24.8.2007 / XXVII. Sonkal sportcamp

Photos and information from Summer camp

It is August 23 and coach full of killers from Sonkal Taekwon-Do School is leaving Prague at 9.30 AM. Our destination was again many times examined Malé Svatoňovice in Trutnov region. This was our fifth time there. We had to stop and wait for about half hour just after the border of village because of clearing works after a car crash. No Sonkal killer was injured.
After we put up in our residence for next 10 days, we ran to eat some bite.

Sonkal killers started with afternoon training where rules of camp were got to know and then they practiced fundamental moves. Instructors had to refresh knowledge of basic moves and patterns of all Sonkal members because most of them hang around whole holidays. At the end of training they did some callisthenics to remind their muscles what is it TKD training :o)
There was fortunately no training after dinner, so everyone finished unpacking and went sleep with softly tired muscles and in good mood.



I have to say as author of article that I arrived to Malé Svatoňovice 2 days later because I was a guest on my former TKD School training camp in Brno. For members of TKD school Brno: "It was pleasure to see all of you again, especially these which I haven’t seen for 4
years (for example doctor Nóna)."

Friday, August 24.

After great breakfast prepared by Kladno-girls Pavla Kšandová and Petra Mikulíková (they have prepared all breakfast on this camp - we does love you girls!!!) we started training by some running exercises and our favourite game "Freeze man". Whole training was dedicated to perfection of fundamental moves and basic patterns and also step sparring and foot techniques. My tired body also came to Svatoňovice this day, but unfortunately I did not managed to be there early enough for neither training nor dinner. Ok, I was mostly sad because of dinner. They had chicken...mmm. All of us (including me) licked pillows (ugly English, isn’t it? :o) – translator) just few moments after the dinner.

Saturday, August 25.

Nearly everyone got up with sore body. Plan for the day was more than....no comment....we were looking forward to 3 trainings. First training was focused on our grading patterns and then special techniques using pads and special techniques´ posts. We did some shoulder exercises and went to eating room to fight with food. Afternoon training was about semi-free and free sparring drills and also some power breaking techniques training. After that we did some triceps and chest exercises to enjoy training as much as possible. Stairs on our way back to hostel looked longer than usual. Evening training was free to let everyone practice what he or she does need. We also recorded our patterns on camera and then analyzed our mistakes.

Sunday, August 26.

I got up with idea that yesterday triathlon will continue today. We did some jumping exercises and then repeated step-sparrings (yes, again – as someone clever said: "everyday practice will make you master"). Higher ranks worked more on power breaking and then we ruined our abdominal muscles. We spent most of afternoon training with gloves and other protective gear. We have just repeated highest patterns and then did sparring drills and free sparring itself. And as you probably discovered before, end of training is always dedicated to pain. So we did plenty of squats and training shown to us by Jaroslaw Suska. Evening training was organised in the same way as yesterday’s one.

August 27 was the rest day, but few fortunates and brave madmen left to Adršpach rocks. Unfortunately we had space in our 3 cars just for few of camp participants. Girls decided to do some cool pictures in doboks with Ondra as photographer (as always :o) ). Rest of us left for a short, but hard trip through rocks. Sceneries were breath-taking, but I have to mention that most of camp participants had been lying in beds when we climbed these sand-stone rocks. Pictures from our trip and also pictures taken by Ondra and girls are available in photo gallery. Pre-grading was done in the afternoon to choose students ready for grading next day when International instructor for Czech Republic Master Hwang Ho Yong (8.dan) will come to do seminar and grading.

I bring you short report from camp participant which I have asked these questions. How do you like the camp? What do you enjoy the most and what do you like about Malé Svatoňovice?

Filip (7 years, 8.kup): "...hmm it is good. I don’t know probably going for evening trainings. I am not sure, I do like that there is one toy store. I’ve bought one car and I will probably another one."

Magda (13 years, 6.kup):"...mmm, my whole body is in pain regarding the fact that I did not do anything for 2 months. I think that some things are not needed to practice for higher belts in lowest group. I do like patterns, but only my highest! What I do like on Malé Svatoňovice? I don’t know really, man."

Michal (10 years, 9.kup): "it is good, I don’t know, I do like it. I am on camp and have friends here to go out with and we also have trainings. I don’t know, but this is strange town."

Ota (21 years, 7.kup): "...good, camp is famous charming (that is really what he said! – translator). I do like it here really a lot. I do like trainings the most – press ups and squats and then crawling stairs. About Malé Svatoňovice I am not interested. Ok, it’s fresh air here is I am always hungry."

Pavla (19 years, 4.kup):"...it is ok, good. Probably patterns and striking pads. Do I have to like something here?"

Kristýna (24 years, 4.kup):"...camp is great, I do really enjoy it here. It is great relax for me, because of my job. I do like everything except this building. Just joking, there are great people and ...great trainings. I do not like anything about Malé Svatoňovice, I did not have time to see them yet. I spent all my time on trainings."

