Well, this past weekend was the Region 5 Soo Bahk Do camping trip. Definately a good time. John and I got out to Bradley, IL around 4:00pm on Friday and checking into the hotel. Very nice place! After that, we drove around, found the campsite and the host's school, then headed back to the hotel.
After that, we went out back and trained for a while. It is really nice to have someone to train with one on one again...just like Korea. It really helps to get personal attention on my forms and problems, plus, it is always nice to learn new things. I love learning forms that are above my level! After that, out to eat at Ruby Tuesday's and then back to the hotel to go to sleep.
Saturday morning, up at 0600 to get ready and head out to the camp site. We spent the first hour or so getting set up and ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the offers to help with set up. Of course, being me....I refused as nicely as I could, since I like to do things myself. Plus, everyone that came over to help knew a better way to do it....that bugs me too.
Soon after all of the tents were set up, we lined up and bowed in. Following that, and some rules/games explanation, we had 3 clinics back to back. First, we did "unconventional weapons" with Master Cooper. Basically knee strikes, elbow strikes, headbutts. Then we did a 6 step self defense combo, basically working joint locks and controlling the aggressor as you move around them. Really cool stuff.
After that, it was another clinic regarding the pushing movements in Chil Sung Il Lo. Then worked through that into a high block attack rather than defense. Good stuff on balance and hip movement.
The last clinic of the morning was taking ho sin sul through to throws. We basically took a few select hss and worked them into throws rather than submissions. Then a jumping scissor take down. Very cool stuff.
Now throughout the morning, we had some other "tasks" to accomplish. Each of us was placed on a team, signified by a color and given colored arm bands. We then had to design and create a team flag, team cheer, team song, and eventually a demonstration. I'll admit, I was initially a bit put off, but it ended up being kind of fun. The Flag was basically everyone's name and the team name written in Hangul. I felt kind of bad because this was my idea and I'm completely noncreative....so it ended up being a text flag. I thought it was cool, but everyone else's had art and stuff on it. humpf.
A few other people worked on the song, which ended up being pretty good, although the parents' song was apparently much better.
So then, lunch on our own (MRE's for me!) and then back to the "Soo Bahk Do Olympics." Again, I was initially not excited, but it ended up being fun. Mainly because I found my riding partner John and went through all of the stations with him. It was a series of 10 stations, with an activity at each one. First was push ups, then a very short obstacle course (push ups, crab walking, flying side kick), limbo, perform a form, endurance kicking, balance (stand on one leg doing kicks), concentration (repeat a series of movement after being read the list once), jump roping (which I can't do), history questions, and accuracy (perform a peet cha gi to a target pad with a piece of tape on it). All in all, pretty fun.
After that, one final clinic on evasion (moving rather than blocking) and then closing the night with dinner, demonstrations and some camping activities. The demonstrations were fairly good - as well as can be expected with only an hour to prepare.
The next morning, Moo pahl dahn kum and a sparring competition, then the camp was over. It is interesting how everyone seems to do MPDK differently. Definately different than I was taught and I saw a few different interpretations in the crowd. Of course, I think that the point is not exactly how you perform the movements, but more about the purpose of relaxing and breathing. The sparring competition was pretty cool also, team sparring, where we each fought one person from the other team. I won my fight, so that was a good thing.
My biggest observation about this weekend is regarding rank. I've made this observation before, but it was SO painfully clear this weekend....We are giving out these ranks that people CLEARLY are not ready for. Rank is always the prominent theme...mainly because of people abusing it. They get high enough and feel that they have this power over everyone else and are high and mightly because of their rank. I can't tell you how many times I was corrected or spoken down to by 16 year old Ee Dans. It is really a shame...most of the time, simply just because they didn't like the behavior, no reason, just didn't like it and decided to use their rank to make someone who is 11 years their senior stop. Even with the older ones....probably the biggest jerk at the camp is a higher ranked person, probably around my age, but it is very obvious that he is not ready for the rank that he holds and can't handle the power or authority. Lording it over everyone else and regularly reminding and showing everyone how superior he is because of his rank. Trust me...it has NOTHING to do with his skill....Which makes it even worse. The dude looks like a drunken giraffe on speed when he does anything...totally awkward and unsure of himself. He almost feel down at least twice while doing warm ups....it was awesome.
