Yalaah

Hapo la ziada sina..Yote nakuachia wewe mtu wangu...Hapo mwenyewe Umekubali.

Dressed for Self Defense

In fact she is tactically dressed to protect...Huyo ni mlinzi wa bibie Condoleeza Rice..Waziri wa mambo ya nje wa marekani. Now, do you remember..Dressing for self defense? Loose but fitting trouser, Laced up shoes? Long sleeves?..Right..Now do you see any weapons? Secret and Concealed.

Rais Karzai naye...

Rais Karzai wa Afghanistan akiwa amezungukwa na walinzi wake ambao ni wamarekani wakati alipozuru Panjshir...Hao jamaa unawaona walivyo fiti? Bila mkanda mweusi dan mbili katika itf taekwon-do, muay thai ledrit (siyo ile ya kina kaseba), krav maga au kyokushinkai karate (ambayo, in fact, muasisi na mwanzilishi wake ni mkorea) kazi hiyo hutoiweza na pia hutoipata..Yale manjonjo yanayoonyeshwa na mabaunsa wetu bongo wakati wanapokuwa na watu kama gen. defao, koffi olomide au mapedeshee wa mjini hayana nafasi..Hii siyo sinema...

Msamba Hewani

Utajiju..Bila kuwa fiti ukijaribu hiyo utakuwa umejifanyia vasekitomi...

Ananing'inia au?

Huyo bibiye ukimtaka anapatikana hukooo St. Peterburg, Russia. Anatafuta mchumba. Unasemaje? Hataki mchezo...Siku akikufumania..Heh.. Hiyo aliyoruka inaitwa Twimyo Yop Chaggi.

The Final Bridge to Yellow Belt...Duuuh

After all the hardship, seeing demons, etc. Now the final hurdle...Break these and you can rest..and wait for the results, whether you have made it or not, whether you have passed or not..As you know there is no guarantee.

Dressing for self defense

Self-defense, Self-defense, Self-defense ………

Yeah Yaah Yaah…Blaah …Blaah…Blaah …

Self-defense this…Self-defense that…

When the shit hits the fan out there in the streets …It is all crap. Bad timing …Bad training …Yes … Habari ndio hiyo …

You decide to join a martial arts gym or whatever …

Si unajua tena mzee …Mani lazima niwe fiti halafu ile kuweza kujiselfu difensi…Mwanangu wakija vibaka…Noma…Nawapa za chembe, kidevu… wenyewe wanaingia mitini…

Like I said …Crap …Bullshit …Upuuzi …

You think they care …Well …They don’t… and no damn is given by them …

That…Plus the commitment that they have (To rob you)… They will always succeed … I bet you’ll find them upon you before you can say “Mama”.

Yes …That is…Unless …

Unless what!!

Unless you are prepared …

You must always be prepared…

By being prepared you will automatically be on your guard …

Now; we start with your dressing habits. If you have joined the warriors’ world for real then heed my words, but if you’re in it for some gold medal then skip this part … kindly … that is.

Assuming that your instructor has introduced you to the world of Secret and Concealed weaponry … (I am sure he hasn’t’).

First check ratiba yako … unategemea kurudi nyumbani saa ngapi? Kwa kutumia usafiri gani?
Because; it generally depends on the following factors; your office dressing code, mode of transport and the area that you live or visit regularly.

Use logic; if you are a corporate person it won’t be a good idea to wear jeans trouser, T-shirt combination …. That goes for the office dressing code.

Suppose you live at mbagala or Gongo la mboto … Your mode of transport being a “fit for umagga, Great kali and John Cena only” type of public transport where you have to actually wrestle in order to just get an access to the bus door then a corporate style 3-piece suit will not suit you at all… sijui unanielewa … au ..

Lets assume you are an average person … living in a medium to high risk area … lets say.. Manzese?.... Tandale?... Choose One …. You use public transport … Daladala…Ususally you hit the road at 6.00am sharp…and you have a 5 to 7 minutes walk to the bus stand. Your route takes you through a maze of vichochoro…

If all goes well by 6.30am you are inside the bus on your way. Jioni huwa inategemea lakini by 8.30pm unakuwa umeshafika home... (Provided hauna nyumba ndogo... au ka-demu fulani kanakohitaji personal attention)... Otherwise labda iwe umepitia pub kupata mbili tatu na washikaji na kucheza pool…

Back to your attire: If you are well into the world of Secret and Concealed weaponry then you should choose a nice, long sleeved shirt (although some “experts” will tell you that long sleeves make it easy for someone to grasp and grapple you… well.. there won’t be time to do so because the fight will be over in 5 to 7 seconds.. believe me..) so that you can hide some weapons.

The more the “firepower” you have the more the chance of surviving. Loose but fitting trouser will follow. Tight trousers are not for us dear warriors… they impede your ability to maneuvers yourself….
Your trouser should have secured back pockets and “deep” frontal ones. It is quite embarrassing to sit and find out that your private items such as keys, etc slipped out of your pockets just because they were not deep enough…

The choice of shoes…Choose lace-up shoes with good treads. If you kick someone you don’t want to see your shoes fly off just because they were not securely laced-up or find yourself flat on your back, face up staring at the sky because you slipped due to the fact that your shoes had no surface gripping treads …Therefore your choice of shoes is very important.

