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Student Express

	At the Hapkido Summit in New Jersey, USA. Left-right: Grandmaster Massan Ghorbani, Doju Nim Ji Han Jae, the founder of Sin Moo Hapkido, and American Grandmaster Kenneth P. Mackenzie, president of the World Sin Moo Hapkido Federation.
Irish Sin Moo Hapkido 3rd dan instructor Richard Mulcahy (right) with Gradmaster Kenneth P. Makenzie.

Hapkido founder Ji Han Jae awards Ghorbani

RICHARD MULCAHY REPORTS

BRAY, CO. Wicklow-based Grandmaster Massan Ghorbani and myelf, 3rd dan black belt instructor Richard Mulcahy, were in New Jersey, USA recently where we attended the 2011 World Sin Moo Hapkido Federation’s (WSMHF) summit and birthday banquet of 75-year-old DoJu Nim Ji Han Jae, the founder of Sin Moo Hapkiod. The event was was well attended with close on 100 WSMHF representatives from around the world.
After landing at the airport we were collected and driven to our hotel. After freshening up we were greeted in reception by none other than DoJu Nim Ji Han Jae himself, SaMo Nim (his wife), and Grandmaster Kenneth P. MacKenzie, 10th dan president of the WSMHF. After a quick catch up over coffee we were taken out and treated to dinner in a local traditional Korean restaurant.
The following morning we met up again with DoJu Nim, SaMo Nim, Grandmaster MacKenzie and Master Carl Henninger in Grandmaster and Dr. Egil Fosslien’s hotel for breakfast where we all discussed the upcoming seminar. Grandmaster MacKenzie and Master Henninger then took myself and Grandmaster Ghorbani on a tour of their beautiful Voorhees towship in New Jersey.

Foot work techniques
The training started in the afternoon with Senior Master Dr. Mark Fabi teaching Sin Moo's 30 advanced attacking techniques. This was followed by Grandmaster Fosslien teaching stepping and foot work techniques. Next, Grandmaster Ian Cyrus, a former FBI special agent and one of Doju Nim top students, went through defensive Hapkido principles and concepts. Lastly, Grandmaster Scott Yates instructed the large class in Hapkido kicking techniques and showed how to adapt and adjust them in numerous senarios.
Next day it was a 9 a.m. start by Grandmaster MacKenzie in his headquarters dojang where participants went through some very painful Hapkido flow-drills, joint locks, submissions and special sensitivity training techniques as well as multiple joint locks. This was followed by Grandmaster Ghorbani who took the seminar participants through a gruelling session of Kickboxing techniques and combinations followed by the applicable Hapkido techniques to defend against. Here Grandamster Ghorbani stressed the importance of eye contact, good close guard and distance awareness/control in a real situation. He also taught some tough body conditioning drills for full-contact sparring.
After lunch Grandmaster Yates went through Hapkido spinning kicks and the seminar was concluded by DoJuNim Ji Han Jae who gave a rare insight into Sin Moo Hapkido's history and philosophies. He followed this with 'ki power' development and meditation techniques after which he taught 'kyuck pa' or the art of power breaking techniques.

Commemorative plaques
The birthday banquet was held at a Korean restaurant and when DoJu Nim and SaMo Nim arrived they were greeted loudly by the crowd. During the banquet all the grandmasters were presented with commemorative plaques after which birthday wishes from martial artists around the world, who couldn't attend, were read aloud to the gathering.
One of the highlights, and a proud moment for me, was when DoJu Nim in his speech announced that there was now five 10th dans in the world. These include a Korean grandmaster (now deceased), Grandmaster Merrill Jung (Korea), Grandmaster Juerg Ziegler (Switzerland), Grandmaster MacKenzie. He then announced to the crowd that the new fifth and final 10th dan in Sin Moo Hapkido was Grandmaster Massan Ghorbani (Ireland and Iran).
Not only is Grandmaster Ghorbani the last 10th dan to be appointed by the style's founder he is also only the third non-Korean in the world to be promoted to the rank. So, to my instructor and long time good friend I'd like to say congratulations Susak Chon Kwan Chang Massan Ghorbani. I'm proud and honoured to have you as an instructor and a friend.