Teen dies after match

From: Straits Times

Vincent Tan, a first-year IT student at Nanyang Polytechnic, had picked up the sport only a year ago. -- PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE TAN FAMILY

IT WAS only his second taekwondo competition and 17-year-old Vincent Tan was fighting an opponent two belt levels above him.

Barely a minute into the sparring match last Sunday, his slighter-built opponent, who had a brown belt, gave Tan a kick in the neck which ruptured a main blood vessel to his brain.

Tan, who held a green belt, was seen fumbling with his head guard for a few seconds before tumbling onto the ground.

First aid was immediately given to him, but he never gained consciousness. He died on Thursday afternoon in hospital.

The polytechnic student's death has now prompted the People's Association (PA) to suspend all taekwondo competitions while it reviews the procedures usually undertaken in such events.

'We are reviewing our processes to see if any improvements need to be made. In the meantime, we have suspended all taekwondo competitions pending the review,' said a PA spokesman. The police are also investigating.

PA said the competition, held at the Kampong Kembangan Community Club, was organised by the Greenville Residents' Committee and Singapore Taekwondo Gymnasium (STG). It had attracted more than 180 participants and was scheduled to run from 9am to 9pm, but was later cancelled.

All participants were required to wear safety gear, including head guards, and were given a safety briefing before their bouts.

PA said Tan lost consciousness at about 9.30am, and certified first aid workers from St John Ambulance Brigade, Alexandra Hospital and the Red Cross immediately attended to him while an emergency ambulance was called. He reached Changi General Hospital about 20 minutes later, with Vivian in the ambulance.

His distraught mother, Madam Nur Julia, said she cannot accept her only son's death and wants answers from the organisers.

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

A little on Taekwondo

From: Examiner

Aaassaahhhh!!!!!!!! Aaacheeyy!!! Haaa paasooo!!!!!
Huh?? What was that??? Oh, in the essence of the martial arts, such as in TKD, when connecting a punch or kick to the opponents body, making noises is not only is part of an breathing exercise, but a part of generating power from the attack when upon striking a part of the body.

It helps the student to keep a focus on the target as breathing becomes part of a source which demonstrates the strength and power of that strike. Breathing is a must in all styles of martial arts, whether making a noise to fend of foes, or to help control breathing patterns in a fighting situation. So that’s good information for all of you to know.

In TKD, the punches and the kicks, all have a real secret, which takes time and training in the art itself, is being precise on the accuracy of the strikes, having the correct speed, to maximize the power in the attacks in Korean Martial Arts.

In this beautiful art, which many are fascinated by its kicks and aero dynamics of its fighting style, to hit the opponent, a TKD stylist must have the speed, to not only be the first to get the hit, but to be also be quick enough to step out of the way from an attack from the opponent.

In the beginning as the student starts off learning the basics, through out his/her training, speed and precision will follow after learning a set of kicking and punching patterns. The student must be the first to strike, to knock out the attacker, and be the first to stay out of range. Most trained fighters in TKD, fight from a long distance, where it is not open for close range attacks, which speed and precision must come into play, to get the first hit, as power combines from the quickness of the attack.

Usually in TKD, fighters may start from a side fighting stance, where the shoulders and the hips, are directed towards the target. This position allows the stylist to be quick on his/her feet, and to allow for free of movement, where jumping or hopping becomes easier to perform to either do a flying kick in the air to reach in for distance from long range attacks. Regardless of what moves the TKD stylist chooses to utilize to strike his/her target, the important part of the art is to have the speed and precision to generate power at the target.

It maybe similar to boxing, but instead of having the body or the chest to be faced towards the target, being able to fight on a sided stance allows the body for free of movement and motion, where it is easily generated to increase the speed and precision which allows the power to connect from the twist or turn of the hips.

TKD-Tornado Kick

Either the strike could be a punch/strike or kick, twisting of the hips, and turns or spins increases the power of the moves in Tae Kwon Do. But without speed and without precision, the move will not connect accurately, and will leave the stylist to be off guard or to be left open from an attack from the opponent. Timing is everything when making its first or second move in this art. One false impression or one incorrect move towards the target could be devastating when being left unprotected from a serious injury from the other opponent

Upon Accuracy and Speed hitting the body

In TKD, it’s an art form that allows freedom of expression, especially as the kicks can become a powerful weapon, either in fighting on the street, or in a tournament competition. Speed must be first where you can be first to strike; Precision is for the accuracy where the hit must be targeted at the attacker, as the Power becomes the weapon when the movements are combined in Tae Kwon Do

Speed + Precision = Power (All from the mind)

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Nice Left Hook

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Taekwondo Unarmed Combat Demo

This is done a year ago at a local martial arts night event, enjoy.



~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Hadoken

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Martial Art Pic

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first

Robber battered trying to rob a 71 year old boxer

From: The Sun

THIS is how a burglar looked after he made the mistake of breaking into the home of a 71-year-old ex-boxer.

Vicious Gregory McCalium, 23 - jailed for 4½ years yesterday - looked like a "car accident" victim after he was punched by battling grandad Frank Corti

Still got it ... grandad Frank Corti

Frank - woken by noises as he lay in bed with his wife Margaret - DODGED the knife as the yob lunged at him in his hallway, FEINTED and DECKED him with two massive right hooks.

The former Army boxer, who as a 16-year-old won the National Association of Boys Clubs Championship, then coolly made a citizen's arrest and waited for cops.

A judge yesterday told McCalium - who wound up with a black eye, split lip and severe swelling - he "got what he deserved".

After seeing him jailed, modest Frank insisted he had no choice but to "restrain" him. He said: "We are pleased he won't be troubling us for a few years."

Hero ... Frank in his heyday

The retired car worker told how he came face-to-face with the hooded lout at the foot of his stairs in Bolney, Oxford.

Frank - famous for his fearsome right hook when he boxed as a featherweight in the Royal Engineers - said: "He took a slash at me.

"If I needed to I would do it again. I had the advantage of having done some boxing training and retained the ability to punch." McCalium's lawyer told Oxford Crown Court: "Photographs of the defendant showed what looked like a car accident.

"Photos of the scene looked more like a murder scene."

Cocktail waiter McCalium - a troublesome neighbour of the couple - denied aggravated burglary but was convicted by a jury.

Recorder Angela Morris told him: "Luckily, Mr Corti was an able-bodied 71-year-old who was able to defend himself."

She added: "Elderly and vulnerable people are entitled to demand the protection of courts from people like you who decide to take matters into your own hands and enter a property with a weapon."

Frank, just 5ft 5in and who in his boxing heyday weighed 10st, said: "The element of surprise was with me and I hit him with my right hand - hard - just below the eye.

"He was almost knocked out and the knife fell out of his hand."

Childhood pal Colin Goodenough, 73, who used to spar with Frank at Baliol Boys Club, said: "I want to shake his hand. We need more like him."

~武德为首, Martial Art Virtue comes first