ISSUE 2 June 2016 VOLUME 10

A word from the

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR

Breaking STRIVING FOR PERFECTION!

MODERNTKD.COM

UPCOMING EVENTS

to them as I would love to see as many past

members there as we can get. Stay tuned

for developing details and make sure you

are available to make this milestone one to

remember.

We recently held our first round of the IMT

tournament series at Bribie Island, with

over 70 students competing. We are using a

new scoring system in the patterns divi-

sions, which we believe is fairer and more

accurate. The learning process did take a

bit more time initially, but we are confident

that it will get faster as we get more prac-

ticed with it. All in all it was a great day of

competition with an excellent standard

from the get go. The quality of patterns

shown was very high by all ranks, and I

was very impressed with what I witnessed.

In the team displays we asked the instruc-

tors to have their teams focus more on

grading curriculum-based material rather

than acting, and the results were fantastic.

My congratulations go out to all teams, but

Ormeau really raised the bar with a well-

planned and executed display performed to

music, with ranks from white belt up to

green belts taking part.

Unfortunately Jo, from the Ormeau team

damaged a knee during the performance

but still soldiered on to win in the sparring

division before limping home. Wishing a

speedy recovery to you, Jo. Last came the

sparring with a very highly spirited effort

Hello and welcome again. We are half way

through the year already and it seems like

we have done so much, but with lots more

still planned for 2016, please keep an eye

on the calendar! I mentioned in the first

newsletter of the year that this year we cel-

ebrate our 20th year as a club, which obvi-

ously requires a party for us all. We are

planning something big but I don’t want to

spoil the surprise just yet. If you know of

any past members from the club that are

not currently training, please mention this

by all taking part. The club points were

well spread, but it was Kallangur that took

a slight lead over last year’s champions

Banyo, with Bracken Ridge, Redcliffe and

Ormeau not far behind. There are still two

more rounds to come. Note that the next

round at Kallangur is on the 30th July

(which is different to the calendar – it’s one

week later than originally booked due to

circumstances beyond our control). So get

practising and get a team together for the

demonstrations. Let’s make round two big-

ger and better than ever.

Now that we are into June, it means the

second grading for the year, and our first

Black Belt gradings for the year as well.

We only hold two Black Belt gradings per

year as they are much more complex, and a

real treat for those who get to witness them.

If you would like to watch one, make sure

you stay after your own grading. It will

show you what to expect when the time

comes for your black belt grading. These

gradings are both physically and mentally

By Peter Cameron

6th Degree Black Belt

Chief Instructor

Founder of IMT in Australia

CHIEF INSTRUCTOR 1-2

6TH DAN GRADING….. 3

KALLANGUR NEWS 4

CALLING ALL LADIES 5

DECEPTION BAY .. 6

BRIBIE BULLETIN . 7

MASTERING THE ART 2 8

BLACK BELT FOCUS 9

BANYO BREAKERS 10

MURRUMBA DOWNS 11

REDCLIFFE REVIEW 12

ORMEAU REPORT 13

Event Date & Location

JUNE

Grading 4th June—

Kallangur

BB Training Kallangur

All Rank Training 18/06 Ormeau

JULY

BB Training 15th—Kallangur

All Rank Training 16th—Kallangur

Tournament Rnd 2 30th - Kallangur

AUGUST

Black Belt Training

Camp

12/08 Natural

Bridge

All Rank Training 20/08 Banyo

ACHIEVING 6TH DAN BLACK BELT A reflection by Mr Peter Cameron

A personal milestone this year was my grading for 6th Dan Black Belt

in May, and I’m very happy to say that I was successful in my attempt

at this high level examination. This type of grading is primarily an

honouree rank, awarded for years of service to the martial arts. I re-

quired a minimum wait of 6 years from my last time on the floor do-

ing a grading. I actually waited over 10 years in total, as I’ve always

preferred to wait, and not be seen as “ranking up” just for the sake of

another strip on my belt. My lead-up to this event was over two years

in preparation. I had initially planned this grading last year but broke a

toe 2 weeks out from my planned date. In other systems, outside the

IMT, the requirements are more like a training session where you are

only required to perform 2 patterns and a few free sparring sessions. I

was not satisfied with this as a challenge, and decided on performing

our patterns (all 24 of them) and then a sparring session with all our

high ranking instructors and black belts. At my young age of 52 years,

my biggest concern was the fitness aspect of this test so I spent a lot of

time getting my cardio and stamina levels up to a point that I could sur-

vive this task.

