In This Issue: ☯ The Quarter That Was 2 ☯ An Interview with Sah Bu Nim Mike 3 ☯ The Price Clan 4 ☯ Grading Congratulations 5 ☯ Korean Word Search 6 ☯ What Have I Learnt From Hapkido? 6 ☯ Unwritten Rule 6 ☯ New IHA/AHG Members 7 ☯ Hapkido Has Shaped Who I Am 7 ☯ CSD Hutch Gets A New Home 8 ☯ Hapkido Festival At HMAC 9 ☯ CSD Hutch Grading Results 9 ☯ 2009 Spirit Award Finalists! 10 ☯ Dojang T-Shirts! 10 ☯ Queensland 10 ☯ Sleep Over At DSD 11 ☯ Unwritten Rules for Beginners 11 ☯ Hapkido “How-To” DVDS Now Out! 12 ☯ Upcoming Events 12 What a great year 2009 has been for Hapkido! Every which way we have turned this year there has been some awesome event on, and the past 3 months have been no different with gradings galore and many awesome events. We were all still coming down from the natural high that was Hell Camp 3 in August when we had the first of the “new” AHG Sydney gradings at Parramatta, designed to increase the already high-quality Hapkido we pride our organisation for. Under the new Grading System, students from all 3 Sydney Dojangs are tested together. This system further moved us in the direction of the 3 Sydney Dojangs working closer together on Hapkido events. Also as part of the new Grading System, in August we had the first of the Pre-Tests for Blue, Brown and Red Belts. Run like a typical grading, Senior Belts were put through their paces and required to pass the Pre-Test in order to be able to go for grading. The Pre-Test in August was a huge success for the new Grading System, with most people passing and great feedback given to all the students involved. Sydney 4, October lived up to its name and was a Month of Madness jam-packed with Hapkido events. It was excellent to see students getting involved in all the extra events and wanting to learn more. The OTR Sydney 4 weekend was a fantastic training opportunity for all students. The weekend included a Kids’ Seminar, at the end of which Grandmaster Geoff threw each kid, a seminar on Old School Techniques from a syllabus that dated back to 1986!, dinner at The Black Rose September was a quiet month in the lead up to the famous Hapkido Month of Madness (October) yet for a quiet month it was still full of Hapkido events from Black Belt Club Seminars to gradings! The end of September saw a number of students Café for an All-You-Can-Eat Pizza and Pasta bonanza, and successfully grade to their next belt colour. This time the seminars by a Wing Tsun Instructor and Guro Floro who AHG Sydney Grading was hosted by Hurstville and all 10 brought in his Kali Sticks and taught us all Sinawali. students were awarded their new belt! With so many additional training and grading From Sun Bae training for Red Belts and above to Hell Week opportunities this past quarter, the last 3 months had where students got the opportunity to train with something special for every one. Grandmaster Geoff for 5 days straight, through to OTR How long ago did you start training and how did you get What has been the highlight for you throughout all your into Hapkido? years of training? I started my “official” martial arts training at age 13 Wow, so many great moments. UHS 1999 is definitely a (summer of 1984). I say officially because before training highlight. ITS 2009 with Grandmaster Geoff’s promotion, at the local Taekwondo school, I was “instructed” at home hosting DoJuNim, April’s promotion to 3rd Degree, and my by my mother who is belted in Judo. promotion to 4th Degree. But I think the #1 highlight A year after opening my first school in October 1995, a would be having the honor and privilege of being one of the 8 Dragons (Spirit Test, October 2003). After young boy named Matt Pape (now 23) joined my nd Taekwondo program. His mother, Linda, was the first achieving my 2 Degree, Grandmaster Geoff asked me to woman promoted to Black Belt in Hapkido by Master JR be a Representative in the US. I asked him if I could participate in the Spirit Test since I never got the West. Linda introduced me to Master West, which started st my Hapkido training. opportunity before (my 1 Degree test was a technical test in the US). I thought that if I was to represent the IHA, I What other martial arts have you done and what rank (if should experience what all the IHA Black Belts in Australia any) do you hold? experience. He agreed. Thank you, Sir! Taekwondo (4th degree); Aikido for 2 years (no rank); Jeet What do you like the most about Hapkido? Kune Do/Kali (no rank); Krav Maga (Level 3 Instructor); Haganah/FIGHT (Instructor); and BJJ (Blue Belt). I like the fact that Hapkido offers training in a broad spectrum of techniques. Many styles either offer “hard” What other martial arts do you teach at your school and techniques (kicks, strikes, etc.) or “soft” techniques (joint how did this come about? locks, throws, etc.) Hapkido trains people In addition to Hapkido I also teach Krav across the technique spectrum, which Maga/FIGHT, BJJ and MMA. I added gives them many more options. Eg: as a Krav Maga because I enjoy the scenario- teenager training in Taekwondo, I had based training of the Israeli systems. It little choice in dealing with bullying at does not have the depth of technique of school. In the few altercations that I had, Hapkido by any means, but it has an I was faced with a dilemma: do I blast this efficiency and intensity in the training guy and risk being reprimanded or do I that appeals to some people (mainly law just take the abuse. Hapkido offers the enforcement). I added BJJ because I like practitioner the ability to “injure to competing in submission grappling degree.” Do I take the joint lock to pain events. I think BJJ is an excellent compliance or joint destruction? Guess it complement to Hapkido. MMA is the depends on how the altercation develops. fastest growing sport in the US. For too Different situations require different many years martial arts in the US has responses. You just can’t blast your way been viewed as a kids-only activity. You out of every situation. I guess you can, would rarely see top-notch athletes on but you’ll probably end up in legal the training floor. MMA has changed trouble. that. I have several highly skilled, highly What is your favourite Hapkido motivated fighters that enjoy stepping technique? into the cage and testing their abilities. I also have on staff JKD instructor Ken and Kenpo instructor Jason. I brought S-Lock - maximum pain, minimal effort. Works on every- one, unless your name is Nugget (ask Grandmaster Geoff). them on board to offer more variety and so I wouldn’t have to compete with them, LOL. As one of the few 4th Degrees in the organisation, what do you consider to be the secret of sticking with Hapkido? How did you first get involved with Grandmaster Geoff? As a colored belt, it’s all about setting short, medium, and Twice every year, Master West would hold a 3-day martial long-term goals: getting to the next class, earning that art seminar in Mississippi. The first time that I attended next signature/belt. Write down your goals and target the event in February 1998, I met and trained with this dates. It’s easier to stay focused when you’re training for a crazy group of Aussies. They just competed at the Arnold specific goal. As a Black Belt, it gets more difficult. The Martial Art Classic and their demonstration was goals are further apart. The time between testings is incredible. Though I was relatively new to Hapkido, I measured in years, not months. Again it’s important to knew that I witnessed something very different and very write down goals, even more so. It’s easier to get side- special. A year later I was married and suggested we go tracked when you’re not earning those incremental downunda for a couple of weeks for our honeymoon (no promotions we call stripes. You really want to stay ulterior motives – I promise). The first week we spent in involved, improve your understanding and development Sydney. I got some training in which didn’t go over too of Hapkido? TEACH. To teach a Low Spinning Hook or a well with the new wife (she figured me out). That’s when Tornado throw to a teenager and a senior requires a deep Grandmaster Geoff informed me that he was holding the understanding of technique – which in turn improves first-ever UHS later that year. I didn’t hesitate. October your own. I discover new details to even the most basic of 1999 I left my school in the hands of my very capable staff techniques each time I step on the mats to teach. It keeps and spent the best month of training in Sydney. your Hapkido polished. A few years back when Colin and I members are. Colin, Jane, Nick and 2009 in Lancaster Pennsylvania discussed joining martial arts in the Sean. When we're on the mats we cemented this. Along with my love for local area we got into the car and could be complete strangers because Hapkido it made me realise that what's drove around looking at places that there's no special treatment or tied around my waist just keeps my could offer something for all of us.