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Dojumin Ji, Han-Jae seminar in Spain

The room of but of 600 m2 of tapestry of the Universitat of Valencia it was packed with a total of 72 practitioners coming from Barcelona, Sevilla, Valencia, Ceuta, Algeciras, Almagro, Majorca, Xativa, L´Olleria, besides the Black Belts of Portugal, Ireland and England and I not eat, the special attendance of the Grand Masters Jürg Ziegler (9th. Dan) of Switzerland and Massan Ghorbani (8th. Dan) of Ireland that they came expressly to attend the Doju-nim besides accompanying in the Dinner-Gala of the 70 Anniversary of the Doju-nim Ji Han Jae that the A.E.S.M.H. prepared expressly for the occasion.
The Course began toward the 10 h. of the morning with the absence of the Masters Ghorbani of Ireland and Ziegler of Switzerland which took its retarded flights, Doju-nim constantly asks for them. The Master Balbastre began the warming up exercises and the Doju-nim gave beginning to the technical session that consisted mainly on the tomorrow's session in the work of technical with partners but with multitude of applications against grabs, against fist, in direct attack and in combination, giving place to an enormous quantity of technical and variations that made enjoy to the whole all pupils anxious for to train directly under the direction of the Doju-nim.
When we took a hour of training made entrance to the Do-jang the Master Massan Ghorbani (8th. Dan) accompanied by the gigantic one (2 m) Instructor of Kick Boxing and Hapkido Ken Mahony, the Doju-nim accelerates to greet their student Massan with an affectionate one I hug since toward several years that they didn't see it. Doju-nim has a special affection since to Massan it is one of the Instructors of 1st. generation of S.M.H. which attended next to the Grandmaster Ziegler to the famous Seminars of California USA when Doju-nim began to give to know its style, remembered in those dates by its 10 days followed by intensive training to 10 hrs per day (those that have attended the Seminar of Spain of only 6 h. they will be able to value what supposed those trainings in those years.
The training continued highlighting that Doju-nim chose as sparring for the whole session from the morning to the Instructor José Luis Agís (2º Give) of Algeciras that tolerate like the 3,30 hrs could. that the morning session lasted with the direct applications of Doju-nim being projected, luxado, turning and pressed with those (Hyoldo), it was at night in the Dinner-Gala when Doju-nim calls it to its table and ask that like was its leg since it was bruised a little of the Nak-bop (falling).
Toward the 12 h. appeared for the door of the room the Grandmaster Juerg Ziegler to which I personally hardly recognized after having lost more than 30 Kg., the Doju-nim orders the Master Balbastre to stop the Seminar and I indicate everybody to be rotated toward in address to the Grand Master Ziegler to greet him for what I screamed "Charyot" "Kyonye". the Teacher's gear Ziegler doesn't leave indifferent to anybody mainly for the necklace of gold with multitude of shields of its schools that was on his black T-shirt.
At the request of the Doju-nim the session of late opened the Grandmaster Ziegler explaining the techniques of "Dan-jon" breathing, concentration and basic canalization of the the energy "KI". continuous Doju-nim the Seminar with what he calls "technical with steps" that are based on attacking for key or projection but using the imbalance and the weight from the opponent to our favor. For the demonstrations requested in all moment the Teacher's demonstrations David Mc Goldrick of more than 1,90 and it put it of sparring with our Instructor from Barcelona Salvador Caballero which their head didn't arrive to its shoulder, an amusing situation that caused Doju-nim deliberately to demonstrate that it doesn't care the opponent's corpulence using these techniques correctly, Doju-nim made that every time it was applauded that David was demolished by Salvador, it was truly spectacular to do the projections with so much difference of height. In spite of the numerous attendance the pupil was constantly attended by the Teachers Ziegler, Ghorbani and myself, Doju-nim also corrected for the lines, the Doju-nim assigns us to each one a line of even. They even sound in my hearings as said aloud from the other side of the room << master balbastre! teaching, teaching! >>.
Both finish hours of the Seminar they were devoted to the training of the kicks exactly beginning in group the 25 basic kicks and correct the Doju-nim any movement that didn't seem him "perfect". next made sit down to all and it began to take out of one in one to all the Black Belts to "prove them technically" and they should carry out jumps special and diverse combinations, I must say that here you doesn't save nobody (neither myself), I surprised myself to see like was ordered the Grandmaster Ziegler that carried out some combinations of sweeping kicks super low (Ancha Dolio) and to the Master Massan to carry out a Wide swept splendid combination of kicks (Ancha Dolio + Ancha Dora) but taking it Doju-nim walking for the room in an I circulate big, a technique that you can qualify of "destroys legs" for the one that not this adapted.

Finished the Seminar that finally lengthens 7 h. proceeded to the delivery of Certificates of Attendance and the endless session of photos and dedications that Doju-nim patiently assisted. This was what happened openly but there was a lot but, Doju-nim nothing else to arrive in Valencia wanted to train to door-closed in my Do-jang diverse technical specialties in three occasions, one of them next to the Teachers Ziegler and Ghorbani and he didn't give opportunity to make "tourism" as me programmed I have, he said << non tourism, tomorrow training in your do-jang! >> one of these anecdotes was that I joust finished the Dinner-Gala that we offered him at night in the Hotel Abashiri, happened an amusing anecdote, all the included the Grandmasters Ziegler and Ghorbani left with the Spanish pupils of "party" at Valencian night, I was traveling with my family and Doju-nim toward my house toward the 1,30 h. Doju-nim told me... it warns to Massan and Ziegler that tomorrow at ten o'clock in your Do-Jang to train. >From the car it locates a student for telephone and he confirmed me that the Grand Masters were with them dancing in a disco.
The whole time surprised by the vitality from the Doju-nim to their 70 years was, keeping in mind the 7 h. of the seminar of the whole day, more the 3 h. of the Dinner-Gala of the night. The following day Doju-nim appeared on time for my room where I was sleeping next to my son and waking up from my heavy dream when hearing << you sleeping? >>, as seeing among the fog of the dream I did see laughing to Doju-nim already dressed with its Dobok and saying me << is the hour we go to the do-jang >> and there we were with the Teachers the whole morning.

Rafael Balbastre
President of the Spanish Sin Moo Hapkido Association