Editor - Professional Unification of Martial Arts

Daniel Lammin
4th degree Taekwon-Do
Editor
The days are getting longer and the weather better - what more could you want? Issue 16 of Planet P.U.M.A. of course. 2009 looks like
another busy year for our association with the calendar once again jam-packed with everything from tournaments to training camps and
much more.
As usual you will find all of your regular favourites including the Taekwon-Do technical column where Miss Jenny Francis explains all
about the use of body rotation in movements. In the Kickboxing column Mr David Harper goes back to basics looking at both stances
and the different styles of guard that can be used in the ring. I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome Mrs Jo Walker to the team.
Mrs Walker has recently taken on the role of Little P.U.M.A.s coordinator and has also agreed to help us make the children’s page bigger
and better.
Away from our regular columns we also have an interview with Mr Dik Chance, second degree black belt and F.A.S.T. Defence Bulletman.
Find out all about F.A.S.T. and his involvement with developing it in Europe. There’s also a full report on the squad trip to Slavonski
Brod in Croatia from the supporters perspective. Find out how P.U.M.A.s men and women fared when they took on competitors from
11 European countries. Closer to home Rebecca Vickers tells us all about the intrepid P.U.M.A. students who took on the mighty
Commando Challenge and survived (just).
Have trouble managing your nerves at gradings or tournaments? Then worry no further! Dr Matthew Lloyd gives you the tools to help
control your nerves (without the need for Derren Brown to come and hypnotize you).
Last, but by no means least, we look back at last October’s black belt grading with a full list of the results an award winners. All black
belt gradings are special but the October grading was notable for the number of senior grades promoted, with 5 new fourth degrees, 1
new fifth degree, 2 new sixth degrees and of course 1 new seventh degree Master. The number of senior grades just goes to show the
strength in depth which makes P.U.M.A. such a fantastic organization to be part of. I would like to congratulate everyone who was
successful at the grading but wish to make special mention of two people. Firstly, the evergreen Heart and Soul award winner Norman
Luker, who who was promoted to first degree aged 73 years young. If you haven’t had the privilege of meeting or training with the man
himself then make sure you tune in next time when we’ll have a full interview with a man who shows us age is no barrier to training hard
and achieving your goals. And secondly, Master John Black. There’s nothing that I can say about this great man that hasn’t already
been said. There couldn’t be a more deserving recipient of the title Master and P.U.M.A. just wouldn’t be the same without him! Smashingly
unselfish person that he is, Master Black has treated us to another edition of anecdotes, this time paying tribute to the Gurkhas he
trained and worked with.
Get yourself feasting on that little lot while we slave away on your June helping. See you then...
Daniel Lammin
Editor Planet P.U.M.A.
Richard Potter
3rd degree Taekwon-Do
Assistant Editor

What's Inside
Editorial 2
Well, nobody makes you read it.
Interview: Mr Dik Chance 4
The bulletman discusses bulletman stuff.
Random Stuff 6
Small things for your pleasure.
Royal Marines Commando Challenge 8
How much mud can you eat? Mr Bishop and company find out...
Croatia 2008 10
The P.U.M.A. Squad’s December trip to Eastern Europe.
Anchoring And Managing States 12
Some more brain-management skills.
Black Belt Grading Results 14
The full results from the October 2008 grading.
Grading Essay: “Should Martial Arts Be In The Olympics?” 16
The winning adult essay from the October black belt grading.
The Junior Master 17
Master Ogborne pays tribute to old pal and new master John Black.
Tales From The Black Side 18
In this instalment: Gurkhas!
Taekwon-Do 20
Natural body rotation explained.
Health And Fitness 22
Training advice for the over 40s.
Kickboxing 24
Self-defence in the ring.
Children’s Corner 27
What’s that? No, it can’t be...
The Team
Editor Mr Daniel Lammin
Assistant Editor Mr Richard Potter
Contributors Ms Fran White, Mr Dik Chance, Master Mark Ogborne, Mr Richard Potter, Ms Becky Vickers, Mr
Ian Hallett, Mr Matthew D Lloyd, Ms Julie Foster, Master John Black, Miss Jenny Francis, Ms
Wendy McColl, Mr David Harper, Ms Joe Walker
Email magazine@puma-uk.com
Planet P.U.M.A. is published quarterly. For letters or article proposals, please contact the editorial team at the email address above.
To locate your local club or for further information about P.U.M.A. please visit the official website at www.puma-uk.com or call the
P.U.M.A. hotline on 0845 600 1967.
This magazine is copyright 2009 The Professional Unification of Martial Arts Ltd. All individual articles are the copyright of their
respective authors. Opinions expressed are those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect those of P.U.M.A.. Unauthorised
reproduction is prohibited.

Dik Chance
P.U.M.A. led the charge in Europe by being the first people to
bring F.A.S.T. Defence over from America. In previous issues
of Planet PUMA, we’ve interviewed F.A.S.T. founder Bill
Kipp, as well as having many interesting articles from F.A.S.T
mover and shaker Dik Chance.
In this edition, Fran White talks to Dik to find out what he’s up
to and where F.A.S.T is going.
Dik, can you tell us a little about your own journey. How did
you get here?
I grew up in quite a rough area, one of the largest council estates
in the UK. It was, and still is, a place where violence was
commonplace. However, the difference to today seems to be
respect and consequence. My dad worked in one of the local
factories, and it wasn’t unusual for the foreman to settle work
related problems with a straightener. Problems like domestic
violence, robbery etc was often sorted out locally without the
police being involved.
It sounds delightful
Well, I’d like to tell you that I was a local tough guy with a huge
rep. But the truth is that most of my memories of that time are just
fear, noise, bodies colliding and random injuries. Memories of
getting the stuffing kicked out of me and my teeth broken. I still
have uneven front teeth from one such occasion. I’ve never got
around to having them properly fixed. At the time the dentist just
ground them smooth.
How did you become part of P.U.M.A.?
At the time I was Master Gayle’s student. So it was the most
natural thing in the world to follow him into his new association.
The possibility of doing anything else never crossed my mind. I
helped him with the very first junior camp a few short days after
P.U.M.A became a public entity.
And F.A.S.T. Defence?
Even during my early martial arts training, I noticed how little the
beauty of the art and friendliness of the training resembled my
own experience of reality. I trained outside the art quite a lot with
some fantastic reality instructors. But the first time I saw F.A.S.T. I
knew I had to be involved. So when the opportunity to travel to
the USA with a group of P.U.M.A. school owners to train as a
bulletman, I jumped at it.
I was drawn to F.A.S.T. because it’s for everyone. Men, women
and children; people with no previous experience, people with
injuries and disabilities.
That must have been a fantastic experience
Absolutely. We trained at RMCAT (Rocky Mountain Combat
Application Centre). It’s high in the Colorado Rockies – well over
8500 feet above sea level. It was the end of January, so there
was 6 feet of snow everywhere and the temperatures were
ridiculously cold. The water filled base of the BOB dummy in the
dojo was completely frozen. Our bulletmen suits had been in the
garage for a week and were pretty solid when we tried to put
them on for the first time.
So that was your first time in the suit?
4
Yep, and what an experience it was. I’d only had a few hours
of sleep, it was freezing cold and we were 8500 feet up. I don’t
mind telling you that when I had my first taste of the suit, it was
TOUGH. I got so out of breath that I had to rip the helmet off. It
was pretty claustrophobic.
So it’s not as easy as you guys make it look then?
(laughing) No it isn’t. We are always very careful when we
select new bulletmen because it’s not for everyone.
Aren’t you one of only three people in the world that can
train new teams?
That’s true. Back in 2005, I formally arranged a deal with Bill
Kipp to allow a couple of us to do that. Until then every
F.A.S.T. instructor was trained by Bill. I went to the USA and
discussed it with him, then brought the findings to the rest of
the P.U.M.A. team. We all agreed to go ahead with it.
Do you use Bill’s syllabus?
Yes we do. It’s important that all the F.A.S.T. instructors
around the world teach the same material and are trained to
the same standards. That said, I had to develop and document
the instructor training syllabus that we use. Bill developed
F.A.S.T. so it’s true to say that he teaches from memory and
has no need for instructor training material. I developed our
method of training new instructors from scratch. I’ve also
interviewed all the potential new instructors.
You interview people?
We actually have quite a strict process for selecting new
instructors. First of all, when they initially enquire, I spend a
long time explaining all the aspects (good and bad) and
provide them with an information pack. Then we like them to
come on some courses so we can see how they perform
under pressure. In parallel to that, I also conduct an interview
with them (rather like a job interview), just to see what their
background is like and what sort of people they are.

Is that important then?
Absolutely. In the F.A.S.T. training we portray some of the worst
people in society. This position requires people with the utmost
empathy and understanding. It is a position that could very
easily be abused by the wrong person. Also we’ve had quite a
few people state quite emphatically that they want to be
instructors until they’ve seen the bulletmen in action (and the
punishment they take). We also undertake background
checking on all instructor teams, including CRB enhanced
disclosures.
Have you turned people down then?
Yes I have. One of the most recent was a chap I met in
Germany. He is an instructor in another reality system. When I
met him he was proudly boasting of his exploits in a road rage
incident. He wasn’t best pleased when I told him I didn’t think he
had the temperament to be a FAST instructor. We’ve also
turned people down because the team as a whole was not
comfortable with them. The F.A.S.T. team is really important to
us all.
Where have you trained teams so far?
So far I’ve trained five new teams in the UK, plus others in
Holland and Germany. It’s been really interesting hosting the
Dutch and German guys in Bristol for their interviews and
discussions. Holland in particular has a great martial arts scene,
and they take their training very seriously.
Is it just you teaching these teams?
No, when I developed the instructor training pack I wanted it to
be a team effort. So far all the teams have been trained as a
joint effort by me, Miss Reeve and Mr Jones. I think that team
teaching means the new people get the absolute best possible
training. When you are dealing with something like F.A.S.T. this
is really important.
Do you have a title with the F.A.S.T. team?
Have you been talking to Bill Kipp (laughs). I’m not a big lover of
titles and position. I think of the F.A.S.T. in Europe as a big
family or team. We don’t have any grades in the F.A.S.T.
Instructor team because they aren’t particularly needed. Bill
keeps referring to me as ‘European Director of F.A.S.T.’ I think
he does it just to wind me up.
But isn’t that kind of what you do?
I know, and I’m happy to be doing the work, I’m just not that
hungry for titles. I do the job because I love F.A.S.T. I want to
make sure that the right people are teaching it, the standard of
instructors is high and that it’s as widely available to those that
Training with Bill Kipp.
5
need it most. This training changes people’s lives. We’ve even
used it as part of the recovery process for people suffering from
post-violent abuse issues.
So can you tell us where F.A.S.T. is going?
Sure. Within P.U.M.A., the team will continue to visit schools
and put of F.A.S.T. courses for any group that wants them.
Providing P.U.M.A. students and families with access to the
courses is one of our top priorities. Visiting schools is also one
of our favourite things. There are certain schools that we fight
over because they take such great care of us. Mr Harper’s
school at Gravesend is one of those. They even made us little
bulletmen cakes the last time we were there.
Auditioning for Spiderman 7.
And outside P.U.M.A.?
Well there are now more F.A.S.T. instructors outside P.U.M.A.
than within. One of my roles is to continue to build the European
F.A.S.T. family and make sure everyone is providing the best
training. I’m currently interviewing a couple of new potential
teams, and planning some continuation training for existing
teams.
And the new F.A.S.T. Combatives?
Aha, now that’s an interesting thread. F.A.S.T Combatives is a
programme that I’ve developed with Bill Kipp and our friend Mike
Buchschatz in Germany. It’s a programme of reality based
training that doesn’t require the bulletmen. It designed to be a
weekly class format rather like other martial arts and reality
systems. It takes all our knowledge and experience of reality
and years of F.A.S.T training and creates an absolutely brilliant
format for instructors to teach.
Are people teaching this right now?
Absolutely. Bill, Mike and I have certified over 30 instructors
around the world. We even have one completely dedicated
F.A.S.T. Combatives school in Solihull. We also have a number
of rather famous instructors. International author Dan Millman,
who wrote Way of the Peaceful Warrior and a host of other
books, is teaching. We also have Canada’s top law enforcement
trainer and an Emmy award winning producer.
That sounds really exciting
Yep, we are really excited about how well people are receiving
it. We’ve had some fantastic feedback from some very
experienced people. But the proof of the system is in the
students in produces. I’m seeing those results in my own school,
with people that have been doing simple monthly seminars with
me. A lot of those people recently faced a bulletman for the first

