El Camino Martial Arts Magazine was born with the aim of promoting martial arts and reaching the largest number of people in a digital way, according to the times and technologies. We hope you like it and join us in this beautiful martial universe, with the love of always: Graphic Direction: Mario Segnini Fursa. Commercial address: Carlos Omar Urbina. Editorial Address: Javier Acosta Serrano. Main Editor (English Version): SM Guy E. Larke The opinions expressed in this magazine are the responsibility of each person who is published and promoted; is made and distributed with No.22-07 from Montevideo Uruguay for the month of July. Thank you.
INDICE: 02 - WHY DO SOME LEAVE WHEN THEY REACH... SBN Ramón Navarro 04 - THE BATMAN MAESTRO J. Ricardo Félix 06 - TRADITIONAL CENTER OF MARTIAL ARTS MÉXICO 07 - MASTERS REFLECTION... SBN Javier Acosta 08 - WHAT TO LEARN.... PROF. Marcelo Ehrlich 11 - ECONOMY - TANG SOO DO Elias Pulgar Olguin 12 - MY STORY GM José Torres SMASTER Guy E. Larke 18 -THE HIKI TE OF UECHI RYU SENSEI Cecilia Salbuchi 19 - AN EXPLORATION OF TSD´s 8 KEY CONCEPTS: HIM CHO CHUNG SBN Mary Cayte Reiland
21 - TANG SOO DO URUGUAY SBN Mario Segnini Fursa 22 - CONGRESS WTTSDU PANAMÁ 26 - TANG SOO DO PANAMÁ SBN Carlos O. Urbina 30 - BÖKH: MONGOLIAN WRESTLING Freakie-Do 31 - ELIGIO SARDIÑAS 32 - TEUK GONG MOO SOOL (p8) SMASTER Guy E. Larke 36 - DOJO STORIES SENSEI Gerardo Balves 38 - GM JUN DACAYANA (p3) SMASTER Guy E. Larke 43 - MATE and KARATE KSN Renso Perez 44 - MA and ME (Cap.10) PROFESOR Carlos Damasco 46 - MARTIAL ARTS FILM Undisputed II
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WHY DO SOME LEAVE WHEN THEY REACH THE BLACK BELT? Sbn Ramón Navarro
Hello everyone and my greatest wish is that everyone is well as well as their family and their students, well what seems to be that the pandemic will not go away at all so we have to continue taking care of ourselves. I hope you enjoy not only the magazine this month but my article as well. All of us who read this magazine are people interested in martial art without learning it or we are instructors or teachers. There are many who will not read this magazine, El Camino, which we know is about martial arts since they do not know it, but in general, all of us who for A or B reason have started to learn a martial art generally did not know about that martial art. Over time we begin to like what we are learning and we decide to endure the hard training of each lesson or class and we already know that to get to the Black Belt there are other tests to pass. How do you pass that exam? Learning what is due and polishing it enough that, even if it is not perfect, you must be able to act well
enough that in addition to being able to use what you have learned in combat, these are in classes or in competitions, in addition to the forms if that martial art has them. or if it does not have them, what is indicated must be learned. Many students want to continue learning their martial art but they are not willing to propose to fully comply with what they are learning and if they do not abandon, they lose focus with the excuse that they have a lot of time in the rank in which they are and they do not include them to do test. What turns out to happen? What are they leaving? What happens when they leave? Well, they usually go to another martial arts school and join that school to see if they can rank up fast there to get the Black Belt. What can happen? Well normally they are still there and if not then they continue in this cycle until they get accepted as these students want and if not then they leave the martial artist way of life. The truth is that they focus on making
an effort as they should, time will pass and they will obtain that blessed Black Belt that is the maximum belt to achieve. This is how in school I will use my case to give it as an example: there are 6 years in primary school and then there are 6 more years to graduate from secondary school and that is how I graduated. In order to continue growing, or rather, to progress, I must go to university, and at university I find that almost all careers last 4 or 5 years, plus an additional year
to prepare my thesis and be examined on everything I have learned up to now. finish my degree by obtaining my bachelor's degree. Well, there are now technical careers that take less time, but let's say they all last two years. At the end of those two years I have the option of changing careers at the university but we will not approach it that way for martial arts. But we can say that when one finishes those two years well, I have never known that in universities throughout Latin America or anywhere else except in the United States of America they call it College and this indicates that if you pass the third year of your degree, it means that
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ourselves stop, follow the path of the Do and progress focused on sharing this approach with our students. Blessings. I am expanding the HapKiDo Song Moo Kwan style through the International Song Moo HapKiDo Federation in the area of Latin America and the United States of America. If you want to learn this HapKiDo method, you can write to me on WhatsApp +507 67808222 and let's see if we can achieve what you want.
You will complete the course without specialties, that is, you reach the Second Dan and when you manage to continue and finish the course you are a graduate of that course and in martial art you were a Third Dan. I will not dwell on names of titles etc. About martial arts since in this article we are not going further to talk about there being more Dan ranks. So in many Academies they are from KungFu, Karate or Koreanas since I am a Black Belt or Dan Degree in TaeKwonDo as well as TangSooDo as in HapKiDo I will not specify a specific one. Well, I believe the student who, when he enters a martial school, was born that day on the path that should be for life, but that student focused that the maximum is to reach the Black Belt and when he arrived, he did not really focus correctly on what a martial art nor do I value all the time, effort and commitment to which I dedicate all that because it ends up being like in school that when you graduate it is goodbye forever. I don't know, but I think if those students would have been taught that the Black Belt is only the true beginning of learning in the martial art it is from the first Dan not to reach this degree. They should have been taught that this learning is not for competitions but for self-defense and this is good for life on the street since the street is the way of life. That self-defense will be learned is
something additional despite the fact that it is the first thing that is learned and it seems to be the only thing that there is in this principle, but it is like when children are children who, growing up when they reach the age of teenagers, already believe that they are big and we all know that this is not the case until they themselves realize how much of this at the time and the bad thing can be if they reason about it late as it happens in life that there are 40-year-olds who have the attitude of adolescents. Let's teach this topic to our students that if, for example, a person from the beginning of teaching and the number of students over time reaches 10,000 and of these those who reach the Black Belt without giving that degree or any other before From that stage they have managed to be, let's say, 450, but after 40 or 50 years with that number of Dan degree students they will focus on what these levels mean in life, they will not be like 75 active ones. This is not like it is said that only an approximate number is the one that manages to reach the Black Belt, but it teaches that the student who makes an effort and participates as much as possible on a daily basis, if possible, per week, each month and adding many years is sure to reach that stage. For how things are today regarding the transition we went through due to the Pandemic, the good thing is not to let
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THE BATMAN Maestro Jesús Ricardo Félix
Celluloid: The Batman What is it that makes the history of Batman generate so much interest in the great directors of the time? Filmmakers like Tim Burton or Chris Nolan would be some examples of how what is considered auteur cinema merges with entertainment cinema or the blockbuster industry and gives rise to quite interesting and complex visual products when it comes to the Gothic City bat. If we compare it with Superman or SpiderMan or Wonder Woman, the trend is that they are characters aimed at a more childish or perhaps adolescent audience. Trying to answer the question we could start from the fact that the character himself is a human without super powers but at the same time psychologically complex, deep and dark that resembles the psyche of a villain. His parents were killed leaving a theater so he becomes a "vigilante" to take revenge or handle his own guilt. There is also the depth of the villains that flow between the border of madness and genius. Among the most recognized: the Joker, the riddle, the scarecrow, Bane, two faces, etc. That is why this week on Celluloid we will talk about The Batman. The Batman is an American film
directed by Matt Reeves released in March 2022. Matt Reeves is an American director who began his filmography in the early nineties, films like Cloverfield or Planet of the Apes are some of the works that he boasts in his trajectory. Although he does not have the credentials of Tim Burton or Chris Nolan, it can be said that he is a promising director with more future than present. His Batman has more to do with the detective area of the character. Tim Burton came to Batman through Beetlejuice just like Michael Keaton, we saw the beginning of the modern era of the dark knight with Burton's gothic world, his colorful joker contrasting with the darkness of Batman, Burton is a visual master, he left Jack Nicholson build his character without going too deep, it's a comic brought to the screen, it's fiction. Chris Nolan relied on the psychological depth of the characters, particularly the Cillian Murphy villains as The Scarecrow explored his victims' fears aided by drugs and his mastery of psychiatry. Heath Ledger's joker has been one of the best in history, in fact some claim that the actor took the character to the limits of madness causing his accidental death. And what about Tom Hardy's Bane and the same Batman played by
Christian Bale. But if Nolan's villains are the center of attraction, he also takes advantage of Gotham City as a pretext to criticize politics and the corruption of today's societies. In Reeves's Batman for his part and following the trend of Todd Phillips's Joker, the characters give us the feeling that they could be part of real life. Reeves's Gotham City dominated by corrupt politicians in the service of the Falcones and the penguins could very well fit the reality of some country in our time that I am going to leave to the reader's imagination. The riddle is close to the way of thinking and acting of some terrorists or psychopaths to the point that we forget the tone of superhero movies and we approach a noir tone closer to David Fincher's Seven. Actors Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz as Batman and the new Catwoman work better than we thought, but there is something that we still owe with the theme of villains. Perhaps it is because our latest references are a brilliant
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Joaquin Phoenix and a masterful Chris Nolan, we must give Reeves the benefit of the doubt. By removing the mask that riddle played by Paul Dano is left to us. Something strange also happens for John Turturro's Carmine Falcone to be overshadowed by Colin Farrell's penguin and we should ask the director about that. Reeves' Batman delivers on the box office theme, provides a new dark knight by turning a light vampire from Twilight into a Bruce Wayne haunted by his father's past, has the approval of pizza-guzzling teenagers of bat, the hamburger with the seal, clothing lines, lipsticks, legos, etc. I feel that new filmmakers like Reeves try too hard to give hyper-realism to characters from a fictional world in an artificial city and turn Batman into a profitable product but with weaknesses in the script and in the performances of key actors in the cast. . With this new Batman we lack a touch of humor, some action, the depth in the madness of Nolan's characters, Burton's aesthetic, forget about realism without abusing fiction.
