I tried emailing webmaster@hmjhapkido.or.kr and the email bounced. Who knows... maybe something is down and since it's the weekend no one is tending to it. I'll try again later.
Repeated attempts to email webmaster@hmjhapkido.or.kr were unsuccessful... email always bounced. So instead I tried websabum@kidohae.com and did receive a reply: So I guess we just have to wait a few more months and check back later.
here's another article you all might like KUK SOOL WON'S FIGHTING ANIMALS BY JANE HALLANDER Tae Kwon Do Times, November 1996 For some reason, martial artists like to believe that the study of animal fighting tactics is exclusive to and has its roots in Chinese martial arts. Not so, according to ancient records and modern day martial art masters, like Kuk Sool Won's ninth degree master, In Joo Suh. While Chinese martial arts appeared to place a greater emphasis on individual animals by establishing whole systems around a single creature (Preying Mantis Kung-Fu, for instance), other countries, such as Korean, found animals as a whole to be an important source of fighting knowledge. "Early man had to eat, and out of this need, hunted for his food. As he foraged, he watched and copied the hunting and survival tactics of other animals he hunted, and occasionally he also used these skills against the larger animals that found man as suitable prey. Over time, man developed a crude form of martial arts, begun mostly through trial and error (costly if he lost) and through imitation of other animals' fighting behaviours." Explains San Antonio, Texas, based Suh. As the human race grew and established territories and nations, martial arts in those territories expanded, particularly when these countries went to war with one another. War between nations gave man the opportunity to further develop his martial arts into ever more advanced forms; some of these would become a way of life and a code of ethics for martial artists. As he watched an eagle catch a rabbit, two tigers fighting, or a snake capture a frog, the budding martial artist added not only more techniques but also the spirit and fighting principles of each animal. While the use of animal fighting tactics is common to Chinese martial arts, it's not quite as well known to other cultures. Perhaps the nature of Japanese martial arts, to take an example, place more value on man-created techniques than those developed from other forms of life. Korea, on the other hand, brought a more practical and straightforward approach to its martial arts. While animal hunting and survival tactics played a role in Korea's martial history, they were obscured due to centuries of no-non-sense fighting. Only in certain Korean fighting systems have the principles of animal fighting styles surfaced to form an integral part of the art. Specifically, Kuk Sool Won, a martial art with roots extending to the very beginning of recorded Korean martial history, utilizes information derived from careful observation of many different animals. However, still keeping with the Korean philosophy of basic practicality, Kuk Sool Won animal forms are vastly different from those of other martial systems. Kuk Sool practitioners believe that merely to imitate the animal is not good enough. People are not animals. People reason, rather then react. Humans have different body structure, two legs instead of four. Therefore, just imitating an animal's motions doesn't make a powerful, effective technique. Only by careful conversion of each individual creature's fighting principles into human requirements does the animal forms become effective. Then, not only are they an effective method of fighting, but they greatly enhance and expand the human warrior's strength and capabilities. Each Kuk Sool teacher has special martial interests that he carefully cultivates, making him as expert in this specialty. Master In Joo Suh, who heads two Kuk Sool Won schools in San Antonio, Texas, studies and applies animal forms as one of his special martial tools. Suh has spent considerable time observing the animals that Kuk Sool Won has drawn from Korean martial history. Suh refers to the ancient theory of five elements to explain the importance of studying more than just one animal. "The five elements of martial strength," he explains, "are speed, internal power, breathing, balance (body control), and practice. These are important; not only to martial arts, but to the animals we study. Even the animals adhere to the five element basics when they practice their fighting tactics in the guise of play." Just as Kung Fu's five elements (water, fire, earth, metal and wood) have different qualities and relationships, the Korean five-element theory dictates that each animal has different strengths and weaknesses over other creatures. To elaborate, no single animal is completely free of enemies and natural predators. The snake runs from a crane, while the crane, in turn, flees from an eagle. As in the Chinese description of the five elements, there is a continuous circle where each animal counters another creature and is countered by still another. That's why, in Suh's opinion, no martial artists should be satisfied with the knowledge of only one type of