Issue 7 - Professional Unification of Martial Arts
Issue 7 - Professional Unification of Martial Arts
Issue 7 - Professional Unification of Martial Arts
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
EDITORIAL<br />
EDITOR:<br />
Bruce Lammin, 4th degree<br />
black belt Taekwon-Do<br />
Assistant EDITOR:<br />
Bruce Potter, 3rd degree<br />
black belt Taekwon-Do<br />
Welcome to edition 7 <strong>of</strong> Planet P.U.M.A. Once again the calendar has been packed over the past few months with many<br />
highlights including winter camp, the black belt grading and <strong>of</strong> course the 8th ITF Junior World Championships.<br />
We’d like to start by congratulating all those who were successful at the recent black belt grading including our very own<br />
assistant editor Mr Potter, now 3rd degree black belt. We hope to have a full list <strong>of</strong> results in the next edition <strong>of</strong> Planet<br />
P.U.M.A. along with a write up <strong>of</strong> the presentation evening.<br />
Back to this issue now and we have to start with the 8th Junior World Championships held this September in Australia.<br />
After a long build up Team UK, including a large P.U.M.A. contingent, headed to Australia with high expectations. Unless<br />
you’ve been living in a cave for the past few months you are probably all aware that for the first time in ITF World<br />
Championships history England headed the overall medal table. To celebrate the team’s unprecedented success we have<br />
a full colour write up. Turn to page 15 and find how everyone did. In addition we also have write ups <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> the<br />
fund raising events organized to help finance the trip, including a UKITF fight night, a band night and a very long run to<br />
mention but a few. Team UK would like to thank everyone who organized, participated in or came along to any <strong>of</strong> these<br />
events.<br />
As per usual we have all your regular favourites including the welcome return <strong>of</strong> the Tang Soo-Do column with a thorough<br />
guide to the second Bo form. Mr. McCabe runs through the various types <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do movements whilst Mr. Jones<br />
dispenses valuable kickboxing footwork tips. The health and fitness column this month concentrates on our younger<br />
readers with Mrs Sue Raven providing expert advice.<br />
I addition to all <strong>of</strong> the above Dr Matthew Lloyd looks into the science <strong>of</strong> diets, what the body needs and why. We also have<br />
an interview with some <strong>of</strong> the many members <strong>of</strong> the Stokes clan, P.U.M.A.’s very own martial arts dynasty, as well as a<br />
write up <strong>of</strong> an Urban Combatives seminar.<br />
As always please get in touch and let us what you like, anything you don’t (surely not?) and what you’d like to see in future<br />
editions. If you have any ideas for articles or would like to get involved with Planet P.U.M.A. in any way then don’t hesitate<br />
to let us know.<br />
And finally our thanks go to the Stokes Family for undergoing this issue’s interview and their instructor Mr Malcolm Jones<br />
for interviewing them. Father Les asked us to print a few words from him in return, which we’re only too glad to do...<br />
“On behalf <strong>of</strong> all the Stokes and Marish family we would like to thank Mr Jones for the input and encouragement he has<br />
given to us towards our achievements within P.U.M.A. Because <strong>of</strong> his dedication and commitment to us as individuals,<br />
each one <strong>of</strong> use has achieved our own personal goals. He has brought us far within the P.U.M.A. family, allowing some <strong>of</strong><br />
us to achieve things we never thought we could.<br />
Mr Jones is an excellent instructor, which is why he is well respected by all <strong>of</strong> his students. We are happy to follow in his<br />
footsteps by teaching and passing on the knowledge he has given us.<br />
Once again, our biggest thanks to an awesome instructor. Thanks for all you’ve done Sir, we will never forget it.”<br />
Until next time, happy reading…<br />
2
THE STOKES FAMILY<br />
Blandford’s Stokes Clan have been training<br />
forever and have a ludicrous number <strong>of</strong><br />
years <strong>of</strong> training between them. Mr Malcolm<br />
Jones corralled some <strong>of</strong> them - Dad Les,<br />
daughters Karen and Kim and his brother<br />
Rob - into a room together for a debriefing<br />
session.<br />
So how did the great Stokes dynasty start then?<br />
Les. It was a coincidence really, Mr Jones (yourself) started work<br />
at the factory where I was working and had told me that he was<br />
setting up a school for juniors. My children were just at the right<br />
age to start, two <strong>of</strong> them started at the age <strong>of</strong> six.<br />
Who was that?<br />
Les. Kim and Kelly. Karen and Eddy joined a couple <strong>of</strong> years later<br />
when they turned six.<br />
Ok, you’ve mentioned Kelly, Kim, Karen and Eddy, are there<br />
any other members <strong>of</strong> the Stokes family that train? Both past<br />
and present.<br />
Karen. There’s Laura. She’s just started kickboxing, she’s sixteen<br />
years old and has been doing Kickboxing for about six months.<br />
What relation is Laura?<br />
Karen. She’s our step sister.<br />
Any others?<br />
Rob. There’s Liam, he used to do Taekwon-Do, and he got to<br />
blue belt.<br />
Now Liam’s your son isn’t he?<br />
Rob. Yes, he’s the reason I got into it originally. Now Dee, my<br />
wife, is currently a 1 st Kup red belt and hopes to take her black<br />
belt some time in the future.<br />
Karen. Then there’s Gavin, he’s our little step brother. He’s ten<br />
years old and he’s been doing Kickboxing for about a year. And<br />
he also does Taekwon-Do.<br />
Kim. He started in the Little P.U.M.A.s, he actually got to black<br />
belt with Little P.U.M.A.s and now he’s a green belt.<br />
What martial arts do you study within P.U.M.A.?<br />
Kim. Taekwon-Do<br />
Okay your dad said you started when you were six. Has it<br />
changed much in your time?<br />
Kim. Obviously it’s changed more for me because I’m involved a<br />
lot more now. When we first started it was with a different group,<br />
it’s a lot nicer now, when Kelly used to go along to the training<br />
sessions she wasn’t made to feel welcome, it was kind <strong>of</strong> like you<br />
were forced to go. Now it’s a lot friendlier and everyone knows<br />
everybody else. I suppose that’s because it’s a slightly smaller<br />
unit now and a lot more comfortable.<br />
Karen. I got to second degree in Taekwon-Do, I started the same<br />
as Kim when I was six. Then I switched from Taekwon-Do to<br />
Kickboxing, because it suited me more. I’m currently a brown belt<br />
white stripe.<br />
Why do you think it suits you more?<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the Stokes family: Eddy, Karen, Kim and Dad<br />
Les (With Mr Jones peaking out from the back<br />
Karen. I used to struggle with the Taekwon-Do theory, and I<br />
always used to find it difficult to remember patterns and other<br />
set sequences, and I found myself getting uninterested in it.<br />
Kickboxing is just more me. I want to get in the ring, the fitness<br />
side <strong>of</strong> the training is more my thing rather than the theory side<br />
<strong>of</strong> it.<br />
Rob. I started in 2000 with Mr Stokes.<br />
He’s your brother.<br />
Rob. Yes that’s right, he started teaching a class in Sturminster<br />
Newton. I started because I took my son along, then when the<br />
class started to dwindle away as they normally do when they<br />
get to the higher grades. So I knew that my brother had put a<br />
lot <strong>of</strong> effort into keeping the school going so I decided to help<br />
him keep the numbers up. It’s the best thing I’ve ever done Sir.<br />
Les. I’m a second degree black belt in Taekwon-Do, and I<br />
started training in 1993. Now I help Miss Stokes teach at<br />
Sturminster Newton.<br />
And you do virtually everything in P.U.M.A. don’t you?<br />
You’re a well recognised face, do you go to all the camps?<br />
Les. Yes I do. I enjoy the camps very much, lots <strong>of</strong> friendly<br />
people and the more people you get to know the friendlier it<br />
gets.<br />
I know you’re all a close family. How do you all get on<br />
together?<br />
Kim. We’ve always been a close family, we’ve obviously grown<br />
up together. Now we’ve all grown up and have different lives<br />
and okay, we still have our moments like all families do, but<br />
we’ve always been close and always will, we’ll always look<br />
after each other.<br />
I know how protective you are <strong>of</strong> each other, there was<br />
that time a couple <strong>of</strong> weeks ago when I was doing some<br />
‘rough sparring’ FAST-defence style with your brother,<br />
and you wanted to step in to protect him.<br />
Kim. Yes definitely, but we’ve always been like it. I suppose<br />
when you’ve got a family like we’ve got that are so close and<br />
have always done everything together, you know we all did<br />
Taekwon-Do together, we all went swimming together, we all<br />
went to gymnastics, we all did everything together and<br />
because we we’re all so young when we started we didn’t have<br />
a choice, we had to be with each other.<br />
Anyone want to add anything to that?<br />
Karen. Yes we might have our differences but when it comes<br />
to Taekwon-Do or Kickboxing we’re always there for each<br />
other, whether it’s for gradings or fights or presentation<br />
evenings, we’ve all been there.<br />
4
It’s nice to see. And I think everyone in P.U.M.A. knows the<br />
Stokes family. Les, you’ve mentioned to me before that<br />
getting all your children into Taekwon-Do and consequently<br />
spending a large amount <strong>of</strong> money on them was the best<br />
thing you’ve ever done. Can you explain that?<br />
Les. I think a lot <strong>of</strong> people must find it quite hard, in some cases it<br />
is quite expensive to be able to do everything. At one point we<br />
had four children doing it at the same time, but it’s the best money<br />
I’ve ever spent. I saw the confidence in the children when they<br />
had progressed and the improvement in their self confidence has<br />
paid dividends. They’re all maturing into excellent adults in their<br />
own right. The money… well, it’s really nothing for what you get<br />
back out <strong>of</strong> it.<br />
P.U.M.A. has lots <strong>of</strong> families training, what advice would you<br />
give them in order to persevere with their chosen art?<br />
Kim. Well my mum and dad used to bribe us (laughs) We had to<br />
go, we weren’t allowed not to go. If we felt tired or anything, they<br />
used to say “right we’re going to take a pound out <strong>of</strong> your pocket<br />
money if you don’t go” so that was that.. We went.<br />
That’s a straightforward answer.<br />
Karen. The point is it was never an option not to go. You know<br />
the excuse <strong>of</strong> “I’m a bit tired tonight” just didn’t work. It’s stood us<br />
in good stead, because there’s loads <strong>of</strong> times when I don’t want<br />
to go now, but I always do and we’re all truly grateful for that.<br />
Les. Of course the classes need to be enjoyable, with a good<br />
instructor and <strong>of</strong> course we used to say the usual thing <strong>of</strong> “Well, if<br />
you really don’t want to go, then give it another month and see<br />
how you go’. Once the children forgot about why they didn’t want<br />
to go then they’d be back into it again. Things will crop up, stuff<br />
like boyfriends or girlfriends. I tried not to put pressure on them,<br />
but just try and ride out that period for a little while and keep them<br />
in because there’s a good chance that they’ll get over that hurdle<br />
and go on to flourish.<br />
Has martial arts changed your life in any way?<br />
Rob. Yes, for me it has. I was very nervous, I wouldn’t talk to<br />
anybody when I first came to the Blandford class because I’d only<br />
trained in Sturminster Newton. I couldn’t look you in the eyes Sir,<br />
because I was too shy. It’s brought me out <strong>of</strong> myself a bit more if<br />
that makes sense. I’m not very good at patterns, I’m not very<br />