time. His comments was that ‘he’d never been in a class
where so many ordinary people hit so hard’.
Isn’t there one disabled instructor?
Yes, a chap called Derek Mortland from the USA. He’s an
ex-professional motorcycle racer who was paralysed in an
accident on the track ten years ago. He is a fantastic
instructor, who hits like a freight train. We are really proud that
he is teaching F.A.S.T. Combatives. Working with him has
been really eye opening for Mike, Bill and I. He has no
movement from the chest down so all his power is generated
in the upper body. Mind you, when you see the size of his
arms you understand why. He climbs mountains using
equipment that is basically a chin up bar on a ratchet. Imagine
chinning your way up the side of a cliff.
What would you say to people who think they don’t need
this sort of training?
Well basically, I truly hope they are right. That they never need
it or, if they do, any other training they’ve done will stand up for
them. The F.A.S.T. teams experience though is that everyone
who comes on a course gets something from this training.
Although it looks scary, it isn’t. All our training is carefully
designed to make everyone grow and improve. People often
look at what we do as just fighting a big shouty man in a
padded suit. However it is so very much more. We are using
this training for self-improvement seminars, for corporate
training, for assertiveness seminars and so much more.
With Taekwon-Do, F.A.S.T. Defence and Combatives, do
you actually have any time off then?
DC (laughing): Not really no. I spend most of my time
teaching, training, or thinking about teaching or training. But I
spend a lot of time working with really great people around the
world, helping people to change their lives for the better. Who
needs downtime? When I do get some though, I usually spend
it reading in coffee shops or playing the guitar. But one of the
things that F.A.S.T and Taekwon-Do has given me is an
absolutely fantastic life. I love what I do.
Thanks Sir.
About the author:
Fran White is a 2 nd Degree Blackbelt and trains under Ms
Reeve and Mr Chance at Henleaze and Clifton Taekwon-Do.
She also runs her own Little PUMAs classes at Henleaze.
6
The silly nonsense page.
Gloucester Girls Rugby Academy -
Visit By Master Ogborne
Fresh from another Bath ladies rugby seminar, just
before Christmas, I was invited to Gloucester rugby club
to coach at the girls’ academy.
Beth Hughes one of Master Gayle`s black belts from
Yate, had contacted her coach after reading the write up
in Planet P.U.M.A. .I travelled up from Somerset on
Friday 2nd Jan 2009. It was of course was my first
session back and I was not looking forward to the
journey, expecting long delays and traffic jams, I left at
2pm to give myself plenty of time. The journey was not
too bad and took me just under 3 hours.I was to meet
the coaches, Lisa Walsh and Gary Townsend at the
Premier Inn before the first session on Friday night. This
gave me plenty of time to settle in , shower, and get
changed into my Dobok. I met Lisa in the foyer, she
gave me the usual once over and a look of surprise at
my height (which now I am in my forties, I am quite used
to). I stepped outside and in to the other coach’s
car…Wow! a new Jaguar. They quickly took me off to
the training venue, but there was no one there to open
up the school hall. While we were waiting for the Janitor
I spoke at length to Gary and to my surprise went to the
same junior school as myself and Master Gayle, what a
small world. The girls/young ladies had turned up raring
to go. It was freezing stood outside so we decided to go
to the local tennis centre where Gary had a contact who
would let us train. The session was for the under 18
squad. We started with a warm up (TKD style) and
followed up with hand techniques and punching
combinations. I then introduced them to some pad work,
which of course they loved. Beth, Master Gayle’s
student shone throughout the session and it was great
to have her there supporting me. Although this was a
Rugby team, I still enforced P.U.M.A. etiquette at all
times. The girls were bare footed and bowed to each
other, counted in Korean and maintained silence in the
class………well most of the time. We had lots of fun and
many laughs. The class finished at 8:30pm and the girls
seemed to enjoy the class about reaction, confidence
and focus, which I hoped would help them with their
rugby training
I went back to the hotel, changed and met my friend
Master Gayle, in near by Cirencester for a meal, a really
nice end to the day.
I did not sleep well at the hotel as there was a party
going on which started around 3:00am and was still
going on the following morning. The complaints meant
that Gloucester rugby got there bill reimbursed but that
was no help to me, I was trashed. I was to meet Gary
and Lisa in the foyer at 7:15am but had to wake them
up, as they had no sleep during the night either. Ah well,
we had breakfast and set out towards Heartpury college.
This turned out to be a fantastic venue which was a
massive sports complex. The first class was for under

11`s and if you teach little P.U.M.A.s then you will know
how the class started out. In time the girls warmed to
Martial Arts and then went into overdrive. I think the
watching parents enjoyed my humour even if the girls
did not. The next session was for the under 16s and this
was a big class of around 30 rugby mad girls. This
group was very responsive, I kept the training strictly to
Martial Arts and they really enjoyed themselves. It was
nice too to see that the parents appreciated the class
also and many of them asked if there was a class in
Gloucester were they could send their children? The
coaches and I then went for lunch, which was much
appreciated. We were on a schedule as we had been
invited to watch the Premiership match between
Gloucester and Saracens at 3pm. It was a great
atmosphere with a capacity 16,000 crowd. I had asked
for a extra ticket for Master G and we settled in to watch
the match at the west terrace. The crowd were in full
voice. There was a certain amount of tension as
Gloucester were second in the table and chasing glory.
It was a great game but by half time we were both
frozen through. It had been -6 degrees that morning and
it had not really warmed up. With 14 Dans of martial arts
courage we decided to call it a day and go for a coffee
on the motorway to warm up our sensitive hands!
Both coaches complimented the training methods of
P.U.M.A. martial arts and called me the next day to
thank me for the sessions. They have already asked me
to go back again next season.
Thanks too to the Hughes family for setting up the
contact.
For more info go to www.gloucestergirlsrugby.com.
CELEBRITY LOOKALIKE
A feature where we find people in P.U.M.A. who
look a bit like somebody famous.
Some might say we’re picking on Master Ogborne a
bit, but his chameleonic talents are eminently
beholdable. Some say with his smart new hairstyle
he’s starting to look like top sweary chef Gordon
Ramsey. Nice.
7
Film Review: The Foot Fist Way
Rated 15
This low budget independent film enjoyed a fleeting
UK cinema release back in the Autumn. The
wince-inducing trailor has been pinging its way
round round the web * for some time now but the full
thing should be available in full DVD glory by the
time you read this.
Think “The Office” set in a dojang. Fred Simmons,
fourth degree Taekwon-Do black belt and instructor,
is the martial arts instructor from hell. He’s an
arrogant hypocrite, blames his students for
mishaps, swears in front of juniors and never misses
a chance to big himself up. And to top it off he owns
a flash car, which is never a good sign.
After allowing us a few minutes to get acquainted
with Fred’s normal loathsomeness, the story hits him
for six with a personal crisis, thereby allowing him
to become even more stupid and unpleasant. Will
the strengths and values he preaches to his class
hold him in good stead? Will he patch up his
problems? Will he get to meet his movie idol Chuck
“The Truck” Wallace? And will everyone be ready in
time for their grading?
The script is peppered with martial arts cultural cues
that some longer-serving students will appreciate,
including the student who thinks he’s hard, a rubbish
pressure point seminar and a fifth dan loon who
doesn’t believe in belts. We are also treated to the
worst performance of Po Eun ever.
This is a difficult film to recommend. It might look
like a reasonably vicious hatchet job against our
beloved art, however its barbs are mainly aimed at
an individual hate figure and everybody enjoys
watching unpleasant people get their comeuppance,
don’t they? The big surprise is the various training
and grading montages sprinkled through the movie
are surprisingly reverential in tone.
Overall this film bears as much resemblance to
martial arts training as Eastenders does to with real
life. It’s not a classic and the copious adult and
bad-taste content renders it unsuitable for most of
you, but those that enjoy Will Ferrell films should dig
it.
Finally, if your instructor is anything like Mr Simmons
then run for the hills.
* P.U.M.A. does not endorse viewing copyrighted
material illegally on YouTube, okay?

