Congrats to Master Crane

A most sincere congratulations goes out to our own Tim Baker "Master Crane" on being promoted to the rank of 8th degree black belt. Truly a milestone that few will ever reach.
SUN!

Your Top Three?

What three kata (hyung) (single or two-person) do you consider the most physically challenging (read exhausting).

Mine are:

3. Yun Bee (possibly tied with Pal Kee Kwon)

2. Chul Kee (il,ee & sahm) Dan (done together)

1. Il Soo, Chil Bo (done together as a two-person kata_

Cardio Kata

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I sometimes(maybe once a week) practice my Kata’s as cardio, performing each technique as though my very life depended on it(as it well may someday). I use my heart rate monitor to control my work and recovery, and intersperse slower patterns/activities between forms. Always remembering that we, “perform like we practice” and trying to maintain an uncompromising demand for technical perfection. Does anyone else use Kata, or Basics as cardiovascular exercise?
SUN!

MMA Fad: Big in Entertainment / Small in self improvment

From what I can remember, we've seen the dominance of Karate in the 60's, Kung-Fu in the 70's, Ninja in the 80's and Tae kwon do in the 90's. Now MMA is THE thing.

How long will MMA reign at the top, is it good for Martial Arts and what will be the next fad?

MMA has taken the media and national public by storm through marketing, cage matches, and Pay Per View programming.

It looks like no other fad of the past and could subsequently have more staying power in the entertainment market. Staying power could be more brief in the market of active practicing martial artists however.

Many MMA schools are popping up and some existing/traditional schools are providing MMA as an add-on that is taught down the hall in the back room. From what I've read, many only train those who want to compete. This limits itself to a smaller portion of the active practicing martial artists. And lets face it, MMA with it's focus on competition, makes it a niche sport better suited for the younger population. These limiting factors will open the door to a new fad someday. Maybe not so much for the viewing public, but it will for the portion of the public that is active or interested in becoming active practicing martial artists.

It appears the popularity of MMA is probably good for all Martial Arts. It generates interest in self defense in the broad public market. I can't help but believe that it leads to more people becoming active in self defense which in turn leads people to other forms of Martial Arts. Traditional ones that provide more balance with more focus on overall self improvement. For example, some may try MMA and like portions of it but because they don't want to compete or find that it doesn't meet all their needs, they may become motivated to investigate other Arts - more rich in tradition and self improvement such as PSR.

Hard to predict what will become the next national Martial Art Fad or when. Put me down for PSR. It could happen!!

Sun!

Body Hardening

This should be a debutable topic. I did extensive body hardening while in the corps and saw benifits from it. One such benifit was being able to absorb impacts to more tender part of the body such as inside of the thigh and the leading edge of my forarms that is used for elbow strikes. My question is have you did any of this training thru out the years and if so are there any downside to this like arthritis? I would imaging knuckles and wrist would be subject to this, but what about soft tissue such as inside of legs?

New Member

Hello all,
My name is dee and I started training and learning Pasaryu in the early 90s as a kid and recieved 1st dan in 95 shortly after my school close in 96. I have not trained since 98 or 99 till now. Im on a journey to sharpen my technique and learn more the second round. I served 4 years in the Marine Corps as an infantryman and have a better understanding how training techniques translate to real world. With this better appreciation for technique I hope to discover things that I over looked as a child. Thus far all here have helped and alot of useful knowledge has been discussed in the past and I hope to maybe share something useful to you as well.

SUN!
Dee
(Mr. Falcon)

The Perfect Storm

Ahhh.... A full moon, foggy mist, moderate temps, Toe Jo Sahn Cong-Bahng, Tae Ja Kwon, So Ho Yun. Good for the soul.

SUN!

Martial Arts Shoes

I personally have not tried them yet. I remain barefoot.
Do you wear them?
What benefits do they provide you?

Do you recommend them?
What brand and model?
Are there any secrets to obtaining the ultimate size?
Does wearing them add stress to knee and ankle joints?
All opinions appreciated.

When to Eat Fruit

I received an interesting e-mail from a friend recently regarding diet.
Specifically about one doctors recommendation on when to consume fruit.
I find it interesting. Any thoughts?
Best Regards.

Dr Stephen Mak treats terminally ill cancer patients by an "un-orthodox" way and many patients
have recovered. He believes in natural healing in the body against illnesses. See the article below.

