So, as some of you may recall from my posts, I stopped training in Kuk Sool around 1999 or so, if I recall correctly. Last Saturday, I drove for 4 and a half hours to Washington DC to train with PSBN Russell Moore. We went over Ki Cho Hyung, as well as the Seung Bae Gi and Ki Bon Soo techniques. Things that are different: Seung Bae Gi have altered quite a bit, especially 3. When I was first taught them, it was almost as if they were designed to be the first move in an offensive response to being grabbed. That is still possible, but they seem much more defensive now, if that makes sense. The method of teaching Ki Cho Hyung is radically different, with quite a few more "steps", though the form itself is essentially the same. 7 distinct movements for the 1st part of the Hyung is much more detailed than I recall learning in 1995. That being said, it did make it easier to remember, and I am continuing to practice what I was re-taught fairly regularly. Good times! One thing I very much liked was in the later part of the day, PSBN helped teach a class at a Fitness and Learning center in Maryland. Duringthe course of the class, a previous martial arts instructor was leaving the room after changing from his class that took place before ours. PSBN called the class to attention and bowed out the instructor, giving respect to a fellow martial artist, a seasoned Karate instructor. That, to me, is what Martial Arts should be about... respect and courtesy to our fellow artists. It was a very long day, including the 6 hour drive home (an hour to go 15 miles on the Beltway?!?) that I look forward to repeating at the end of October. Once a month is rough, but given the commute costs, that's about what I can handle. Hopefully I can train hard enough to make it worth it!
Congrats C. Dog! glade your back, PSBN(third dahn) Russell Moore is a great guy he'll get you back on track. Kuk Sool Won has changed alot over the years, however now with SIKJN (8th dahn) Suh making the rounds to all the school owner in the US and abroad everyone is practicing the same. I compared notes with a Master from the UK. we practiced hyung together it looked as if we'd learned at the same school...it was identical. Good luck and keep practicing.
Yep, Pittsburgh. Well, I'm actually a bit North East of Pittsburgh, but I would catch the train in Pittsburgh. Yes, it would appear that I could take Amtrak, round trip on the Capital Express is approx $100 (which is about what I spent on gas and tolls driving), but would leave me with a very short training window. As much as I love Kuk Sool, I am reluctant to spend several hundred a month to train for 90 minutes each weekend. At this point in my life, I am waiting for Kuk Sool to drift into my part of PA. In the meantime, I have added an Aikido class to my TKD to get my weekly dose of Joint locking goodness.
While Aikido is not a bad choice, you might want to look for a Hapkido class in your area. IMO, Hapkido is very much more like the joint locking techniques of Kuk Sool (for many reasons, among them Kuk Sa Nim In Hyuk Suh and Do Ju Nim Ji Han Jae both studied from the same master, and were all involved in the Kido organization along with In Sun Seo). Plus, you won't have to learn the terminology all over again in Japanese
Oh, very much so. When I explain to folks my MA history, if they don't know what Kuk Sool is, I just say it's part of the Hapkido family, which is true. Sadly, there are 3 pretty big strikes against the only place I've found that seems to teach a legit Hapkido... one is distance, it's a long commute, 2nd is price, I believe what I was quoted when I called them was something along the lines of $130 a month, and then the fact that that they are apparently part of the "Kovar Management" program makes me incredibly leery. I hard far to many horror stories about the Kovar's in my days in Sacramento. So, Aikido and TKD, until such time as someone opens a Kuk Sool Dojang here.
I was lucky enough in the mid-90's to have access to two black belts that had been around KSW for a while and I learned two versions of more than a few techniques. It was explained that since it was still a 'living style' that alterations were still being made at the top and trickling down from there. The newer techniques were often accompanied with the description of being 'more humane', if that makes any sense. Having both versions performed on me, one generally did seem to have a faster and more severe pain response than the other. I left in 98 or so to return a couple of years ago briefly, and a number of things had changed again from either version of what I had seen before. I'm not sure how to feel about that though.
That is in fact probably true. I know my old instructor used to say that when he was coming up, Go gup Hyung and day gup hyung (boy I bet I wrecked that spelling) were originally one form. The art is still alive and being directed from headquarters, with small changes and whatnot trickling down from Kuk Sa Nym and a few others on down. Will probably be that way for a while.
