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ITS 2011

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Black Belt Interview

Failing is one of the hardest experiences we face on our journeys, but it may be one of the most valuable lessons we get. The disappointment and disbelief we face from failing can be overwhelming enough for us to lose sight of our vision and hope in our dreams. As horrible as it feels, we need to overcome this experience and focus on the lesson needed to be learnt if we want to move forward. If we can seize the notion that failing can be positive, then we can come back stronger than ever.

Below are a few benefits we can gain from our lessons in failing:

1. A better chance of success

If you take what you’ve learnt from failing and apply it in your next attempt, you’ve just vastly increased your chances of succeeding. As far as mistakes are concerned, look back at what went wrong, why it went wrong, how you can correct it next time and what you’ve learnt in the process.

2. You’ll be closer to ultimate success

Every time you fail you become one step closer to success. Failure is a natural part of success; unfortunately, it's only the people who realise this and use it to their advantage that end up achieving their goals. “There are no failures - just experiences and your reactions to them.” – Tom Krause (motivational speaker, teacher and coach)

3. Motivation

If you have a burning desire to succeed, you'll do anything you can to reach your goals. If what you want is important enough to you then failing should only make you want it

more. View your goal as a dog would view his precious bone; any attempt to take it away from you should get you bearing your fangs and ready to pounce on anybody who gets in your way.

4. You’ll be like all other achievers

If you accept failures and keep working toward your ultimate dream, you'll be just like many of the other winners of the past. Edison failed well over a 1,000 times but his persistence led him to illuminating the world; the Wright brothers failed dozens of times, but they eventually reached the skies. Virtually, our history’s greatest achievers experienced failure before success, and without a doubt, you are no exception.

5. Encouraged to seek help from others

The assistance and feedback that others can bring you is very important and can also be a great source of innovation. When you fail, in order to experience success faster, you may be inclined to seek help from others to benefit you. This will pay great dividends in reaching your goal.

In our Hapkido world, I challenge you to find a Black Belt who has not failed at least once in some shape or form in their journey to Black Belt. I encourage you to seek them out and ask them to share a story to put in perspective your experiences in failing. In this organisation, failing is our way of making your belt valuable. It makes the next belt that much more desirable and ensures our Black Belt the darkest shade of black possible.

- Master Jimmy

It all started with a smart quip from a friend of mine. In the summer of ‘09/’10 I’d started a new job working at my family’s cherry orchard in Wandin, Victoria. In the duration of the season (around 8 weeks) I’d managed to lose almost 10kg and I finally sneaked in under that elusive 100kg mark. However, in the 10 month off-season that weight came back in no time. My mate kindly reminded me that I was pretty foolish to rely on 8 weeks of hard yakka to keep me fit and healthy.

With my friend’s words still ringing in my ear, I pulled up to a set of traffic lights out the front of Power Hapkido after work one night. While waiting for the lights to change I looked up and noticed a group of people training pretty damn hard but having fun at the same time. At this stage I didn’t know what made Hapkido different

from any other martial art, but I thought ‘Maybe I could give that a go’. So I did.

The first few months were pretty hard on my body. The combination of interval training and concept-based techniques saw me reaching for the sick-bag on more than one occasion. But by pushing

through the pain and feeling the encouragement of those around me I am now achieving more than I ever felt possible. I could barely do 10 pushups, now I’m doing several sets of 60-70. I wasn’t able to run 100 metres without nearly dying; now I’m running 6-8km on a regular basis. After 12 months I have lost over 20kg and now weigh a very healthy 83kg. I have become a big believer in living a healthy life style

and I now live by the mantra ‘energy in-energy out’.

Under the guidance and expert tutelage of Master John and the senior belts I have seen my skills and confidence grow in a way I never thought possible. This confidence has not been limited to Hapkido. It has extended to every facet of my life; at work, at home, with friends, and in my other vocations and hobbies.