good at lots <strong>of</strong> things but I always try and do my best and you<br />
always encourage us to get the best out <strong>of</strong> ourselves, and you<br />
and Mr Stokes have brought that out in me and now I’m not so<br />
shy, and I feel more confident<br />
And you think the training has done that?<br />
Rob. Yes, because the club is so nice it’s like a big family. There<br />
are no bad vibes, it’s all encouragement to bring the best out <strong>of</strong><br />
somebody.<br />
Karen. Mine is confidence because when I was younger I was<br />
very fiery. I’ve found that I’ve been able to channel that temper,<br />
that’s probably why Kickboxing suits me more, hitting the pads<br />
and stuff, especially teaching. My confidence has grown because<br />
it makes you realise how much you know and can pass on.<br />
That’s something that I’ve noticed about you especially since<br />
you started teaching. Do you think that you’d have been like<br />
that anyway?<br />
Kim. For me I find that a difficult question, because you’ll never<br />
know what you would have been like because it’s what I’ve done<br />
for twenty years. I’m different to Karen because I was always<br />
following Kelly’s footsteps, Kelly used to watch out for me at<br />
school and I always used to hang out with her so I didn’t need<br />
that extra confidence. I’m not sure if I would have been confident<br />
enough without it. Like Karen says the confidence now comes<br />
from the teaching. Parents come up to you and say their kids<br />
think you’re God, kids are always coming up to me and telling<br />
me what they’ve been doing, and saying “Ma’am you’re<br />
brilliant” and all that, which means you have to be humble.<br />
Don’t get me wrong, it’s very nice to know that people respect<br />
you and it is a confidence boost..<br />
Les. I would echo what Miss Stokes has just said the<br />
confidence thing and also the fitness.<br />
Yes Sir, your fitness is legendary.<br />
Les. I can distinctly remember my first lesson. It was a squad<br />
session that you did in the old school gym and I stumbled in at<br />
around 13 stone. Ever since then my fitness has never been a<br />
problem.<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> you teach, what can you tell us about your<br />
students?<br />
Karen. They’re great. Most <strong>of</strong> them come along and actually<br />
want to learn. You do get the odd disruptive one though.<br />
How do you deal with that?<br />
Karen. You’ve basically got to put them in their place and say<br />
“Look, if you don’t want to be here don’t be here”. I think you<br />
should give them a couple <strong>of</strong> chances, obviously there are<br />
some people that don’t really understand the rules but I just<br />
feel that if they’re disrupting the class then it’s not fair on<br />
everyone else in the class that wants to learn. But my students<br />
are brilliant, because I’m quite close friends with a lot <strong>of</strong> people<br />
I train with. I get to train and teach with them, which is brilliant<br />
because you see both sides and they respect you in the class.<br />
They’re all there for different reasons, Some want to fight in<br />
the ring, some want to hit the pads, which is good because<br />
you get a variety when you’re teaching, but they all put 100%<br />
in all the time.<br />
Kim. I’d just say the same really, you know to go to a job and<br />
actually enjoy it is something everybody wants. It’s great when<br />
kids come up to you and say “look Ma’am what I’ve done<br />
today”, telling me about their school and what they’ve done.<br />
It’s really nice to know you’re respected, and it’s an honour to<br />
teach kids life skills especially with the Little P.U.M.A.s. I love<br />
doing all the stranger drills and talking to them, it’s like when<br />
we went to the fire station, they absolutely loved it. That’s<br />
brilliant how many martial art groups would do something like<br />
that? If a student leaves for some reason like moving area I<br />
get quite emotional because they’ll always give me little<br />
presents or flowers which is really nice to know how much they<br />
appreciate what you’ve done for them. When people do things<br />
like that you think “blimey they’re the ones that pay me, they’re<br />
the ones that help me live my dream, and I should be thanking<br />
them”.<br />
What other interests do you have?<br />
A really old picture <strong>of</strong> Kim, Kelly and Karen<br />
5
Karen & Kim. Partying and socialising.<br />
Les. Walking, cycling, hiking, and backpacking, lots <strong>of</strong> physical<br />
stuff.<br />
Rob, you run a farm don’t you?<br />
Rob. Yes I do but that’s my job. I do like shooting. I’m a part<br />
time game keeper, I enjoy that a lot, but not for the shooting <strong>of</strong><br />
the pheasants. I enjoy working my dogs.<br />
What dogs do you have?<br />
Rob. Two black Labradors and a spaniel.<br />
Fantastic, I have a black lab too.<br />
Rob. I love getting out with the dogs. If I’ve got time I also enjoy<br />
a bit <strong>of</strong> river fishing and beach fishing down on the Dorset coast.<br />
Les, I think I can guess your answer to this question, but<br />
what is the proudest moment in your martial art careers?<br />
Les. My proudest moments…that’s so hard because once you<br />
think you’ve got a favourite another one comes along to beat it.<br />
Obviously as the children have gone up through the ranks and<br />
get their black belts - Kim’s got her fourth degree, which is<br />
excellent after twenty years <strong>of</strong> training. And Karen’s coming up<br />
for her Kickboxing black belt in the near future, which I’m sure<br />
will be a very nice event. However my latest moment was when<br />
my brother got his black belt, because I was his instructor and<br />
he’s the first person I’d trained to that level. I can remember<br />
when I went to tell him I went to the farm to tell him personally<br />
and I’m not ashamed to admit I shed a few tears when we met.<br />
That’s my latest, but I’m hoping there’ll be lots more to come.<br />
Rob. Definitely me getting my black belt, seeing Les’s face and<br />
your face Sir, because Mr Stokes was my instructor, but you<br />
helped me through it as well. Something topped that, it was my<br />
wife getting a credit at her red belt grading after having<br />
previously been unsuccessful. That affected her pretty badly. Mr<br />
Stokes got some fish and chips and sat down with her to explain<br />
what happened.<br />
Ah! Fish and chips, essential food to ease the hurt.<br />
Rob. (Laughs). It worked, she was so much better the second<br />
time around, even I’ll say there was a tear in my eye that day.<br />
Master Gayle gave her a credit and that topped it for me Sir.<br />
Karen. Mine would probably be gaining my Taekwon-Do black<br />
belt but I must say what topped it for me was winning my first full<br />
contact kickboxing fight. If I get my kickboxing black belt that will<br />
probably be my proudest moment.<br />
Kim. Probably my fourth degree. I must say I am really proud <strong>of</strong><br />
my little brother Gavin though. I know I’m protective <strong>of</strong> him the<br />
same as I was with Eddy when he was little. But I’m really<br />
pleased and proud that he does both kickboxing and Taekwon-<br />
Do, I’m always telling people about that. He trains all the time, 2<br />
or 3 hours training a day, and he’s awesome and brilliant.<br />
Personally my fourth degree is my proudest moment but to me<br />
it’s seeing people close to me achieving something because<br />
there’s nothing better than getting something yourself, except<br />
seeing someone else get it. It’s like when you got your sixth<br />
degree Sir, I’m driven by other people’s successes. Like for<br />
instance when Karen fights it makes you so proud to know that<br />
person and to have helped them along the way.<br />
What does the future hold for you?<br />
Karen. I’d like to be like my sister and have loads <strong>of</strong> classes all<br />
over. I’d love to be able to do what she does and give up my<br />
day job and do something that I love and pass on my knowledge<br />
to loads <strong>of</strong> people. To have a class every day <strong>of</strong> the week would<br />
be brilliant. Obviously there’s competing and getting as high as I<br />
can through the grades. If I get knocked back at a grading or get<br />
knocked down in a fight, I just get up, learn from it and carry on.<br />
How far do you think you can go?<br />
Karen. Well I feel lucky because I’ve got age on my side. I train<br />
with people who are older and they say oh, it’s alright for you,<br />
you’re young, but I’ll obviously keep going until my age is a<br />
problem. I’d love to be more involved with P.U.M.A. kickboxing,<br />
whether it’s at gradings or anything else. I’m really keen to<br />
experience the other side <strong>of</strong> kickboxing not just the competing<br />
but the refereeing as well.<br />
Rob. My future is to carry on with my Taekwon-Do. I would like<br />
to go for my second degree, I shan’t rush it as I find it very<br />
difficult to do the patterns, but I’ll keep plodding along until my<br />
body says I can’t take any more.<br />
Les. My future is to continue to attend events like presentation<br />
evenings and to support anyone who’s had the conviction to see<br />
it through, especially my own family. I’d like to go and watch<br />
Karen fighting and maybe see Kim reach fifth degree.<br />
Kim. Mine’s just really to see me carrying on as I am really, I’m<br />
happy with what I’m doing at the moment. Because I’m really<br />
proud <strong>of</strong> what I’ve done over the years, and keep going through<br />
the grades although to be honest I’m due to take my fifth degree<br />
next year, but I’m not in any rush to do it. If you’re going to do a<br />
grading at that level you need to be walking-talking Taekwon-Do<br />
every minute <strong>of</strong> the day.<br />
Because you’re getting married next year aren’t you?<br />
Kim. Yes Sir, but really I just want it to keep going as it is now.<br />
We’ve got 130 students that I teach and I just don’t want it to<br />
end.<br />
Just one last question, what things would you like to see<br />
introduced to P.U.M.A.?<br />
Rob. Not much really. I think it’s really nice everyone is really<br />
close and friendly, it’s really like having a big family. There are<br />
no real strangers in P.U.M.A.. The family network is already<br />
there, any new members come straight into the family.<br />
Karen. Even though they’re different I would like Taekwon-Do,<br />
Tang Soo-Do and Kickboxing to be treated as one. People will<br />
say things to me that maybe they’d be too afraid to say to the<br />
people in charge, but I know from the people that I speak to that<br />
they’d like the top people in P.U.M.A. to be more involved in the<br />
kickboxing side <strong>of</strong> it. I’d like to see a lot more Taekwon-Do<br />
people coming to our Kickboxing shows to support us. It would<br />
also be nice if we could get like a P.U.M.A. bus, like the Dream<br />
Team have their own bus, so a lot more people who maybe<br />
couldn’t travel to the various events have a means <strong>of</strong> transport.<br />
Maybe the money could be raised somehow. I know the<br />
Taekwon-Do team have had fund raising events all year round<br />
for their trip to Australia, why can’t we have some sort <strong>of</strong> help to<br />
support us?<br />
Les. Because I’ve got one daughter in each camp, I get to see<br />
the same sort <strong>of</strong> thing: kickboxing, they want it –but they don’t<br />
want it. It’s not a criticism just an observation. Like Karen says,<br />
for whatever reason it seems isolated.<br />
Kim. I agree with all <strong>of</strong> that but because kickboxing is a<br />
relatively new thing, you have to keep turning up to P.U.M.A.<br />
events to make them take notice <strong>of</strong> you, and then all <strong>of</strong> a<br />
sudden everybody will recognise kickboxing for what it is.<br />
Thank you very much for your time and thoughts, it’s a<br />
shame Eddy couldn’t have been here. I’d just like to take<br />
this opportunity to say that it’s been an absolute pleasure<br />
to be part <strong>of</strong> your lives for so long and here’s to many more<br />
years to come.<br />
6
On June 17 th P.U.M.A. hosted the first UKITF Fight<br />
