Poomsae Performance Programme Update – January to May 2023.

An update from British Taekwondo’s Poomsae Performance Department.

The British Taekwondo Poomsae Performance Department has had a busy and bright year, with regular open seminars and squad performance sessions taking place.

In January 2023, British Taekwondo’s Poomsae Performance Department created a more travel friendly method for British Taekwondo members to access regular regional poomsae seminars. This also opened up an avenue for British Taekwondo members to try out for regional squads.

These regional squads will have the opportunity of representing Great Britain in championships at home and abroad, and even the opportunity to represent Great Britain in major championships.

Between January and April, the department’s team has engaged with 376 students, and have a total attendance of 701 students getting involved in the regional poomsae sessions. These activities have engaged 96 clubs. There are now 154 Regional Squad members, with squads still to select in Northern Ireland.

This new method of servicing British Taekwondo members locally with poomsae is having a massive impact in that some of our open seminar venues are reaching over 120 British Taekwondo members. This is brilliant for poomsae as we are able to teach to grass roots and high-performance athletes.

The following high performance and assistant coaches are leading the sessions:

• South – Master Azim Razak, assisted by Emily Whiting, Dave Kim and Darren Naraine.
• North – Grand Master T W Shin, assisted by Jack Durcan and Della O’Horo.
• Scotland – Grand Master David Bailey.
• Northern Ireland – Master Peter Stewart.
• Wales – Master Chan Sau, assisted by Alan Lee and Bjorn Brunswick.

The sessions in the south, Wales and Northern Ireland are open to anyone of any grade or age. You do not have to be especially proficient in poomsae to attend the sessions. The main criteria is that you enjoy doing your poomsae in class. These seminars will teach basic movements and fundamental matters. These sessions are ideal for beginners and advanced practitioners alike.

The sessions in the north and in Scotland are open to any British Taekwondo member that is blue belt (4th Kup) and above. Again the team just asks that you enjoy doing your poomsae and we will teach you fundamental attributes required to do your poomsae well. So whether you have visions of being a world class poomsae star, or you just want to get higher marks on your grading, or anything in-between, these sessions are open for you to attend.

It’s excellent to receive feedback from attendees. Here’s what some of our regional poomsae members have said:

Student Luke Coull (K1 U14 Male) of Focus Taekwondo Elgin – “I like the regional squad sessions. I’m learning more about the patterns to help me improve when I compete.”

Student Cara Coull (Dan U30 Female) of Focus Taekwondo Elgin – “I look forward to the regional squad sessions. Master Bailey’s sessions are enjoyable, and he explains everything in way that I understand.”

Student Lucy Xu (Dan U30 Female) of Cambridge University – “Training with Master Shin as part of the regional sessions has been an amazing experience. I love the intensity and being pushed to perform at my best.”

Lucy Armer (Dan U14 Female) and Alice Armer (K1 Peewee Female) of Aspire Taekwondo, attend the sessions together and Alice is one of the youngest members in the North at just age ten. She says “Squad training is a great. we are learning so much and get specific feedback on how to improve our technique and performance.”

The Poomsae Performance Department has students from as young as seven taking part the seminars, and senior students in their 70s – so if you are any age, and enjoy your patterns, you qualify to attend the sessions.

We hope to see British Taekwondo members – both new and experience – at the next seminars.

You can register for the May events here.

Details and registration for June events can be found here.

About British Taekwondo’s Poomsae Performance Department

British Taekwondo’s Poomsae Performance Department is responsible for the development of athletes competing and training at national and international level.

The first steps to national team selection is participation in open Poomsae and Para-Poomsae seminars and selection into national squad training sessions.

Find out more about the Poomsae and Para-Poomsae Performance Pathways.

Please contact the Poomsae Performance Department should you have any questions squad.poomsaeperformance@britishtaekwondo.org

Photos: Submitted.