The big news this month is the Semi-Annual Black Belt Test.  While the black belt exams are essentially the same testing procedure as the lower belt exams, the expectations are much higher.  The people testing for more advanced black belts are interesting to watch and there are often special demonstrations.

Schedule Change: Effective October 4th, the Tuesday night adult beginner and advanced classes will be consolidated.  The combined class will begin at 6:30 pm and will last 1 hour.  The change only affects the Tuesday night classes.

Special Note:  I regret that the Healthy Living article was dropped from this newsletter.  During September, I have been heavily involved in the hurricane responses and was unable to write the section. So, I suggest that you just stay healthy and remind everyone that flu shots will soon be offered.  Hopefully, I will have more time in October for the next newsletter.

As a reminder to all the sparring students, no sparring classes are held on the night of Junior Belt Testing.  Parents should expect the Junior Belt Test will be approximately 1 - 1.5 hours long.

The Semi-Annual Black Belt Exam will be held this month.  Adults and children will test at the same time for 1st Gup (black tip) and above.  Parents and guests should expect the test to last 1.5 hours.

As some of you know, I like practicing one steps so I am somewhat biased. TKD Tutor defines one step sparring as "...when a partner takes one step toward you and attacks with one technique and you defend against the attack. Often, the attacks are changed to include a few basic kicks and sometimes the defender is allowed to move off to the side, not only directly back. Emphasis should be placed on proper form, above all else." While I think this definition is a bit restrictive, it is descriptive of one step sparring in our school. We spend about 5% of the class time on one step sparring and about 15% of the belt test is made up of one step sparring. By the time you reach 1st Gup, you are expected to know the 10 basic one step techniques.  For your adult black belt exam, you are required to be able to create original or at least somewhat original one step techniques of your own. 

In addition to interviewing Master Huffstutler and conducting Internet research on the topic to answer the question, I asked black belts in our school and outside our school whether they thought one step sparring helps with self defense. Here are some of the answers to the question, "Do one steps really help with self defense?"

• Straight Blast Gym in an FAQ writes, “…sometimes referred to as one and two step sparring. What this means is that your partner will pretend to attack you with a prearranged move and you will then respond with a prearranged move. Keep in mind that in a street fight your attacker will never attack you with a prearranged move. …In short, it is all as far away from a street fight as one can get.”

• Kerry Fields, a 3rd Dan, said, "I like one steps. I think they help prepare you for self defense situations."

• Master Jorge Penafiel, a 25 year veteran of martial arts, provided a little longer response which I have paraphrased. "I think that one steps are useful, but they need to be practiced in standard fighting positions and include different types of kicking and striking attacks. The one steps should also be practiced with multiple attacks and against multiple attackers.  The traditional one step formats are not very useful."

One steps or one step sparring is taught in many martial art styles and in most Taekwondo, Karate, and Kung Fu schools.  The one steps vary  in style and complexity and each school seems to require a different number of one steps to know.  So it is normal to include one step sparring techniques in most martial arts.  However, just because a school requires the performance of one steps, the question remains, do one steps really help you with self defense?  The traditional one step format is that two students face each other,  one student steps backward into a front stance ready to deliver a right punch, the other student calls for the punch and then executes a counter to the attack. In some styles, a kick might be substituted for the right punch or the student might begin in a basic fighting stance.  This training is designed to accomplish the following objectives:

• Develop muscle memory.  If a person throws a punch, the goal is to move out of the way, block the attack, and counter. Ideally, by repeating the exercise several times, you build up a muscle memory that can be used in a real fight.

• Develop a confidence that you can move out of the way of a punch and counter strike.  By feeling confident that you can react in a self defense situation, you are less likely to freeze with fear and panic.

This style of one step does not accomplish these goals:

• Develop a muscle memory for defending against multiple strikes.  In a self defense situation, a person is as likely to throw one punch as they are to throw a combination.

• Develop a muscle memory for defending against different types of attacks, e.g. attacks to the knees or attacks that vary in range, e.g. (kicking attacks, punching attacks, elbows, and grappling - see the May Newsletter where we discussed Master Pottle's essay on the Distance: The Donut of Danger.

• Develop a sense of facing opponents in a normal fighting stances

Master Huffstutler believes that it is important to include one step sparring in Taekwondo and that it does contribute to developing self defense skills. However, both Master Huffstutler and  I think the correct answer to whether one steps really help is - it depends.  After five years of watching various martial artists, I have concluded there are two basic characteristics that determine whether training can be translated into a self defense technique:

• Natural athletic ability.  The students that are naturally athletic are able to unconsciously maximize the effectiveness of a martial art techniques.

• Spirit.  The students that are truly focused on doing well, practice frequently, and put forth their full effort develop an effectiveness with their techniques.

Hey! Don't those basic characteristics or rules apply to everything you do?  We teach 10 traditional style one steps to our students from white belt to 1st Gup.  After achieving 1st Gup, students are expected to be able to develop their own one steps or more accurately, are expected to be able to react to attacks with appropriate counter attacks.