Since joining Power Hapkido I have had the honour and privilege of attending extra training seminars, sparring classes and the incredible ITS 2011. All of these e x p e r i e n c e s h a v e increased my passion for this amazing martial art. I cannot wait to get stuck

into training and I look forward to the challenges it will bring.

- Steve B

Before - 104Kg

After - 83Kg

How long ago did you start training and what made you get into Hapkido?

I started my martial arts training in Tae Kwon Do in June of 1999. In the summer of 2001 I met Grandmaster Geoff (Master Geoff at that time) at the Tae Kwon Do summer camp that our Tae Kwon Do organisation put on. I attended my first seminar with Grandmaster Geoff during that camp and within 30 minutes of being on the mats with him I decided that I wanted to change my martial arts focus and pursue this intriguing art of Hapkido.

From your experience what do you consider to be the secret to sticking with Hapkido?

Sticking with Hapkido is rather easy as there are so many techniques that one should never get bored. If you get bored with Hapkido you have not opened your eyes to what it has to offer. Yes, the training can be hard and seem long and endless at times, especially if you are struggling with learning a technique. The one thing that I do to help remedy this is towards the end of every class or after class I pick one of my favourite techniques and go through it a few times to try and perfect it even more. This will allow you to wrap up your training for the day with a highlight and feeling good.

What has been a highlight for you through all your years of training?

I am going to have to go with highlights, as 3 of them are at the top. Not in any order of ranking because if you asked me tomorrow it may be a different order. Being able to train with DoJuNim at the ITS in 2009. Being there for the promotion of Master Geoff to Grandmaster. Going through and successfully passing the IHA Spirit Test with the rest of the Black Tigers in 2007.

What do you like the most about Hapkido?

I like that fact that it is a complete art. This allows you to learn an endless number of techniques and pick the ones that best fit you physically and mentally to put in your arsenal for use if ever needed. The ones that fit you best will be most effective for you when called upon.

What is your favourite technique?

I am going to have to modify the question slightly and give a broader answer. I am going to say that I really like the S lock concept or family of locks. This is mostly due to the size and strength that I have in my hands, as once I have my hands locked on there is no getting away. I also like it because they flow so well into the arm bar, as well as I can use it to effectively put my opponent face down on the ground and maintain total control.

Do you enjoy teaching?

Very much so, I spend 2-3 of my evenings every week devoting my time to sharing and teaching the art of Hapkido to my students. I enjoy watching the students develop into Hapkidoists. I also enjoy helping them when they are struggling and working through techniques that they are having difficulties with. The rewards from teaching are endless as well, there is the smile on a student’s face when they earn a signature, stripe or their next belt. There is also the occasional thank you from the parents of the youth as the Hapkido training and discipline, focus and manners extend into the home or they let you know that they can see their child’s confidence increase. I am getting excited for spring as my first student will be going through the Black Belt Spirit Test. This is just as exciting for me as it is for them.

Have you ever had to use your Hapkido training outside of the Dojang?

I use the mental aspects of my training every day. Using focus, determination, or a relaxing meditative breath to make it through day to day things that are stressful or difficult at work or in my life in general.

I have used the physical aspects of Hapkido to break up a few fights and I have also had the occasional opportunity to do some door work as a bouncer. No exciting stories to tell though :(

Defeat is a choice. So is victory. You’re only beating what you decide.

I started Hapkido in February, I wanted to learn how to defend myself plus my best friend was also doing it. At first I was shy to get onto the mats but I got on anyway and from then on I have loved it.

My first class we did falling and Sir Aaron showed me how to do my fall and I got it and then tried it in front of everybody. I was actually okay at it

and that very class I signed up and bought my uniform. Since then I have hardly missed a class and train 3 times a week. I focus and train hard in class and go for technique stamps. I am now a Falcon Green Belt and I am nearly grading to Aqua Belt.

I love Hapkido.

