mastercole
Master Black Belt
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Anyone ever train and compete in the ancient Korean Martial Art of Ssireum?
Ssireum
- Thread starter mastercole
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Never did that, but I have watched ssireum live, both in Korea and in Hawaii when some sort of ssireum group came and held a competition here back in 1997 or 1998. I remember thinking some of the ssireum competitors looked like giants, 6'5" or taller.
miguksaram
Master of Arts
Never trained in, but while attending my father's 60th b-day party, the village had a their own little friendly match, which I participated in. I learned to never under estimate a 50 year old farmer that day. ha.ha.ha.
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mastercole
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Ha! that is really cool, I would have loved to have tried it. I know it has a hard core following in Korea, but professional team are dying off. Last I heard there was only one professional team left. It's more popular as a folk event and is even in Sports for All.
The ssireum group came here 15 years ago and they had a couple few pro teams. I remember LG was one of them. Is ssireum dying in Korea?
miguksaram
Master of Arts
They just had their Lunar Year festival event which drew a lot of spectators as usual. I believe Ssirum is still popular, but as mainstream as it used to be. Now they have more western sports such as baseball and basketball which tends to draw more sponsorship money.
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mastercole
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I don't think so. Their efforts at pro-team Ssireum have not been successful at this point. That can be due to the economic situation as well as other factors. Ssireum itself is at the same level it has been for a long time, and has entered Sports for All.
Manny
Senior Master
I do syrum once in a while at dojang, the syrum we do is in two stages: 1.-Standing syrum, here we try toi unbalance the openent and trow him/her to the floor, everypart of the body above the knee that topuches the floor is a point. 2.-Sitting syrum.- Here both contestants are sit back to back and at comand get on their knees (kneeling) and from this position try to unbalance the oponent taking him/her to the floor and pin her/him flat on the back and count one,two, three like in wrestling.
Sysum is very demanding and tiring, I always end with bruises on arms,chest,etc and exhasuted.
Manny
Sysum is very demanding and tiring, I always end with bruises on arms,chest,etc and exhasuted.
Manny
All they have to do to launch Ssireum back into the spotlight is to get an MMA fighter to mention it on camera. 
