One small step closer...

[Monkey Turned Wolf165 31]

Thanks, I have done these, just never called it that. My only concern with them is the distance that the original attack, along with the response, is from their opponent, but I'm assuming that is being done specifically for demonstration purposes.

 

[Dirty Dog4 2]

Here's a video link that shows exactly what we do for one step sparring. Basically it's partner work where you take turns attacking or defending. One person does a down block, then steps forward and punches. There are 3 "forms" for each belt level. For white belt, the second person will 1) step forward and do a high block, then face punch, 2) step forward into horse riding stance, do a forearm block, and then do two middle punches, or for 3) step forward into horse riding stance, do a knife hand block, and then do two middle punches and one face punch. It's non contact, one movement at a time. They get more complicated as you move up through the belt levels. (Also just for the record, we are learning the Korean terms for all of this, but only a little at a time, and none of those techniques are on our white belt requirements for the terminology)

Can't say I care for the way those are being performed. By executing the techniques at silly distances, much of what can be learned from one steps is lost.
If I were teaching these specific combinations, the people would be much closer together. As in, if you don't block the punch, that fist is going to be in your face. The punch wouldn't be hung out, but rather the defender would be expected to block the punch before it reaches them and then follow up with the counter strike. The training would start out slow, and gradually increase in both speed and power, with the counter strike eventually being thrown nearly simultaneously with the block. By the time you test, you're near full speed and power. Expect bruises from the blocks.

Re the roundhouse kick - It's definitely a balance issue, though I think having a heavier leg doesn't really help! I'm determined to get it right for the test though.

It's not the weight of your leg. Your torso is MUCH heavier than your leg. It's more a matter of basic balance, and leaning. When you're trying to kick higher than you're really ready for, you're forced to lean excessively. That puts too much weight (your torso) too far on the back side of the fulcrum (your hip), which over balances the comparitively low weight of your leg. Which makes the kick weak and disrupts your balance.
Stand on one leg and chamber the other. Now SLOWLY extend it in a roundhouse, as high as you can while still being able to hold the foot up and maintain your balance. That is your optimal kicking height. Every little bit higher will make it progressively more difficult to maintain balance and decrease the power of the kick. The solution is to work on flexibility and core strength.

 

[serietah]

Thank you so much! I think I have been trying to kick higher than I'm probably really ready for. I'll pay close attention tonight to whether I'm leaning in order to get the kick higher and see if I can correct that to help the balance. And of course continue to work on flexibility and core strength. I greatly appreciate everyone's input on this!

I incorrectly stated that that video shows "exactly" what we do. We are closer together, though not so close that you will get punched in the face if you don't block. We use a "two arm distance" so when I punch, my fist is usually about an inch from my partner's face. At 32, I'm the youngest person in our adult class, and we're all white belts so everything is non contact for now.

 

[Tony Dismukes164 61]

Can't say I care for the way those are being performed. By executing the techniques at silly distances, much of what can be learned from one steps is lost.
If I were teaching these specific combinations, the people would be much closer together. As in, if you don't block the punch, that fist is going to be in your face. The punch wouldn't be hung out, but rather the defender would be expected to block the punch before it reaches them and then follow up with the counter strike. The training would start out slow, and gradually increase in both speed and power, with the counter strike eventually being thrown nearly simultaneously with the block. By the time you test, you're near full speed and power. Expect bruises from the blocks.

Thank you! I've seen way too many people practicing and demonstrating one-steps from way outside of actual punching range. I'm not in a position to say whether that's the norm for TKD schools in general, but it unfortunately seems to be the norm for the TKD schools that I've personally seen. As you say, I think that improper distancing robs the one-steps of most of their value.

 

[mmitch]

Do you really want someone who has been practicing for a few weeks to kick at your face and trust they have the control to not hit you yet?

As you get more experienced you'll move closer. Most videos out are to demonstrate techniques more than distances.

All of these things said I think the OP needs to take a big breath and relax. It sounds like you are doing very well and just need to enjoy and let it come.

 

[Tony Dismukes164 61]

Do you really want someone who has been practicing for a few weeks to kick at your face and trust they have the control to not hit you yet?