- Brittney W

I had been saving money for about 2 years to make sure I could make the trip “down under” to join my Hapkido family at ITS 2011. I had mentally prepared for the 24 hour trip (from door to door), but didn´t really know what to expect. After 7 feature films, 4 airplane “breakfasts & dinners” and 0 hours sleep I finally arrived in Sydney. I was staying with my aunt who has been living in Australia for 23 years now. When we finally got to her house I had been awake for 30 hours. I had decided earlier on that I wouldn´t go to sleep until that evening to catch the time difference as quickly as possible. I went for a walk and texted my Hapkido friends in Australia and found out that there would be a class at Moorebank at 7:00pm! What better way to stay awake than have your friends beating you on the mats! Monday 3:00pm I had stayed awake for 36 hours and I had to get some sleep. So I did. For 90 minutes.

I had been awake for 40 hours (minus 90 minutes) when I finally arrived to the Moorebank Dojang and it was fantastic. This was my first visit to Australia and I had only seen pictures of the Dojang before. There´s not much I remember from my first Hapkido lesson in Australia. I was simply too tired. I remember Ma´am Tina who was making sure I kept on my feet during the training. I also had the chance to meet my friends Sir Adrian, Sir Aaron, Ma´am Mira, Sir Jimmy and others. It was great to train with these guys after such a long time. We had a great time at ITS 2009 and I knew I would have a lot of fun during this trip also. I´d been awake for 43 hours when I finally got back to the house. I slept like a baby.

I came to Australia a week before the ITS began. The plan was to visit my relatives and friends during the first week and maybe do some travelling on the third week. The plan changed a little. I usually train Hapkido for 8-9 hours a week. If I don´t train for a day or 2 it feels weird and 3 or more days without Hapkido isn´t really a choice. So I went to the classes at Moorebank on Wednesday and Friday. Classes were great but more than that I enjoyed catching up with my friends. During the week I also made many new friends.

Between training I had the chance to

visit Sydney - the town truly is beautiful! Darling Harbour, The Opera House (I´ve waited to see it for years!). I also got a combo pass to see the Wildlife Sydney, Sydney Aquarium and Sydney Tower Eye. I also bought a souvenir. A boomerang. There was a message on it: “Guaranteed to return if thrown properly.” I just had to buy it.

Sun Bae training on Sunday just before the beginning of the ITS was anticipated. My fellow Finns had arrived, jetlagged but excited. Many of the Black Belts had their technical review that evening, as well as the Black Belt challenge. Even though I was concentrating on my own performance, Sir Jimmy, Sir John and Sir Adrian stole the show. To see them all at once on the mats performing their belt requirements was quite a sight!

My second week in Australia and the ITS finally began. Day one was an excellent day to stay indoors. It rained so hard it was sometimes difficult to hear Grandmaster Geoff when he was teaching and showing us new techniques to practice. We had a lot of fun and Sir Aaron found himself my personal chauffeur during the lunch break (thank you very much Sir). I probably had every single subway on the menu during the ITS!

The week was amazing. The most memorable events had to be our visit to the Hurstville and Parramatta Dojangs run by Sir Jimmy and Ma´am Tina. We had an excellent time teaching, learning and laughing. Sir Corey’s gun defence presentation was epic!

The training week went fast and by the 5th or 6th day wrists, arms and legs were starting to be quite sore. The event everybody had been waiting for was scheduled for Friday evening - the Black Belt Spirit Test. It was like nothing I´ve ever seen. There were 30 to 40 black belts, four 4th Degrees and of course Grandmaster Geoff. For the first time ever we had international Grandmasters and Masters watching the event. With this distinguished audience watching even the Black Belts had some pressure to perform well so I can only imagine how the provisionals felt!

The Spirit Test was fantastic (I hope you were there because there is no

way I can describe the atmosphere!) All the provisionals earned their Black Belts after an extremely hard test. There were a few black eyes (not mentioning any names) and several people had trouble walking the next day, but everybody was happy after the successful event.

The Celebration Dinner on Saturday was magic. There was one surprise after another and we had the chance to witness Kwan Nyom Hapkido history when Sirs Jimmy and John were promoted to 5th Degree and earned the title Master. I was honoured to be promoted to 3rd Degree but in a room full of Grandmasters and Masters it was very easy to stay humble.