After that, we went out back and trained for a while. It is really nice to have someone to train with one on one again...just like Korea. It really helps to get personal attention on my forms and problems, plus, it is always nice to learn new things. I love learning forms that are above my level! After that, out to eat at Ruby Tuesday's and then back to the hotel to go to sleep.
Saturday morning, up at 0600 to get ready and head out to the camp site. We spent the first hour or so getting set up and ready to go. I was pleasantly surprised by all of the offers to help with set up. Of course, being me....I refused as nicely as I could, since I like to do things myself. Plus, everyone that came over to help knew a better way to do it....that bugs me too.
Soon after all of the tents were set up, we lined up and bowed in. Following that, and some rules/games explanation, we had 3 clinics back to back. First, we did "unconventional weapons" with Master Cooper. Basically knee strikes, elbow strikes, headbutts. Then we did a 6 step self defense combo, basically working joint locks and controlling the aggressor as you move around them. Really cool stuff.
After that, it was another clinic regarding the pushing movements in Chil Sung Il Lo. Then worked through that into a high block attack rather than defense. Good stuff on balance and hip movement.
The last clinic of the morning was taking ho sin sul through to throws. We basically took a few select hss and worked them into throws rather than submissions. Then a jumping scissor take down. Very cool stuff.
Now throughout the morning, we had some other "tasks" to accomplish. Each of us was placed on a team, signified by a color and given colored arm bands. We then had to design and create a team flag, team cheer, team song, and eventually a demonstration. I'll admit, I was initially a bit put off, but it ended up being kind of fun. The Flag was basically everyone's name and the team name written in Hangul. I felt kind of bad because this was my idea and I'm completely noncreative....so it ended up being a text flag. I thought it was cool, but everyone else's had art and stuff on it. humpf.
A few other people worked on the song, which ended up being pretty good, although the parents' song was apparently much better.
So then, lunch on our own (MRE's for me!) and then back to the "Soo Bahk Do Olympics." Again, I was initially not excited, but it ended up being fun. Mainly because I found my riding partner John and went through all of the stations with him. It was a series of 10 stations, with an activity at each one. First was push ups, then a very short obstacle course (push ups, crab walking, flying side kick), limbo, perform a form, endurance kicking, balance (stand on one leg doing kicks), concentration (repeat a series of movement after being read the list once), jump roping (which I can't do), history questions, and accuracy (perform a peet cha gi to a target pad with a piece of tape on it). All in all, pretty fun.
After that, one final clinic on evasion (moving rather than blocking) and then closing the night with dinner, demonstrations and some camping activities. The demonstrations were fairly good - as well as can be expected with only an hour to prepare.
The next morning, Moo pahl dahn kum and a sparring competition, then the camp was over. It is interesting how everyone seems to do MPDK differently. Definately different than I was taught and I saw a few different interpretations in the crowd. Of course, I think that the point is not exactly how you perform the movements, but more about the purpose of relaxing and breathing. The sparring competition was pretty cool also, team sparring, where we each fought one person from the other team. I won my fight, so that was a good thing.
My biggest observation about this weekend is regarding rank. I've made this observation before, but it was SO painfully clear this weekend....We are giving out these ranks that people CLEARLY are not ready for. Rank is always the prominent theme...mainly because of people abusing it. They get high enough and feel that they have this power over everyone else and are high and mightly because of their rank. I can't tell you how many times I was corrected or spoken down to by 16 year old Ee Dans. It is really a shame...most of the time, simply just because they didn't like the behavior, no reason, just didn't like it and decided to use their rank to make someone who is 11 years their senior stop. Even with the older ones....probably the biggest jerk at the camp is a higher ranked person, probably around my age, but it is very obvious that he is not ready for the rank that he holds and can't handle the power or authority. Lording it over everyone else and regularly reminding and showing everyone how superior he is because of his rank. Trust me...it has NOTHING to do with his skill....Which makes it even worse. The dude looks like a drunken giraffe on speed when he does anything...totally awkward and unsure of himself. He almost feel down at least twice while doing warm ups....it was awesome.
