While the next test is still two months away, I would like to split up, for the first time, our Gup and Dan tests in order to give a better test to both groups. Please review the dates below and let me know which is better for you, if you are planning/eligible to test.

Gup (color belts up to Red 2) Test Date : Saturday, April 25th 1-3pm

Dan Test (Red 3 and up) -- Here we have two options. Saturday, May 2nd, or the following Saturday, May 9th. 1-3pm

As always, if you can't make it to the test, we can schedule a make up test for you, but this is an effort to have as few make up tests during class time as possible. 

Something New!

One thing I've learned from teaching at Double Helix is their clever use of Committees. We have so many members with such varied talents that is seems wasteful not to make use of them. These are volunteer groups to help grow our school and improve it all around. Below are the committees I'd like to create. If you would like to be on one (or more) of them, reply and let me know, or sign up at LOMA. 

Marketing Committee

I've always been good at retention and not as good at recruitment. You can tell by how many Black Belts we have. I just find it hard to "brag" about myself or our school, as good as I know it is. This is where the Marketing Committee can be useful. It would consist of:

Street Team : Find locations and hang flyers, etc around the areas you already go.

Video Team : Plan and shoot photos and videos for Youtube/Facebook/Instagram, etc.

Web/Print Team : Find and decide on the best places to run ads, and design them.

Demo Committee

Scout out and find places and events to hold demonstrations

Choreograph and practice a great demo

Decide on and organize practice times

Perform Demos!

Tournament Team  Committee

Decide which tournaments to attend and find new ones 

Study rulesets for these tournaments and practice them

Study coaching and refereeing

Decide on and organize practice times

Pro Shop Committee

Find and test different types of training and sparring equipment

Choose Bags/Accessories/Clothing that we want

Design branding/designs that we like and find the best suppliers

Team Building Committee

Research and decide on fun activities for members to participate in outside the Dojang. For Example:

Movies 

Skating/Paintball/Escape Rooms, etc

Field Days (soccer games, outdoor training, camping trips or hikes, etc) 

Contests

 

Again, these are of course voluntary and should reflect talents you have or want to develop. They are not limited to Black Belts, or even active students, I'm just starting with you. More members = more training partners and friends. 

Thank you,

Jason Hughes

Team Practice 7.27.19

Bo Staff Form normal speed and step by step

Team Sync Practice 1

Link to the practice spreadsheet Coach Robin created

Some interesting applications of Gae Baek Form

Some notes to think about in Forms competition

Found on the web, a good starting point to think about your performance...

Of course each tournament will have its own guidelines for judging forms competitions. Performance of forms is typically evaluated (in part) by the judges using technical factors such as:

• Stance:
  • Are the feet the correct distance apart for that stance
  • Are the toes pointed in the correct direction
  • Are the correct parts of the feet (heels, balls, toes, etc.) for that stance touching the ground
  • Are the knees bent the correct amount
  • Is the performer's weight distributed correctly among the two legs
  • And most importantly: did the performer finish the form at the same spot as where he started (within a few inches), thus demonstrating consistent length to his stances
• Blocking, Punches, and Strikes:
  • Were the arms chambered correctly prior to the movement
  • Did the arms travel along the correct path, and finish in the correct position
  • Were the hands shaped properly before, during, and after the movement
  • Were the wrists held correctly
• Kicks:
  • Did the kicking leg travel along the correct path, strike in the correct position, and then recover along the correct path
  • Did the supporting leg have the correct amount of bend and twist before, during, and after the movement
  • Did the kicking foot use the correct striking surface (top, toes, ball, heel, etc.)
  • Did the supporting foot support the performer's weight using the correct parts of the foot (usually the flat or the ball of the foot)
  • Note that according to some published technical guidelines for some styles, no guidance is provided for arm position during the kick
• Kihap
  • Are the kihaps performed in the right places, and are they strong

Poomsae performance is more than just technical correctness however, it is a performance, i.e., "an entertaining show", so the technical factors listed above are not the only considerations typically evaluated. (In this sense, poomsae performance is a bit like gymnastics or figure skating - part of the score is technical correctness, but part of the score is also the quality of the showmanship.) Typically judges consider a wide variety of things such as:

• Was the poomsae performed properly of course (no forgotten steps, and no steps performed incorrectly).
• Were the basic techniques especially (basic kicks, basic blocks, basic strikes, etc.) performed well. (There may be less emphasis on evaluating "advanced" movements since these tend to be less standardized.)
• Did the athlete exhibit accuracy, balance, power, snap, speed, coordination, rhythm, and energy. A competitor who makes a minor technical error might still win based on the merits of these other very important factors.
• Expressiveness is also sometimes evaluated, though this factor can be even more subjective.
• In summary, was this performance an "entertaining show" that highlights excellence and correctness in taekwondo.

Note: In some competitions, scoring begins not when you start the execution of your form, but when you first step onto the mat. In this situation, judges are also evaluating you in terms of how you enter the mat (do you bow as  you enter), do you bow to the judges before the start of the event, etc.