AIMAA SCOTLAND

What a week! as A.I.M.A.A Masters, Instructors and students from all over the world descended into Florida, USA to be with Grandmaster Hee Il Cho for the A.I.M.A.A summer camp 2008.

The atmosphere was electric on the first morning as over 200 plus attendees awaited for the arrival of Grandmaster Hee Il Cho, as well as the A.I.M.A.A Master. Grandmaster Cho took to the floor and gave a speech from his heart to the A.I.M.A.A family members about the unification of A.I.M.A.A, about working together, growing together and supporting each other around the world. His words echoed around the training camp as each member absorbed his words and his love and passion for A.I.M.A.A.

Grandmaster Cho went on to wish everyone success at the camp, telling them to learn as much as they could from the Masters and International Instructors who would be teaching them over the coming days. He then wished everyone a fantastic vacation in Florida. The rapturous applause echoed around the arena as students showed their love and heart felt thanks to Grandmaster.

The A.I.M.A.A Masters were introduced to the camp attendees, from the USA was A.I.M.A.A Technical Director Master Philip Ameris 7th Degree, from Ireland was European Director Master John Darcy 6th Degree who is at the forefront of A.I.M.A.A in Europe and is assisted by Irelands Regional Director Master Peter Byrne 6th Degree. Last to be introduced was Scotland's Director, Master John Kirkwood who oversees all Scotland Instructors and the growth of A.I.M.A.A in Scotland.

Unfortunately on this visit Miss Jasmine Cho and Mrs Cho could not be in attendance with Grandmaster, as they where busy teaching at the A.I.M.A.A Headquarters, in Hawaii. Both were greatly missed at the camp by everyone.

The summer camp kicked off with Master Kirkwood taking the High Red and Black Belts for defensive sparring techniques, he taught the basics to advance sparring techniques. Master Kirkwood taught students on how to counter attack as well as defend themselves from their opponent. Across the floor Master Byrne took the white to Brown belts for   One-Step Sparring, showing students each move broken down and then applied at full force. The classes were long and hard and at the end of their time slot, both Masters swapped over the classes. Meanwhile Master Ameris and Master Darcy along with Mrs Ameris, Miss Walsh, Mrs Farrell and Mrs Mirham Farhay undertook the children's class teaching them punching, kicking and stretching. The children loved being taught by the Instructors as well as both Masters, who had joined in on the fun.

The highlight of the week was Grandmaster Cho's Seminar which incorporated stretching, blocking and kicking techniques using speed, power and co-ordination. Grandmaster explained the use of each of the techniques, and how it develops power and speed. The class was exhilarating, hard and fun and everyone was on a high after it came to an end.

It is pretty awesome to be so close to such a martial arts legend, to watch his power and his speed. The grace in his moves is mind blowing, when you take into account that he is 67 years old. In undertaking grandmasters class you realise that in order to reach the level he has attained in his training, it not only comes from the physical participation of Taekwondo, but also from the spiritual, it comes from the heart, it exhumes from every breath you take, and overflows into every choice you take in your daily life.

THE INTERNATIONAL TESTING PANEL & TESTING STUDENTS FROM THE USA-IRELAND-SCOTLAND

International Instructors Mr Power and Mr Long, both from A.I.M.A.A Ireland took students through their paces. Mr powers took students through a series of intense group exercises to push them to their limits, while Mr Long taught kicking and punching combinations to give students more experience and skills in sparring. The students were thrilled and exhausted and cross trained with both excellent Instructors.

The classes were followed by an hour break before the International Black Belt Testing took place. Grandmaster Cho, Master Ameris, Master Darcy, Master Kirkwood and Master Byrne took to the floor just after 1pm. The students had already taken to the floor in anticipation of what lay ahead of them in their testing. The atmosphere was electric and intense as Grandmaster gave the first order for the testing to commence.

A.I.M.A.A Instructors from the USA, Ireland and Scotland watched the testing commence as did A.I.M.A.A attendees who had stayed to watch this exciting International Testing. The testing lasted 3 hours and incorporated patterns/forms at all levels, one-step, floor work, exercises and free sparring. The last part was the destruction in which the student had to undertake more than three breaking techniques using the hand and foot. This was followed by Grandmaster Cho questioning students on their theory, questions such as "what does A.I.M.A.A mean to them"? "what does attaining a Black Belt mean to them"? and so on.

