I saw this yesterday for the first time at SENI 2004. I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about this art. I remember some one mentioning whilst I was there that it had government funding, is this true? When I first looked they looked like beefeater outfits at first which made all the twirls they did look all the more flashy as they sparkled as they turned. They used a few weapons as well. What can you tell me about this MA?
Hi Mel I did it for about 3 months twice a week in my travels. It is ok perhaps close to Hapkido I guess (never done Hapkido though!) but to me it seemed a mix of TKD and some less flowery done Aikido moves. There is a big empasis on wrist locks and it has the normal wrist and arm lock quota and even a little bit of basic ground work! I have seen some gun defence manovers from it which I am not sure are in the normal core techniques but it seems ok as an art. Slightly less spinny than TKD but pretty much the same striking moves - it is a Korean art. It was ok and quiet good fun though and does cover breakfalls early on which is good especially for the kids as there were a few there. Also includes some Kata/Forms and weapons or a Korean nature. Around Suffolk way there are a few clubs in Leiston and Ipswich that I have trained at - neither are linked but were good fun. Bit like TKD for the subs each month and expensive uniforms etc.
Yep that sounds like Kuk Sool alright, they do have some lovely uniforms though don't they? And apparently Thousands of techniques. As Sonshu said lots of Wrist Locks, lots of kicks, lots of everything. KSW and another Korean art Hwarang-do are off-shoots of Hapkido that were founded in 1950s. And both wear some lovely disco-dancing outfits, I mean if you were looking to look cool whilst Martial Artsing, they'd be my top choice for Presentation. I particularly like those fringey things hanging off the Jerkins, that fly about when you kick. Waaaaatttahhhh! Kuk Sool always looks very Chinese to me, as it seems to incorporate movements from another korean art called Han Pul.
Thats the americanized (watered down) version of kuk sool won that you are talking about. The kuk sool that I study (in Calgary) is the original style. We don't where the shiny, frilly uniforms, just the basic black dobok. The flavor is very chinese. I do believe that there is a chinese influence in the style. (alot of the americans claim that the chinese influence is due to their founder having studied praying mantis) I don't personally believe that he (i can't remember his name at the moment) is the actual founder of the art, since our grandmaster in Korea is at least as old as the other guy is, and for a few other reasons I don't feel like getting into right now). There are 'long style' (flowing, connected movement) patterns, both with and without weapons, joint locks, throws, breakfalls, rolls, various gymnastics, breathing exercises, more 'round style' kicks than tkd, much more emphasis on using hand strikes than tkd, especially open hand. We study sword, long staff, short staff, throwing knife, fan, walking stick and rope. Most of the techniques are done in a soft circular style, although we also do some hard style techniques...
Hi Melanie, Near us, there are Kuk Sool Won classes in Brighton and Eastbourne. The Brighton class is taught by David Webster, whom you can contact by e-mail at: david@webster981a.fsnet.co.uk - this e-mail is advertised on www.kuksoolwon.com publicly. Usually, the first two lessons are free. The Eastbourne class has its own web site: www.kuksoolwon-eastbourne.co.uk If you try a lesson, I'd be extremely curious how you find it.
melanie bit of a late reply to your query re kuk sool won, you got some strange replies, if you want to know more my web site is kuksoolwonofbrighton.co.uk
I saw a good demonstration of it at the Arnold Festival this last weekend. Very nice, they told a bit of the history. Kind of a Korean background between Hapkido and TKD.
I studied Kuk Sool for four years, took four years off while in the military, and have started again sine I returned home. Kuk Sool Won is VERY close to Hapkido. I lived in Korea for 3 years while in the military and got to train with various instructors over that time. I was surprised how close Hapkido was to the art I had already been studying. In reply to: The Grandmaster's name is Suh, In Hyuk. He had moved to San Mateo, CA, U.S. and opened a school before relocating the World Kuk Sool Won headquaters to Houston, TX, U.S.A. The instruction given here is far from "americanized" or "watered down." You would be hard pressed not to find the "original style" here, as we have to test for black belt in front of the grandmaster himself. I'm sure he would not be pleased with discrepencies. The students in the U.S. also train in the black uniforms. The shiny, frilly uniforms are a modernized version of the traditional generals uniform, and is only worn in demonstrations. All instructors in the World Kuk Sool Won Association recieve these uniforms for demonstrations, regardless of what country the reside in. You can check www.kuksoolwon.com for official info.
