Testing for 4th Gup Saturday

[cdunn]

I did the running jump roundhouse for my 1st gup test. Didn't manage to get my toes back far enough, and broke with the pad of my big toe. That hurt.

We get to pick our own three station break for the 1st Dan test, instructors pick the number of boards, with the guidelines to do at least 2 kicks. I'll be doing yuk jin kong kyuk ("short punch" from Pyung Ahn 5) , yup cha gi, and e dan doll ryu dwi chagi(running jump spinning back kick).

It'll be fun.

 

[Lynne]

I did the running jump roundhouse for my 1st gup test. Didn't manage to get my toes back far enough, and broke with the pad of my big toe. That hurt.

We get to pick our own three station break for the 1st Dan test, instructors pick the number of boards, with the guidelines to do at least 2 kicks. I'll be doing yuk jin kong kyuk ("short punch" from Pyung Ahn 5) , yup cha gi, and e dan doll ryu dwi chagi(running jump spinning back kick).

It'll be fun.

When do you test, Chris? Good luck (or good skills as Terry says) to you. I wonder how many boards you'll have to break with the sidekick? Three? Four? I'm sure it will be a nice challenge!

 

[Master Ken]

Hi Lynn,

Best of luck for Saturday, I'm sure you'll do well.

Pil Seung

Ken

 

[Lynne]

Hi Lynn,

Best of luck for Saturday, I'm sure you'll do well.

Pil Seung

Ken

Thank you, Master Ken!

 

[Kwanjang]

Good Luck- Just remember what your instructor has told you and you will do fine!

Live Long and Prosper

 

[Lynne]

Good Luck- Just remember what your instructor has told you and you will do fine!

Live Long and Prosper

Thank you very much for the well wishes

 

[Lynne]

My daughter passed her midterm tonight. I'm quite proud of her - her form was very good - Pasai Sol. The class did several combinations, 4 sleeve grips, but only 4 of the 9 foot combinations. So, I guess they got off a little easy tonight. There weren't any terminology, history, or philisophical questions or recitation of concepts/creeds, etc.

The workout was easy as well - no squat thrusts, machine gun kicks and so on.

The children tested along with the adults by the way. Apparently, red belt kids and red belt adults test together.

It was nice to see everyone pass. No tears from the little ones this time. Or from adults for that matter!

 

[JWLuiza]

I'm not a huge fan of the TSD version of Bassai Sho (TSD Pasai So/Pal Che So). Just for some reason it doesn't jive with my aesthetics.

Does it look like this:

Or more like this with higher kicks and Fugal Soo Do instead of Shuto Uke:

Or hidden choice C) None of the above


(Not hating, just opinionated)

 

[Lynne]

I'm not a huge fan of the TSD version of Bassai Sho (TSD Pasai So/Pal Che So). Just for some reason it doesn't jive with my aesthetics.

Does it look like this:

Or more like this with higher kicks and Fugal Soo Do instead of Shuto Uke:

Or hidden choice C) None of the above


(Not hating, just opinionated)

Not sure, John. I'll have my daughter take a look and let you know. I thought the first video was closest but I'm not 100%. On the second one, the choon bee looked like the one for Bassai Dei.

 

[Lynne]

I passed this morning, Thursday I had the option of testing this morning, this evening, or Saturday. Since I'd drunk Starbuck's after class last night, I couldn't sleep. Throughout the night, I kept going through all of my forms, kicks, wrist grips, hand combinations, ad nauseum. So, I decided I might as well put an end to the agony.

Not everyone in the group was testing. Some people were attending class - testing and class were combined. Some of the red belts were testing along with two of us green belts. Oh my. None of the red belts passed that I know of. I don't know how many were actually testing. I'm about 100% sure it was just us two green belts who passed (we were the only ones called up to receive our stripes). Let me tell you why the red belts did not pass. When we do stepping kick combinations or punch/strike combinations, etc., we are asked to turn at some point. When we turn we are supposed to be in a front stance, a good one of course. Can you believe it? Some of the red belts did not go into a front stance after they turned. Thank God I was in one! Master R was not happy. I don't blame him. It takes only a few second of focus to go into a front stance. It should be automatic.

The physical workout was light - just jumping jacks, stomach crunches and leg raises interspersed throughout the testing. I got there early and did laps, stretching, and my forms so I was warmed up. What a huge difference that makes.

Combinations were not difficult for me this time. They were fairly easy I thought or else I was so tired that I was more relaxed than usual, lol.

I was disappointed I didn't get to do my wrist grips or hand combinations. You know how it is - you study and want to show what you know. I can be sure that Master R knows that I know my stuff or I wouldn't have passed.

