| It's not unusual to set a little money aside to | | | | Generate Power |
| attend a martial arts camp or seminar. The | | | | The type of training I did depended on the class. |
| summer before law school, I did one better. I | | | | The early classes had younger students, so I |
| traveled to South Korea for intensive hapkido | | | | often helped with the instruction. There were also |
| training. In the process, I had a lot of fun. | | | | several new students, so I usually worked on the |
| This wasn't the first time I'd been to Korea. I had | | | | basics with them. This was particularly enjoyable. |
| previously lived in Kangnung. I trained in hapkido | | | | It's not only a way to better yourself, but the |
| and ki gong (breathing exercises) and earned a | | | | kids were great to work with, too. |
| black belt from the Korean Hapkido Federation. I | | | | Regardless of what class we were in, Lee always |
| traned at the Hapkido Choiyukwan under | | | | made sure that he taught me at least one new |
| Young-Jong Kim and Jun-Kyu Lee. While I was | | | | technique. This meant that I was learning between |
| living there, I taught English at a hogwan (private | | | | four and six new techniques per day. After class, |
| academy). Korean students attend these | | | | I'd write the new techniques in a notebook along |
| academies after their regular public school classes | | | | with the other notes from class. Each night, I'd |
| to get ahead with their studies. This time I wasn't | | | | review everything I learned that day before I |
| there to teach, however. I was there mainly to | | | | went to sleep. The next day, I'd practice |
| train. | | | | everything I had learned before he taught me |
| When I arrived in Kangnung, I planned on spending | | | | something new. |
| the month living in one of the yokwans (cheap | | | | Wednesday's class was always different because |
| hotel) that are so abundant throughout Korea. | | | | we always worked with weapons. although we |
| However, Lee would have none of that. He and | | | | primarily worked with the staff or short stick, we |
| his family lived in and ran a minbak (an inn) near | | | | sometimes worked with the bamboo sword. |
| the beach. He insisted that I stay in one of the | | | | During the free time between classes, Lee also |
| rooms without paying. Not only did I train with my | | | | worked with me on various cane and belt |
| instructor, be we did everything together, including | | | | techniques. |
| going to the beach and movies. | | | | Besides all of the traditional hapkido I was learning, |
| 4 Classes Per Day | | | | I also received an added bonus. Kim was teaching |
| When I first arrived, we had class four times a | | | | and working with Lee and a few of the other |
| day. The first class was at 6 a.m. The following | | | | high-ranking students some striking methods called |
| classes were at 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., and 8 p.m. | | | | kwon sul. These drills involved a variety of strikes, |
| The times changed during summer vacation. The | | | | including punches, ridgehands, spearhands, |
| first class was bumped back to 9 a.m., followed | | | | backfists and others. The key to these drills is |
| by classes at 3, 5 and 8 p.m. Either way, I had | | | | shifting your body weight to gain the maximum |
| four classes per day plus plenty of extra training | | | | power for your strike. It was always amazing to |
| between classes. | | | | see how much power my instructor could |
| Typically, I'd go to class in the morning and then | | | | generate with the slightest motion. Naturally, I |
| go back to Lee's home to rest before the next | | | | jotted notes about his technique into my book |
| session. After lunch, we would leave early so we | | | | every night. |
| could pick up some of the other students for the | | | | Hapkido and Taekwondo |
| next class. This is common practice throughout | | | | While the weekdays were reserved for hapkido, |
| Korea. Whether it is a martial arts school or | | | | the weekends were for rest and relaxation. I |
| something similar, a driver would pick up the other | | | | spent those summer weekends visiting new |
| students in a minivan and drop them off | | | | places with my fiancee, Yi Saeng Ham, going out |
| afterward. We did this for every class. After the | | | | with friends and resting from the week's grueling |
| third class of the day, we would go home t eat | | | | schedule. Like all vacations, the time flew by much |
| dinner and practice various techniques before we | | | | too quickly. Before I knew it, I had to return to |
| went to the last class of the day. This was usually | | | | the States. |
| the longest and most intense class of the day | | | | I realize that not everyone has connections to go |
| because it consisted mainly of adults. It was | | | | to Korea to live with an instructor. However, |
| usually 10 p.m. before we had the school swept, | | | | there are many opportunities for people to visit |
| the water bottles filled and were ready to go | | | | Korea and train in various arts, including hapkido, |
| home. By the end of class, our uniforms were | | | | taekwondo, and other arts. I encourage anyone |
| soaked and we were spent. In these classes, we | | | | to visit and train in Korea. Without a doubt, it will |
| spent a lot of time sparring. Believe me, I went | | | | be an experience you will always remember. |
| home sore on more than one occasion. | | | | |