Tang Soo Do

Ok, I got this link in my email http://mmaforfans.com/kung-fu-vs-tai-kwon-do/ First I want to say, that I'm only an 8th gup, so I could not do better, however, in the first sparring match here between a kung foo practitioner and a Tang Soo Do practitioner, I am certain that if he (the kung foo guy) were to come to World Tang soo Do Association District 7, he would meet much stiffer competition. I KNOW that if he came to Scota Karate that he would find himeself having to wrk much harder.


That being said, Merry Christmas to all! It's another beautiful Christmas day for us to remember that Jesus came for us, so we can come before the God of heaven as His children.

Have a wonderful day!

Through a rough spot...

Well, we, I should say I made it through a rough spot. I had come to a flat spot in my learning, a small one, but felt despair at not being able to accomplish anything in my Tang Soo Do classes. I knew that I didn't want to give up, yet I felt like I was ready to.

Fortunately I pressed on, our master, Master Joseph Scota encouraged me, or maybe it was a threat! He said, "If you really want to quit lets get our gear on and go out on the floor, that way you will have an excuse!" He wasn't serious, completely, but he was trying to tell me that he would rather fight me to stay than to let me leave.

Of course I wasn't going to take him up on THAT offer, thought as I think about it, he would probably have spent as much time explaining to me how to do better as picking me up off the floor. At any rate, this past Saturday we, Kenny, Riley, Jesse, and I all tested for 8th Gup, Orange belt, and we passed.

this was our first official test, we arrived a little early to stretch and try to prepare our mind and then starting right on time, punctuality is important!, at 1:!5 Master Scota, Mrs. Pruit, and Miss Scully started us through our paces. We did some calethstenics, some sit ups, some push ups, (ugh) and jumping jacks (argh) then walking techniques, punches, kicks, self defense, jumping kicks, some kick combinations, I didn't remember doing THAT one!" all the forms we know, for the boys and I that's 2 we got to watch the higher belts go through the additional forms, up and down in and out.

then they had us gear up to spar. Point Sparring as is common to the World Tang Soo Do association. and before we knew it, 2 hours had passed. I was tired, but felt that other than a few bobbles I had at least not been too much of a disappointment.

On Monday evening I kept checking my email, hoping to know if we had passed. I didn't get the email, until AFTER I had left for class. Mrs Scota told us that she had sent the emails out, we had all passed.

We will be promoted on Monday evening, and then I have so much more to learn it's not even funny. My oldest son is already looking to his 7th gup, but I'm thinking I have so much to learn that I want to progress just fast enough to keep learning, but I really want to get better on the rest of this stuff!

One thing that Master Scota told me, I think the night before we tested, was that my side kicks are getting higher. I can't really tell, but I'm glad he sees them improving!

I have to remember sometimes others can see improvement that I can't, and I'm going to do my best as a new 8th gup to learn everything that my teachers show me... and keep going no matter what!

I'll post pictures if I can next week.

Quit or not to Quit, that is the question... NOT!

Master Scota has told me that there are plateaus we reach in training. I have reached one, and even descended a little.

Two weeks ago I pulled a ham-string. Not seriously, but enough that it was reminiscent of the time I accidentally made contact with 220v AC current. It was not exactly painful, but it didn't feel good, the muscle hurt more, but the electric jolt was similar.

Since that time I have been in a slump. I couldn't go to class the next session, and then I have felt a nagging twinge in that muscle every time I try to do a side or round-house kick.

Add that to the fact that my wife, due to a condition in her feet which coudn't get better while she was coming to class, had to quit, and I have felt like quitting.

I don't want to! I see so many benefits. My muscles are stronger, my blood-pressure is lower. I am actually learning some things.

I wish we could go to the regional championships in Myrtle Beach, but it won't work out this year. Maybe next year. We'll see.

I told Master Scota, that I'm not going to quit, I'm just at that point where I feel like quitting. However, I'll press on, and I'll try to be more elaborate in my posts here.

Bink

forms, techniques, and stretches, kicks, arg... Keep a white-belt mentality!

With each new class I learn something new. Last night we went through the forms or Hyungs (my family and I only know the first two, Sae Kye Hyung Il Bu, and Sae Kye Hyung E bu).

Since we have promoted to Yellow Belt or 9th Gup we are in a class with other Yellow belts, orange belts, Orange with a stripe, Green, and green with a stripe belts. The class moves quickly, and it seems hard to concentrate.

However, I remember when we first started working as a class at the beginner level and they would move us through the various exercises, it all seemed very fast and difficult to pick up then as well.

I think that what Master Scota has said at almost every promotion fits so well. Keep a white belt attitude. In other words don't forget what you know but come into each class knowing that there is so much that you have to learn! That we are beginners, at least at that stage, and if we can maintain that level of humility, to remember that we are all Cho Bo Ja (beginners) then we can learn the most.

There are regional Championships in Myrtle Beach in November, unfortunately I and my family won't be able to attend.

I'm certain it would be embarrassing on some levels, but then if I remember that I am Cho Bo Ja, there can be no embarrassment. My boys would really enjoy it, unfortunately due to work issues we won't be able to go.

I will plan for the competitions next year!

Ko Map Sum Ni Da

Jonathan Wagner

Cho Bo Ja

Rolls, Stop-Falls, and Pain

Well, tonight, we learned how to do front rolls and back rolls. And even worked on stop-falls. Very fun, but wow it's hard.
I have spent the last 30+ years (I'm 41) trying NOT to fall on the ground and here I am having to do it on purpose! ACK!!

Ah well, I'll learn I'll do it. It's sort of fun. But Wow it's hard to overcome years of self conditioning to NOT fall down. So, we will have to find out what it takes to learn how to fall down on purpose. Maybe if someone were to push me it would help...

I don't know.

I'm writing short blog entries on classes now so I can remember when we learned various things.

We are going to the makeup class on Saturday morning... that should be fun. Master Scota suggested we stay for the sparring class as well... YIKES!