk balance, I don't mean the physical attribute (which is important to any martial art, don't get me wrong.) I mean weighing all the things you want to teach and show and achieving a balance between creating a fun and exciting class and one where the students learn something.

The learn something part is very key, but the more fun and exciting the class is, the more the students will be inclined to learn. Students learn the curriculum better when it is interesting to them. The more interesting you can make the curriculum, the better.

The instructor also must keep in mind that you do have to have the students actually learn the techniques within the curriculum you want them to learn. It can't be all about fun. Sometimes you can't make everything fun, but that doesn't mean that it isn't valuable to show your class.

There is also another piece to the puzzle: the actual skill of the class itself. You tend to have a mix in each class of experience and have to make sure that each class serves them all. You can't make the class so easy that the veterans are bored and lose interest in what you are showing nor can you make the class so hard that the rookie sink. Again, balance.

I try to maintain balance in each class I teach. Some times I succeed. At times, not so much. Each time I am out there though I learn something and try to use that make the class better the next time. In short, create a better balance in the class.

There is that word again.

The mental side of the game

2010-01-06T13:35:00.000-05:00

In Hapkido classes, we drill the set of techniques you are working presently a lot. The idea is to get you comfortable with the basics of the technique and begin to put all of the pieces together into one effective technique. The repetition allows for you to work each step and piece of the technique. The pieces can be broken down into a couple of basic pieces. The basic pieces I look for in any technique are:
- hand positioning and grip
- footwork to enact the initial grab and to bring it to a finish
- opponent balance disruption
- any technique chaining and the flow between the techniques

Each technique has one or all of these pieces to perform the techniques correctly and reach a successful finish. There is also some personalization on each piece. Depending on size, strength and flexibility of you or your opponent you may need to perform the technique and apply the best finish. The student will need to play with these techniques to find out where their sweet spot is on each technique. That will eventually get the mechanics of the technique down in the specific application you are working.

Then you need to branch out and move outside that specific application you just learned. You need to play with the technique in different situations and with movement and see where it goes. There may be some adjustments you need to make to get to the finish. This causes you to engage your brain.

You have to start looking at what makes the technique work and what situations it does apply. You will start finding that certain techniques work better from certain positioning. You start looking for those positions and start working the technique to see where it goes. You start to learn and think. Your technique gets better and grows.

All because you engage your brain and move outside of the curriculum. Give it a try sometime and see where it takes you.

Things I learn from sparring

2009-12-21T15:22:00.000-05:00

Sparring is where you put your theory into practice. You get to see how some techniques really work with a moving, resisting target. How to get into positions for some techniques and finish them.

Sometimes it just turns into a whole lot of striking and grabbing at air. Even when you are going at less then full speed on your strikes and less than full power, redirecting and retaining a real strike can be difficult. What it turns into (at least with me) is using footwork to get yourself into the best positions to do something with the attack and retaliate with something of your own. This involves some anticipation of the strike, using tells that your sparring partner is giving you to guess where they are going and with what technique. Sometimes the best you can do is not get hit and deflect, which in most cases is a win in itself. If the deflection or movement opens up a striking opportunity, they go for it.

What made it work better for me is looking at the attack and the two options you have off any attack. You can move inside the attack toward the opponent or outside the attack stepping back or out to the side. Both have their place and offer some offensive options. There are positives and negatives to both.

Moving inside the attack, while putting you closer to your opponent also puts you well within his striking range. If he or she is quicker than you, this could pose a problem. It also puts you in prime position for a takedown or some close range grappling techniques. If this is your strength, then by all means go for it. If not, remember the danger in that position. It does however give you the opportunity for sweeps and thows, but you need to get there quick. If you move inside, have your plan of attack ready to implement quickly once you get the position.

Moving outside the attack is safer, but does not give you as many options for counter striking. There are less open areas to the outside than to the front and some attacks won't work at this distance. What I try to do when I go outside is attempt to retain the striking limb. This allows you to transition into bars and locks. Again, remember if you don't retain the limb, you still have done something. You didn't get hit.

Which is a victory into itself. So please, go out there and work these techniques with a partner with movement and resistance. Start out slowly and lightly and work your way up to faster and harder. I guarantee you will learn something from it.

What If?

2009-12-02T09:28:00.000-05:00

What If is a question I hear often when I am teaching Hapkido. We have a set curriculum with the Federation that I am a member of and I teach very true to the curriculum in my classes. The question always does come up after the students become more comfortable with the techniques.

What if I did this (or that)?

What if I change hand position?

What if I turned in the other direction?

What if they respond different than shown in the curriculum?

Good questions all.

My answer is always the same in each case.

Good question, let's see.

Then we branch off the standard curriculum path and see what does happen. Then we work it until we see what happens and where it all goes. The first question at times also brings up more questions. The process becomes almost organic and some times we end up somewhere really cool and we all learn something.

The worst case would be the thing just won't work there. When that happens we move into what would work and then play with that for awhile.

We must make sure that we don't become shackled to the curriculum to the point that we aren't flexible. Be flexible enough to know that there are different ways to do things and you may even learn something in the end.

