Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Ho-shin-su

Today I learned the craziest move in hapkido. We practice three main things: palchagi, or kicks; nakpo, or rolls; and hoshinsu, or holds. Rather, I should correct myself, we practice methods of getting out of a hold or a punch. (Keep in mind I have to interpret all of the Korean...I really have no idea what my instructor ever says...)

The first "hoshinsu" methods I learned involved getting free from a wrist hold. Instead of pulling back, which makes it easier for someone to hold on to you, you push your wrist forward, releasing yourself. The next set of moves involved doing that and then elbowing your attacker in the stomach or neck.

The third set, which I learned today, consisted of kicking the person holding your wrist in the shin, grabbing a pressure point near his (or her) thumb, pulling his arm back, karate chopping the back of his elbow, pinning him to the ground, and bending his wrist backwards, and emitting a final lethal-sounding "eeeeeeeyah!" to prove your point.

I guess things get complicated fast around here...

Korean language lessons are the same way. We spent a month on the alphabet, then all of a sudden learnt about four grammatical forms in one hour.

It's like when you say "hello" to someone in Korean they start a rapid fire exchange...as if you must be fluent.

I like it.

No comments: