Sonkal - Taekwon-Do ITF

31.12.2019 / 2nd meeting of CYT

On October 19th and 20th members of our school took part in second round of traditional competition STM (centre of talented youths), which took place in Nymburk. This competition was great challenge for them because the number of all participants was 290. There were 128 members of STM Prague 2 which is the one our pupils compete for. Among them were new support from Sonkal school, two Russian contestants studying in the Czech Republic, Stepan Knyshov and Vitaliya Gagloeva. The contest began on the Saturday afternoon of 19th October with the team patterns competition of the youngest. It was

26.12.2019 / SLO Open 2019

The Penguin did not spoil our trip

In a few years it´s become our custom to visit Slovenia for competition. Last years we attended the capital many times to take part in Ljubljana Open. This year, as well as the previous one, we went to try the contest of higher quality A class Slovenia Opena that took place in the town Zreče. On Friday 15th November we set off from our usual spot in Černý Most. We went by three cars and there were thirteen contestants and three drivers in them. I was concerned by linking warning light of glowing in my car and the powerless car assured me that something was definitely wrong. Fortunately,

25.12.2019 / Czech national championship

Czech national championship 2019 and strong Sonkal

Top of sport season took part in Nymburk this weekend. Some of Sonkals participated in Euros and Worlds, but Czech national championship is top of sport season for most of us. And nearly 30 of us went there to show what (not only) sport skills are in them. Thank to Sonkal punctuality we arrived in time and managed to weigh, register, accomodate and take dinner in a bit longer than one hour. Whole evening without duties was nice suprise for older of us. Chat in sport bar and enough time to sleep well for coming event. We got second place in schools´ overall score. Only one gold medal in fr

24.12.2019 / Kick box Czech Open

The Kickboxing Experience

On Saturday the 5th of October our school Sonkal took part for the third time at the Kickboxing Open competition. The main reason of our presence was to try a little bit different style of fighting. All of our contestants were competing in two disciplines – Point Fighting and Light Contact which similar to our Taekwon-Do ITF style). Members of our team were Onřej Faltin, Jiří Novák, Jana Kovářová, Jan Dvořáček and Stepan Knyshov. The registration and weighing were on Friday evening. All of us fitted to our weight categories, some of us very closely. But in Kickboxing they have o

4.12.2019 / Ataxon Taekwon-Do Open 2019 / 5th Devil's cup

17.11.2019 / Czech national championship

The Unexpected Success

When we went to the Championship of the Czech Republic in Nymburk on 8th of November, surprisingly, I had no expectations or feelings about that situation, as I usually have. I had a thought in my mind if I would fit in my weight category for my machine at home showed chaotic numbers, but fitted perfectly. On Saturday 9th of November the competition was determined to pupils, veterans and seniors. My category of patterns started shortly after noon. Because in previous years I was rather unsuccessful in this discipline today I stepped into the ring just to try my performance. Yet, I did not w

26.8.2019 / 21th Adults, Juniors & Veterans World Championship

Photo report from World Championships

We bring you photos from whole 1st day of World Championship in Plovdiv. All together 971 photos. Enjoy & comments on FB :-D 345 photos from day Nr. 2 :-) 201 photos from afternoon par of day Nr. 2 ! During morning session we selected 102 photos. Day 3 is all about sparring :-) Last photo set with 125 photos from afternoon session in Plovdiv. Unfortunatelly I have to return home but Worlds still continue till Friday!

