Actually, there is no such thing as “regular” class at Jung Suwon.  This is because Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim just isn’t a “regular” person.  She follows whatever the Ki energy requires.  Very often, at lectures, she will be asked what she will talk about.  She says, “I will know when I get there.”  And it is absolutely the case – I have had the pleasure of being able to watch and witness many of Grandmaster Kim’s lectures, and every time she delivers a custom made speech.

The same happens in the Do Jang at Jung SuWon.  She just knows what is needed.  Yesterday, for example, Grandmaster Kim went over, in detail, Spinning roundhouse kick.  This is very difficult for a lot of students, especially when then first learn it.  Yesterday, Grandmaster Kim broke it all down for us all, and towards the end of class, here is a demonstration of a very well executed kick:

http://youtu.be/aQ5wVUizC60

This picture was taken from this website: orthopaedia.com  and it is entirely their property.  I am only using it to illustrate what I will be going through soon. 

So I went to my foot doctor yesterday.  He is very nice, very competent and I trust him.  He exudes confidence in what he does, and he is passionate about his job.

Turns out that I will need some minor surgery on my foot.  I have plantar fasciites that hasn’t gone away for about a year and I feel it’s time to accelerate the “feel good” process.

My Martial Arts Master, Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, has been very encouraging and supportive.  She teaches a lot about the quality of life, and living life to its fullest.  “Celebrate every living breath,” she says, “as if it was your last breath.”

Grandmaster Kim says that we only have the current moment guaranteed.  We do not know if we are going to have a tomorrow.  We only have the here and now.  Of course we still need to plan for the future, but we cannot ever take it for granted.

So, this minor surgery, is my planning for the future, so I will be able to walk, run, jump and kick again.  At age 54 (I’ll be turning 54 next month) I feel I am way too young to live with this much pain.

Of course, being on coumadin, this will require extra care and preparation.  It will all be great though.  “Expect success!”  Grandmaster Kim says.  “Don’t settle for anything less!  It is Your life!”

But most of all, Grandmaster Kim teaches that whatever we decide to do in our lives, the choice is ours.  No matter what.  In the end, it all comes down to our own choice.

With Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, you never know what’s going to come up next.  The only thing you can expect, is the unexpected!

So, on Lunar New Year Day,  Grandmaster Kim was treating a bunch of us students to a most outstanding celebration dinner .  It was wonderful, and I’ll blog about that on my Jung SuWon food blog.

After we had a great time and a lot of delicious food, we thought the night was over, but instead, Grandmaster Kim asked to meet us all at Jung SuWon, in uniform!  What an awesome surprise!

Once there, Grandmaster Kim announced that we were having a surprise testing!

Nobody had any idea about this testing, and the two students I am highlighting here are very special, in that both of them have extreme physical challenges – and as you can see, one of them is in a wheel chair (and has been in it since age 11).  They ended up becoming Masters that night!

Congratulations all around!

HE CAN DO, SHE CAN DO, WHY NOT ME!

I can’t think of a better way to start the day than getting up very early and training.  Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim makes it exciting, challenging, thought provoking, muscle maxing, and she will involve every single muscle and brain cell you never even knew you had!

There is no such thing as a “typical” training session with Grandmaster Kim. Whatever the Ki energy of the day requires, will be the topic of the day.

I love working out with the long staff.  At Jung SuWon Grandmaster Kim doesn’t just let anyone work with weapons – that has to be earned by showing responsibility in all actions, not just in the Do Jang.  No matter what belt level you are (although higher belt ranks have a better probabiliy ) unless you are a dedicated and responsible student you will have to wait until you are.

I personally love training with the staff very much – since I do have limitations due to the coumadin, I enjoy the “bong” as we call it, so much, especially practicing forms and twirling.  It is very meditative to me.  But I love any and all kinds of training, and I look forward to when my foot and leg are sufficiently healed so I can start running again!

Traditional Warrior Workout

I have been lucky enough to get to participate in Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim’s special outdoor training programs.  I absolutely love it.  Today, we even worked out in the rain!  Grandmaster Kim invited us to be there at the crack of dawn, when it was still pitch dark, and she started by telling this story:

“A very wealthy man was on his deathbed, surrounded by his extremely rich family and friends.  They were richer than anyone in the world.  They asked him, what can we do for you?  What do you want?  We can give you anything!  But the dying man, gasping as he spoke, said, “I want to be able to have one more breath!”