Night at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon.<br />
The event was staged to raise money to help fund<br />
competitors going to the 8 th ITF Junior World<br />
Championships being staged in Melbourne Australia<br />
this September and was attended by hundreds <strong>of</strong><br />
spectators.<br />
Chairman Master Gayle confronts his vilest adversary:<br />
the sinister Helium Lad<br />
The night <strong>of</strong>fered something for everyone with a spectacular<br />
mixture <strong>of</strong> sparring and demonstrations. The Flowering<br />
Youth Team trained by Master Gayle showed exceptional<br />
skill, power and control whilst demonstrating all aspects <strong>of</strong><br />
traditional Taekwon-Do including patterns, set sparring and<br />
breaking. A Tang Soo-Do team lead by Mr Steve Weyman<br />
(P.U.M.A. Tang Soo-Do coordinator) gave two fantastic<br />
demonstrations which included traditional patterns along<br />
with some highly impressive weapons and self defence<br />
exhibitions. There were further freestyle weapons<br />
demonstrations by Mr Brett Dowling and Mr Kieran Sith.<br />
Last, but by no means least, the crowd were treated to a<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> dynamic rounds <strong>of</strong> exhibition sparring between<br />
Master Rayle Gayle and Mr Andrew Humphries.<br />
In addition to all <strong>of</strong> the above spectators got to see some <strong>of</strong><br />
England’s finest fighters in action including current and<br />
former world champions and almost certainly a number <strong>of</strong><br />
future world champions. Many <strong>of</strong> those students due to<br />
compete at the Junior World Championships in Melbourne<br />
faced <strong>of</strong>f against each other for their respective<br />
organizations which produced some truly world class bouts.<br />
Overall P.U.M.A. came out victorious but in truth this wasn’t<br />
really important. There was a fantastic atmosphere and the<br />
night was a great success thanks to the attitude <strong>of</strong> everyone<br />
involved from the organizers to the competitors and most<br />
importantly the spectators.<br />
A huge thank you to everyone who supported the event,<br />
which raised over £3,000 for the UKITF junior team going to<br />
Australia!<br />
Faster than the eye: Brett Dowling<br />
The Tang Soo-Do folk show their stuff<br />
Kickboxers Karen Stokes and Sam Spinney show what<br />
P.U.M.A. kickboxing has to <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
Phil Whitlock takes one on the chin for our amusement.<br />
Good show.<br />
7
Diets and dieting are an immensely important aspect <strong>of</strong> any<br />
physical training programme. Many people think <strong>of</strong> diets only<br />
in the context <strong>of</strong> reducing body weight, but diets are the total<br />
nutrients taken into the body in the form <strong>of</strong> food and drink. The<br />
diet consists <strong>of</strong> macroscopic nutrients which are required in<br />
gram quantities each day (protein, sugars and fats, some salts<br />
and water), and microscopic nutrients (vitamins, minerals,<br />
essential fatty acids etc) which are required in microgram to<br />
milligram quantities. The amounts <strong>of</strong> each <strong>of</strong> these nutrients<br />
will vary considerably between people, since the amounts<br />
required will be influenced by intrinsic factors (such as age,<br />
gender, body weight etc) and environmental factors (what type<br />
<strong>of</strong> training you are doing, how much other exercise you take<br />
etc).<br />
A poor diet will result in the athlete performing below their<br />
optimum levels, and can lead to tiredness or even make them<br />
ill. The use <strong>of</strong> vitamins and mineral supplements was<br />
discussed in a previous article (Planet P.U.M.A. 3, December<br />
2005, 16 - 17). The purpose <strong>of</strong> this article is to explain the<br />
functional role <strong>of</strong> the major nutrients in the body.<br />
Proteins and amino acids<br />
Protein in food is actually a mixture <strong>of</strong> a large number <strong>of</strong><br />
different proteins and peptides, which are composed <strong>of</strong> amino<br />
acids linked together in a defined sequence by peptide bonds.<br />
Protein in the diet has several functions but one <strong>of</strong> the main<br />
reasons that it is required is so the individual can make<br />
tissues <strong>of</strong> various sorts, including muscle. When protein is<br />
eaten, the digestive system breaks the peptide bonds to<br />
release the individual amino acids, and these are absorbed<br />
into the blood stream and distributed to the tissues that need<br />
them. These can then be re-linked together to form the human<br />
proteins required at the time. When excess protein is eaten or<br />
under certain starvation conditions, proteins can be broken<br />
down into their amino acids and are used to produce energy.<br />
These amino acids can be used directly to make energy or<br />
converted into carbohydrates (see below) and stored for later<br />
use.<br />
Around 20 different amino acids can be linked together to<br />
make the various proteins. These amino acids can be further<br />
classified into essential amino acids (those which must be<br />
obtained from the diet) and non-essential amino acids (those<br />
that can be made from other amino acids by the body). In<br />
humans the essential amino acids are lysine, tryptophan,<br />
phenylalanine, threonine, valine, methionine, leucine,<br />
isoleucine, with histidine being an additional essential amino<br />
acid for children. Tyrosine is made from phenylalanine, and is<br />
an essential amino acid if phenylalanine is not present in the<br />
diet. The exact composition <strong>of</strong> the protein (amino acid) mixture<br />
in food will depend on its exact source, but generally speaking<br />
protein from animals will have a more similar composition to<br />
that in humans compared to protein from plant sources.<br />
Consequently if animal proteins are not included in the diet it<br />
is important to have several different sources <strong>of</strong> plant proteins<br />
to minimize the risk <strong>of</strong> not having enough <strong>of</strong> any particular<br />
amino acid. This is especially important for vegans, who <strong>of</strong><br />
course cannot obtain animal proteins from milk and other dairy<br />
products.<br />
Carbohydrate (sugars)<br />
Carbohydrates are the main dietary energy source for the<br />
body. They can be found in many different forms, such as<br />
complex sugars including starch, sucrose (table sugar),<br />
lactose (from milk), and simple sugars such as glucose and<br />
fructose (found in many fruits and some s<strong>of</strong>t drinks). When<br />
sugars are taken in as part <strong>of</strong> the diet, complex sugars are<br />
broken down into simple sugars and transported to the liver.<br />
These sugars are then processed by converting them into<br />
glucose, which can then be stored (as glycogen) or distributed<br />
to other tissues. The processing <strong>of</strong> sugars can be quite<br />
variable within the human population, and not all individuals<br />
are able to process every sugar. For example, a significant<br />
proportion <strong>of</strong> the U.K. population cannot tolerate milk and<br />
some other diary products in their diet due to the presence <strong>of</strong><br />
lactose. These individuals lack a particular enzyme (lactase) in<br />
their digestive system which means they are unable to break<br />
down lactose (the main sugar in milk) to its simple sugars<br />
(glucose and galactose). This results in a build up <strong>of</strong> fluid in<br />
the digestive system, leading to the observed symptoms. The<br />
condition can sometimes be treated by giving a lactase<br />
supplement (See your GP or Pharmacist for advice).<br />
Different tissues have different requirements in terms <strong>of</strong> what<br />
types <strong>of</strong> food they can use to produce energy, with some<br />
tissues (blood and brain) having strict requirements for<br />
glucose as their primary energy source. Consequently, blood<br />
glucose levels are tightly controlled and the body stores it in<br />
the form <strong>of</strong> glycogen in the liver. When more glucose is<br />
needed but is not available from the diet, glycogen can be<br />
converted back into glucose and used to produce energy.<br />
Since a reasonable amount <strong>of</strong> energy can be stored as<br />
glycogen (roughly equivalent to that required to live for one<br />
entire day) this store can be used during prolonged periods <strong>of</strong><br />
intense exercise. This glycogen reserve can be built up by<br />
‘carbo loading’, that is eating large amounts <strong>of</strong> foods rich in<br />
carbohydrates (such as pasta, bread etc) for several days<br />
before an event such as a marathon. A similar regimen may<br />
also be useful to other athletes about to undertake a period <strong>of</strong><br />
intense activity, such as a competition or a Black Belt grading.<br />
8
Fats<br />
Fats are by far the most diverse group <strong>of</strong> foods and they have<br />
many different functions in the body, including making up the<br />
membranes that surround all cells. Although fats are a very<br />
rich source <strong>of</strong> energy it is generally recommended that their<br />
dietary intake is limited, although some fats are essential and<br />
have to be obtained from the diet. The body is capable <strong>of</strong><br />
making fats from both proteins and carbohydrates and these<br />
can be stored over a long period <strong>of</strong> time to protect against<br />
periods <strong>of</strong> severe starvation.<br />
The main function <strong>of</strong> dietary fats appears to be to provide<br />
micro-nutrients such as the fat-soluble vitamins and essential<br />
fatty acids. The whole issue <strong>of</strong> fats in the diet is complex,<br />
since some fats have been linked to heart disease and some<br />
cancers whilst others appear to have a wide range <strong>of</strong><br />
beneficial effects. It is therefore difficult to make any specific<br />
recommendations but it is probably sensible to limit saturated<br />
fat intake and to ensure that some fat from plant sources is<br />
present in the diet.<br />
Water and other liquids<br />
In terms <strong>of</strong> actual weight, the overwhelming majority <strong>of</strong> the<br />
human body is composed <strong>of</strong> water (65 to 75 percent <strong>of</strong> an<br />
adult human). This is because body tissues are bathed in<br />
water containing all the required nutrients and water makes up<br />
the majority <strong>of</strong> every cell in the body. The amount <strong>of</strong> water<br />
needed in the diet can vary considerably between people,<br />
since it depends on intrinsic factors (body weight and shape,<br />
gender etc), external factors (how much exercise you are<br />
taking, how much water is in present in food) and<br />
environmental factors (temperature and humidity). These<br />
factors will also determine how much salt you need, and this<br />
will be discussed in more detail in a subsequent article.<br />
Determining the amount <strong>of</strong> water you need is in some<br />
respects more straight-forward than determining how much<br />
food, since the need for water can be monitored by the<br />
sensation <strong>of</strong> thirst. Thirst is a physiological response to not<br />
having enough water, but it is possible to become quite<br />
dehydrated before feeling thirsty and under some conditions<br />
you can lose quite a lot <strong>of</strong> water without feeling very thirsty. A<br />
more reliable method is to check the colour <strong>of</strong> urine, since this<br />
gives a ready measure <strong>of</strong> hydration level. The more yellow the<br />
colour the more dehydrated you are. It is also worth being<br />
aware that some components <strong>of</strong> the diet promote loss <strong>of</strong> water<br />
in the urine, including tea, c<strong>of</strong>fee, caffeine-containing s<strong>of</strong>t<br />
drinks and alcoholic drinks. It is therefore sensible to limit their<br />
intake if vigorous training is anticipated.<br />
How much food do you need?<br />