My training over the past two years has consisted of getting up every

weekday morning at 5am to do a mix of weights for strength, boxing,

Tabata, and high intensity group sessions for fitness (including aqua aer-

obics and stretching sessions). Of an evening I would travel to classes at

the north-side clubs to spar and practise patterns (a change in work pat-

terns shifted to travelling to the Ormeau class to practise two or three

times a week). The last couple of months I focussed mainly on patterns,

doing all of them twice every night, as I needed my body to become ac-

customed to performing them with control and power. I am known for

my kicks and technique and wanted them to be as strong and clean as I

could perform them.

I felt I performed sharply while doing the patterns, and even though I

was getting exhausted, I endeavoured to keep every pattern at the same

high standard. My rest between each pattern started to get longer to allow

me to recover, and I kept telling myself, “If you are not puffing after do-

ing a pattern, you’re not trying hard enough.” This is when willpower

comes into play. There were one or two mistakes that required me to stop and restart (just like any student in the arts), but on the sec-

ond attempt I corrected those small points and remained strong. I would like to think I inspired all of the black belts to work even hard-

er on their own patterns.

The sparring came after this segment, and I need to point out to you all it was not about beating up the other black belts. This was

about demonstrating technique and timing. When

sparring people 20 and 30 years younger than me,

I’m aware their speed is greater, so for me timing

is far more important – reading my opponents and

anticipating their attacks.

My thanks go out to Jason, Brett, Joe, Robert, To-

ny, Daniel, Jacinta and Elliot for showing me great

respect and encouraging me throughout the spar-

ring. Brett and Jason wanted to push me just that

bit further though, and decided it would be good to

finish me off with a two-on-one spar against them

both. And finish me it did! My sincere thanks also

go to all those students and friends that were there

to cheer me on and show their support as well.

With my promotion to 6th Dan, it now makes way

for our 4th Dans, Jason and Brett Parker to move

up to 5th, our 3rd Dans Joe and Robert Sandona to

move up to 4th, Tony, Lee, Jacinta, Jason Pascoe,

Elliot, Troy are all due or almost ready to move up

to 3rd Dan, and of course all the 1st Dans to be our

next wave of ‘Men in Black’. I look forward to

6th Degree Black Belt Grading On Friday 6th May 2016, Peter Cameron the Chief In-structor of the Institute of Modern Tae Know Do, was successful in his promotion to the rank of 6th degree Black Belt after an almost 2 hour grading held at Kru-ger Hall in front of friends, family and students. This promotion, the first of its kind in the 20 years since IMT’s inception (and over 10 years since Peter’s previous promotion) was a spectacle like no other. Rank promotions in most styles, including Tae Kwon Do, after the master rank of 4th Degree Black Belt are usually ceremonial and often considered a rite of pas-sage which was not the case for Peter’s grading. The grading consisted of completion of all patterns (24 in total) along with 9 free spars (including 2 on 1) with the 4th, 3rd and 2nd degree Black Belts. Peter’s strength and technical form was on display for all to see, and really set the standard high for all stu-dents to strive for. His technical prowess and ridicu-lously good kicking ability really stood out throughout the patterns section, each kick, block and stance as strong at the end as it was in the very beginning, a true testament to the 2 years of focused training re-quired to undertake such an examination. That superior form then continued into the sparring with Peter’s supreme kicking skills bamboozling even the most experience practitioners. Although tiring slightly towards the end, the strength, timing and abil-ity to control an opponent did not diminish nor did Pe-ter’s desire to practise what he preaches, striving for perfection. The grading also demonstrated that despite being over 50 years of age, there is no barrier to training hard or continuing to grow, learn and share the wealth of knowledge on offer at IMT. Congratulations to Peter from all the gang at IMT and

good luck in your future endeavours for 7th degree

promotion. You certainly inspired the most experi-

enced among us, and no doubt you will continue to do

so for many years to come.

Brett Parker

Kallangur

news

Going faster than the usual tournaments, it seemed there was more drone than

drag that day. A fancy new toy, in the form of a camera-mounted drone, graced

the tournament and is sure to have captured everyone’s attention, along with

some impressive aerial footage of both patterns and sparring – all courtesy of

John Barron’s second childhood. If you haven’t already had the chance to look,

you can see all the videos on the Institute of Modern Tae Kwon Do Facebook

page.