Kuk Sool Gary Goodridge does not do this style. There was some mix-up a while back where it was rumored that he was 'given' a black belt from Kuk Sool just to get the name out there, but that is not true. At least the official Kuk Sool Won that is taught from In Hyuk Suh's curriculum did not give Goodirdge a black belt. I do not know if he earned the belt he has or not, but personally I wouldn't argue with the guy about it. I've been studying Kuk Sool for about 2 and a half years now and it is (in my opinion) very fun and quite versatile. I have found it to be VERY close to Hapkido as far as techniques, but Kuk Sool has lots of forms added. Basically the kicks of TKD mixed with the techniques of Hapkido. The numbers of KSW practitioners is rising and I was wondering if I would be seeing it have it's own listing under the styles of MAP... What do you think Yoda? Justin
I've been going for about 8 months now; joined up when I got to college. I'd always wanted to do an MA, so I started looking for something on Quad Day, and I saw these guys. They gave me a flyer, and I tried a class, and I liked what we did, liked the atmosphere (the fact that there were all sorts of cool weapons around didn't hurt either). The art is very varied, which is one of the reasons I enjoy it actually. There's always something new and cool to learn, and it will stay that way as long as I go to school here (at U of I, not the club). No one dresses in the flashy uniforms here, the JKN's have a fringe on their doboks, that is all. And as for the art being watered down here in the states, that's impossible. Every black belt is handed out by In Hyuk Suh personally; he is the grand master and he travels all over the country (and other ones, I assume) specifically for this purpose. He is coming to U of I to administer the tests on June 28th; tests in the morning and in the afternoon there will be a seminar for everyone, both black belts and colored belts. Fun stuff
Hi, ive done KSW for a couple of years, you may have seen me at the seni as i was filming the KSW demo for them! I was the red haired chick trying to look skilled with the camera!! The flash uniforms they were wearing are called generals and are only worn for special occasions such as demos and gradings, the rest of the time its just a black dobok. From what i understand it is very similar to hapkido, after talking to master Kim at a hapkido seminar a couple of years ago - befopre i started KSW he also agreed, but that is only really because all the korean arts have the same basic syllabus of kicks and hand strikes. Ksw is different to many other styles due to the huge focus on precise techniques and pressure point, joint locks. KSW uses all these things and a knowledge on anatomy to make simple techniques very effective. If you saw master John watson in the morning demo doing these strikes you will know what i mean. It also is the most varied art i have done, and ive done a few. It includes wrestling, grapling, techniques, weapons, pressure points, joint locks, stance training (KSW are famous for their legs of steel!!) break falls, and jump break falls, and breaking techniques. As for weapons they train in everything form staff, sword and nunchuku, to spear, fans and, bow and arrow (on horseback too!). If you want to know more accurate history check out the link mentioned by kobudokai. Plus check out master john gravenall, and john watson. Hope this was helpful! Plus the seni was cool this year, better in 1 room dont you think?!
www.kuksoolwonofbrighton.co.uk/welcome.htm - Great web site! It would be really helpful if the web site listed the training times on Tuesdays and, ideally, included a map of the location too. Cheers
general description of Kuk Sool won I have been learning Kuk Sool Won from in Hyuk Suh for 39 years. Prior to that , i earned black belts in Japanese karate and Korean tang soo do. Additionally , i trained in a composite kkung fu system which included north and south Shao Lin, tai chi, bagua, and chin na. I also had many other instructors from whom i learned some Hung Ga, praying mantis, and others. I mention this background to demonstate the arts i can contrast Kuk Sool Won against. There is no watered down Kuk Sool Won except by those instructors not in the association. Only the lower rank techniques have a similarity to hapkido or other martial arts. this is because Kuk Sool Won cantains every type of martial arts technique. It would be more acurate to say that hapkido and the other limited martial arts resemble parts of Kuk Sool Won. I can teach these other arts but choose Kuk Sool Won because i feel the system and combination of training methods are the best in the world. www.kuksoolwon.com is your best source of true information on the system.
Interesting statement. EVERY TYPE OF MARTIAL ARTS TECHNIQUE??? Really? Well, just to choose one...can you tell what rank you have to reach before you begin learning Escrima type cane fighting? I have never seen any KSW practitioners doing this type of work. The nearest I have seen or practised, is short sticks ( and I have never actually been taught "techniques" for these, just adapted fan techniques) and possibly cane techniques (but there are only ten of these and they don't seem to be taught as a fighting system). And neither of these could really be said to bo close to escrima, as far as I can tell. That doesn't mean that escrima like techniques not there of course, but I just wondered how long a student who is interested in this kind of martial art technique might have to wait before they are able to learn it in the KSW system. As for the training methods being the best in the world. That is entirely down to personal opinion and depends upon what you hope to gain from your training. Best for you Dragonkarma, it would seem. But not for everyone!
Or Silat, BJJ, Sambo, Muay Thai, Majapahit, Jun Fan and Wing Chun (especially the area of sensitivity and trapping), etc.
I would like to reply to thread #9. Gary was taught by a Master Moon who had started the Kuk Sool Federation in Canada. As I understand it Master Moon was a student of GM SIH and and had broken off from the KSW association and started his own Federation. D2. PS also Master moon had moved to California where he had open a school and was I think Killed outside his school. You can go to a web site Kuk Sul/Maybe you better google Kuk Sul and a web site will pop up and they offer training methods and short stick techniques with master Moon.
Is it not true that every art has a basic movement. If you study Kinesiology (movements) and body styles is there not only so many ways that you can bend, turn, and twist on an axis? Plus the economy of movement theory and Newton 3th law. or the browning effect and luck etc. Let just say that some styles use only certain aspects to their martial arts. Is it not the way that you can tell what style it is? So if we put all that together then all martial Art Styles can and do use the same motions and some are more expanded on than others. I have realized that with several years of practice no matter what style I see and no matter what technique is used I can see the basic technique and it usually is something that I have done with a little variation. So to say that KSW does not have all the other MA's in it is wrong. WE just do not practice them as a seperate entity but the movement is done in another fashion or variation. Do you not think that a KSW Student , Instructor, or Master could not defend against another MA'S style just because (they do not practice a certain way) or against a certain style? Remember that all people have one head, two arms and two legs, breathes and bleeds. All styles are good as long as it developes Character, Wisdom and a Lifetime of Activity. If you go around with an attitude just remember that there is always someone who is better, so it is better to be Humble and Wise. D2 PS like bringing a knife to a gun fight
