ITF Radix at TKDMeetUp 2026
Exploring Patterns, Self Defense, and the Spirit of the Do
In 2026 the ITF Radix project will once again step onto an international stage. During TKDMeetUp 2026, Roy Rolstad will present ITF Radix through a series of practical workshops focused on patterns, self defense, and the deeper spirit of Taekwon-Do.
TKDMeetUp has prooven not to be a traditional seminar. It is a gathering built around the idea of the Do. Training, reflection, and brotherhood are combined in a three day experience designed to strengthen body, mind, and character.
The event is organized by Mr. Łucasz Grygiel, the driving force behind a complete series of Taekwon-Do books and the creator of the Black Belt App. Through his work he has contributed significantly to documenting and sharing Taekwon-Do knowledge with practitioners around the world.
TKDMeetUp takes place at the European Budo Centre in Stara Wieś, Poland, a remarkable training environment created specifically for martial arts. Surrounded by forests and traditional dojo buildings, it offers a setting that encourages both focused training and meaningful conversations among practitioners.
Participants come together to train, learn, and exchange ideas about martial arts and life.
And as usuall ITF Radix is part of that conversation.
For more information about the event you can visit:
TKDMeetUp official website: https://tkdmeetup.eu
Facebook event page: https://facebook.com/events/s/tkdmeetup-2026-feel-the-do/1618827459318177/
A Different Way of Looking at Patterns
As a reader of this blog, this is nothing new to you, but! ITF Radix explores a simple but powerful perspective.
What if the movements in the patterns were originally designed as practical fighting tools?
Instead of treating patterns as choreography, ITF Radix looks at them as compressed fighting systems. A movement can become a release, a strike, a takedown, a clinch, or a control.
During the workshops Roy will unfold applications from the patterns and show how the traditional movements can be understood through a practical self defense lens.
What at first appears simple often reveals layers of functionality.
Distance
Timing
Balance breaking
Striking
Clinch work
Takedowns
Patterns stop being something you only perform.
They become something you train with.
Training the Mind and the Body
The ITF Radix sessions at TKDMeetUp connect physical technique with mental clarity.
Participants will explore how breathing, attention, and posture influence performance under pressure. The training integrates ideas from breath control, focus training, and structured mental preparation to help practitioners remain calm and functional in demanding situations.
This connection between body and mind has always been central to Taekwon-Do.
A good technique begins with a clear state of mind.
The Jumbi Spirit
Another theme Roy will explore is what he calls the Jumbi Spirit.
Jumbi is often translated simply as “ready stance,” yet the idea goes deeper than standing still before beginning a pattern.
Jumbi represents readiness.
Readiness to move.
Readiness to respond.
Readiness to act with clarity.
During the workshop participants will work with practical self defense concepts drawn from Taekwon-Do, Hapkido, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, expanding the self defense toolbox while maintaining the structure and principles of Taekwon-Do movement.
The goal is functional understanding that connects traditional training with real world situations.
The Spirit of the Do
TKDMeetUp is built around something many martial artists quietly search for.
The deeper meaning of training.
Over several days the program blends physical training, discussions about mindset, meditation practices, and time for reflection. The intention is to create an environment where martial artists can train seriously while also exploring the role martial arts plays in their lives.
There is time for intense practice.
Time for conversation.
Time to walk through the forests surrounding the dojo.
And time to sit around the campfire with practitioners from many countries who share the same path.
Why ITF Radix Fits This Event
ITF Radix fits naturally into this environment.
The project focuses on rediscovering the roots of Taekwon-Do while exploring how the traditional material can be trained as a living martial art.
Patterns become training laboratories.
Self defense becomes a natural extension of the art.
And the Do becomes something that grows through practice and shared experience.
This is exactly the kind of exploration TKDMeetUp encourages.
See You on the Mat
Roy Rolstad from Norway will represent ITF Radix at the event, sharing ideas that have grown through decades of training, teaching, and exploring the deeper mechanics of Taekwon-Do patterns.
For those attending TKDMeetUp 2026, it will be an opportunity to:
• train ITF Radix directly
• explore practical applications from patterns
• develop new perspectives on Taekwon-Do
• connect with martial artists from across Europe
Most importantly, it will be an opportunity to experience the spirit that lives at the heart of martial arts.
The Do.
And sometimes the best way to understand the Do is simply to step onto the floor and start moving.