defence, animal or not. For instance, if a small person has to defend himself against someone larger, he shouldn't have to rely on the tiger form, for example, that requires great strength. Instead, he might call upon his knowledge of the snake's fighting habits, placing his entire body power into his defensive counterattacking blow. Although there are other animal forms to be found in Korean martial arts, not all suit the individual practitioner, and the student should choose only those that do. Suh, himself, has five favourite animals. Praying Mantis One of Suh's five animals is the praying mantis (sama-gi). Pound for pound, Suh says, a martial artist with internal training (ki development) can project seven times his normal strength. However, the praying mantis bears strength 3,000 times his own body weight. It's incredible that a creature with such a light body and long spindly legs can be so strong. Actually, those long legs, when coupled with a relatively heavy head, produce excellent overall body balance and a stable foundation from which to operate its quick, front-grabbing arms. The insect's foundation is so solid that when the mantis strikes, only its front arms need move. Of course, man isn't built like a praying mantis. Therefore, he has to adapt the insect's fighting tactics to his own physique and needs. Only the basic principles of action and power are duplicated within the martial artist's arsenal. Korean praying mantis techniques are short, close-range manoeuvres, using the fingers and back of the knuckles as striking surfaces. The backs of the wrist and back of the palm are also employed in praying mantis techniques. A strike is usually followed by a grab with the striking hand, which then pulls the opponent off balance and into range for another blow. In order to keep a strong, stable foundation, there is little variety in the footwork used with mantis strikes. As with some of the other animal techniques, praying mantis strikes are directed toward the body's sensitive pressure points. The actual insects don't have the advantage of pressure point knowledge. That's something man has added to enhance the speed and balanced attack he borrowed from the praying mantis. For effective pressure point strikes, the martial artist's fingers have to be strong and well conditioned -- otherwise, he won't be able to penetrate the pressure point. This is true not only of the praying mantis but of all animal forms that use finger strikes. To develop strength in their fingers, Kuk Sool practitioners rapidly open and close their hands, many times in succession, until they develop penetrating strength. They also practice push-ups on their fingertips as a conditioning aid. Snake "The snake is 100 percent defence", he explains. "It strikes only when it is threatened or attacked. When the snake is relaxed, its body is merely a long, rope-like tube. However, when it senses danger, the snake immediately prepares itself for battle. At that time, when its body coils into a defensive position, the snake's body power is transferred to the head -- the actual striking area." The fighting principle borrowed from the snake is one of defensive attack from a prepared position, one that allows the entire body force to transmit out through the Kuk Sool stylist's hand or foot. Pressure point strikes, made with two fingers bracing one another, are popular defences within the snake form. Other hand and foot techniques are also employed, including occasional head butting. All hand and foot blows are quick, circular, almost wrapping techniques, and are many times directed from a cat stance position. These defensive strikes are similar to the coiling and uncoiling action of a snake. In keeping with the snake's basic character, Kuk Sool stylists wait until after the opponent punches or kicks, evades his attack, and then immediately counterattack. A real snake often uses constriction to defeat an opponent larger than itself. Kuk Sool Won snake techniques follow the same approach. Kuk Sool stylists might capture their attacker in a chokehold by faking a high kick and then finish by suddenly wrapping their leg around their opponent's neck. Tiger Ho-rang-ee (the tiger) is strictly an attack animal. Suh makes it clear that the tiger is not completely represented by the popular claw hand seen in other martial arts. The animal uses its speed and heavy body weight to pounce upon and break the backs or necks of its victims. Then, it bites victims in a vital area to finish them off. Although a tiger will use its paws and claws in fighting situations against opponents of similar size and weight, it employs the greatest power when hunting and killing prey. Therefore, Kuk Sool uses a solid, palm breaking technique rather than a scratching action to represent the tiger. This is the same palm used to break boards and concrete that simulates a human foe's body. Another characteristic of the tiger is that it always attacks the front portion of the prey's body. The front exposes more vital areas of the victim's body to the tiger's bold, aggressive attack. In Korean history, the tiger was the most important non-spiritual animal. Eagle and Crane In Joo Suh is also very familiar with two