About 45 students attended last Sunday's Super Hapkido Workshop at Brookvale. Seven of these students were from Ultimate Fighting Arts gym at Penrith - like many others, they came to experience a class with Grandmaster Matthew Sung Su Kim.
The morning session focussed on spinning hook kick and in particular the role of the hips, glutes and lower back muscles in generating speed and power in this dynamic kick. Self-defence techniques of wing lock and wrist/shoulder lock (4 direction) were worked on with emphasis on breaking the attacker's balance from the start and maintaining control throughout the technique. We also tried a nifty release from rear bear hug that has been known to re-align the attackers neck.
Student meditating
During lunch video footage from the recent Yongmudo Korean Trip was shown. After lunch we started with some falling and free sparring followed by an exercise that helps students develop their connection between their hips and arms to ensure maximum power is generated during self defence techniques.
Grandmaster Matthew Sung Su Kim then arrived. We were shown the power of concentration and focus of techniques and reminded that it is the simple elements of Hapkido that are so important to being able to apply Hapkido effectively in real life.
Group Photo
Grandmaster Kim also showed the method of training to allow students to progress from being able to kick to being able to use their kicks effectively in sparring by improving timing and distance. Jamming of kicks was also explained as an easy way to deal with people who are good kickers. The session finished with meditiation during which Grandmaster Kim provided guidance on the internal processes involved in proper meditation. When everyone got up after meditation it looked like they had been awoken from a very deep sleep.
Students from Penrith's Ultimate Fighting Arts took advantage of the
opportunity to learn from Grandmaster Kim
Many thanks go to Grandmaster Kim for his time and knowledge - he is a truly inspirational martial artist and any Hapkido student would be lucky to have him as a teacher - even for just one lesson. Thanks also to Master Kevin Brown who helped out and got a good workout from Grandmaster Kim as well.
