Project 2Eggs Pushed Back

Gonna give the January grading a miss. I haven't really train or condition much on sparring aspect. It's kind of impossible to do it in a month where I have to sail for a week in middle of it. I don't want to waste the money nor hope for luck to pass my grading. I want to go there feeling like a 2nd Dan, just needing some official verification. =) April, watch me.

New Belt

My 'extremely' embroidered belt had arrive. The english wordings are a little bit big to my expection, but I guess I'll get used to it. The korean side turns out really great. The texture of the belt feels velvet though it's cotton. It's soft, doesn't need much seasoning. But I'll still give it a few hours of fabric softener and bleach treatment =D

Project 2EGGS moving to 2nd Phrase

Now I've clarified the executions of all my relavent poomsaes for grading, I'm moving on to condition my agility for sparring and techniques. Everyone can kick, but muscle programming takes times and repetitions. GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! My kataaro belt is on the way, will post picture of it up when it arrive in the next few days. =)

My Thoughts On Gradings

Hopefully, it can let candidates find their confidence and be at their best. Sometimes, nervousness become so prevailing that it ruin a candidate's ability to execute even simple tasks correctly. Ample preparation and drilling is the key.

"Never take gradings as a gamble of chances. Regard grading as a performance. Be proud to show the examiners all your abilities. If you are not ready to perform your best, it is best to postpone the show, as respect to yourself and to the audiences."

My Belt Collections

I arranged it in order of 'fadeness'. It's not really obvious, but the adidas one is really whitening. Don't buy that series if you can help it, the colour came out within minutes of soaking in detergent. The Nikes won't.

Current: Recapturing Lost Years

It's almost 5 years since I graduated from Poly, Everyday was work, home, work, home. Until one fine day, I felt so cooped up and looked for a 'life'. My smouldering desire in TKD start to re-ignite and I start to recap what's going on in the TKD scene.

It was a total disbelief.

My 2nd ex-club SYNERGY was dissolved back into ACME and the head instructor was out of the circuit. That happened about 2 years back! All the so-called core instructors and players went out of the circuit too! I realised how much I was out of touch with reality, from my hectic working routine.

I immediately logged on to MSN and chat up Master Guo and asked if he's still attending TKD session at SPTKD. I got to know Elmo and him had been faithfully been going back.

I felt like a bloody idiot, what the hell was I doing? Why did I had amnesia on TKD for the whole of my working life after Poly? Why? I always prided myself as a old timer blackbelt card holder, yet my actual training years are less than those much junior than me. What the fuck was I doing? I slapped myself.

I decided enough was enough, I wasn't really happy in the Navy either. I decided to get myself a distraction from it. The choice was obvious, my love was Taekwondo. I start doing stretches diligently to regain my flexibility, and had attended sessions back in SPTKD now.

I've looking to go for my severely over-dued 2nd Dan grading in January. I'm not gonna quit now.

2nd Stint in TKD: Forgotten Years

I totally forgotten about Taekwondo in my secondary school days, up till 2nd year in my Poly days. My secondary school friend, Long Kuan, chanced upon a TKD training near his place and pulled me in for company. Upon hearing the head instructor was one of my former instructor in ACME, I joined partly out of curiousity and mostly, I still have a blood rush for martial arts.

The club was SYNERGY, it's a branch-off from ACME, and specialised in Taekwon Aerobics. It does TKD aerobics demostration for events and for competition. There's a lot of teenaged meimeis in there, all proficient in TKDA. I always went for training and end up walking about only, because I simply wasn't used to the idea of dancing for Taekwondo, haha!

Upon my re-indulging in TKD, I was chatting with my poly classmate one day and found out he's a Vice-President of the TKD club in my poly. It was not hard to guess that I joined SPTKD soon after. That person was Jason Guo, whom I addressed as Master Guo nowadays, HAHA! I also got to know another coursemate in SPTKD, Elmo. Both of them are still with SPTKD today. In the midst of my stint in SPTKD, we got our coaching passes.

Eventually, it was time to graduated from poly. I went for my Navy BMT and various trainings. I gradually drift away from Taekwondo again. Somehow, my 3 set of still seemingly new Doboks become untouched over time, despite less than 2 years of usage. I'm also puzzled today, why did I lost the fire and forgotten about TKD this second time round for no apparent reason.

My 16 Year Old Medals

These are the medals I managed to dug out from storage. Check out the quality of them, compare to the crappy plastic trophies they are handing out these days. Look at the size and thickness! I can tell you it's not coated plastic, they have weight and drop to the floor with a TIIINNNNGGG!!!!

About Me & First Encounter with Taekwondo.

My name is Shun Wen, I'm 25 as of this post. I'm currently working in the Navy. I live in a small 4-rooms apartment as with most 'ordinary' Singaporeans. I do bowl occassionally, having an average of 130+.



I started learning it with my elder brother at age of 8, with a club by the name of ACME, at Tampines North Community Centre, in 1991. I was selected for the "Demo Team", whereas my brother remained in the 'normal' team. Demo Team undergo vigorious trainings, training for displays kicks, sparring tournaments. My biggest demostration event was the National Day Parade in 1993, which you can view the video from ACME website, acmetaekwondo.com , in the Video Galley. I've personally screen shot and identify myself in the video, so you can spot the cute me at that time, haha! Just click on the picture to enlarge, I've circled myself!



I got my 1st Poom in 4th July 1993, and shortly after, I grew bored of the routine trainings, which was always demo and demo and drift away from TKD.



My adventures accumulated till then:



- One Gold Medal, One Bronze Medal from 1992 Pesta Sukan (National Tournament) Green belt poomsae event (taeguek 3).



- Demostrations in various locations/event: Healthy Lifestyle Day 1992, SIA Sports Club, Singapore Zoological Garden, National Day Parade 1993 and others more.

First Entry: Purpose

Hello, firstly, thank you for looking in here. I create this blog to chart my progress and journey in TKD, and to share anything I may learn, experience in my path. You may also share with me your ideas, philosophies, trainings, experience..well, anything with TKD is welcome. Drop me a mail. I'll post it up in your credit.