For the very first time, the 2013 Annual Cuong Nhu Black Belt Meeting will be available via Google Hangout video conference for black belts not attending training camp.

If you are a Cuong Nhu black belt who is not attending IATC 2013, Grandmaster Quynh encourages you to attend this important annual meeting “virtually.” The meeting takes place on Saturday, May 25, 2013 at 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

Because of bandwidth limitations, a maximum of 10 devices can connect to the Black Belt Hangout. Because of this, if multiple black belts from your dojo would like to attend the Hangout, please consider meeting in person and attending with one device.

You can participate in the Black Belt Hangout via a desktop device (PC or Mac) or a smartphone or tablet device (iPad, iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone).

Setup Instructions

To attend, please do the following now, well in advance of the meeting:

1. If you don’t already have one, create a free Google+ account at https://plus.google.com/
2. Go to the Cuong Nhu Google+ page and select “Follow.” I’ll be notified, and will check your name against the current black belt list. If you’re listed, I’ll add you to the “Black Belt” circle.
3. If you plan to attend via tablet or smart phone, download and install the free Google+ app ahead of time on your iPhone/iPad, Android, or Windows Phone.

On the Day of the Meeting

1. At approximately 6:45 PM Eastern Time, I’ll launch the private Black Belt Google Hangout. Please join the hangout before the meeting starts at 7:00 PM. Again, because of bandwidth limits, a maximum of 10 participants can join the Hangout. Just like at the physical meeting, it’s best to be early. 🙂
2. If you’re using a Mac or PC: go to the Cuong Nhu Google+ Page. You will see a Hangout invitation that looks like this:
3. If you’re using a mobile device or tablet: search for Cuong Nhu in the Google+ app’s search box to find the Hangout invitation, which looks like this:
4. After joining the Hangout, you’ll be able to see and hear what’s happening at the meeting. To eliminate background noise, please mute your microphone (by pressing the microphone image) once you’re inside the Hangout. If you have a question, or need to be heard, please un-mute yourself before speaking, then mute yourself again when finished.
5. I’ll be monitoring the Hangout during the meeting to help resolve any technical issues.

I’ll be hosting some test Hangouts between now and training camp. Check the Cuong Nhu Google+ page from time to time to see if one is running, and join it to say “hi!” To learn more about Google Hangouts, click here.

Please contact me or comment below with any questions, or to let me know if you’re planning to attend. Hope to see you at the Hangout!