Uko hapo?...Poa

Now, let’s go upstairs again…On your shirt pocket, Place at least one or two non-leaking pens. Preferably pilot or techno brands.

What are those for? Well...You know the drill...Don’t yah?...Someone tries to assault you…He will be surprised, unfortunately for him, to find a pen sticking out of his eye or throat.

There you are! Those are not just pens. They are weapons. Secret and Concealed. Talking about hiding in plain sight.

How? That’s so because when someone looks at you all he sees is just a simple man probably a teller at one of the banks in town. Bad for him…Good for you.

The trouser; It should be loose but fitting which means that it will stay in place even when the waist belt is removed. This brings us to another weapon.

The belt…

Go out and buy yourself a 100% leather belt.

Now, when the shit hits the air-conditioner (not the fan) just swiftly remove the trouser belt in a single movement, fold it once. Hold it on one side and you have the looped side, good for strangulation…

Hold it on the other side and you have the metal buckle dangling freely. Coil the non-metallic side around your hand and you have something good for whacking a kibaka across the face. This is a potentially deadly weapon when placed in the hands of an expert.

Furthermore the belt can be used to hide some stuff.

What...A knife?

No…The opposition will surely see it and be ready. What I am referring her is not something that will be seen by the opposition. Remember the catchword…Secret and Concealed.

For the ladies the options are almost the same except for:

(i) If you wear a skirt make sure inside you have a tight skin mini short. A plain G-string...Forget it. It is surely no joy when you are thrown down…Your legs traveling in different directions…east and west (spreading) in front of a rapist. G-string torn…G-spot destroyed.

(ii) If you wear high heeled shoes remember that you walking on weapons. When the shit decides to hit whatever just remove them and proceed as required. i.e. deface the culprit. Being whacked seriously in the face with the pointed part of a high heel is a surely no joy experience. Believe me.

Therefore my brothers and sisters…It is important to have the right dress code for self defense. We call it dressing for self defense. I can go on and on but for now I think this is enough…to start with.

Mafunzo ya Kujilinda Dhidi ya Ugaidi

Ratatatat!!...Taah!!...Mwenzako chini...Haraka sana unamuwahi pale chini ili upate kumuondoa kutoka katika eneo la hatari...Si ndiyo?..Nyooooo....Tokeza kidogo...Risasi Buuh..kwenye hilo bichwa lako..ubongo wako nduguzo watakuja wataukuta kulee vichakani..Unafikiri hii ni sinema ya seba mwanangulu?..Kwanza inakupasa kulikagua eneo la hatari kabla hujajitokeza..mara nyingi gaidi atamtumia huyo mwenzako aliyejeruhiwa kuwa chambo ili kukunasa pale utakapotaka kumsaidia. Mkakati ni huu; Macho na Mtutu...yaani; mtutu wa silaha yako unaelekea kule macho yako yanapotazama. Ole wako ulete makengeza! Swali; Itazame vizuri hiyo picha,..Unaweza kuniambia adui amejibanza wapi? Unazo sekunde tatu na nusu.....Pia huyo jamaa mwenye blue t-shirt kuna kosa lingine amefanya..lipi?...Sekunde moja.

WAMEINGIA CHOO CHA KIKE!

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Explore the seven wonders of the world Learn more!

Dada yetu wa kichina

Dada yetu, "Hoang Hwe", wa Beijing China akirusha teke nyoofu la pembeni (yop chaggi) "Masela" kuweni makini..Mungu akitujalia atakuja bongo mwaka huu. Lakini..psssstt...chonde chonde..nanihii..eehh..mmhh msi..msih..msije mkajaribu kumpora kisimu chake..Nomaaa..Aibuu...

Civilian Anti - Terrorist and Tactical Self Defense. (Practical Combat Application)

The Talons of the Eagle. The gangster is trying to...Anyway..you know..Like lightning you go for his throat using the Eagle's Talons. Go in hard and fast..Has your "self defense master" ever taught you stuff like this? The answer is in your heart.

You think this is a gangster movie..right? (Note the point where the eagle's talons are pressing) You hold the point, press, twist and pull...vigorously. This is a single movement. At the same time you transfer your Ki (Chi or Qi) from the point, 2 inches, just below your navel to his respective meridian points on the side of his throat. Game over!! That will most likely be his last attempt..

Sonkal Yop Terigi (knife hand strike) at the would be assailant's throat is a "total stopper" Precisely done..and you will have to decide where to dump him..at a Police station, a hospital or anywhere convenient? You choose..he goes..

Throwing a punch in a small and confined area (in this case a car). If your Sabum, Sensei, Sifu, Guru or Masta doesn't teach & train you how to do such things and he is telling you that hii ndio staili kiboko..hakugusi mtu..He is lying to you!! That's it. You do the above move, i.e. hitting the punch pad, 300 times per side. All hits must be precise and powerful.

1st Dan Graduation

1st Degree (Dan) Black Belt Graduation..way back in 1996. "Lady Bouncer" (front row, seated, fourth from left) Are you still in the "Game?". The black belts are sitting on the right & left hand side of Sabum Sin Jae Sop (7th Dan) and his wife Sabum Madam Cha Son Yong ( 6th Dan). 18 went in, only 4 came out with black belts...Duuh..Aiseeh..

