First Tae Kwon Do’s Master Vernon Low was in Perth recently on another visit to teach instructors, black belt members, and candidates for the upcoming Junior Black Belt and 1st Dan black belt grading examinations. Below are pictures of Master Low instructing a Junior Black Belt member (preparing to undergo his 1st Dan grading examination) on side kick breaking technique. Side kick is a linear technique, with the sole of the foot being projected directly into the target.
Turning kick, as shown below, is more a circular technique than a linear technique. The martial artist needs to rotate the body and drive the hip forward to project the ball of the foot into the target. Below are pictures of Master Low fine-tuning a candidate’s positioning and balance in preparation for a turning kick break.
Side kick and turning kick were not the only techniques that Master Low covered. For each technique, he devoted considerable effort to ensuring that the student understood what was required before allowing the actual execution of the technique.
Master Low then turned his attention to the instructors and black belt members of First Tae Kwon Do Western Australia, conducting an intensive training session that included jumping kicks driven into partner-held shields, as shown below. These kinds of techniques are demanding, as they require the martial artist to not only propel his/her entire body weight off the ground, but to maintain position in mid-air, project maximal power horizontally (usually) into the target, and then land with poise, ready to move again.
In terms of photography, the gymnasium was well-lit and the only issue was really the shifts in colour due to the use of fluorescent lighting. Some of the newer DSLR bodies, starting with the Canon EOS 7D Mk II, have technology to minimise this problem, but I have yet to try any of those cameras out for myself.