The first INTA technical seminar took place on Saturday and Sunday 10th and 11th April in Maynooth Co Kildare. Glorious spring weather greeted the 61 attendees from 15 INTA clubs around the country who were eager to train with the three INTA masters, Master Brendan O'Toole, Master Val Douglas and Master Gerry Martin.

The three masters were all wearing the new ITF issue Masters doboks which consists of a silver stripe in the middle of the black strip on the arms and legs of the dobok.

The technical seminars are part of the grading criteria for potential blackbelts and dan grade candidates but also and opportunity to train with the masters and for instructors and students to train alongside each other.

During the seminar each pattern was broken down to individual movements with a focus on lines and levels and application. Students had the chance to ask questions about techniques they were unsure of and minor corrections were detected by the masters as they observed.

As each grade finished patterns up to their grade they got to train with Master Douglas and Master Martin who focused on step sparring.

The groups experimented with alternative methods of ending 2-step sparring with an L-stance and guarding block and the students voted on which methods of footwork looked and felt best.

We were privileged to train alongside Drogheda instructor Mr Tom Connors IV degree who, at 73 years of age, is an inspiration to taekwon-do students of all ages. Mr Connors really demonstrates the taekwon-do tenets in both how he behaves and trains. While the surface of the training hall caused some to put training shoes on during the seminar, Mr Connors simply added some tape to protect his feet and continued training. He later treated everyone to a demonstration of one step sparring.

Another great technical seminar, next one is in Cork on September 25th and 26th.

 

Check out the photos of the event here.