The standard recommended amounts <strong>of</strong> energy each day are<br />
about 2000 calories (8400 kilojoules) for women and about<br />
2500 calories (10500 kilojoules) for men, assuming an<br />
‘average’ modern sedentary life style. However, these<br />
numbers are guidelines only and other factors will influence<br />
how much energy you need in order to function. These factors<br />
can be inherent (such as age and gender) or environmental<br />
(such as your height, weight, or how much exercise you are<br />
taking as part <strong>of</strong> your job or during leisure activities).<br />
Obviously if you do a manual job or are training hard you will<br />
need more calories than someone who is taking a smaller<br />
amount <strong>of</strong> exercise. Similarly large people or people who are<br />
growing a lot (especially children and young adults) could<br />
need more calories than their size might suggest. For many<br />
people it is advisable to have a small carbohydrate-rich snack<br />
before training in the evening especially if you have not eaten<br />
much at lunch time. If you are doing a manual job or require a<br />
larger amount <strong>of</strong> energy for some reason then the amount <strong>of</strong><br />
food might need to be increased. This snack should usually be<br />
taken 2 to 3 hours before commencing training, although this<br />
might need adjustment to suit the particular individual.<br />
In many cases finding the correct amount <strong>of</strong> calories and type<br />
<strong>of</strong> food is a matter <strong>of</strong> trial and error. As a general rule if you<br />
are feeling tired over a long period <strong>of</strong> time (several days to a<br />
few weeks) it could mean that you have an insufficient calorie<br />
or protein intake, assuming that you are sleeping about 8<br />
hours each night (adolescents <strong>of</strong>ten require more sleep than<br />
this). For general training it is best to have a diet where most<br />
<strong>of</strong> the energy is obtained from carbohydrates with some<br />
protein and a smaller amount <strong>of</strong> fats, but if you are trying to<br />
build muscle then you will need to increase both your protein<br />
and calorie intake. Checking your weight at regular intervals<br />
can help assess whether your diet is working, but be aware<br />
that muscle weighs more than fat and so you can end up<br />
putting on weight if you are training hard. Seek pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
advice before radically changing your diet if you have a<br />
serious medical condition.<br />
Matthew D. Lloyd is Lecturer in Pharmacy & Pharmacology at the University <strong>of</strong> Bath, and<br />
has a DPhil (PhD) in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University <strong>of</strong> Oxford. He has<br />
practiced Tae-Kwon-Do for over 20 years and was promoted to III Dan in 2005.<br />
Disclaimer: This article is for information only. Always consult a health-care<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essional if you need individual advice.<br />
9
Aarrggh, we’ve created a monster. It’s reached two<br />
pages already...<br />
Dear Sirs,<br />
Can you please relay my thanks and astonishment at the<br />
generosity <strong>of</strong> our P.U.M.A. members. The idea <strong>of</strong> running 46K<br />
for my 46th Birthday was almost achieved by myself and Mr<br />
Bishop running 40K (25 miles), with no training whatsoever and<br />
Mr Bishop turning up with a bottle <strong>of</strong> water and his Mum's<br />
plimsolls from junior school.<br />
I was pleased with what was achieved. I have been suffering<br />
with an IT band injury for some time, so after 40K decided we<br />
were doing more harm than good. Mr Bishop was also<br />
complaining about his corns on his big toe. Mr Burdock also<br />
made a cameo performance <strong>of</strong> running 12 miles.<br />
The money is still pouring in and we have received £400 from<br />
the Scottish members <strong>of</strong> P.UM.A. alone. I believe the final total<br />
to be well over £1000.<br />
With all the other hard work put in with different fund-raising<br />
events we have made a huge difference to our team going out to<br />
Australia. Thank you to all members <strong>of</strong> P.U.M.A. for their<br />
generous support.<br />
Mr Chris Wood<br />
I wake up in the morning and check the calendar straight away<br />
To see what plans I have, mainly for Taekwon-Do that day.<br />
I have another life you know, but it is not easy to find,<br />
I am sure if I just carry on, no-one will really mind.<br />
For my loving little boy, I’ll look out his Taekwon-Do kit<br />
He loves doing it after school, it keeps him nice and fit<br />
Tomorrow after school I’m sure, with him I can play<br />
Or perhaps if I’m needed, it will have to wait a day.<br />
I have another life you know, but it is not easy to find<br />
I am sure if I just carry on, no-one will really mind.<br />
I return from the school run and into my <strong>of</strong>fice I go<br />
I sit for hours with paperwork, and more on the phone<br />
Oops I should have done the shopping I have run out <strong>of</strong> food<br />
Oh well, I am sure my husband can sort things out, I’m really<br />
sure he could.<br />
I plan the demonstrations I have for this weekend<br />
I chase the fees, the orders and the entry forms to send<br />
I look through all my emails and reply to everyone<br />
I just have to remind myself that Taekwon-Do can be fun.<br />
It’s time to go and race <strong>of</strong>f to teach, I miss my lunch and tea,<br />
But I have four classes to run and students I need to see.<br />
I arrive home at 10pm, tired and needing fed<br />
I go straight up to his room and kiss his sleeping head<br />
I promise that tomorrow will be a better day<br />
I promise that tomorrow I will try to find the time to have a little<br />
play.<br />
I have another life you know, but it is not easy to find<br />
I love my Taekwon-Do you know, but does he really mind?<br />
An occasional feature where we find people in P.U.M.A.<br />
who look a bit like somebody famous. These first efforts<br />
are courtesy <strong>of</strong> Miss Louise Reeve and Miss Katy Carr...<br />
“If I smack myself in the lips<br />
for ten seconds I look just<br />
like Angelina Jolie...”<br />
“...whereas if I do this I’m a<br />
dead ringer for Jennifer<br />
Aniston.”<br />
NEXT TIME: David Beckham probably.<br />
10
BOOK REVIEW:<br />
Ch'ang Hon Taekwon-do Hae Sul - Real Applications to<br />
the ITF Patterns: Volume 1<br />
As a serious collector <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do books and training manuals, I<br />
rate this book as the most important book about the Chang Hon<br />
style <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do released since the 15 volume encyclopaedia<br />
was published. I have a large collection <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do books but<br />
they are all pretty much clones <strong>of</strong> General Choi’s books. They all<br />
follow the same format that the original book on Taekwon-Do<br />
(published 1965) started, in that the applications listed are all the<br />
same. The format being a block is a block and a strike is a strike.<br />
Have you ever wondered why the application shown for 9 th kup<br />
technique such as low section outer forearm block is the same<br />
application shown for a first degree technique such as 9 shape<br />
block? Why are there so many tools that all perform the same<br />
function according to the existing manuals? If you have a spanner<br />
that fits a nut perfectly and it works well why would you want<br />
another hundred spanners that do the same job?<br />
Anslow’s book is completely different and packed with interesting,<br />
informative, useful, inspirational and perhaps controversial<br />
information. The first few chapters provide the background to the<br />
approach taken in the book, the Korean roots <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do and<br />
the link from Shotokan Karate, and from then on it’s down to the<br />
pattern applications themselves. Each fundamental exercise and<br />
pattern from Sajo Makgi to Toi Gye is treated to a comprehensive<br />
chapter which provides detailed explanations <strong>of</strong> possible alternative<br />
self defence applications for each individual move and step. There<br />
is a wealth <strong>of</strong> photographs to accompany each technique which<br />
make the applications very easy to follow.<br />
The great thing is the applications suggested actually fit the<br />
patterns as they are normally performed - the piece must fit the<br />
jigsaw as intended, you should not have to alter the jigsaw so the<br />
piece fits (a rough paraphrase!).<br />
At the start <strong>of</strong> each chapter there is also a wealth <strong>of</strong> information on<br />
the Korean characters and mythology that relate to the pattern<br />
meanings - three pages on the meaning <strong>of</strong> Dan Gun alone!<br />
If you have ever been dissatisfied with the stock answers to why we<br />
perform various pattern movements, or if you want to find out how<br />
to get the best from your reaction hand (have you ever even<br />
thought about it before?) then you need this book. It is the missing<br />
link between pattern practice and workable self defence. You may<br />
not agree with everything in the book but it will certainly make you<br />
think and question which can only be a good thing.<br />
If I was forced to get rid <strong>of</strong> my collection and allowed to keep two<br />
reference manuals, I would keep the 15 volumes and Anslow’s. If<br />
you are serious about ITF Chang Hon Taekwon-Do this will be<br />
money well spent.<br />
Reviewed by Mr John<br />
Dowding, 3 rd Degree<br />
Author:<br />
Stuart Paul Anslow<br />
Publisher:<br />
Exposure Publishing<br />
ISBN:<br />
1846852528<br />
RRP price:<br />
£24.99<br />
A Grand Day Out.<br />
Four ladies and seven men from Gravesend<br />
Taekwon-Do took part in two charity races on<br />
Blackheath, South London on 2 nd July 2006. The<br />
ladies ran in the morning’s Race for Life which<br />
raised money for Cancer Research and in the<br />
afternoon the men entered the Run for Moore in aid<br />
<strong>of</strong> The Bobby Moore Fund for Bowel Cancer. The<br />
course, which was used for both events, was 5km<br />
long and the temperature was a sweltering 33<br />
Celsius! The ladies completed the course together<br />
under the beating sun in a respectable 50 minutes<br />
but the competitive men ran the whole course and all<br />
finished around the 30 minute mark, ahead <strong>of</strong><br />
Matthew Wright (The Wright Stuff) and David<br />
Seaman. As part <strong>of</strong> the event, the men all wore<br />
Bobby Moore t-shirts with the famous number 6 on<br />
the back.<br />
The men’s team: Mr Michael Coates (supportive<br />
father), Mr Joseph Coates, Mr Paul Lockhart, Mr Scott<br />
Carnell, Mr David Harper, Mr Victor Fagence and Mr<br />
Toby Fagence<br />
The ladies team: Miss Rachel Obee, Mrs Alison<br />
Jones, Mrs Linda Fagence and Miss Natalie Pike<br />
11
KNIFE DEFENCE : Simon Peck checks out Lee Morrison’s Knife Defence workshop<br />
Lee Morrison radiates energy, enthusiasm and passion for his<br />
teaching. He is also capable on occasion <strong>of</strong> quite astonishing<br />
and intimidating bursts <strong>of</strong> speed, power and aggression. Lee<br />
is the founder and chief instructor <strong>of</strong> Urban Combatives, which<br />
is a functional self protection programme designed for today’s<br />
increasingly violent society.<br />
Urban Combatives has its roots in both eastern martial arts<br />
and western combatives drawing on a wide range <strong>of</strong> concepts<br />
and ideas from various sources including boxing, karate, Muay<br />
Thai, and Jeet Kune Do. The philosophy is to consider<br />
anything that works. Nothing fancy or theoretical here – every<br />
one <strong>of</strong> the techniques and concepts taught have been tried<br />
and tested in live situations. Lee has a wealth <strong>of</strong> experience<br />
from many years in door/security work as well as martial arts<br />
training and we hope to include an interview with him a future<br />
issue <strong>of</strong> the magazine.<br />
I came across his website whilst researching another article.<br />