Dear Shereen,

Thanks for the email on fruits and juices. It is one of the strategies to heal cancer. As of late, my success rate in curing cancer is about 80%. Cancer patients shouldn't die. The cure for cancer is already found. It is whether you believe it or not. I am sorry for the hundreds of cancer patients who die under the conventional treatments.

Thanks and God bless.

Dr Stephen Mak

EATING FRUIT...

We all think eating fruit means just buying fruit, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and WHEN to eat fruit.

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!

* FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.

In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil....

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining — every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc — actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes - all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon, that are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.


APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene — the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Don’t Drink Cold water after a meal. Can you believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Martial Arts Movies?

Whats your favorite MA movie(s)?

I have to admit I'm a Steven Seagal fan. I think I like "Hard to Kill" the most.

A couple of my favorite scenes:

He treats himself with acupuncture

He punches the makiwara so hard he knocks it out of the ground.

I also like the scene in his movie "On Deadly Ground" where he gets into the hand slapping contest with the big oil worker...then punches him in the belly so hard the guy ends up puking on the ground. Classic!

How to turn your hand into a knife

Looking for tips on how to position striking knife hand to maximize effect.
I'll share my thoughts. Please share yours.

I begin with hand opened wide with 4 fingers held closely together.
Bend thumb and tuck it down pressing it back toward the wrist for tension.
At the same time, extend the pinky finger straight with equal tension - while having the first 3 fingers slightly bent at 1st and 2nd joint.
At this point I can almost hear my hand humming with tension.
Wrist feels more solid with a slight bend outward and upward - also keeps contact point away from pinky and on the meat of the hand.

I'm now ready for a knife hand strike.
Just need to work on making this a natural hand reaction when practicing the entire knife hand strike motion. Much like when we bend our knees and sink into our strikes.

Sun!

Take Notes

Although there is no substitution for repetition, I've found that taking notes after class on what was taught - has enabled me to better understand, recall, and practice forms and techniques reviewed during class. Does anyone else incorporate a PSR notebook or other such techniques??

Recover from an Ankle Injury

I rolled an ankle a couple weeks ago - helping push the neighbors car out of the ditch. The RICE technique is outstanding but what else can help speed up recovery - and help avoid missing a class?
Any ancient secrets out there?

RICE ACRONYM:
R - Rest
I - Ice
C - Compression
E - Elevation

Why?

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Why do you train in the martial arts?

For a long time Master Rhee would ask me this, in front of the whole class, almost every time I came to Memphis to train. I repeat the question for you; Why?

Recuperation

What do you do to recuperate after an intense workout? Food? Drink? Stretching?

SUN!

When?

What is your preferred time for a PaSaRyu workout at home?

I've always preferred going outside after dark, sometimes very late.

Lately I've enjoyed a few morning forms a couple of days a week. (Kind of sets the tone for the day).

SUN!

Master

Have you looked in the Yellow Pages lately to see how many Masters there are? I have found all manner of Masters, Grand Masters, Supreme Grand Masters, Ultimate Grand Masters, International Grand Masters and so forth. If the phone book is any indication then America, from California to the New York Island and from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters, is indeed a virtual Mecca for Martial Arts Masters! It is amazing just how much talent we have right here in the USA. Every berg and village of any size seems to be blessed with a plethora of high-ranking Masters, a cornucopia of national and international champions.

Many styles of martial arts award the title of "Master" at the mid-rank Black Belt level, typically at 5th Dan (PSR is one of these) but some as early as 4th Dan and others at 6th Dan or higher. So I was wondering, what is a true Master? What must one do to be a true Master? Your thoughts---anyone? Everyone?

New Member

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My name is Mr. Eagle, Gary Ring. Master Hawk and Master Crane have kindly invited me to join this blog so I will be posting from time to time. I have been involved in the martial arts for over 36 years, yep I'm "chronologically gifted". I live in Arkansas and have been training under Master Rhee for over 25 years, and I have know Master Crane all that time. He has been a great help to me, and I am sure he is for you as well. In my 30+ years I have been fortunate enough to accumulate a few trophies, couple of joints that don't work just right, some scars, and a boat load of experience. Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted, and you usually get it right after you needed it! I've never been on a blog before, I am looking forward to it.

SUN!

Attend the Next Class

Attend the next class.