As you get more experienced you'll move closer. Most videos out are to demonstrate techniques more than distances.

Unfortunately, I see the same thing all the time in demonstrations by TKD black belts.

I didn't have to cherry pick my way through videos to find these. They are literally the first results for a YouTube search on "tae kwon do black belt one steps."

 

[Dirty Dog4 2]

Do you really want someone who has been practicing for a few weeks to kick at your face and trust they have the control to not hit you yet?

Yes. I do. You did read the part about starting slowly, right?

Besides, if I do MY part of the exercise correctly, it doesn't really matter how much control they do or do not have.

 

[Tony Dismukes164 61]

BTW - I just realized that although we've gone off on a little bit of a tangent, the thread title still applies. So many of these one steps would be much better training if the participants started out "one small step closer."

 

[serietah]

I got my black tip tonight! We had a great class, with most of the time spent really focusing on making our kibon poomsae technically correct. I finally started to get the hang of using my hips to put a little more power behind my punches and low blocks. Rather than just going through the motions, it's really starting to (hopefully) look good. Since it was just my mom and I tonight, we also spent extra time stretching. Then we finished by doing the entire belt test. Punches, kicks, kicking combo, one step sparring, and the form. Then we got to break our first boards! We used the kid ones for now, but it was still exciting. Then we got quizzed on the Korean terms and got our black tips. I had to do my roundhouse kicks again, and was instructed to continue working on my balance, but I did better tonight since I was more aware of the problem and focused on it. I actually did it really well before class...sigh! At my school, having all four tips signifies a student is ready to test. I have one month to continue working on everything, especially my balance.

I'm feeling extremely proud of myself (and my mom!) and greatly appreciate all the support and kind words you guys have been giving. One month from tonight I should be posting that I got my yellow belt. Pictures I'm sure will accompany the post. Fingers crossed!

 

[Dirty Dog4 2]

As you get more experienced you'll move closer. Most videos out are to demonstrate techniques more than distances.

They do a crappy job of that, too. Take the first combination shown in the first linked video. Stepping forward to perform the high block is ludicrous, if the techniques are being done at anything remotely resembling reasonable distances.
It's pointless to demonstrate ridiculous techniques that can only be used when the attack is begun at a silly distance, and it is a disservice to students to pretend you're teaching them useful techniques by doing so.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf165 31]

Do you really want someone who has been practicing for a few weeks to kick at your face and trust they have the control to not hit you yet?

As you get more experienced you'll move closer. Most videos out are to demonstrate techniques more than distances.

All of these things said I think the OP needs to take a big breath and relax. It sounds like you are doing very well and just need to enjoy and let it come.

I think you're underestimating peoples basic ability to tell distance. I do this with white belts and have them aim to hit me. When two white belts do it, I have them aim to 'almost' hit the other, and IIRC, I've never had an issue of one hurting another during this type of drill. By yellow or orange belt (the next two in the system) they are able to do light contact in these drills.

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf165 31]

And Congrats! I'm glad that his advice on your balance helped

 

[Rough Rider]

Here's a little tip- keep a notebook. As you move up the belt ranks you will keep learning new forms, new il sushis (1 steps), new self-defense techniques, etc. In all the excitement of learning new things, take time occasionally to review the old- you'll be surprised how soon you can forget. Someday a lower belt will ask you for help and you want to have the right answer. Also, if your school is anything like mine, it's all going to come up again (like on your black belt test.)

 

[Azulx]

Unfortunately, I see the same thing all the time in demonstrations by TKD black belts.

The third video is of Ho-am Tae Kwon Do. My Head instructor is a former member of that organization. He left for a variety of reasons about 8 years ago to start his own private practice. He did mention to me that an issue he had, was that the way they did their drills and sparred was artificial looking. As you can see Mr. Master 7th degree spin kicking so high he could kick Shaq's head.

One steps sparring is only used for our white belts at our school. Anything above that does contact sparring. The higher ranks may occasionally do no contact sparring with the white belts.