7.8.2019 / Devil's cup

The Devil‘s Cup of Taekwon-do ITF

For the fourth year in a line, girls and guys met in the sports hall of the elementary school Petřiny to compete in Taekwon-do at the Devil’s Cup. This year there was slight difference if you compared the number of application and the real participants in the gym. This fact could be blame on the devils rampage before the competition event itself. Despite this more than 210 competitors from 20 schools in the Czech and Slovak Republics arrived to competition field to challenge each other. Quite a lot of the Czech national team members attended the competition and their participation offere

3.8.2019 / 25th Junior, 34th Adult, 11th Veteran & 9th Youth European Championships

3.8.2019 / 13th junior & 8th veteran World Championship

Experiences from first world championship of our veteran

The Taekwon-do ITF World Championships, this time for Veteran and Junior categories, was held from August 20 to August 26 in Minsk, Republic of Belarus. 600 participants from more than 50 countries meant great competition. The Czech representation team dispatched 25 members, 4 veteran and 21 junior competitors. From our school we had these nominations: Karolína Chmelíková – sparring -60 kg, Junior female team Jan Veškrna – sparring -60 kg, Junior male team Jiří Faltin – Patterns I. Dan, sparring -90 kg, Veteran team The departure was planned for Monday August 20 from Vacla

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1.8.2019 / Kick box Czech Open

Kickboxing experiences year after

Year passed quickly and we took part in kickboxing Czech Open for new experiences under different rules. Ondra Faltin, Jan Veškrna and me for our first time and Jana Kovářová fought again after her nice appearance here last year. Ondřej Vrábel, Martin Svitek and Jirka Faltin were helping as coaches and Petra Veškrnová helped to motivate us with kind word. We registered and weighted on Friday evening and competed on Saturday. Ondra fought as first in light contact, he did well, but lose with slight score difference. Honza entered his first fight, kicked three round kicks and was dis

29.7.2019 / Bulgaria Open

Competing in Bulgaria

The competition in Bulgaria (Plovdiv) was held on the weekend 24th to 25th of November. As our school wanted to participate in the competition, we left Prague on Friday (23rd of November), early in the morning by a plane. The whole flight was without any complications. After landing in Sofia,Bulgaria we rented cars at the airport and started the last part of our journey to Plovdiv. While driving from the airport we had the opportunity to observe the capital city of Bulgaria and we were rather disappointed by the view. There were ruined buildings everywhere and animals (goats, dogs, sheeps, etc

11.7.2019 / Scottish Open

Scottish mission

In the middle of May we took a part in Scottish Open. Finally we made all photos, in a few days will be also report.

5.7.2019 / Czech national championship of Czech national union

Brief visit to other Taekwon-Do federation

Championship of Czech Republic of Czech National Union Taekwon-Do ITF 2019 is a competition that is very known to us and Sonkal has been taking part in it for several years. Often we win lots of medals there. This year was no exception. Our team of 31 contestants was definitely the most successful. At the beginning our black belts were dressed in ties judging the performances of pupils and juniors and later even they changed to Doboks to show their skills at patterns, sparring, power breaking and special techniques. There was no discipline in which our contestant would not manage it to fina

4.7.2019 / Sonkal Open

We can do it in another hall

Medals hung on successful necks, cups passed into even more successful hands, the hall is empty as if no tournament has taken place. So we could characterize the hectic Saturday, when more than 220 taekwondists and taekwondists from 23 schools in the Czech Republic and Slovakia met in Ruzyně sports hall. It is 7:30 Saturday 25th of May and crowds of sonkal’s boys and girls occupie the TJ Ruzyně Hall. Intensive preparation of sports hall begins - tables, tatami, decoration, registration, weighing…. Everything goes at the speed of serial production in a stale factory :-) 8:00 starts

3.7.2019 / Nitra Cup

Winning at our neighbours

On Friday April 26th at about 2 p.m. Sonkal team left for Slovakia where the Nitra Cup competition took place on Saturday April 27th. Sixteen members of Sonakl took part to represent our school. We went by two cars and one van. Not far away from boundary we met a traffic jam caused by a burning car on the D2 highway. Except that, there were no troubles on the road. We arrived at our final destination around 7:30 p.m. and right away we went to weigh ourselves. No one had trouble to fit his or her weight category. After that we went for dinner to McDonald in nearby mall. It is our tradition o