We had a lovely dinner and a wonderful time. Soon it was time to get to bed and prepare for the Sunday training - the Weekend of Masters. This was one of the absolute highlights of the trip. When you have a chance to train with people who have practiced up to 61 years of martial arts you try to learn as much as possible! There was a lot of familiar stuff, new stuff, weird stuff and my favourite, painful stuff, on the menu. This was an excellent way to end the training week.

So far I have been very fortunate with my ITS trips. 2007 in Finland was the first time I met many of my Aussie friends. I had the chance to grade to Black Belt during their visit too. At the ITS 2009 I was in Lancaster with a group of Finns, Aussies and Americans to witness Master Geoff’s promotion to Grandmaster by DoJuNim Ji! Still, ITS 2011 has to be the best so far. I want to thank our Aussie hosts for their hospitality. Everything was thought through and everybody was helpful, showing us the city, driving us around etc. Thank you everybody for making us feel at home!

I did about 55 hours of training during my trip. My only regret is that I only had 3 weeks to spend in Australia. On that note I hope to see you all in Amsterdam at the ITS 2013. I already know that I´m going to see my old ITS friends there, but I would like to see new ITS visitors also! You have no idea what you´re missing if you don´t go to one of these amazing events.

- Sir Daniel

Congratulations to the following Adult students who have graded!

Luke D - CSD

Gina Y - CMA

Jonathan T - CMA

Yanjing L - CMA

Belal Q - DSD

Prashan K - DSD

Craig L - DSD

Jelena T - DSD

Les R - CSD

Van T - CSD

Chris E - DSD

Randy T - CMA

Ross B - CSD

Muralidhar N - CSD

Brijesh J - DSD

Paul B - CSD

Arif N - DSD

Fred P - DSD

Aneesa B - DSD

Simon L - CMA

Madelein V - CSD

Aveline C - CMA

Kathy Y - CMA

Hannah R - DSD

Dimitri S - DSD

Julian G - DSD

Stephen C - DSD

Jacob D - CSD

Chris B - CSD

Renee S - CSD

Shelley W - CMA

Evan H - CMA

Nguyen D - CSD

Bridget H - CMA

Congratulations to the following Kids who have graded!

Victoria P (CMA Hawk)

Aneesa S (CMA Hawk)

Evan K (CMA Hawk)

Skye T (DSD Hawk)

Emily H (DSD Hawk)

Naomi S (DSD Falcon)

Kimberley G (DSD Falcon)

Tudi H (CMA Falcon)

Nikolas Z (CMA Falcon)

Aalya S (CMA Falcon)

Eric L (CMA Hawk)

Andrew J (CMA Hawk)

Alex J (CMA Hawk)

Tarron Z (CMA Hawk)

Artemis P (CMA Hawk)

Joshua K (CMA Hawk)

Zeina K (CMA Hawk)

Logan M (CSD Hawk)

Joseph B (CSD Hawk)

Rachel C (CSD Falcon)

Emanuel A (CSD Falcon)

Rinesh N (CSD Falcon)

Dominic C (CSD Hawk)

Ryan O (CSD Hawk)

Thomas H (CMA Hawk)

Victoria H (CMA Hawk)

Matthew L (CMA Hawk)

Connor J (CMA Hawk)

Rabie J (CMA Hawk)

Aydin Y (CMA Hawk)

Phillip P (CMA Falcon)

Aaliya Y (CMA Falcon)

Despina P (CMA Falcon)

Jade B (DSD Hawk)

Connor M (CSD Falcon)

Mitchell H (CSD Falcon)

Emma R (CSD Falcon)

Upashna K (DSD Falcon)

Sidharth K (DSD Falcon)

Michael S (CSD Hawk)

Jay W (CSD Falcon)

Angelo T (CSD Falcon)

Joshua P (CSD Falcon)

Phillip P (CSD Falcon)

Dylan H (CSD Falcon)

