Blue Belts

On Saturday, Gemma and I graded for and received our Blue Belts!

The grading was quite hard going and I landed badly on my knee, hurting it even more, which was very annoying but I managed to hobble through the rest of it.

After tonight's 'fun' class we have a break of about two weeks so I will do my best to rest my leg and hopefully come back to Kuk Sool in the new year, in the new dojang, fighting fit and ready to go.





.

December Update

It's been a while since I last posted, but things have been relatively quiet so there hasn't been much to report.

I have been really struggling with my enthusiasm for Kuk Sool. I think it was just that we learned the form very quickly so we just practised it over and over without learning anything new. With winter coming it also got very cold in the Sport Centre which made the aches and pains seem worse. I've been hobbling around for weeks with a bad knee that just won't seem to heal.

The last few lessons have seen my interest perk up again though. Most likely because we have our Blue Belt grading looming (this Saturday). So it will be nice to have a new colour and some new stuff to learn.

We also had our second Black Belt Club at the weekend when we learned some Acupressure techniques and done some more archery. That was LOADS of fun!

 ...


The release of Star Wars: The Old Republic is right around the corner now as well. I have been waiting for this game for about 3 years now. The beta was great although during the last one my graphics went haywire and I was unable to play properly. I've been having no end of trouble with the login details and stuff too. Problems galore! Hopefully I can get it sorted before launch.

My computer has been misbehaving in general lately and I can't figure out how to fix it, which is also getting me down. Hopefully it'll all turn out okay.





.

More Tricking

Just got back from another awesome trick session down the beach with a few Kuk Sool guys. I'm really starting to stick the front somersaults now. Soon be ready for on flat *Gulp*.

Getting close to doing the back somersault unassisted, which is ace! This vid was taken a bit earlier on so I can see where I need work. Lean back more and tuck later. Good height though!

Also added the front flip to my repertoire which I picked up very quickly and am well pleased with ;)  Single handed ones next.

Also started to learn no handed cartwheels but I am struggling a bit with them. Need more practice!





.

First Black Belt Club Meeting

The first rule of Black Belt Club is you do not talk about Black Belt Club... Well, what we did in it anyway :)

It was a fantastic couple of hours and we got a major sweat on. It was excellent! I am extremely excited about the things we may get to learn in future club meetings and I am so incredibly proud of Gemma and I for working so hard and having the right attitude to be allowed in to the club.





.

Welcome to the Black Belt Club

Last night at Kuk Sool, Gemma and I were officially welcomed into the Black Belt Club. It is a group for those who are not necessarily Black Belts yet, but have the mentality and show the dedication and exhibit the character traits to be an excellent Black Belt. I am extremely honoured to have been recommended and accepted.

Every few months, Master Martin does a special class for those in the club. You do extra curricular Kuk Sool things such as Archery and knife throwing, and learn additional stuff that you wouldn't get to in a regular class.

The session will also be used to train and assess some of the Black Belts in teaching, so it will be interesting to be there for that and hopefully pick up some tips for when I help out with the kids.

Our first Black Belt Club will be this Saturday. I am very excited! :D





.

Fire Walk

I just got home from an incredible evening!

Gem, SBN Jon and I just took part in a Fire Walk for charity. The evening began at around 6:30pm when the group of around 30 of us did some meditation and started hyping ourselves up. Then we went and watched the lighting of the fire outside before returning to have a few practices and continue psyching ourselves up for the actual walk.

The three of us got ourselves close to the front of the queue so that our buzz didn't have time to subside. I was fourth, then Gem, then SBN.

It was exhilarating! My adrenalin was so high I barely even felt the heat. It wasn't until about an hour later that I started to notice my feet feeling a bit sore. As I type this I have a few small red marks on my right foot, but my left is absolutely fine. Gem received a few more and I think SBN got off completely unscathed!

I am SO proud of us all! We have literally walked on fire! After that, we can do anything!





If anyone reading this would like to donate to the Norwich Basket Brigade and help make someone's Xmas better, please visit this link HERE. There is more info about the great work they do on that page.

Many thanks.





.

Blue Stripe

I passed my recent Kuk Sool grading and last night, received the blue stripe on my Yellow Belt.