Right at the outset, it was clear that a pattern was emerging from the Banyo

club. Actually, several patterns were emerging as that particular club managed

to dominate that event on the day.

As always, the tournament began with patterns from the pee-wees and junior

divisions. The patterns were sharp and strong all around, with some very sur-

prising and impressive executions.

Even the black belt division saw the first degree black belt Anthony Squaldino manage to dethrone the higher-ranking black belts

(although that wasn’t my fault;

the sun was in my eyes). Seeing the senior patterns divisions in action makes

me look forward to the prospect of coming up against any one of them in future

black belt patters or sparring divisions. By the end of the patterns, Banyo had

established itself as the club to beat in this tournament.

Kallangur rose to the challenge and, in the end, was able shine a brighter shade

of gold. due to some consistent sparring across all divisions. Through multiple

first places in the sparring, Kallangur was able to secure victory over the first

round, although the other clubs aren’t that far behind.

Some memorable moments emerged through the course of the day. Anthony

Squaldino’s first venture into the senior ranks for sparring saw him raising a

level to compete formidably and win silver to go with his gold in patterns.

For their first time, Coban and Abby Parker managed brother-and-sister gold in

sparring to further the family dynasty. Of course, all the competitors, especially

the first-time winners, will all have their own special memories of the day.

Credit must also go to the organisers for their new streamlined approach which

had the tournament functioning smoothly and efficiently, leaving everybody

ample time to enjoy their evenings how they wished, despite the commendable

numbers of students competing.

Tournaments are always good fun, and I can definitely say that this was an ex-

citing day for competitors, supporters, and even the judges.

2016 TOURNAMENT ROUND 1 –A Kallangur-ite Perspective

Calling all ladies! (young and not so young)

It’s time to take charge of your own safety.

Register now with Kathy or Jacinta. All proceeds go to a Domestic Violence charity.

By Jason Pascoe

2nd Degree Black Belt

Hello from the Deception Bay club. Firstly, there’s the big news that we have moved to a new training venue at the Deception Bay Scouts hall on the corner of George Street and Bonton Ave. Our training times are now Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. Congratulations from the Deception Bay club to Peter, our chief instructor, for the quality display he gave during his 6th Degree Black Belt grading. Well done to Josh, Charlotte and Isabel at the last tournament held at Bribie. A great performance for the first timers and a couple of first places as a bonus. Good work! The grading is our next big event, so train hard and prepare well that it will seem like another training session. See you at the next All-ranks training session.

Deception Bay buzz

TAEKWONDO FACTS FOR THE KIDS (See if you can find the missing

word) 1. Taekwondo and Judo are the only martial arts performed at the

_______.

2. The Tenets of Taekwondo are qualities that students must demon-

strate in their daily _______ as well.

3. Over ____ million people in 188 countries practise Taekwondo.

Over __ million of these are black belts.

4. At the Olympics only the _________ technique is allowed.

5. Taekwondo originally began in ________ and is its national sport.

6. The Taekwondo uniform is traditionally called the “______”

7. Taekwondo means “the way of the _____ and _____”.

8. The ‘do’ in Taekwondo means ‘the ______”.

9. In the Korean language, the place where Taekwondo instruction is

given is called the _______.

10. Mr Cameron is now a ____Dan Black Belt.

11. All the belt colours symbolize a stage of growth. The Black belt

represents maturity, a good level of skill in Taekwondo, and the

rejection of darkness and _______.

* At the next tournament, this quiz (pencil and paper) will be available. Should you get all of the answers

correct, Lee (aka “Miss G”) will have a little surprise for you.

WORD BANK LIVES

DOBOK

SPARRING

FOOT

4

OLYMPICS

6TH

WAY

KOREA

FEAR

DOJANG

FIST

By Lee and Michael Griffith—2nd Dan Black Belts and Co-instructors

Bribie bulletin

THE TENTACLES OF OUR MARTIAL ART

(Yet another of Lee’s ‘Deep and Meaningful’) Our lives these days tend to be segmented into different compartments – home, family, sport……and Taekwondo. Yet sometimes there

is a distinct blurring of these seemingly separate pursuits where what we do in one aspect of our lives overlays and impacts on another.

This is clearly evident with our martial art where so many skills that we develop and practise on the training floor, or on the tournament

mat are called upon and can be enacted in both home, family and school/work life.

