Do what YOU do, and do it WELL

[auntlisa1103]

I got this lesson this weekend.

I tested to First Dan on Saturday.

In forms, the first five taegeuks the conductor called, she called by the English symbols: heaven, lake, lightning, thunder, etc. I guarantee I only got the right one, once. My brain just wasn’t working quickly enough to get the right one before she called joon bee, so I just picked the first one that occurred to me. My husband said no two candidates (there were three of us testing) did the same form on any of them.

But even when I did the wrong one, I committed to the one I did, and I did it well. I made it clear I owned it.

And I PASSED!!! I receive rank in April.

I will say, the conductor’s husband, who is a 7th Dan, told us that when she calls them that way even he gets confused.

Go big or go home. Even if you figure out you’ve guessed wrong, stay committed and go through it like you own it. They tell us all the time, they care far more how you respond to a mistake than they do about the fact you made it to begin with.

 

[skribs]

My Dad and I are both 3rd Dans. Based on how my Master does things, sometimes we wonder if the Kukkiwon issues guidance that Masters should try to confuse their students, in order to elevate the student's perception of them. Although in my case it's different, as my Master will change details about the rote curriculum (i.e. re-number one-steps, change one detail about a one-step), but when you do it the old way, treat it as if you're making a mistake.

 

[auntlisa1103]

I get that some people are like that. But knowing these Masters as I do, I can guarantee it’s not about elevating themselves in our eyes. It’s about challenging us, seeing how well we think on our feet, how we respond to being caught off guard. Because on the street there are no rules, and if something doesn’t work you can’t ask your attacker for a mulligan.

 

[auntlisa1103]

my Master will change details about the rote curriculum (i.e. re-number one-steps, change one detail about a one-step), but when you do it the old way, treat it as if you're making a mistake.

My GM is almost unwilling to ever say anything another instructor has taught is “wrong”. We have one particular one step, the attack is a middle punch. Some do a left hand we su makki, then use that arm to hook the punching arm into a lock and spin around into the attacker’s kidneys with an elbow. Some defenders instead do a right hand NE su makki, turn that into a wrist grab, and then do the hook/lock with the left arm and finish the same way. Some just find the hook/lock works better if you have a grip on the arm. GM won’t say either of those is wrong. When it gets past the basic concept to the finer details, you do what works/is practical for you.