We've already learned all of our Yellow belt form - Cho Geup Hyung, and the first set of techniques - Sohn Mohk Soo. So now we have three months to practice and refine those as well as learning another set - Eue Bohk Soo.

I am really looking forward to being a 'Blue Belt by Christmas'! :D





.

Tricks down the beach

Just finished my first trick session down the beach with a couple of guys from Kuk Sool.

It took a while for me to build up the courage to just throw myself, but once I did I was well away. We started with forward somersaults. Which I think I picked up relatively quickly, then moved on to assisted backwards somersaults, which are quite a bit harder.

After tiring myself out, stretching my abdominals more than they have ever been stretched and getting a LOT of sand in my eyes, it was time to head home for a nice hot bath!

I've always wanted to be able to flip and somersault and perform tricks like this and now I am actually well on my way to accomplishing a life long dream! Of course, I am still a way off yet, though.





.

Back to Wolves

I spent the last week or so in Wolverhampton to work at head office. I needed to familiarise myself with a new technique of processing the graphics for our games. It results in a very cool looking style reminiscent of the old analogue games.

I picked it up pretty quickly and the game was very close to being playable before I left yesterday, which was good. It is looking fantastic! I'm really pleased with the artwork and am glad that I was able to work on the project. Hopefully, I'll be able to work on more like this one in the future.






.

Sucker Punch

I have a new favourite film! I picked it up on bluray yesterday. Sucker Punch is visually stunning with a cool story and an incredible soundtrack.

From Zack Snyder, who also directed Watchmen and 300 (two other fantastically stylish films) and starring Emily Browning, the film tells the story of Baby Doll; a twenty year old girl who is put in a mental institute by her abusive step father. To help her cope with her incarceration and an impending lobotomy, she retreats into a fantasy world where she plans her escape.

It is kind of like Alice in Wonderland or Pan's Labyrinth, except with sexy girls, swords and guns, steam powered zombie Nazis, dragons, giant demonic samurai, and high-tech robots. So... maybe it isn't that much like those other films... ;p

It didn't go down too well with critics and reviewers, saying that it lacked depth. But I don't think it was really supposed to have any. It's supposed to be visually breath taking, high octane fun!

It bugs me when reviewers do that. You wouldn't mark down Forrest Gump because it's not sexy and lacks explosions and visual effects. It wasn't supposed to be that kind of film in the first place! Would these same reviewers pan a Heavy Metal song for being too loud? Hehe.

Sucker Punch is an extremely stylish, sexy, over the top, all action, visual extravaganza and it certainly pushes all the right buttons for me. It is awesome!

Emily Browning has been promoted to the top of my 'list'. She is an amazing actress, a fantastic singer (she provides vocals on several of the songs from the film) and she is a total babe! ;D





.

L.A. Noire - Finished!

Last night I finished the main story for L.A. Noire on the PS3.

What a fantastic game! The story and game play were exceptional. Apart from the odd bit where the choices available didn't seem to make sense. Choosing 'doubt', for example, could result in the main character completely flying off the handle and shouting at the person being interviewed rather than just subtly pushing for more info (as I expected him to do). There were also a few times when I would choose 'Truth' which revealed that they were indeed telling the truth, but that that wasn't the choice I was supposed to make to progress the story. This resulted in me being wrong, even though I was actually right. Odd and really my only issue with the game.

I don't usually go back to many games once I've finished them, but there are still more than a few things to find and cases which I could do better on, so it still has plenty of life left in it.

The face technology used was amazing! So much so that whenever I look at other games now, the faces seem incredibly dull and un-realistic. I have been spoilt! :p

Hopefully the developers will continue to support the game and release more and more additional content for it.





.

Helping out with the kids

Starting last Friday, Gem and I decided to arrive early at Kuk Sool so that we can help out with the children's coloured belt class.

We were each given a small group to work with and essentially just left to get on with it.

I must admit that I floundered a little at first. I wasn't sure what to do with them and KJN had so many other children and groups to see to that I felt like I was pestering him when I asked.

I took my group through their form a few times and then did some techniques. We finished off the class with some blocking using a foam sword which they really enjoyed.

On Monday's class I was much more confident which was then re-enforced by the boy I taught on Friday coming over and asking me if I'd be helping again and wanting me to work with him. Afterwards he told me that I was "cool", bless him.