Royal Marine
Commando Challenge
The annual Royal Marine Commando challenge charity event started in 1990, with 80 entrants raising £3000. Since then it has
gone from strength to strength. Last year’s event, which took place on 12th October, saw the Royal Marine training territory filled
to capacity with 4000 participants from far and wide taking part (a staggering 3000 applications had to be turned down). The 2008
event alone is expected to have raised over £200,000 for charity. Sixteen intrepid (read; brave or stupid) Taekwon-Do students
from Bodmin, Liskeard and Torpoint schools in Cornwall joined in the fun. "Have you got what it takes?" was the question asked
by the event organisers, and each of us set off hoping to prove that, for one day at least, we did...
Glorious Autumnal sunshine warmed us (The Taekwon-Do
Dodos as we were to be known) when we met by the
Tamar Bridge mid morning ready to travel in convoy to our
destination. Laughing and joking, little did we know that
within hours we would be chest deep in rivers, crawling on
our bellies through long dark tunnels and 'enjoying' a dunk
through the notorious 'sheep dip', assisted by the Nations
Finest. So, just what did it take to complete the Commando
Challenge and live to tell the tale?
The 7 mile challenge started with a 1200 metre cross
country run, followed by a two mile road run that would
take us to the start of the 3 mile endurance challenge on
Woodbury Common. After facing numerous obstacles over
wet, rough ground it was two miles back on the road (all of
us at least a stone heavier thanks to the mud and water)
and the final 1200 metre 'dash' (read; fatigued jog) to the
finish line.
What would possess anyone to do such a thing? Just one week
after a grueling spirit test with Mr Lammin and Mr Harper at the
Black Belt grading my legs were crying the same question.
Planet P.U.M.A. seemed the appropriate vehicle to expose the
two protagonists. Karl Hammond (8th Kup Liskeard School) and
Ian Ellis (3rd Kup Torpoint School). Karl Hammond (a
Commando trained soldier himself) was the first person to
suggest that we put forward a team (before that, we had been
in ignorant bliss of the events existence). Unfortunately for Karl
a tour of duty in Afghanistan meant he could not be there with
us on the day to have a good laugh at the civvies playing
soldiers. Ian helped coordinate the Taekwon-Do Dodos' entry
and paperwork and provided guidance on what to, and more
importantly, what not to wear (sorry Mr Bishop no spandex this
time!). Ian was conspicuous by his absence when the day
loomed…I think I heard the words “bad back” or “twisted ankle”
and “I did it last year”!
8
For those of you who have experienced a black belt
spirit test you will have heard phrases like, "this is
not a fitness test, this is about pushing yourself and
supporting and encouraging others". Well, believe it
or not, the Commando Challenge was just the same.
Obviously the fitter people found it less strenuous but
there was little you could do to prepare yourself for
running five miles completely soaked in water, with
muddy boots and having to drag yourself through
pitch black tunnels.
With team speeds calculated when the last person
crossed the finish line, teams were encouraged to
stay together and support each other throughout. All
of us benefited from this support which included
rallying cries from fellow runners as we crossed
paths, them, dripping with mud shouting support as
we ventured out embarrassingly clean! From Zoe
Cudmore feeling sick after the initial 1200m run, to
Lisa Wheatley quashing her claustrophobia to crawl
through 20 metre tunnels in complete darkness and
Stuart Adams hopping the last two miles with twisted
knee, the acronym 'T.E.A.M' (Together Everyone
Achieves More) could not have been more true.

The first of many 'obstacles' that formed part of the endurance
test was Peters Pool, a deep pool of black bog water. As I
followed my fellow team members across the chest high water
I was comforted by the presence of a Royal Marine standing
on a boulder on the far side of the pool. A lifeguard ready to
plunge into the murky depths if anyone got into difficulties I
guessed. WRONG! I thought to myself as he shouted at me to
dunk my head in before he came in and did it for me. Lesson
number one…the Marines were not planning on making this
easy.
Lessons number two and three were learnt in quick
succession by Lee Gregory. Lesson number two -
mobile phones were most unlikely to survive the
Commando Challenge. Lesson number three (a
useful lesson for anyone dealing with the military): it is
wise not to confuse the Navy and the Army as neither
one likes to be called the other! Mr Gregory is now
most clear that a Royal Marine Commando is not in
the Army! As we slid and grappled our way down the
steep banks and ravine like tracks we reached the
infamous 'Sheep Dip'. As we approached the
steaming bog where a sizable crowd had gathered
the phase 'like lambs to the slaughter' sprang to mind.
The Sheep Dip consisted of a 2 metre long
submerged concrete pipe and all you had to do was
shut your eyes, hold your breath and pray that they
Marine pulling you out on the other side was in a
good mood!
Doused in black muddy water we continued our way
across the black bog knowing that we had yet to face
the longest and darkest of tunnels which had been
affectionately and deceptively named the 'smartie
tubes'. During the pre challenge safety brief, we had
been advised that when tackling this obstacle it was
likely that waves of water would be sent back by
those in front of you. If you got submerged all you
would have to do was get onto your back and keep
your head high in order to find the air at the top of the
tunnel (GREAT!) So, a collective sigh of relief could
be heard from all, when thanks to the dry weather
there was a reasonably low level of water within the
tunnels. Enough to make things messy but not
enough to re-enact the Titanic. Like a scene out of the
Great Escape we dragged our way through the 60cm
diameter 20m long tunnel, cracking jokes the whole
way in the wet and the dark.
We congregated at the start of the final road section
happy in the knowledge that there was just two miles
to go and it would all be over. A couple of hours after
we had set off we crossed the finishing line together
as a team, and I can say for sure that the smiles and
the mud would not be wiped off our faces for quite
some time.
9
All fun and joking aside the Challenge is all about raising
money for good causes. The Taekwon- Do Dodos raised
£1421.00 which went towards the two chosen charities
close to the hearts of many of us,; 'Help for Heroes' and
Devon Air Ambulance. The Air Ambulance can reach even
the most remote parts of Devon in 15 minutes, saving
countless lives with emergency medical treatment and
evacuation. Help for Heroes was formed to deliver direct
support for wounded servicemen returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan. Founder Bryn Parry says the "…campaign is
not trying to say anything about the rights and wrongs of
current military campaigns, it is simply trying to raise
awareness and funds for those men and women who don't
make it home unscathed…". Both are wonderful causes that
we were proud to support.
Our thanks go to all the Marines, volunteers and event
organisers who made the day one which we shall never
forget. It was a wonderful opportunity to get a taste of
Commando training and we all came away with a new
found respect and admiration for those who complete the
course carrying a weapon and weighed down with kit in a
third of the time we went around in. They truly 'have what it
takes'.
To find out more about the Commando Challenge and get
your team entry in visit. www.commandochallenge.co.uk
Becky Vickers 2nd Degree Liskeard School

CROATIA ‘08
Passport? Check. Ticket? Check, Money? Check, I’ve got English,
Euro and Kuna. Now with Mr Lammin shoehorned into the front seat
of the car we were ready for the off.
Two and a half hours later we arrived at Luton Airport and met up
with the rest of the squad, who got a lot of admiring and curious
looks in their squad tops.
We soon boarded our plane to Zagreb – a metal beast of pink and
purple, colours that excited the girls oh and a few of the lads
(mentioning no names Mr Philip Whitlock).
Having arrived in Zagreb we set off on our 52 seater luxury coach
(just for us) to Slavonski Blod. It seemed so late, the toll road was
nearly deserted but in fact it was only 6 pm. There was an air of
excitement on the coach, lots of chatting about the competition and
what would the town and people be like? Even though Chrissy and
myself are not part of the squad we were already feeling part of a
very special and friendly family. 2 hours later and we arrived and
were greeted by our hosts from the Croatian ITF Mr Tomislav
Dakovic and Mr Dominik Maduna who made sure that we were all
well looked after. After rooms had been allocated we met downstairs
and waited until we were collected by a couple of mini buses and
taken to a local pizza restaurant where Tomislav and Dominik joined
us for dinner. Some had already learnt a few words of Croatian and
decided to practise on the waiter. Attempting “thank you” for a drink
Mike Whitlock was told that the toilet is round the corner, what a
legend! The food was tasty and inexpensive and the air of
excitement had returned, Soon we headed back to the hotel and
off to bed, most going straight to sleep but next door to us the girls
managed to chat (as girls do) until the early hours.
Friday 5th
Up for breakfast at 8, well most of us. 8:30 arrived and still the
Whitlock brothers were missing - they forgot to adjust their watches
to an hour ahead.
Again we were picked up by mini buses and off for a prearranged
guided tour of some of the sights of Slavonski Brod. We were taken
to the fort and after a short history lesson by our friendly guide Mario
(who spoke excellent English) and followed him around the huge
fort.
Mr Pixton kicks someone
so hard their head blurs.
10
It seemed that there was a condition affecting certain members of
the squad commonly known as “Taekwon-Do Tourettes”. Some
seemed to find it difficult to walk down a road, in a shop or in a fort
without doing a sidekick, a block or even some part of a pattern and
it seemed to be highly contagious.
Time for a warm drink, so we headed off to a bar next to the river.
The only problem with the bars was the smoke, with a smoking ban
not due to come in until around April 2009. Soon the conversation
once again turned to Taekwon-Do and someone made the comment
“what would we all talk about if we couldn’t mention TKD?”. Now
that’s a hard one, any ideas? I got everyone to sign the flag I made
for the trip which had already been signed by P.U.M.A.’s 3 Masters
with good luck messages. The closeness was evident amongst the
group with the chat friendly and light hearted. After that there was
just enough time to take some pictures of the team posing before
being taken for lunch which was arranged and paid for by the
president of Croatian Taekwon-Do Mr Tomislav Dakovic.
After lunch it was back to hotel as the teams had to train for the
tournament the following day. The squad changed quickly to make
the most of the remaining day light and then trained in the car park,
perfecting both individual and team patterns. Every one was putting
in 100% and it was clear to see the dedication, effort and love for
Taekwon-Do they all share and why they were chosen to represent
P.U.M.A.
Saturday
The squad travelled to Croatia for some
top-notch Taekwon-Do happenings in
December. Groupie Ian Hallett offers a
supporter’s account of events...
A local church
(for local people)
We arrived at the venue for 9.00 and watched the other teams arrive.
A total of 11 countries were competing. Whilst patterns categories
were separared by grade we were surprised to see all sparring
categories arranged in weight not colour - so a yellow belt could
fight a green belt or even a black belt! The sparring of the colour
belts looked a lot tougher too. The style of fighting seemed a lot
harder and faster but with less technique and heavier contact than
back home. That said, all in all the sparring was reasonably
controlled and done in the spirit of Taekwon-Do. Finally, after a
rather long lunch break, it was time for our cadets and adults to
show what they’re made of. First, at rather short notice, was team
sparring and although our guys put up a tremendous fight they were
in the end beaten by sheer Bosnian power. The Bosnian Team are

