WonHwaDo

Discussion in 'Other Styles' started by Voltaire, Apr 2, 2009.

  1. Voltaire

    Voltaire Valued Member

    WonHwaDo. A new school for this MA has opened in our village. Can anyone give me some information about this MA?


    I have searched here and found one post mentioning it but I'd like some more detail perhaps from a practitioner.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2009
  2. Voltaire

    Voltaire Valued Member

    No WonHwaDo students online?
     
  3. Dan Bian

    Dan Bian Neither Dan, nor Brian

    From Wikipedia:

    Smells like BS to me, especially the highlighted section above.

    I think it's just another Korean martial art that has been developed post WW2, probably developed from various schools of Japanese martial arts... Much like other Korean MA's... Then propogated as a descendant of some ancient Korean practice, usually to give the impression that Korean martial tradition isn't a rip off of Japanese and Chinese systems (which it is).

    I'd suggest looking for a decent school teaching either Japanese or Chinese martial arts.
    But then, my opinion of Korean systems is low.
     
  4. Voltaire

    Voltaire Valued Member

    Thanks for that web info.
     
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2009
  5. Voltaire

    Voltaire Valued Member

    I think I'll take a couple of classes to see what its about...
     
  6. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    A lot depends on what you want to do martial arts for. If what you want is exercise and have some fun then go for it. Are you going to become a great fighter because of it? I doubt it.
     
  7. Voltaire

    Voltaire Valued Member

    Are there any practitioners online willing to talk about this MA?
     
  8. Obewan

    Obewan "Hillbilly Jedi"


    I'm not a practictioner of WHD but I do pratice Kuk Sool and I went to the WHD web site. It's similar to Kuk Sool and Hapkido maybe with a more modern approach. I have no idea who the Grand Master is usually this type of MA is an offshoot of either Hapkido or Kuk Sool they seem to have similar techniques so I would say they are related in some way.

    I don't know if you've ever trained in MA's before but as always buyer beware. Don't be afraid of it because its a Korean MA as Taiji Student would have you think. Probably got beat up by a Korean practitioner and has been having nitemares every since:rolleyes:

    You can usually tell a good school by visiting and watching a couple of classes to see how things are done and if the instructors know what they are doing.

    Let us know how it goes
     
  9. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    I would hazard a guess the true grandmaster is the Reverend Moon,as WHD is a creation of/for the Unification Church.(see KSW forum,Sulkido Lurker thread,link in post 49).

    I found it interesting in Voltaire's first thread he stated that several well equipped schools had opened in Dublin.

    Speculative question-is the church just wishing to cash in on the modern popularity of MAs,or is this also an attempt at a new method to attract converts?

    "effectively making use of full 360° rotations of the key joints of the human body. " This sentence in the wiki entry needs rewording.I don't know about the rest of you,but if one of my joints rotates 360 degrees I'll probably hear a a bad sound and experience "some" discomfort.

    A martial system with its origins in dance and prayer?Oh well,no sillier than those claiming certain systems evolved from ch'i gong.

    "The latter consisted of holding the hands in the traditional prayer position and then rotating them, as if spinning a wheel. This represented the rotation of the Yin and Yang within the person, bringing them into alignment and harmony, thereby bringing peace and healing."

    Hey,they can't claim this!Only TCC folks are allowed to say performing certain physical actions will effect the Y/Y in a person,bringing harmony,peace and healing!

    These guys are trespassing on our turf!Marketing turf,that is.
     
  10. Obewan

    Obewan "Hillbilly Jedi"

    Wow Moonies! well then I would stay away from that for sure.
     
  11. Moi

    Moi Warriors live forever x

    I like a good cult
     
  12. MadMonk108

    MadMonk108 JKD/Kali Instructor

    There is zero proof of this, only allegations.
     
  13. punho

    punho New Member

    You are the real cultists because you dont know about things and call names and never done nothing about it.Wonhwado started in 1964 by Master Han Bong Ki under name of WonHwaSul in 1972 the actual name WonHwaDo was given, so is not new art neither is a Gospel Karate for Christ martial art! I pratice WHD since 1989 so 20 of WHD I am Unificationist and Proud of my Faith wich is mine and deserve be respected like any other we are not under Roman Inquisition no more!!
    I am also Yoshinkan Aikido,Wing Chun,Aikijujitsu Instructor full time with Budo/Mudo arts since 1995 please be serious and you are welcome to my Academy in Asia, you can join us in the matts.
     
  14. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    Point taken.I should have stated that was my opinion based on the only older-(1970s)- sources I had been able to find in a non-exhausting search mentioning WHD did so only in relation to the UC.
     
  15. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    Thanks for the historical info.

    So does the UC own,have copyright on,or otherwise in word or deed control HWD?This relates to my opinion that the Reverend is the Grandmaster.

    As to this-"Speculative question-is the church just wishing to cash in on the modern popularity of MAs,or is this also an attempt at a new method to attract converts?"

    I would ask the same if MA schools of a MA of which I only found older mention of it in connection with my mother's church opened.

