Issue 22 - Professional Unification of Martial Arts

PLANET P.U.M.A.
enter the room and they go straight into combination drills which after 4 to 5 minutes start to slow them
down. It is quite clear that their fitness levels are exceptional. The drills last for 15 minutes, after which
the candidates put on their focus hand pads. They start again, and the pads boom from the power of the
techniques, the candidates are all serious about getting their grades. The panel watches everyone closely,
observing every move, kick, punch, strike, and the standard of fitness and technique.
After 25 minutes everyone puts on their sparring equipment. The adrenalin is flowing so much they are
still breathing hard when they pair up, the panel watch and wait. Attention and bow and they start free
sparring. The pace they start with is as if they have only just started their grading. After 3 rounds of two
minutes each, the candidates stop, remove their sparring equipment and reform. The grading finishes
with press ups and sit ups, before the candidates fall out to wait for their power tests. Mr. Walker instructs
them to perform their most powerful techniques against the pad. The juniors go first, striking the
pads with so much power the hall booms again. We move on to the adults with a noticeable increase in
power. As they are finishing the power tests the first of the junior 1 st kups enter to begin their Taekwondo
grading. They identify themselves and go straight into performing Chon-Ji then on to Do-San followed
by Won-Hyo and Joong-Gun. It’s like watching a squad team all in unison. As Joong-Gun begins, I look to
the other side of the hall and its question time for the kickboxers, with Mr. Harper and Mr. Lammin asking
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