# New TKD guy



## tinker1 (May 25, 2011)

Hello All.

I'm new to the forum (obviously) - but not new to martial arts.  As an introduction here is my training history.  As you will see, my work career has had me move about quite a lot, so I've got a lengthy history learning from a variety of styles and instructors.  As I grew up, my father taught me that _"if you learn from only one teacher, you'll never know more than he does"_.  This is a saying that I've held close to my heart for much of my life.

I began training in 1959 in the art of Savate.  My father, a WW2 vet and DI was much impressed with that art during the war, and so when I was 5 years old he found an opportunity for me to train in that art.  As it is with most children training though, most of my instruction revolved around coordination, balance, distance control, and spatial relationships.  My instructor (Mssr. Gassion) was an artist (painter) known locally, so many of the analogies I use regarding this art involve art in some degree or the other.

When I was 10 years old Mssr. Gassion died, and so I went without training for almost a year.

Soon though a Kenpo instructor came to my town and began teaching out of the back of  a restaurant. _- no... I'm not making that up.. even though it sounds like some kind of kung-fu movie plot -_ This was Professor Jack Long, a student of Master Professor Ralph Castro, and Master John Keehan.  I studied with Jack Long until 1974, earning my 1st degree black during that time.

Years later I would find and train with Master Long again - earning my 2nd degree black belt from him.

During that year my work career took me to another city, and so it was there that I started training it what would become my main art - Taekwondo.  I began studying with Master Marty MacKowski in San Mateo CA. Later after about 2 years study there, my career moved me south to San Jose CA, and I changed instructors to Master Dan Choi.

While studying at Master Choi's school, there was a shake up within the ranks, and the school split.  As circumstances would fall, I had been training at one of his schools that broke away, forming West Coast Taekwondo, under Ernie Reyas, Tony Thompson, and Ed Fong.  

While at West Coast Taekwondo I earned my 2nd degree black belt, and did a considerable amount of tournament fighting / form competition as well as several PKA full contact fights.  Also, in 1983 I opened my own West Coast Taekwondo training studio in San Ramon CA.  Within a couple of years of starting my studio, I had a business related falling out with Master Thompson, and left their organization.  It was at that time that I began training first with Grand Master William Kim, and later with Grand Master Pyong Hoe Koo.

Through Master Kim I began study in Hapkido, and through Master Koo I became involved in the PTA (Pro-Taekwondo Association), and eventually earned my 6th degree black belt in Taekwondo.

I ran my own studio for 8 years, then in the early 90's I gave the studio over to Master Koo due to family issues.  I then continued as Chief instructor for Master Koo, overseeing instruction at his 2 schools. 

As I am a believer in continually furthering my education through concurrent training, I have also studied Judo in college, Jujitsu (briefly) with Master Wally Jay, Shotokan Karate with Master Jim Mather, and Escrima with Mike Innay and Grand Master Remy Presas.  I also continued my Hapkido training with Master Riccardo Oliveria.

So that's pretty much it.  So.. Hello!


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## C Denny Run* (May 25, 2011)

Sounds like a pretty extensive background you have there. Welcome to the forum, and I look forward to seeing your posts. I'm sure you have much to contribute!

Thanks for joining!


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## MidnightBlue (May 25, 2011)

Hi, Tinker 1.  Welcome to the forums.  I look forward to art analogies to the martial arts here in MT.  I used to be a teacher (high school), and now I work with adult learners, so I really like analogies in general.    Also, you've had experiences I have never had--I'd like to hear more about Savate, as it's an art of which I've never heard!


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## OKenpo942 (May 25, 2011)

Welcome to MT.


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## seasoned (May 25, 2011)

Greeting and welcome to MT.


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## oftheherd1 (May 26, 2011)

Welcome to MT.  Look forward to hearing more from you and seeing your contributions.  Have you continued much in Hapkido?


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## tinker1 (May 26, 2011)

oftheherd1 said:


> Welcome to MT.  Look forward to hearing more from you and seeing your contributions.  Have you continued much in Hapkido?



Not too much.  I love the art, but since I've moved to Colorado I've not found a teacher.  

A lot of Taekwondo schools teach something they _call_ Hapkido... but from what I've seen it's just simple basic self defense stuff.  I think they do that as a way to attract students that might be joining to gain some self defense skills.  These days it seems training is more about sport competition than anything else.


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## tinker1 (May 26, 2011)

MidnightBlue said:


> Hi, Tinker 1.  Welcome to the forums.  I look forward to art analogies to the martial arts here in MT.  I used to be a teacher (high school), and now I work with adult learners, so I really like analogies in general.    Also, you've had experiences I have never had--I'd like to hear more about Savate, as it's an art of which I've never heard!



The most common analogy from Mssr. Gassion that I've used in teaching the martial arts involves students dropping out of their training.

I'm sure you've noticed that there are time/rank specific points in training where more students drop out than at other times.  One soon after they pass their first color belt test, then another when they are preparing to enter the rank that is right below black belt (red or brown usually - depends on your system).

Mssr. Gassion used to say that all art is the same.  Of painting, he would say your experience is made up of 2 components.  You have your eye, and your hand.  The issue is that these 2 components progress at different rates.

When you start practicing your art, your eye is better than your hand.  So you have some frustration because you can see and imagine what you want to paint, but your hand hasn't the skill to put it on canvas.  Slowly though, through progress the skill in your hand improves, and soon your paintings match what you want to achieve, and you are happy with that.

But then, just as your hand improved, your eye improves.  To your perception though, everything you paint is just crap because it no longer matches what your eye perceives. You are unsatisfied with yourself.  You are frustrated with your ability to perform your art.  You feel as if you are going backward in your skills.

In martial arts, these points are where many students drop out of training.

The truth is that you are moving forward in your skills, and your frustration is only because your eye has improved.

I used to tell this analogy to students who were closing in on these break points, or perhaps already in them.  Giving them this understanding of the varying progressions of their eye and their skills helps them get through these periods.


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## Yondanchris (May 26, 2011)

Welcome to MT!


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## delaford321 (May 28, 2011)

Wow, sounds impressive. Lots of TKD people here, you'll fit it nicely!


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