Kuk Sool Won

[KukSool-Alex]

How many people here practice Kuk Sool?

 

[jwreck]

I do. I know there is at least one other person here. I see you're in TX, where do you train.

 

[KukSool-Alex]

I am in the Dallas Area, we dont have a school just yet there are three of us, two black belts Mark JKN and Jason JKN and then me (just started the form a month ago) I have learned alot and its alot of fun. what school do you attend? who is your teacher?

 

[jwreck]

I attend Kuk Sool Won of Clear Lake under Masters Barry and Choon Ok Harmon. I should get my second black stripe next month.

 

[KukSool-Alex]

I have heard of Master Harmon, i have some videos of harmon, sims, lee, and kuk sa nim doing a workout in Houston. Pretty cool video. how long have you been in it? like i said only one month here but i have already learned alot i am at the ke bon soo (sorry if i misspelled it) #5, and i have learned the first 4 of the white belt form pretty much all kicks including roundhouse and sidekick, all punches, i am being told if we were at a school i would be white with yellow strip. i think thats pretty good for only being in it one month. I enjoy it alot, i am going to do this for a year and then move into Muai Tai along with Kuk Sool but Kuk Sool as my main art

 

[arnisador]

KSW has a great many techniques and a great many weapons, as I understand it--it must take a long time to master!

 

[KukSool-Alex]

lets put it this way regarding how long it takes to master, if you have achieved black belt (1st degree) in under 8-10 years then you have missed something, also one of the sayings in Kuk Sool is the first year is a warm up the 1st degree is practice after that get ready to learn the good stuff

 

[jwreck]

I have been training a little over two years. Yes, the Harmon's are awesome to watch during demos. They are even more awesome to learn from in class. I'm glad you enjoy it. Kuk Sool is a very extensive sytem, this is the main reason I chose it. However, you overshot a little on the time to black belt. I fully expect to have my black in about another year. From what I understand, 4-5 years is about average. There are many weapons, but you don't really start dealing with those until your a brown belt. Anyway, I'm kinda rambling. Point is, I love Kuk Sool and I would encourage anyone to take it up and stick with it. It only gets better the more you learn. Wait till you see the clothing techniques, those are really cool. Hit me up if your ever in the Houston area.

 

[jwreck]

One more thing, since you're in Dallas, you should check out this artShen Chuan . I've recently started studying it as well, and I must tell you its very impressive and effective. Its much more self-defence oriented than Kuk Sool, not near as pretty, no forms etc. but highly effective. I'm currently driving my but to Nagadoches once a month just for the chance to study with Prof Lansdale. I think there is a school in Dallas. Anyway, just something you might be interested in.

 

[KukSool-Alex]

well actually i was told that 8-10 years is the norm for the black belt, but then again i bet it all has to do with the teacher. My teacher on the other hand studied at Purdue, and it took him a good time to get a black belt, me other teacher it took im i think 7 years before he got his and he said that he worked his butt off to get there in only 7 years. But we will see, i do enjoy kuk sool, but the art i am going to start taking after kuk sool, rather at the same time as kuk sool is muai tai, very good art, lots of fun. and i have aquestion. In the wrist techniques, i have probles when doing the move holding the wrist in the lock, as in in number two when you go behind the back its pretty easy for them to pull away from me no matter how fast i do it (and this is also my roomate which has no ma background) HELP!

 

[jwreck]

Keep practicing and it'll come. Right now you should mainly be practicing on the gross movements and then add the finer points later. In #2 (as in all Kuk Sool techniques) correct application of pressure points, body position, and angle of attack are very important. Feel free to pm me if you want to discuus the details. Oh, I also recomend you order the textbook. Its good to be able to look over between classes to keep it fresh in your mind.

 

[KukSool-Alex]

got the text book its great, yesterday i learned a heal kick, where you doa round house but snap back with the heal. yea dont like that kick, out of all of the things you have learned what do you feel is the most affective?

 

[jwreck]

Well, that depends on what you consider effective. My favorites are the clothing techniques, mostly because i like the creative way the clothing is incorporated into the locks. The four directional kicking exercises (I forget the Korean term) are great at building balance and stamina. The pressure point striking sets (maek chigi and maek chagi) are very effective. Of all the techniques I've learned, only a few would I say would be difficult to apply effectively in a real world situation. I'm learning Kwan Jul Ki now, and its really cool. The only complaint I have right now about Kuk Sool is how long it takes to begin practicing at any where near full speed. At least at my school, you don't go full speed until you reach brown belt. Also, I wish the sparring was more encompassin, including the locking and throwing techniques more. I will tell you that even the lowest level techniques will gain the respect of your training partners if you employ it properly.

 

[arnisador]

Originally posted by jwreck
My favorites are the clothing techniques, mostly because i like the creative way the clothing is incorporated into the locks.

Can you say more about this for those of us who don't practice KSW?

 

[jwreck]

Originally posted by arnisador
Can you say more about this for those of us who don't practice KSW?

Sure. Basically, if someone grabs your clothing (generally sleeve) you move in such a way that their hand gets caught in the fabric, locking their wrist without ever having to grab them. Its basicall like a standard wrist lock, but you use the fabric as your base to secure the lock instead of needing your other hand. I don't know if that made any sense to you. Their pretty cool and much more effective than I thought they would be when I first started learning them.

 

[arnisador]

I think I get it, yes--thanks!

 

[arnisador]

The current (Sept. 2003) issue of Tae Kwon Do Times has an article with many pictures on the KSW Championships in Korea.

 

[KukSool-Alex]

yea i caught that article very good one...there is a competition in Houston,Texas the 12th of October..I am going to be competing in Sparring for the White belt group over 18

Going to be alot of fun...

 

[arnisador]

The current (Oct. 2003) issue of Martial Art has an article on KSW approaches to blocking kicks.

 

[Kroy]

Originally posted by KukSool-Alex
How many people here practice Kuk Sool?

I would love to study Kuk Sool Won but where I live it's not offered.