Step out of the confines that Taekwondo is a sport (unless you’re just in it for the trophies) for it is a powerful ‘tentacle’ that can be

utilised in every aspect of your life once your belt comes off for the day. It is when life throws you curveballs, or being in difficult

situations that you can find yourself having to draw from those skills you’ve learned as illustrated below:

Those are but a few analogies that illustrate the distinct link between martial arts and life. We can choose to keep our Taekwondo

training compartmentalised and separate from the other realms of our lives, or we can use it as a catalyst to be empowered to grasp life,

with all its facets and challenges, with confidence, resilience, fortitude and tenacity. Explore and activate your potential as a martial

In Martial Arts…. In Life….

Bowing to your opponent and pulling back into a sparring stance Recognising the problem, the foe and gathering your strength to face it head on.

Your opponent is much taller or bigger than you and you may be feeling over-powered, fearing loss before the spa has started.

Problems can be tackled in small pieces, but it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the fight in the dog

Bowing to instructors and other black belts. Being respectful towards all and being open to and embracing the experience and wisdom that is on offer from our senior citizens especially.

Working through a new or difficult pattern. Break the task up into smaller chunks, perfecting each one before moving onto the next one

You are a lifelong learner so take every opportunity to enter new challenges, new learning with confidence and tenacity. New brain pathways develop every time you learn something new, regardless of your age. Digest your new learn-ing in smaller pieces if necessary, but never lose sight of what joy and feelings of accomplishment you’ll experience when you succeed.

Engaging in ongoing self-reflection and seeking feedback from your instructor about your development in Taekwondo. Striving for perfection demands this of each and every one of us.

Aim and work to be a better person, a better family member, citizen, and stu-dent than you were the day before. This earthly life is the real ‘school’ and we don’t graduate until the moment we go ‘Home’.

Experiencing knock-backs/knock-downs during sparring. Finding the strength to get back onto your feet, straighten yourself up, taking a deep breath and keep on fighting….no emotion….no fear…..just a steely determination to keep on keeping on with all your might and will. Supporting you and urging you on will be every member of our truly unique organisation – akin to family.

Life surely is a roller-coaster ride. The highs are great, but the lows are where we learn the most about what strength and innate abilities we have to get through the toughest of times. We have two choices….stand up and keep fighting, keep working through things….or crumble with no possibility of con-quering the ‘foe’. There will always be those around you to help you up.

Firstly, it was wonderful to have all the tournament participants and their supporters on our island for

Tournament Round 1. It was a gorgeous day to welcome you all and we trust that you had a great day of

friendly competition and inter-club camaraderie. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to Monique, Tamara and Maricel (and

their little band of helpers when not on the floor) for their amazing efforts to provide our tournament visitors with great food and

beverages. Whilst there is fierce rivalry between the big clubs, we will continue to plod along, and give everyone a run for their

money. I was very proud of all of you as you stepped onto the floor to either spar or perform your patterns.

Our (currently) little club is very much a family affair and the efforts of these lovely people and the support that they freely give

to both Mike and me is very humbling. Thank you to each and every member of the Bribie club for the great people and great

martial artists that you are. We are blessed to have you in our fold. All the best to everyone for the next term of training. I am

very proud of each and every one of you.

Mastering the art

By Joseph Sandona

3rd Degree Black Belt

Training your Mind Mini-series - Part 2: Visualisation

Welcome back to part 2 of the Training Your Mind Mini-Series.

Sometimes the only thing holding us back from achieving our goals in training is our own mindset. When-ever there is something you are struggling to do such as a board break, land a jump spin kick or perform an advanced takedown, sometimes it is not our physical ability or skill preventing us from being successful - sometimes it is a self-limiting belief we have in our mind telling us we can't do it. As a result, whenever you try, you hold yourself back instead of committing 100%. By changing your mindset and believing you CAN do it, you will have a much higher chance of success.