2.7.2019 / Czech Open (youth, juniors & adults)

Czech Open - We were second again

In days 1st to 3rd of March the biggest international competition in Czech Republic, traditional Czech Open, took place in Nymburk´s sport centre. There were lots of team from abroad – Estonia, Moldavia, Poland, Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Also Czech schools were represented by large number of contestants. In total there were 399 competitors, 9 countries and 38 schools. Our school were represented by 20 contestants. On Friday we registered then weighted ourselves and then we had renowned Nymburk´s dinner. After registration each school went to its own lodgings. Th

14.3.2019 / Cup of Czech Taekwon-Do Federation

Feelings of our most successful junior contestant

On Friday May the 15th at 2 p.m. we met in Opatov to set out for the contest of Czech Federation of Taekwon-Do Cup in Brno. It was a long way but I personally expected traffic jam and other issues that fortunately did not happen. Around 5 p.m. our group of Sonkal School arrived in Brno. We immediately went to weighing. After that, when we fulfilled sometimes difficult task to fit in chosen weight category, we had dinner in nearby restaurant. The food was not so good there so we went for another meal to the closest KFC. Then we had to accommodate ourselves and sleep for it is very importa

26.2.2019 / Cup of Czech Taekwon-Do Federation

Good start of new competition season

Photos from Cup of Czech Taekwon-Do ITF Federation in Brno are completed.

3.2.2019 / Czech national championship

How great it went at Nationals

You probably understand from title, that I really enjoyed what we did at Czech national championship 2018 this weekend and I believe I am not only one from Sonkal. Few things were different this year. First our preparation – we focused autumn trainig camp on competitors (nearly) only. So we have enough place, time and focus to really do advanced things. Second – Nationals were only for red belts and above with blue allowed to compete if they´ve accepted rules for „A group“. Third all sparring matches were for 2 two minutes rounds with 30 second break. I was a bit afraid from point

13.1.2019 / 6th King of Taekwon-Do

King's fight in Greece

The last weekend before Christmas the most popular competition called King of Tkd 2018 took place in Thessaloniki, Greece. Between 12 best competitors from Czech were chosen our three Jana Kovářová, Tereza Štekerová a Jan Veškrna. For me personaly this is not the best time for big competition like this, but every good warrior should be ready anytime. Its good for us to gain new experiences, which we will use in European championship. This will be at the beggining of April in Italy. We won here on King of Tkd 4 medals. Jana won 2 bronz - sparring and pattern, Tereza was in final and won s

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24.12.2019 / Technical course with Master Jerzy Jedut (VIII. dan)

For the fifth time does not mean the same!

At the beginning of November, we attended the seminar led by Master Jerzy Jedut (VIII. Dan), let me point out we have met him for the fifth time so far. For us it is always great opportunity to visit the Czech National Union of Taekwondo ITF seminar, the training with the legendary Master Jedut is traditionally the biggest benefit. The number of not even black belts or European and World Champions has been trained by him, Jaroslaw Suska could be stressed as an example. Was there anything surprising me at the fifth seminar? As always, the training was full of new ideas, inspiring and interes

4.9.2019 / Recruitment

6.8.2019 / Black belts examinations

Ondra Faltin wears black

Ondra Faltin has begun his Taekwon-do journey a while ago in September 2011, when he was 6 years old. On Sunday, 4th of August he reached his first big milestone – the testing for I. dan. The testing is traditionally held at the end of Taekwon-do Summer Camp with Grand Master Hwang Ho-yong, as a highlight. This year we travelled to Votice in Central Bohemia. The candidates hoped and were tested for I. to III.dan. Although the black belt testing can be taken as another in a row of belt testings, it is a very specific event and you can feel under pressure. Based on the complex composition o

