Q&A With Macrae

Red/Black Belt Angus Macrae recently accomplished The Ordeal, a big achievement in his Haidong Gumdo journey. How did he train, prepare and achieve The Ordeal? Find out in this quick-fire interview: Q&A With Macrae.

How did you get into Haidong Gumdo?

Macrae: My mum told me about Haidong Gumdo and I decided to give it a nudge.

How long have you been doing Haidong Gumdo?

Macrae: Roughly about two years.

What was your overall experience of The Ordeal?

Macrae: At first Pain and discomfort, then laughter, amusement, and fun.

How many hours of training did you do prior to The Ordeal?

Macrae: Meditation from 5 – 40 minutes most of the week, alongside Dun Jeon Ho, for as long as possible.

Do you think that amount of hours helped you complete The Ordeal?

Macrae: I think more hours would have been ideal, but sometimes you just need to be determined to push through and finish.

Which was harder, the one hour of Dun Jeon Ho or the 1000 cuts?

Macrae: %100 the 1000 cuts

And why were the 100 cuts harder?

Macrae: After doing the one hour Dun Jeon Ho, doing 1000 cuts were just horrible

If you could go back and do The Ordeal again, what would you do differently?

Macrae: Nothing really. Train a bit more beforehand, but for the ordeal itself, it wouldn’t change a thing.

Did you ever imagine you would be in this position to go for Black Belt?

No. After three years, maybe, but definitely not after two years.

What’s your future goals for Haidong Gumdo?

Macrae: Go further and reach higher in rank and skill.