One of the biggest reasons people fail to achieve their goals is the fear of failure which places limitations in their mind and leads to self-sabotage. For example, if you don't believe you can break the board, your subcon-scious will affect how you perform the technique, and you won't put in 100% effort. This will result in the board not breaking and possibly hurt-ing yourself. This will reinforce the belief that you can't break the board. It is you that held yourself back in the first place. One scientific study showed that when athletes felt fatigued and didn't think they could go any further, only 30% of their muscle fibres were actually fatigued. So next time your mind tells you that you're too tired to continue with sparring or fitness, remember that you could still have 70% left of unlocked potential - don't let it go to waste! "Defeat is a state of mind. No one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality." - Bruce Lee

One way to overcome these self-limiting beliefs is to use positive wording as discussed in Part One of the Training Your Mind mini-Series. Another method is visualisation. To use visualisation to overcome your negative mindset and achieve your goals, picture yourself already being able to do the thing you wish to do even if you've never done it before. For example, before stepping up to break a board, picture in your mind yourself kicking through the board with correct technique; hear the sound of the board snap in your head as you strike through it and feel the positive feeling of achievement. This will help you believe that you CAN complete the task and perform to the best of your ability. Did you know that you can also train your muscles purely through visualisation? One study showed that body builders made gains by visualising themselves training without actually lifting any weights. For this to work, they had to concentrate on the movements and be totally distraction-free. In their mind they could feel the weight and the strain on their muscles. This could apply perfectly to teaching your body to perform a new technique. You could also use this to learn and improve your patterns. Now you can train without even getting out of bed! Joseph

GET TO KNOW YOUR BLACK BELTS

Leana Johnson How old were you when you started TKD?: 5 How long have you been doing TKD?: 13 years What age did you attain the rank of black belt?: 15 Why did you start TKD?: A “friend” at prep was doing and Taekwondo so naturally I told dad I wanted to start as well, unbeknown to me, he was a second degree black belt. So he whisked me down to the Red-cliffe club (yes with Jason) and we both started our journey together. He promoted to blue belt first grading and I to yellow. Why are you still doing TKD? I have never considered not doing Taekwondo, it’s just a part of my life - I wouldn’t even consider it second nature – like breathing every day, I don’t question it, I just do it. And besides where else could I get to beat up my old man and not have to worry about senior abuse charges? Have you ever had any “bumps” in your TKD journey? Of course, I’m human. Heaps of bumps, from injuries, to moving constant-ly. Moving to Townsville being the biggest hurdle. But the big-gest struggle was balancing senior high school studies with training. Which part of TKD did you struggle with the most along the way & why? Constantly having to stop and start again, it messes with you, everything becomes muscle memory so I find myself do-ing one thing while meant to be doing another. What do you enjoy most about TKD?: kicking people in the head (including my dad, haven’t you been listening). And the friends I’ve made for life throughout my various journeys, you meet a lot of people along the way with the same qualities and inter-ests as you, which is great. What is your occupation? Gym manager, barista, and balancer of 3 jobs. Apart from TKD, what do you like to do in your spare time? Spend-ing time with family, friends, although spare time is hard to come by in the adult world as they told me – they didn’t lie. What other sports have you done in your life?: I use to play netball for a school team, my height gave me a huge advantage. But martial arts is what I have ultimately always stuck to, trying boxing, BJJ, and ITF Taekwondo, Tell us one thing we probably don’t know about you: I am a huge nerd and enjoy going to events such as Supernova and Comic con. I read comic books, watch movies a lot (TV shows as well) and am the biggest fan of shows like Buffy, Angel and many, many more.

Anything else you’d like to share? Never underestimate yourself,

you might end up being surprised by what you can do. Also

what’s a pig’s favourite move? Pork chop.

Troy Johnson How old were you when you started TKD?: 14 How long have you been doing TKD?: 24 years What age did you attain the rank of black belt?: 20 Why did you start TKD?: After being bullied as a kid a friend invited me to try it out. I found that Taekwondo suited me well as at the time I was very skinny but very tall

and it gave me a much better range. Why are you still doing TKD?: I don’t understand the question?? Why would I not still be doing it, I love it. I have been doing TKD for longer then I haven’t. I cant imagine not training, and every time I have had to stop for whatever reason I go insane. Have you ever had any “bumps” in your TKD journey?: I have had many bumps during my training, In 2000 I injured my knee and had to stop training for 6 months, when I moved to North QLD I had to join another Taekwondo school (ITF) and that was very close to being the end of my training My Time in the ADF also made it hard to maintain my training in TKD although I was Which part of TKD did you struggle with the most along the way & why?: Recovering from injury, as I tend to never give my body enough time to heal. As I have aged I have learnt that I need to give my injuries time or they will take it. What do you enjoy most about TKD?: Taekwondo is my stress relief, it is an outlet for negative energy. I love the fact that I have made lifelong friendships. I also love teaching and love watching student’s progress and grow What is your occupation?: Business owner Apart from TKD, what do you like to do in your spare time?: For me spare time can be very hard to come by, however when I have some, I enjoy spending time with my family. My wife and daughters are my world. What other sports have you done in your life?: Volley Ball, Baseball, Rollerblading, Football Tell us one thing we probably don’t know about you: I am a massive car enthusiast. Anything else you’d like to share?: No, however if anyone would like to ask any questions feel free to come and talk to me, I only pretend to be scary (unlike Lee who really is scary).

(* You haven’t seen my ‘dark’ side yet, Troy. Lee)

Continuing in this issue of IMT’s Breaking Ground Newsletter are profiles of two of our esteemed black belts. The same questions have been asked of all black belts, and I’ve been entertained and inspired by their responses. As you will see, all of the black belts took up TKD at varying ages, all having differ-

ent strengths and weaknesses, but they all have a love for it that runs deeper than just a sport. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy getting to know your black belts

a little better….. Kathy Pascoe 1st Degree Black Belt

By Tony Robinson

2nd Degree Black Belt

Banyo breakers

Well with half the year having passed us by already, it is time for our June gradings.

For the students, it can be quite a daunting time for some and just another day at the office for others.

Gradings shouldn’t be terrifying but being a bit nervous about doing your best is a good thing.

All we are asking to see is a demonstration of what you have been taught in class. A bit like a maths exam at

school. I really hated exams at school, so maybe not such a good comparison.

What we are looking to see is for you to just go out on the floor and do everything you’re asked to the best of

your ability and provide us with a showcase of your skills.

From an instructors point of view, grading day is a day of pride in our students. We know the students have the

information and training behind them, but this is a time for us to actually stand back and view how well they are

doing and how far they have come.

Both as martial artists and people.

We all have different skill levels and strengths and weaknesses due to many factors including age, height and

flexibility etc.

It is not about being the best, but being the best you can be. Show us what you’ve got!

As for the Banyo club, it will be quite a large day for us. As well as about 8 new white belts attempting their

first grading, we also have nearly all the rest of the junior class grading as well.

In the afternoon we have Diep attempting her black tip examination and Millie her first senior grading. Both of

these young ladies have been working their butts off for around a year to get to this point and chewing at the bit

to put on a great show.

Then for the final piece of the jigsaw, Blair will be attempting his BLACK BELT grading. This will certainly be

the highlight of the day. This comes after quite a few years of hard work and dedication. Not to mention the odd

injury. I encourage everyone to try and find a couple of hours Saturday afternoon to stay and watch and cheer

both he and Aaron on.

Good luck to both of you. You are a credit to yourselves and your clubs and deserve the rewards that come from

the hard work put in.

Finally I would just like to congratulate the Chief Instructor (Peter Cameron) on his grading and promotion to 6th

degree Black Belt. It was very special night and a tremendous show of his immense skill. From my own per-

spective, I was not just proud to be invited to see the spectacle, but extremely honoured for both myself and Jaz

to be asked to take part in the sparring. It is a night we won’t forget in a hurry.

To everyone grading, good luck and just do your best.

Remember the club motto – Striving for Perfection.

What makes perfect – PRACTICE makes perfect.

Train hard!!!

Tony Robinson

2nd degree black belt

Hello everyone from the Murrumba Downs club. So the year is almost half over but it has been a very busy year to date. So far the highlight has to be Mr Cameron’s 6

th Dan grading. I am sure there will be

a lot written in the newsletter about it. I would just like to say that it was an incredible event to watch and a massive honour to be asked, as one of the club instructors, to stand at the front and oversee Mr Cameron’s grading. His abilities on the floor seem to have no limits. Best of luck to Noah & Lachlan Scott who will be completing their first grading with IMT. Hopefully it will be the first of many. Adam Scott (father & uncle) will unfortunately be away with work commitments but he has trained with IMT in the past so will hopefully be promoted soon. As for the remainder of the Murrumba article this newsletter I am going to do something a little different. Rather than me talk about events or give you training tips – I thought it would be good to hear from some of our students. So at this point I will pass the pen & paper across to Connor Farley:-