TKD COMMONWEALTH DAY DEMO

Commonwealth Day Taekwon-do Demonstration in progress. Superbly performed by Shaaban Robert Secondary School Tkd Team.

Shabrob Sec Shool Tkd Team

Shaaban Robert Tkd Demo Team..Warming up before the Commonwealth Day Celebrations.

Contemplatation....

Shaaban Robert Secondary School Taekwon-do Trainee in deep mawazo...Mungu wangu!! Just after baptism by 200 squat jumps..up the stairs

Kong-Soo Do

Watu wengi hufikiri kuwa Taekwon-do ni Karate ya Korea. Hii si sahihi.

Karate ya Korea inaitwa Kong Soo.

Kong-Soo Do

Historia ya sanaa hii na nyingine nyingi za Korea tunaweza kuigawa sehemu mbili;

(i) Kabla ya Uvamizi wa Wajapani { - 1910}

(ii) Baada ya Uvamizi au Wakati wa Utawala wa kikoloni wa Kijapani.

Hapa tutazungumzia (ii) zama za 1910 hadi leo.

Mnamo mwaka 1910, Majeshi ya Kijapani yalilivamia taifa la Korea na kulifanya kuwa koloni lake.

Ili kuhakikisha ya kuwa wanautokomeza utamaduni wa Kikorea wakoloni wa kijapani walifanya mambo matatu;

(i) Waliharibu na kuchoma kumbukumbu zote za kihistoria za wakorea ikiwa ni pamoja na maandiko ya mapokeo yao ya kihistoria ambayo yalijumuisha historia ya sanaa za mapigano.

(ii) Walizuia na kupiga marufuku wakorea kujifunza sanaa zao za asili ikiwa ni pamoja na zile za mapigano.

(iii) Walibadilisha mfumo wa elimu na kulazimisha mfumo wa elimu wa kijapani ndio utumike korea. Hii ni elimu kuanzia msingi, sekondari na kuendelea.

Lengo lao kuu ni kuweza kutawala kwa urahisi kwani walikuwa na imani kuwa binadamu asiye na kumbukumbu za kihistoria au asiye na utamaduni wake wa asili ni rahisi kutawaliwa.

Kilichotokea ni kwamba idadi kubwa ya vijana wa kikorea walipelekwa japani kwenda kupata elimu ya sekondati na vyuo vya juu. Huko (japani) mbali na elimu ya kawaida pia walijifunza sanaa zakijapani za mapambano ya mikono mitupu ikiwa ni pamoja na karate, jiu-jitsu, judo, kendo nakadhalika.

Mnamo mwaka 1945 wakati wa kilele cha vita kuu ya pili ya dunia, Japan ilisalimu amri kwa Marekani na washirika wake. Tukio hili pia lilimaanisha kuwa utawala wa kikoloni wa Japan huko Korea ulifika ukingoni na hivyo basi Korea ikawa ni nchi huru.

Uhuru huu ni pamoja na kuwa huru kufanya yale yote ambayo hapo awali wakoloni wakijapani waliyakataza.

Tatizo; wapi pakuanzia wakati hamna kumbukumbu?

Jambo la heri lililokuwa limetokea ni kwamba wakoloni hawakuwazuia shughuli ndogo za kitamaduni na kidini kwahiyo baadhi ya wakorea waliweza kuendelea kujifunza sanaa za mapambano ya mikono mitupu chini ya kivuli cha ngoma za asili au ibada katika mahekalu. Sanaa zilizofichwa kwa namna hii ni Tae Kyon na Soo Bakh Ki au Soo Bakh Do.

Kwahiyo utaona kwamba kuna vijana wa Korea walienda Japan kwa ajili ya masomo wakiwa tayari na ujuzi fulani wa sanaa hizi za mapigano. Pamoja na masomo yao na shughuli nyingine pia walijifunza sanaa za kijapani za mapigano.

Baada ya uhuru wakorea hao wakarudi nyumbani (Korea). Huko wakafungua shule (ninaposema shule namaanisha shule za sanaa za mapigano) na katika kujitangaza na kwa kuwa kulikuwa bado hamna sanaa za mapigano za Korea zilizokuwa hadharani wengi wakaziita sanaa zao Kong – Soo Do.

Kong-Soo Do ni tafsiri ya neno Karate-Do katika lugha ya Korea. Yaani; yale maandishi ya kijapani ambayo husomeka Karate-Do kwa kikorea tafsiri ya neno hilo linatamkwa “Kong-Soo Do”.

Mitindo (Style) mingi ya Kong-Soo (Karate) ilianza kufundishwa, mojawapo ya mitindo hiyo ni “Song Moo Kwan”.

Song Moo Kwan ni matamko ya kikorea ya neno Shotokan.

Tanzania kuna mitindo mbalimbali ya Karate, ila yenye wafuasi wengi ni Shotokan na Goju-ryu.