Some of white belts met Korean Master Hwang Ho Yong (8.Dan) on Tuesday (August 28) for their first time. Master Hwang conducted 2 hour training for our students. It was focused on the basics of TKD (principles of moves and techniques). Interesting fact is that our students practiced much better than usual under lead of Korean master. Master Hwang had lunch accompanied by Sonkal trainers which had nice conversation about both common and uncommon aspect of life. After lunch we went to gymnasium where nervous applicants for higher grades repeated their patterns and warmed-up before test itself. Everyone did his best, so all 26 applicants passed their test. I have to mention Veronika Holečková who practiced so well, that got 67 points average and was the most successful one on the grading. Master Hwang left us after grading and we started with training of fighting games, falls, throws and self-defence immediately. We hadn’t had third training that day and had great time in sauna. In spite of fact that sauna got broken after 45 minutes, we were so tired that we felt asleep just after it.

Day 7 of Sonkal the camp. Training started with foam-swords fencing and then students were divided into 2 groups. First did patterns, kicking to pads and self-defence. Second dedicated their training to patterns and special techniques. Afternoon training consisted of outdoor running, kicking and sparring.

I asked another participants what they do NOT like about camp and what do they miss the most. Check their answers:

Tomáš (17 years, 3.kup): "...probably food in eating room. They have good juices, but it could be better. And family...that is everything. Ehmm. ..and I forgot my soap case."

Pavel (10 years, 5.kup): "...that trains makes noise here all the time. Nothing more."

Filip (12 years, 4.kup): "...lunches! Nothing more."

Andrej (10 years, 7.kup): "Everything is OK. I do not miss anything."

Celine (28 years, 6.kup): " I don’t like seeing that children have so much leisure time. And food, but don’t write it down...I am French, you know. But trainings are good. I wanted to learn new pattern. I do not miss anything."

Štěpán (12 years, 7.kup): " I don’t like food, it is of strange taste. What do I miss the most? Nothing."

Thursday was full of patterns and sparring. And we went to repaired sauna. I don’t know better relax than sauna. After 4 rounds I was exhausted and slept like dead.

Friday, August 31.

Jumping exercises and patterns in the morning. Special techniques (not 5 techniques that everyone knows from competitions but more traditional one) were practiced by first group and self-defence by second. Afternoon was focused on special techniques for lowest group and advanced group did sparring and lactate (training of 3x 6 rounds 1 min sub maximal performance and 1 min break – your body produces really a lot of lactate, trust me :o) ). This day was really hard and exhausting. But we’ve have enjoyed it, I enjoyed it a lot! Contest in action scenes took place in the evening. Everyone prepared some action scene with colleagues and compared it with other teams (trainers were referees). Everyone did his best. It was pleasure to be referee and see all the scenes, but I had to be strict and righteous. Winning team composed of Ota Kotrhonec, David Koník, Pepa Stráník, Aleš Hemer and Kuba Hořínek showed great performance and won by unanimous decision of all four referees.

I asked next question again (how have you enjoyed camp and how you appreciate it?) and here are answers:

Lukáš (20 years, I.Dan): "..it was good. Especially special techniques trainings were great and frequent. Demanding ness of camp was adequate and people behaved fine. "

Veronika (13 years, 4.kup): "...good, very good. I have enjoyed it really a lot. I like kicks on pads and special techniques."

Vašek (12 years, 9.kup): "...I may say it was good. I like end of trainings the most, because it means that I may finally leave to my room."

Kristýna (13 years, 5.kup): "...it was good. And lot of fun here. I enjoyed sparring the most, but only when I didn’t got beaten."

Ondra (11 years, 8.kup): "...nice. I enjoyed evening trainings the most."

Renda (19 years, 8.kup): "... I like it. I don’t know, I have learnt a lot and training with Master Hwang was really good. ...Why are you writing it down exactly??? They have great sausages by the swimming pool."

Honza (15 years, 8.kup): "...it was nice, hard and worth of coming here. I have learnt new things, met new people and food got better compared to last year’s. And trip to Adršpach rocks was perfect."

Petr (18 years, 3.kup): "It was great except grading. I want to say hello to mum, daddy, grandma and grandpa. I love interviews."

Monika (15 years, 1.kup): "...camp was great, great... great. I caught illness. I am ill. Have to say more? Wait! I like Master Hwang, because he has good trainings."

Saturday, September 1.

Morning training of sparring, self defence and Jaroslaw Suska’s drills. Last training was after lunch and was free. So most of us was just hanging around because of total exhaustion. But few unbeatable (or were they hanging around through rest of camp??) learnt new patterns supervised by higher grades and degrees.

We packed all our equipment and left to Prague. We came to Prague at about 7 PM, unload all equipment and that was moment when camp was finally over.

I thank to you guys for your attitude toward trainings and for opportunity to train with you. And also thanks to trainers who took care of us and destroyed our bodies. Let’s repeat it next year. Taekwon!

625 pictures in our photo gallery.

Videos from model sparring and action scenes available in video galery.