7/20 Springfield Class with KJN

Jung Jool

Center

We had a few fewer Ko Dan Ja than Dan’s tonight.

I was asked to do the stretching for which after was class was given the advice to look at who is in class and adjust the stretches appropriately for the members. In this case the more Senior Seniors. :)

The entire class other than warm up was dedicated to Joon Jul.

Warm up started with center punches which we focused driving the hip and flow of energy from our center. We started with two count punches where we stopped at the mid point of the punch with both elbows touching our bodies. A slight cocking of the hip was used to start each step of the punch.

We then moved on to kicks where KJN the made some corrections to members to have them bring their kick further to the inside and then come down more in front of the body. This is a common mistake where the focus of the energy on the strike ends up being outside the body instead of in front where the focus should be.

At this point we switched to Joon Jul. We did this as a group 2x and then broke out to work on our own to make corrections. My corrections self and direct were numerous and I have probably forgotten most of them and I apologize now for my lack of a sharp memory.

1. We all were corrected on our hands and letting them be to casual. In this I refer to not connecting them to the rest of our body and moving our energy thought them. We must also make sure they are not just hanging out there but in the position they are supposed to be. i.e. is the thumb sticking out when it should not. I think we watch KJN and see how relaxed and quiet each and every motion is and try to emulate it. As a result we over compensate for our mistakes and thus the sloppy hands. I know this is my mistake.
2. when we are in the position with our 1 hand pointing up(soo do), elbow at 90 deg, other had under or near (soo do). The rear arm should be directly behind us. Many of us had it at a 40-60 deg angle behind us instead of 90.
3. Again the focus of filling the body with energy. Today the analogy was a hose (think fire hose). If the hose is empty and you use it to strike it will flop and be hard to direct and strike with(do not think as a whip but more like a sward). Now fill that hose with water (energy) and it is a formidable weapon. We need to do the same with our bodies. Fill them with energy, keep them connected and use this energy with each motion.

Motion walk thought:

1. Hands start in front (mistake I was making, I was starting on side and rotating hands with body to front). Top hand ends about chin level, bottom about belt or bit lower while is a low cat-stance.
2. “Motion is done”, just drive the hip L/R twist and let the hands fall into double block, no upper body needed.
3. Same for the next 2 soo do low blocks.
4. Next motion has 1/2 way point we worked on. Body follows the twist of hips as do the hands The Rt hand is in the middle of the body down low with the left following. The rest of the motion is a fluid circular motion which comes up across your face ending up directly behind you so your body is a straight line. The are is at a 90 deg angle to the floor bent at the elbow. hands are straight given the proper focus when doing the motion pushing your energy through them but while remaining centered and connected to the earth. this is a quicker whipping motion.
5. pushing the hip while breathing slowly with intent driving the Rt hand forward with the hip and allowing the left to fall back.
6. repeat for other side
7. The low crouching (I need to beef up on my terminology ) double block Rt hand over head and left over extended leg was broken down. the 1/2 way point the left foot is brought out and the body with the eye focus leading facing over the left leg. the hips are at around 70 deg angle or more. Hands are in front of hips close to left leg . From here you sort of swing/fall into the double block weight all on Rt leg way low.
8. Next move broken into 2 parts again. Hand and hips are centered with weight with soo do hands in front of center with Rt pointing up Lf down folding with motion from hips. flow/fall into double block other direction.
9. Step forward without looking earth connection into sakaro jip jassie, hands almost over left leg, Rt on top, open soo do position. inhale
10. Settle into embracing motion, inhale or no breath
11. Slow opening like a flower motion with hands to side palms up.
12. Exhale with sharp strong connected to earth motion folding Rt hand at elbow to head.
13. Slow crossing in front of body middle, inhale, reach up to sky, open like flower and settle
14. Exhale strong motion folding left hand to head
15. 2 steps next motion. let the left arm drop to the side, then whip/flow the arm with the hip into high block.
16. Double punch keeping low and driving up from hip
17. Keep the Left foot planted (NO HOP) sliding into uppercut with left hand support at elbow
18. 2 steps, compress/coil/inhale body while twist to bring Rt hand in front upside down punch position with left behind Rt in vertical punch pos, explode into punch with Rt from hip pushing forward, no upper body, connected to earth, and NO HOP.
19. Going back, same as above
20. This time slight hop to get into uppercut with support of left hand at elbow
21. ....
22. With the punches and the fold of the punching are at elbow: Do normal punch and after punch fold arm. There is no focus on elbow strike, etc. I asked specifically about how to do this motion because everyone seems to have a different interpretation of it.
23. skipping to the end.
24. Left the hip bring the body back into two arm block with arms level to ground shoulder height
25. intermediate motion, left arm extended, rt folded in shoulder height, strike by pulling left in with hip
26. slight step into strike other directions, rt

We closed class with the same sparring combo of hammer fist, step revers punch. KJN also stressed how he would like to see more of a SBD influence in our sparring so that we did not look like every other style when sparring.

As with every class my head is spinning with all the input and trying to keep it straight. I feel since coming back to Springfield I have tried to look at this class as something different than I used to. I/We should always take each class as if it were the last but human nature is to let it slide into routine. I am working hard to not let it slide into routine and absorbing as much as my head can hold. I know I fail to a great degree but if I can take at least a few things away and remember them from each class I will have accomplished a small bit of progress at least.

I did have a short conversation to discuss the “Open Source” concept. I am not sure I got the full concept across. What it did do is initiate KJN to connect me with Diaz Sa Bom Nim to potentially work on the World Moo Duk Kwan site. KJN did say to work with Diaz SBN on the concept. I think if we peal the “onion” slowly we might make progress. If you think about just the white belt requirements and how many layers of skill and development are required to “master” them. We never really master them but are continuously striving to do so. If we can present this to start with I think we will make great progress.

i.e. just learning it, green, red, black belt, master level for just doing Basic Form 1.

I also asked about possible putting the classes on SBD.tv but KJN did not want to do this now. He wants the class to be more personal. I then asked perhaps from time to time for special classes and he thought this might be possible.