December 2012 Testing and Schedule for 2013

More than 75 martial artists from all over the state braved winter’s first storm to successfully test for new taekwondo belt levels, with a good turn out of friends, family and instructors filling the Stevens Point YMCA gym in support of them.

All the black belt candidates demonstrated advanced kick combinations and sparring skills.  Charles Zoromski performed the taebeck form and snapped a board with a spinning hook speed break., earning his third degree black belt.  Xichen Cheng earned his second degree black when he performed the keumgang form before smashing a two-inch board with a flying side kick.

Father-son duo Thomas and Jacob Oakland, Andrew Krause, Kerrigan Neidert, Abby Dremel, Reggie Stern and Caleb Siewert performed koryo and four taebek forms in excellent precision.   All these candidates answered oral questioning on the meaning of terms, history of taekwondo and codes and tenets of the sport.  Advanced board breaks using a back spin side kick for Andrew Krause and Thomas and Jacob Oakland,   a spinning hook kick for Kerrigan Neidert, Abby Dremel and Caleb Siewert , and a flying side kick for Reggie Stern completed their successful testing for first degree black belt.

Qualifying for deputy black belt levels, Tammy Weiss used a butterfly kick for her board break, Matthew Whitley and Laura Krings snapped their boards with flying side kicks and Shelby Finnessy broke her board with a back spinning side kick.  This quartet also demonstrated five taegeuk forms.

Three color belt students were awarded trophies for excellence in testing.  Blue belt Michael Buchkowski won first place, blue belt Grace Carroll took second place and high green belt Lydia Miller earned third place.

This testing included students from the Stevens Taekwondo Academy main school at the YMCA, branch schools on Isadore Street, in Wausau and in Port Edwards, the Waupaca Tae Kwon Do Academy, the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program and the UW-Platteville Taekwondo Club.  The testing was judged by master instructor Dwight Stevens, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.

Schedule for YMCA Classes and 2013 Testings

January 8       New session (Winter I) begins

February 10   Belt promotion testing 1 P.M. in YMCA Gym

February 14   Last class of Winter I session

     NO CLASSES February 19 & 21

February 26   First class of Winter II session

April 4           Last class of Winter II session

     NO CLASSES april 9 & 11

April 14         Belt Promotion Testing  1 P.M. in YMCA Gym

April 16         First class of Spring session

May 23         Last Class of Spring session

     NO CLASSES May 28 & 30

June 4          First class of Summer I session

June 9         Belt Promotion Testing 1 P.M. All Purpose Room

July 11        Last class of Summer I session

    NO CLASSES July 16 & 18

July 23       First class of Summer II session

August 11    Belt Promotion Testing 1 P.M. all Purpose Room

August 29    Last class of Summer II session

Trophy winners from October

Tanner Rogers & Antony Van Tiem

October Testing and News

Dr. Dwight Stevens, Stephen Decker, Ashley Bloch, Thomas Lima, Aaron Zehner, Jim Lowe, Katie Lima                         New bo dan John Paul Bunn was not available for the photo.

More than 80 taekwondo students tested for new ranks at the YMCA recently as friends and family watched intently.  Seven martial artists achieved black belt level or advanced as black belts.  James Lowe earned the rank of sixth degree black belt after demonstrating ji-tae and breaking 6 boards, two with speed hook kicks, two with speed punches and dedicated the final two breaks, an elbow strike and a pursuing speed side kick one of his young students, who died recently.  Lowe also spoke about and demonstrated effective self-defense moves, the topic of the paper which will be submitted to the Kukkiwon in Seoul, South Korea.  Sixth dan black belts are addressed as senior master.

Stephen Decker, instructor for the Stevens Taekwondo schools at the South Wood County and Wausau YMCAs advanced to fourth degree black belt in his testing.  He demonstrated advanced kick and sparring techniques, the pyongwon form and then broke four concrete slabs with a palm heel strike.  Decker also spoke about and demonstrated the proper techniques for falling   His promotion entitles him to be called master.

Ashley Bloch  moved up to third degree black belt with her performance of the taebek form, and demonstration of advanced kick combinations and sparring.  Bloch snapped her board with a spinning hook speed break.