5.8.2019 / Bulgaria Open

2.8.2019 / Celebration of Sonkal's 20 years

We are 21, but we'll go one year back

In my list of unfinished task there was a red color marked photogallery from last year’s celebration of 20 years of Sonkal. Unfortunatelly the time runs so fast so we get to it now, one year later. And what have we done? We performed an exhibition in Horní Počernice theatre where students from most of our dojangs and many black belts who are the core of our TKD school presented our martial art. In the audience there were not just friends and families of the performers but also our old members who haven’t dressed their doboks in a long time. It was nice to see Lukáš and Petr Legner,

8.7.2019 / Black belts examinations

New 3rd dan holder in Sonkal

On Sunday June 2 stood in front of promotion committee of Czech Taekwon-Do Federation Jiří Novák. Jirka performed his great level and was awarded with 3rd dan with average score 67 points. Later passed promotion Přemysl Šesták who is training in Sonkal. You can watch performance of both guys in attached videos :-) Published first part of photos, rest on Tuesday morning.

31.3.2019 / Christmas Taekwon-Do demonstration

End good, all good!

Christmas time has been in Sonkal for many years associated with Christmas exhibitions. After the successful celebration of 20 years of Sonkal in June, we decided to organize a Christmas exhibition in the Horní Počernice’s Theater. On Thursday, December 13, individual performers started to enter the Theater at about six thirty in the evening. We even bought new tatami. After a slightly hectic start, including spilled water on doboks and one of the cameras was upside down, everything was set for the 19th hour and we could start. The theater seats were already occupied by parents and

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24.12.2019 / National technical seminar with Grand Master Hwang Ho-yong (IX. dan) & other instructors

With the Grandmaster and the Masters

On Saturday November the 30th part of our Sonkal School set off to Brno to the National seminar of Taekwon-Do under the lead of Grandmaster Hwang Ho-Yong. I was looking forward to being there so din not mind to get up so early in the morning. We departed from Prague at about 7 a.m. which is quite early for Saturday. There were no complications on our journey and we arrived in time. We even managed to stopped at a petrol pump on the highway to have a breakfast. The seminar began at 10 a.m. after we took a group photo. I was disappointed a little for instead of immediate practising everybo

27.10.2019 / Sonkal's taekwon-do camp

Finale part of preparation for Czech nationals

Check out some photos from our stay in Zakupy. Sonkal team members are preparing for Czech national championship. Photos from Monday's & Tuesday's training sessions are uploaded.

17.10.2019 / Recruitment

4.10.2019 /

Training with Legends in UK

Let me start with a brief summary for impatient readers: I was really lucky during my last business trip. I joined 2 trainings of the Thames Valley Pro Taekwon-Do school and I had a chance to briefly chat with Master Andy Whiteley and his students. For sure, I do not have to introduce Master Andy Whitely to senior Taekwondists but for those less aware, including myself, Andy Whiteley is an ITF Taekwon-Do Master VIII Degree, International Instructor, Examiner, Umpire, Technical Director ITF France. Now, let me share the whole story step by step and I’m sorry that it is a bit longer beca

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1.10.2019 / Recruitment

22.9.2019 / Festival Stop zevling

Sunny Saturday

Every year we organize various recruitment events for newcomers. This year, as well, we took part in an event for children “the Town of Activities“. We were supposed to make fun rather than complicated program for children who collected stamps for their tasks. So we made a monkey track with a ladder and cones. In order to get a stamp, the kids had to hit the target with a couple of punches. Along with the all-day program at the stand we had two exhibitions where we tried to show as much of Taekwon-Do as possible. Each exhibition included power-breaking, self-defence and closing aisle

22.9.2019 / Taekwon-Do demonstration

Taekwon-Do demonstration for schoolchildren

On Tuesday, September 10., Sonkal performed three consequential exhibitions in elementary school Hloubetin and during them all classes of that school observed our performance. In our exhibition, taekwondists of all age categories and different belts showed their skills. Beginners, who started taekwondo last school year showed pattern, basic techniques on pads and basics of step sparring. More experienced, including some people who train for decades, showed board breaking both on the ground and in the air, sparring, self-defence, advanced pattern and combinations on pads. After two of three

20.9.2019 / Instructors´ seminar Brno

Science in Taekwondo and instructors´ seminar in Brno

I´ ve found few interesting scientific articles about Taekwondo recently and want to share few notes and links. Also I want to invite you to (not only) instructors´ seminar in Brno. Study, personal training and teaching of others is what is base of what I teach during seminars. I believe that searching for new informations and approaches and keeping open mind is good way how to enjoy Taekwondo deeply even after tens of years of practice and teaching. Don´t miss a chance to spent some time together discussing ways how to teach. Weekend is primarily dedicated to instructors, but also other Ta

22.8.2019 / 21th Adults, Juniors & Veterans World Championship

A group of six to Plovdiv

On Saturday, 24th of August, the six of Sonkal members will take a flight to Plovdiv, where the World Championship of Taekwon-do ITF begins on Monday and continues until Friday. The Championship is quite special this year especially because the veterans, adults and juniors will compete together at one event for a very first time. Until last year there were always separate Championships for juniors and veterans in even years and adults in uneven years. This year is special for our school and Czech Republic too because two relatives, father and son, will represent together as a teammates and

21.8.2019 / Summer traning camp

Sweat and drudgery in Svatoňovice

Not to forget Taekwon-Do during summer time our school Sonkal went to traditional summer camp in Malé Svatoňovice in the Eastern Czech. Unlike previous years this time the camp did not take place at the end of August but in the middle of July from 13th to 21st. At the beginning the practicing was easy because the temperature was not pretty high and it was also sometimes rainy. Later, though, the thermometer showed a bit higher numbers which significantly influenced our power. Still most of us did not give up and bravely faced the heating despite the sweat-soaked uniforms or T-shirts. At l

13.7.2019 / Summer traning camp

Rainy start of camp

Photos from our summer stay in Malé Svatoňovice are completly available. Check them all :-) Check also our Facebook profile where you can find many interesting videos not only from summer camp :-) If you check our Instagram you will se selection of best photos from our events!

12.7.2019 / Easter's Sonkal Taekwon-do Camp

Easter Hunt in Zákupy

Easter Teakwon-do camp in Zákupy is traditional program over Easter holidays for every Sonkal member. This year a lot of people did not even had a chance to join us because of limited capacity. The bus full of our teammates left Prague on Thursday morning. Some of us (me as an example) joined others later in the afternoon but soon enough for afternoon Taekwondo workout. Quite hot summer weather welcomed us in Zákupy, which is unusual in April. It was gorgeous outside but the gym turned into hot sauna. This fact was warmly welcomed by those, who were on diet because of oncoming tournaments

8.7.2019 / Summer traning camp

6.7.2019 / International technical seminar with Grand Master Hwang Ho-yong (IX. dan)

Practicing unites!

Czech Taekwondo Federation organized International Technical Seminar with Grandmaster Hwang Ho-yong (IX. dan) in the date from 31st of May to 2nd of June. As in the several past years, the venue was sports hall TJ Chodov at Prague 4. Many high degrees of Czech Taekwondo gathered on the tatami but also several guests from Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Switzerland and Moldavia. Most honored guests were surely Master Andrew Whiteley and Grandmaster Wayne Brown with his wife Dorine. Sonkal members who attended the seminar were Ondřej Vrábel and Pavel Šnábl. The plan was to go throu

1.7.2019 / Test for color belts

Grading at the end of the school year

The end of the school year is usually full of exams, tests and is dedicated to earning the best final mark. Sonkal members added one more test to their schedule – color belt grading which took place on 13th of June. Almost forty adepts for higher grade gathered at Vybíralova School’s gym on that hot afternoon. Most of the adepts were newbies – adepts for 9th and 8th kup. Most advanced adept was Martin Schwáb who applied for blue belt or 4th kup. The grading was quite ceremonial because the juror was GM Hwang Ho-yong. Grandmaster awarded everyone with points according to their per