Tony T (CSD Falcon)

James B (CSD Falcon)

Shannon B (CSD Falcon)

Shishir S (DSD Hawk)

Ali-Tahj T (DSD Hawk)

Robert P (DSD Hawk)

Jamel B (DSD Hawk)

Lukas B (DSD Hawk)

Maya R (CMA Hawk)

Gordon L (CMA Hawk)

Matthew L (CMA Hawk)

Declan W (CMA Hawk)

Tyler L (CMA Hawk)

Tian H (CMA Hawk)

Blake A (CMA Hawk)

Andy L (CMA Hawk)

Cameron A (CMA Falcon)

Flora L (CMA Falcon)

Ryan (CMA Falcon)

Vas K (CSD Hawk)

Andrew P (CMA Falcon)

Eric C (CMA Falcon)

Marcus D (DSD Hawk)

Stefan O (DSD Hawk)

Asmi M (DSD Hawk)

Leonard M (DSD Falcon)

George P (CMA Hawk)

Jacqueline B (CMA Falcon)

Joseph K (DSD Hawk)

Takirah C (DSD Hawk)

Cory S (CSD Hawk)

Ben B (CSD Falcon)

Jacqueline B (CSD Falcon)

Cassandra B (CSD Hawk)

Jesse R (CSD Hawk)

Shar-neik C (DSD Hawk)

Simran N (DSD Falcon)

Jeremy O (DSD Falcon)

Jordan R (CSD Falcon)

Claire K (CSD Falcon)

Jake R (CSD Falcon)

Tayla W (DSD Falcon)

Annabelle SA (DSD Falcon)

Eklavya M (DSD Falcon)

Adrian F (DSD Falcon)

Aidan F (DSD Falcon)

Kelvin H (CMA Hawk)

Peter M (CMA Hawk)

Ethan A (CMA Hawk)

Max W (CMA Hawk)

Kyle H (CSD Hawk)

Jessica P (CMA Falcon)

Evan H (CSD Hawk)

Rabindra G – Moorebank

Samuel C – Moorebank

Jamin C – Hurstville

Tracey H – Hurstville

Jessica L – Hurstville

Shea D – Hurstville

Henry Z – Hurstville

Ty E – Parramatta

Pranab S – Parramatta

Pratyush S – Parramatta

Romal M – Parramatta

Claudia K – Parramatta

Mia K – Parramatta

Sayed W – Parramatta

Josip V – Parramatta

Pratyush S – Parramatta

Romal M – Parramatta

Cor L – The Netherlands

Tom D – The Netherlands

Incke M – The Netherlands

Zhour O – The Netherlands

Harry B – The Netherlands

Amelia H – Moorebank

Sarah A – Moorebank

Phillip A – Moorebank

Rolando D – Moorebank

Adrian C – Moorebank

Cassidy Z – Hurstville

Randy D – The Netherlands

Sven M – The Netherlands

Sascha V – The Netherlands

Jamel B – Parramatta

Lukas B – Parramatta

Skye T – Parramatta

Cameron H – Moorebank

Jake H – Moorebank

Marko M – Moorebank

Jovana M – Moorebank

Leroy Z – Hurstville

Devina – Hurstville

Johanna H – Finland

Tomi A – Finland

Udayveer S – Parramatta

Emily H – Parramatta

Jade B – Parramatta

Rade B – Moorebank

Kerem D – Moorebank

Ryan P – Moorebank

Blake P – Moorebank

Frans vd K – The Netherlands

Wim vd K – The Netherlands

Ron d W – The Netherlands

Andre S – The Netherlands

Sebastiaan v V – The Netherlands

Steven S – The Netherlands

Devery C – The Netherlands

Gerard v d W – The Netherlands

Randy M – The Netherlands

Koen S – The Netherlands

Maurice C – The Netherlands

Miko K – Hurstville

William T – Hurstville

Tully Z – Hurstville

Michael K – Parramatta

Lorenzo DL F – Parramatta

Hassan A – Parramatta

Ahmad G – Parramatta

Christine E – The Netherlands

Irawan A – The Netherlands

Mirjam H – The Netherlands

Hans H – The Netherlands

Anne-Marie G – The Netherlands

Dave v S – The Netherlands

Marco v d B – The Netherlands

Aaron v D – The Netherlands

Kolmeyer – The Netherlands

J J P – The Netherlands

My name is Julian and I am 14 years old. My hobbies are playing cricket, learning Hapkido and Maths.