We did Gi Cho Hyung Il Bu form through our highest form; in my case that was Pyung Ahn Sa Dan. I enjoyed the forms. I lost my balance once on my sidekick in the Pyung Ahn Sa Dan which is usual for me. My balance is greatly improved though. Master R told the class to slow down with the forms. I noticed it was the white and orange belts who were zooming too fast and they weren't even testing.

Now the humbling/embarrassing part. It took me 5 tries to break the board with a jump front kick. Two gentleman were holding the board and I kept pushing them back when I struck the board. Bad technique. I was pushing instead of snapping. Master R said, "Last kick." KIHAP! and I broke it. Sheesh. It took him to tell me "last kick" before I could focus on snapping? Ah. Bah. Onward to new material tonight, Pyung Ahn O Dan, etc., etc.

 

[MBuzzy]

AWESOME!!! Congratulations!!!

 

[Lynne]

AWESOME!!! Congratulations!!!

Thank you, Mr. Buzzy

 

[JWLuiza]

YAY.

Between Sa Dan and O Dan, you've covered most of the material for Bassai Dai Onward and upward!

 

[Lynne]

I'm not a huge fan of the TSD version of Bassai Sho (TSD Pasai So/Pal Che So). Just for some reason it doesn't jive with my aesthetics.

Does it look like this:

Or more like this with higher kicks and Fugal Soo Do instead of Shuto Uke:

Or hidden choice C) None of the above


(Not hating, just opinionated)

Hi JW,

My daughter just viewed the two videos and our Bassai Dei is very similar to the first one. The differences are that we do preparations and they are not preparing! Ours is more intricate because of the preparations. The second video wasn't similar to either of our Bassai forms.

 

[Lynne]

YAY.

Between Sa Dan and O Dan, you've covered most of the material for Bassai Dai Onward and upward!

I learned almost half of Pyung Ahn O Dan tonight. Looks like a cool form. I struggled a bit going up the I and turning with the outside/inside block and defensive pakasoanero, hand slap, head grab + low block. Not sure of foot placement with the previous...or just overwhelmed between testing today and a challenging class tonight!

Anyway, I'll be working on it. We have the school DVD

 

[JWLuiza]

Hi JW,

My daughter just viewed the two videos and our Bassai Dei is very similar to the first one. The differences are that we do preparations and they are not preparing! Ours is more intricate because of the preparations. The second video wasn't similar to either of our Bassai forms.

While mechanically they are different... they are the same. In fact, the TSD version came from this. Take a closer look, see where the TSD comes in in the interpretations.

Does your school have any videos out on youtube?

 

[Lynne]

While mechanically they are different... they are the same. In fact, the TSD version came from this. Take a closer look, see where the TSD comes in in the interpretations.

Does your school have any videos out on youtube?

We'll take another look. It should be interesting.

No, we don't have any videos out on youtube. (Unless there are individual members who have videos up.)

 

[JoelD]

Congrats, Lynne.

ps: thats the first time ive seen the 10 articles of faith where #8 says "KILL" only in justice and with honor. Ours is "Face combat" only in justice and with honor. Otherwise the 10 articles and 8 key concepts are identical.... hmm.
Perhaps its a translation thing...

 

[Lynne]

Congrats, Lynne.

ps: thats the first time ive seen the 10 articles of faith where #8 says "KILL" only in justice and with honor. Ours is "Face combat" only in justice and with honor. Otherwise the 10 articles and 8 key concepts are identical.... hmm.
Perhaps its a translation thing...

Thank you, Joel.

Yes, the "Kill" part throws me off, too. We aren't modern day warriors. We may have the warrior spirit, but we aren't vigilantes, lol.

 

[cdunn]

Congrats on your promotion, Lynne.

Thank you, Joel.

Yes, the "Kill" part throws me off, too. We aren't modern day warriors. We may have the warrior spirit, but we aren't vigilantes, lol.

This is precisely why the rejoinder is needed. Despite everything else we learn along the 'do' path, the fundamental skill set, the 'bup' or 'jutsu', we learn as martial artists is breaking people. If we need to use this skill set, we need to be aware of what it accomplishes, and be prepared to weigh the consequences of its use against the consequences of its disuse.

My teacher has rendered the concept as 'Know the difference between good and evil'. Shorn of the killing context, it is a bit vauge. Together, though, the two have an important meaning. There are times to walk away, times to fight to restrain, times to fight to disable, and yes, rare as they are in our modern society, times to fight to kill. If you cannot develop the knowledge of when each is appropriate, you are unable to protect yourself and your loved ones at best, and an inhuman monster at worst. Thus, this command.