Muasisi wa “Song Moo Kwan” anaitwa Byung Rick Ro. Huyu alizaliwa tarehe 3 Julai, 1919 huko Kaesung, Korea. Akiwa mtoto, umri wa miaka yapata 12 hivi alianza kuhudhuria mafunzo ya sanaa zilizokuwa zinafundishwa kwa kificho chini ya mwamvuli wa ibada kwenye hekalu lililokuwa jirani na nyumbani kwao. Sanaa alizojifunza zilikuwa Soo Bakh Kin na Tae Kyon. Alipotimiza miaka 17 alikwenda Japan kwa ajili ya masomo. Huku akiendelea na masomo kwenye chuo kilichokuwa kinaitwa Chou, alianza pia kujifunza Shotokan Karate chini ya muasisi wa sanaa hiyo, Gichin Funakoshi.

Mnamo tarehe 2 Mei, 1946, Byung Rick Ro alifungua rasmi shule na kuuita mtindo aliokuwa anafundisha “Song Moo Kwan Kong-Soo Do”. Alichukua yale aliyofundishwa na Funakoshi akaongeza mapokeo kutoka kwenye Tae Kyon na Soo Bakh Ki akatengeneza Song Moo. Kwahiyo si kwamba Song Moo Kwan ni Shotokan toka nitoke..hapana. Zinafanana baadhi ya misingi na kwamba zote zinatumia jina moja katika lugha mbili tofauti, sawa na kusema Musa na Moses au John na Yohana. Tofauti nyingine ni kwamba kutokana na mapokeo ya Taekyon kuwepo ndani ya Song Moo Kwan utaona kwamba ina miondoko inyofuata umbo la duara wakati Shotokan ni mtindo mnyofu. Hauna maduara.

Bahati mbaya maendeleo ya mfumo wake chini ya jina hili hayakuwa mazuri. Hii ilisababishwa na mambo makuu mawili:-

(i) Korea ndio imepata uhuru kwahiyo wakorea hawakupenda kujihusisha na ambacho kingewakumbusha utawala wa kikoloni wa wajapani. Pia kwa kuwa Song Moo Kwan ilikuwa ni tafsiri ya herufi za kijapani zinazotumika kuandika neno Shotokan utaifa uliingia na hivyo kufanya Song Moo Kwan kuonekana kana kwamba ni mapokeo ya utamaduni wa kijapani.

(ii) Korea kama taifa iliingia kwenye vita ya wenyewe kwa wenyewe ambavyo vilisababisha Korea kugawanyika kuwa Korea kusini na Korea kaskazini. Hali hii ilisababisha shule nyingi za sanaa za mapigano kufungwa huku walimu na wanafunzi wakiitwa jeshini.

Kutokana na hayo Kong-Soo Do ikafifia.

Mitindo mbalimbali iliyokuwa inaitwa Kong Soo ikatoweka au kubadilisha majina na kumezwa na mtindo mpya uliokuja kujulikana kama Tang-Soo Do.

Baadhi shule za mwanzo za Kong Soo Do ukiachia mbali Song Moo Kwan ni Chung Do Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, Yun Moo Kwan, Ji Do Kwan nakadhalika.

Leo hii kuna shule chache mno zinazofundisha sanaa inayoitwa Kong-Soo Do.

TAEKWON-DO

Taekwon-do ni sanaa ya mapambano ya kujilinda ya mikono mitupu ya asili ya Korea. Tofauti na watu wengi wanavyodhani, Taekwon-do kamwe siyo karate ya korea. Kwahiyo si sahihi kuiita sanaa hii kuwa ni karate ya korea. Karate ya Korea inaitwa Kong Soo Do ambayo ni tofauti kabisa na Taekwon-do.

Kwa bahati mbaya ufahamu wa watu wengi kuhusiana na sanaa za mapambano, (martial arts kwa lugha ya kiingereza) una misingi katika filamu. Kwenye miaka ya sabini filamu nyingi zenye kuonyesha mapambano ya aina hii zilijipatia umaarufu mkubwa sana. Jambo la kusikitisha ni kwamba watu wengi walichukulia kwamba mapigano yanayoonyeshwa kwenye filamu hizo ndio hayo yatumikayo katika hali ya kawaida, jambo ambalo si kweli kabisa. Vivyo hivyo Taekwon-do pia kama sanaa nyingine kutambulika kwake kulitokana na filamu na mashindano ya olimpiki. Hiyo ikapelekea watu wafikiri kuwa Taekwon-do ni sanaa ya mapambano ya michezo tu. Hii ni pamoja na baadhi ya walimu wa sanaa nyingine ambao wababaishaji, waliojipachika vyeo na kujiita wataalamu, wakati lengo lao ni kujipatia utajiri wa haraka kwa kudanganya watanzania wenzao na vile vile kukesha kila siku kugombea madaraka katika vyama vyao husika vya michezo badala ya kujali maendeleo ya elimu, kiwango na ufahamu wa wanamichezo wao kuhusu sanaa wanazozisimamia.

Kwanza kabisa ni lazima uelewe kuwa Taekwon-do ni tofauti na Karate, Judo, Muy Thai nakadhalika. Zote ni sanaa za mapambano lakini kuna tofauti kubwa.Mtu akichezea mpira haina maana kuwa anacheza soka, mpira wa kikapu au mpira wa mikono. Hiyo iliyotajwa hapo ni aina ya michezo ya mpira lakini yote ni tofauti katika namna ya kucheza kama vile zilivyo sanaa za mapambano.

