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| Master Balon with my junior Black Belt Owen Hagmaier |
We started with the 2nd Degree traditional Taekwondo forms. There are four forms for 2nd Degree and three 3rd Degree forms. Right on the first form did I get several pointers of how to improve my form. From the ready stance, to where the feet are pointed, how the preparation of my hands should be, to which legs step, where to go fast, where to go slow, I was in heaven!
One of the things I hold dear from my prior training from the old master is my deep appreciation for details. The forms guru Master Balon is, is everything I want to be when it comes to my forms. I know my students think I am already, but they'll just have to wait and see what I am going to become! What I do feel I am getting better at is breaking away from things I have been taught by my old master and doing the new style of training. From I what I have learned and observed with all these new gurus is that my old master was quite stuck in the past of how things were done and never kept up with the new up-to-date ways of doing things. Some things were inconsistent and not by the book at all!
Not only does Master Balon know everything there is, but he also does not pretend to know everything there is either. He has no problem taking out the textbooks and looking something up, just so not to tell me the wrong thing, or to show me something that I can refer to, and give me another option to either learn or debate. He always welcomes debate, because he himself used to do that as a student.
The second form had the most changes and was a struggle since I "re-learned" it three years ago. We really dissected the heck out of Choong Jang, and at one point Master Balon pointed something out that I began to learn three years ago. The way I execute a technique has a particular style to it. But depending on how it is executed, depends on the type of style I am using. I have mixed styles. I go really strong and tight in one portion, then all of a sudden I have these big flashy movements which goes a little slower paced. Neither is wrong, but choose one or the other.
When I made the change, he called me out and he thought I contradicted myself. When he asked me why I did what I did, my answer was simply "Because we just talked about it so I changed it." He had a surprised look and acknowledged he understood. I don't think he expected me to make such a change so fast. Like, that was immediate change. Normally my body conditioning would take me several repetitions to make a change like that. For me, it was a symbol of how I truly am allowing myself to be open to new things and break away from old teachings that do not apply today anymore.
Master Balon continued on with the other two 2nd Degree forms, and then we went through the 3rd Degree. I am always impressed at the smallest things he picks up on like whether my knee is turned in a particular direction or the proportion of my weight in a stance, or my favorite is his knowledge of the application of the movements of the forms. That is pretty cool and a goal of mine for my "master training."
One change of style I did have was how I do my front kicks. Years ago I would win competition because my front kicks were high and I was able to demonstrate control by sticking the kick for a few seconds at the extension and demonstrate a full retraction of the kick. Master Balon questioned how the front kick would actually be applied and I answered correctly saying using the ball of the foot and then questioned, then why would I use the instep. My answer to him was that I teach to do the same kick in several variations, making me and my students a more well-rounded martial artist, forcing them to pay attention more and to have the ability to have the power to change how they execute a kick.
He accepted my answer but had encouraged me to try using the ball of the foot and a quicker pull back to make it look for applicable. Now this is my first year doing AAU competitions. Maybe this is something they look for? Master Balon also encouraged me to ask other judges and masters I meet at the competitions to get a better handle of what is looked for. For me, it's bitter sweet because I remember the work I put into learning how to do the front kick I do the way I do it, but I also think as a master in training, it is important to be able to break away from old habits and embrace new ones. I've been trying it out and honestly I like both variations. But which to do when I apply it...
I had a similar situation with the "back stance" or "L-stance", depending on who you're talking to. I trained myself and prided myself in being able to get very low and have most of the components of my stance when doing a form. But two important components Master Balon brought up to me was how my back knee, although bent and the foot pointed to the proper side, bends to the outside of my body instead of to the side. And the joints that should be lined up in my body aren't because of that. I always knew you should have 70% bend on the back leg and 30% in the front. I guess knowing it is not enough, I actually have to do it now! This is going to be harder to break away from, but I accept the challenge.
I love how Master Balon gives me a lieu of things to think about and he also keeps in mind how I teach other students of all ages. He explains to me how to teach or explain or have different age groups and skill levels do these forms and it makes ME a better teacher as well. As I get closer to the test I am getting more and more excited. And as he gives me more and more to practice, I only get more and more motivated!
Yours in service,
ANDREW TRENTO
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