Competition at Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia - 2010 - Photograph 03

Competition at Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia - 2010 - Photograph 02

Competition at Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia - 2010 - Photograph 01

Hansu Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 

The word "Hansu" means water which is the source of substance preserving the life and growing all the creatures. Hansu symbolizes birth of a life and growth, strength & weakness, magnanimity & harmony, and adaptability.

"Han" has various meanings, namely, the name of a country, numerousness, largeness, evenness, length, the heaven and the root of evening, among others. Above all, the above significances, is the background of organizing this poomsae.

The new techniques introduced in this poomsae are:

son-nal-deung-momtong-hecho-makki

me-jumeok-yang-yopkuri[both flanks]-chigi

kodureo-khaljaebi

an-palmok-arae-pyojeok-makki

son-nal-keumgang-makki

and modum-bal as a stance.

Actions should be practiced softly like water but continuously like a drop of water gathering to make an ocean.

The Poomsae line symbolizes the Chinese letter that means water.

This is the first official Sixth Dan Black Belt (pattern) Poomsae of the World Taekwondo Federation.

There are 27 movements in this Poomsae.

Chonkwon Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 

The word "Chonkwon" means the Heaven's Great Mighty, which is the origin of all the creatures and itself the cosmos. Its infinite competence signifies the creation, change and completion.

Human beings have used the name of Heaven for all principal earthly shapes and meanings because they felt afraid of the Heaven's mighty.

Over 4,000 years ago, the founder of the Korean people, "Hwanin" meant the Heavenly King. He settled down in the "heavenly" town as the capital near the heavenly sea and heavenly mountain, where the Han people as the heavenly race gave birth to the proper thoughts and actions from which Taekwondo was originated. The Chunkwon Poomsae is based on such sublime history and thoughts.

The new techniques introduced in this Poomsae are nalgae-pyogi [wing opening], bam-jumeok-sosum-chigi [knuckle protruding fist springing chigi], hwidullo-makki [swinging makki], hwidullo-jabadangkigi [swinging and drawing], keumgang-yop-jireugi, taesan-milgi, etc., and a crouched walking manner.

The characteristics of movements are large actions and arm sections forming gentle curves, thus symbolizing the greatness of Chunkwon thought.

The Chonkwon Poomsae line "T" symbolizes a man coming down from the heaven, submitting to the will of Heaven, being endowed power by the Heaven and worshiping the Heaven, which means the oneness between the Heaven and a human being.

There are 27 movements in this second official World Taekwondo Federation fifth dan Black belt pattern.

Jitae Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

The word "Jitae" means a man standing on the ground with two feet, looking over the sky. A man on the earth represents the way of struggling for human life, such as kicking, trading and jumping on the ground. Therefore, the Poomse symbolizes various aspects occurring in the course of human being's struggle for existence.

The new techniques introduced in this Poomse are han-son-nal-olgul-makki, keumkang-momtong-jireugi, and me-jumeok-yop-pyojeok-chigi only, and the Poomse line signified a man standing on earth to spring up toward the heaven.

The key point of this Poomsae lies in the movements which are derived from the harmony of willing power and strong muscles, just as the universal mind of the earth lies in the implicitness and vigor of life. Jitae Poomsae is the first official 5th Dan Black Belt pattern of the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF), and has 28 movements.

Sipjin Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 

The word "Sipjin" derived from the thought of 10 longevity, which advocates there are ten creatures of long life, namely, sun, moon, mountain, water, stone, pine-tree, herb of eternal youth, tortoise, deer, and crane.

There are two heavenly bodies, three natural resources, two plants and three animals, all giving human beings faith, hope and love. The Sipjin Poomsae symbolizes those things.

The new techniques introduced in this Poomse are hwangso-makki [bull makki], son-badak[palm]-kodureo-makki, opeun-son-nal-jireugi, son-nal-arae-makki, bawi-milgi [rock pushing], son-nal-deung-momtong-hecho-makki, kodeo-olligi [lifting up], chettari-jireugi [fork-shape jireugi], son-nal-otkoreo-arae-makki, son-nal-deung-momtong-makki, which comes to ten.

The Chinese letter meaning "ten" is the form of the Poomse line, which signifies an infinite numbering of the decimal system and ceaseless development.

Kukkiwon Black Belt Testing at World Taekwondo Instructors' Academy - October 24, 2010

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

Sunday, October 24, 2010 marked the date for the Kukkiwon Black Belt Testing held at the dojang of the World Taekwondo Instructors' Academy (Malaysia), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The vast majority of the participants were red belt holders wanting to be promoted to their first black belt, First Dan Black Belt.

There were two First Dan Black belt holders who sat to be promoted to Second Dan Black Belt.

There were two Third Dan Black Belt holders who sat to be promoted to the Fourth Dan Black Belt.

Two Fourth Dan Black Belt holders sat for the promotion test to be promoted to Fifth Dan Black Belt.

And one Sixth Dan Black Belt holder sat to be promoted to the Seventh Dan Black Belt.