anked number 2 in Europe in their ITF and a number of their fighters
also compete in full contact disciplines such as K1.
In patterns our ladies put on an excellent display. Their hours of
training and competing really shone through as they collected 5
medals. The cadets, men and one veteran racked up another 9
medals. Our men and ladies also gave near faultless displays of
their team patterns for the spectators and town mayor.
The afternoon concluded with adult sparring. Categories were tough
and our team had to work to get points and wins but their control
and technical ability showed itself as superior once again and they
beat a number of the Bosnian’s from the team event. They collected
another 13 medals between them making a total of 27 medals for
27 events entered, can’t be bad. P.U.M.A. fighters also picked up
best senior male, Mr David Pixton and best senior female, Miss
Stacey Weatherer making the P.U.M.A. team second in the overall
medal tally only beaten by the much larger Czech team which
contained a lot of juniors. It was a pleasure to spend the day
watching the P.U.M.A. squad compete, at times against some very
hard opponents but never did they lose their P.U.M.A. etiquette.
The most memorable part of the day for me was when a Bosnian
team member came and asked Mr Martyn Lloyd for his photo.
Kimberley Bradshaw flaunts
her horse-mounting expertise.
Sunday
A lazy day ended with excellent Croatian hospitality once again.
We were picked up and taken into town for a traditional dinner then
a walk into the centre to admire the Christmas lights and market
where a few of the team spent many Kuna at the pick and mix stalls.
The evening finished with a drink in a local tavern before being
taken back to our hotel. We initially thought that we would be leaving
Slavonski Brod in the following morning but we ended up staying
an extra day with Tomislav having arranged another trip for us.
Monday Our host Tomislav has arranged a full day of sightseeing.
First we were taken into town to buy some gifts and then driven out
to the countryside to visit a horse ranch.
We were given a tour of the stables and offered snacks and drinks.
We were then offered the chance to ride the horses. Seven of our
team took up the offer whilst the rest of us had the fun of watching
them trying to mount the horses (Miss Kimberley Bradshaw provided
excellent entertainment on this front) and hold on tightly as they
cantered around in a circle. A few were given the reins and able to
ride freely around the paddock. After building up an appetite our
‘jockeys’ were ready for the warmth of indoors with pizza and
barbequed meats.
Our tour finished at the small local zoo, which contained a variety
of animals ranging from owls and swans to tigers and a brown bear.
We were given the chance to stroke the tiger and Stacey was even
11
The men’s team doing a fine
job of their team pattern.
brave enough to hold a Boa.
Upon leaving the zoo we returned to our hotel to collect our bags
and move to a new hotel for the night which over looked Slavonski
Brod and after settling in we went into town for last minute souvenirs
and dinner.
Tuesday
We woke to magnificent views of the cold mist rising above the
waking city below. Mr Pixton and Mr Whitlock were practising
patterns and some gentle sparing outside of our window in the
glorious morning sunshine.
As we boarded our coach back to Zagreb there was a slight hint of
sadness to the atmosphere but also a buzz of excitement at the
idea of getting home for a proper cup of tea (or MacDonalds in Alex
Page’s case). All the team agreed that this had been one of the
best trips they have been on because they got time to see a bit of
the country and not just compete. At the back of the coach you
could hear was “Ouch” and “Good kick” as they watch the videos
of the tournament .In Zagreb we got a guided tour of the city and
time for lunch before heading to the airport and the flight home. We
landed and it was far colder than it had been in Croatia. We said
our goodbyes and everyone promised to be at the next squad
training.
We would like to say a big thank you to all the team for making
Chrissy and myself feel so welcome and to Dominik and in particular
Tomislav for their kind hospitality during our time in Croatia.
Slavonski Brod has set the hospitality bar high, hopefully one day
we’ll get the opportunity to return the favour.
The team with their
trophy haul.

In this long awaited follow up to his introduction to Neuro-Linguistic Programming, printed in
issue 5, Matthew D. Lloyd, 3rd Dan Taekwon-Do, discusses some more mind management tools.
Most of us have had the experience at one time or another of turning up for a grading or
competition and feeling absolutely terrified. We also probably all know someone who seems to
be completely in control in these types of situations, and indeed seems to thrive and relish in
them. Training in the martial arts is in part about preparing yourself for a real situation (especially
if you are a soldier who might have to face the enemy in hand-to-hand combat). Gradings and
competitions mimic this type of situation in a more controlled and safer environment. In order
to effectively deal with these situations the martial arts student needs to move from a state where
they feel terrified to a point where they feel in control and can function effectively at a high level.
The feelings described above are two examples of ‘states’, which are made up by our
experiences of this and similar situations, our thoughts, feelings and physiology. Feeling terrified
(in this particular situation) is an example of an unproductive state (that is, it hinders us from
reaching our goal), whilst the relatively calm, collected and in control example is a much more
productive state.
When we experience a new situation for the first time, stimuli from our environment are received
by the person and experienced. This will involve thoughts and feelings and will also involve
processes that operate below the level of conscious thought. What we perceive and how we
think and feel about it will determine the eventual response that we give. When we experience
the same type of situation again, the pathway of stimuli though to response is reinforced and if
it happens often enough it eventually becomes hard-wired into our brain. Depending on the
exact circumstances, this repeated exposure will either lead to modification of the state (so that
eventually we move from being terrified to calm and collected in the above example) or it will
reinforce the initial state (terror) and intensify the experience. The reinforcement of this type of
unproductive state is a way in which anxiety conditions, panic attacks and phobias can develop. 1
Highly stressful situations (e.g. grading and competitions ) can be managed by gradual exposure
to the situation. 1 One important aspect of training is that it gradually increases the difficulty and
stress levels, in order to effectively prepare the student to deal with a real situation. For those
who experience high levels of stress this would mean starting with a very slightly stressful
situation and gradually progressing to the full situation. In the context of a grading this means
practicing exactly what is needed, seeking feed-back on your performance, and refining your
technique. 2 For the first few coloured belt gradings the syllabus is explicit and set, the whole
of the syllabus usually being covered in the regular classes. By practicing your technique with
the aim of making a small improvement each time, you are effectively building competence and
reducing stress. As you get more confident, gradually increase the intensity of the situation by
e.g. performing in front of one or more your colleagues. It is common for candidates approaching
black belt grades and competitors in the run up to competitions to perform in front of the whole
class in preparation. Key to managing this process is modification of your states so that you
effectively deal with these mildly stressful situations, and hence gradually progressing towards
your desired outcome. A final important point is not to try to run before you can walk – dealing
ineffectively with a situation you find highly stressful will result in intensification of the undesirable
state (i.e. it will make the problem worse).
States can be managed using a trigger known as an anchor. 3 A familiar example is where a
song comes on the radio and suddenly you remember a particular time and place in your life
and experience all the emotions you felt all over again (in other words you move into a different
state). Each time you hear the same song the same thing will happen and the association
between the anchor and the state will be strengthened. Depending on the specific details of the
state this process can be highly beneficial or highly detrimental. The problem for most people
is that when anchors and states become associated, the specific details are determined by
external factors and this may or may not be helpful. The good news is that it is possible to
purposely build up a repertoire of resourceful states for use in different situations, each accessed
by a different anchor.
12

Using memories
First of all remember a situation in the past in which your state was desirable. If you find it helpful
close you eyes and try to paint a mental picture. Concentrate on what you want to feel (e.g.
calmness, strength, competence, self-belief, a certain level of excitement – the state) and also
the situation or trigger which invoked those feelings (the anchor). The more explicit you make
the anchor the easier it will be eventually to fire it and access the state. In the context of the
grading or competition you might see yourself stepping into the dojang or competition arena,
seeing the officials, hear particular sounds, feel particular sensations etc. You may want to play
an inspiring song in your head or make a particular gesture (e.g. clicking your fingers together)
to reinforce this process. Once you have done this and accessed your state, break out of the
state and deliberately distract yourself by doing something else. Then fire your anchor again
and see if you return to the desired state. If you do great, just remember to practice firing your
anchor every so often to reinforce it. If you don’t achieve your state or you only experience it
weakly then go back into your state as you did to start with and try again. Repeat this process
until you can consistently access the desired state using your anchor, and remember to
periodically reinforce it so that it is available when you need it.
This method is probably the most commonly method of developing anchors and it is certainly
very powerful. The major drawback is that you need a suitable memory to start with, which can
be quite difficult to obtain. You also need to make sure that the memory only contains things
which usefully contribute to the desired state and do not detract from it. If you do not have a
suitable memory then try using ‘The Circle of Excellence’ technique described below.
The circle of excellence
This is a variation of above technique, with the process of linking the anchor and state together
being exactly the same. The difference with this technique is that you do not start with a memory,
and so it is possible to custom-build a particular state.
First of all start by imaging a circle or oval on the floor in front of you (you may find it helpful to
set aside a dedicated space for this exercise or physically mark out the perimeter of the circle).
In your mind place the feelings you want to experience in the circle (for a grading or a competition
you might want feelings of strength, competence, some excitement balanced with calmness,
belief in yourself etc.). Once you have done this step into the circle and immerse yourself in
these feelings and beliefs (close your eyes if this helps). Make the experience as strong as
possible. Fire your anchor several times to associate it with the feelings. Then step out of the
circle of excellence and distract yourself to come out of the state. After one or two minutes, fire
the anchor to see if you can re-access the state. If you cannot or only experience the state
weakly, step back into the circle of excellence and try again. Repeat the whole cycle until you
are able to strongly associate your anchor with your state (a good measure of this is that you
should experience the same intensity of state when firing your anchor outside the circle as when
in you are within it). Remember to practice occasionally to reinforce the process.
Finally, it is important to make sure that you cannot fire your anchor accidentally as this could
make you behave in a way that is not appropriate. In fact the use of special anchors is implicit
in all martial arts training. The most familiar and powerful example of this is the use of the ‘chunbi’
command and position. When we or our instructor gives us this command we get ready to do
what we need to do – in effect we are using an anchor (the word and ready position) to put us
into the appropriate state. When we finish the exercise or class we then access a different state
by the using the commands ‘sho’ (relax) or ‘haessan’ (dismiss). Using our special Korean (or
other) words mean that we access our states but avoid triggering them accidentally. What great
anchors to use!
References
1. Staying Sane (2 nd ed), R. Persaud, 2001, Bantam Press, London.
2. M. D. Lloyd, 2006, Planet P.U.M.A., 5, 12-14.
3. The NLP coach, I. McDermott and W. Jago, 2001, Judy Piatkus
(Publishers) Ltd, London.
Glossary
Anchor A sensory trigger that brings about a particular state
in the person
Circle of excellence An imaginary area into which the desired
components of a state can be put.
State The combination of sensations, thoughts and
physiological response that the person experiences
under particular circumstances.
13