    Welcome to MAP,punho.
     
  16. punho

    punho New Member

    Thanks for your reply Well Rev.Moon himself was a Ssirum wrestling champion in is highschools days.He supported styles like Mass Oyama Karate in fact many members in Japan praticed kyukushin but also Jung Dosul korean martial art,Tongil Moodo,Teakwondo and also Wonhwado.But Rev Moon owning any of this styles is to strong I had mostly indiference by churches leaders and members beacause of my WHD pratice Master Han Bong Ki received advise from Rev Moon as well moral support mostly otherwise WHD could be big as Hapkido or KukSool.There is people of all faiths as well no particular faith doing WHD as well any Budo/Mudo art.You just see Tongil Moodo is a style also inspired by Rev.Moon wich is really growing BIG I did it for 4 years got Brown belt but later changed for WHD despite having less praticioners outside Korea.I do it since I like the style but I still consider Yoshinkan Aikido one of the "Razor blade" Aiki styles that can take us out of problems in the street and fastest way to do joints techniques.Take care
     
  17. punho

    punho New Member

    If you look in the history of so many martial arts there is a recorded link between spirituality expressed by difirent religions faiths and the martial arts, this not only in West Asia,South East Asia or Far East like China,Korea and Japan.In Europe of the Greek and Romans was the same and I think that in Africa or Americas also the same.So there is no big deal of any relation between ANY form of spirituality and the martial arts.For the japan gendai arts just remenber Judo Kodokan started at one Budhist temple.Take Aikido and tere is no Omoto Kyo religion and there is no Aikido.So today you dont need to be Budhist to do Judo neither Omoto Kyo member to do Aikido right?!
    UC since almost its beginings in the fithies encorage its members to have healthy life style and the pratice of any form of sport that also includes generically the martial arts.WHD in 1972 and Tongil Moodo in 1979 are two uniques styles that many UC members have been praticing so is not new trend to recruting membership.People of any Faith or without any Faith can benefit from from WHD AS WELL ANY MARTIAL ART PRATICE.The best is to try yourself dont be scare if some Unificationist are doing martial arts together with you.The stereotype of the media and the real people is not the same.UC peope are unique in they own ways there is no zombie prototype by sure!!
    Take care and step in the matts.
     
  18. El Medico

    El Medico Valued Member

    Actually the relation between martial practice and spirituality is rather blown out of proportion.Whether China,Korea, or France the reason some members of religious orders learned martial methods was due to the need to defend themselves while traveling or defending the territories the religious orders owned.A necessity of the times.I imagine the proportion of people in religious orders learning such practices nowadays is far less than when there was less law and order despite the overall popularity of MAs these days.Granted this came to pass in western Europe earlier than in other places.It's been a long time since western Europe had much in the way of fighting religious orders.

    Many MAs have been taught to lay people in temples etc.,but were not restricted to those of that particular temple's faith.Fu Hok Hung Gar was originally taught in a Buddhist temple (by a lay person) but was not just for Buddhists,most Chinese weren't Buddhist.Religious orders then and now rent out space to lay people for various activities,I suppose hundreds of years from now someone could infer that aerobic classes were intertwined with churches because so many of them rent out space to instructors of same.

    Aikido practice was not restricted to followers of the founders beliefs.Judo was likewise not restricted to followers of any particular faith.(Did you know that US president Theodore Roosevelt was a BB in Judo before his presidency?He was president in the first decade of the 20th century,so he learned pretty early.Pretty sure TR was not Buddhist).Judo being taught in a temple was the same situation as described above for HG.It was not a Buddhist MA.

    I'm not concerned about individual members of any religion practicing alongside me or learning from me.Actually one of my old friends from school was a member last I time I saw her and was very active as a travelling missionary or something like that.

    Then again one of my wife's best friends was a textbook case for how the UC-(among others)- indoctrinated people with the techniques they utilized in the 70s.(She is no longer a member).I realize the church no longer seeks new members the way it did at that time.

    Thanks again for the info,hope to see you around MAP.
     
  19. punho

    punho New Member

    I also agree with your exlplanation I used to be fan at the beginnings of UFC/MMA stuf but now lost some feeling for it I think that some times we see the worst side of mankind at that events.Also my age is maybe the same of the ones Couture or Rickson Gracie.Anyway I know of one UC member doing MMA is in your tube is name I think is Luis Carreno is from the Tongil Moodo style and looks like that is hard cookie.
    I am more on peaceful trend now so not inspired by that displays.
     
  20. Hugo Song

    Hugo Song New Member

    I am an instructor in Won Hwa Do and can say that although the creator of Won Hwa Do originally had ties to the Unification church he later broke off all ties and connections to them.

    Won Hwa Do is an independent martial art that remains active in European countries like Germany, Slovakia and England. Korea and Japan are the only countries in Asia to still practice it but at one point it really grew to quite a large organisation.

    Various political issues and the passing of the founder Great Grand Master Han has negatively affected it.
     

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