Although all students who undertook their exam did an exemplary job of their testing, one particular student stood out from the crowd. A.I.M.A.A Ireland Instructor Miriam Fahey did an exceptional testing, although Miriam is in her prime, she exuded confidence, power and determination to do her best. Her upper body strength and speed was outstanding, everyone could see that she was prepared for the day. She is a credit to the students who are of a mature age that push themselves to their limit, in order to achieve their goals.

The last two days of the summer camp saw Instructor Mr Paul Healy from A.I.M.A.A Ireland take class and put students through their paces with his ground breaking        Boxercise classes that he had developed. It took students through a high impact aerobics routine, incorporating fitness exercises alongside punching and kicking techniques. Mr Robbie Fernandez an International Instructor from Jersey, took students through a gruelling training session, focusing on strengthening muscles, power and speed. These classes had the students totally exhausted, but everyone enjoyed themselves to the max. The camp also saw Instructors and newly wed Mr & Mrs Belgacem take the lower grade students through traditional patterns/forms.

One of the other highlights of the camp was the classes with Master Ameris and Master Darcy. Both Masters split the class into higher and lower grades. Master Ameris took the higher grades first through the art of armed combat fighting. He explained the principles and techniques in fighting with a knife. He taught students how to attack with a knife, in doing this, they could go on to learn how to defend themselves from a knife attack. Master Ameris also took the class through self defence, showing them take downs and holds that were not only effective, but painful!

Master Darcy who was on the opposite side of the arena, took students through patterns/forms, and broke each move down to its structure and principle on what it is used for, showing the students its application in slow motion and at full force. The class was not only informative to students but made students realise what each move within a pattern/form meant. It was not just a selection of set moves that formed a pattern, but actual working self defence moves incorporated into a form that showed the art of Tae Kwon Do, its skill, its grace and above all its force.

Both Masters left students and Instructors wanting more, the classes had been of great impact to those who had participated in them. It had taught them new methods, new concepts and ways of looking at their art in a different light. 

Students also got a chance to take a weapons class under the professional instruction of Mr & Mrs Farrell of New Mexico. Both Instructors have been at the side of Grandmaster Cho for many years, and are not only Black belts in Tae Kwon Do, but also in the Chinese art of Wushu. The class covered the basics of the "BO" and students learnt a lot within their class. Also at the camp we were very fortunate to have International Instructor Mrs Ameris from the USA, Miss Walsh from Ireland and Mrs Courpe from the USA who took children's classes and helped Grandmaster in a supervisory capacity when he took the fun filled children's classes.

Grandmaster Cho's children's class was on the very last day, and was action packed and fun. The children adored Grandmaster, as he taught them moves using actions and phrases, such as "I love Taekwondo", "I love my Mum", "and I love my Dad", while punching. The children loved every moment of the class and these memories will stay in the hearts and minds forever.  While Grandmaster Cho taught the children Master Ameris and Master Darcy focused on the adult Black Belts taking them through the "New A.I.M.A.A Black Belt Curriculum" for 1st Degrees to 5th Degree. The new Curriculum was to enhance the current degree syllabus thus giving the student more to learn and more challenges. Master Kirkwood and Master Byrne took the lower grades through their curriculum using line work, kicking and patterns.

The last day was hard, fun and inspiring to see all of A.I.M.A.A come together under the watchful eye of Grandmaster Cho and the A.I.M.A.A Masters. We had all trained, sweated and laughed together for a full week. We praised and pushed each other, welcomed new friends and extended our arms out to old friends. Our week had gone in the blink of an eye, as our training came to an end. However for the last few moments we sang together and danced to the sound of "YMCA" in celebration of our journey that week. The Masters and Grandmaster Cho watched as the students and Instructors had fun in those last few moments together united and in harmony.

As we now prepare for the next camp in 2010, we have many happy memories to keep us going until we once come together under our president and founder Grandmaster Cho. He guides us, teaches us that together we are whole, and that we each have a part within A.I.M.A.A. We hope that everyone who attended the camp has many fond memories of their week together, and are preparing for their next A.I.M.A.A camp, which to most of us cannot come soon enough!

Master Kirkwood wishes to thank all A.I.M.A.A Scotland Instructors, students and parents who made the trip to Florida. You will have many memories of the camp and your vacation, and hope that you will join A.I.M.A.A Scotland in 2010 for the next summer camp.

SUMMER CAMP PHOTOS COMING SOON !!