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The Traditional Center Martial Arts It is born from the idea of not establishing a single system as unique and the study and teaching of the enormous variety of martial arts around the earth, the study, the practice, the history, the technique, the philosophy and above all the orderly opening are the fundamental bases of this construction, which begins to forge in 2012, with the interest of Sbn Javier Acosta and the full support of his Kjn Eduardo Martínez V. the latter a world legend of martial arts.
the Ksn Melba Valenzuela and Ksn Taira Aguirre, all of them with the freedom to seek and bring to this project the ideas and concepts of those that orbit the same but are in different tribunes, some years ago the CTAM has crossed borders and has teaching relations with various countries, as well as its first subsidiary school in Las Tunas Cuba directed by Ksn Alexei Pérez who is also part e fundamental part of the study of martial arts, we have teachers endorsed by the CTAM in Uruguay and Argentina for Kick Boxing and Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo, today Sbn Javier Acosta, participates as a technical advisor to different organizations around the world in terms of teaching for the physical disability, thanks to his career as a volunteer teacher at the Mexico telethon foundation, he also directs the El Camino Podcast editorial and to this day remains faithful to his great teacher Kjn Eduardo Marinez who is part of the promotion of the Taekwondo Hall Of Fame 2019 and holds the highest degree in Mexico, as well as a Dan Bon Directo from Kjn Hwang Kee.
members, it is tangible and grows solid every day. Today, together with Sbn Mario Segnini from Uruguay, the learning and massification of martial arts through technology is studied and practiced fraternally, he is the one who today travels the do accompanying Sbn Acosta and learning at the same time for his students, As you can see, the important thing is not to be a giant, it is to walk with giants... SBN Javier Acosta Serrano
Accompanied over the years by masters of Japanese Jujitsu, Wing Shun, Aikido, Karate, Tkd, Kick Boxing, Muay Thai and Tang Soo Do and having practiced some of them for long periods and others for short periods, the doubt ideas are generated, aligned and this study center is formed that today offers its students the various variables of the Moo Duk Kwan school, as well as Aikido, Self Defense, Kick Boxing and a hybrid similar to MMA, that directs and studies Ksn Donovan Aguirre, in the studies of The traditional martial arts center weapons Ksn Dr. Daniel Rodríguez is the greatest achievement of and in the organizational support Sbn Javier Acosta and each of its
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MASTERS REFLECTION...
SBN Javier Acosta
Masters Reflection … Nothing is what it seems… The story is told, of an individual confined in a psychiatric hospital when his advanced state of mental illness is evident, caused by the excessive use of toxic substances, he should well be confined in a penitentiary for various crimes of money laundering, corruption and others, but duty does not mean power, the unconscious suicide, was arrested at the international airport trying to escape the country. Living his seclusion in a dying lethargy, he came before him, a man who is part of a civil foundation which provides moral support to people in this type of situation, needless to say, that in most cases loneliness acclaims company , in this unconscious plea is where they both sat down to drink an inexpensive cup of coffee which served as a witness. Hello dear friend, my name is Inocencio Paz, a family man, a pharmacy employee and I am here to talk with you, listen to you and possibly seal a good friendship. The response of that deranged
pharmacy employee going to know about an international plane ticket with an open return date? Even what do you know about escaping? Or yes, was that what I wanted? You're right, Inocencio said, not even in my dreams can I imagine traveling the world is not within my reach, it's very difficult for me alone, to take my family for a walk downtown. The talk came to an end minutes later with a handshake. Inocencio, worried about the time and certainly in a hurry, said goodbye to Marcial saying: Marcial cost me a lot of work to get to you, too much paperwork, on top of that this hospital is a labyrinth, I barely realized how I should get out of here, I promise to think and pray for you, I must return to my home, the last bus is in thirty minutes, may the mass maker be with you! The cup of coffee does not speak, a duty nurse named Candelario "C" told me the story, that Inocencio Paz is an insane and deranged villain...
friend of the self-induced coma was: How about Inocencio, I'm Marcial Guerrero, I'm also a family man, I'm a politician and a businessman and he unjustly has me imprisoned here, but I have no doubt, my stay will be very short, it's been hell since they arrested me. With fervor and passion that man spoke ad nauseam about the odyssey he experienced at the time of his arrest, magically he omitted what happened later, even! I do not quote It's how much... a single syllable of what happened Sbn. Javier Acosta Serrano before entering the airport from which he intended to escape. Inocencio was a sincere man and at the same time with more good intentions, than preparation in dialogue in such extreme situations, but from the depths of his heart and unconsciously he responded... Go Marcial, I hope you can get ahead and God have mercy on you, something catches my attention, you bought a flight abroad with an open return date, that must have raised suspicions, we both know what a one-way flight means, he said! Both of them! Marcial said, with all due respect Inocencio, but what is a
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WHAT TO LEARN, HOW MUCH, HOW, FROM WHOM, TO WHERE... Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich
Hello reader friends of the digital magazine "El Camino", in this fifth note on Judo, we will be addressing, among others, the topic of: What to learn, how much, how, from whom, to where... In traditional Martial Arts (especially in Judo), the knowledge that is taught is almost entirely already codified, structured and unified to be learned at different levels, degrees, belt colors and ages. If one begins learning as a child, the approach will be different than if one began as a young person or as an adult. Today we are fortunate to have instant information, practically of what let's search, from different origins, historical documents, photos, videos, competitions in real time from anywhere in the world, virtual classes of what may interest you, etc. The information is at our service, it is even too much if you don't really know what you are looking for, it is toxic, if you copy or do things you see in videos, regardless of the consequences. In the classes given to children, apart from the technical, they are taught respect, collaboration, effort, order, not to break the rules, not to cheat, to foster friendship, etc. As Master Jigoro Kano (founder of Judo)
said, to train people with excellent values, to create a better society. Teach the child from the playful aspect, through play, so that it is more natural and accessible to his mentality. Reward the effort, not just the result, listen to their questions, encourage them to help others. And in the same way, look for the Teachers, a good communication with the Parents, to make them understand this educational system and help them in the development of children and young people. In the class, the children must interact with the other children, not only with the little friends, in the meetings, with other Dojos, try to do Judo, with those who do not belong to our class to have different experiences. On the trips to the Championships, to train them in team spirit, to be together, to eat together, to enjoy together. These experiences will always be remembered! Learning fall techniques (UKEMIS) is essential at these ages, as they have it as something natural, and it will give them confidence in all their movements. I was lucky enough to start learning judo, as a child and I still remember specific situations, little friends from that time, what the classes
were like, my first teacher, the Championships and trips to the interior of the country, abroad, and what I learned was parallel to what they taught me in primary school. Very few of us remain active from that time, life takes you and brings you back and paths cross and destinations change. Having gone through Judo to this day, without ever moving away, is what allows me to see how everything has changed and how it continues to change. We must adapt to changes! When he comes to the championship, a friend (let's call him Pablo), who left Judo years ago and returns to activity, notices these changes and I hear the phrase: This used to be done differently, this is not Judo, why not? I can grab the legs, why can't I dislocate and strangle, standing up!!! Etc etc. And there I have to explain some changes imposed in the sports/ competitive area, how and why I can no longer do a certain technique in competition, why the combat times are shorter, why the Judo uniform (JUDOGI) has these measurements, how They took out the two line judges and put cameras everywhere, if I get hurt in a fight and the doctor comes in to check me, why can't I still be injured, if I want to! Etc etc. Friend Pablo, who returned after years of inactivity in Judo, obviously cannot
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quickly assimilate the spirit of these changes imposed by the International Judo Federation over the years. And practically all these modifications are to take care of the athlete, to protect his physical integrity, to make victory and defeat decisions fairer, to be objective and not subjective in the administration of combat. But Pablo, you can also see that now we are more athletic than before, faster, stronger, more technical, postures, movements, grips have changed, today we study and rely on strategy, tactics, training methods, sports psychology, applied neuroscience, nutrition, sports medicine, quality of life! And when Pablo goes to the class, he can also see changes in the way the class is administered, what is taught, how and why it is taught, how you can drink water, before, during (when the Professor orders it, in every break) and after training! When I started in Judo and until many years later, the rule was that you could not drink
water during class/training. All those details have improved the practice and our performance! How do you have an injury and you're not practicing, how do you have an injury and you're not competing, there are things so my friend Pablo is not convinced. Because my friend Pablo saw me train and compete injured, without sleeping the night before, travel by train and/ or bus, hundreds of kms. get off it, compete and go home with the medal! The attitude was another, the sacrifice, the effort to continue on the Camino was another, stop studying, work, be with the family, to be able to do Judo, today it is unthinkable... and I agree that the priority should be the other way around, but in those times and experiences, they were what made us what we are today. As a child I went to do sports at the Christian Youth Association, and one day my parents sent me to study English, the days I had swimming and gym, then they recommended that my mother enroll me in the Judo class, my father did not knew nothing about Judo, he also enrolls me in Boxing classes! Result: I did both activities! And since I was a child I understood that you can do different, antagonistic
and complementary things. And that complementation, he was preparing me not to exclude anything! I learned to drive different distances from the fight (without realizing it, already at an early age). As a young man I went to another club (Club L'avenir), more competitive in judo, more demanding sportingly and I also continued with Boxing for a while, until Martial Arts occupied all my time. Always with Judo, but I also started to learn Shotokan Karate and Taekwon-Do and he sought to complement blows with takedowns and ground techniques, later traditional Jiu Jitsu would arrive, and more he understood that it was not about adding techniques, but about seeing the practical utility of complementing. Of course, Judo took up all the time, since the training as a competitor is very rigorous. Parallel to the sports competition, my search for knowledge and improvement of my Judo, leads me to attend every course that there was at that time, with Teachers and Trainers who come to Uruguay, and to continuously move to Argentina and Brazil, where there were excellent Teachers. ! Those Masters not only taught sports
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Judo, but also Traditional Judo, Jiu Jitsu, Aikido, Taiho Jutsu techniques, were learned in their classes, I practiced them in Uruguay and when I returned to their classes, they corrected the details and increased them. With the study of the Katas (Preestablished Forms), you understand several applications of techniques that you do not normally see in sports competition, blows, throws and actions on joints. You also see movements that look like a dance, and if you don't have someone to explain to you what that is, or what it's used for, you gloss over it. Of course, the mere fact of practicing Katas does not qualify you for sports combat or in real situations. Do the same movements over and over again until you master them automatically, walking slowly, sliding your feet (as seen in old Japanese movies), always on the same side, in the face of the same attack, rigidly, with a totally cooperative person , with execution times always the same... Here, yes, the tradition is kept, which has been going on since the beginning of Judo, until today, it was the form of teaching in ancient times, very beautiful for exhibitions, due to its aesthetic form. It is one more part of Judo, important as an example, where the technique, posture, movements, imbalances, points of contact with the attacker, target areas of hitting, manipulation,
throwing are studied. They are part of the requirements for examinations of the different degrees of Black Belts, and for years, there have also been official Kata competitions. Of these two ways of doing Kata, they are both to demonstrate to others. When I do them in the Dojo, in my house, in the forest, on the beach, they are for me, to be in the Spirit of Judo. I don't have to prove anything! Later we will get into this topic. To continue learning, teaching, sharing. See you at the Dojo and on El Camino! Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich
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ECONOMIA Tang Soo Do
Por Elias Pulgar Olguin
Productivity determines our income. Income, that is, the amount of economic resources available to sustain life, is a direct function of our productivity, which in a simple way is "What we are capable of improving with our work." And not the amount of work we do, this defines as a result, the quality of life we have, in terms of consumption. We can work very little and be very productive, getting a very high income, or we can work a lot, being little productive, getting a low income. What distinguishes people is technology, creativity, human capital and personal skills. The world of business is full of complexities, business is an art, and as an art, it is changeable and mysterious in its own right. Great opportunities are not for the lazy, mental stamina and curiosity must be maintained, with a hunger for knowledge and teamwork, since the latter will lead us to economic success, the load will be lighter and our quality of life will be improved, both for us and for our customers. CHANGE ALWAYS STARTS WITH CREATIVE AND POSITIVE THINKING. Elias Pulgar Olguin / Long Island / NY
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MY STORY
GM José Torres by SM Guy E. Larke
Grandmaster Jose Torres Striving to Have it all While Still Maintaining Integrity By Sr Master Guy Edward Larke During my 22 years in Korea and working with various associations, I met an innumerable amount of foreign martial artists. One of them, contacted me in 2012. He was a very high-energy school owner from New Jersey whose mind worked faster than I could blink. We met face-to-face at the 1st Forum for the World Tang Soo Do General Federation in Seoul. It was a small, but very powerful and influential group of Tang Soo Do practitioners from around the globe. His youth and passion were overshadowed by a lifetime of experience accumulated in a short number of years. On two or three occasions we went for a stroll to talk about everything and anything in the martial arts world. Ten years later we have worked together on so many projects it is inconceivable. Almost every new opportunity that one came across, the other was dragged along for the ride. It’s the way martial arts brotherhood is supposed to be, but sadly seldom is. My dong sang (Korean for younger friend like a brother) started his amazing life in the late 70’s in a happy,
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but very ordinary family. There was no angst, no long-running martial tradition in his family, or even urban warfare to fuel any apparent rage. So how does a nice little boy from New Jersey in the span of a few decades climb to the top of the Korean martial arts world? Read and all will be revealed…
sparred with no gear in class and had the opportunity to truly feel shin to shin contact with no pads. Its funny thinking back as many of those methods are obsolete now. I learned a lot really learned a lot during those times. Martial arts truly saved me and kept me out of trouble. I learned discipline, selfconfidence, and humility at from my 1 - What led you to start TSD? training. My original instructor was Master William Hamilton from NJ. I began studying Tang Soo Do as He was like a 2nd father to me. He it was the offered style at the local inspired me to pursue this martial dojang in my area. I was a young arts journey. energetic child who was fascinated by the amazing things that legends 3 - Could you share a few highlights? like Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were doing in their movies. I would I would probably say that there are try jumping off things and try to fly 3 major points in my career that through the air to emulate them. really stand out from the rest. The first may seem like an obvious one 2 - What were your early days of but earning my black belt was a huge training? moment of this journey. Its was at the time the most grueling thing I was an 80’s martial arts product. I had ever been through. I started During those days it was very old really understanding what martial school. If you made a mistake, you arts meant to me and that I loved it would be hit with a bamboo stick so much. in effort to correct your stance or My 2nd highlight would be opening make your technique sharper. We my first school in Dec 2000. I decided
22 years ago that I wanted to open my own school and share my passion with anyone who wanted to give me a chance. It was a dream of mine as young boy to one day have my own karate school. Finally, the last big highlight, was when I had the opportunity to test for my 8th Dan in Tang So Do in Korea under the World Tang Soo Do General Federation. I was truly honored and humbled by this opportunity to test for this high Dan rank in Korea. President Grand Master Koe W. Choung presided over the test. My eldest son Ryan also tested for his 3rd Dan and assisted me as my partner for self-defense. It was such an amazing experience.
4 - Did you ever experiment with other arts? Yes, I have been fortunate to train in 3 other styles. The first is WTF Tae Kwon Do. I began training at a local YMCA program and continued while attending college at Penn State University. I actually had amazing success in the art and won the 1996 Junior Olympic Gold and Bronze Medal in Sparring and Poomsae. The 2nd style is Arnis. I began training in 2002. I actually created my own sport stick fighting program. Lastly, I have recently began training Brazilian Capoeira under Contra- Master Brian Moragne from Atlantic City NJ. I will be testing for my first cord at the end of this summer.
5 - a) when did you start your first class? I began teaching as a 2nd Dan for my Tang Soo Do Instructor back in 1991. I would help with some night time classes as well as I taught classes on some Saturdays. I used to ride my moped to teach back them. Not sure
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continue their training and pursue their next Dan Rank. TSI has enabled me the opportunity to expand the martial art of Tang Soo Do into new countries that were never exposed to it. Specifically in the Caribbean, I have established Tang Soo Do programs in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, St Lucia, Barbados and now soon in St Thomas 2023.
9 - In your mind what are the laws for success?
if anyone remembers what a moped I currently own 2 physical dojangs in was. NJ with 1 located still in Edgewater Park and the other in Riverton NJ. b) What did you learn from that I also have international programs time? in Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados. In November this year, I I was very young and energetic so I will be teaching for the first time in tried my best to keep the classes very Rotterdam Holland. It will be my 3rd high energy and intense. I was still time teaching in Europe. developing my class management and drill set flow with the class. I 8 - How & why did you start NAFMA realized very earlier it was a true craft and TSI? that I needed to develop in order to become a great instructor. NAFMA stands for the North American Federation of Martial 6 - When did you open your first Arts. It was formed in 2003. Its actual location? purpose is to help structure martial arts tournaments and events around I opened my first location in my the world to help with martial arts hometown of Edgewater Park NJ in growth around the world. Over the December of 2000. The school was last 20 years, NAFMA has grown located out of the local recreation to include over 300 clubs from 10 center. It grew rather quickly as different countries from around the within 6 months we gained about world. NAFMA does not give rank. 75 students. We reached capacity It is a pure resource for martial arts very quickly and I moved into an development and competition. industrial warehouse a year later in the same community. TSI- stands for Tang Soo Do International. This organization was 7 - How has your teaching business formed in 2007 as a need to help some grown? fellow Tang Soo Do practitioners
I feel consistency and passion are 2 key ingredients. The consistency to stay on course and promote your business. Continually growing your businesses exposure and developing your program to better suit your student base. Passion is so important to the overall journey. You have to be passionate about what you’re doing and what you’re trying to build. You have to stay passionate about the journey as there will be highs and lows of business that you have to overcome to become successful.
10 - How important are the concept of “paying your dues” and “paying it forward”? Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who do not want to go through the process. They want to jump 5 levels of rank or self-promote themselves to a higher rank. Its one of the most unfortunate things that happen in martial arts. People feel they need to have more rank or more certificates than the next person in effort to prove how good they are or what they worth. I firmly believe that a “true master “is judged by his students and how they perform and act. A teacher teaches. A great teacher inspires. Masters should inspire their students to be the very best they can be. You have to “Pay
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your Dues” in order to really progress and understand the process. The second part of this process is “Paying it Forward”. In order to help with your continued success, you should strive to help others achieve their goals. The good that has been blessed to you should be in turn afforded to another. I firmly believe if good intentions are continually gifted to another it will result in positive energy all around.
11 - How do you balance your career, family and your role in your community? Balancing everything is always a challenge. The more successful you are the more ways you get pulled in different directions. Many people will have conflicting views but I can say the secret to my success has been my family unit. My wife supports me in my martial arts journey. My three sons have been instrumental in the development of my business as they enabled me to develop my program as not only an instructor but as a father. I feel I have a great relationship with my students and families as I treat them with respect and I truly am concerned with their well. I always try to give back with my community as that is where I live work and support the local families. My goal is to not only inspire inside of my dojang but I hope that my teachings and good will extend beyond the confines of the traditional 4 walls. It’s a truly gigantic task but so important in the grand scheme of everything.
as podcast over the pandemic. I was really fortunate to make some amazing connections over that period. Some of my guests had suggested that the interviews were amazing and contained some great material. I thought it would be a great opportunity to put some of that content in print. It was really perfect timing for everything. Our first issue was a special edition on some of the actors from Karate Kid and Cobra Kai series. It worked our really well as the popularity of the show is at an all-time high. People are so excited for Season 5. Many of my episodes that featured the actors have some of the highest viewership of our episodes.
set theme. Our next magazine will be coming out late summer and is a special edition on the show 52 Masters that is featured on Amazon, Tubi, Freeve, IMDB Tv, and YouTube.
14 - Who are some of the most unforgettable guests on your show?
Wow that is a tough question. I honestly, they were all amazing. We have done 45 episodes to date. I think honestly, they were al unforgettable in each of their own ways. Marty Kove who played Sensei John Kreese, Britain Hart who is a current fighter in the full-contact female fighter from BKC, William Christopher Ford from Karate Kid 3 and 52 Masters, Mohammed Qissi 13 - How is it different from the who played Tong Po, and Stunt competition? Legend Steve Lambert are just some to name. They were honestly all Our artwork design is top notch. amazing. I truly feel without their Our magazine designer/creator support the show would not have Brian Moragne is truly cutting edge. grown as fast as it did. He has a great eye and unbelievable creativity. I think that some of the 15 - How did you get involved Sensei current designs feature maybe more William Ford's 52 Masters project? spread-out content. We are focusing more on design and doing each one My 52 Masters journey was very as a special edition specifically on unique as there were some pieces
12 - You appeared in magazines so many times. Is that what led you to start Martial Arts Xperience? Actually, it’s a funny story. Martial arts Xperience was first started
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have known her for about 15 years. I that have supported me over the will be officially launching Tang Soo years proud that I stayed on course. Do in December 2022 there. You have to stay positive and focused not matter what because there are so 17 - Lastly, I heard you are breaking many curve balls and distractions into the martial arts film industry. Is that will come in the way. There is there any truth that you are allying Latin term "Carpe Diem". I am just with Mohammed Qissi of Kickboxer trying to seize each and every day fame? Could you share a few spoilers that I am blessed to be alive.
with us?
It’s funny you bring that up. It’s amazing how opportunities in life are presented. I recently played in the movie 1 out of 100 produced by Willie Johnson and that needed to fall in place. I first got Directed by Robert Parham. I am connected to Darryl Vidal who is currently working on a new series such an amazing person. He played Dragon Squad with Director Tyonne in Karate Kid 1 and was created with Bullock. Mohammed and I are creating the Crane Kick for the movie. currently working together on an We became good friends. He then upcoming film project for release introduced me to Sean Kanaan who in 2024. It’s going to be an amazing played Mike Barnes in Karate Kid 3. project. We developed a relationship and he was gracious enough to introduce 18 - Is there anything left in the me to William Christopher Ford. He martial arts world you have not also played Dennis in Karate Kid 3. conquered yet? In all seriousness, He is truly an amazing human being. what is next for yourself? We developed an amazing friendship and he became intrigued by my I don’t know if I can really answer martial arts story. He then offered me that. I am enjoying this ride that has the opportunity to be one of the 52 been presented to me. My goal is to Masters featured on the show. I am be the best that I can and make those forever thankful to the opportunity he gave me.