The site was advertising a Sunday morning workshop and I<br />
decided to give it a try. I was hugely impressed and have<br />
attended all the subsequent workshops. Even though it’s a<br />
three hour drive I hope to continue to go as long as they are<br />
held and my wife continues to be understanding!<br />
The principles <strong>of</strong> Urban Combatives are summarised in its<br />
logo. The words self protection rather than self defence are<br />
used to emphasise that there is so much more to this than just<br />
physical techniques. The idea is to recognise and prevent any<br />
potential situation before it develops. The cornerstone <strong>of</strong> what<br />
is taught is awareness – <strong>of</strong> self, <strong>of</strong> environment and <strong>of</strong> the<br />
potential attacker. We know that in any physical situation we<br />
will experience fear and an adrenal reaction – as<br />
demonstrated so well in P.U.M.A.’s FAST courses and<br />
something many <strong>of</strong> us have experienced for real. We learn to<br />
cultivate awareness <strong>of</strong> our environment and the sort <strong>of</strong> threats<br />
we face. We know that today’s attacker is likely to be one <strong>of</strong> a<br />
group, uses deception to disarm his victim before launching<br />
an attack and we know that he is likely to be armed. This<br />
training is geared towards that. Situational control, escape and<br />
avoidance is always the priority, physical techniques being<br />
reserved for the situation where that is not possible.<br />
The physical techniques that are used are all gross motor<br />
movements which can be used under pressure and which<br />
have real stopping power such as tiger claws (palm strikes),<br />
knees strikes, hammer fists and elbows. The use <strong>of</strong> everyday<br />
items such as Maglite torches, even keys and mobile phones<br />
as improvised weapons is taught. But most important <strong>of</strong> all, is<br />
the mindset which allows you to access the necessary<br />
aggression and the will to keep going no matter what – or in<br />
the words <strong>of</strong> Bill Kipp the founder <strong>of</strong> FAST defence, the will to<br />
fight until 5 minutes after you are clinically dead. There are<br />
drills to develop this as well.<br />
For me the best workshop so far was the June counter-knife<br />
workshop. We started <strong>of</strong>f with a talk on the reality <strong>of</strong> knife<br />
attacks, viewing CCTV videos <strong>of</strong> real-life incidents and<br />
examining a horrific array <strong>of</strong> edged weapons which were on<br />
display including home-made tools made out <strong>of</strong> six-inch nails,<br />
a wooden knife designed to avoid metal detectors and some<br />
really frightening combat knives. The point was made strongly<br />
that the weapons themselves are less important than the<br />
intention to cause harm. In the hands <strong>of</strong> someone with intent,<br />
a pencil, a piece <strong>of</strong> glass or a tin lid can be lethal. Even a child<br />
with a knife is potentially dangerous. We also looked at some<br />
photographs <strong>of</strong> the terrible injuries that can be inflicted. Faced<br />
with this and the uncertainty <strong>of</strong> making any system work, the<br />
best defence then is always escape.<br />
It has been said many times, including in this magazine, that a<br />
“stabber” rarely shows the weapon and that a “shower” rarely<br />
stabs. Someone who is hiding a weapon is therefore very<br />
dangerous and with that in mind the first drill was aimed at<br />
shutting down such an opponent before he could access a<br />
weapon. Understanding the way in which weapons can be<br />
concealed and the body language cues is essential for this.<br />
Attackers tend to conceal weapons against the body, cupped<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> the common ways knives are concealed. If you can't see the opponent’s hand - or he is<br />
standing in an unusual way - think weapon.<br />
12
in the palm <strong>of</strong> the hand or hidden in the waistband <strong>of</strong> clothing.<br />
We studied the body language clues which may indicate that<br />
someone is hiding a weapon and then working in pairs, one<br />
person practiced concealing and accessing weapons whilst<br />
the other tried to prevent this launching an immediate<br />
<strong>of</strong>fensive response. As with all the combative drills I have<br />
done so far the intensity was gradually increased starting with<br />
prearranged scenarios and then introducing random variation<br />
and then taking away compliance and adding in dialogue to<br />
create a more realistic situation.<br />
Interestingly the body language cues that we discussed were<br />
there in the CCTV videos we watched and Lee recounted to<br />
us some real-life knife incidents in which he had been involved<br />
and where he had used these indicators to recognise and<br />
disarm a knife attacker before he had the chance to draw his<br />
weapon.<br />
The seminar then moved on to the worst-case scenario which<br />
is where the attacker has managed to draw a weapon and is<br />
too close for us to escape. In order to understand knife<br />
attacks we first did some basic training with knives learning<br />
how to hold a knife and to do various slashing and stabbing<br />
attacks. Having learned some basic <strong>of</strong>fensive knife moves, we<br />
then practiced a “knife fence” which is a way <strong>of</strong> standing with<br />
a sort <strong>of</strong> protective cage made with the arms so if possible<br />
any cuts are taken on the outer part <strong>of</strong> the arm where they will<br />
do the least damage.<br />
From the knife fence and with our backs against the wall to<br />
cut <strong>of</strong>f any possibility <strong>of</strong> retreating we worked in pairs and<br />
practiced basic knife fends against slashing and stabbing<br />
attacks which were followed immediately by explosive and<br />
aggressive forward attacks to disarm the attacker. The<br />
pressure and intensity was gradually increased. I found this<br />
very instructive and somewhat disturbing. A drill like this is a<br />
salutary lesson for anyone who thinks that martial arts training<br />
will prevent them from being cut. Despite my best efforts and<br />
knowing what was about to happen, my opponent repeatedly<br />
managed to slash and stab me and I ended up with a<br />
spectacular set <strong>of</strong> bruises to prove it! This was in a controlled<br />
environment. I can only imagine what it would be like if you<br />
add the fear and confusion <strong>of</strong> a real situation. But I did get<br />
better as we practised and came away feeling that I at least<br />
have a plan and a chance if this were to happen for real. As<br />
we were told several times, knives generally have very little<br />
stopping power and to survive you must keep attacking and<br />
fighting back even after being cut. This was brought home<br />
very well by one <strong>of</strong> the CCTV videos we watched where a<br />
man got into a stupid argument on a bus about a seat. Even<br />
more stupidly, he turned his back on the aggressor and was<br />
slashed. He then collapsed to the floor in a foetal position and<br />
was slashed again. As soon as the attacker left, he got up.<br />
The attacker was clearly disturbed or perhaps on drugs. The<br />
victim survived only because his attacker let him. Had the<br />
attacker wanted him dead – he would be.<br />
We also practised against opponents in padded outfits using<br />
role play. We have done these drills before and I find them<br />
very valuable as they include dialogue and are done with<br />
more realism. I didn’t put on padding this time – but I have<br />
done at a previous workshop and this gave me a new respect<br />
for our bulletmen – as even through the padding some people<br />
hit incredibly hard. And you certainly feel it.<br />
The final drills were for the situation that our awareness<br />
should never allow which is where an opponent has a knife<br />
pressed against your body or neck and is holding onto you.<br />
This is a very nasty and dangerous situation and to be<br />
avoided at all costs for obvious reasons.<br />
All in all, this was a great session and echoed much <strong>of</strong> what<br />
was taught in the FAST weapons course. As with the other<br />
workshops I learned a huge amount and was very glad that I<br />
made the effort to go. I see this as an important part <strong>of</strong> my<br />
training now and hope to continue with these sessions in<br />
future. I would be happy to share a car with anyone from the<br />
Plymouth area or anywhere else along the route who wants to<br />
give it a go. We can even get back in time for the Sunday<br />
evening Taekwon-Do class!<br />
For further information about Urban Combatives see the<br />
website : www.urbancombatives.com<br />
Stop the attacker from drawing his weapon...<br />
...then close him down.<br />
13
With 190-odd attendees this year’s summer camp was the biggest and best<br />
in memory. Mr Ian Bedborough, 3rd degree black belt and Chudleigh<br />
instructor, recalls our week in Croyde Bay...<br />
Summer Camp 2006 was my 8 th camp since I begun training in 1993 and since returning<br />
home I have pined or reminisced every day about this year’s camp. I tried to work out<br />
what has changed this year to make this one the best camp ever.<br />
Was it because it was an easier, more laid back camp which made it more accessible to<br />
families and a wider range <strong>of</strong> students? Was it the friendly, approachable and respectful<br />
attitudes <strong>of</strong> every single instructor, team leader, black belt, student and friend <strong>of</strong> the<br />
camp? Was it because I feel like I actually had a holiday, far removed from the distant<br />
past where I would book 2 weeks <strong>of</strong>f work, knowing that by the end <strong>of</strong> that camp I would<br />
be in need <strong>of</strong> another break? Was it because I was able to approach anyone I chose, to<br />
be greeted with a smile and willingness to share knowledge and experience and<br />
increase my understanding <strong>of</strong> sine-wave and the Bo-Staff? Was it that I had a break<br />
from teaching Taekwon and lived the Do? Was it the relaxed, community atmosphere?<br />
Was it ‘Waxing Wednesday’ where I narrowly avoided losing some hair? Was it Friday’s<br />
bacon buttie and cuppa at the sandy dojang after Mr Black’s training session?<br />
Was it Mr Ferguson’s obvious and extensive experience, along with his admiration for<br />
the camaraderie and our genuine respect for each other? Was it the seminars in<br />
grappling, stick fighting, Bo-Staff, Self Defence and basics? Was it the variation on the<br />
uppercut I learned one night during a game called Yeehaw? Was it the management<br />
team trying to be serious without eyebrows? Probably. Only once did I leave our camp<br />
site and Croyde village for a local town, where I was confronted by hundreds <strong>of</strong> people,<br />
mostly with scowls on their faces. I found myself imitating this and in a bad mood. I<br />
needed to get back to the safety <strong>of</strong> that field I called home. Suddenly everything became<br />
clear. Master Gayle has been referring to moral culture more and more lately, as it not<br />
only promotes a healthy body and keen mind but good sportsmanship and the perfection<br />
<strong>of</strong> moral behaviour. The Tenets and Taekwon-Do oath both also reflect this, and there<br />
are references to it throughout the condensed encyclopaedia. Is it possible that for just<br />
one week we have, on a small scale achieved everything General Choi had dreamed,<br />
and built that more peaceful world?<br />
Taekwon<br />
- Ian Bedborough - Honoured to be a part <strong>of</strong> P.U.M.A.<br />
14
The UKITF team, incorporating a lot <strong>of</strong> P.U.M.A.’s<br />
best and brightest, participated in the International<br />
Taekwon-Do Federation’s Eighth Junior World<br />
Championships, held in Geelong, Australia.<br />
Team coach Mr Daniel Lammin tells all.<br />
Miss Natasha Knapman (right)<br />
Special Techniques:<br />
a mint flying turning kick<br />
Some kicking madness<br />
Miss Natalie McColl (right)<br />
15
