CKD Online Seminar & Workshop with Grandmaster Choi

As part of OUR World Choi Kwang-Do celebrations in 2021, we have the opportunity to make history and train online - for the first time ever - with Grandmaster Choi and our fellow instructors and students from around the world. Please join us on Saturday, March 27th, 2021 at 7.00pm GMT for the historical event. The event is from 7.00 - 9.00pm for all students and then from 9.00-10.00pm for Black Belts only.

Registration is simple - just go to www.ckdworldday.com. There you can register attendance and receive the private Zoom link. The cost is only $30.00 and is completed through PayPal (you can check out as a guest).

We have an opportunity to make history (again). We look forward to seeing you online at the event!

*This event is open to existing CKD students and instructors only*

World Choi Kwang-Do Day 2021

March 2nd marks two significant events in the Choi Kwang-Do calendar:

1. Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, the founder of Choi Kwang-Do, turns 79 years old.

2. It's the 34th anniversary of Choi Kwang-Do.

Officially announced on March 2nd 1987, Choi Kwang-Do is product of Grandmaster Choi's martial arts experience and training coupled with modern science to create a system that is good for your health, powerful and practical, yet gentle on the human body. 

Choi Kwang-Do, translates as "the art of Kwang Choi". 

If you're not familiar with the history of CKD, the best summary is the 5 minute video below. Our students may recall that we showed this in class on World CKD Day 2020 (one of our last 'in person' classes as we've been online only since then) but for convenience, we've included it below for those either missed it, have joined us since then, or existing students who would like a refresher. 

Enjoy...and keep training.

Make Your Choi Kwang-Do Practise More Mindful

Grandmaster Choi recently gave a simple piece of advice to School Owners and instructors:

"Remember, it is important to practise slowly, regularly in a relaxed manner and with mindfulness".

Becoming more aware of what you are doing and how you are doing it can assist in creating a more engaging and enriching training experience – even aside the physical benefits. The problem is, this can be challenging for instructors and black belts due to experience; having performed so many blocks, punches, strikes and kicks over the years you can now perform the techniques and sequences automatically, without conscious thought.

Ironically, it takes another conscious action to break that automatic process – to pause and take note of what you are doing and how you are doing it. In the context of a physical activity, we could stop and reflect. This is an important exercise in its own right, eg. asking yourself questions such as, "what do I enjoy most about training CKD?" or "what aspect of my training do I want to focus on improving?" However, in our recent monthly Black Belt Training session at Ealing Choi KwangDo we sought to raise awareness during the activity.


3 Simple Steps

Firstly, before doing anything we agreed to reduce the speed and intensity of all drills throughout the class. Not drastically - just enough to ensure students can work at a consistent and moderately comfortable pace, while enabling them to think about what they were doing, while they are doing it.

Then we enhanced focus on the movements using the Three Ts:

1. Tool – which part of the body should be used for the techniques. Have you prepared this? Eg. For a punch, have you formed the fist correctly? Is your fist and/or arm in the correct position? 

2. Type of movement – consider how the body should prepare for the movement and the trajectory of the arm or leg. Eg. For an Inward Punch, have you extended the arm with the fist and elbow level and the knuckles horizontal? 

3. Target – where is the technique aimed towards or designed to make contact with? Eg. For a punch aimed at the head/face, which surface are you aiming for? 

Exhaling with each technique can also assist with deliberate performance.

I made up the Three Ts in the hope that it would provide students with something concise and catchy while capturing the overall theme in a simple way: to make the experience of Choi Kwang-Do practise more purposeful and keep our minds in the present moment. If you try them, let us know how you get on!

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Jason Wright is a 6th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor in the martial art Choi Kwang-Do. For further information on Choi Kwang-Do classes in Ealing, West London visit www.TheMartialArtForLife.com/free-trial

March 2nd 1987

March 2nd is World Choi Kwang-Do Day.

Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, the founder of CKD turned 77 years young (or old - it's matter of perspective...) If you attended any of the anniversary seminar events in June 2018 you'll have learnt that Grandmaster Choi is an innovator in the field of martial arts and has a career spanning 6 decades.

It was also the 32nd anniversary of CKD. It was on March 2nd in 1987 that Grandmaster Choi announced his new martial art - Choi Kwang-Do, which translates as "the art of Kwang Choi" - to the world. The result of several years of research to create a martial art based on modern science that is good for your health, and powerful, yet gentle on the human body. (Officially launching in the UK in 1988, it's actually the UK's 31st anniversary).

Thanks to the parents and siblings that joined us recently to mark the special occasion.

Some of our students may not have seen Grandmaster Choi perform so we also showed a few video clips at the end of the classes. As promised, to save you hours of searching through YouTube I've shared them here for your convenience (not the curriculum DVDs, however).


In this first one from the early 1990s, eagle-eyed black belts may notice early versions of our black belt patterns and speed drills.

See if you can spot any of our instructors from Ealing CKD in this next clip.

Lastly, a personal favourite (which I like so much I copied)

World Choi Kwang-Do Day 2019

 

Can you believe it? World Choi Kwang-Do Day is nearly upon us again!

Here's how we'll be celebrating at Ealing Choi Kwang-Do

UK 30th Anniversary Seminar

Wow...what a week!

Gradings, guest instructors, school owners meetings, black belt training, showcase of excellence, seminar, presentations and promotions, training, learning, meeting Choi Kwang-Do friends and family, old and new, from around the UK and beyond - this week had it all.