Kickboxing
Grading Results
Those October 2008 P.U.M.A. black belt grading
results in full:
Precious things.
Kieran Guppy Credit 1st Degree
Paul Rose Pass 1st Degree
Rachel Cooke Pass 2nd Degree
Heart And Soul
man Norman
Alexandra Wynick Credit 1st Degree
Amanda Davies Credit 1st Degree
Bethany Angris Credit 1st Degree
Billy Bushnell Credit 1st Degree
Bryony Melvin Credit 1st Degree
Catriona Conway Credit 1st Degree
Debbie Boyd Credit 1st Degree
Drew Bailey Credit 1st Degree
Faye Broad Credit 1st Degree
Lucy Thomas Credit 1st Degree
Matthew Kent Credit 1st Degree
Ryan Baugh Credit 1st Degree
Zoe Mattacks Credit 1st Degree
Alice Wood Distinction 1st Degree
Sophie Wadsley Distinction 1st Degree
Abbie Price Pass 1st Degree
Alexander Gisby Pass 1st Degree
14
Brett Dowling, 4th degree.
Alexander Smith Pass 1st Degree
Alexander Taylor Pass 1st Degree
Ashley Mitchell Pass 1st Degree
Daniel Mackay Pass 1st Degree
Daniel Straw Pass 1st Degree
Dianne Dunstan Pass 1st Degree
Elliott Lauder Pass 1st Degree
Emily Tuffen Pass 1st Degree
Evan MacWhirter Pass 1st Degree
Fay Harrod Pass 1st Degree
Fen Trudgian Pass 1st Degree
Frances Peck Pass 1st Degree
Helen Scott Pass 1st Degree
Ian Baugh Pass 1st Degree
Jack Davies Pass 1st Degree
Julie Foster Pass 1st Degree
Kellie Blizzard Pass 1st Degree
Kyle Robinson Pass 1st Degree
Lee Rosser-Lewis Pass 1st Degree
Liam Carlin Pass 1st Degree
Craig Spreadbury,
4th degree.

Francis Peck, 1st degree.
Lloyd Cockram Pass 1st Degree
Louis Devonshire Pass 1st Degree
Louis Gautier Pass 1st Degree
Louise MacGillivray Pass 1st Degree
Luke Williams Pass 1st Degree
Matthew Lim Pass 1st Degree
Norman Luker Pass 1st Degree
Robert Hall Pass 1st Degree
Ruth Booth Pass 1st Degree
Ryan Dakin Pass 1st Degree
Ryan Frise Pass 1st Degree
Sam Swain Pass 1st Degree
Stephen Lart Pass 1st Degree
Stephen Straw Pass 1st Degree
Thomas Walker Pass 1st Degree
Tony Ducker Pass 1st Degree
William Bodger Pass 1st Degree
Zachery Feighery Pass 1st Degree
Adam Swain Credit 2nd Degree
Sophie Wadsley, 1st degree.
15
Christopher Randall Credit 2nd Degree
Natasha Sweet Credit 2nd Degree
Rebecca Vickers Credit 2nd Degree
Adam Hughes Pass 2nd Degree
Andrew Robson Pass 2nd Degree
Bradley Jones Pass 2nd Degree
Charlott Trickey Pass 2nd Degree
Deborah Grant Pass 2nd Degree
Fiona Mackay Pass 2nd Degree
Marie Cooper Pass 2nd Degree
Rhys Miles Pass 2nd Degree
Shaun Cooper Pass 2nd Degree
Suzanne Lloyd Pass 2nd Degree
Tony Goodwin Pass 2nd Degree
Youn Sook Walker Pass 2nd Degree
Darren Luker Credit 3rd Degree
Gareth Hitchcoe Credit 3rd Degree
Marc Hollier Pass 3rd Degree
Robin Toy Pass 3rd Degree
Wendy McColl Pass 3rd Degree
Brett Dowling Credit 4th Degree
Mark Bishop Credit 4th Degree
Nick Evans Credit 4th Degree
Craig Spreadbury Pass 4th Degree
Jason Mortimore Pass 4th Degree
Garry Shaw Pass 5th Degree
Dennis Salt Pass 6th Degree
Gary Bradshaw Pass 6th Degree
John Black Pass 7th Degree
Best Coloured Belt Female: Alice Wood
Best Coloured Belt Male: Matthew Kent
Best Junior: Sophie Wadsley
Best Black Belt: Craig Spreadbury
Best Coloured Belt Spirit Test: Frances Peck
Best Junior Spirit: Kieran Guppy
Best Black Belt Spirit Test Male: Craig Spreadbury
Best Black Belt Spirit Test Female: Youn Sook Walker
Best Adult Essay: Julie Foster
Best Junior Essay: Ashley Mitchell
Heart & Soul Award: Norman Luker

Black Belt Grading Essay:
“Should martial arts be in the Olympics?”
Ms Julie Foster, 1st degree Taekwon-Do, scooped the adult grading essay
award this autumn and here it is...
When I was given this essay title, the first thing that came to mind was
the question: "What is the difference between a martial artist and a
sports person?" I believe that if there is to be any difference between
the two, martial arts should not be in the Olympics.
One of the key things that separate us from sports people is our
observation of the tenets of Taekwon-Do. Unfortunately in such a highly
charged environment as the Olympic Games the competitive nature of
a sports person takes over and the tenets can be forgotten, as in the
(now infamous) Cuban incident when a Taekwon-Do competitor kicked
the referee in the head because he did not agree with the decision!
The months, even years, spent coaching a martial artist to compete in
the Olympics is bound to only involve sparring techniques and along
the way the art side becomes less important or is even lost. Aren't we,
as Taekwon-Do students, about much more than punches and flashy
kicks?
It's a misrepresentation of the art.
This was also evident in the recent coverage of Judo in the Olympics.
It became clear after watching a few of the matches that the referee
was not allowing the fighters much time on the ground to apply holds,
armlocks or strangles. Instead, he was standing the fighters back up in
favour of the more crowd-pleasing throws. I beg the question: In a grand
sporting event like the Olympic Games, would spectators want to watch
two fighters grappling on the ground, in most cases being unable to see
the intricate detail of trying to apply holds, armlocks etcetera? I think
probably not.
If a martial art has to be watered down to appeal to spectators, it
becomes a real shame as the art as a whole is lost.
A martial artist trains to be proficient in all aspects of their art and to
better themselves as a person. It's my opinion that that can't be
conveyed in a sporting event.
Yes, the Olympics puts Taekwon-Do out there on a public and global
scale and gives the competitors the chance to compete at the highest
level. And the ethos of the Olympics should provide the perfect stage
for martial artists. Unfortunately human nature and the desire to win
takes over and as a result I have yet to see anything in the Olympic
Games that represents my beloved Taekwon-Do.
The above essay was reproduced by kind permission of Ms Foster.
Grading essays are treated as confidential by the grading committee. They
will never be published or even provided to the magazine editorial team
without the express permission of the author.
16

What a great surprise we had at presentation evening..Master Gayle,
phoning live, direct from Jamaica, announced that P.U.M.A. were to have
a new Master: Jonny Black. The place erupted in unison after the initial
shock and Master Black’s face was a picture I will never forget. What a
lovely man he is and I am proud to be known as his friend.
Well, it all started with meeting the great man back in 1980. A few select
people were invited to area squad training to represent the West of
England at the forth coming Black Belt team Championships in
Leamington Spa. Master Gayle was there and I was only a blue belt but
had shown some promise (in truth there were not many black belts
around in the early days). I was extremely nervous, young, had little
experience and knew that Great Britain were starting to show some
promise on the world stage and it was going to be a tough event. To add
to the pressure, the Irish team had been invited after having great
success at the previous European Championships.
My Uncle promised to give me a lift to the training venue at an Army
base in Taunton. I could not drive and he was stationed there when he
was in the forces, so he looked forward to the trip. When we arrived at
the gates there was an armed guard. These were the days of the troubles
in Northern Ireland; I guess nobody was taking any chances. We were
sent to the training venue where we were met by the rest of the team
and our then Instructor. Then this really nice guy appeared full of energy,
he was obviously the organiser and was so excited to see us all. It was
the Black Man himself, Mr Black that is. He was older than I, but had a
boyish charm filled with enthusiasm for the members and the training
session. I remember his jet black hair and track suit… regulation army
issue. He took part of the session which was very hard and we all tried
to impress him, as he was very fit. Mr Black had set up the training, the
venue and then a swimming session. Afterwards we had tea and
sandwiches, which I thought were of excellent quality. WOW I thought,
this was a real honour, and it was all free. Here we are representing our
area for Taekwon-Do and we were being treated like royalty, I truly
remember thinking that I had arrived. I will never forget Mr Black`s
hospitality, which prevails to this day. It was a start of a long and
cherished friendship with a truly special man.
The exact picosecond of the announcement.
Master Ogborne jumps for joy, even though
he already knew about it.
17
Mr John Black larking around and not
particularly expecting to be made a master
earlier that evening .
My next memory of those sessions in Taunton (apart from the hard
training and the fitness of Mr B) was to be invited to the great man’s
house. I remember being nervous about that too. When we arrived we
were treated to food, cakes, and many stories about Taekwon-Do. I
remember Mr Black had 2 Afghan Hounds, they were huge, and yet his
house was modest in size. He told us that when he was in Hong Kong
he learned that Bruce Lee had 2 Afghans and so he thought it would be
a great idea.
I recalled these memories on the night of the presentation evening.
Nobody knew what was to unfold during the night’s events, except of
course myself and Master Gayle who was unfortunately in Jamaica to
attend his father’s funeral. We had also arranged for his old Colonel to
be there to make it extra special. His face when he saw him again was
a picture.
Mr Black over the years has raised many hundreds of thousands of
pounds for charities, using Taekwon-Do as a vehicle. He was a Black
Belt in the seventies when many of today’s Masters had not even started
in Taekwon-Do. His enthusiasm, energy and commitment to Taekwon-
Do, P.U.M.A. and its members are second to none. If ever a man
deserved to be called a Master then Jonny Black is he.
Many congratulations my friend.
Master Ogborne.