No matter how much money we have, without our health, it really doesn’t matter.

This got me thinking – like I mentioned on an earlier blog entry, my goal is to focus on that that I can do, rather than bemoan the things I cannot do anymore.  Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim gave us a most wonderful training time this morning.  Walking/running up hills, then doing the same with eyes closed, the training with the long staff, and so much more.

All the while, it was raining – drizzling at first, and by the time we were done, a light, steady rain.  How wonderful it is to be able to do these things!  I love it!

Grandmaster Kim shares with us how when she was growing up, she used to train in the mountains, and never inside a Do Jang, always outside.  I am so happy that I am getting this kind of training!

Her own story is quite compelling in itself, and you can read about it here.  Great Grandmaster Kim is definitely my hero.  Her teachings have helped me throughout my adult years.  Her very simple words “He Can Do, She Can Do, Why Not Me!” have carried me through the toughest of situations.  Those words help me keep my calm and find solutions, help keep my emotions in check and stay in control of my thoughts and actions.

Grandmaster Kim has treated us to some outstanding outdoor training sessions for the past weeks. I had to miss about 10 days of them, but I am back in.  It has been exciting, exhiliarating, and simply outstanding.  Getting up before the dawn, going outside when it’s crisp and cold, and work out hard, has been the fulfilment of my dreams!

And while I still – due to the coumadin – can’t sparr like I used to, run like I used to, do the breakings like I used to – Martial Arts is so much more!  I love my life and am savoring every moment of it!

Rather than focusing on what I cannot do anymore – as you know, when you take coumadin, contact sparring is out, any “getting hit” is out, so are most breaks.  You might ask, so what’s left – this is Martial Arts after all!

Oh, there is so much that’s left!  Aside from basics, forms, kicking and punching light bags, shadow sparring, ki energy training, and so much more.  At Jung Suwon Martial Art Academy, Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim really makes Martial Arts training exciting, fun, and it’s also a lot more.  For those that want more – it can and will be life coaching and training.

But one of my most favorite things are testing and belt ceremony, especially for children.  The sheer joy of accomplishing something meaningful is pure delight!  Here you can see some pictures from our most recent belt ceremony!   And I just love to be able to share that special moment and tie a belt around a newly graduated student!

http://youtu.be/X68F9NK3x7s

And yes, I am still taking coumadin, and still have to watch how I sparr (as in, sparr keeping a safe distance and letting sparring partners know not to really hit me) and lately I have learned that I really shouldn’t break bricks or boards – not sure I can stick to that, but we’ll see!

So much has happened – I will try and fill you in on it all.  I’ll show more pictures and articles and videos soon.

I’ll be back!

Rocco Pochy, longtime student of Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, who is the founder of Jung Suwon, performed this incredible break – while in a wheel chair, and in his suit, not workout clothes. 

It’s wonderful to see how the mind can push through so many physical obstacles.  And like I said before, if he who is in a wheel chair can do it, who am I to complain?  Stay in tune for my break from that same event! 

Since I am still struggling with chest pains on a daily basis and since I tend to be like an ostrich, trying to bury my head to make things go away, Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, my Jung Suwon Martial Arts teacher, has told me to stop ignoring this and find a doctor that can help me.  So I have looked for some doctors and found one that is great!

My new doctor, whom I like very much and who is very wonderful, is taking me seriously and really is helping me a lot, has asked me to try nitroglycerine.  Of course my first reaction was, isn’t that something you use for blowing up stuff? 

Well, not quite.  It does open up your blood vessels and makes it easier for your blood to get to places it’s supposed to go.  There is an explosion involved, and that is how I feel when I take the nitro first – my head feels like it’s going to explode any second, and this lasts for about 10 – 20 minutes.  I also get a little shakey, but after that initial reaction, I am breathing so easy and no chest pains for the rest of the day. 

So, whatever it is doing, it’s working!  I will need to do some more research on it all, but so far it looks very promising!!!