Updates in the form of pictures and videos are currently in full swing across across the usual social media channels, and we suspect that this will continue for the next several days as students and instructors return to their respective schools, countries and training routines.

If you were present for any part of the events and have pictures that you are happy to share, please forward them so we can collate a small album. We truly hope that you were inspired by witnessing Grandmaster Choi explain and demonstrate the martial art that we study and teach at Ealing Choi Kwang-Do.

If you weren't present then make the most of the flow of updates as they are the next best thing! Until we get round to sharing some of our favourites moments we'd suggest starting with the CKD London 2018 Facebook Group which you can view here.

Leadership & Black Belt Training - 04/05/18

Friday 4th May is the date of our next Leadership & Black Belt Training session. This is a monthly class where senior students, Junior Leaders and Instructors get to train with other students of similar rank and focus on black belt syllabus. I like to call it development and maintenance. I say this because ultimately, these sessions serve a dual purpose:

1. They develop senior students and help to prepare them for the black belt grading

2. They support existing black belt students in maintaining the black belt standard

Like every other skill this is an on going process and naturally, in the martial arts there is a general desire to progress and improve. However, as a coloured belt, the rate of progress feels relatively 'fast'
especially during the beginner level (White Belt to Gold Belt Senior). Nearly every new belt brings new techniques, new drills and new concepts.

Fast forward to black belt and that rate of progress seems to decrease. Gradings are less frequent but more importantly, and there are much fewer new techniques and drills - it's more about refinement and enhancement to existing skills rather learning completely new skills. As a resulthe level of skill acquisition is far more subtle.

This is why the forthcoming seminar UK 30th Anniversary Seminar is so important. I can assure you that you will learn numerous pieces of information to help you refine and enhance both your physical performance of the martial art, and also your general understanding of Choi Kwang-Do. Black belts will also have the opportunity train with Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi in a separate session.

Further information including links for registration here 

Go directly to the seminar registration page

Get £10 off when you book your seminar and black belt training tickets at the same time - only £80.00 when you select Combo Ticket (normally £90).

__________
Jason Wright is 6th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor in the martial art Choi Kwang-Do. For further information on Choi Kwang-Do classes in Ealing, West London visit www.TheMartialArtForLife.com

UK 30th Anniversary Seminar Registration Now Open

Tickets for the UK 30th anniversary seminar are now available. Don't miss your chance to learn from the founder of Choi Kwang-Do, Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi. The seminar is open to all students and instructors and all ranks and ages. Plus, you can also be involved with the celebrations by taking part in the Showcase of Excellence. Blacks belts have a special training session planned also.

Read the full seminar update here 

25th Anniversary Seminar: A Visual Review

Can you believe that a month has passed since the seminar?

If you attended any of the anniversary events (black belt gradings, instructor training, showcase of excellence, seminar, banquet...not to mention the numerous ad-hoc social events inbetween) I sincerely hope you had an enjoyable time.

I hope you'll share your experiences with other students to help them understand how important it is that they attend future events. I also hope that you gained a deeper understanding and appreciation – not just of Choi Kwang-Do, but also of the fact you are part of a much bigger family than our students at Ealing CKD alone.

If you missed the event I've posted 3 of my favourite 'review' videos for you to enjoy; visual accounts of the week long celebration of 25 years of Choi Kwang-Do in the UK. Don't forget that there are many more available on YouTube.

Choi Kwang-Do 25th Anniversary Seminar 2013

The Seminar and Showcase of Excellence celebrating 25 years of Choi Kwang-Do in the UK is fast approaching! This is your chance to learn directly from the founder of the martial art that we study and practise at Ealing Choi Kwang-Do. Given that Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi only visits the UK approximately every 5 years, this is a valuable opportunity.

In the meantime, here are some video clips from the Seminar and Showcase of Excellence at the worldwide 25th anniversary celebrations in Atlanta in 2012.

Visit this page to register and pay for the seminar, dinner banquet, showcase and instructor training

You can also join the UK Seminar Facebook Group, follow on Twitter or watch on YouTube

What Inspires You?

If you are in any way connected to Choi Kwang-Do, or follow Choi Kwang-Do through the various websites, blogs and social media, you will no doubt have seen many comments about the UK seminar in May (not to mention lots of talk about the landmark Choi Kwang-Do seminar in Korea in October 2010).

Seeing Grandmaster Choi perform, teach and talk about the development and evolution of Choi Kwang-Do is highly inspirational for Choi Kwang-Do students and instructors the world over. Many of the images, videos, reports and conversations convey how inspiring the seminar was...and continues to be.

Maybe you were at the seminar yourself?

Or if you weren't at the seminar, imagine you've watched an excellent film on TV or at the cinema.

Or you've seen your favourite musician perform.

Or you're engrossed in reading a biography of someone you respect or admire.

We all know that feeling; how each of these events can touch us emotionally, dwell in our minds and inspire or motivate us in different ways.

A great way to get motivated is to associate, watch or read about others who are either successful, or have made achievements in your field of interest. Whether that be martial arts, your current occupation or your desired one.

Part of the reason for this is that by associating yourself with others who are successful will make their goals and stories seem more real to you.

You can also get a feel for the challenges they faced and overcame, which may help you to see how you could overcome them too.

So what inspires or motivates you?

Or if relevant, what motivated you to begin martial arts?

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Jason Wright is 5th Degree Black Belt and Master Instructor in the martial art Choi Kwang-Do. For further information on Choi Kwang-Do classes in Ealing, West London visit www.TheMartialArtForLife.com