This was the very first time in which I had the honor and privilege of seeing high ranking Black Belt holders being examined for their promotions. Not only that, but it was the very first time in which I saw Korean Masters being promoted! That in itself was inspiring.

Unfortunately, the few photographs that I was able to capture didn't turn out so well, for the two reasons being that I do not have a good camera and secondly, because I am not a great photographer. I do hope that you will get a sense of the event that took place. However, it was nothing like being there in person seeing the Masters perform their promotional testing.

Moreover, possessing a Black Belt certificate from Kukkiwon, the Headquarters of The World Taekwondo Federation, in Korea is a must if one desire to be recognized worldwide as a Taekwondo Instructor/Master of Taekwondo. Anywhere in the world, one will recognize and respect your credentials as a martial arts of Taekwondo with a Kukkiwon Black Belt Certificate. Yes, it is costly to obtain, however, the benefits are priceless. To learn more about Kukkiwon, please visit their website for more details.

To all of the participants of this weekend's Black Belt Promotional Testing, I would like to congradulate you on a job well done and encourage you to continue in this wonderful way of life we call, Taekwondo.

Pyongwon Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

“Pyongwon” means a plain which is a vast stretched-out land. It is the source of life for all the creatures and the field where the human beings live their life. The Pyongwon Poomsae was based on the idea of peace and struggle resulting from the principles of origin and use. The line of poomsae means the origin and transformation of the plain. It is the third dan black belt pattern in the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).

Taebaek Poomsae

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

Taebaek is the name of a mountain with the meaning of "bright mountain", where Tangun, the founder of the nation of Korean people, and the bright mountain symbolizes sacredness of soul and Tangun's thought of "hongik ingan" (humanitarian ideal).

There are numerous sites known as Taebaek, but Mt. Paektu, which has been typically known as the cradle of Korean people, is the background of naming the Taebaek poomsae.

The line of poomsae is like a Chinese letter, which symbolizes the bridge between the Heaven and the earth, signifying human beings founded a nation by the Heaven's order.

Keumgang Poomsae

KEUMGANG has the original meaning of “being too strong to be broken ”. Also, in Buddhism, what can break off every agony of mind with the combination of wisdom and virtue is called “Keumgang”.

The Korean people have named the most beautiful mountain in the Korean peninsula Keumgang-San which is located in the Taebaek range of mountains, and call diamond, the hardest known substance, Keumgang-Seok.

Accordingly, Keumgang in Taekwondo means movement based on spiritual strength that is as beautiful and majestic as the Diamond Mountains , and as hard and adamant as the diamond.

Keumgang poomse is the official 2nd Dan black belt pattern of the World Teakwondo Federation (WTF). The movements should reflect the majestic spirit of the Diamond mountains. There are 27 sequences or movements to this poomsae.

Koryo Poomsae

KORYO is the name of an ancient dynasty (918 AD – 1392 AD) in Korea . The English word ‘ Korea ' is originated from the name of “koryo” dynasty. Koryo's legacy to the Korean people is very significant.

The men of Koryo showed great fortitude by persistently defeating the aggression of Mongolians who were sweeping the known world at the time.



The application of the spirit of Koryo men into the movement of Taekwondo is  “Koryo” poomsae. Consequently, every movement is the presentation of the strong conviction and with which Koryo men held in check the Mongolians.

Koryo is the first of 9 official black belt patterns of the WTF.

There are 30 sequences or movements to this poomsae.

The Importance of Warming Up and Stretching in the Martial Arts

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 

Warming up and stretching in all sports activities is importance, but it is even more so in the martial arts. Please be informed that stretching is not warming up! It is, however, a very important part of warming up. Warming up is quite literally the process of "warming up", raising your core body temperature. A proper warm-up should raise your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

There are three phases:

1. General warm-up

2. Stretching

3. Sport-specific activity

It is very important that you perform the general warm-up before you stretch. It is not a good idea to attempt to stretch before your muscles are warm, something which the general warm-up accomplishes. A general warm-up may be light jogging, skipping rope, riding on the stationary cycle machine or simply running in place for about 5 minutes or so.

 

Warming up can do more than just loosen stiff muscles. When done properly, it can actually improve performance. On the other hand, an improper warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk of injury from engaging in athletic activities. For older individuals, as myself, it would be very wise to get plenty of warm-up before proceeding with a strenuous activity.

It is important to note that active stretches and isometric stretches should not be part of your warm-up because they are often counterproductive. The goals of the warm-up are an increased awareness, improved coordination, improved elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Active stretches and isometric stretches do not help achieve these goals because they are likely to cause the stretched muscles to be too tired to properly perform the athletic activity for which you are preparing your body.

In closing, I would like to encourage all martial artists to arrive at least 15 minutes early to the dojang or your place of training and get in a good warm up. Use that time wisely. No running around the dojang playing tag or whatever, but use the time to skip rope, jog in place or any kind of activity that will increase your body temperature. Note, do not over do it. You may do too much warming up that you have no energy left for the actual training. That too is no good. Try the above mentioned advice this week and within a few weeks you shall see the benefits.