GM Jose Torres has all the qualities of a true martial artist… extreme skill and deep knowledge that only comes from decades of putting in the work. He is wise, patient, kind, respectful, humble, compassionate, and loyal. He is a true Master and more importantly a great friend, and a good man. Sensei William Cristopher Ford, Founder - 52 Masters Martialartsexperience.com Teamtorresmartialarts.com Martialartsexperience@gmail.com http://w w w.faceb o ok.com/ martialartsexperience.com/ Senior Master Guy Edward Larke has spent most of his life enamored with the martial arts of Asia and Asian cultures in general. These led him to move to South Korea 20 years ago where he continued to study, research, and write about the various disciplines that shaped his life. In addition to teaching martial arts in Korea, USA, Malaysia and Denmark he has written over 800 articles in over 20 magazines. He named the synthesis of his pilgrimage Kisa-Do Muye (the Knights Way Martial Arts). Larke can be found on Facebook or by e-mail at kisadomuye@gmail.com.
16 - I know you spread your attention around the world. What drew you to the Caribbean, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas specifically? I am currently working with Jerry Otto who is an amazing instructor and basically the man in St Thomas. We are working on some upcoming projects in 2023/2024. I now have a Tang Soo Do student and club in Barbados with Kimberlee Barker. I
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Sensei Cecilia Salbuchi
The Hiki Te of Uechi Ryu
When researching a topic in Karate it is important to understand the terminology. For this, I rely heavily on a recently published book (Japanese for Martial Artists, by Sensei Rubén Gómez) where we have the most used terms in karate with their kanji/ hiraganas and literal translation. According to this text, Hiki Te is "Hand that brings" or "Hand that pulls", and refers to the action of catching the opponent and drawing him towards us. Over the years we have become accustomed to referring to the negative position of a shot as "Hiki Te", when this is not always correct. For "Hiki Te" to exist, the catch gesture must first exist (expressed or not), and then execute the act of pulling back. In the case of most styles of Karate, this act of pulling will bring the hand back to the zero point of a blow, or
the negative of the tsuki, that is, the position where the hand rests on the hip or ribs. floating ready to go. But in Uechi Ryu this is not so. I always say that to understand the spirit of a style we must analyze its kata, and in them we will see that while one hand hits the other… it remains in kamae, mostly in hirate kamae. And what is Hirate Kamae? Hirate means “flat hand”, and it is the most used position in the style, which consists of having the palms of the hands pointing forward and down… as if I were holding my opponent's arms. And it is that Hirate Kamae is the position in which the hands remain after the block intended to deflect, hold and bring the opponent's techniques. This lock is known as Hirate Mawashi Uke (open hand circular lock) but it is also common to hear it called Kake Uke (hook lock) for its typical action
of bringing the opponent's arm forming a hook with the fingers. So where is the hikite? In Uechi Ryu it is in the Hirate Kamae, since the hook action of the aforementioned block pulls the opponent into that position, leaving him under our control while we strike with the other limbs, and not in the absolute negative of striking techniques. And the final question would be: Hikite… is it intended to give power to my blow or is its function to weaken the opponent's structure? And luckily I think Uechi Ryu finds it a bit easier to answer: It weakens the opponent's structure! Without a doubt. And it is enough to see how any Uechi performer can dispense with taking one hand to the negative so that the other hand throws powerful tsukis regardless of whether we hit the bag, makiwara, opponent... or merely into the air. And when we hit an opponent that we have trapped, we execute a strong pull while hitting to destabilize. We leave you a video graphing these ideas: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=wWAU5ylZQzk
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What sorts of thoughts do you have about yourself? Are those thoughts overtly positive or negative?
An Exploration of Tang Soo Do's Eight Key Concepts: Him Cho Chung SBN Mary Cayte Reiland
Tang soo readers, happy July! This month, we continue with the discussion of the sixth of the Tang Soo Do Eight Key Concepts. Up next is Him Cho Chung, also known as control of power. According to the dictionary, power is defined as “physical strength and force exerted by something or someone.” When I think of power and the control of it, I think of it both externally and internally. Externally, power equates to the amount of force applied by our techniques. Say we’re in class doing partner drills or sparring. I’ve heard numerous instructors say to exercise control and common sense in these situations, so you don’t end up hurting each other. For example, would you really punch your partner in the face, or would you exercise the control to stop the punch before you reach your partner’s face? I’ve heard this is the art behind the martial art, exercising control to know your distance and extend your punch to the point where you fully extend your arm, but you don’t actually hit your partner. As with most things, this control over your external power will only come with years of extensive practice.
power is a very different concept from external power. Philosophical power is defined as “a measure of a person’s ability to control the environment around them, including the behavior of others.” When I think of internal power in this way, I often think about one of my instructors, who has a very intense energy and presence in the dojang. When there are little kids on the mat, he has this ability to make them focus and train hard. His entire persona screams “I will not tolerate you misbehaving, I demand your best”. I marvel at this internal power that he exercises over everyone on the mat. I think it has very little to do with his voice, despite the fact that it’s deep, because I’ve seen the looks that he has given students who misbehave… it’s not pretty.
Another thought on internal power, think about everything that you consciously and unconsciously do, positive or negative. This is not a reasonable request, but go with me here. Internal power can be conceptualized as fuel for your mind and spirit. Martial arts training is supposed to unify our mind, bodies and spirit… coincidental? I think not. Controlling your internal Internal power or philosophical power = controlling your thoughts.
This is where I’m going with these questions. Fueling your mind and spirit with 100% negativity is not a good thing. As martial artists, we want to achieve a state of cohesive zen, where our minds, bodies and spirits are genuinely unified. Being constructive is one thing, as every one of us needs to consistently learn, but being so very tough and demanding of yourself will only take you away from the pursuit of which you seek. Keep that in mind the next time you mess up in your training. Take away and learn from the experience, but set aside what does not serve you in the long term. It will only negatively impact you in the long run. This article was a difficult one for me, but I learned a few things for myself and hope you will also. Until next month, take care and Tang Soo!
SBN Mary Cayte Reiland, USA
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HISTORIA DEL KICKBOXING EN JAPÓN, DEL MUAY THAI AL K-1. Este libro supone la primera publicación en occidente de una obra dedicada en exclusiva a la narración de la apasionante historia del kickboxing japonés. Una crónica que comienza con las primeras interacciones entre el karate y el muay thai, y que nos lleva a revivir la épica de los primeros desafíos entre ambos estilos. El kickboxing fue el resultado de la importación y adaptación del muay thai a Japón, realizada por el promotor Osamu Noguchi en los años 60. En el presente trabajo, descubriremos los antecedentes, el nacimiento, y las diferentes fases de crecimiento y evolución del kickboxing en el país del sol naciente. Veremos también su posterior globalización, y llegaremos hasta la última revolución del kickboxing, el lanzamiento del K-1, por el maestro Kazuyoshi Ishii, en los primeros años 90. Un vibrante relato, repleto
de datos inéditos fuera de Asia, que sorprenderá, y hará cambiar al lector la percepción que hasta ahora tenía de la historia de este deporte marcial. David Leonardo Bárcena tras 10 años de recopilar exhaustivamente, la Historia del KickBoxing nos lo resume en un excelente libro autoeditado.
Puedes adquirirlo en AMAZON Detalles del producto Editorial : Independently published (18 Diciembre 2020) Idioma : Español Tapa blanda : 291 páginas ISBN-10 : 1549802879 ISBN-13 : 978-1549802874
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Why Tang Soo Do? You have come this far, and that means then that you have opened your world of possibilities regarding martial arts, they are no longer those "few you knew". Today you have the opportunity to offer in your recognized institution an innovative and original proposal, until now non-existent in Uruguay. At the same time, offering ancient values and teachings through an art such as TSD, which has been transmitting a philosophy of life from generation to generation for hundreds of years. You come to our meeting at a time when two of the best ingredients that an organization can offer you are combined: youth: we have been operating in Uruguay for approximately four years with sustained growth, and experience: the Uruguayan TSD is made up of a team of instructors who average more than fifteen years of being at the forefront of martial arts schools, working together with other institutions and betting on permanent training both within martial arts, as well as in various areas (first aid, education, nutrition and more). Our commitment:
Without a doubt, the world is a different place from the one you and I remember from our childhood, even more so from that world that gave rise to martial arts. It is then necessary to take on the challenge and take charge of the role that we have in society when it comes to transmitting our teachings. Today we talk about some concepts that we believe are key: Bullying - The reality of school and other areas is a fact and our attention is directed to that focus when it comes to the little ones Self-defense - Of course, when thinking about daily activities, from leaving our homes, to the various situations that can also arise there, it is fair to think of tools to be able to solve these situations. Sport - Leaving aside the great variety of devices that offer us "entertainment", the endless hours of work, in short, the routine. It can be a challenge, but we have decided to say NO to a sedentary lifestyle. Meditation - Exclusive benefit for Tang Soo Do practitioners. It has not been placed on this list by chance, it represents everything that makes us unique as human beings, meeting our feelings, emotions, who we are, pursuing harmony and achieving
self-control in the broadest sense of the concept. Values - We could mention endless articles on this list, but it is true that the fundamental basis of martial arts is values, act as a reinforcement and in some cases as a source of inspiration. - Respect - Trust - Selfcontrol If we could summarize all this in a dream, we would then speak of integration in the broadest sense, people of all ages, genders, creeds practicing in harmony to take today's society to another level, where coexistence and peace are the common denominator. . But we clarify, we need you in the process, you, EVERYONE. Contact: SBN Mario Segnini: +598 98 731 076
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PRIMER CONGRESO DE LA WORLD TRADITIONAL TANG SOO DO UNION 2022 28, 29 Y 30 OCTUBRE VIERNES 28 DE OCTUBRE
HORA
Palabras de bienvenida - Palabras de KJN Patricio Saavedra
4:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Metodología de enseñanza en las Artes Marciales para niños de 3 a 5 años
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Marketing de las Artes marciales - KJN Patricio Saavedra
5:00 pm – 5:30 pm
**Coffe Break**
5:30 pm – 5:40 pm
Formas tradicionales de Tang Soo Do (Formas originales)
5:40 pm – 7:00 pm
SABADO 29 DE OCTUBRE Inauguración del evento y Presentación de las delegaciones – Palabras de KJN Patricio Saavedra
8:00 am – 8:10 am
Practica general de Tang Soo Do Tradicional - KJN Patricio Saavedra
8:10 am – 9:00 am
Armas Nunchako, Kali y Bo (principiantes) KSN Fabian Saavedra y SBN Mary Cayte Reiland
9:00 am – 10:30 am
**Coffe Break**
10:30 am – 10:40 am
Acrobacias para Artes Marciales (introducción y elementos básicos) SBN Edgar Quiroz
10:40 am – 12:00 md
RECESO PARA ALMORZAR
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Armas Nunchako, Kali y Bo (Avanzadas) KSN Fabian Saavedra y SBN Mary Cayte Reiland
1:00 pm – 4:00pm
**Coffe Break**
4:00 pm – 4:10 pm
Acrobacias para Artes Marciales (Metodología de enseñanza y progresiones) SBN Edgar Quiroz
4:10 pm - 6:10 pm
Receso
6:10 pm – 7:30 pm
**Cena de gala** (Participan Maestros, estudiantes y padres de familia)
7:30 pm – 9:30 pm
Entrega de reconocimientos.