Pili, walimu wengi wababaishaji huwadanganya watu kuwa Taekwon-do ni sanaa pekee ya mapambano ya mikono mitupu itokayo Korea. Hii si sahihi, kwani kuna sanaa nyingine nyingi zenye asili ya Korea achilia mbali Taekwon-do. Baadhi ni Kong Soo Do, Tang Soo Do, Hap Ki Do, Kuk Sool Won (inatamkwa kyuk suul wuon), Bulkyo Moo Sool, Kong Jong Moo Sool, Hoi Jeon Moo Sool, Hankido, Kumdo, Yudo na nyinginezo nyingi. Tutakuwa tunawaletea historia fupi za sanaa nyinginezo mbalimbali za Korea ili watu wapate ELIMU. Hii itajumuisha na historia ya miamba na waasisi mbalimbali wa sanaa hizo.

Tatu, wengi hudhani kuwa Taekwon-do hutegemea matumizi ya miguu tu yaani mateke katika mapambano. Ingawa kuna ukweli kidogo kuhusiana na matumizi ya miguu kwa sababu ni jambo linalofahamika kote duniani kuwa Taekwon-do ni maarufu kwa upigaji wa mateke mbali mbali lakini si kweli kuwa mateke ndio silaha pekee ya Taekwon-do. La hasha. Kuna silaha nyingi ndani ya Taekwon-do ikiwa ni pamoja na ngumi, vidole, mapigo ya mkono wazi, mapigo ya kuvunja mifupa, mapigo maalum ya kushambulia mishipa ya fahamu, umahiri wa kusokota na kuvunja mifupa na kutegua viungo, nakadhalika. Siri iliyopo hapa ni kwamba; mpiganaji wa Taekwon-do anapopewa nafasi ya kuchagua ni silaha ipi atakayokuwa tayari kuitumia kwa haraka katika pambano, basi yeye mara nyingi atachagua miguu, yaani teke. Ndio hii inapelekea watu kufikiri kuwa wapinaji wa sanaa hii wao hutumia mateke tu kwenye mapambano.

Duniani kuna vyama vikuu viwili vinavyosimamia Taekwon-do. Kuna International Taekwon-do Federation (I.T.F) na World Taekwondo Federation (W.T.F). W.T.F ndio inayo simamia Taekwon-do inayoshiriki kwenye olimpiki na I.T.F inasimamia Taekwon-do iliyoegemea kwenye mchepuo wa kujilinda ambayo hapo awali mwanzilishi na mwasisi wa Taekwon-do hiyo alikuwa ameitengeneza iwe maalum kwa ajili ya mahitaji ya wanajeshi vitani. Huyu naye alikuwa ni mwanajeshi mwenye cheo cha jenerali na aliitwa Choi Hong Hi. Sasa hivi ni marahemu. Aina hii ya Taekwon-do ni ya hatari sana kwahiyo huwa si vizuri kwa raia wasio wema kufundishwa na ndio maana inasisitiza nidhamu ya hali ya juu kama ile inayopatikana ndani ya jeshi. Kwa bahati nzuri hapa Tanzania aina hizi mbili zinapatikana.

Kuna habari zinazodai kuwa baadhi ya wadau wa sanaa hizi za mapambano ya mikono mitupu wanajenga hali ya ukaribu na ndugu zetu wa W.T.F. Si unajua kuwa mwaka huu kuna mashindano ya Olimpiki...So jamaa wanailia “taimingi” trip ya kwenda Beijing, China. Sasa sijui huko wanataka waende kama wachezaji au wasindikizaji. Sabum Prosper Makonya wa Arusha unazo hizi taarifa? Ni kweli?

Utaalamu wa kumvunja adui mfupa wa kiganja na kuvuruga mzunguko wake wa damu iendayo kwenye ubongo. Amiri salim (kushoto) na Simon msakanya (kulia) wote kutoka Tazania I.T.F. Taekwo-do.

Adui kulia!! Kihaap..Kumaliza pambano kwa pigo moja. Simon msakanya(kulia) akimpiga "adui" Amiri Salim(kushoto) pigo liitwalo "Sonkal Yop Taerigi". Jamaa ana uwezo wa kuvunja vigae vitano vilivyofungwa pamoja na kuwa furushi moja kwa pigo hilo. Swali..Je shingo yako kwa mbele hapa..usawa wa koromeo ni pagumu kuliko vigae vitano vilivyofungwa pamoja na kuwa furushi moja?

Maximillian Kailangana (Kulia), mdau wa Tanzania I.T.F. Taekwon-d0 akiwa na mheshimiwa mkuu wa wilaya ya ilala wakati wa uzinduzi wa Shirikisho la Wasanii Tanzania (SHIWATA). "Masela" msije mkambipu mheshimiwa..huyo mshikaji hapo atakung'oeni pua!!

Taekwon-do Crew..Baada ya Baptism by 200 squat jumps..yaani jozi mia mbili za "uchura mrefu". Kati ya watu kumi na tisa walibaki kumi!! Aminia baba 'ake..