A simple goal to maintain when priorities and passions collide.

With the demands of family, work, etc., I sometimes find it difficult to attend class consistently.

Interruptions in training can run for a day, a week, or perhaps a month or more.

We all have priorities in life that at times, can distract us from our passion - attending class. The frustration of missing class or classes can become a mental grind of stress and guilt. It can result in delayed goal achievement, delayed skill development and well being. I have talked to others who have expressed similar frustration with missing class for various reasons.

When this happens, I want to focus on managing my absence from class as productively as I can. Not dwelling on what I have missed but rather remaining excited about what classes I can attend in the future. This means that I must first take care of business so I can get to the next class. Secondly, I want to maintain or continue to enhance my skills and well being at home as best I can with the daily goal of attending the next class as soon as possible. This may be nothing more than 15 minutes of daily stretching and floor exercises, or form practice, or sensible dieting - at home or wherever.

If I miss a few classes, even for good reason, I can feel a little down about it. For some, this may even lead to hesitations to return to class. The new class schedule recently published, has re-energized me to stay focuses and build on future class attendance - always looking forward. I hope many others feel the same and maintain and/or renew their passion to attend the next class. If you have any tips or training aides that help you stay on track when you miss class, or tricks that help eliminate any barriers that prevent some from returning to class, please post. Until then - just say - "Attend the Next Class!".

Sun!

Excuses

Few people are able to get through a day without making an excuse, or blaming their problems on someone else. Most people will not admit when they are wrong about something, or make a mistake. My intent for this post is to encourage everyone to take a different approach when it comes to why a task, assignment, or any type of project is not completed.

Let's start with the main reasons people give excuses. One, they just don't want to look stupid....two, they simply forget things or are just plain lazy... and three, they have a hard time admitting they are not perfect. The problem is, people don't understand that others have more respect for those that are honest.

IMO, if we can learn from our mistakes rather than make excuses, we will be happier and more successful. I have noticed that successful people admit when they make a mistake and learn from it and move on, determined not to repeat the mistake.

We need to hold ourselves accountable, instead of pointing the finger at someone else. If something needs to be done, "just do it".

SUN!

Academic Excellence

Well it's that time of year again, the school year has began and the next thing you know progress and report cards will be out. The big question is, will there be trouble when the report card is opened, or congratulations? As most of you know, I/we have always been dedicated to rewarding those students who excel in school. A good student is dedicated, motivated and on a quest to do their best...just like a black belt.

I believe in rewarding such excellence to reinforce the importance of above average performance in the classroom just as we reward above average performance on the mat. I don't think a reward should motivate a student to do well, only condition them that when they work hard, success will follow...hopefully setting them up for a lifetime of achievement.

What do you think about rewarding children for a job well done? Is this a necessity in todays society or is it something that is moving our kids in the wrong direction?

SUN!

Bullying Wrap up

So, what can we do about this problem, "bullying"

For the community, we are offering a bully prevention seminar. (Sept. 11th) If needed we will continue offering these type of community events. I have also been asked to go into the schools and speak with kids about this.
We will continue to train our students to deal with these challenges with bullies in a cool, calm and collective manner. Physical self defense techniques will be a last resort; first we will take a few countable measures that can prevent an altercation. (these are covered in the seminar) Most important is self confidence....this is the most important attribute of defense.
Once kids get into high school, unfortunately it is even more difficult for them. Bullying, peer pressure and social activities can become major obstacles for them. One thing that I have noticed is that the kids who made martial arts part of their life from age 6 on up to high school have far less challenges than those who never trained or stopped training with us. For example, we had a student who made it to black belt and was active until 8th grade when she stopped coming to classes. After that, I noticed a steady disintigration of her self confidence, focus and drive. My point is, to keep the benefits, you must keep active.
Bullying will continue until we reach a level of confidence where bullies will avoid us. There is no quick martial arts technique or trick that can stop it. It is a life commitment of confidence, self control and self defense training that can take years to develop. But, that commitment is so valuable and can pay off in so many ways.

