glad2bhere
Master Black Belt
Dear Folks:
Its a long drive down from Sault Ste Marie to Illinois so it gave me some time to reflect on my Saturday spent with the NKMAA folks at Rudys' main school.
Rather than simply say that the folks were "great" (they were) or that the workout was challenging (it was) I thought I would share my thoughts in terms of what people who have NOT made it to such an experience might appreciate knowing.
1.) Travel across from the States to Canada took about 5 minutes. About a minute and a half to cross the International Bridge, 2.5 minutes waiting in line and 30 seconds to assure the nice man in the booth that we had no weapons or evil intentions in coming to the Land of Great Hockey. No passports, money exchange or cavity searches.
2.) Driving around Sault Ste Marie is a challenge only because of the many 1-way streets. Once Kathy and I made it to the Best Western on Great Northern Road we picked-up a concise little street map of the town that made things much easier. Rudys' school was at the OTHER end of SSM, back at the International Bridge area, so I would recommend staying at the Days Inn closer to that end of town.
3. Down the street we ate at North 82 which was a fine steak house. Angus Beef, done right and served by a particularly friendly waitress. We paid in plastic but most of the places are set up to take US currency with barely a blink.
4.) Saturday morning was very much meeting a greeting as starts most Seminars. No attitudes or aloofness here. Many warm, firm handshakes, genuinely concerned questions about the drive and so forth. We bowed in 20 minutes after 10am, which for many seminars is "fashionably late" but drew a comment from Rudy who reminded his students that people had traveled a ways and expected to use their time appropriately. He then mentioned that folks who were interested could make use of extra training in swordwork as a sort of compensation. This was sort of a 1-2 punch for me. It was refreshing to have someone press for promptness but wonderfully surprising to have a Kwan Jang rearrange things to make sure this oversight was made-up for.
5.) The following comments about content come from my vast (???) experience in the world of seminars. As a 4th dan I am a bit past the place where I need to be taught one more time how to do "Turning Leaf" or "Four Directions Throw". From where I am in my Hapkido career the nuances are much more important, as are the views and contributions of my peers. The high points that I came away with for my day with Rudys people included the following.
a.) A deceptively effective stretching form that I will be using with my students as a warm-up for both staff work AND a quick and efficient intro for MTHand.
b.) An intro to the kuk sul approach to swordwork which included considerable work for the hips and thighs with its deep movements to and from the floor.
c.) A wonderful examination of footwork as it interfaces with even the most simple techniques.
d.) An examination of rope (belt) work as it interfaces with MThand techniques.
6.) Instruction was very much a group effort. By this I mean that Rudy provides the overall guidance for the group with gentleness, concern and true support and the individual pairs work WITH each other giving feedback and providing comments on application and execution. Time evaporated.
I have worked to pinpoint any negative experience in my mind and unfortunately I simply can't come up with any. People worked together great and I saw not one instance of anyone pushing some agenda. For myself I think to only area I would have liked to have seen modified might be the amount of time spent on any single aspect of training. I vote for a 5 minute minimum per drill, technique or method in order to give the best chance of both people doing and receiving the activity. So much material, so little time.
For people who are interested in experiencing Rudys' approach first hand there are seminars coming up in Houston and out in Oregon and I am sure Kat Kelly and Kevin Janisse will be making information known. Do yourself a favor and attend at least one of Rudys' seminars to experience a truely rewarding approach to the Hapkido arts. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
Its a long drive down from Sault Ste Marie to Illinois so it gave me some time to reflect on my Saturday spent with the NKMAA folks at Rudys' main school.
Rather than simply say that the folks were "great" (they were) or that the workout was challenging (it was) I thought I would share my thoughts in terms of what people who have NOT made it to such an experience might appreciate knowing.
1.) Travel across from the States to Canada took about 5 minutes. About a minute and a half to cross the International Bridge, 2.5 minutes waiting in line and 30 seconds to assure the nice man in the booth that we had no weapons or evil intentions in coming to the Land of Great Hockey. No passports, money exchange or cavity searches.
2.) Driving around Sault Ste Marie is a challenge only because of the many 1-way streets. Once Kathy and I made it to the Best Western on Great Northern Road we picked-up a concise little street map of the town that made things much easier. Rudys' school was at the OTHER end of SSM, back at the International Bridge area, so I would recommend staying at the Days Inn closer to that end of town.
3. Down the street we ate at North 82 which was a fine steak house. Angus Beef, done right and served by a particularly friendly waitress. We paid in plastic but most of the places are set up to take US currency with barely a blink.
4.) Saturday morning was very much meeting a greeting as starts most Seminars. No attitudes or aloofness here. Many warm, firm handshakes, genuinely concerned questions about the drive and so forth. We bowed in 20 minutes after 10am, which for many seminars is "fashionably late" but drew a comment from Rudy who reminded his students that people had traveled a ways and expected to use their time appropriately. He then mentioned that folks who were interested could make use of extra training in swordwork as a sort of compensation. This was sort of a 1-2 punch for me. It was refreshing to have someone press for promptness but wonderfully surprising to have a Kwan Jang rearrange things to make sure this oversight was made-up for.
5.) The following comments about content come from my vast (???) experience in the world of seminars. As a 4th dan I am a bit past the place where I need to be taught one more time how to do "Turning Leaf" or "Four Directions Throw". From where I am in my Hapkido career the nuances are much more important, as are the views and contributions of my peers. The high points that I came away with for my day with Rudys people included the following.
a.) A deceptively effective stretching form that I will be using with my students as a warm-up for both staff work AND a quick and efficient intro for MTHand.
b.) An intro to the kuk sul approach to swordwork which included considerable work for the hips and thighs with its deep movements to and from the floor.
c.) A wonderful examination of footwork as it interfaces with even the most simple techniques.
d.) An examination of rope (belt) work as it interfaces with MThand techniques.
6.) Instruction was very much a group effort. By this I mean that Rudy provides the overall guidance for the group with gentleness, concern and true support and the individual pairs work WITH each other giving feedback and providing comments on application and execution. Time evaporated.
I have worked to pinpoint any negative experience in my mind and unfortunately I simply can't come up with any. People worked together great and I saw not one instance of anyone pushing some agenda. For myself I think to only area I would have liked to have seen modified might be the amount of time spent on any single aspect of training. I vote for a 5 minute minimum per drill, technique or method in order to give the best chance of both people doing and receiving the activity. So much material, so little time.
For people who are interested in experiencing Rudys' approach first hand there are seminars coming up in Houston and out in Oregon and I am sure Kat Kelly and Kevin Janisse will be making information known. Do yourself a favor and attend at least one of Rudys' seminars to experience a truely rewarding approach to the Hapkido arts. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