bird fighting forms: the eagle (dok-soo-ri) and the crane (hak). The eagle is a strong fighter, geared totally to offence. Whereas tigers attack from the front, an eagle strikes only from behind the prey, using claws to catch its victims. If a frontal attack is made, it is easy for the intended prey to evade an eagle, which has only claws for weapons. An eagle frightens and panics the victims by circling overhead prior to attacking. As the prey becomes more and more panicked, if flies towards the ground, allowing the eagle to make its attack from above and behind. This is the fighting principle that Kuk Sool Won takes from the eagle. Often after first fooling their opponents with a faked technique, Kuk Sool practitioners grab sensitive pressure points with their well-conditioned fingers. They also use similar eagle finger techniques to lock joints. Again, finger and hand development are essential before eagle techniques is completely effective. The crane set of techniques, although based on a creature one hundred percent the aggressor, is composed of loose, relaxed and quick moves, manifesting a much softer power than the eagle's power. Since the crane isn't a physically strong animal, it combines relaxed, soft power with extreme speed to capture prey. In order to obtain success with loose, supple power, it's necessary for the crane to focus intent and energy into one point. The snake also focuses power toward one point, and both creatures place the whole body weight into the head, which is used as a striking surface. However, the crane uses long-range, relaxed movements, while the snake action is short and hard. Suh makes the point that, within Kuk Sool Won animal forms, crane movements never allow the martial artist to expose his body, as do some other martial arts that imitate a crane with his wings outstretched. He emphasizes that people are not animals, and that since only the animal's basic fighting principles are important, there is no reason to try to resemble an animal. Other lesser-known animals, commonly though of in martial circles, including the bear and the leopard, are also seen in Kuk Sool. A bear is actually a defensive animal. It fights standing upright and uses extreme bulk, body balance and strength to power its large paws. Some Kuk Sool palm techniques, requiring a strong stance, are taken from the bear's fighting strategy. Leopards are strictly attack animals using extreme speed. The leopard's fighting tactic is that is doesn't care or worry about retaliation. The animal's speed is so great that it neutralizes the speed and power of the opponent. That is exactly the theory that brings the leopard into Kuk Sool Won. There are no special hand techniques cauterising the leopard, just blinding speed and forward thrusting power. When several animal fighting principles have been mastered, Kuk Sool stylists put them together into rapid, successive combinations of fighting techniques. From each animal, martial artists take it unique fighting habits and combine them with their human though processes to further enlarge their martial expertise.
Speaking of articles.... I recall seeing an article on Kuk Sool that was something to the effect of "Learn Asian martial arts, why not from an American?" or something like that. The article was working to dispell the myth that you can only learn a particular cultural art from someone of that culture (i.e. can only learn a Korean art from a Korean). I believe the article may have originally been in Black Belt magazine (probably from the late 1980's), but I don't recall for sure. I only saw a reprint of the article online, but recently when I went searching for the article again I couldn't find it anywhere online. Does anyone know the article I'm talking about? Does anyone have a copy? either just the text, or maybe scans or screenshots or even a PDF saved of the article?
Thank you internet archive! http://web.archive.org/web/20040312...tmag.com/archives/kki/1986/dec86/kuk/kuk.html
I forgot about the Internet Wayback Machine!! Thank you, ImaJayhawk! To get an idea of how old the article is, it says "Marlon Sims is a second-degree kuk sool black belt from Tuskegee, Alabama."
I have a question for all of you that train in Kuk Sool Won. As a person that used to train in a korean art that had more in fighting than you heads could ever wrap around. I got to the point and I think that you all need to get to the point of. People are going to talk out of there a--. But the thing is are you going to let it get to you. And if it has, then you are not into the art as much as you think you are. The world will not end if you let the dumb people of the world post on forums like this one. But you have to be smart enough to figure out who is full of B.S. and who is not. Also there is a thing of walking a way from the computer. People alot of time post on here to make themselves feel like they are somebody when they have nothing going on in there lives. And some post on here just to get you going. How you deal with it is what matters. Not some body that has never trained in your art saying you. Well Kuk Sool Won is crap because your history is full of it. I am sure you all are smarter than that. I hope.
