KSW Tournament in San Francisco on 3/19

[PrideampPoise]

Anyone going?

[SBN Doug]

Unfortunately, no.

 

I never have the time of ability ($) to travel to tourneyments.

[taiji fajin]

would like to, but cannot. If you go, tell us how it went.

[PrideampPoise]

If you go, tell us how it went.

Will do. I'm signed up, so unless I'm befallen by some catastrophic calamity (like if my wife gets mad at me), I'll be there.

I never have the time or ability ($) to travel to tournaments.

I hear you on that. Fortunately, this one is only about an hour drive for me, which is probably the only way I would be able to work it out.

[taiji fajin]

Have you ever been to one before? What events are you signed up to do?

[PrideampPoise]

Haven't been before. Last year's was my first chance, but I couldn't make it due to a family committment.

 

I'm signed up for the three things red belts and below are eligible for... forms, techniques and sparring.

 

I'm doing Goh Geup Hyung for my form.

 

My techniques are Maek Chi Ki 12 and 14, and Maek Cha Ki 5.

 

I'm also the "falling partner" for one of our brown belts, who is doing three techniques from Joo Mohk Maga Ki Bohn Soo and Joon Geup Sohn Mohk Soo.

 

Brown belt and above can also compete in board breaking and staff or sword.

[taiji fajin]

Those are some good techniques from the red belt options. I'm trying to remember which ones I chose when I was a red belt. It might have actually been Maek Cha Gi 5. I think I also did Maek Chi Gi 15 and Maek Cha Gi 3.

 

Sparring is . . . . . I dunno. Don't expect it to be like a real fight. At least with the tournaments I've gone to, it was more who could reach in there and tap the other person. It didn't matter if the attack, had it been done at full force, could have even hurt a child. A tagging with hands and feet compitition rather than a sparring competition. Maybe that was just here, though.

 

In any case, go into everything with confidence. I went in expecting everyone to be a lot better than they were. Have confidence in what you do, and you'll do well. Remember, though, that it is just for fun, and sometimes judges make calls that seem . . . off. My center judge one year had such bad eye sight that he is legally blind and not allowed to drive a car!

 

I don't know how good / bad of etiquette it is, but if there's a break here or there where you get to talk to a judge, ask him for advice on what to improve. It may have been bad etiquette when I did that, but honestly, how often are you surrounded by that many masters who can give you feedback?

[PrideampPoise]

Thanks for the advice!

 

SBN actually picked the techniques for me... He asked me which ones I was planning to do and I started rattling off a couple (can't remember which) and he stopped me and said "These look good".

 

I've heard that the sparring is very dependent on the judge. Some judges do what you say. They see a "tag" and call a point. Others look for at least halfway decent contact. But I'm going to take the approach you suggested... I'm going to just be aggressive and do what I know and if I get "out-tagged" so be it.

 

I haven't been going to our sparring class as much as I'd like to, but I went last week and held my own with our brown belts, so I'm feeling pretty good about it.

 

I'm pretty confident with my GGH, so I'm just working on refining it... getting the speed right, lower stance, etc.

 

Techniques are going pretty good also, though I definitely need to polish those up too.

 

Thanks again, and I'll definitely try to pick up some advice if I can.

[taiji fajin]

not a problem . Oh, one thing I forgot to mention, we were always told that the hyungs were graded by the Five Hyung Laws (Eyes Bright, Mind Clear, Hands Fast and Precise, Feet Slow and Controlled, Stance Low), so keep that in mind with your training for it.

 

I'm sure you'll do fine with sparring, most people in the ones I've seen had very little to no sparring training. Aggresiveness is good, as long as you don't open yourself up with it. If you get a semi decent block in there, they almost never call it as you being tagged. Just make sure you don't actually hit the other person with any force. They didn't like it when someone actually got smacked hard. Anyways, I'm sure you'll do good, and get to stand on the podium with your medal.

 

Oh yeah, bring a camera of your own, they charge a lot for the pics of you getting your medals, its always easier to just have a friend take it at the same time while everyone is up there.

[PrideampPoise]

Yes, the five laws... our BB's have been preaching this to us. Actually, they always do, but its just been a little more recently.

 

Thanks for the camera idea. Even if I don't make it on the stand, I'm sure there will be some photo ops.