Mr Steven “Steve-O” Watson hard at<br />
work<br />
Miss Jenny Francis mid-sparring<br />
Miss Jenny Francis declared winner<br />
Miss Melanie Evans flying high<br />
16
The Team UK girls patterns team<br />
The Canadian girls team show <strong>of</strong>f their<br />
kicking prowess<br />
The team, coaches and Grandmaster Choi Jung Hwa on the winners rostrum<br />
17
I ght<br />
John Francis organised a band night to help Team UK on their way...<br />
I was looking at ways to help raise<br />
funds for the ITF to help support the<br />
junior team going to Australia this<br />
September and thought <strong>of</strong> a<br />
Sparathon - but that’s been done - a<br />
fight night - no, someone’s beaten me<br />
to it - and shaving certain parts <strong>of</strong> my<br />
anatomy - but I couldn’t compete with<br />
Mr. Phil Whitlock and anyway I<br />
haven’t got that much hair left to<br />
shave <strong>of</strong>f! So I thought <strong>of</strong> a Band Aid<br />
style concert. Well if it’s good enough<br />
for Mr. Geld<strong>of</strong> then it’s good enough<br />
for me.<br />
So several phone calls later to local<br />
bands I knew saw Saturday the 22 nd .<br />
July as a band night held at Wootton<br />
Bassett. First band due on was<br />
“Emohawk”, but unfortunately due to a<br />
car accident the drummer couldn’t<br />
make it, and the Bass guitarist also<br />
didn’t play, which left our very own<br />
Mr. David Pixton (4 th . Degree),<br />
performing on his own, in true<br />
indomitable spirit.<br />
Ashes <strong>of</strong> Emohawk<br />
Well, I couldn’t let him play on<br />
his own.<br />
“The Troubadours” made a special<br />
appearance and played a variety <strong>of</strong><br />
songs, mainly <strong>of</strong> their own material.<br />
J.C. Leonard was next with a collection <strong>of</strong><br />
his own material, very much in a country<br />
and western style with the odd cover<br />
including “Rings <strong>of</strong> Fire” by Johnny Cash.<br />
Following them were “Fools Parade”, an<br />
up and coming rock band.<br />
“Universal Addiction” livened up the evening<br />
with energetic performances <strong>of</strong> songs such as<br />
“Are You Gonna Be My Girl”, “Cross Roads”<br />
and “The Best Of You.”<br />
FMFU (Freshly Made for You) are an enthusiastic<br />
group <strong>of</strong> youngsters who played a selection from<br />
“Dani California” to “Summer <strong>of</strong> 69”. They also<br />
entertained the audience with a very energetic live<br />
performance,and got the girls going. Watch out for<br />
these last 2 bands (Universal Addiction and<br />
FMFU) as they could well be going places.<br />
Remember, you read it here first!<br />
A small raffle was also<br />
organised with a large<br />
bottle <strong>of</strong> whiskey being<br />
the first prize. (Kindly<br />
donated by Marie<br />
Udall). All in all a good<br />
night was had by<br />
everybody, with over a<br />
100 people and an<br />
approximate total <strong>of</strong><br />
just over £500 was<br />
raised for Team UK<br />
2006.<br />
19
The April 2006 winning junior essay<br />
by Ben McGeoch<br />
Why I started Taekwon-Do<br />
I started Taekwon-Do in February 2002 when I was 7 years old. I<br />
came to know about it because lessons were starting in my<br />
school at that time, Christ Church Primary School. Some <strong>of</strong> my<br />
friends and family started with me. I had never been to anything<br />
like it before so I didn’t know what to expect but it was fantastic.<br />
I continued Taekwon-Do for reasons which I am going to explain<br />
later on in this essay. A major reason is that it gives opportunities<br />
to help others.<br />
Helping Others<br />
In Taekwon-Do you help others by teaching them new moves. At<br />
the end <strong>of</strong> a lesson Ms Reeve asked me if I wanted to be an<br />
assistant instructor. My brother had been an assistant instructor<br />
for about 6 months. I was really pleased to be asked and <strong>of</strong><br />
course I said “yes”. I got satisfaction from being able to help<br />
others. At first teaching proved to me that I needed to learn my<br />
theory better. I didn't always know the meaning <strong>of</strong> the patterns or<br />
the Korean words for the moves. I think it's special for me to be<br />
able to teach because I usually learn from people rather than<br />
teaching. This is because I am the youngest child in the family.<br />
Another way Taekwon-Do allows me to help others is through the<br />
demos. I do demos not just to entertain but for fund and to raise<br />
money for schools like Claremont. Claremont school is a school<br />
for disabled children and is also where I do some <strong>of</strong> my Taekwon-<br />
Do classes.<br />
Making new friends<br />
I make new friends in a number <strong>of</strong> ways in Taekwon-Do, not just<br />
at classes but also at tournaments and camps. At the team<br />
tournaments and the County tournament I have got to know the<br />
members <strong>of</strong> my own club better and I've made friends with people<br />
from other clubs. I have been on 3 P.U.M.A. junior camps and<br />
hope to go on the one this year too. I've enjoyed being in the<br />
teams and learning to get on with everyone. Last year I was the<br />
team leader which was a great opportunity to show my potential<br />
in teaching and being a leader. I was awarded a prize at the end<br />
<strong>of</strong> the camp and I was really, really pleased. I made some good<br />
friends but the sad thing is that some <strong>of</strong> them won't be coming<br />
this year because they are too old.<br />
stand still and listen. Soon that stopped and I would never mess<br />
around in class now. Quite recently I have moved to the adult<br />
class and I think that has made me more mature. If I lose in a<br />
tournament I don't make a big fuss but I am disappointed. I try to<br />
learn from people better than me and practice what they did.<br />
Taekwon-Do has also made me fitter, stronger and more flexible.<br />
I can now do a lot <strong>of</strong> quite good press ups and sit ups and I can<br />
kick high. I do a lot <strong>of</strong> other sports and Taekwon-Do has made<br />
me better at these.<br />
Variety<br />
I like the variety <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do because if you are not so good at<br />
one thing there are different aspects.<br />
Classes are always different too. Sometimes we do sparring,<br />
sometimes step sparring and other times we do patterns. Less<br />
<strong>of</strong>ten we do pad work. On the first Sunday <strong>of</strong> each month we<br />
have a class where everyone practices for the spirit test. This<br />
class is outdoors on the Downs and it is never cancelled<br />
whatever the weather.<br />
My Instructors<br />
I think I have some <strong>of</strong> the best Taekwon-Do instructors there are.<br />
They tell me what to work on, they help me and they are funny at<br />
the same time. If you don't do well in a competition they say that<br />
it's having a good attitude that counts.<br />
My Schools<br />
18 months into my Taekwon-Do training I moved to a new school<br />
which made it harder to go to classes and tournaments. This is<br />
because I have Saturday school and the days are long. I also<br />
have to play in various teams for my school. All this stopped me<br />
doing my Leadership Team. However, Ms Reeve and Mr Chance<br />
asked me if I wanted to join the adult classes and I said yes so I<br />
could do more training. I think I am lucky that Taekwon-Do<br />
lessons started in my school. If they hadn’t I might not have<br />
begun Taekwon-Do and I am very grateful for this because I<br />
would not have had so much fun and achieved what I have in<br />
Taekwon-Do.<br />
Gradings<br />
Gradings give you a sense that you are moving on and<br />
progressing. When I first started I did the purple stripe and orange<br />
stripe and I think that gave me confidence for the other belts.<br />
People who don't know very much about Taekwon-Do but are<br />
interested ask “What belt are you?” and I feel proud to tell them.<br />
Better person<br />
I think that Taekwon-Do has also made me a better person<br />
because it teaches you about moral culture – the good way <strong>of</strong><br />
living. When I first started I was only 7 and I found it difficult to<br />
20
DISCIPLINE IN MARTIAL ARTS<br />
A number <strong>of</strong> people have been on to me to write an article about discipline in martial arts schools. This is a topic close<br />
to my heart. Done correctly it allows children to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. Done badly it can leave<br />
emotional scars and a feeling that all martial arts are bad, which will perpetuate into future generations <strong>of</strong> potential<br />
students.<br />
The etiquette we have in our classes is an important first step in instilling a disciplined attitude in our students. However,<br />
this only works if we are the biggest etiquette role models in that class. I call ALL my students from 4 upwards ‘Sir’ or<br />
‘Ma’am’. From their very first lesson I tell them why we do this and lead from the front.<br />
I also explain the need for good discipline and role modelling to the parents <strong>of</strong> students. I encourage them all to stay<br />
and watch the classes so they can buy-in to the process. If you are a parent and you don’t regularly watch your children<br />
train you are missing out on an important element <strong>of</strong> the process. Over the years, my greatest successes as an<br />
instructor have been with children whose parents invest time in watching the classes and then reinforcing the message<br />
at home.<br />
Here are a few tips for discipline in Little P.U.M.A. and junior classes.<br />
JUNIORS<br />
Firstly, there should never be anything that humiliates the child. It is very damaging to make a child stand in the middle<br />
<strong>of</strong> a group <strong>of</strong> their peers and give them any punishment for any reason while all others watch.<br />
Giving exercise such as press-ups as a punishment can set a message that ‘exercise = bad’.<br />
In an environment where exercise plays such a large part in our classes, having children who associate exercise with<br />
punishment can never be good. There are ways where you can associate it with ‘fun punishment’ (such as forfeits etc)<br />
but this is different to discipline.<br />
My view on the best course <strong>of</strong> action is this. Firstly you need to talk to the students, fully explaining the problem and the<br />
behaviour you expect. Reassure them that it is only their behaviour you don’t like. I once sat for a whole lesson with one<br />
<strong>of</strong> my students who was displaying some very disruptive behaviour. After chatting for a little while he looked crestfallen<br />
and said ‘you must really hate me’. I explained that I actually really like him and really enjoyed having him in my class. I<br />
told him the things he was doing that were not correct. Over the course <strong>of</strong> the next few weeks, I saw his behaviour get<br />
better and better and he began to blossom. Unfortunately his parents never watched the class, and never got to see just<br />
what he was capable <strong>of</strong> achieving.<br />
If this doesn’t work, you need to set more realistic goals such as ‘next lesson I want you to do this’. Speak to parents to<br />
see if this is recurring behaviour. Give some written homework i.e. ‘why is it important to listen’ etc.<br />
LITTLE P.U.M.A.s<br />
Little P.U.M.A.s also have very particular needs. At this very formative age, you can have some very positive influences,<br />
and also some very negative ones. I believe any discipline you use with Little P.U.M.A.s should be very gentle (and a<br />
little manipulative). Fun plays a large part. Seeing others rewarded for positive behaviour can sometimes have a great<br />
influence on the rest <strong>of</strong> the class.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the mechanisms I use is to have a ‘concentration area’. I’m not convinced that a time out area sends the right<br />
message. I use an area where children can go and practice their concentration before rejoining the class. I will sit with<br />
them (or one <strong>of</strong> my adult leadership team members), and explain the need to concentrate hard and the correct expected<br />