Bullying, part 3

When we take a look at the average bully, it is very clear that they are people who lack self confidence and self control. So, they take their anger and frustrations out on other people. This not only happens to kids in school, but also in relationships, work, sports and pretty much everywhere. The main reason it happens is because these individuals lack self control. Everybody has bad days or goes through bad stretches in life. But those who have self control are able to channel their anger and frustrations. Maybe you are reading this and thinking,"I'm angry and I'm not releasing my frustration on a healthy activity (like martial arts), I'm taking it out on my family, or friends, or co-workers. If that's the case, you need to be talking to me about getting into (or back into) our program!

The main reason I initially started in martial arts is because I have a bad temper and I was afraid that I would eventually hurt someone or get hurt seriously. I also remember that back in grade school, I was a bully to a few kids and now I deeply regret that. Training in the arts has taught me how to develop and use my self control. I have seen many of my students gain a huge amount of self control and confidence from their training as well. And that is one of the main key ways to avoid being bullied...developing a high level of self confidence. I feel this is done by INDIVIDUAL accomplishments. Every time a student goes through a belt test, there should be a transformation, there should be an improvement in there confidence. By the time they get to Black Belt, they will have the confidence, self control and skills to deal with bullies.

For myself, earning my black belt was a life changing experience. After that, I KNEW I could do anything I wanted. With the skills I had learned, I KNEW that I could defend myself. I soon noticed that I was better able to deal with confrontations. I didn't get nervous, loud, nothing...just a cool and calm approach to resolving any situation. That ability is what I am dedicated to giving to our students .

In my next post, I'll wrap this up. Again, feel free to post your thoughts or questions on this subject.

SUN!

Bully Prevention (continued)

Over the years, the number one reason parents enrolled their kids in our program was because their kids were being picked on or beat up in school, or they didn't want them to be picked on or beat up. Yes, this goes on all the time, even in our nice little central Wisconsin schools. (no offense to our schools or those who work there, they have their hands full) So what do we do?
First. we do everything we can to see that it stops, second and most importantly, we make sure that if our children are ever faced with a situation they will know how to react!
My next post will discuss who the bullies are, and what makes them tick.

The Effects of being Bullied

As parents, teachers and Instructors to our children, it is so important to be knowledgable about the effects of being bullied and what it can cause later in life. The biggest one is lack of confidence. Confidence is one of the most important character traits that a person needs to possess to be successful in the real world. (That is why so much emphasis is placed on that aspect in our classes.) It is of the utmost importance to not let any bullying get out of control. Other effects such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts can all be linked to being bullied.
Anyone have any thoughts, storys or insight related to this subject? Please share.

SUN

PaSaRyu Ee Dan

A couple of people here have requested PaSaRyu Ee Dan.

So, here it is...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh-rYZzo49M

SUN!

PaSaRyu Jahng Kwon Cong Keeock

PasaRyu Jahng Kwon Cong Keeock is up at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1weQKCZ3IU

The Summer Doldrums

The Blog Page is looking great!

Summer will be drawing to a close soon (though it topped 100 degrees today).

I'm looking forward to some cooler weather so my outside form training can recommence.

Nevertheless, I filmed the two-person form PaSaRyu Jahng Kwon Cong Keeock today and it is uploading to you tube as I type. I'll post the link when completed

SUN!

Change in Class schedule

I announced in classes tonite that we will be making some adjustments to our class schedule effective September 1st, 2010. I have discussed this with our active Instructors and everyone is all for it. I am pleased to announce we will now be offering 12 specific Hapkido classes per month in addition to 16 PSR classes.
We also will be adding 4 Black Belt only classes per month. Also, we are going to form a Demo team. The demo team will have its own class 4 times per month. And finally, we will be adding a few "specialty" classes per month.
I will make details about the new schedule available to everybody ASAP.
I have a few other things in the works, but I'll hold off on details for now.
If anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to talk to me about it.

SUN!

Great Abilities come from Great Effort

I gave a talk in todays little kids class about how most things are not much fun until you get good at them. Games, school subjects, martial arts techniques, etc. They all seemed to get the idea....dedicate yourself to study and practice and eventually things that once were difficult will be fun and enjoyable.
This made me think about myself and the things I need to do (business wise) but dislike doing. I realize that the only reason I dislike them is because I'm not good at them, and the only reason I'm not good at them is because I have not dedicated myself to getting good at them. I believe it's as simple as that.

Rest In Peace

Our Friend and PaSaRyu Brother

Keith "LION" Lafferty

August 23, 1963 - July 25, 2010

PaSaRyu KanKu Sho

Still trying.