8:30 p. m.
DOMINGO 30 DE OCTUBRE Examen de Cinturones Negros y certificación para Instructores.
8:00 am – 11:00 am
Fin del congreso
11:00 a. m.
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Web: wttsdu.com Facebook: @worldtraditionaltangsoodounion Correo: worldtraditionaltangsoodounion@gmail.com
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TANG SOO DO PANAMÁ SabomNim Carlos Omar Urbina Panamá 2022 A young Panamanian from the province of Bocas del Toro on his main island Isla Colon where growing up I saw Sawamura El Campeón on television that I liked him a lot and wanted to be like him and as I remember there were no martial art schools on my beautiful island Colon. I grew up and went to school, but suddenly I traveled to the capital, Panama City where I finished school and then went on to university. Still in school I think starting high school I wondered if I could learn martial arts, Karate was the best known, but I don't know why I saw a couple of Karate classes and I didn't feel that it was what I wanted to learn. On the way to school and returning home one day I discovered that passing in front of the entrance to a neighborhood called La Cresta there were some locals and I saw an advertisement for TangSooDo – Korean Karate and decided to get off the bus or public transport and I visited it, I said to myself “I like this”, I went to find out the data and tell my relatives to be able to pay for the classes and enroll, but I think in two or three months the TangSooDo school closed. I
wanted to continue learning, but I didn't want Karate and I didn't think there were more Dojang's of TangSooDo, but a fellow classmate told me that if I wanted to continue learning there was an Academy in a place called Rio Abajo but that the classes were very strong and maybe I wouldn't stand them. I wanted so much to continue learning TangSooDo that I found out how to get to that place, the Colegio Episcopal de San Cristóbal in Rio Abajo (it is known as such), but it is in Parque Lefevre. At the San Cristóbal school there was a gym and these classes were held there. When I arrived I saw that on this basketball court, that is, in this gym, the space of the court was full of students and a student from Black Belt approached me and asked me how he could help me and well, I will not say that the rest is history. I saw the class and immediately knew and said to myself “this is my thing”. The thing was that these classes were three days a week, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the man who was the Master, a dark man, his name was Alfonso Jesse, but I found out that to address him it had to be like this: SabomNim Jesse (RIP). He was sick and passed away in November 2020 but when I started in the classes of the SabomNim Alfonso Jesse in the early 1980s and I started with fear that I would not stand the classes, well I realized that there were few black belts and over time I found out that not everyone could achieve the Black Belt. Well, this is not exactly the case, but what is true was that for him Sabonim Jesse well, it should be said SabomNim, to rise from the grades or ranks of the colored belts to those of the Black Belts, the student had to show several things such as the endurance of how strict these classes were also the emotional growth and development of the student's character to the point that more than 50 years of teaching SabomNim Jesse until God called him on November 6, 2020 only 8 students achieved this award. Thank you SabomNim Alfonso Jesse for having taught me, for tolerating me for so long and even after his departure from this world I remember him as if he were
still alive, I thank him that I was the 7th Black Belt in 1989 that he did. I SabomNim Carlos Omar Urbina until 9 years ago I started teaching on my own
with the authorization of my Master the SabomNim Alfonso Jesse in a gym in the Betania urbanization. Before and after I achieve the Black Belt with my teacher, help support instruction if my teacher needed it. Now with the passing of time I have learned in TangSooDo for almost 33 years of being a Black Belt. I am 4th Dan and I lead the representation of the World Traditional TangSooDo Union. I train my students with combat all classes as I learned from SabomNim Alfonso Jesse. In Panama City, every time there are open Karate or TaeKwonDo tournaments or competitions, I take my students who are prepared and want to not say that they can go to the competitions. I teach classes to children from the age of 4, as well as teenagers and adults. We train with warm-ups, kicks, blocks and punches like with Hyong, that is, we form what they call Kata in Karate and a lot in sparring, that is, in combat. The truth is that I teach what we call physics, that is, calisthenics and stretching, etc. and not always in the same order, but in the different ways that the Chinese Hand Martial Art or TangSooDo can be taught. Tang symbolizes the Tang dynasty of China, Soo is hand and Do
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addition to helping them almost like minors, it helps against stress, control weight, maintain physical condition and improve health, etc. I can train with adults, practicing easier and improving, since in the street it would be adults who would be the aggressors, either to assault us or just to attack us. Now I will introduce a student of mine who shows interest and makes the effort, in addition to fulfilling all the commitments she has, she always coordinates the time to come to receive
SabomNim Alfonso Jesse is the path to follow in this martial learning. I teach TangSooDo for the street, not to score points, although as a school we participate in competitions we will continue to do so only that I teach lessons that my students learn this is not for competitions but to save their lives in situations where there would be no rules and the only thing what is worth is to save the lifetime. They know that it is not that they are learning a fake MooDukKwan, it is just that this part they learn cannot be used in a competition or tournament. They know that the TangSooDo they learn is so that if they have to defend themselves in the street, they know how to control force and technique depending on the situation. The MooDukKwan school thus means Moo is martial art, Duk is virtue and Kwan is school or style and this was its translation ´School of Martial Art of Virtue´ of ´Art of the Chinese Hand´ or TangSooDo. I love teaching children and adolescents, of course, adults, but when teaching the youngest from 4 years to 21 years old, they remind me of when I started, which helped me as a person in general, sharing this benefit with them in addition to self-defense . For adults because in
the classes, she even trains to go to the competition despite being a beginner, so I I asked her to write her experience training TangSooDo, her name is Andrea Olaciregui: My history in martial arts and Tang Soo Do began when I was 23 years old thanks to some friends who practiced it and seeing me on some occasions doing exercises in the same gym that they eventually also attended, they invited me very often already that occasionally I joined them to practice some techniques that I saw them doing and they told me “Andrea, these techniques, although you don't practice them, come out quite smoothly, you should enroll in our academy. You can come as our guest to a class, see if you like it and stay”, however, as a result of the pandemic, my arrival to officially practice it was delayed a little over a year later and I started thanks to my mother and grandmother who felt that it would be very beneficial to me and they were delighted when I mentioned
it to them. Starting this martial art (Tang Soo Do), meant a new challenge for me since although I do it with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm, it was a new commitment that I was acquiring and I already had my university classes, the projects of the that I am part and a part-time job, however, despite being a new challenge, bumps and bruises, falls and other situations that occur while practicing, tang soo do has become one of my greatest admirations and a great I like being able to practice it and go to my classes. In a certain way, and although it doesn't sound very professional, I became my own superhero like the ones I've seen since I was little and wanted to be, something that amuses me and motivates me to continue, even if I'm tired. I have been able to strengthen my security by going outside and now at this moment it is also a very special memory that I have with my grandmother, since she went to accompany the angels to heaven, but she gave me the money to register and every time When I came home from my practices, he sat down and said to me, “What did you learn today? Teach me and show me your kick.”
At the beginning, many told me that I would not be able to endure the training, however, in 1989, after many training sessions and difficult tests, I was able to obtain my black belt in Tang Soo Do, from the hand of SabomNim Jesse. Currently, I impart the knowledge that my teacher left me at the Iron Kick Academy, where he trained martial artists who also have a passion for Tang Soo Do. For more information to the Mobile or Whatsapp: +507 6636 – 5917 with pleasure.
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CONTINUED THE LEGACY OF THE SABOMNIM ALPHONSO JESSE Academy Iron Kick Forming Martial Artists that also feel passion for him Tang Soo Do. Movil: +507 6636 - 5917
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“El Efímero Observador”
and continues in his social causes from his own trench, the traditional martial arts center.
Entrepreneur, Neurosales Trainer, Apprentice of life. Montevideo, Uruguay.
is a reflective philosophical work, its author exposes topics as controversial as common, taking them to extreme points, and always looking for a healthy individual balance in thought, no dogmas, death to radicalism and without hypocrisy or contracts, a look at the daily life of each of us who inhabit the planet and the worn concepts and customs waiting to be destroyed with a hammer.