Attaining second degree black belt level,  Aaron Zehner and Thomas Lima demonstrated the keumgang form plus advanced skills in sparring and kick combinations.  Lima smashed his two-inch board with a back spinning side kick, while Zehner broke three boards in succession using a tornado roundhouse, an elbow strike and a back spinning side kick.

Katie Lima and John Paul Bunn joined the black belt ranks as deputy black belts following their performance of kick combinations, sparring and five taegeuk forms.  Lima broke her board with a 360spinning sidekick.  Ten-year-old Bunn snapped his board with a spinning side kick. 

Two students were recognized for excellence in the color belt testing.  New blue belt Antony Van Tiem won a first  place trophy and high green belt Tanner Rogers took second place.  (Photo posted separately)

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, director and founder of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy network of schools, judged the students, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich and visiting master James Lowe of Oak Creek. 


UP-COMING EVENTS

October 27:  Waupaca Taekwondo Championships, in Waupaca.  Information at www.waupacataekwondo.com

November 3:  Central Wisconsin Taekwondo Championships, at Pacelli High School in Stevens Point.  Information from WisconsinTKD@gmail.com

Etiquette note:  Remember that students should get permission from their instructor before participating in any event or seminar outside their school.

December 8:  Black Belt Christmas Party at Boston School Forest, Stevens Point.  Contact Master Hilde at henkelfm@wctc.net for information.

NEWS

Senior masters Mark, Hilde and John Henkel were invited to assist Grandmaster Jerry Kidd judging at a black belt testing at J. P. Wood Martial Art America in Palatine IL.  The range of skills was impressive and the self-defense portion very interesting.

Martial artists of all belt levels attended a free sparring seminar in  Waupaca recently.  Forty five students, including several from the Stevens Taekwondo Academy schools and the UW-Stevens Point taekwondo program worked on agility training, combinations, partner drills and sparring rules.  The seminar was taught by  Rebecca and Dar Peterson of Waupaca Taekwondo Academy and Stephen Decker, taekwondo instructor at both South Wood County YMCA and Wausau YMCA.

Senior Master James Henkel, his wife Kayme and new big sister Rhiannon welcomed Rowan Emilie Henkel to their family early in October.  All are sleep-deprived but doing fine.New bo dan black belt John Paul Bunn not available for photo

August 2012

The August belt promotion testing for Stevens Taekwondo Academy became a black belt celebration as 38 black belts, 15 of master level or higher, judged, assisted or tested at the Stevens Point YMCA recently.  Ten earned new or higher belt rankings, along with the 29 color belts who successfully tested.

Dan Zierke achieved fifth degree black belt level with his performance of the sipjin form, a demonstration of self-defense techniques and breaking two boards using first a palm heel thrust and then a knife hand.  Zierke and the other black belt candidates also demonstrated advanced kick combinations and hand techniques.

Tom Lisack  and Bridget Williams moved up to third degree black belt after performing the taebeck form and  sparring.  Lisack executed a back spinning hook kick for his board break, while Williams snapped her board with a back spinning hook kick in a speed break.

Mark Regnitz, Evelyn Williams, Laura Borth, Ben Strojny and Seth Zorn all earned second degree black belts following sparring and performance of the keumgang form.  All five successfully broke two-inch boards using the spinning side kick.  Williams, the wife of senior master John Henkel,  also performed five taebek forms.

Hilary Bilbrey and ten-year-old Isaac Williams joined the black belt ranks as deputy black belts with their demonstration of five taegeuk forms and sparring.  Bilbrey broke her board with a jump spinning side kick, while Williams used the autobahn kick to snap his board.

Three trophies were awarded for excellence in testing.  High red belt Shelby Finnessy won first place, red belt Laura Krings earned second place and new blue belt Emma Kempen took third place.

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, director and founder of the Stevens Taekwondo Academy network of schools, judged the students, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel, James Henkel and Bill Dragolovich and visiting master Matt Ford of Cincinnati.  