 

[Azulx]

I got my black tip tonight! We had a great class, with most of the time spent really focusing on making our kibon poomsae technically correct. I finally started to get the hang of using my hips to put a little more power behind my punches and low blocks. Rather than just going through the motions, it's really starting to (hopefully) look good. Since it was just my mom and I tonight, we also spent extra time stretching. Then we finished by doing the entire belt test. Punches, kicks, kicking combo, one step sparring, and the form. Then we got to break our first boards! We used the kid ones for now, but it was still exciting. Then we got quizzed on the Korean terms and got our black tips. I had to do my roundhouse kicks again, and was instructed to continue working on my balance, but I did better tonight since I was more aware of the problem and focused on it. I actually did it really well before class...sigh! At my school, having all four tips signifies a student is ready to test. I have one month to continue working on everything, especially my balance.

I'm feeling extremely proud of myself (and my mom!) and greatly appreciate all the support and kind words you guys have been giving. One month from tonight I should be posting that I got my yellow belt. Pictures I'm sure will accompany the post. Fingers crossed!

My first TKD was very small. When I joined there were 5 adults, and at one point I was the only student. One of the most rewarding experiences I had was when I became about a green belt. I began helping out with the juniors (ages 7-11). Although the juniors had all been there about a 6 months to year longer than me; I was an adult so I could always teach them something. Teaching always makes you learn things better. Keep up the hard work and you'll be a yellow belt in no time.

 

[Miles]

Congratulations!

 

[serietah]

Belt testing is now only two weeks away. I'm feeling ready, but I've been sick for a week so I'm glad I have two more weeks to recover. I missed two nights of class and had to sit out midway through another. Blah! But tonight I had leadership class then I was the only person for adult class (mom is sick too) so we did an "easy" class of just practicing good technique. I mostly need to continue to focus on my roundhouse kicks, but we've pinpointed the issues I'm having so I had some really nice looking kicks tonight.

Besides shifting my upper body too much, I was also shifting my weight too much to the ball of my pivot foot which was throwing me forward. Focusing on those things really helped. I'll likely take it easy in tomorrow's class too and hopefully ready to return to normal Monday.

I've been cleared to start helping with the kids white belt class and I start that Thursday. I'll be a target holder, extra partner, just an assistant when needed. an extra adult to help keep the kids focused haha. Long term I see myself becoming an instructor so it's awesome to start getting that training now. It'll help keep everything fresh for me too.

Still loving every class, and can't wait to show you guys some photos or even video if possible from my testing. April 29!

 

[Azulx]

Belt testing is now only two weeks away. I'm feeling ready, but I've been sick for a week so I'm glad I have two more weeks to recover. I missed two nights of class and had to sit out midway through another. Blah! But tonight I had leadership class then I was the only person for adult class (mom is sick too) so we did an "easy" class of just practicing good technique. I mostly need to continue to focus on my roundhouse kicks, but we've pinpointed the issues I'm having so I had some really nice looking kicks tonight.

Besides shifting my upper body too much, I was also shifting my weight too much to the ball of my pivot foot which was throwing me forward. Focusing on those things really helped. I'll likely take it easy in tomorrow's class too and hopefully ready to return to normal Monday.

I've been cleared to start helping with the kids white belt class and I start that Thursday. I'll be a target holder, extra partner, just an assistant when needed. an extra adult to help keep the kids focused haha. Long term I see myself becoming an instructor so it's awesome to start getting that training now. It'll help keep everything fresh for me too.

Still loving every class, and can't wait to show you guys some photos or even video if possible from my testing. April 29!

Ayyy, this is awesome. I'm excited for you, I remember my yellow belt test, I had no idea what to expect, but I had so much fun doing it. I also really enjoyed working with the juniors, it's always a great feeling to have people look up yo you. Keep up the great work!

 

[TrueJim]

At the school that my son and I attend, the people testing for Yellow Belt go last, because the instructor wants it to be a Big Deal: your first belt with color on it! So he does all the other belts first in increasing rank, then comes back and does the Yellow Belts last. I think it's a nice tradition, but oh for your first test it sure does make for a long wait!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf165 31]

Good luck with your test. I'm glad to hear you managed to improve your roundhouse!