Thank you for reading this article and enjoy your training.

Training at World Taekwondo Instructors' Academy - October 09, 2010

Training at World Taekwondo Instructors' Academy on Saturday, October 09, 2010. All photographs were taken by Rubi-Ain Dahlan, a martial artist. Thank you Rubi for a job well done.

Ethics of Taekwondo

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

As in all martial arts, ethics are of great importance. One can look at individual ethics, treat a fellow-man right, or one can look at social ethics, as part of a whole.

Ethics basically all comes down to one point, the difference between 'good' and 'evil'. When one views the practice Taekwondo, it is often seen as an aggressive martial art/sport, but does this mean that we can be aggressive? Do we want to be aggressive?

While training and/or competing protective equipment is worn, because we don't want our opponent to be injured, nor do we want to get injured ourselves. Taekwondo is not a destructive and aggressive martial art/sport, but a comprehensive one. As I see it, taking part in a competition is not to hurt your opponent. Rather, it is an opportunity to demonstrate your strength, skills, knowledge and techniques.

Taekwondo students can improve themselves physically and mentally by training hard and regularly. The final goal is to achieve harmony with nature and oneself, not to get a black belt, like so many people believe. Balance is gained by controlling both evil and good forces. A true student of Taekwondo knows how to behave in all situations.

Moreover, Taekwondo is more for than improving one’s skills of self defence, strength and many other positive things. Taekwondo is a way of life. Practicing Taekwondo gives the student more self-confidence, but this should not result in a false sense of superiority.

There is much more I wish to share with you. In future posts, I will go further into details of some of the points just mentioned. Thank you for your time and enjoy your training.

Eleven Commandments of Taekwondo

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 

1. Loyalty to your country.

2. Respect your parents.

3. Faithfulness to your spouse.

4. Respect your brothers and sisters.

5. Loyalty to your friends.

6. Respect your elders.

7. Respect your teacher.

8. Never take life unjustly.

9. Indomitable spirit.

10. Loyalty to your school.

11. Finish what you begin.

Objectives of Taekwondo

By Sir Nathaniel 3X Rhine

 1. To develop an appreciation for Taekwondo as both a sport and as an art form.


2. To achieve physical fitness through positive participation.


3. To improve mental discipline and emotional stability.


4. To learn self-defense skills.


5. To develop a sense of responsibility for one self and others.

Poomsae Competition in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia - June 2010

This photograph was taken by Kisoi Matsudaira as soon as we arrived at the stadium for the competition.

Taekwondo Training During the Holy Month of Ramadan

By Sir Nathaniel Rhine

To the Muslims throughout the world, we at Makevelli Taekwondo would like to wish you all a very happy and blessed month of Ramadan. To the Muslim students who are martial arts, I would hope that you will find a few minutes to read and fully understand this article on training during Ramadan.

During Ramadan, we the Muslims are forbidden to eat or drink during the daylight hours. Not even a sip of water is allowed during this time. Unfortunately, many of the Muslim martial artists love to use Ramadan as an excuse not to train, for fear that they may dehydrate, faint or whatever. Cut the non-sense!

Islam has stipulated that there shall not be any food or water had during the daylight hours. It never stated or even suggested that one should abstain from any physical activities, including martial arts training.

Of course, since there is very little water in the body of a fasting person during Ramadan, one must take into consideration one’s ability or inability to perform various physical activities. I would advise you to still train, however, do not over do it. If your usual training session is an hour and a half, you may still maintain the duration of the training, but reduce the intensity of your training.

Instead of working on your turning kick by executing 200 kicks each leg, continue to work on your turning kick, but reduce the number to say 100 each leg. You will still get in a good workout, without putting a stain on the body.

Instead of a heavy sparring session, why not work on various sparring techniques, minus the speed and stepping. Continue with the attack and defence movements, yet do it in at a reduced speed and reduced power. One does not have to kick one’s training partner with full power. Simply, touch or kick your opponent lightly, just to practice the technique.

Moreover, depending on the time of day you have training; try to minimize your other physical activities throughout the day. Reserve your energy for your martial arts training, as much as you can.

I will be very frank, I hate it with a passion when any student of mine approaches me and/or begins the day’s training session, and they act as though they are about to physically die due to observing a fast, be it for religious reasons or otherwise. Just stop! Cut the crap! If you feel that you are going to die, then do not come to class. It is that simple. If one is to think positive and tell themself that they are doing to do their best during class, then they will do there best in class.

Do not use fasting in Ramadan as an excuse not to train. At least put forth an earnest effort to train. Other members in the dojang want to train hard and they are not there to give you any pity because of your fasting. Instead, they may want to give you a quick kick in the you know what for your self-pity. Let Ramadan be a form of training for you. Use it as a train tool to increase your love for the martial arts.

In conclusion, I wish all the Muslim martial artists and non-martial artists alike a safe, happy and productive Ramadan. Happy training!

Kuala Selangor, Malaysia Taekwondo Championship - July 24, 2010

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All photographs were taken by Mr Ang Chin Beng. Thank you very much for a job well done.