Even though I feel that working with children doesn't particularly come naturally to me, I want to stick with it. That little fella really boosted my confidence when he paid me that compliment.

It was great being able to help out and give something back. 





.

Halesworth Kuk Sool

I was invited to take a trip over to Halesworth yesterday evening to see the purpose built Kuk Sool Won Dojang (training hall) and participate in the adult coloured belt class there.

It was awesome! Everyone was very friendly and welcomed me in to their group straight away.

The Dojang itself has a "magic" to it. I could feel the Kuk Sool buzz as soon as I walked in. It is fairly small and needs a lick of paint here and the odd repair there, but all these things just add to it's amazing charm. Given that it was only expected to last ten to fifteen years, when built, it's doing incredibly well as it is well over twenty!

It was fantastic training there! Not needing to constantly kick the mats into position to avoid falling down the gaps as they slipped around, was great. It was quiet too. Without the sport centre's music thumping in the background, you could actually hear the Black Belt's weapons 'swoosh' as they trained with them.

Boy oh boy was it hot in there though!!! Even though it was fairly chilly outside and with the windows open we managed to steam up the mirror - proof of a good training session, I am told ;)  and it definitely was!

It's a shame that it is so far away from us, but I will definitely be going back whenever I have the chance. It's a wonderful place to train and extra lessons are always great!

As the Kuk Sool mantra says: "I need more practice!"





.

Cholesterol

I visited my Doctor yesterday to find out what kind of treatment I would be using to manage my high cholesterol.

My HDL (good cholesterol) is around 1, which is about normal. My LDL (bad cholesterol) is about 5, which is not so good.

He has prescribed me Simvastatin, so I have to see how that goes for the next month. If I have no side effects, I'll use it for three months then take another blood test to see if it's working. If it is, then I'll be on that for good.





.

Up to Date

I think that pretty much brings me up to the present, although I am sure there are bits I've missed. The last six months have been insane so I'm bound to have forgotten something.




.

Health

I am falling apart! :p

Just one week before the European Kuk Sool Won Championship, I managed to really hurt my right foot. Gemma and I were doing some 'light' sparring... she's vicious! She blocked one of my slow light kicks with a swift elbow to the side of my foot. It swelled up, went very purple and was incredibly painful whenever I put any weight on it.

I struggled through the Master's seminar that week and also the actual tournament itself. It has been over a month now and it still hurts from time to time.

...

On the morning of our Yellow Belt grading and our first Kuk Sool Demonstration, I woke up with a strange after image in my right eye and an area of blurred vision just below my focal point. It worried me as it had been only just over a month since I had had laser eye surgery.

After the grading and the demo, we headed straight over to the opticians to get it checked out. They said they couldn't see anything and to use a few drops and let them know how it was in a week. On the Monday, they called me to check how it was, but there had been no change whatsoever. I had to quickly book off the afternoon and head over there for another look.

After three hours or so of various checks and tests they told me that a vein in my retina had haemorrhaged. Nothing to worry about, but they wanted me to head over to Harley Street in London to get it checked out asap. Nothing to worry about? But head over to our head clinic? Holy contradictions, Batman!

We managed to get the Wednesday off work and travelled over. The surgeon was great and reassured me that it should heal by itself in time. I wouldn't need any surgery, but I would have to take it easy. They were more concerned with what had caused it as the likely candidates were high blood pressure or even diabetes. The laser surgery was ruled out as a possibility as that deals only with the front of the eye. My problem was at the back.

With the threat of possible surgery lifted from my mind, we enjoyed the rest of our day in London, visiting Hamley's and Madame Tussauds. The next morning I had a doctor's appointment where my blood pressure was cleared and blood tests were arranged.

I was cleared of diabetes and some of the other possible causes they checked for, so I don't have an answer for what caused the haemorrhage. It just popped. I guess it's just 'one of those things'.

...

I did, however, discover that I have high cholesterol. Unusual for my age and given my new healthy fit lifestyle, it's probably unrelated to what I eat and how much exercise I take. It is most likely hereditary as my Dad and my Granddad both have it. I have an appointment this Thursday to have a chat about it and see what medication I will have to try.




.

Positive Attitude

Kuk Sool has already done great things for me and is continuing to do so, but along side it I have changed other things too. Primarily my attitude. I've been reading about improving your life, listening to Tony Robbins and Earl Nightingale, having 'White Paint' sessions with friends, and even attended a couple of seminars which were good fun.