Dr. He-young Kimm has written a lot of books and ius known for his attention to detail and depth. His Hapkido ( I ) is very good and has a nice section on history. He also studied and wrote a book on Kuk Sool. Has anyone read it? What is Dr. Kimm's take on Kuk Sool's origins and history?
here you go thomas Modern Kuk Sool History 1910-Present Taken from Dr kim’s Kuk Sool Book The founder of Korean kuk sool won is grandmaster in-hyuk suh, 10th dan black belt. Grandmaster suh received his first instruction from his grandfather, master myung-deuk suh, who was master instructor at Korean royal court army until 1910. when Japanese annexed korea, she abolished the koean royal court army, so master suh came down to his home town in kyung sang province. While compiling kuk sool techniques, he taught these arts to his grandson, in-hyuk suh. Before the old master passed away in 1952, he handed down five compiled books of kuk sool to young master suh. They are: 1) yu sool; 2) kwon sool; 3) yu kwan sool; 4) whal bub; 5) hyul bub. After his grandfather passed away, the young master searched other aspects of Korean traditional martial arts for the next eight years from many masters, these are some of the masters he studied under. 1. master yong-sool choi: the young master visited many private martial arts schools and villages to study tribal martial arts or private martial arts. One of the influencial in this area is master yong-sool choi. From master choi he received further education in yu sool. 2. hai dong seu nim (the great monk of the east sea): in order to learn Buddhist martial arts, the young master visited many temples throughout the country. One of his great teachers was hai dong seu nim. From this great monk, he learned kwon sool, ki bub (ki exercise) and breathing techniques. 3. master tai-eui wang: the young master also visited old masters of royal court martial arts. One of his teachers of this art was master tai-eui wang. From master wang he learned yu kwon sool. The knowledge inherited from his grandfather and learned from his later masters allowed him to establish the kuk sool won (Korean traditional martial arts association) in 1958. the next six years were devoted to the classification of techniques. There were 3,608 total techniques and these techniques were devided into 270 divisions. Again these 270 divisions are broken into three separate branches of kuk sool from which all techniques are derived. Theses branches are: 1. sado moosool ( tribal martial arts) 2. booldo moosool ( Buddhist martial arts) 3. kungjoong moosool ( royal court martial arts) in 1975 the world kuk sool won association was established to promote Korean traditional martial arts throughout the world. Grandmaster in-huy suh was appointed as president and dr he-young kim as secretary general of the association. The leaders of kuk sool, hoshindo and hapkido established a single organization in 1962 called the Korean kido association. In 1983, twenty one years later, in-hyuk suh was elected chairman of the association, and in-sun suh (seo) president. By inssuing official rank, the Korean kido association is now expanding its authority throughout the world as well as controlling growth of kuk sool, hoshindo and hapkido
I have heard that Dr. Kimm is writing a history book on Korean martial arts. I am afraid that he probably won't put it out until all the major first post war generation Korean martial artists are dead. If there is anyone who can shed light what the truth is of who learned what from who, it is most probably Dr. Kimm.
that post is a little unclear. he's not trolling. he's telling us that we should ignore posts like that.
Thanks KSN Matt, that sounds about like what I thought Dr. Kimm would write. Makes sense, sounds pretty accurate and doesn't get into a lot of detail about "how much" influence Choi Yong-sul may have had on KSW. Granted In Sun Seo earned his 3rd dan (if I remember correctly) in Hapkido under Dojunim Choi prior to becoming chief instructor in KSW (and now is head of the Hanminjok Hapkido Association). Just guessing but I'd bet there was a lot of Hapkido influence coming from Choi and Seo (In Sun). That's why I'd be curious sometime to do a bit of training in KSW and see how much difference and similarity there is in the arts.
Here's a page with New York schools if you're interested. I don't know where they are in relation to you: http://www.kuksoolwon.com/Schools/schools01b.html
Ive studied Karate, Okinawan, Korean (Tang Soo DO), and Japanese for 12 years now, and the forms are no where as nice as Kuk Sool, and it takes much longer to understand them...on top of that hardley anyone these days can explain the bunkai/bunsok of the karate kata...and did I mention that Funakoshi's Karate is now where close to the true Karate-do say 2. generations before him! Shotokan is kind of a joke amongst Okinawan stylists --Josh
history Hello all this is my first post here be gentle on history of ksw from a karate guy i think he should look close to some karate styles as 1 i know of was invented by a korean "koykishinki" sorry about the spelling of this i dont do karate! :woo:
Kyokushin was indeed invented by a Korean. He took the japanese name of Mas Oyama, but I can't remember his korean name. This however, doesn't affect KSW's history. I would say there is little to no karate in the background of KSW. What japanese influence there is may come for Aiki-Jujutsu.
