Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Moving the Dojang...

In November of 2006 we moved into our old dojang on 6th street, and somewhere in 2007 bought pads to put under our mats.
After everything was finished, the dojang looked pretty good, with the mirrors on one wall so everyone could observe their technique, plenty of mat space (for a small dojang, that is) and good pads underneath so people could take decent falls without injury.

We stayed here for two more years---and then, like the previous blog entry said, we bought a building. So this had to all be taken apart, moved, and set up in a dojang space of a different size and shape.








So, what did I do over the holidays? Well, first I packed up everything in the old dojang...












The movers came in and loaded everything into their truck, including rolling up the mats and taking them too.











When they finished, the dojang looked rather strange---it hasn't been empty like this in quite awhile. Completely a different place without weapons on tables, crash pads and kicking targets scattered around, and mats on the floor.










So then, it was all moved to the new building, and piled in a room, whereupon the fun started...








First item of business--placing the pads, cutting them to length, and filling in the gaps. (For the record, the progression shown in the next three pictures took approximately 7 hours to do...)


Next up, locking sections together with duct tape, so they wouldn't separate.


After that, I put the mats down over the pads, fitting the mats around the pole and making sure everything was even with no gaps.

Lastly, I placed some extra mats on the floor to the side, put extra equipment in off-mat areas so they are accessible--and here is our new dojang:


I note that my office is still almost completely packed in boxes, though I've got my computer running. At least the mats are finished, though. So---see everyone in class!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Changes for the New Year, 2010...

Some big things are happening! Sabumnim and Dr. Howard have bought a building for their collective businesses, so the Hapkido dojang will be moving over the holiday break. We will start with an Open Practice day on January 2nd, and then regular Hapkido classes will commence on January 5th at the normal time---but in the new building, at 546 Avenue A in Plattsmouth. Step into the building, and walk down the hallway toward the back---you'll see the dojang space when you do.

We have also finally gotten around to re-vamping the Hapkido website, which has been in dire need of updating for quite some time. Some sections have disappeared, and the Women's Self-Defense and Firearms Training sections have been expanded. Students, please take a look around and find all my typos so I can get them fixed before anyone else notices...

In student news, we have a new black belt! Matt received his full black belt in class last month, making him the second student to ever receive a full 1st dan ranking from Sabumnim. Here are some video highlights from his test:


Four other students are in line to test for their next ranks toward the end of January, from green/blue to red/one stripe.

See you in class!