ENDORSEMENTS:
"The Ephemeral Observer", a recommended reading in these times where the generation gap seems to get bigger and bigger. Finding oneself, the importance of keeping the values and roots of each being strong. Observe, describe, understand and never judge. Daniel Rodriguez Garcia Medical Specialist in Rehabilitation Master of Martial Arts
BIOGRAPHY: He was born in the city of Hermosillo, in 1976, the son of Juan Manuel Acosta and Yolanda Serrano (+), he developed in a context of traditional education, his early social relationship took place in a certainly different way, attached to having friends from the elderly, always questioning the social changes that were seen in their contemporaries, as well as the prejudices and value judgments that occurred in an era overwhelmed by capitalism and consumerism in Mexico. A child with a lot of imagination, and even the inventor of nonexistent events, someone who, based on fantastic odysseys, captured the messages that his teachers gave him, sometimes harsh, many others with laughter in between. Married to Melba Valenzuela since 1998, with whom he had four children, a student of society and its behavior, an insatiable reader and lover of balanced thinking, a volunteer for various social causes, a martial arts teacher, a seminarian and an international competitor in Peru. Argentina, Uruguay, etc. Today he makes his debut as a writer
“I recommend reading this book, which reminds us of the values that are currently being lost, the forms of teaching, the factors that influence one's personality and good customs. The order in your life as a fundamental stone, find your place in the world, meet your inner self and always seek the truth. Mario Marcelo Segnini Fursa martial arts teacher Graphic Designer, Radio Panelist and Entrepreneur. Montevideo, Uruguay. “Whenever we talk about teaching, it is easy for us to think of colleges, secondary schools, universities, but… What if the path we travel in our lives is marked by many more ingredients than those? You have to read this work then, and rediscover information that sleeps in your mind. I invite you to recognize and change old patterns.” John Suarez martial arts teacher
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Bökh: Mongolian Wrestling Freakie-Do
Mongolia was a communist country where the government manifested itself in a dictatorial manner. During all that communist era it was not allowed to travel and work abroad. When democracy was established in the country in 1991, many Mongolians experienced freedom for the first time and sought opportunities abroad. The country was going through an economic crisis and had a very high rate of poverty. So an illegal circuit grew in which Mongols could buy a visa to gain access to countries that were part of Schengen, such as Belgium. About a thousand Mongols—no exact figure can be given—arrived in this way in the city of Antwerp. They like the city for being small and very clearly, Alta, the coordinator of the Mongolian organization Ev Negdel, which promotes Mongolian culture in Antwerp, tells me. There is a traditional Mongolian festival there, called Naadam— which literally translates to “games.” Naadam is the national holiday of Mongolia that is celebrated in midsummer and is part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is a commemoration of the 1921 revolution, the year in which the country declared itself independent as the Mongolian People's
Republic. In the activities there is a link with the nomadic way of life in the steppes of Central Asia. The biggest celebration takes place in the capital Ulaanbaatar but it is also celebrated in Antwerp where Mongolian migrants from Belgium, Holland, Germany and France gather every year. During the festival the three men's games are presented; traditional Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse racing (although the latter is not practiced in Belgium). The presentation of the fight begins with a dance to greet the public, and represents the imitation of an animal such as the eagle. Traditional Mongolian wrestling (Bökh) is the most popular national sport in Mongolia and requires special technique. The wrestlers who participate in the Naadam
competition have been training for years in their native country. In Belgium there is still no school to train the discipline but there are plans to do so. It is a sport in which young people participate — over 30 years old are already considered great for Bökh — and traditionally only men compete, although there is a legend of a woman who participated and finally managed to win a championship. Nobody had seen that she was a woman and the consternation was total when they discovered the fraud. Since then, according to legend, they changed their clothes and now the athletes wear a zodog (the shirt) and a shuudag (the shorts). A wrestler's dance after winning a match also doubles as a cool down session. In traditional Mongolian wrestling there is no time limit, and in the first fight half of the participants are usually eliminated. The dance has its origins in shamanic rituals. The fight ends when one of the contestants touches the ground with his knees, elbows, head, back or when he falls to the ground. In Mongolia the sport is so popular that wrestlers are given honorary titles by the government—the title of giant after winning twice, national giant after winning three times, and honored giant after winning four times—and when born a child, the desire of his parents is usually that he be a fighter as an adult.
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ELIGIO SARDIÑAS Kid Chocolate Kid Chocolate, Chocolate Birth: 10/28/1910 / Death: 8/8/1988 Known as Kid Chocolate, an internationally recognized Cuban boxer is crowned World Boxing Champion in 1931 and 1932. He was born on October 28, 1910, on Santa Catalina street number six, in the popular neighborhood of Cerro, Havana. He liked to play sports, so since he was a child he played baseball and Handdball. He was from a very poor background so he almost did not attend school because he had to earn a living as a shoe shiner and newspaper vendor to help the family, having lost his father at an early age. He was 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighed 125 pounds when he debuted as a professional boxer at age 18, in the United States three years younger than the rules required, in the featherweight division. The premiere of the Cuban in North American rings takes place on August 1, 1928, at the Mittchefields military camp, an air base on the outskirts of New York. His rival, Eddie Enos, is the first to enter the ring, under a thunderous salvo of applause. The great difference in size and weight was remarkable, with a wide advantage for the North American boxer. As he waved to the cheering crowd, Chocolate feinted and feinted, punching the air, and fidgeting. Chocolate dominates from the getgo, with a prodigious dodge and two punches that seem to flash. The military
do not believe what they see. They encourage their own, but his eyes, wide open, follow the movements of the Kid, who blow by blow is carving out his first triumph in the United States. He wins undefeated the 22 fights he fights in 1929, in which he knocks out ten rivals. With a lot of strength and speed in his legs, he delivered accurate jabs. He defeats the likes of Al Singer, at the Polo Grounds as well as the Italian-American Fidel La Barba. In the United States, he conquered the junior lightweight world belts on July 15, 1931 by defeating Benny Bass and bantam (bantam), in 1932, held by Lew Feldman. In his entire career he was only defeated twice by the Italian boxer Tony Canzoneri, the second time by a sudden knockout, when he was already worn out by syphilis. His coach throughout his sports career was Pincho Gutiérrez who, when introducing Eligio, exclaimed: You're crazy! Who is that black guy carrying? That was the man's response and with it it seemed that the boy's fate was decided. But another trainer insisted and he finally got approval. The fight was agreed for the next day. And in it, the disciple of the two men, Johnny Cruz, received a huge beating from "that black guy." Shortly after the fight was repeated and again Johnny went home with a swollen face. Fame came to the Kid with a lavish
hand, and money too. And on the ring he was like a shadow or a black cloud above the opponent, in the difficult sport of "hitting without being hit" according to his own theory. It was like a storm that danced, with more brilliance than lightning and "with more air than a bagpipe" two biographers would say years later. The photos from that time show him with his very shiny black skin, his hair slicked back — ironed, we say in Cuba — with a “high definition” stripe on the side, and looking more like a catwalk model than an invincible gladiator that he took out of the air worthy boxers like Scalfaro, Singer, Batalino, Benny Bass, Feldman or Canzoneri, and let himself be defeated by the look of a beautiful woman. And life began to take its toll on him. It was another time. He was fighting for money. Boxing was a business and life is one, and there were many desires to make it different from the one he lived as a child. "Boxing is me," said Eligio Sardiñas (Kid Chocolate), one of the great boxing figures of all time. As an amateur he never lost in Cuba. According to historians, his greatest pride was getting out of the ring without a disheveled and presumably fresh, as if nothing had happened. He died in Havana on August 8, 1988, at the age of 78.
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WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A SHORT STICK ENTER TEUK GONG MOO SOOL (Part 8) By Master Guy Edward Larke
TGMS like many other Korean systems employs a wide number of weapons (A). What differs is that they are a mix of ancient, modern and archaic. One of the more practical, albeit unusual is called the bhan-tae. The Chinese character bhan 反 means, “returning,” while tae 跆 represents, “to smash”. If it sounds a bit like a boomerang, there’s a reason. Trained it can function in a similar way as one.
Basically, it is a short, thin octagonal stick with a long cord or rope looped around one end (B). Although it can be used as just a sturdy stick, its strength comes from the end of the cord being gripped so as to spin it like a whip or to suddenly snap it outwards at an opponent who is just expecting a technique from a short distance. Typically, it is snapped out It can prove to be a very rude surprise to an attacker who thinks he has a reach advantage over you. Additionally, two can be quickly connected (C)to produce a flail with tremendous reach and power. The momentum developed greatly exceeds that of the Okinawan nunchaku.
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Alternatively, the cord can wrap around your wrist to prevent being disarmed or your grip slipping if thrusting with the staff (resulting in a loss of penetration power) (D). A third benefit is assistance in arrest techniques (E).
This almost forgotten weapon was passed down from master to master over the generations but its origins can be traced to the Joh-ee Sun-in (elite noble warriors much like Samurai or the Chinese Shih) of the ancient country of Goh-goo-ryuh in what used to be a part of what we now know as South Korea. Originally it was designed with eight sides, but sometimes it was made with only six or even five sides to increase penetration power, especially for bone breakage or armor penetration. Centuries later when this unique weapon’s legacy fell into the hands of a much younger No-Won Park, he began to play with it and tried to see what uses it could have for modern society. What follows are but a brief number of applications he came up with for the weapon. To really come to grips with it requires personalized training. It’s well worth it!
The following issue will detail the heads of the various regions throughout the world. Until then… TEUK GONG! Anyone interested in learning more about this neoclassical military art can contact me or the association at http://www.tgms.or.kr. Seminars can be arranged and there are books and DVDs available for sale.
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Senior Master Guy Edward Larke has spent most of his life enamored with the martial arts of Asia and Asian cultures in general. These led him to move to South Korea 20 years ago where he continued to study, research, and write about the various disciplines that shaped his life. In addition to teaching martial arts in Korea, USA, Malaysia and Denmark he has written over 800 articles in over 20 magazines. He named the synthesis of his pilgrimage Kisa-Do Muye (the Knights Way Martial Arts). Larke can be found on Facebook or by e-mail at kisadomuye@gmail.com.
GM No-Won Park 34
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HISTORIAS DE DOJO Sensei Gerardo Balves
KAKIDI Kakede, literally hooked hands (Okinawa = kakidi), is an ancient form of jiyū-kumite. It is also called kake-kumite. In this ancient form of combat, techniques were freely applied from a cross-arms position. In the times of the Ryūkyū Kingdom, that of Shuri-te and Tomari-te, (presumably even in the old Naha-te style), kakidī had been actively carried out. On rainy days, kakidī was practiced while sitting in the room. Motobu Chōki Sensei focused on the kakidī's training, saying that he: "leads to gaining an expert eye." Speaking from today's point of view, it seems to mean that it can lead to an
though, may have been that it was considered too dangerous a form of jiyū-kumite (free fighting) to be adopted in Okinawa prefectural school education. Of course, as a general rule when performing kakidī the techniques are stopped shortly before the target, which is called a sundome and is directly associated with actual jiyū-kumite, which means that the danger is somewhat minimized. In some schools currently, in addition to sundome practice, it can also be carried out through the use of protective equipment (bōgu). From the Ryūkyū kingdom era to the middle of the Meiji era, there was a form of actual combat called kakedameshi (kakidamishi
improvement in dynamic visual acuity and reflexes. Since kakidī is performed from close range, quick reactions are required. Regarding the term kakete: according to Motobu Naoki Shihan, the Motobu-ryū uses the kakede (kakidī) pronunciation. When one pronounces kakete, today we identify it as a hook technique. Uechi-ryū practitioners often use this term as well. Following the abolition of the Ryūkyū Kingdom and the establishment of Okinawa Prefecture, kakidī as a training method gradually declined. The actual reason for this decline in his teaching and training is unknown. One of the factors,
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in Okinawan dialect) in the Tsuji district of Naha. This kakidamishi means a real implementation of kakidī". This etymology, too, currently seems to have been forgotten. Some researchers have misunderstood kakidamishi, since, not being a regulated combat, they considered it as a "street fight". But that's not what it means. The Kakidamishi was performed in accordance with the specific rules of the kakidī, and was performed with the safety of others in mind, and also under the watchful eye of an observer/witness. By the way, Tsuji (Chīji in Okinawan dialect) is the name of a district in Naha. In mainland Japan, during the Edo Period, there was what was called tsuji-giri. And it refers to a Samurai who randomly kills a passerby to test the sharpness and effectiveness of his sword, or simply to exercise. This Tsuji takes place on a busy street, or a crossroads. Therefore, this Tsuji is very different from the name of the Naha district, also called Tsuji. From this, the idea was created that led many on the mainland
to believe that the kakidamishi was "the tsuji-giri of karate". From which it follows that it was the name Tsuji that was probably the cause of the confusion of meanings. Certainly, there were cases of challenges to sudden fights in kakidamishi, but this was usually the exception and exclusively with the consent of both parties. It should be noted that in the Naha-te of early modern times (since the Meiji Restoration), and in a few other schools of Shurite, the training method called
kakie has been passed down, and that it is similar to the concept of kakidī. Whether it has the same origin as kakidī, or whether it is a training method passed down from China since before the Meiji period is unknown. In Chinese martial arts there is also a training method of the same type called tuisho (push hands). According to Marukawa Sensei, there is an episode that during a practice between Matsumora Kōsaku Sensei and Chōki Motobu Sensei, the latter hit him once in the face, and this event seems to have happened during a kakidī practice. Gerard Balves 7th Dan K o b a y a s h i - r y u Ky u d o k a n Coordinator of the International Group of Dojos Kyudo Mugen Kyudokan https://www.facebook.com/ gerardo.balves
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Taking Matters into Your Own Hands! GM Jun Dacayana - Part 3 By Master Guy Edward Larke
people that doesn’t have enough time to spend years of training that is why have created a program intended for those who wants to learn through by individual program or lesson. 3. Are there Kata as are found in Japanese, Chinese and Korean arts? Answer:
Like it or not, violence permeates modern society. To be a fair it has always been part of the human condition. For whatever reason some always feel they are entitled to invade others’ personal space or individual freedoms. Analyzing it is really quite pointless. The best we can do is prepare ourselves to defend ourselves and our loved ones. If one thinks about it, the very earliest martial arts were just that, disciplines or skills to go to battle with.