By John Barron

2nd Degree Black Belt

Murrumba Downs From Burpengary to

Hello my Name is Connor and I have been training at Murrumba Downs Club for approximately 18 months. My most recent achievement has been the rank of Blue belt. So far my experience at this club has been incredible as I have learnt so many skills and the discipline that will guide me throughout the course of my life. I have made new friends and I am now more confident than I have ev-er been. The reason I originally started training was because I wanted to increase my fitness and be able to defend my-self if I was ever unfortunate enough to run into a situa-tion where these skills would be required. So far, through my Taekwondo journey, I have greatly increased my fit-ness, strength and my self-confidence so that if neces-sary I would be able to defend myself to the best of my ability. Taekwondo is an incredible experience that I would rec-ommend to anyone who is interested in both training their body and mind. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my instructor, John Barron for leading me throughout my Taekwondo journey and the rest of the Murrumba Team for their support. Go Murrumba!

By Jason Parker

4th Degree Black Belt

We are somehow now half way through 2016, can you believe it???? Since the last grading we have had the first round of our tournament series at Bribie Island and the Chief Instructor’s grading. I will get back to the Chief Instructors grading shortly, but I would first like to con-gratulate all of the students and instructors on a fantastic first round of the 2016 tour-nament series. The support from everyone on the floor, behind the scenes and in the audience was amazing to be a part of. It is only with that kind of support that the tournaments have become the success that they have become. I would now like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Chief Instructor, Mr Peter Cameron on achieving his 6th

day, but I’m also looking for-ward to coming back and watching my students take the floor at the grading. Good luck to you all and I’ll see you there! Jason Editorial: A huge thank you to Jason for all that he does for the organization, particularly with the tournaments. A humble ’young’ man, he does an incredible amount of work behind the scenes to ensure that all events run smoothly. I have known Jason since he was a young lad (around 15 or 16). His dedication to IMT and his martial arts training inspired me then, and he continues to do so. His words of encouragement to keep going when I thought my martial arts career was waning through inju-ries, operations and an ageing body, are greatly appreciated and heeded. I one day may become the oldest lady in the world still doing Taekwondo, albeit with a walking frame. LOL (The oldest is currently in her 80’s, bless her.) On behalf of all of us, thank you, Jason.

Degree Black Belt. The per-formance he gave on the night was nothing short of in-spirational. He has once again set the standard for the rest of us to strive towards. I have known and trained with Peter for nearly 30 years now and over that time he has been a figure of great inspira-tion for me. Watching him at the grading was an experi-ence I will never forget and I hope to one day do some-thing as memorable. At the time of writing this ar-ticle, I am 1 day away from a holiday to China and Ja-pan. Jason Pascoe has taken the responsibility to get the fine tuning done for the Red-cliffe class leading up to the grading. Thanks Jason for your help with my class. I’m looking forward to my holi-

Redcliffe review

Ormeau

By Troy Johnson

2nd Degree Black Belt

report

Hi All, Welcome to another article from the Ormeau crew. Our congratulations go out to every person who entered the tour-nament, and an even bigger congratulations to those who placed. Team Ormeau managed to return with 7 medals, as well as first place in Team demos. Our team showed an excellent display, and even saw the fighting spirit of Ormeau. Jo halfway through, dislo-cated her knee, and kept going like a true champion, taking out first place. But that wasn’t all, after a rest and some ice, she went on to take out first place in sparring! After some doctor’s trips and scans it was found out that she has ruptured her meniscus and ACL and will be required to go for surgery in early June. Sadly this does mean no grading and a heavy recovery ahead, however she has not stopped yet, doing Zumba from a chair (for those that don’t know she is a Zumba instructor) and always at class, despite being unable to do much. Let’s not forget that constant smile! She is a true reflection of what we strive for. Well done Jo, you’ve made us all proud.

( Photo: LOOK AT THAT FLEXIBILITY!) We would like to also congratulate Chief Instructor Peter Cameron for achieving the rank of 6th Dan, it was a privilege to be present for this grading, and an even bigger privilege to watch and assist you, where we could, prepare for this night. Over my many years of training and the people I have met, there are very few who I believe deserve the rank yet wear the belt anyway, you are not one of these people. Your efforts and skill set show me you are worthy of this rank, and I speak for everyone when saying, you are who we look up to. Especially when striving for perfection. And lastly, both Leana and I wish everyone who is on the floor grading every bit of luck. You have earned the right to be here, so keep your hands up, and keep pushing. Go team Ormeau!