I started Hapkido 7 years ago because my father wanted me to learn self defence. Over these 7 years I have had two Instructors - Sir Nathan and Ma’am Tina.

I find Hapkido very helpful for many reasons. One reason is that it teaches me self control. I need self control because there are many people who annoy me at school.

It also teaches me how to protect myself in case I run into trouble at school or on the streets. It also keeps me fit and relaxed.

I like Hapkido and I intend to do it for some time.

- Julian G

Awesome, Spectacular, Amazing, Chance of a Lifetime, so many ways to try to explain the ITS 2011 Australia. The ITS provided so many Martial Arts gems for me that I still get excited when I hear the words or letters I.T.S. The Hapkido training was top notch, and being on the mats with so many IHA Black Belts from around the globe that share the same passion for Hapkido is amazing. It was great to travel to the other two local Dojangs that are run by Master Jimmy and BSBN Tina; during the visits and teaching a few techniques to their students at an event this big was exciting as well as an honour.

Going through the senior belt grading and training with the other hard training Black Belts of different ranks and spending time with them was amazing. It was also great to watch the provisionals train hard through the week as they prepared for their Spirit Test. The Spirit Test for me was a great experience; I witnessed all the work that goes into the preparation of this grading. I also got to take part in several parts of the grading with the sparring probably being the highlight of the grading. It was great to see all of the provisionals go through the final steps to Black Belt. Seeing Nick get promoted was an honour for me as he and his family helped me out so much when I went through this journey and my Spirit Test in 2007. The gathering at the Black Rose after the grading and seeing the glowing and bruised new Black Belts and sharing that time with them was another gem for me.

The Weekend of Masters and meeting all the VIPs and training with them on the mats during the same weekend is one of those chance of a lifetimes. Seeing them share their favourite techniques and the passion that they all share for the Martial Arts was awesome.

The Celebration Dinner was another amazing event itself, seeing all the well-deserved awards be presented. Being there for all the senior belt promotions especially the promotions

to 5th Degree and Master for Master Jimmy and Master John is a definite chance of a lifetime experience.

I also found it very special that two of the Black Tigers, myself and Ma’am Tina, were both promoted to 3rd Degree as well as Chief Instructor on this evening, as it was 4 years ago when we went through the Spirit Test together and that we both run our own schools. BSBN Tina, thank you for sharing the experience …

ITS in addition to Hapkido training for me, provided travel opportunities for family as well. I arrived in Sydney Sunday morning, one day later than planned due to a missed connecting flight, and rolled right into the training week. The Friday morning of the Black Belt Spirit test my wife Kris and her mom (American for M u m ) D a r a r r i v e d i n Sydney and got to meet our wonderful host f a m i l y t h e Prices. I had stayed with the Prices for 30 days in October of 2007 when I went through my Spirit Test. This was the first opportunity for my remote family (the Prices) to meet Kris and Dar. We all stayed with them Friday through Wednesday. During this stay we also got to meet and spend time with the other small student that was hosted by the Price family - this student would be Henk.

Kris and Dar got to see first-hand what an IHA spirit is all about and the gathering of Martial Artists and proud family members of the new Black Belts at the Black Rose. During the Masters Weekend Kris and Dar got to travel around the Sydney area hitting all the sights with Colin, Jane and their visiting family members Kari and Graham. Saturday evening we attended the ITS Celebration Dinner,

this was the first time that Kris was able to be at an event when I was promoted to a higher rank. Sunday evening we enjoyed a home cooked meal and a lot of laughs and getting to know each other around the dinner table.