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE WAS SENT TO US BY SOMEONE FROM SOUTH AFRICA INTERNATIONAL TAEKWON-DO FEDERATION AND IT WAS AUTHORED BY Sanko Lewis OF SA-ITF. WE HAVE PUBLISHED IT HERE FOR ALL THE ITF BROTHERS & SISTERS TO READ. TAEKWON!!... to Sanko Lewis.

Exploring the Definition of Taekwon-Do

Reference: Definition of Taekwon-Do (ITF Encyclopaedia: Vol. 1, p. 21-23.)

In volume one of the Encyclopedia the definition of Taekwon-Do begins with the statement "A way of life." It would do you good to read through this section in the Encyclopedia on your own. However, I would like to highlight and comment on some sections.

"To put it simply Taekwon-Do is a version of unarmed combat designed for the purpose of self-defence." This statement says much about how we should consider Taekwon-Do. Firstly it is a form of combat. It is in other words a method of fighting, battling or making war! The goal of this combat, fighting or war is self-defence. In Korean history the Korean nation only went to war as an act of self-defence. This is the same in Taekwon-Do, only fighting when needing to protect yourself or your loved ones.

"It is the scientific use of the body in the method of self-defence; a body that has gained the ultimate use of its facilities through physical training and mental training." It is quite clear that Taekwon-Do training has two parts; physical training being the one and mental training being the other.

The definition continues to say that though Taekwon-Do is a martial art: "…its discipline, technique and mental training are the mortar for building a strong sense of justice, fortitude, humility and resolve." It is Taekwon-Do's aim to uplift the character. The Taekwon-Do Black Belt should courageously and firmly stand for what is right no matter the circumstances, and with humility. (Note how humility is defined in Taekwon-Do: Moral Culture, Part Two, C. Be Humble.)

"It is this mental training," continues the section, "that separates the true practitioner from the sensationalist content with mastering only the fighting aspect of the art." When a student asked his Grand Master 'What is the essence of Taekwon-Do training?' the Grand Master answered: 'It is just mind training.'

Because Taekwon-Do is first and foremost an art of fighting, it has the innate possibility of being misused. Taekwon-Do is a "lethal weapon" intended for the "rapid destruction of…opponents." It is therefore imperative that "mental training must always be stressed to prevent the student from misusing it." This mental training is known as Moral Culture in Taekwon-Do. A student trained in Taekwon-Do, but without the Moral Culture to govern it, is to be compared with a gun in the hands of a child!

How little time is spent on anything else but the fighting aspect of the art. Most Taekwon-Do classes focuses only on the fighting aspect. There are many reasons for this, but I am not going to discuss them now. However, the Black Belt must therefore make it his or her self-proclaimed obligation to spend quality time at this mental training that is so ignored. This mental training is one of the reason we can call Taekwon-Do an "art of self-defence".

Added to self-defence is "health". General Choi says that Taekwon-Do: "…indicates the mental training and the techniques of unarmed combat for self-defence as well as health…" How pitiful it is when we teach people how to defend themselves against aggressors, but we neglect to teach them principles for healthy living. If we do not teach our practitioners how to defend themselves against an unhealthy lifestyle we can just as well stop teaching them to defend against an enemy, for both have the ability to shorten the life. Self-defence should be broadened to self-preservation, which includes protection from various forms of attack on ones well-being. Do you now understand the importance of something like "Health Principles" in martial art study? It is the natural overflow of studying an art of self-defence.

Taekwon-Do is also defined as a "scientific" method of self-defence. "[I]nvolving the skilled application of punches, kicks, blocks and dodges with bare hands and feet to the rapid destruction of the moving opponent or opponents." This says quite a lot about the characteristics of Taekwon-Do. As a scientific method it should include the "scientific use of the body" through scientifically sound techniques. In other words the use of "punches, kicks, blocks and dodges" should make sense scientifically. This means that their use should make sense both on an anatomical/biological level as well as be in coherence with the science of physics.

Taekwon-Do's technical superiority is clear when we consider its understanding in the fields of anatomy and biology in such teachings as "Vital Spots", "Blocking and Attacking Tools" and the "Training Secrets" and in its use of Newtonian Laws in such principles as the "Theory of Power".

What many overlook is that Taekwon-Do's ultimate goal, as an art of self-defence, is fighting against "moving" opponents. As an art that rely on traditional physics, Black Belts should familiarize themselves with these theories of motion, balance and momentum in the context of human combat. The Encyclopaedia states: "Most of the devastating manoeuvres in Taekwon-Do are based specially on the initial impact of a blow plus the consequential additional force provided by the rebound of the opponents moving part or body."

When I tell students that Taekwon-Do has much in common with styles such as Tai Chi Ch'uan or Aikido they are shocked. This is because of an unbalanced understanding of Taekwon-Do. Clearly they have never read the following sentence that follows on the previous quote: "Similarly by using the attacker's force or momentum, the slightest push is all that is needed to upset his or her equilibrium and to topple him or her." Does not this sound like something from an Aikido lesson? No, dear reader, this is basic Taekwon-Do theory and part of the "definition" of our art!