Since the 19th century the British Army has recruited Gurkhas - a people from Nepal named after the eight century warrior
saint Guru Gorakhnath - for active service. Master John Black worked with many of these amazing people during his
service career and recounts some of those experiences here.
(Transcribed and edited by Richard Potter).
The Gurkhas walk thousands of miles just to apply to serve in
the British army and become a British soldier. If they get in it’s
an honour and a privilege to their families. They’ve been in every
campaign I know of, since well before I was in.
When I was in Hong Kong I was stationed in Kuran barracks and
the Gurkhas, the Royal Gurkha Rifles, were there. When I went
to Colm, which is another army camp about fifty miles from the
main city, the Gurkhas were there and all of them were doing
Taekwon-Do.
At the time I didn’t know the difference between the WTF and
the ITF because I was only a green belt. The WTF were just
forming then in the seventies and were still doing ITF patterns,
but the Master Lee who was teaching the Gurkhas was an ITF
master, but had joined the WTF because his family was in South
Korea and that was what had to happen. He was a Sixth Dan.
When I was on a course, like a football or a swimming course,
I used to take my dobok with me and train with them and they
were brilliant, absolutely awesome students of the art. They’d
always treat white people, westerners, like Royalty – “Sir, you
must come to the front” – even though there were black belts
there.
“No Sir, I’m only a green belt” I’d say, “I have to stand in my
grade order”.
“Oh no Sir, you can’t do that” they’d say and I’d say “Yes I can”.
They held us in very high esteem.
We went on exercise with them and they were excellent soldiers.
They could survive in the jungle for six months on a bag of rice
and some bottled water. They could survive on that and fight
battles as well.
We were once exercise with a company of them – about 120 to
140 men. It might have been with Colonel Stockton then. We
were in Brunei in Malaysia, at Takka Forts and we were acting
as a battalion -a battalion is six hundred to a thousand men –
attacking this company. When we got back we were torn apart
because we were supposed to be professional soldiers. They
said we would have been wiped out. A thousand men would
have been wiped out by a handful of Gurkhas. I said a company
is around 120 men. The ones we attacked in the jungle numbered
40 men. There were pockets of Gurkhas all over the place. We
were specifically acting to clear this bit of jungle.
They had set up traps and they were dug in. We couldn’t find
them, we walked right past them. We were all trained in jungle
warfare and they wiped us out.
We got back to camp. It was pouring down with rain, we’d all
18
showered, and we were getting our grub in the canteen. These
forty Gurkhas came back with this British army officer and they
were all outside. We were all inside and when the lads noticed
they said “Invite them in!”
“No no. They can’t come in” the officer replied.
“Excuse me Sir, we’d like to invite the Gurkhas in” I said and got
up to invite them in, because I was a corporal.
“No, you can’t”.
“Why not Sir?”
“Because they’re not allowed to eat with higher ranks.”
“Higher ranks Sir?” I asked. Because I was a corporal.
“No, you’re classed as higher ranks” he said. “And they’re low
ranks.”
“Excuse me Sir, but they’re British soldiers…”
“I know this Corporal Black, but they’re not allowed to mix with
you people, because that’s the way it is.”
“But Sir, there’s corporals and sergeants out there, like we are.”
“But they’re not.”
“But they’re trained the same as us aren’t they Sir?”
“Yes, they are.”
“And they’re good soldiers aren’t they Sir?”
“Yes they are.”
“So with the greatest respect Sir, couldn’t we let them in?”
“Corporal Black, you’re not listening to me. Lower ranks are not
allowed here, just like you’re now allowed in the sergeants’ or
the officers’ mess. It’s the same”.
“Okay Sir” I said. I went back to the lads.
“Guys, the Gurkhas are outside and they won’t let them come in
to eat.”
“Right then”.
The boys – all of us – got up, picked up our grub and joined the
Gurkhas outside. It was absolutely pouring now and we got
soaked, but those Gurkhas started crying.“Sir, you don’t have to
do this!” one of them said.
“Sir, I’m the same rank as you, a corporal.” I said.
“But sir, we’re privileged to be in the British Army…”
“Don’t be silly, we’ve got the same blood running through our

veins. You’ve just got a better suntan than me”.They couldn’t
believe we’d come out, all of us, to join them. The officer was
still sitting their saying “Guys, what are you doing?”
“Sir, if they can’t come in then we’ll go out and eat with them” I
replied. And that was it.
Another time we were in a four-tonner, an armoured personnel
carrier, and a snake dropped through the turret. The lads up front
jumped out, leaving the twenty of us sitting in the back. The
carrier we going downhill, then it smashed into a tree. A few of
us got injured, there were some broken legs and stuff. I was
lucky, I was okay.
This Gurkha army major, someone who’s come through the
ranks, was the first one on the scene. He’d seen what had
happened and came running down the hill. I was helping the
injured lads out of the four tonner and administering first
aid.“Have you got petrol Corporal?” he asked me.
“Yes Sir.”
“That’s okay, you don’t have to call me Sir.”
“Yes I do Sir” I said.
We got a bit of petrol and chucked it into the turret of the
four-tonner. Snakes don’t like petrol and this one exited sharpish.
The major caught it. It was like a bootlace snake, this tiny black
thing.
“Guys, you were very lucky.” he said. “If this had bitten you…
three seconds before you die.”
Then he let it go, though it was probably nearly dead from the
petrol.
Three seconds.,,
They were awesome soldiers. We trained with them in the jungle
and we were supposed to be better than them, but I don’t think
we were. They were humble, honourable… things that we in
Taekwon-Do believe in, that’s what they are. Once you’d made
a friend, it was for life.
They fought in the Falklands, even going in for hand-to-hand
combat. The Argentines were most afraid of the Gurkha Rifles
regiment. And the martial art they used for that hand-to-hand
combat? Taekwon-Do.
They’ve been involved in every conflict the British Army has
undertaken, even in Iraq and Afghanistan today, I think they were
even in Northern Ireland. The Afghans had the greatest respect
for the British Army because we have some great fighters, but
they are very afraid of the Gurkhas.
They’ll go anywhere with British officers, but if they lose that
officer they fall apart. It’s unbelievable, but they have to have
that British officer. With the normal lads, if an officer is killed in
battle then a platoon sergeant or a platoon corporal like myself
would take over and run a company of men, because we’re
experienced. I think it was because the Gurkhas see the officers
19
as royalty. But apart from that they are fierce fighters. I do believe
they deserve to stay as British citizens, because they have
served in the army in every conflict.
The current controversy is over retired Gurkhas who have served
in the British army and who are trying to get British citizenship.
They’ve served our queen and country and many have died for
our queen and country - and the government is saying they can’t
live here. We’re saying they should, that after serving in all those
conflicts they deserve to get that citizenship and be able to live
in our country afterwards.
In Hong Kong we looked after the boat people who had come
across from Saigon in Vietnam.
They were very humble when looking after these boat people as
well. They would give you their last bit of food – if you were in
the jungle together and he only had that six-month bag of rice
on him, he would give you his last bit of rice and water, because
they would rather die than let you die. It was like you were worth
more than they were and their life didn’t mean anything.
It reminds me a lot of what the tenets and the moral culture of
Taekwon-Do are about and the path that the General said we
should lead. They did that. They are humble and honourable
people and they would lay down their own life for a stranger.
That is the greatest thing anybody can do. I was very proud to
serve with them, and lead them and to do Taekwon-Do with
them. They are truly awesome people. I have the greatest
respect for them and I do believe they should have British
citizenship and be able to live in our country.

By Jenny Francis, 3rd degree black belt
Natural body rotation is when the body naturally turns from one body facing position to another. i.e. when moving from half facing to full
facing, or a turn from one move to the next; as in the second and third moves in Chon-Ji. To realise where it is, you need to practice a
pattern, and notice the end position of one move, and the end position of the next. Are you facing a different direction? Or have you
changed body position, in your hips, shoulders or both? This change will allow you to utilise the body and its natural movement into
gaining more power into the move.
When performing body rotation, your body and hips do not move at the same tempo from start to finish. The movement however, should
flow from beginning to end, gradually accelerating until the last moment, when giving maximum acceleration, gaining maximum power.
So what I am trying to say is, don’t move your hips as you turn, but keep them natural and relaxed. You need to hold your body back
for as long as possible, keeping it as near to the previous position, and then twist your body in the last part of your new move, in particular
your hips, because the rest will follow.
This sequence shows the incorrect way of performing body rotation.
The hips and shoulders are consistently turning at the same pace throughout the move,
leaving the final twist in the motion to be limited and ineffective.
20

This sequence illustrates the correct method of natural body rotation:
In Chon Ji, the body starts facing forward, (chunbi) and
moving into the first move, (low block to your left), the end
body position is half facing, thus meaning that the body
needs to turn 45°. So instead of turning your body as you
move, or turning it to begin with, you need to keep your
body facing forwards for around most of the move, only
twisting it at the last moment. This creates a “snap” that
makes the move look sharp.
Pattern Diagram of
Dan Gun
C
A B
If you are doing the 270° turn in Dan Gun, (moves 8 to 9),
I would pivot, putting my weight on my right foot, whilst
forming the correct hand positions, at the exact level. I
would then turn my body approximately 90° towards A.
Then, bringing my left leg in to a balanced position, I would
carry my leg through, reaching behind me towards the
finishing position of my L-stance, pointing towards B. At this
point my body is still facing ‘A’. When my leg is as far as it
can go naturally, it is at this point that I am at the peak of
my sign wave. The following motion needs to go down
again, and at this moment you should perform this part with
full acceleration. Finishing the move quickly and sharply
with all your power. As you finish your move, then twist your
hips quickly, landing in a good stance, and having the
correct timing, landing everything at the same time.
E
D
Notice that the hips and shoulders are held back. At the start of the downward motion of
the sine wave, there is then an acceleration turning the upper body into the final position,
before tensing all your muscles.
F
Things to consider when using body rotation:
How much is too much? And what is not enough?
It depends on each move. Don’t move your hips when it is not
necessary, or over rotate-at the beginning or end of a move. Ask your
instructor, or get a senior grade or training partner to have a look at how
you do a move. Hopefully they can guide you. Just remember it needs to
flow and be natural, but also have the quick motion of the hips turning at
the end.
When is it appropriate?
When you change from one body facing position to another.
When is it over exaggerated?
This can be by bringing the hips further back than they originally started.
It can also be when the body is forced back, rather than in a comfortable
position. When the finishing position is not in the correct facing position
or stance due to over rotation. Sine wave is incredibly important, so you
need to do both. Keeping the up and down motion, whilst also gaining
extra power by using your hips.
How to maximise what you have.
In order to do this correctly you need to turn your hips almost as quickly
as you turn your fist, in order to maintain a “snap” at the end of the
move. A good tip is as you come up in your sine wave, begin to place
your foot in the approximate final position, not landing it; this helps to
maintain your body facing near to your previous move, while beginning
to prepare for the next.
Keeping feet, hands and hips too, landing them all together at the same
time.
Don’t forget your sine wave!
21

