29.12.2018 / National technical seminar with Grand Master Hwang Ho-yong (IX. dan) & other instructors

In Brno with Grandmaster; practicing and testing

On the first day of the last month of the year our group of Sonkal school went to Brno for national seminar that is every year led by Grandmaster Hwang Ho-Yong. December truly showed us that it overtook the power for during night the first snow came.
So there was white everywhere when we arrived. Nonetheless the unexpected winter snow surprised all of the motorists who immediately adjusted their driving skills to actual climate conditions and drove pretty slow. That brought about that spent almost our entire time reserved for clothes changing once we would be right at the hall. We managed it by hair´s breadth.

Our short delay did not affect the beginning of the seminar anyway for it was postponed for several minutes. The lead of the morning part was in hands of Grandmaster Hwang. Programme was mostly focused on basic techniques and later on patterns. After a few talks with other participants I found out that this part was encountered by negative responses. In my point of view I enjoyed it. I have to even admit that by my feelings this part passed really fast and I would not tell it was 2 hours. Unlike others I liked the repetition of basic techniques and I would say sometimes it is not bad to do so.

At the afternoon part we divided into two groups. Red belts and 1st Dans had their own programme and 2nd Dans and higher a different one. In the middle of the part the groups changed positions. Second Dans and higher were under the lead of Master Martin Zámečník who taught us something of selfe-defence against unarmed attack and later against a knife. I learned many new and interesting things again. Another half of afternoon training was led by Master Rostislav Kaňka and Ondřej Vrábel. They familiarized us with different and curious methods of training that were aimed on progress of speed, take-off power and dynamic. Again I learned a lot of new thigs many of whom could be added into a training programme.

Sunday was in the name of black belt testing. Many arrived here 4 of whom were from our school. The testing was for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th Dan. Presented performances differed from very weak to those of high quality. Unfortunately one female-applicant for 1st Dan failed but everybody else passed. All of us were curious about the testing of 6th degree. The applicant performed two patterns. I must admit that I really admired his skills and told myself that I have a lot to do in the future when I saw him holding legs in the air during side-kicks. I dare say that no one was surprised that he gained the highest number of points among all of the present. To my great satisfaction helped the fact that Grandmaster Hwang appreciated great performance of members of our school who also gained lots of points.