Rayners Lane Taekwon-do Academy

Master Juin (8thb Degree) hosted a seminar on the 26th March 2000, in Bromley, Kent, which was followed by a black belt grading. My day didnt start to well as my car broke down on the motorway and I narrowly avoided getting sprayed by boiling water.. though I caught a few splashes and arrived at the seminar/grading with soem red marks on the right side of my face. Luckily I had left in good time to find the place, so managed to arrive just on time!

Unfortunately for some reason this time the seminar wasn't that well attended & basically turned into a pre-grading for those attending the black belt grading, as these were most of the attendees. This took into account some of the items that would of have to have been performed at the grading itself, like full power pad work, sparring, 2 V 1 sparring & patterns (Chon-ji, Dan Gun, Do San, Won Hyo, Yul Guk, Joong-gun, Toi-Gye & Hwa Rang).

Following the seminar the black belt grading commenced. As many of you may know I was grading for my 3rd degree. As mentioned earlier, some of the grading items were actually covered in the seminar & marked accordingly. Also on the panel, along side Master Juin (8th degree), were two fourth degrees (one from Master Park Jung Tae`s association).

At the grading itself I had to perform 5 patterns (the three second degree patterns, Eui-Am, Juche & Chong Jang & two coloured belt patterns, Hwa Rang & Choong Moo). The grading was 'open viewing' (which was something i had never encountered before being used to closed door type gradings. Embarrassingly I got a round of applause after completeing Juche tul.. though in retrospect it was probibly the best rendition of it I had ever done, though I was embarrassed by the applause none the less. Following this I had to perform 1 step sparring, followed by self defence techniques (Hosinsol) first against empty hand, then against knife. Free Sparring followed again, but this time it was Idale matsokgi (2 `v` 1 sparring) against two black tags, then against two 1st degree's. After this followed the destruction which Master Juin unfortunately changed on the day. Firstly I had to perform Cha Busigi (stamping kick) through two bricks which he simply pulled out from a bag that had been sitting by the examiners table and he simply said to break them! I had never attempted this before, but on my second attempt I managed it.

As mentioned earlier, the seminar took into account the pad work where I had to demonstrate the basic kicks (front, side, turning, back & reverse turning) followed by their jumping counterparts (very tiring) as well as single one on one sparring. Next I had to demonstrate the measuring up of the basic kicks from which Master Juin selected the one he wanted me to break with. He had mentioned earlier that it has to be a non-moving, standing kick, rather than a jumping kick or a stepping kick. He selected turning kick and I successfully broke with it on the first attempt. The breaking was done on a red board which (being the first time I had tried one) I was told was harder than the new black boards and
the equivalent to 3 normal boards (this being the old UKTA boards & not the new type red boards) - these are only
used for gradings. Either way they were very very hard as I soon found out.

Next Master Juin then said to choose a hand technique from either an inward knifehand strike or a reverse
knifehand strike, I selected the latter. BANG, after a full power strike my hand just bounced off (these boards were
hard), BANG, the same thing happened a second time. Master Juin told me to select another hand technique from
either inward knifehand strike or forefist punch, the look in his eye told me I had to break straight away with
whatever technique I chose. I choose punch & successfully broke on my 1st (and probably only) attempt.
Thus finishing the grading.

After the other grades were finished we formed up & were given our results (simply pass or fail) & awarded our
certificates. I am pleased to report that I passed & am now officially a 3rd degree.