I don't know how much of this stuff is really sinking in, but some of it definitely is, and just hearing and being around others so upbeat and excited (particularly Mr Robbins and SBN) about something as simple as 'being happy' certainly has an effect on you.

I'm so much more positive! I am enjoying my life rather than just watching it go by.

Example: My car was really starting to get on my nerves. I originally bought it as a stop gap - something cheap to run for a few months - over five years later I still had it. I hated it. Driving it was an absolute chore, especially on long distances! Whenever we had to go anywhere I would always be the last to volunteer to drive.

In February I decided to get shot of it. I looked around for something new but was adamant that whatever I got, it had to be what I 'wanted'. It had to be perfect. Right make, right model, even right colour! I umm'd and ahh'd over various cars. Liking one one week, then going off it the next.

I'd always really liked Gemma's friend's Honda Civic. Very sleek and space-y. Just my cup o'tea. But I thought it would be too expensive and I also didn't want to appear to be 'copying'. Until I thought "If that's the car I 'want', anything else is not going to be good enough. Is it?" I booked a test drive (in a new one, just for fun ;) ) and fell in love with it. I collected loads of research in to it: how expensive was a second hand one, how much new, what colours are available, what engine size did I want, 3 door or 5, etc.

Since mid-march I have been driving around in my brand new, perfect car. I actually volunteer to drive now. It's not so much having the car that has made me so happy, but having the car I wanted.

My Honda Civic Si

I'm also setting myself goals which I want to achieve... and I am!

In an earlier post I mentioned how I was unhappy with my belly. Well, now it's gone! In March I think it was, I told myself that I wanted to fit in to an old pair of jeans I had, and that I wanted that to happen by the time my birthday came around. I stuck to it. My diet had a total revamp, but I wasn't being stupid with it. I just ate healthier and thought about what I was eating. I didn't completely deny myself the odd treat.

Kuk Sool was providing PLENTY of exercise and now I am a stone and a half lighter. Those jeans are actually slightly too big! :D

...

Another big change I made in June was to have laser eye surgery. I'd never have done that last year. I'd have been far too scared and worried about what if it went wrong? What if it doesn't work? But it has changed my life! Although it did keep me from sparring at the European Tournament as my eyes were still in the healing process.

Waking up in the morning and not having to fumble for my glasses to see, being able to really go for jumps and rolls at Kuk Sool without the fear of my specs flying off of my head, and being able to see my beautiful wife clearly as I kiss her goodnight. These things are priceless.

...

I feel that I should include some kind of disclaimer here:

I have not joined a cult. I have not 'found Jesus'. I am not spending a fortune on 'self help' books. I am not on drugs. I am not having a break down. I am not crazy.

I am just happy :D

.

Kuk Sool

The first lesson of Kuk Sool was awesome! After the warm up, SBN (Sa Bum Nim - 4th degree - Instructor) Jon took us to the side where we practised some blocking and, I think, the first part of Ki Cho Hyung. We may have even learnt a few techniques.

Gemma and I were joined by another chap - Danny, who Gemma actually went to school with. Small world, eh? He was on the Kick Start program too. Then, we were later joined by Bethany and Donna to make up our little White Belt team.

Over the next few months, I learned the Ki Bohn Soo techniques, the fundamental form - Ki Cho Hyung, various kicks and punches, as well as a few Korean phrases and words. I kicked through wooden boards as part of our first grading to earn our yellow stripes, I've learnt to fall properly, and even learnt how to do a one handed cart wheel!

In June, Danny, Gemma and I competed at the European Kuk Sool Won Tournament, held in Kings Lynn. Not only that, but all three of us came away with Gold Medals! My two out of a possible three were for:

• Ki Cho Hyung (parts 1-3) and for
• Ki Bohn Soo techniques 3, 6 and 9.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to spar due to my recent eye surgery.

Gemma received Gold for:

• Ki Bohn Soo techniques 3, 5 and 7 and for
• Sparring (against a yellow belt!)

She also got Bronze for her Ki Cho Hyung (Danny took the Gold).

Me, Gemma and Danny

I could never in a million years have thought that I would ever compete in a tournament of any kind. Neither did I ever expect to appear in the local paper's sport section. Let alone wearing gold around my neck.