By Wendy McColl
Training over 40
Okay, the thing is I know that I’m not getting any taller, so why is the
floor getting further away? And my weight isn’t changing that much,
so why have my legs become so much heavier?
Unfortunately, the answer to both these questions is that I have
turned forty and natural physiological changes in the body are
occurring. It is a sad but true fact that the body begins to degenerate
as we age, but does this mean there is no hope for the future? OF
COURSE NOT! There are lots of things that we can do to combat
and delay the aging process, with a little effort from within and a bit
of understanding from our (not quite so old) instructors.
First the facts
Okay, it’s a bit depressing but here are some of the natural
physiological changes that may occur, starting when we hit middle
age, according to the Mayo Foundation (2006). Metabolism slows
and bodies burn less calories. Calories are stored as fat instead of
burning off and weight maintenance becomes more difficult (meaning
that my bum DOES look big in my dobok!). The heart becomes less
efficient and blood vessels become less elastic, causing the arteries
to become stiffer. This means the heart must work harder and can
lead to hypertension (high blood pressure). Lung capacity decreases
making breathing harder work for the body. Bones begin to shrink
in size and in density, joints, muscles and tendons begin to lose
flexibility and strength (try learning Juche after 40 and you will totally
get this).
Internal organs become less efficient and muscles around the pelvic
floor (women) can become weaker, or prostates can enlarge (men),
both of which can cause embarrassing problems. Hearing or vision
may decline (Sorry sir, I didn’t hear you say twenty burpees). Memory
becomes less efficient (honest, I’ve spent HOURS learning Korean
theory!) Reflexes slow down and co-ordination is reduced (have you
seen me spar?) Skin thins and bruises occur more easily, less saliva
is produced leading to decline in dental health. Sleep patterns
become disturbed (What me, yawn in class?)
On top of all this, body starts to become more likely to develop
conditions such as arthritis, rheumatism, heart disease, osteoporosis
and diabetes.
What can I do about it?
The truth is that you are already doing something about it. Taking
part in any regular exercise is a great start to keeping your body
young, and hand in hand with an active body is an active mind. One
of the fantastic things about martial arts is that they stretch and
exercise our minds and memories as well as our bodies.
This poses the question “are martial arts alone enough to delay the
ageing process?” The answer would depend on how often and how
hard you train and in all honesty the likelihood is that no, it won’t be.
However there is no need to be downhearted as there are other
things you can do that will benefit your body and your martial arts.
1 Nutrition: make sure that you eat a balanced diet, with plenty of
fruit and veg. Ask your doctor about the benefits of supplements
Was your car insurance inexpensive this year?
Is caravanning a good hobby?
Is modern music too loud and repetitive?
Do you bother to look both ways before crossing the street?
If the answer to these questions is “yes” then you may be over
forty. Don’t panic. Here’s what’s going on...
22
such as glucosamine and chondroitin to help keep joints healthy.
Eating foods which are a source of antioxidants can be beneficial
to joints, so look for foods which are high in vitamin C, Omega-3
oils, bioflavanoids, sulphur containing amino acids (SAAs), zinc
and copper (Hamilton, A., 2004) – see table
2 Cardiovascular (CV) fitness: look after your heart and lungs by
participating in exercises such as speed walking, walking, running,
cycling, lane swimming and aerobics (body combat, aerobic
dance, fitness kickboxing) . The recommended levels per week
for improving CV fitness are 30-60 minutes of moderate intensity
exercise, 3-5 times per week. (ACSM, 1995)
3 Bone density and muscle integrity: help stave off osteoporosis
(particularly common in women over 40) by regular resistance
training with hand held weights, therabands/dynabands, medicine
balls, resistance machines and body weight. This will increase
your bone density and keep your muscles toned. N.B. women will
not develop ‘manly’ muscles through resistance training alone.
4 Flexibility: stretching can be performed on a daily basis, at home.
Warm up the body first and then stretch each muscle for 15
seconds up to 2 minutes, depending on levels of stiffness and
available time. Stretching against a resistance (known as PNF
stretching) is one of the best methods for improving flexibility.
Stretching in a moderately hot bath is also an ideal environment
for stretching, particularly legs and glutes.
5 Relax and recover: allow your body time to recover, especially
after a hard work-out. Try and make sure your body gets at least
2 whole days off per week and avoid training when your muscles
are sore and fatigued - this will help to keep you injury free.
6 Know your limits: no-one knows your body the way you do. It is
up to you to ensure that you don’t overload or overtax it. When
asked to perform an activity that is beyond your capability, politely
inform your instructor what you cannot do and why – for example
if you have bad knees, carrying an excess of weight (as in piggy
backing another student) can be both painful and dangerous. It is
their job to make sure that you stay safe and healthy during a
training session and if they don’t know about any problems you
have, they can’t be expected to provide safe alternatives for you.
The veterans’ category
at a recent tournament.

7 Adapt: it is not realistic to try and spar like a twenty year old. The
body does not deal with being hit in the same way – it hurts! It also
takes longer to recover from injury and the body tires more quickly.
Therefore it is a good idea to begin to alter your sparring technique.
Use your experience to assess your opponent, how they move,
what tools they use to attack, etc., and disrupt the flow of their
techniques whenever possible. It is more important than ever to
remain on your toes (literally) as finding yourself flat footed can
lose valuable seconds in dodging an attack. Simplify your sparring
and remove the more fancy techniques, which you may have found
to be slower and less effective. Use the distance between you and
bide your time, choosing the moment when you attack carefully,
as well as the target, in order to score maximum points with
minimum energy expenditure. Do not waste energy running
around the ring as you will tire more easily and recover more
slowly.
What can my instructor do to help?
The first thing that your instructor can do is to understand that the
body of a forty plus student is NOT the same as that of a
twenty-something. Joints may be stiffer, muscles may be weaker,
hearing may decline, bladders may not be as strong as they once
were (ask any woman who has had a child how they feel about
jumping!) and flexibility may be poor.
Next on the list is the importance of a good warm up. Although time
in class is limited, it is especially important for the over 40s student
to warm up thoroughly. A good warm up routine will start with mobility
movements which will help the joints to release synovial fluid and
become lubricated (such as head turns, shoulder rolls, etc). Next, we
move on to gently raising the heart rate and body temperature. The
key word here is gently. Although your younger students may be able
to start a session with sprinting games, this is a sure fire method of
muscle strains or tears in the more mature student. The aim should
be to gently and progressively get the aerobic system working. After
this, some pre work out stretches are a good idea, to help the muscles
to lengthen and prepare for the session. 10 seconds per large muscle
group is sufficient at this stage of the session.
Re-warm the students by now introducing those running games or
dynamic stretches (which should reflect the actions that you have
planned for the main body of your session).
The warm up for the 40+ student should ideally last for at least 15-20
minutes.
At this stage I can practically hear the instructors screaming at me
that they don’t have time to incorporate this amount of warming up
into a session. If this is the case, the student can perform their own
warm up before the session starts by turning up 15 minutes early (it’s
a good job us oldies have an abundance of perseverance, self control
and indomitable spirit!)
During training, it is important that the instructor focus more on the
quality of technique than the flexibility of the student. For example,
in Hwa Rang there are two high section kicks, which many of the
mature persuasion cannot execute due to lack of hip mobility. By
focusing on the foot positions, leg angles and power in the kicks,
rather than the height, instructors can avoid making their students
feel inadequate. This instructing technique can be applied to all kicks,
to linework, to set sparring and to patterns.
When sparring, many over 40s feel intimidated by the flexibility, speed
and power in the punches and kicks of other students. There are
several reasons for this, including slower reaction times, a lessening
Wendy is 43 years old and is a Taekwon-Do 3rd degree black belt. She has been training for 9 years and is qualified as an
instructor and umpire. Wendy is currently studying in her 2nd year at University of Plymouth for a degree in exercise science and
fitness, having completed a national diploma in sports performance. She is a qualified sports therapist and holds diplomas in sport
and fitness therapy, sports massage and sports injury management, as well as being a qualified gym and aerobics instructor and
community sports leader. She is currently on work placement with the Torquay United FC physio team.
23
ability to absorb strikes (fragility of bones) and the increase in
recovery time if injured. Of course most students with an ounce of
common sense will take their opponent’s ability into account, but in
the heat of the moment loss of control does happen.
Instructors can help their students to adapt their sparring accordingly
by showing them defensive sparring techniques that will help to
compensate for any perceived deficiencies (a student’s own
perception of how their body performs can have a massive
psychological impact on performance).
For those that like to compete, it can be hard to measure up to an
opponent who is more than 20 years their junior. Instructors can
encourage their students to take part in the newly introduced veteran
categories.
Finally, it is important to have a thorough cool down and stretch at
the end of the session. The heart rate should be first raised (if not
already high) and then lowered in order to encourage dispersal of
lactates in the muscles (this will help prevent delayed onset of muscle
soreness – DOMS from occurring). Static stretching should then be
performed with each muscle held for 15-30 seconds (before
instructors shout about lack of time again, extra stretching can be
performed by the individual after the session is over).
If after all that you remain uninspired to begin or to carry on training
as a mature Taekwon-Doin (told you I learned Korean theory), have
a look at some of the veteran competitors at the next competition
such as the likes of Steve Luker, Martin Lloyd, Sue Lloyd, Diane
McInnes, Terry Atkinson, Billy Khoo and last but never least the
amazing Norman Luker, who is 70+ and still going strong.
Nutrient Food Source
Vitamin C Citrus fruit, kiwis, strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries, peppers, tomatoes, cabbage,
broccoli, new potatoes
Omega-3 Oils Pumpkin seeds, flax seed oil, herring, salmon,
sardines, wheat germ
Bioflavanoids All fruit and veg, cherries, grapes, green
peppers, tomatoes, broccoli
SAAs Broccoli, cabbage, onion, garlic eggs, meat,
poultry, fish, milk, cheese
Zinc Oysters, lean beef, pumpkin seeds, lamb,
turkey, sunflower seeds
Copper Beef liver, oysters, sunflower seeds, crab,
hazelnuts, baked beans, chickpeas, lentils,
wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals
References
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (1995). Guidelines for
Exercise Testing and Prescription. Williams & Wilkins: USA.
Hamilton, A. (2004). The best foods and supplements to protect your
joints from age-related degeneration: Peak Performance, 192 (4-8).
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (2006).
Ageing: What to Expect as You Get Older [online] Available:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/agingHA00040# [date accessed
27/06/2008]