I have only seen a couple of street fights develop.  In both cases, I observed the following:

• The attacker started with punching attacks;

• The attacker punched only a few times (twice) before closing into a grappling position; and

• The attacker was angry and the punches were sloppy.

It seems reasonable that combatants in a street fight are not well conditioned, are not going to fight very long, and are going to lose energy as they are struck.  So against a couple of punches, responsive one step training in combination with the Taekwondo training and more specifically sparring, may be sufficient to discourage a single attacker encountered in the street.  However, against a more experienced fighter, an athlete, or multiple attackers, the traditional one step sparring is not by itself an effective self defense training tool.

If you are interested in truly developing some self defense skills against more talented fighters or more complicated situations, you should try these additional things:

• Practice one steps from a standard fighting stance against left and right punches

• Focus on increasing your response speed

• Be sure to achieve the basics in this order, avoidance, block, counter

• Experiment with simultaneous blocking and striking techniques

• Experiment with countering attacks other than punches, e.g. kicks, elbows, knees, low strikes, etc.

• Intermix grappling attacks and defenses

• Experiment with multiple attacks and attackers (this is no longer one step sparring)

Like almost everything, you will get out of it what you put into it.

The weapons class has changed slightly this month.  While formal instruction will not begin until 11:15 am, we have been letting the youths warm-up between 11:00 am and 11:15 am.  These warm-ups are being led by the more advanced youths. 

The weapons classes are open to children that have obtained a rank of brown belt and to adults at any rank.  The primary weapon taught during the class is nunchacku.  However, occasionally a special weapons class will be taught.  Nunchacku training is a good way to improve the eye hand coordination and to develop better coordination with your secondary hand.  The practice weapons are priced very reasonably at $8.00/each.  In these classes, we will also review open hand techniques that are applicable to the nunchacku or other weapon. 

If you would like more information on the class, you can see Master Huffstutler, Mr. Michael Capek, or Mr. Craig Stoll.

In Taekwondo, we practice breakfall position and recovery, front breakfall, rear breakfall, and side breakfall.  These are the most basic tools to learning how to fall properly.  If you take grappling at our school, then Robert Gerhardt, Jason Saylor, or Mike Capek will ensure that you have plenty of opportunities to practice your breakfalls as you learn the various throwing techniques.

We typically do not spend a lot of time on the more sophisticated falling and recovery techniques more commonly taught in jiu-jitsu, hapkido, and other grappling styles.  Because I was asked by a beginner about various falling techniques, I decided to pass along a link to a site that hosts many wonderful grappling techniques including some of the special breakfall techniques,  Georgia Tech Hapkido. 

I strongly encourage our grappling students to explore the Georgia Tech Hapkido site.  It is full of interesting techniques.  In this month's newsletter, we are highlighting a basic self defense technique against a rear bear hug around your arms.

Step	Description
1	Your opponent is behind you and grabs you around your arms.  Bend your arms at the elbows, squat down, and extend your arms out.  This movement should give you some space.
2	Turn your left shoulder into your opponent's chest and drive your left fist into his groin.  Bring your left arm up and drive the elbow into his solar plexus or if he bends over, into his face.  Spin out right.
3	Control the attacker right arm and side kick to the knee.

Promotions - September

 

9th Gup - Orange Belt
Jason Burger	Matthew Schroeder	Wesley Broughton
8th Gup - Gold Belt
Bobby John Gerhardt	Randy Jones
7th Gup - High Gold Belt
6th Gup - Green Belt
Nicole Trudel	Jeff Chandler
5th Gup - High Green Belt
Keegan Burton
4th Gup - Blue Belt
Jesus Pena	Miguel Pena	Julie Trudel
3rd Gup - High Blue Belt
Bryson Dowers	Rebekah Farthing
2nd Gup - Brown Belt
Danny Meding
1st  Gup - Brown Belt

 

 

Store Specials

Taekwondo students can purchase a Fighter Package for $99 that contains all the equipment required for sparring: helmet, shin and instep guards, forearm guards, mouth piece, chest protector, and groin protector.    This protective equipment is a must for anyone sparring. Prices stated may be in error and prices are subject to change.

Version 2.0 of the supplemental CDROM is complete.  The CDROMs are offered in four varieties: beginners, intermediate, advanced, and master.  The CDROMs are designed to allow students to hone techniques outside of the classroom and to supplement the techniques taught in class. Some examples of new material includes grappling self defense techniques, new one steps, grappling techniques, etc.  There are also multiple views of many of the forms for students preparing for their next belt test to use as reference.  The CDROMs sell for $25 each. Beginners Free to new school students.  This CDROM contains the basic Taekwondo information and forms needed for the orange belt and the gold belt. Intermediate The CDROM includes a number of self defense techniques and grappling techniques in addition to the forms and requirements for high gold to blue belt. Advanced The CDROM includes all of the intermediate content, many more advanced one step techniques, and the forms for high blue belt to black belt. Master The CDROM includes everything.  Students must have obtained at least black belt level to purchase this CDROM.

Special Thanks to http://go.to/martialclipart for the use of the free martial arts clip art.

Animated Gifs from the Animation Factory

 

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