21.5.2019 / Sonkal Open

13.5.2019 / Seminar with GM Kim Bok Man

Meeting the legend

Seminar with 85 years old grandmaster Kim Bok Man Hip twist, no sine wave, being kicked, sword, different techniques preparations, hips, Taekwon-do history, ball of the foot, self-defence, fighting fans, „challenge me with knife“, hips, pain in elbow, ripping the shoulder, stances, real boards… These words are floating in my mind 2 weeks after experience with GM Kim Bok Man seminar. With Pavel Šnábl, III. Dan we did easy training in our park day before, chatted drinking beer and left Prague before 6 AM on Saturday. Was pretty tired but looking forward to it. It was intensive exp

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19.4.2019 / Easter's Sonkal Taekwon-do Camp

Easter's camp

Take a look into Sonkal's ongoing sport camp in Zákupy. We have also plenty of movies on our Facebook page!

15.4.2019 / Easter's Sonkal Taekwon-do Camp

Cookbook for Easter's Sonkal Taekwon-do Camp

Easter Taekwon-Do camp is coming and we have some important information for all attendants: - We are going to meet on Thursday 18th of April at 9 a.m. at the gym in Černý Most – we will load necessary stuff that we will take with us - The departure is planned about 9:30 a.m. from Plechárna - Once we arrive we will unload the stuff then accommodate and have lunch. First training will be in the afternoon Training groups will be divided as follows: - white belts (the beginners who have not done testing yet) - yellow stripes - yellow belts + green stripes - green belts and highe

12.3.2019 / Instructors' and assistants' weekend with Martin Svitek and SGM Hwang (organizer Taekwon-Do School Velešín)

How was the instructors camp on Lipno?

Thanks to great responses from last year’s instructor’s weekend, I decided to participate as well. To train with other black belts, get to know each other, go for a trip, have a beer in the evening, sing… And in the morning have a wake-up bath in icy water of Lipno dam – isn’t it tempting? This year, the date was the second weekend of March. The program was different due to a visit of grandmaster Hwang Ho-yong who led two blocks on Saturday evening and Sunday morning focused on theory and moral culture of Taekwondo. Friday and two Saturday blocks were led by Martin Svitek (Svíťa

3.3.2019 / Sport camp on other continent

Egyptian in Egypt

At the turn of Sunday 17th of February an unusual event awaited some people of Sonkal school. A trip to a training holiday in Egypt on Sinai peninsula with the final destination in Sharm El Sheikh. This was an idea of our head-instructor Ondřej Vrábel. The main reason of this trip was to visit our other instructor Vladimír Švanda who is on business trip as a soldier in this locality. Despite the interest of this visit among trainees was great at the beginning there were eventually just seven of us who made that trip. Ondřej Vrábel, Veronika Holečková, Pavel Šnábl, Jna Veškrna, Jiř�

27.2.2019 / Test for color belts

76 new color belt holders

On Tuesday February 12 we held first color belts promotion of this year. We achieved the highest number of applicants in history, it was together 76 new belts! Check out photos from whole promotion in our main gym at Černý Most.

19.2.2019 / Sport camp on other continent

Sun, sea, training and our friend Vlada

Currently we are staying in Sharm El-Sheikh like our member Vladimir Svanda, who is here serving as a member of Multinational Force & Observers (MFO). So, look on pictures taken during our stay :)

3.2.2019 / Sonkal's taekwon-do camp

Zákupy!

Winter camp is past. Everyone survived hard cold and snowy weather. Watch all pictures from our stay in Zákápy. We will be back on Easter's holiday! :)

18.1.2019 / Instructors' and assistants' weekend with Martin Svitek and SGM Hwang (organizer Taekwon-Do School Velešín)