The final thing I would like to highlight from this section of the Encyclopaedia is that Taekwon-Do, which is "A way of life" should be natural and instinctive. "In the case of the students of Taekwon-Do who have been in constant practice or the experts themselves, they spend no time thinking, as such an action comes automatically to them. Their actions, in short, have become conditioned reflexes."

In conclusion, I hope that from the above, you as a Black Belt have become aware of some of the voids in your understanding of Taekwon-Do. Study these voids and through practice fill them and you will have attained the mind of a Taekwon-Do Black Belt.

Kutoka kushoto, marehemu Jimmy "the kick" Castor, Riffat Said, Sabum Sin Jae Sop na John A Masawe.

From left, the late Jimmy "the kick" Castor, Riffat Siad, Sabum Sin Jae Sop and John Masawe.

Seeing demons!!!...A white belt Tanzania Taekwon-do trainee during the "Baptism by 200 squat jumps" (Yellow Belt Test). He is doing "full gravity sit ups" while at the same time he is receiving strikes on his abnominal muscles. (Note that; full gravity sit ups require you to literally hang almost upside down then sit up thus moving against the gravity and, of course, brave the abnominal strikes on the way "up"). The spirit of fire is being created!!

Car jacking in progress...A handgun pressed hard on the point just behind the jaw so that it does not "slide off easily". Any suggestions from Steven Seagal? Nada. If unfortunatelly the situation reached that stage without you being aware..then PRAY and give the man the car. Don't try to piss him off. If that trigger is pulled...ooh ooh ooh...Noma!

Suppose (luckily) you were aware..You suddenly hit the brakes..grab the gun and the hand that held it..(wewe..watch where the barrel is pointing at) and you proceed to disarm him. Question is; do you know how to do a handgun disarm? What about doing a handgun disarm in a confined space like in a car?

Trying to befriend the instructor prior to the Yellow Belt Test a.k.a Baptism by 200 squat jumps.

If you have been trained in the art of concealed weaponry, you stand a good chance of coming out of the "cage" unscathed. One moment he is pointing a gun at you and the next moment he sees "something shiny" coming towards him at a blinding speed and aiming for the vital organs/spots.

Taekwondo now mandatory training for South African Army

The South African Army has opened a taekwondo center in an army base, which will bring up 100 taekwondo instructors who will take charge of South African soldiers' physical training. Korean Ambassador to South Africa Kim Kyun-seop, Korean Defense Attaché to South Africa (Lieutenant Colonel) Lee Sang-hae, a South African Army Major General and South African military officers participated in the opening ceremony.

The center will produce around 200 taekwondo instructors by the end of this year (2008). "The Republic of South Africa has the strongest economy in Africa, and it has peace keeping operations dispersed in countries such as the Sudan and Congo. So, it will be a good opportunity to promote taekwondo in African countries," said Lieutenant Colonel Lee. A 5th-degree black belt holder himself, Lee played a key role in making the Korean martial art required physical training for the South African Army.

The exporting of taekwondo is expected to have various ripple effects. In the training, verbal command will be given in Korean and South African soldiers will have a chance to speak it. Also, it will be a great opportunity for the Korean government to promote the country and strengthen bilateral ties at a time when the Chinese government is striving to penetrate the African market. Also, it is highly likely that African countries will import Korean-made defense items in the future.

The South African Army chose to introduce taekwondo in the belief that it will fortify its troops in general. A South African officer said, "According to the UK Army's assessment in the past, our troops lacked hand-to-hand combat training experience. The UK Army sent a team of advisors for physical training, but they are gone now. So, we decided to start taekwondo training."

Lee further explained that the Korean martial art provides not only physical strength but also spiritual cultivation, so it could play a part in correcting morale problems, including sexual harassment in the army.

Usipime baba 'ake..teke nyoofu la pembeni (yop chagi) lililovurumishwa kwa umahiri na Said Kennedy Said. Ole wako likupate kidevuni...Lazima ukae mwanawani...

Mkono wa kulia kwenye paji lake la uso..mkono wa kushoto shingoni..chini ya kisogo. Sokota kichwa chake kuelekea kushoto, inua juu kidogo betua kwaap...Game Over!!

Taekwon-do Crew..before yellow belt test (a.k.a baptism by 200 squat jumps)

The founder of I.T.F. Taekwon-do, the late General Choi Hong Hi with Sabum Rifat Said (left) and BooSabum John Masawe (right).

Mwasisi wa I.T.F. Taekwon-do, Marehemu Gen Choi Hong Hi (katikati) akiwa na Rifat Said (kushoto) na John Masawe (kulia)

BooSabum John Masawe (kulia) na Hamza Sheiza

Taekwon-do crew..after baptism by 200 squat jumps (Yellow belt testing)

Washikaji nauliza..nitoke vipi? Strangle hold from the rear while inside a vehicle is a common carjacking technique..Any Van Damme suggestions please? Time is running out!

One moment he is pointing a gun at you...the next moment...suddenly the steel is in his throat...