Contributing Rightly:

Masters Kim Buehler and Jill Reed led a team of dedicated martial artists in a demo at the very hot July  Krazy Days in Stevens Point .  The students demonstrated an abbreviated warm-up, combos, techniques on the heavy bag and focus paddle, poomsae, sparring and board breaking.  Kudos to the participants for sticking it out in the heat...heat all around and stage was nearly frying level!  Those participating were: Tom Oakland with Jacob and Elizabeth Oakland, Jen Wilkinson with Travis and Theo Wilkinson, Daniel Perez and Thomas Meronek.

In August, masters Kim Buehler and Karrie Lane, assisted by black belts Jeff Lane and Karen Poirier, presented a taekwondo demonstration for the Boys and Girls Club at Jefferson School.

Black Belt News

Senior master James Henkel completed his post-doctoral position in Maryland and has moved to Sussex, Wisconsin.  He will be teaching biology and microbiology at Wisconsin Lutheran College.  He and Kayme Henkel are expecting a second daughter in October.

At the end of June, third dan Stephen Decker assisted refereeing at the USAT National Championships in Dallas, where he met several Olympians.

June 2012 Testing

 Fifty dedicated taekwondo students earned new belt levels in testing Sunday at the Stevens Point YMCA.  Five students of Stevens Taekwondo Academy achieved black belt levels at the testing.

Mother-daughter duo Julie and Macey Shutter reached full first degree black belt level performing  koryo and four taegeuk forms together, demonstrating sparring and kick combinations and knowledge of taekwondo tenets and meanings in an oral exam.  Julie Shutter smashed her board on first attempt with a inside crescent back spinning hook kick.  Nine-year-old Macey broke a board with a jumping back spinning side kick.

Three martial artist entered black belt ranks at the deputy or bo-dan level.  Denise Drechsler, Max Malek and Cody Olski demonstrated five taegeuk forms, kick combinations and sparring skills and each broke a board.  Drechsler used a working step back spinning side kick for her board break, ten-year-old Olski snapped his board with a round, turnaround round back spinning hook kick and Malek conquered his board with a working step back spinning side kick.

Daniel Perez, Jonathan Carroll, Moon-woo Nam

Grandmaster Dwight Stevens awarded three trophies for testing excellence among the 45 color belts.  New green belt Daniel Perez won first place, green belt  Jonathan Carroll took second place and high green belt Moon-woo Nam earned third place.

Stevens was assisted in judging by senior masters Mark and Hilde Henkel.

April 2012 News

More than a hundred martial artists, supported by an equal number of family and friends, celebrated skills and earned belt level promotion recently. The students from four Stevens Taekwondo Academy schools and the UW-Stevens Point program coped with very warm conditions at the Stevens Point YMCA with indomitable spirit and good humor.

Testing of all black belt candidates included performance of 50 kick combinations of their choice and sparring. Kim Regnitz and Dylan Regnitz were both awarded third degree black belts. After demonstrating the taebek form, the mother-son duo each broke a board with a spinning hook speed break.

Three students achieved second degree black belt level, performing the keumgang form together. Benjamin Goodberlet smashed a two-inch board with a back spinning side kick; Bryant Hedrington broke two inch-boards with a back spinning side kick and twelve-year-old Reed Kolby Davis also used a back spinning side kick on his board.

Brian Gibbs earned a full first degree black belt with his performance of koryo and four taegeuk forms, answering an oral exam on the history of taekwondo, the creeds and terminology and then demonstrating an impressive 360-jumping sidekick for his board break. Gibbs was sponsored for his testing by black belt Thomas Lima.

Entering the black belt ranks as deputy black belts, father-son duo Thomas and Jacob Oakland performed five taegeuk forms and then both used back spinning side kicks to break their boards.

From the large field of color belts tested, grandmaster Dwight Stevens selected three students for recognition, awarding the first place trophy to red belts Ben Misiewicz, second place to Taylor Sankey, and third place to John Paul Bunn. Stevens was assisted judging the record numbers testing by senior masters Karen Johnson, and Mark and Hilde Henkel.

February News

A full house of spectators enjoyed taekwondo kicks, forms and board breaking during Stevens Taekwondo Academy belt promotion testing at the Stevens Point YMCA recently. More than fifty color belts and five black belts displayed their improved skills and earned new belt levels.