...

At the end of June, I graded for my Yellow Belt and even took part in three public demonstrations at local schools! In front of crowds! Something I could also never have seen me doing!

Kuk Sool has absolutely changed who I am. I am fitter. I am faster. I am more confident. I am positive. I look to what I want, but I also appreciate even more what I have - my family, my job, my house, my friends, and my amazing wife.

(I'd add "my health" but I am still falling apart, it seems. But I'm not dead yet! And I always have a smile on my face :D )

.

Kick Start

WOW! I did not know what to expect. The Sports Centre was going through a major rebuild so even the entrance wasn't where I was used to it being. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement.

I can't remember exactly, but I think Helen met us at the front desk and took us round to the area of the sports hall where we would be spending the evening. I felt so out of place in my tracksuit bottoms and T-shirt, surrounded by all these 'Ninjas' in their (very cool looking) black uniforms, but everyone was so welcoming and friendly that I was soon put at ease. It wasn't at all how I imagined a Martial Art school to be. I thought it would be full of egos and big scary blokes ready to pick on the new guy and beat me in to the ground.

Not. At. All.

It was basically circuit training with an Eastern feel. We counted how many we did of each exercise with the aim of beating that target the following week. Most surprisingly... it was fun! I hadn't enjoyed exercise in... well, probably since first school when I was in the Gymnastics club. Everyone was so encouraging. There was no "That's not many." or "You could've done better you slacker.", it was all high fives and "Nice job!".

After the Kick Start class had finished, Gemma and I stayed to watch the adult Black Belt class. Jon and Helen practised right in front of us so we could see some "really cool" stuff.

I'd always fancied learning a Martial Art, but was scared and thought of myself as too old. After that evening, I was ready to sign up there and then, but we still had three more free weeks of Kick Start before Adult Coloured Belt classes resumed.




.

Where to begin?

Now that I've decided to do this, I find it difficult to know where to begin.

The whole purpose of this blog is to record the ups and downs of my life so that I can look back and see where I have been and what I have done.

I guess these first few posts should just bring the blog up to speed. I turned 'the corner' at the beginning of this year, but it wouldn't have even presented itself if certain events hadn't transpired before then.

...

A short while ago my wonderful wife was going through a bit of a hard time. I won't go in to any details, but she was struggling and needed to make some changes to her life.

She had always wanted to learn Ballet and there was a dance school just around the corner from where I work. She gave them a call, discovered that they did indeed do adult classes, and we went along. I sat in the canteen and watched; offering moral support but there was no way I was going to get involved.

There were only three students there (including Gemma) and the teacher. I watched through the window with a huge grin on my face as she learnt her first few simple steps. I was so very proud of her.

From there, she began other classes too. She signed up for Street Dancing, which eventually also lead to Zumba classes. Her modelling was also really starting to take off. She signed with an agency and everything was great! I watched, full of happiness and immensely proud of her as she took part in fashion catwalks, photo shoots, dance shows, and more. Her confidence was growing and growing...

Gemma Modelling
Photos courtesy of Life in Images

... as was my belly. I was happy enough, though my figure was always niggling at me from the back of my mind. It wasn't really even my figure, just my belly, and it wasn't really even that big! I had tried a few diets - they didn't work or I just couldn't stick to them. I tried exercising but I couldn't motivate myself to get to the gym. Gemma bought me a brand new bike, but it was always just quicker to take the car. Other than that, though, I was happy. My life was absolutely 'fine'.

...

By January 2011, Gemma had become very good friends with a girl from dancing - Helen. I had met her once briefly after the dance show in the summer and she seemed very nice. Helen was trying to convince Gemma to go to this 'Kick start' fitness thing at the sports centre, and Gemma, in turn, was trying to convince me. Bleugh. Aerobics? No thanks!

She tried to hook me in by telling me it wasn't aerobics and that it was Martial Art-y, Kuk Sool. Never heard of it! Also, that I should meet Helen's husband (who would be there) as we "would really get on" and that we "have so much in common". I'm terrible at meeting new people. I'm friendly, but I get very shy and uncomfortable.

I wasn't going to go, but changed my mind literally at the last moment if I recall correctly.

That was 'the corner' and Gemma - my inspiration.




.