employ a vast and intricate array of weapons, he knows at the day if can’t fight without them you will fail!
There’s no KATA per say in the unarmed combat portion! Only short form and drills to make it simple and easy to learn since this is only a short-term course good for 15 days rigid training.
4. Do you teach open hand vs weapon 1. How important is unarmed combat attacks? in Fma? In your system?
Answer: Basically, in the real world, unarmed combat is very important as this served as the real weapon in times of danger. In Dacayana Eskrima Indigenous Cebuano martial culture the so-called unarmed combat is Times have changed, but the considered being the most useful criminal element remains. However skills before any weapons because we now they are more savvy, ruthless always came empty handed wherever and unempathetic than we want to we go. believe. Modern sensibilities tell us we need to have dialogues and to 2. Is it learned before or after basic turn the other cheek. Those are truly weapon training? beautiful and noble sentiments, but they are lost on the ones you need to Answer: be fearful of. This Unarmed Combat called If you can’t, avoid the situation, and Sumbagay Pangamot can be learned you don’t have a weapon, you need depending on the interest of certain to be proficient with your hands individual who wishes to learn as we and feet. As Bruce Lee said in an offered through by curriculum or by interview, “Now if you talk about subject. Though we still have offered fighting… real fighting… then baby, the traditional procedure such as in you better use every part of your order to learn the unarmed combat body!” one has to learn first the weapon Grandmaster Jun Dacayana knows but based on my own studies and this all too well. Although his systems research now adays there are lots of
Answer: Combat Judo is more on dealing with weapon against an unexperienced attacker armed with any bladed weapon as I strongly believed that no martial artist that will use weapons against un-experienced attackers. 5. What are the most basic concepts one needs to know when they go into a real-life and death situation bare-
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handed? Answer: Make it simple. In reality if there is a chance of running away against an assailant in order to save your life then do it! but if you don’t have other choice you need to protect yourself and never feel pity against any attacker when you are in the middle Combat Judo is only applicable for of fighting against them unless it is basic knife attack. But once you’ve over. After all you are entitled to learned it empty hand became easy enjoy that what we call self-defence. to deal with. 6. How did you structure this part of your system? What kind of skills exactly? How do they differ from what others are teaching? Answer: It is so hard to differentiate from what others were teaching as I do believe that it only differs in accordance to the origin of the system, we teach based on what is happening in the street. However, the structure I am using is based on what we already have only that we will used it until such that, that will become part of you once it is fully developed. We call it instinctive based movements.
Answer: The seminars I am talking about was intended for those who wants to learn my system yet don’t have time to come over to Philippines so I am So, in Combat Judo there are 12 willing to come over to your place in targets whom we considered fatal a sort of short seminars which I call only one strike in one of these targets it self-defense at your doorstep. So, I and the victim will surely die. can be invited to come over to you and let’s have some coffee and tea! Of So again, this has been designed to course, after our training. help the innocent people not to be victimized by street attacker as most My plan in the future is to install of this attacker uses common and more country directors to represent simple strikes. their regions hopefully next year if no travel Restrictions anymore.
8. How can others see these skills Any inquiries about GM Dacayana’s in action? Is there a homepage or system or armaments can be directed YouTube links? Are these skills to the author. better suited for beginners or veteran martial artists? Senior Master Guy Edward Larke Answer: has spent most of his life enamored 7. You also employ what you call with the martial arts of Asia and Combat udo. What is that exactly? They actually can see it through the Asian cultures in general. These led website or YouTube or they can even him to move to South Korea 20 years Answer: google my videos: ago where he continued to study, www.dacayanaeskrima.org research, and write about the various Combat Judo is very unique. It deals YouTube: Jun Dacayana disciplines that shaped his life. In mostly against an attacker armed addition to teaching martial arts in with weapon. The system is a friendly system that Korea, USA, Malaysia and Denmark suits both veterans and beginner he has written over 800 articles in That attacker I’m taking about martial artist. over 20 magazines. He named the knows nothing in martial arts but synthesis of his pilgrimage Kisa-Do uses weapon to intimidate anybody 9. Last article you talked about your Muye (the Knights Way Martial Arts). specially an innocent people. Most of seminars. Could you give a little Larke can be found on Facebook these are the street attacker like pick more detail about then? Are there or by e-mail at kisadomuye@gmail. pockets and muggers. any planned in the future? com.
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TECHNICAL BLOCK SET A
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TECHNICAL BLOCK SET B
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TECHNICAL BLOCK SET C
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THE FERN AND THE BAMBOO
One day I decided to give up...I quit my job, my relationship to my life. I went to the forest to talk to an old man who said he was very wise. "Could you give me one good reason not to give up?" Asked. -Look around you, he answered me, do you see the fern and the bamboo? -Yes, I replied. -When I planted the fern and bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. The fern quickly grew. Its bright green covered the ground. But nothing came out of the bamboo seed. Nevertheless I did not give up on bamboo. -In the second year the fern grew brighter and more abundant and again, nothing grew from the bamboo seed. But I did not give up bamboo. -In the third year,
still nothing sprouted from the bamboo seed. But I did not give up bamboo. -In the fourth year, again, nothing came out of the bamboo seed. But I did not give up bamboo. -In the fifth year a small bamboo shoot appeared on the ground. In Compared to the fern it was apparently very small and insignificant. -The sixth year, the bamboo grew more than 20 meters height. It had spent five years
putting down roots to sustain it. Those roots made him strong and gave him what he needed to survive. -Did you know that all this time you've been fighting, you've really been putting down roots? The old man told him and continued… -Bamboo has a different purpose than fern, however both are necessary and They make the forest a beautiful place. -Never regret a day in your life. good morning give you happiness. Bad days give you experience. Both are essential for life, the old man told him and continued… -Happiness keeps you sweet. Attempts keep you strong. The pains keep you human. Falls keep you humble. Success keeps you bright... If you don't get what you want, don't despair... maybe you're just putting down roots...
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MARTIAL ARTS and ME (p. 10) Professor Carlos Damasco
Interview with SBN Mario Da Silva In 2016 in Minas, Department of Lavalleja, I met Sabon Nin Mario Da Silva, fourth Dan of Hapkido. From 2017 I started practicing with him. And today I approach his person to walk his path through Martial Arts, and mainly through Hapkido. MARIO, TELL ME YOUR BEGINNINGS IN THE MARTIAL ART. Well Carlos, I'll tell you that my practice dates back to the 80's in Taekwondo at the hands of Master Lee, graduating with him as a green belt, later I continued practicing with Master Gadea also of Taekwondo. But my interest was always above all Self Defense, the discipline of Taekwondo not fulfilling my expectations. So I focused on the Art of Sipalkido, very focused on self-defense. Over the years I graduated as a Black Belt, I taught for a long time and by chance I met Master Daniel Rolla of Hapkido, and he caught me with his knowledge and techniques from the first moment. I became his student and from there my
History in Hapkido begins, something complete and effective for me. I spent years traveling to Argentina to practice with the Master, and to graduate with him. Today I have been teaching at the Lutheran Center for 20 years, I am the Director of the Uruguayan Hapkido Center, which has Legal Status. Currently, I supervise 7 Black Belts, and hundreds of students have passed through my teaching sites. I have been a Police Instructor since 2006, in the Metropolitan Guard, I am also a Teacher in the Police Education Division. For 2 years, I have been in charge of the Teaching and Instruction of the Security Guard of the Ministry of the Interior. Currently, I am still a Teacher and Instructor of the Republican Guard Hapkido adapts very well to the Police function, to control and transfer a detainee in a correct Legal Framework, despite the fact that Hapkido has all kinds of kicks and punches, especially in police work, for my point of view sight is the Art that is best suited to that function. I also teach the use of the Police Rod. Currently 60 years old, and more than 40 in Martial Arts, I can say that I feel great
satisfaction in my work as a Teacher, Instructor and trainer of better people. Since Hapkido is not just an art of fighting, it has its spiritual part for mental development, and improve our day to day. MARIO, I ask you, since I've known you, you've been a Fourth Dan, what is the reason for the delay in the graduation of more Danes?
