Five Points Karate

 

Daily Workouts

Warm-ups / Stretching

Class starts with 5 minutes of running then followed by warm-up stretching.

There are two type of stretching, first there is the warm-up stretch. The body should be properly warmed up prior to any stretching. A warmer body increases the blood flow, elasticity of the muscles, ligaments and tendons. This will help prevent injuries. A short warm-down should be included at the end of all workouts.

Second, there is flexibility stretching. This should be done when the body is at its warmest. This stretching will increase the range of motion. The end of a strenuous workout is an excellent time for flexibility stretching.

Prior to class, warm-up exercises should be done to loosen your muscles and prepare them for a strenuous workout. In addition to improving your performance, warm-up  exercises are necessary to prevent injury to your muscles. It is not wise to throw any hand or foot techniques without proper warm-up. Generally, five to ten minutes of warm-ups are required under normal conditions. Cold days and early mornings will require additional time. Basic movements should increase in intensity gradually to prevent injury.

Basics

1. Middle Target Punch
2. Upper Target Punch
3. Rising Block
4. Double Arm Block
5. Single Arm Block
6. Front Stretch
7. Front Kick
8. Side Stretch
9. Side Kick
10. Knife Hand Block
11. Knife Hand Attack
12. Round House Kick
13. Front Kick - Side Kick (combination)
14. Reverse Punch
15. Six Step

Mastering the basics is very difficult, because you can always execute moves faster, with more power, better focus, better balance, and with more control. One must always strive to go beyond their own limitations. Techniques are kept simple and direct, concentrating mostly on speed, power and focus.

The main moves in Tae Kwon Do are:

Side kick - striking with the heel of the foot.
Roundhouse kick - striking with the ball of the foot.
Front kick - striking with the ball of the foot.
Punching - lead hand punch and reverse punches.

Strong Blocking is a must.

Forms

Tae Kwon Do forms are stylized sequences of attacks and blocks in multiple directions, for the purpose of developing complete control of the body. There are certain forms designated for each belt level, each belt level has one or two forms. The difficulty of these forms have been graded requiring greater skills with each successive form,  which helps students get acquainted with the techniques that are expected at each belt level.

Five separate disciplines are required from the student while doing forms. The student must learn the form so that all the motions are done correctly with Control. Second, the movements must be Fast. Doing a form with Speed does not mean rushing thru the entire form. Each individual move must be executed with Speed. Third, the movements must be Strong. Fourth, each movement must be Focused. Finally, the student must have proper Balance at all times.

As in Basics, mastering Forms is very difficult, because you can always execute moves faster, with more power, better focus, better balance, and with more control. One must always strive to go beyond their own limitations.

Examinations at each belt level are given at the discretion of the instructor when he feels that the student has acquired the proficiency in Tae Kwon Do required at his belt level. The student is then tested by Grandmaster Son at headquarters', and if judged satisfactory, is awarded the next rank. The rank system in this style of Tae Kwon Do is white, yellow, green, purple, brown, black. A student attending classes on a regular basis should be eligible for Black Belt testing in approximately 2-1/2 to 3 years.

Required forms to achieve Black Belt:

White Belt Forms
        Kuk Mu I         20 positions / 20 seconds
        Kuk Mu II        20 positions / 20 seconds

Yellow  Belt Forms
        Pyong An I      22 positions / 25 seconds
        Pyong An II     26 positions / 30 seconds

Green  Belt Form
        Pyong An III    18 positions / 20 seconds

Purple  Belt Forms
        Pyong An IV    21 positions / 30 seconds
        Pyong An V     21 positions / 30 seconds

Brown  Belt Forms
        Chul Gi I         22 positions / 23 seconds
        Pal Sek          43 positions / 45 seconds

Black Belt

Sparring

Free-Style Fighting as taught by Master Son is a non-contact unarmed combat substitute for real life-threatening situations. Street fighting is serious with no second chances. Free-style fighting offers the student unlimited opportunities to refine self defense techniques that work, and eliminate those that don't work for the individual student. The student must also work on self control so that adverse emotions will have little if no effect on the ability to protect themselves at all times.

The objective is to have full control of ones body and emotions at all times so that all offensive attacks can be delivered with full power and speed that can break several inches of wood, with accuracy within one inch of the intended target. The Tae Kwon Doist may use all kicks, punches, blocks, counter attacks or any combination of such. In football, a good defense will win many games. In Tae Kwon Do, a good defense allows the fighter the opportunity for a counterattack to take out an opponent, in addition to protecting themselves from the attack.

White belts do not participate in free-style fighting since they do not have enough control for attacks or blocks to be safe and effective. This is where Three Step Sparring and watching upper belts spar prepares the white belt for free-style fighting.

Three Step Sparring

Three Step Sparring is where the fundamentals of sparring are learned. Students practice three step in pairs. The attack stops after three punches are thrown, alternating with right, left and right upper target punches. The three punches are countered with knife hand blocks.  Each time blocking while stepping back and alternating sides. After the third attack and third block, the defender steps in with a counterattack. Both the attacker and defender must execute each technique with speed, power and focus.

Warm Downs

Warm downs begin with one hundred middle target punches thrown in place while in a horse stance. Each punch is fully extended while pulling back the opposite hand with the fist on the belt. Ten front kicks are then executed in place with the right rear leg of a front stance, while maintaining proper balance with the front leg. This is then followed by reversing the front stance and executing ten more front kicks with the left rear leg. Next we move on to ten left side kicks from a horse stance and moving across the studio. Followed by ten right side kicks in the opposite direction.

The end of class ends with some flexibility stretching. This is done when the body is at its warmest. The end of a strenuous workout is an excellent time for flexibility stretching.