Training Program

The training throughout the 1999 International Martial Arts Summer Camp was intense and varied. Admittedly, training for a week does not provide a fast-track to compete in the world championships, but it does offer an insight into the methods used by the elite program at Yong-In. The sustained intensity throughout the workouts is a vivid experience on how to truly push oneself beyond accepted limits and exceed expectations. The introduction to other martial arts such as kumdo, tsirum, and kuksoondo provided a more rounded perspective of the Korean martial arts. Being immersed in a full schedule of training such as this guarantees a beneficial and rewarding opportunity.

Elite Team Training
Professor Byung Kwan Ryu
Coach Lim Heung Cho

Training with the elite team was thoroughly invigorating experience. Each workout with the team consisted of not less than 2 hours of continuous movement involving paddle kicks, kicking combinations, and footwork. Throughout the workouts, the taekwondo dojang was filled with the intensity of our combined efforts. And with each sucessive drill, our Korean hosts would encourage us to increase that intensity by increments. By the end of each session, we had exhausted our stamina but not our resolve thus enabling us to experience the exhilaration of total dedication to our chosen activity.

Drills consisted of paddle drills the length of the floor, partner drills with the "big" hogus, and promise sparring. The thrill naturally is the opportunity to match the pace set by our hosts. Their seemingly effortless skill and precision served as the immediate incentive to match them, kick for kick, even as our lungs burned and our vision blurred. The more we pushed ourselves, the more encouragment we received from our hosts thus spurring us to even greater efforts.

We even had the opportunity to train with the elite team for a couple of our morning workouts at 6:00 am. These workouts enabled us to glimpse the scope of the aerobic work that the students undertake on a regular basis. Running sprints forward and backwards, running in place with high knees, and "quick stepping" on the steps outside the main dojang, and sprinting while carrying someone on your back all comprised an intensive lung-burning workout.

The Secret and Science of Traditional Movements
Professor Jin Bang Yang

Professor Yang provided perspective to this topic by stating that the study of the martial arts can be described as a consumer product: the student pays money to learn techniques. However, it is the quality of techniques, and not the quantity, that is most important. The challenge for the instructor is to provide the student with new insight for old techniques. In fact, whenver the student encounters problems, a return to the study of the basic techniques is needed in order to maximize the the efficient use of body movements.

Poomse Training
Professor Sang Hwa Yoon

Professor S.C. Han
Professor Euh Young Kim (Former National Demo Team Coach)

A significant bonus to this trip was the opportunity to train in the new martial art of hankido and experience aspects of the proposed curriculum. The Yong-In faculty and students are busy developing a comprehensive martial art that incorporates fitness elements from a variety of sources most notably yoga and aerobics. The curriculum emphasizes the martial art techiques and self-defense, but it also includes health and fitness exercises to enhance the overall development of the body and mind.

Professors Sung Cheul Han
Byung Kuen Ahn (Former Olympic Champion)

The storied reputation of Yong-In University emphasizes the incredibly successful judo program. The instructors split us into beginners and advanced groups ensuring that we were challenged according to our skill level. For many people, this exposure to throwing, falling, rolling, and balance breaking was a challenge.

Professor Yong Hak Kim
Department of Kumdo, Former National Team Coach

Several mornings during the week, the group started the day by focusing on the precise control of the "shinai". The hills surrounding the university echoed with the kihaps of the dedicated martial artists.

Korea Main

Korea 1994

Korea 1998

Korea 2001