Teaching vice taking

2009-11-13T22:10:00.000-05:00

This week I managed to get into class in Frederick during the week for the first time in a bit. I began teaching again in a studio in Hagerstown and my classes were pretty much at the same time as the classes down at the studio in Frederick. While I get much joy out of teaching (I do think at times I get more out of it than my students, but don't tell them that), taking a class on occasion is awesome. I did help with class, did warm ups and helped with technique when we were reviewing them, but it wasn't my class. I was not responsible for coming up with the class structure nor the flow, just react and enjoy.

Nice break on occasion I must admit.

An old friends returns

2009-10-31T16:52:00.000-04:00

The group of Hapkido students I am teaching now just passed their first test (and all did very well, I was quite proud) and moved onto the next belt and the next set of techniques. These techniques have one particular wrist lock that has always frustrated me because I could never get the grab quite right. It worked, but it was forced and not at all smooth. I struggled with it constantly and at times even got the grab so horribly wrong, the technique didn't work at all.

I got to that special technique in the set last class and warned the students that this one gives me trouble and that I don't particularly like it and demonstrated it.

And the grab was there.

Really there.

It felt smooth and the technique was good and effective.

I thought to myself, must just be lucky I never get that grab.

Then I tried it again.

And it was there again.

Needless to say, I now really like this technique. Seems the other stuff I had been working on with the more advanced techniques and the book have translated into this grab.

Which now works.

Really works.

Life is strange some times.

Toolbox Hapkido, Technique Chaining

2009-10-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

Technique Chaining

Applying the initial technique itself is not always the end game, however. In this section we look at grouping those techniques together or what I call chaining.

The key to the application of any of the techniques shown is speed in technique and going with the force that the opponent’s is generating. Go with the flow to the path of least resistance. When the opponent begins to resist the technique being applied before it has been applied fully and is effective, it is some time best to flow to another technique along the path of resistance. In essence, we chain one technique upon another until we get the desired results.

The practitioner will find which techniques tend to flow best for them and which apply best in certain situations. You will have your own favorite technique that you will go to in the majority of situations. My own favorites are either an outside arm bar or inside the opponent to a wrist lock if I can get a good grip on the thumb joint for leverage. I have found also which techniques flow the best for me from these techniques.

An arm bar that is being resisted toward the opponent can turn into a takedown by going with the resistance and changing the grip on the hand so the fingers now point toward the opponent. A step toward the opponent and this motion on the arm will normally cause the opponent to have to back break fall. If this does not cause the desired affect, a sweep can be applied as you are moving toward the opponent.

Toolbox Hapkido, now available!

2009-10-18T20:44:00.000-04:00

I am very happy to say that the short book I have been working on is finally available online. The URL is http://www.lulu.com/content/paperback-book/toolbox-hapkido/7675326. I thought it came out really good, very happy with it. I will start putting snippets of the text into the blog to give you guys a flavor of what it is all about.

Set Curriculum versus Exploration

2009-10-08T07:37:00.000-04:00

When you reach a certain point in your training in most arts the curriculum becomes much less static and begins to invite more exploration. Coming up, you have a set group of techniques you are to learn in a prescribed manner during your time in that belt series. In most cases they have some type of central theme or idea and fit in some way together. You learn this batch and then you get your next batch to learn. When you reach a certain point in your training, however, this nice clean set curriculum gets messy.

You start to have concepts to learn or scenarios. They are less concrete and have more open spaces in them. In short you are asked to use the knowledge you have gained so far and think beyond it. This can be scary for some students. They are used to their comfortable set curriculum and want to stay with that. They struggle at times and see the amount of material they have to learn as much smaller than before. They are so wrong.

When you are asked to work in a less static environment, you have to start asking questions. You have to start exploring the what ifs and the how abouts. In short, you start to make the art your own.

You have learned how a certain wrist lock works in a certain situation, but what about if the situation changes? What if the opponent resists or pulls away in a certain direction, what happens then. Can the technique work when both people are on the ground (in most cases the answer is yes)? What can work off the technique, can you flow to something different easily?

As you can see, one simple technique can bring on a ton of questions and options. You have to explore the technique, put it through it's paces. You may find out something very cool. You may even learn something new.

Einstein Moment

2009-09-20T21:52:00.001-04:00

Hapkido can be a very personal art. When you are showing a technique, you show it step by step according to the way you learned it. Techniques however aren't black and white. They do not work the same way for everybody and you do need to play with them for a bit. I can show you the basics of the technique and the mechanics behind it, but you need to take that next step and figure out how to make it work for you.

That is what I call an Einstein moment, when you reach that revelation and it all starts to come together. These come at different times for people for each technique and some times take a rather long time getting there. The sweat and sore muscles from all the time on the mat become worth it when that moment comes and it all starts to make sense.

I still search for them.

Welcome

2009-09-07T12:50:00.000-04:00

This blog will explore the Korean martial art Hapkido. I have been taking Hapkido for about 10 years now and find it mentally stimulating as well as physically challenging. I have managed to reach 4th degree in Hapkido and have begun to explore my lower belt techniques in detail.

This brought forth the concept of Toolbox Hapkido. Toolbox Hapkido will show a subset of Hapkido techniques broken into difficultly levels. Each technique will be broken down step by step. Join me in our journey into Toolbox Hapkido.