behaviour. I usually use this time to play an unexpected game, rewarding someone else’s excellent behaviour.<br />
This use <strong>of</strong> language is very important. How you say and do things leaves lasting impressions on the children. On the<br />
child protection course we do an exercise where genuine phrases from coaches <strong>of</strong> many different sports are considered<br />
in isolation. Phrases like ‘that was rubbish’ can be so powerful (in either a good or bad way). Often as instructors and<br />
helpers, it is so easy to react in an emotional or knee jerk way, however it is important to remember the lasting effect<br />
this can have. Language (including body language) is very powerful and things can be taken in different ways depending<br />
on the voice, the group or student you are aiming your comment at, and your intent.<br />
Things to think about then.<br />
If you want to improve your own skills in this area seek out an instructor with large junior classes and see what<br />
they do.<br />
If you are a parent, please try to be more involved in what your children are doing in our classes. You’ll very<br />
quickly see the benefits.<br />
About the author:<br />
Louise Reeve trains under Master Ray Gayle (7 th Degree) at Yate Taekwon-Do. She is P.U.M.A.’s Child Protection<br />
Officer and has trained extensively with the NSPCC. Louise conducts all <strong>of</strong> P.U.M.A.’s child protection training and<br />
undertakes the CRB checking on all instructors, assistants and helpers. She runs her own Taekwon-Do school in<br />
Henleaze, Bristol.<br />
21
By Sue Raven<br />
Children’s Fitness<br />
Are our children getting enough exercise? This is a question<br />
that is being asked more and more and with growing concern.<br />
Numerous recent studies from the world’s leading health and<br />
fitness experts show that children and young adults are more<br />
inactive than ever before, a scary thought if you’re a parent!<br />
So what can we put this down to? Watching TV, videos and<br />
DVDs, surfing the net, playing computer games and chatting<br />
on their mobile phone seem to be the main culprits and<br />
occupy a lot <strong>of</strong> spare time. Whilst these may be fun, they<br />
usually involve sitting still for long periods. In addition less<br />
time is allowed for Physical Education at school, with some<br />
children getting as little as 1 or 2 hours a week. Put this<br />
sedentary lifestyle together with a poor diet and we are<br />
creating a nation <strong>of</strong> obese children.<br />
As parents we need to encourage our children to spend more<br />
time each day getting active and less time on the s<strong>of</strong>a eating<br />
junk food. Here are some <strong>of</strong> the benefits children can get from<br />
regular exercise:<br />
Have stronger muscles and bones.<br />
Improve the health <strong>of</strong> their heart.<br />
Have a leaner body because exercise helps control<br />
body fat<br />
Be less likely to become overweight.<br />
Reduce stress levels<br />
Possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol<br />
levels<br />
Decrease the risk <strong>of</strong> developing type 2 diabetes<br />
Active children increase their chance <strong>of</strong> becoming<br />
healthy adults: children who enjoy exercise may<br />
develop a lifelong, healthy habit <strong>of</strong> being physically<br />
active.<br />
In addition to these health benefits children who are physically<br />
fit sleep better and are more able to handle the physical and<br />
emotional challenges a typical day brings, whether that is<br />
running to catch a bus, bending down to tie their shoe laces,<br />
or studying for a test at school.<br />
So how much physical activity should children be<br />
getting each day?<br />
For good health, children from the age <strong>of</strong> 2 need at least 60<br />
minutes <strong>of</strong> moderate to vigorous physical activity most<br />
days <strong>of</strong> the week but ideally, every day. This total can<br />
include a variety <strong>of</strong> activities such as participating in sports,<br />
dance, running, swimming or martial arts classes to name but<br />
a few. The 60 minutes doesn’t need to be done in one go and<br />
can be broken up into shorter chunks <strong>of</strong> 10-15 minutes at a<br />
time and remember they can always do more if they want to!<br />
Moderate activities are about as intense as a brisk walk, whilst<br />
vigorous activities get your child’s heart pumping. These<br />
include running, dancing and team sports like netball,<br />
basketball and football.<br />
Remember I am talking about the minimum requirements for<br />
good health; some <strong>of</strong> our children may already be very active<br />
attending 2 or 3 martial arts classes a week and taking part in<br />
a variety <strong>of</strong> other activities which is great and should be<br />
encouraged. In a later issue we shall also be looking at safe<br />
and effective exercise levels for junior martial artists and other<br />
ways to complement their training.<br />
However, not every child enjoys physical exercise, particularly<br />
team sports, and <strong>of</strong>ten shies away from them. If this is the<br />
case, get them to try something different until they find<br />
something they do enjoy. Remember the more fun they have<br />
the more likelihood they have <strong>of</strong> sticking with it! There are<br />
many other ways we can encourage our children to stay<br />
active, such as walking to school, skateboarding, mountain<br />
biking, rollerblading or playing football in the park with friends<br />
to name just a few. These can be fun, cost nothing or very<br />
little but will reap high rewards.<br />
Whilst more parents are realising the value <strong>of</strong> a well-planned<br />
exercise program and proper nutrition, with busy lifestyles<br />
many <strong>of</strong> us have trouble incorporating fitness and nutrition into<br />
our children's lives. Healthy eating goes hand-in-hand with<br />
being active and it is important that we cut down on the<br />
takeaways and junk food and instead find the time to give our<br />
children a healthier balanced diet that includes more fruit and<br />
vegetables and provides them with the energy they need for<br />
activity. It is also important to ensure they drink plenty <strong>of</strong><br />
water.<br />
So how can we encourage our children to be more<br />
active?<br />
Start by being a positive role model. If you’re practising<br />
healthy habits it’s a lot easier to convince children to do the<br />
same. Why not get the whole family out together for a bike<br />
ride, try walking the children to school or down to the local<br />
shops instead <strong>of</strong> taking the car? Go swimming at a weekend<br />
or maybe get down to the park and take the ball for a kick<br />
around. You could even try something more adventurous like<br />
horse riding, ice skating or climbing together. You never know,<br />
you might have fun and everyone will benefit from the<br />
exercise and time together!<br />
Encourage your children to take up something they really<br />
enjoy, every child is unique. Look around your area and see<br />
what is on <strong>of</strong>fer. Most health clubs and leisure centres now<br />
<strong>of</strong>fer a wide range <strong>of</strong> activities and classes for the under 16s<br />
including circuit and spinning classes (group cycling) and gym<br />
workouts run by fully qualified staff. Let them experiment with<br />
different activities until they find something that he or she<br />
really loves doing. Be supportive and positive. Everyone likes<br />
to be praised. Go and watch your child and give them<br />
encouragement - you may even want to take part yourself!<br />
22
Summary<br />
Remember for good health, children from the age<br />
<strong>of</strong> 2 need at least 60 minutes <strong>of</strong> moderate to<br />
vigorous physical activity most days <strong>of</strong> the week but<br />
ideally, every day. This can always be broken up<br />
into smaller chunks <strong>of</strong> 10-15 minutes throughout<br />
the day.<br />
Encourage your children to participate in a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> sports or activities they enjoy and will stick at.<br />
Limit the time spent watching the TV, surfing the<br />
net and playing computer games.<br />
Avoid junk food; instead eat a healthy balanced diet<br />
with plenty <strong>of</strong> fruit and vegetables.<br />
Drink plenty <strong>of</strong> water.<br />
Above all let’s encourage our children to get active. Having<br />
FUN and enjoying a healthy lifestyle is something that<br />
everyone should love to do, young and old!<br />
A video game and some junk food being held out <strong>of</strong> reach<br />
yesterday<br />
Sue Raven, Taekwon-Do 1 st Degree Black Belt has been training for 6 years but has been involved in the leisure industry for<br />
over 18 years. She currently works at Plymouth YMCA as the Group Fitness Coordinator and also teaches a number <strong>of</strong> fitness<br />
and aerobic classes as well as being an assessor on fitness courses. She is a fully qualified P.U.M.A. instructor, runs her own<br />
Little P.U.M.A.s School in Exeter and is a Registered Exercise <strong>Pr<strong>of</strong>essional</strong>.<br />
23
Footwork needs to be an integral part <strong>of</strong> a fighter’s armoury; it’s <strong>of</strong>ten either overlooked or even worse in some cases, forgotten about!<br />
I’ve seen some beautiful things in my time and beauty is indeed in the eye <strong>of</strong> the beholder but I have to say one <strong>of</strong> the most beautiful<br />
things I’ve seen recently was Joe Calzaghe fighting with Jeff ‘left hook’ Lacy. You might say that boxing is a horrible brutal sport. Well<br />
maybe it is but that night Calzaghe was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in a boxing ring. In case you’re wondering whether I’ve<br />
lost the plot, I’m talking about his amazing boxing skills particularly his footwork. Lacy was supposed to knock him out with his<br />
fantastic power and aggression. The guy didn’t stand a chance because Calzaghe was too illusive, quick and smart for him.<br />
In short, without good footwork you’ll never get to your opponent but they will always get to you. If you can’t hit them but they’re<br />
always tagging you then you’re going to lose.<br />
Let’s start with the basics. The stance we’re going to be using a traditional boxing stance which is about a shoulder width wide (from<br />
toe to toe), with a similar length.<br />
Again from toe to toe. Most pro boxers lift their back heel slightly <strong>of</strong>f the ground. In fact Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham, one <strong>of</strong> Britain’s best<br />
boxers, taught us this technique at past P.U.M.A. days.<br />
The weight is approximately 60% lead leg and 40% back. You’ll find when your feet are placed in this stance your body will be slightly<br />
turned, which is okay. Sideways on is not okay, at least not when you’re going to throw strong punches. The legs should be slightly<br />
bent. The reason for all <strong>of</strong> the above is balance - without it you can’t punch and you can’t withstand a strong punch from your<br />
opponent.<br />
Whenever you move in the class or the ring, regardless <strong>of</strong> whether you’re going forward back left or right, you should only move one<br />
foot at a time. The term used for this movement is step and drag.<br />
Pivoting footwork can cause your opponent to become frustrated, giving you the vital edge. Going back again to the classic Calzaghe<br />
versus Lacy fight, Joe Calzaghe adopted the pivot turn on numerous occasions, making his opponent look like a complete novice.<br />
A pivot means you turn on the front foot. Orthodox boxers will<br />
turn clockwise, southpaws will turn anti-clockwise. Pivots can be<br />
made the opposite way but aren’t generally favoured. You can<br />
pivot from any angle up to approximately 90 degress in order to<br />
stay well balanced.<br />
Starting position<br />
To the left...<br />
...and to the right.<br />
24
Forward, step 1. Forward, step 2.<br />
Backward, step 1. Backward, step 2.<br />
Backward, ...right?... step 3.<br />
Sideways, step 1<br />
Sideways, step 2.<br />
Sideways, step 3.<br />
Clockwise...<br />
Anticlockwise...<br />
