U.T.A. Seminar with Master Nicholls VIII, 9th November 2013,
Letchworth Garden City, UK
In celebration of Letchworth Taekwon-do School’s tenth successful year, Mr Owen V, hosted a four hour seminar with Master Nicholls VIII at the Letchworth Taekwon-Do School Dojang.
U.T.A. Seminar with Master Nicholls VIII, 9th November 2013,
Letchworth Garden City, UKIn celebration of Letchworth Taekwon-do School’s tenth successful year, Mr Owen V, hosted a four hour seminar with Master Nicholls VIII at the Letchworth Taekwon-Do School Dojang.
Instructors and students from the UTA schools and associate groups arrived early in the morning, to be ready for the arrival of Master Nicholls and the seminar to begin. The seminar began promptly at 9am with a general warm up. Master Nicholls began by introducing himself and his experiences in Taekwon-do and what training in Taekwon-do should be about, for the student. “Competition is only a small part of training, you train for yourself and only seek to be better than yourself.”Master Nicholls started the practical part of the session, organising the students into a circle around the hall.
The seminar focussed on kicks that do not involve the pivot or twist of the body/supporting foot e.g. front rising kick, front snap kick, vertical kick etc… Master Nicholls highlighted the importance of not sacrificing technique for height in the kick, “you can get from 10th Kupto 9th Dan without doing high kicks, if you can show understanding of the technique in your kicks.” Master Nicholls taught where the power comes from in non-pivoting kicks through utilisation of the supporting knee and the ‘hip jerk’. The kicks were practised on the spot before splitting into small groups for working with kick shields. A short break followed by some leg strengthening exercises to warm the legs back up before progressing to some technical teachings with the differences between outward pressing kick and side piercing kick, as performed in Kwang-Gae Tul. The technical teaching came to a close with the ITF’s clarification on the difference between single, fast and continuous motions through practising Chon-Ji Tul to Do-San Tul with the clarifications being made for each pattern. Master Nicholls in this part of the seminar congratulated Mr Glenn Horan VI, UTA chairman on his role in the ITF technical committee and affirmed the point he has made at previous seminars, that Mr Horan is one of the most technical Taekwondo practitioners in the world and that his technical knowledge is top class.Master Nicholls was presented with a ceremonial plate to thank him for leading the seminar and recognition of his work for Taekwon-Do. Mr Owen was also presented an award of recognition by his instructor, and UTA chairman Mr Horan in celebration of Letchworth Taekwon-Do Schools tenth year.The seminar came to a close leaving all those who took part with plenty to take back to their own training and for the 4th degree grading to commence with Miss Kathryn Thompson, Mr Peter Scurrand Mrs Kirsty Owen.The evening banquet followed at Letchworth hall hotel with students from UTA schools and associate groups filling the room with the UTA committee seated with Master Nicholls. Speeches followed the meal from Master Nicholls, Mr Horan and Mr Owen followed by the results from the afternoon’s grading. Congratulations to those who graded and were promoted to fourth degree. The promoted black belts were presented with their new doboks and belts. Kirsty Owen IV, Kathryn Thompson IV and Peter Scurr IV.Congratulations to all.
John Halter
