A kicking good Korean experience
IF YOU can imagine training for so long you shred the skin on your feet, or running up endless stairs carrying a person on your shoulders, then you are experiencing the life of a Taekwondo student from Hanzhong University in South Korea.
Assistant instructor at the San Taekwondo club in Maleny, Cameron Taylor, is now half way through his three month scholarship at the university.
Cameron's typical day begins with a dawn mountain run and ends late at night after a long day of drills, sparring, timber breaking and kicking practice.
For Cameron, the only Australian and non-Korean student studying at Hanzhong, it's the opportunity of a lifetime.
"It's an honour and so inspiring to be coached by an Olympic gold medallist," he said.
"The training has helped me improve my technique, kick speed and power immensely."
Cameron also fits Korean language lessons into his busy day and is taking every opportunity to become involved in Korean life.
"Everyone makes me feel welcome and are very nice," he said.
"Some weekends are spent with room mates visiting their families, attending barbeques, markets and museums and others are less traditional with squid jerky snacks at the cinema, karaoke and midnight takeaways."
Visit his blog, blog.santkd.com or santkd.com.