Justin Green achieved fourth dan black belt status with an impressive demonstration of seven forms including pyongwon, advanced kick combinations and an excellent sparring round. Green also broke 4 concrete blocks with his forearm.

Mark Regnitz,, Thomas Lima, Laura Borth and Riley Drechsler earned first degree black belts in a comprehensive oral exam, advanced sparring and kick combinations and performance of koryo and four taebek forms. Regnitz, sponsored by his son second degree black belt Dylan Regnitz, used a 360 side kick for his board break. Second degree black belt Bri Tarpey sponsored Lima, who executed an impressive back spinning hook kick speed break on his board. Borth cleanly snapped her board with a 360 back spinning sidekick after her sponsorship by third degree Kyle Mealy, her most recent instructor. Drechsler broke her board with a double switching high front kick. She was sponsored by her instructor, third degree black belt Steve Decker.

Three other students were recognized for excellence in testing. High green belt Andrew Cameron won the first place trophy, yellow belt Jill Miller earned second place and new red belt Charley Neufeld took home the third place trophy.

Master instructor Dwight Stevens judged the testing, assisted by senior masters Mark Henkel and Bill Dragolovich.

Masterful Self-Defense:
Grandmaster Dwight Stevens, senior master Bill Dragolovich and master Dan Zierke presented a free self-defense class at UW-Stevens Point.

YMCA STA Class Schedule:

February 21 First class Spring session
February 23: 8 p.m. make-up testing
March 20 & 22 No classes--UW/YMCA Spring Break
April 5 Last class of Spring session
April 10 & 12 No classes
April 15 Belt promotion testing, 1 p.m. YMCA gym
April 17 First class Summer I session
May 24 Last class Summer I session
June 5 First class Summer II session
June 10 Belt promotion testing, 1 p.m., APR
July 12 Last class Summer II session
July 17 & 19 No classes
July 24 First class Summer III session
August 12 (tentative) Belt promotional testing 1 p.m. APR
August 30 Last class of Summer III session

Neuroscience and martial Arts Training

Recent neuroscience research into the brain function of elite athletes, detailed in the January 14, 2012 issue of Science News, validates traditional martial arts teaching methods and gives hope to novices aiming to improve.

Taekwondo and other martial arts require constant and continued practice of the basic kicks and blocks which combine into forms and sparring techniques. Several researchers are clarifying why that practice makes things work.

Using functional MRI scans on athletes’ brains has allowed John Milton, a neuroscientist at the Claremont Colleges in California, to identify the areas of the brain utilized while performing or planning specific actions, like a golf swing. Professional golfers show far more localized activity, beginners show dispersed activity.

To reach this more subconscious control of a complex movement, Milton explains athletes must rehearse, train repeatedly and develop the nerve connections needed for precise motor control. Sounds a lot like Dr. Stevens saying “Practice, practice, practice” doesn’t it?

These studies also support the claim that practice of forms improves focus, since Milton sees the less dispersed brain activity as indicating that the experts don’t get bogged down by extraneous information, as ‘in the zone’ they ignore the rest and focus.

There’s an additional factor at work in the benefit of training repetition, according to Daniel Wolpert of the University of Cambridge, England. He describes the nervous system interaction with the musculoskeletal system as flawed with transmission errors along the way causing sensory ‘static’ varying in degree by genetic inheritance.

The good news? Wolpert says anyone can “train muscles and refine a way of moving that reduces the bad consequences of the noise that already there.” So with persistence and indomitable spirit, anyone can improve performance.

Another element of martial arts training has traditionally been watching others perform both basics, forms and sparring. Even when the body is still, the brains of observers show neural activity similar to actually effecting the motions. Salvatore Aglioti of Sapienza University (Rome) says this mirror neural activity is the brains’ way of simulating the motion, “a system for matching what you do with what you see others doing.”

So to the speed up that kick, perfect that form or improve sparring, those traditional training methods are just what all these doctors would order. Practice and continue to practice, watch and try to focus on both doing and seeing. Those taekwondo masters know how to teach!

Schedule Reminder:

Sunday, February 12-- 1 pm belt promotion testing at Stevens Point YMCA
--no classes February 14 & 16
February 21 -- first class of new session

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