REALITY BASED TAEKWON-DO TRAINING

“Once the combative mind frees itself of the obstructions from necessity (primarily caused by the fixation with technique), it will evolve to its highest state of absorption and enhance its moment to moment capabilities with refined accuracy. The "fight," from its earliest point to its state of incompleteness, is so vast that any attempts at locking onto specifics deludes our chances of survival from the minimal... to the extreme.”
This was part of a reply given to someone a while back by a senior Korean martial arts instructor.
Let's take the first part of the quote and work from there. "Once the combative mind frees itself of the obstructions from necessity (primarily caused by the fixation with technique), it will evolve to its highest state of absorption and enhance its moment to moment capabilities with refined accuracy." The majority of combative systems today, traditional and modern alike rely either solely on or 90% of the time on physical tactics. It's either about grappling or striking, or about which 'technique' is most efficient under which attacks, etc. When the fight isn't bound by rules, codes, or previous agreements such as sparring or athletic events, then human behavior becomes the primary source in which information is filtered. The state of mind in which the individual is in at the moment, based on the time and events of the day or week's occurrences, will have a predominant effect in his reactions in that moment. We cannot change an individual's core behavioral components, but it is possible to activate quicker tactical reactions to behaviorally rooted situations. For instance, fighting or defending against an unarmed man requires different tactical implementations than fighting or defending yourself against two armed men. If you possess but a solidified technical response then you will be consistently prompted by your 'mind' to perform that response, whether the situation calls for it or not. If the situation presented happens to be outside of your combative safe zone, then you will possibly freeze upWhen sparring or competing, we are in a 'prepared' state of mind fighting in a combative safe zone. Unfortunately you are fixating, i.e. you are concentrating and using your skills against only one opponent who happens to be in a safe and comfortable zone.In a nutshell, if you're fixating or limited within the factions of a 'style' or 'system,' anything that happens outside that realm will not be handled properly. The majority of these sport systems do not take into consideration behavioral elements and tactical awareness. It's not about a takedown, an arm bar, a choke, a kick, or a 3-punch combination; techniques are INCIDENTAL and INVOLUNTARY. Emotional inertia and behavioral filtration are the delivery system that allows these technical applications to succeed. The wrong tool at the wrong time can get you killed!! We're not talking about the drunk at the local bar either. A fight is just a fight. You win, you lose, an ego is bruised, a nose is broken, and it's over. This is the commonness that creates presumption that sport combat is fully functional... under these types of 'common' situations, sport combat is highly functional. But what if the level has been increased a couple of degrees? Suppose now the drunk is a hardcore street-fighter armed with a switchblade knife? And he is assisted by two or three members of his gang?The majority of sports fighters will find it impossible to properly handle such situations correctly. Most will revert to Jackie Chan - Jet Lee flicks which will, in most cases, and after just a few seconds make them look like they were involved in a car accident.
Let's examine the second part of the quote. "The ' street-fight,' from its earliest point to its state of incompleteness, is so vast that any attempts at locking onto specifics deludes our chances of survival from the minimal... to the extreme." As stated above, a street-fight isn't purely a physical phenomenon, it is one that involves psychological warfare, emotional contingencies, and tactical and situational awareness – as well as intuitiveness and an ability to read the 'future' based on an accurate perception of the past and present. A ' street-fight,' per se, only ends when one side is cease to be a risk to the other party and that is usually after not more than 10 to 15 seconds. Imagine the following: You're out with your girlfriend (fiancé, wife, whomever) and this guy starts to hit on her in front of you. She politely declines and he insists, saying, "Why don't you leave this mshamba and come with me so I can show you what a real man is like?" He shoves you off your stool, where you lose your balance and fall to the floor. You get back up and confront him. Before you can go pre-emptive, his friend grabs you from behind. Now, if it had reached that level you have failed because you were supposed to be aware of your surroundings,(situational awareness. remember?)Each and every fight whose roots aren't sport oriented has a pre-contact stage, a physical stage, and lingering aftermath.
As practitioners of a reality based style, at Taekwon-do I.T.F. the first thing we do is impart to them the necessary skills (profiling, situational and environmental awareness, assault indicators, tactical threat assessments etc.) to avoid a potential threat or confrontation. Then we arm them with pre-contact psychology (fear and stress management, adrenal stress conditioning, perception time enhancement, reaction time reduction, etc.) in order to move, not necessarily 'faster' than the opponent, but earlier. The third step is the physical portion. We cover all ranges of combat (contrary to popular belief, we're not all about flashy and fancy kicking that you see in movies). We rely heavily on athletic ability, conditioning the students through functional combative strength training. We cover tool and target development in the kicking, boxing, close quarter combat, grappling, and ground fighting. We have separated grappling and ground fighting because you can grapple standing up. All the ranges are then worked together through drills, sparring, and scenario based training. I believe in this type of I.T.F. Taekwon-do’s military approach to training. If you're not sweating, bleeding, and invoking stress on a physical, psychological, and emotional level in your training, then you are not training for reality.
The last step (not necessarily in training time, but for explanation purposes) is to teach students the legalities of their actions. It is important to look at the legal, moral, and ethical aspects of self-preservation, as you don't want to end up in prison because you put some drunk in a coma through excessive force.
Currently Tanzania Taekwon-do Association has developed the Civilian Anti – Terrorist and Tactical Self Defense Program which stresses on Awareness and Close Quarter Fighting as it has been found that most cases of assaults, robberies etc occur in a confined space, like in a car during a car jacking.