On Monday we travelled to Featherdale with Nick and Henk, this was an awesome opportunity to see the native animals of Australia up close and actually get to pet a few. Lots of pictures were taken; good thing for digital cameras. On our last evening with Colin and Jane we went to dinner at Centre Point Tower which provided a nice sunsetting view of the city. We followed up the dinner with a quick tour of Bondi and got to see where they lived when they first moved to the area.

Following our visit to Sydney we hopped a plane to Cairns for our next Aussie adventures. While in Cairns we spent some time walking the boardwalk and touring all the local shops and eateries. We booked two travel adventures - the first was

the Great Barrier R e e f . T h e snorkeling and s u b m e r s i b l e viewing was amazing and there was plenty to eat and drink on a two hour boat ride to and from the reef.

The second adventure was the Karunda Rainforest train

and cable car. Even though it was the dry season the view and the waterfalls were amazing, I couldn’t imagine the view during the prime season.

The ITS made it possible for us to take this trip. Thank you Grandmaster Geoff for the ITS.

- Sir Corey

“The ITS provided so many Martials Arts gems for me… I

still get excited when I hear the words...”

“...the promotions to 5th Degree and Master for Master

Jimmy and Master John is a definite chance of a lifetime

experience.”

Moorebank, Australia

hapkido.com.au

completeselfdefence.com

Parramatta, Australia dynamicselfdefence.com.au

Hurstville, Australia

conceptmartialarts.com.au

Croydon, Australia powerhapkido.com.au

Wagga Wagga, Australia

Bayside, Australia

Finland The Netherlands

America

Thank you to everyone who contributed to Issue 9 of The Hapkido Scrolls. Contributors: Ma’am Tina, AHG Parramatta Master Jimmy, AHG Hurstville Sir Daniel, IHA Finland Sir Corey, IHA Hutchinson USA Steve B, AHG Croydon Julian G, AHG Parramatta Kris N, IHA Hutchinson USA Brittney W, AHG Parramatta Ma’am Mira, AHG Moorebank

Contributions for The Hapkido Scrolls are always welcome!

If you would like to write an article or if you have something you would like to share with fellow students eg: a martial arts related cartoon or joke, please send to hapkido@dojang.com.au

Germany

My husband, myself and Mom have talked about taking this Aussie adventure for quite some time and it finally came true. I cannot say enough kind words about the Price Family; they are amazing, fun, full of laughs and welcoming to let two more American strangers into their home and lives. A huge “Thank You” to Colin, Jane, Nick and Sean.

The Spirit Test was an awe-inspiring, adrenaline-rush type of excitement for me. I felt honoured to be there when the “Undisputed” candidates went through their final transformation to Black Belt.

At the Celebration Dinner the Red, White, and Blue theme immediately caught my eye, I thought it was a creative way to honour the five countries of Hapkidoists.

The celebration was a great way for not only the students but the families to bask in the after-glow of their achievements. I have a feeling that everyone’s cheeks hurt from smiling ear to ear and they were seeing spots from the flashes of all the cameras.

It is actually hard for me to find the words to describe how proud, excited, and happy I am for BSBN Corey ( if he can believe that ) on his 10 year journey and all his accomplishments and achievements. It may have taken 10 years, 2 trips to another country, countless days and evenings away from home but… I can now see and feel his passion for Hapkido.

A special Thank You to Grandmaster

Geoff for introducing us to what “real”

food tastes like and the farewell dinner

we had with him, Master Jimmy and

Carol.

- Kris N

“Our greatest opponent isn’t the mugger on the street, or that bully in school.

One of the greatest motivators is fear. It exists within us and is only alleviated when we confront this fear.

Therefore our greatest opponent is ourself.”

- Master Jimmy, Concept Martial Arts

“The Spirit Test was an awe-inspiring, adrenaline-rush type

of excitement for me. I felt honoured to be there...”

“...I can now see and feel his passion for Hapkido”

Hit or Myth: The fan is a Hapkido weapon.