As with most things, try practising your footwork slowly first before you even start punching or blocking, gradually increase your<br />
speed and mobility until it becomes second nature. Good luck and see you again soon,<br />
Malcolm Jones, malcolmjones@puma-uk.com<br />
25
Various Types Of Motion<br />
If you are 8 th kup or above, you will already know that Taekwondo<br />
has several different types <strong>of</strong> ‘motions.’ They are introduced<br />
gradually throughout the colour belt pattern syllabus and the first<br />
example appears in pattern Dan-Gun. This article will attempt to<br />
define these different types <strong>of</strong> movement. As with any art-form,<br />
there is sometimes room for interpretation; personally I think this<br />
is a good thing – it allows all students <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-do to question<br />
the approach. Without questioning your surroundings, you<br />
cannot hope to grow beyond them.<br />
Normal motion<br />
It seems nonsense to start defining other types <strong>of</strong> motion without<br />
first defining the ‘normal’ one. Basically, normal motion applies to<br />
the vast majority <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-do techniques. It uses normal<br />
rhythm, normal breathing and normal timing.<br />
Slow Motion (noo-rin dongjak)<br />
Movement is performed slowly with slow breathing. This is used<br />
to emphasise an important movement and to check balance,<br />
control, breathing and strength, i.e. strong leg muscles are needed<br />
in order to control the transfer <strong>of</strong> weight into the stance.<br />
Precisely how slowly a movement is performed is not written in<br />
stone, however if you try to count “one thousand, two thousand,<br />
three thousand, four thousand” in your head whilst performing<br />
the movement this should give you good timing. Remember to<br />
breathe on slow movements; they are still techniques and all<br />
techniques require breath. Breath control amounts for almost<br />
one 5 th <strong>of</strong> the marks available in tournament patterns, so if you<br />
do not breathe on slow movements you may lose the round!<br />
Make the breath audible, (just like on normal movements) but<br />
controlled. Also, try to time the hands and feet together as you<br />
would normally. This is difficult but shows good control when you<br />
can perfect it.<br />
Fast Motion (baren dongjak)<br />
Fast movements usually occur in twos. Think <strong>of</strong> fast motion as<br />
being urgent and aggressive with normal breathing. Fast motion<br />
is nearly always used with attacks, most commonly two punches;<br />
‘Short-cut’ your sine wave and spring straight from the first<br />
movement into the next. The techniques usually have separate<br />
sine waves (though sometimes a body shift is used instead) and<br />
both techniques have their own sharp breath.<br />
In some instances, fast motion is described in the performance<br />
<strong>of</strong> two kicks. Examples are in pattern Hwa-Rang, movements 18<br />
& 19 (high turning kicks) and in pattern Choong Moo,<br />
movements 14 & 15 (high turning kick and middle back piercing<br />
kick). When performing these movements, do not rush them just<br />
because they are in ‘fast motion.’ They may indeed be executed<br />
faster than two normal speed hand techniques, simply because<br />
kicks can generally be performed more quickly anyway, but don’t<br />
let the idea <strong>of</strong> ‘fast motion’ throw your nice technique out <strong>of</strong> the<br />
window!<br />
Continuous Motion (chari-chari dongjak)<br />
The way that continuous motion is performed has been updated<br />
in recent times, so please pay particular attention to this section.<br />
Continuous motion describes two or more techniques that are<br />
performed each with their own sine wave but with one<br />
continuous breath throughout. This breath must be<br />
accentuated on the actual techniques themselves, and be<br />
quieter/s<strong>of</strong>ter in between the impact <strong>of</strong> the two techniques. Both<br />
techniques are fully completed (as with all normal movements)<br />
but you should allow your body to flow from one technique to the<br />
other. Continuous movements always start with a block.<br />
Connecting Motion (ee-o-jin dongjak)<br />
This is when two movements share both one sine wave and one<br />
breath. The first technique occurs on the highest point <strong>of</strong> your<br />
sine wave and the second technique ends <strong>of</strong> the “down” phase<br />
at the end. Generally the first technique is some kind <strong>of</strong> ‘s<strong>of</strong>t’<br />
block (hooking block or scooping block). This s<strong>of</strong>tness means<br />
that there is no dramatic impact on these blocks. The breath<br />
control mirrors this, by starting gently and building to an<br />
emphatic exhale on the second technique, which is usually an<br />
attack. Note that the ‘s<strong>of</strong>tness’ <strong>of</strong> the first block doesn’t mean do<br />
it slow motion.<br />
In the case <strong>of</strong> connecting motion, think <strong>of</strong> the first technique (a<br />
block) setting up for second technique which is a counter-attack<br />
to the initial attack against you.<br />
Consecutive Kicks (yonsok chagi)<br />
A consecutive kick is when two or more kicks are executed from<br />
the same leg without that leg touching the floor in between.<br />
No. sine waves No. breaths Other details<br />
Normal Motion 1 1 n/a<br />
Slow Motion<br />
n/a<br />
1 controlled breath for the duration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
movement<br />
Hands, feet, eyes and breath end together<br />
Fast Motion 2 2 Performed with a sense <strong>of</strong> urgency<br />
Continuous Motion 2<br />
Connecting Motion 1<br />
1 continuous breath, emphasised on the<br />
impact <strong>of</strong> the techniques and s<strong>of</strong>ter in<br />
between them<br />
1, which is s<strong>of</strong>t for the first movement and<br />
becomes more explosive for the second<br />
Complete each movement but flow from one<br />
to the next<br />
n/a<br />
Quick Reference: this chart should be used to quickly reference the type <strong>of</strong> motion needed.<br />
26
Patterns Details<br />
This chart describes the different motions in all patterns up to 1 st degree. I have included the movement number according to the<br />
encyclopaedia and a brief description <strong>of</strong> the movement for quick reference.<br />
Chon-Ji<br />
Slow Motion Fast Motion Continuous Motion Connecting Motion Consecutive Kick<br />
Dan-Gun<br />
13 & 14:<br />
low block, rising block<br />
Do-San<br />
15 & 16, 19 & 20:<br />
observe-reverse<br />
punches<br />
Won-Hyo<br />
Yul-Gok<br />
2 & 3, 5 & 6, 9 & 10,<br />
13 & 14:<br />
obverse-reverse<br />
punches<br />
16 & 17, 19 & 20:<br />
hooking block, punch<br />
Joong-Gun<br />
Toi-Gye<br />
27 & 29:<br />
palm pressing blocks<br />
30:<br />
angle punch<br />
3 & 6:<br />
side-backfist strike<br />
12:<br />
twin elbow thrust<br />
7 & 8:<br />
x-fist pressing block,<br />
twin vertical punch<br />
Hwa-Rang<br />
Choong-Moo<br />
18 & 19:<br />
turning kicks<br />
14 & 15:<br />
turning kick, back<br />
piercing kick<br />
Kwang-Gye<br />
2 & 3:<br />
upset punches<br />
10 & 11:<br />
upward palm blocks<br />
21 & 22:<br />
palm pressing blocks<br />
26 & 30:<br />
finger tip thrusts<br />
13 & 14, 17 & 18:<br />
pressing kick, side<br />
piercing kick<br />
Po-Eun<br />
6-12, 24 - 30:<br />
punches, elbows and<br />
blocks (Note an<br />
exception: continuous<br />
movements with fast<br />
breath control)<br />
Gae-Baek<br />
3 & 4:<br />
observe-reverse<br />
punches<br />
22 & 23:<br />
turning kick, flying side<br />
kick<br />
5 & 6:<br />
rising block, low block<br />
9 & 10, 29 & 30:<br />
scooping block, punch<br />
37 & 38:<br />
low guarding blocks<br />
Until next time, Taekwon!<br />
Are there any aspects <strong>of</strong> Taekwon-Do that you would like me to investigate and divulge? If so, feel free to contact me<br />
at tkd@cardiffmartialarts.com . I look forward to your suggestions.<br />
Kevin McCabe, 4th degree black belt, has trained in Taekwon-Do for over 15 years. He is a member <strong>of</strong> the P.U.M.A.<br />
management team as Technical Assistant. He aids senior instructors with training duties at P.U.M.A. camps and other events<br />
and also teaches technical and pattern seminars. He trains under Master Ray Gayle and teaches his own schools in Cardiff<br />
East and Cardiff Central.<br />
27
By Claire King and Ollie King<br />
Hello. Well, we are back again with the second Bo form - sorry it’s taken so long. If you are familiar with the form you will be<br />
aware that there are twirling movements on some <strong>of</strong> the moves which aren’t compulsory but do make the form flow a lot better.<br />
Hopefully you can use this as an aid to help you remember the form but we are quite happy to come and teach your schools if<br />
you want.<br />
1. Start in ready position<br />
(choon bee)<br />
2. Turn to the left into a front<br />
stance and execute a low<br />
block.<br />
2. This shows transition<br />
movement after performing<br />
low block, ready to perform<br />
high block.<br />
2. Perform a high block, still in<br />
same stance as before (low<br />
block high block one step).<br />
3. Now stepping through into<br />
front stance with a high strike.<br />
4. Front leg steps all the way<br />
to the rear performing a low<br />
block.<br />
4. Pulling bo back ready for<br />
high block.<br />
4. Execute a high block.<br />
28
5. Step through into front<br />
stance, performing a high<br />
strike.<br />
6. Coming down the middle<br />
performing a low block.<br />
6. Then high block (in same<br />
stance).<br />
7. Stepping through into front<br />
stance striking down on top <strong>of</strong><br />
the head, taking the front <strong>of</strong><br />
the bo across the body.<br />
7. Taking bo out to the left and<br />
stepping through with your left<br />
leg behind your right<br />
performing a spin.<br />
7. Finish previous move with<br />
high block.<br />
8. Stepping through into front<br />
stance with a lunging spear<br />
attack. Ki-hap on this move.<br />
9. Step across with the left leg<br />
behind the right leg to the right<br />
and perform low block.<br />
9. Refer to transition<br />
movement and perform high<br />
block.<br />
10. Stepping through into front<br />
stance, perform high strike.<br />
11. Stepping back through 180<br />
degrees to left, perform low<br />
block.<br />
11. Same transition movement<br />
and execute a high block.<br />
29
12. Stepping through, front<br />
stance high strike.<br />
13. Coming back down,<br />
middle perform low block.<br />
13. Then high block. 14. Stepping through into<br />
horse stance performing a<br />
mid-section strike which ends<br />
45 degrees <strong>of</strong>f the centre line.<br />
15. Turning to the rear perform<br />
a high block.<br />
16. Stepping forward, perform<br />
a lunging spear.<br />
17. Turning all the way round<br />
to right, perform a low block.<br />
17. As before, execute high<br />
block.<br />
18. Stepping through high<br />
strike.<br />
19. Turning to the rear again<br />
and do a low block.<br />
19. Same as before, high<br />
block.<br />
20. Stepping through and<br />
perform a high strike (with<br />
ki-hap).<br />
30
A Oil it.<br />
A Because he didn’t peel well.<br />
A A Cow with no lips.<br />
A A stick.<br />
Q What illness do martial artists catch?<br />
A Kung Flu<br />
Got some jokes? Email them to us at<br />
and maybe see your name<br />
in print!<br />
What a bother... P.U.M.A. Squad member Stacey Weatherer is<br />
dressing up to attend the world famous roller disco in some<br />
northern town. She wants to wear her best pair <strong>of</strong> socks for the<br />
evening but one <strong>of</strong> them is missing! If you can’t find it for her at<br />
the back <strong>of</strong> her neon pink wardrobe she’ll have to wear odd<br />
socks and that would look ridiculous!<br />
L O T G H M T P V F A<br />
H K I P A E G L U E B<br />
A O O R A G N A K E O<br />
R A R K J T F T A R R<br />
G L N I M R I Y D R I<br />
N A F B S U E P G E G<br />
O D K C A B T U O I I<br />
L A Y E N D Y S O R N<br />
E H J W M C O L P R E<br />
E L I D O C O R C A E<br />
G G N A R E M O O B L<br />
31