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He answers me: that a few years ago I separated from Master Rolla, due to different visions in some aspects. Making it very clear that he is one of the best teachers I have ever met. Today my school belongs to the Word Kido Federation, but it does not offer any technical improvement. I disburse a large sum of money and I can graduate from 6th Dan which is what corresponds to me, but I refuse to disburse the money, to have a certificate hanging on the wall. I prefer to earn that money doing Technical Seminars, both in Argentina and Brazil, as well as in the country that I can access to continue learning. It is more I add that in recent years I have participated in more than ten Seminars including two trips to the United States. Participating in classes with great Korean, North American, Brazilian and Argentine teachers. As of 2020, due to the Pandemic, I have been prevented from traveling and for personal reasons within this year I will not be able to do them. In October of this year, my student Mr. Carlos García Arocena, 2nd. Dan of the School, he travels to Korea to carry out a special training of 15 days, in the city of Busan, in charge of Master UN SEO JU, 8th DAN OF HAPKIDO, of the Euljikwan Word Union and also 8th. DAN from Taekkyon-- KTA. We met the aforementioned teacher in 2019, in Brazil, having participated in a three-day seminar with him; along with more than 100 practitioners. The aforementioned Master offered us the change of Federation; something that is going to be studied fundamentally when Sabon Carlos García Arocena returns from training. I want to emphasize that here in Montevideo I am a pioneer in the development of HAPKIDO since Master Pereira was there more than 20 years ago, a Uruguayan who came from Australia, where he was based. Shortly after being here, he died in an accident and was unable to develop our art.
It is important to point out that in 2018, at the request of Master Gerardo Olson, to whom we are linked for years and I traveled to Oberá Province of Misiones in Argentina, to participate in a Seminar dictated by the worldrenowned GRAND MASTER JOHN PELLEGRINI, who He is an Elite Forces Instructor in the United States. He also offered us the possibility of joining the Combat Hapkido that the Master directs. Thing that for the moment was undone. Finally I am going to mention the Brazilian Master, Alexandre Gomes, 8th. Dan of HAPKIDO AND 8th. DAN of Taekwondo-- WT, with him we carried out several Seminars in Brazil and Argentina. In November 2019 he wasin Montevideo, and held a Seminar at the headquarters of our school, in which different martial artists participated. It should be noted that with the teacher, we maintain a very good friendship. MARIO: thank you very much for giving me your time for this note. It will be until next time.
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MARTIAL ARTS FILM
UNDISPUTED II
Undisputed II: Last Man Standing is the second installment in the saga started by the movie Undisputed. The film stars Michael Jai White, Scott Adkins, and Eli Danker, and is directed by Isaac Florentine. It has been many years since George "Iceman" Chambers (Michael Jai White) was defeated by Monroe Hutchen in an off the record fight while serving time in prison, as per the deal with the mob Chambers was released and kept his title being officially considered undefeated. , but after the passage of time its glory was left behind and now it is just a name from the past without fame or money. At the same time, in Russia, the mafia, led by a man named Gaga, organizes illegal fights in prisons, its main attraction being a fierce and bloodthirsty fighter named Yuri Boyka who boasts of being "the most complete fighter in the world" and is currently undefeated in illegal tournaments, however the bets are decreasing since without a real challenge Boyka always wins without difficulties. It all starts when Chambers is in Saint Petersburg, Russia, filming a vodka commercial since this is the only place where he is still remembered and he can still make some money. After his return to the hotel where he
is staying, he surprises some men in his apartment and gets into a fight where he makes them flee although they manage to knock him unconscious. After denouncing the assault, the police check and find drugs in Chambers's belongings, despite the fact that he insists that the aggressors planted it, he is found guilty of the crime and taken to the Chornya Cholmi Maximum Security Prison in Russia. There Chambers meets Stevie (Ben Cross), a heroin-addicted inmate who is designated as his cellmate. Boyka thinks that his reputation as the Most Complete fighter in the World would be affected by the presence of the Former World Heavyweight Champion. While they are in the dining room, the two speak to each other for the first time: Chambers makes fun of Boyka's name, while Boyka recognizes Chambers as a great heavyweight champion, but after so long he was nothing while that Boyka was the current champion; Chambers interrupts him by throwing water (with a spit) in his face and Boyka decides to show him his physical abilities before going for him (he breaks a wooden bench with a single kick with his shin and without doing any damage), but the prison guards They intervene before Boyka and Chambers get to hit each other. Time passes, and Chambers hears about the
mobster who controls every move in the prison, Gaga (Mark Ivanir). Meanwhile, Chambers defends Stevie from Boyka's and Boyka's henchmen and he goes back to have another fight (Boyka had initially challenged him to wrestle him in the ring, but Chambers saw it as silly since they could work it out at that point). again interrupted by the guards. Boyka has a new fight with a fighter named Alex (an expert Muay Thai fighter easier than David) whom Boyka defeats very easily but at the same time slowly (to vent the hatred he felt towards Chambers), so once Alex is defeated Boyka points to Chambers challenging him again to fight him. Markov then talks to Chambers and offers him his freedom in exchange for him fighting Boyka, but Chambers refuses (apparently he's not entirely confident that he'll be able to beat Boyka) so he's left to pick up Chambers's waste. the prison with a shovel. Nikolai, an old invalid nicknamed "Crott" (the mole), decides to help him make his life better so he provides him with gloves and a mask. However, Boyka's henchmen wait for Chambers at the dumps to pummel him, but Chambers (with Crott's help) defeats them without a problem. The prison guards see what happened and put Chambers in the "Hole" (a cell with sewage that makes everyone in it come down with a fever), but Nikolai secretly gives Chambers food and medicine to resist. Chambers tells him that he is convinced that he will get out of jail, but Crott denies him: "They will never let you out of here." Later, Chambers is taken out of the "Hole" and meets Gaga himself, who offers him freedom again in exchange for fighting Boyka and shows him a Phil (Chambers' manager was in charge of finding a way to free Chambers) completely at the mercy of Gaga's power. Resigned, Chambers accepts the fight. Stevie offers her help and Chambers accepts; while Chambers
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trains all Boxing punches from him, Boyka trains all martial arts from him: Judo, Jiujitsu, Kickboxing, Wushu and Taekwondo. The day of the confrontation arrives, where Stevie is Chambers's assistant, but what he did not count is that Stevie is forced by Boyka's henchmen, behind his back, to change the water that he would use in the fight for one that contained a drug to make Chambers lose consciousness.The fight begins, with Boyka looking for victory from the start, but Chambers defends himself as best he can and gives him a good beating (Boyka had challenged him to fight only with boxing, but Chambers shows that at least his game with his fists is completely higher). However, to Chambers' admiration and surprise, Boyka quickly recovers and switches to a new strategy: kicks and a bit of Judo. So Chambers receives many kicks and is forced to hold on to Boyka, ending the first round. In the minute of rest, Stevie passes the drugged water to Chambers, so that the latter begins to get dizzy in the ring. In the second round an unknown Chambers is noted, wobbly and erratic in his movements, so Boyka gives him some accurate blows and sends him to the ground, being the winner. Chambers wakes up in sickbay and learns of the water change from Crott's mouth. He storms out looking for
Stevie, when he arrives at her cell and sees that he had committed suicide, leaving her a note saying that he had no choice, and for her to apologize. Chambers, furious at the circumstances of Stevie's death and for having lost dirty, confronts Boyka and reproaches him for having won using drugs, something Boyka didn't really know anything about; the warden tries to appease him by threatening him but Chambers blows him away, for which he is punished by being tied to the water tower in the courtyard in the middle of the snow for a day and a night without a coat; Against this background, Boyka begins to believe that Chambers's accusation could be true. The next day Boyka questions his
companions about the water trap and those involved confess; Boyka kills them humiliated to have won in those conditions after having trained all his life to be the perfect fighter. Meanwhile, a group of inmates disobeys the warden by sheltering and feeding Chambers since he has endeared himself to him after beating the head guard; When he finds out, he demands those responsible, but the entire precinct claims responsibility, leaving all the prisoners out in the open in the middle of the snow. Meanwhile Phil talks with Gaga before leaving Chambers and returning alone to North America, this is how it is revealed that from the beginning the manager was part of the plan to frame the boxer, having sold him for money. While he talks with Gaga, Phil extorts him and demands more money than they originally negotiated in exchange for keeping quiet about what really happened, although Gaga accepts this, while Phil leaves, an assassin of Gaga intercepts him, kills him and returns the money to his boss. When Gaga finds out about Chambers's punishment, she gets upset with the warden and orders him to be released, after meeting with him, she asks him for a clean rematch against Boyka, with the same
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conditions as the previous fight, that if Chambers wins, he would get his freedom, Chambers In return, he accepts that the well-being of the inmates be assured and that they be given adequate clothing for the cold. After this gesture, Nikolai (real name of the old Crott) understands that Chambers is no longer the unpleasant and individualistic subject who entered, so he decides to train him so that he can face the power of Boyka's legs on equal terms. This is how the old man explains that in his youth he was a bloodthirsty soldier with elite training, who is a prisoner in the Soviet Style, until his death since he accepted the blame for a robbery committed by his brother and after being imprisoned he killed a guard who tried to torture him, for which he was shot in the spine in the subsequent escape attempt, although he has accepted this as his fate, he admits that he only regrets not having met his niece, who was born when he was arrested. Nikolai teaches Chambers how to deal with Boyka, not only using his fists, but also his legs and especially how to use keys to nullify him (Sambo); Chambers also takes advantage of his street experience to improvise some moves against Boyka's techniques, as he trains for a while for the big fight that would define his freedom. On the day of the matchup, Boyka swore that he would rip Chambers to
pieces and kill him, to make it clear who the undisputed champion was. The fight begins, with a Chambers not very different from the first fight, holding back and hitting the rival during the first round, both fighters are tied (Chambers had caught Boyka's leg, but he manages to apply a Jiujitsu key). In the second round, you see a Boyka who wants to finish off Chambers as quickly as possible, moving on to a defense and grappling strategy and manages to catch one of Chambers' legs (he almost breaks it), but Chambers grabs one of Boyka's legs and kicks him in the mouth ending the second round. At the break, Nikolai tells him that if he doesn't finish the fight now, he will rot in jail like him, then he remembers the training sessions with him and how they treated him
in jail until they ask him: Do you hear me, George? What are you waiting for?? to which he replies: To the bell. Immediately afterwards, George uses the new techniques that he had learned, leaving a disoriented Boyka with his movements and in despair. In the final part, Chambers and Boyka fall to the ground, so George puts pressure on Boyka's knee using a technique previously learned from Crott, and using all of his strength he breaks the joint and ends the fight. Chambers leaves without looking back, where Boyka suffers from his shattered knee. Gaga hands him her share of her winnings for winning the fight and apologizes for how bad it was in prison. Before leaving, Chambers goes to Markov, the warden, and tells him that she wants to make a deal with him, for which she gives him the money obtained. Immediately afterwards, he appears in Nikolai's cabin, in a supposed farewell, to which Chambers tells the old man to get ready to leave, because there is an 18-year-old girl, excited about meeting her uncle. At the end of the film, Chambers leaves with Nikolai at the train station, waiting for his niece, until he appears and the meeting between these two is emotional, and that is when George Chambers turns around and walks in an unknown direction.
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