Style Development
Part 2 – Start Of The NMAA Style
Click here to download a PDF version of this article.
When the Academy was first established the central themes were that everyone had a right to train and new techniques would be added according to there usefulness and simplicity.
Further we differentiated between those which most students could learn and remember, and those which were very difficult to learn and remember. Practical training procedures were developed into drills, these drills lead to there practical application. It was emphasized that different techniques work best for different students, and that individuality was an important factor.
The core material for evaluation came from Mr Hutchinson’s previous training and was:
- Basics: Hand, elbow, knee and kicking
- Stances: blocking and footwork (3 step fighting)
- Hoshinsul: Simple basics, built responses, numerous drills and one steps
- Sparring: Hand, hand and foot, foot, elbows and knees, grappling, ground, American point, Taekwondo
- Advanced sparring; All of the above and judo throws, JuJitsu, nerve strikes
- Multiple opponents: sparring, self defence
- Weapons defence: Stick, knife and belt
Note: Proficiency in Weapons usage for better self defence application - Specialised techniques based on students abilities and needs
Poomse:
- Gibon Poomse 1 to 8 (created by founder 2 to 8)
- Taeguek 1 to 8
- Palgwe 1 to 8
- Black belt poomse 1 to 9
- Personal poomse 1 to 4
i. Hand and foot
ii. Hoshinsul unarmed
iii. Hoshinsul armed
iv.Weapon of preference - Gyorugi: Poomse 1 to 15 (created by founder)
Note: Poomse 1 to 11 only taught today
This was the basic for “Black Belt” and above within the Academy. The average student would train ten (10) hours a week and obtain black belt in four (4) to five (5) years.
Due to the politics, government attempts at regulation, insurance denial, and lack of rank and career opportunities in the later eighties (80’s) and early nineties (90’s) the Academy was forced to affiliate with larger bodies and style to guarantee continuation. The first group was the ATA – Australian Taekwondo Academy who were using the syllabus that Mr Hutchison had originally in part written for Mr Chang’s inner students of Chang’s Taekwondo and Judo. This was a difficult period as the demands of the ATA were of rigidity, conformity, style limitation and innovation was heresy.
Thus within the Academy the breadth of gradable material was slashed and segmented into our Taekwondo, Kickboxing, Hoshinsul, Grappling and Weapons syllabuses. The Head Instructor of the ATA – Mr Susac demanded uniformity in style movements and power through rigidity performance. He was unsettled by the Academy’s breadth of teaching material and desired us only to teach Taekwondo his way.
The core for the ATA was:
- Poomse
o Gibon Poomse 1 to 8
o Taeguek 1 to 8
o Palgwe 1 to 8
o Black belt poomse 1 to 9 - Sparring: Taekwondo only (but hands up)
- Chagi: Kicking
- Blocks: Fist, knife and open hands
- Punches: Traditional only
- Hoshinsul: One step fighting
What Sarge was doing was seeking the most effective and efficient ways of meeting his and the clubs students needs for self defence. One of his many sayings was “Why recreate the wheel”. Later Bruce Lee would state “Whatever works use it, what ever doesn’t work discard it”.
It was during this period that senior instructor Mr Mracek, Mr Michael and later Mr D MacSporran and Mr Mineo began their training. Later Mr Mracek and Mr Mac- Sporran would collate the original NuTaoFit Martial Arts Academy curriculum for the first time into a volume of phone book size. Later this would be referenced as a guide for our more modern syllabuses.
Anything is possible through N.M.A.A!
Look out for Part 3…Coming Soon!
Authorized by NMAA, Kwan Jang Nim – Geoff Hutchison, April 2010
Recent Comments