Everyone always remembers the flair of a good attacking fighter:
amazing kicks, fast hand attacks and stunning combos. Watching
a truly talented fighter systematically take apart their opponent is a
fantastic spectacle. Many also remember fights that are brutal and
frenzied, where both fighters spend the whole bout hitting and being
hit in equal measure, the last man standing being the winner. In full
contact arenas these are the people whose sole aim is to knock out
their opponent, who work primarily on punching power and who
spar in training as they would in a bout. These are the fighters who
live by the sword and die by the sword.
However, without an adequate defence, an aggressive fighter will
very quickly be found wanting. One of the most undervalued skills
in any combat sport is having a good defence - undervalued
because many people don’t appreciate it. It is very hard to keep
attacking when you are also getting hit many times in return, believe
me I know. The all-guns-blazing approach works with many
opponents, where you can get in their space and, for want of a
better word, bully them into submission. However when you face a
decent competitor it very quickly backfires. Take Amir Khan as an
example. He is someone with amazing skill and speed that most of
us can only dream of. Having knocked out fourteen of his eighteen
previous opponents he came unstuck against Breidis Prescott, who
knocked him out in 54 seconds. Barry McGuigan had warned
previously “If the target is open, if the defence is poor, hands down,
chin up, feet all wrong, then any decent boxer can knock you over.”
It seems obvious, doesn’t it?
But having a good defence doesn’t stop you being able to attack –
far from it. It gives you a good base from which to set yourself,
24
launch your attacks without exposing yourself to potentially
damaging counters. And it all comes down to basics. You know,
the things you learn from day one, the absolute foundations of what
any coach should be teaching:
� Stance
� Guard
� Footwork
� Movement
Look at fighters such as Floyd Mayweather Jr (undefeated in 39
fights) or Joe Calzaghe (undefeated in 46) and you can see these
skills in abundance. Sure, their knockout percentages are lower
than some others, but their basic boxing skills are the cornerstone
of their success. Besides, you don’t need to knock people out to
win a fight (a point I can’t stress enough to anyone embarking on
a full contact career). Often it is better to win by having better
conditioning, skills and fitness than to enter into a Rocky-esque
slugging match, and far less painful. Sometimes it takes a beating
to remind a fighter that pretty much anyone can throw a punch (or
a kick). It’s no surprise that Amir Khan and Ricky Hatton both
returned from their defeats as better boxers (as opposed to fighters)
and easily defeated their next opponents.
Over the next couple of editions I’m going to take a look into the
basics of boxing, which should be applied for anyone wanting to
participate in full contact kickboxing.
We’ll start with the stance and guard …

Stance
A good stance provides the basis for everything. Get the stance right and the rest will be easier; get it wrong and some things will seem
impossible. The secret to this is balance.
How you set your stance will depend to an extent on your style and the rules of the fight. For example, a Taekwon-Do stance will vary
between having a predominantly side facing stance with the majority of weight on the back leg for fast front leg kicks to a more front
facing, forward distributed stance for rapid hand attacks. Boxers and full contact kickboxers have a more rigid stance that allows for
increased power generation while also allowing for the absorption of harder strikes. While a lot of Taekwon-Do fighting is done on the
move, a boxer is encouraged to keep both feet planted to the ground as often as possible.
So balance means different things depending on style. A boxer should be able to punch, guard, move, slip and dodge without losing
their balance. Being off balance can hurt, as anyone who has inadvertently walked onto a straight right will know.
Without going into the minutiae of measurements, a good boxing stance requires the following:
Stand roughly 45 degrees sideways to the target, so that you lead with the shoulder opposite
that of your strong punching hand. A right-handed boxer should point their left shoulder toward
the target. Standing side on will ensure that you present as few targets as possible to the
opponent, and therefore get hit fewer times. The more side on you stand, the fewer targets you
present, and keeping the body at about 45 degrees is a good compromise between defending
the body and keeping the ability to mount an effective attack. Changing the body facing is one
of the most important points I would suggest to someone who feels they are being hit with a lot
of straight punches (jabs and crosses).
Feet should be aligned much in the same ways as a Taekwon-Do L-Stance – that is, slightly
longer than shoulder width apart, toes of the front foot roughly aligned with heel of the back
foot, although some people go slightly wider (this is fine as long as it doesn’t affect body facing).
Both feet should be turned in slightly, which also assists with the maintenance of the side-on
posture. Some coaches say both feet should be angled to 45 degrees, but I find that to be too
much and puts too much pressure on the front knee.
Slightly bend the knees and hips, but keep the back straight. Raise the heel of the back foot
and set the weight distribution around 60% to 40% on the front leg. Weight distribution will
obviously change throughout a fight, but in normal circumstances try not to put more than 60%
on any leg as this will leave you off balance and ill prepared for taking a hit. The heel is raised
to prepare for movement or for firing a back leg kick. Boxing coaches teach you very early on
that if you're on the balls of your feet you can make quick movements whereas if you're on your
heels you're planted in punching a position, leaving your movements slower and making you
more susceptible to attack.
Guard
There are many different styles of boxing guard, from the peek-a-boo guard so successfully utilised by Mike Tyson to the cross-armed
guard used to cover the face, but they all have the same purpose – to protect the fighter. Having a good guard can limit the effects of
the opponent’s punches and be the difference between winning and losing.
Of course, no guard is perfect, otherwise there would be just one that everyone would use, so a fighter needs to gain a measure of
understanding of each in order to apply it and adapt in a fight. Some fighters may have their guard higher for more head protection while
others have their guard lower to provide better protection against body punches. As with everything, knowledge and practice breeds
confidence.
Standard Guard
The standard guard involves the lead fist placed vertically in front of the face at eye level, usually
with the thumb towards the face (ensuring the fist rotates when punching). The rear fist is placed
beside the chin with the elbow held against the ribcage to protect the body. The chin must be
tucked in the chest/shoulder to avoid punches to the jaw that cause knock-outs. This coupled
with the body angle and stance will ensure that as few targets as possible are presented to the
opponent. This guard allows a fighter to put their hands and body into a position that is good
for attacking while also allowing for fast transitions into other more defensive guards. Therefore,
this position should be relatively relaxed, but prepared.
25

Peek-A-Boo
The peek-a-boo guard is often taught to a beginner, as it requires very little movement or adjustment
to block effectively. The fighter may stand a little squarer than the traditional guard, but should try
not to go too square. The face and body should be covered by placing the hands, forearms and
elbows directly in front of them to guard against straight attacks from the front. Moving either hand
towards the ear can be used to block any hooks – effectively a shortened version of the elbow cover.
The stance may be slightly lower, with the knees bent a little more and the upper body leant slightly
forwards. When used well this style can reduce the punching room of the opponent and the options
available to them, and is a good guard for a fighter who likes to close down their opponent and fight
close. It is a very aggressive looking stance, but a very effective defensive position.
Cross-Arm
Philly Shell
The Philly Shell (also called the Crab or Shoulder Roll) is a counter-attacking guard that requires a
bit of experience and quick reflexes to execute successfully. It is similar in look and use as a
Taekwon-Do guard, and can work well for some kickboxers. The posture is slightly more side-facing
than a traditional boxing guard, with the lead hand placed horizontal across the torso with the lead
shoulder kept close to the chin. The back hand covers the side of the face with the back elbow around
top of the lead fist, forming an L shape. To an untrained eye, this guard may seem to leave a large
number of holes, most notably the front of the head. However, a good fighter can use the front shoulder
to cover and roll off punches toward the head, slipping in counter body hooks or uppercuts. The high
level of twisting and rolling this style requires means that the fighter needs to have quick reflexes and
upper body agility in order to make the defensive and attacking angles.
This guard was thought to have been made popular by Thomas Hearns who used the “flicker” jab
successfully from a low start position (similar to how Taekwon-Do fighters throw a backfist or
“Superman” punch). Floyd Mayweather Jr also manages to put this guard into good use, utilising his
quick reflexes and movement to maximum effect.
The cross-armed style guard involves placing the forearms horizontally above each other with the
right fist being above the left elbow and the right elbow above the left fist. While not a good position
to stay in for long periods of a fight, this guard allows good protection for the head, leaving only the
top of the head open to attack. However it can leave the midsection exposed for body attacks so it’s
important to be leaning or crunching down when using this guard. Good abdominal conditioning is
advised! George Foreman often used this guard, particularly towards the end of his career. He wasn’t
the fastest on his feet but had great conditioning, which is perfect for this type of guard.
That’s it for this edition. Next time we’ll look at movement and footwork, and ways to improve both.
David Harper is a Taekwon-Do 5th Degree and Kickboxing 4th Degree, is a member of
the P.U.M.A. Kickboxing team and a grading examiner. He has had a long and varied
competitive career and is now actively involved in boxing training and sparring.
26

Look what we have for you this time... An extra-enormous word search,
containing lots of easter and martial arts words. Use a pencil or pen and
see how many of these words you can find in the grid below!
EASTER BUNNYSPRING EGG
FLOWERS BONNET CHICKS
DAFFODILS MASTERPUMA DECORATION
DUCKLINGS BLUEBELLS CREAMEGG
COORDINATION DISCIPLINE MEMORY
EMERGENCYSKILLS FOCUS BALANCE
CHOCOLATE EASTER
E E A S T E R B U N N Y N N U B R E S T
A B H P B O O N N E T D E A S S T E R R
T O C R E A M E G G B U D I S C I P L I
E N O I B E E L E U L C F S S U C C O F
E N C N C A G S D I S C I P L I N E F G
G E O G H B G L A N M K C E B C C N R S
C D A F F O D I L S A L D A A O H A E L
R E L D I S C C I R S I D S A U I L E L
A C A C O B O N N E T N S D L R C A S I
A O T C H O C K S W G G U U A T K B G K
M R E Y E T A L C O O H C C N T S E N S
E A F R S N E T A L O C O H C E W A I Y
E T L O K N S P R F I N F K E N D S L C
G I O M C E A S T E E R B U N N Y T K N
D O W E U Y C H O C C L A T E C S E C E
A N W M A S T E R P U M A A M N P R U G
F B E A D M A S S T E R P U M A U G D R
F L C O O R D I N A T I O S S L U R I E
Y U R U P R E T S A M R E T S A M A M M
D U C K P U M S L L E B E U L B A B E E
27
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what you think of this page and what
you’d like to see on it.
We haven’t had enough jokes lately,
so here’s a picture of a light bulb
instead. Send us jokes or we’ll print
another light bulb picture next time as
well. What are you waiting for?
Master LP wants to know how you are
getting on with your theory- he has set
you three questions to try to solve:
1. Can you name 4 stances in
Korean and show an adult at
home?
2. Who was Dan Gun?
3. Can you draw and explain the
South Korean Flag?
Good grief... Torbay and Chudleigh instructor Mr Ian Bedborough developed a keen interest in fusion cooking over the Christmas
period and is preparing cactus pizza - an exciting composition of traditional Mexican and Italian elements - for a dinner party.
Mr Bedborough has already purchased pizza bases, mozzarella and really expensive tomatoes but must now search Plymouth’s Mexican
quarter for top quality edible cactus. He’s having a quick stretch while he consults his street map, but can you guide him to the local
retailer of new world cuisine?
Sold
here!