Courage by Eoghan

Posted on June 17, 2010 by corrales

The following essay was written by Eoghan Knibbe (10 years old) for his red belt test:

Courage is something that everyone needs to grow and progress. Without courage, we cannot earn the rank of our age. A forty year old might have the progression of an infant if he has no courage. We need courage to break through the mental barriers leading to maturation. Some barriers may be thicker than others, but we can get through them all if we have enough courage to break them down. Soo Bahk Do is a great trainer of courage. It teaches you not to be afraid to surge forward in life.

It teaches us how to build up strength to go uphill instead of downhill. A board may not be exactly the same as a mental barrier, but they definitely complement each other. It takes the same courage to do a class presentation, that it does to get up and break a board. This is how I add the courage aspect into my daily life.

Gup Shim Sa (Color Belt Test)

Posted on June 13, 2010 by corrales

Earlier this month, we had our end of the school year Gup Shim Sa or color belt grading. For the first time in our young academy’s life, we had the full spectrum to show. There were students testing for the very first time, others testing for orange, green, and red belt. There were even the first group of dan candidates who will test next May for their dan (black belt equivalent).

Soo Bahk Do only has 5 colors: white, orange, green, red, and midnight blue and each color represents a season. At each level, your skill level and learning should reflect the specific season. White begins with winter, orange is a transition time between winter and spring with green belt representing the full season of spring. Red symbolizes summer and midnight blue represents autumn, a fruitful result of training. Below are a few fun videos that will give you an idea of the progression that takes place over the years as a student ripens and matures in the art.

Study Guide for White Belts

Posted on March 27, 2010 by corrales

This study guide will focus on Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu, the main requirement for your first promotion to 9th Gup (white belt with a blue stripe) in Soo Bahk Do. Please visit SooBahkDo.tv in the White Belt Instruction category to view all of the material that we cover at the white belt level. Please note that children requirements are different. For specific requirements to compare with SooBahkDo.tv, please see my list of testing requirements.

Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu

Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu (Basic Form #1) is the first form you have to learn and the main requirement for your first promotion to 9th Gup (white with a blue stripe) in Soo Bahk Do. This form was created by the late Grandmaster Hwang Kee, founder of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, in 1945 in Seoul, South Korea. It has a total of 22 movements including the Jhoon Bee Jaseh (ready stance) at the beginning and ending of the form. Some concepts I hope you will learn as a result of continued practice of Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu include:

Stepping and turning in a front stance
Basic understanding of defensive and offensive hip twist
Proper crossing for a low block and proper fist for the center punch.
Good chamber hand discipline.
Improved awareness through Shi Sun (eye focus)

Memorization Patterns

The form diagram is a capital “I”. Each corner of the “I” has the combination low block, stepping center punch. The middle of the I has the combination: low block, stepping center punch, stepping center punch, stepping center punch (ki hap or yell). Whenever you change directions, step and turn towards the center of the “I” with the FRONT foot. The exception to this rule is after a ki hap. After the 3rd punch down the center of the “I”, you will turn in the drection of the center of the “I” but with the REAR foot. The turns are probably the most difficult part of the form for a beginner.

Below you will find myself performing Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu deliberately to show the various intermediate positions. On the right, you will find Kwan Jang Nim (Grandmaster) H.C. Hwang, current President of World Moo Duk Kwan demonsrating the same hyung.

Performance Tips

Cross your arms with the blocking hand on top for a preparation for the low block.
Before the stepping center punch, raise the low block up to center level and hold your rear hip back in an offensive hip preparation for the punch (notice my pause in the video before each punch).
Before turning, always do a strong look, demonstrating proper intention.
Don’t forget about your chamber hand (the hand not performing the technique).
The only stance is the front stance. Your legs should be shoulder width a part, front knee bent, rear knee straight with your rear foot facing in a FORWARD direction. If the stance is correct, your belt should be facing forward.
A center punch should be targeted at your own solar plexus.
Don’t forget to inhale on the preparations and exhale on the contractions.
Practice this form regularly at home until it is engrained in your muscle memory.

Welcome D.K. Jang Sa Bom Nim!

Posted on March 25, 2010 by corrales

D.K. Jang

D.K. Jang Sa Bom Nim will be a new author on our blog. He is a Chil (7th) Dan in Soo Bahk Do and a current TAC member for the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation. He is also one of my favorite instructors who has taught me a lot about Korean culture and philosophy. Not only is he a martial scholar, but a phenomenal technician. He is a pioneer in teaching a more in-depth analysis of Soo Bahk Do philosophy ranging from the root meanings of various terms to a historical perspective to some of the key concepts we teach such as Ship Sam Seh, Chil Sung, Pyong Ahn, and others.

Readers will be in for a real treat as he discusses Soo Bahk Do principles that are historically and culturally accurate, yet rarely taught by instructors related to the Moo Duk Kwan. Read his biography on the About Us page or visit his Santa Barbara school’s website at http://jangskarate.com

The Moo Duk Kwan’s Philosophy of Hyung

Posted on January 30, 2010 by corrales

I’ve copied a very old tape that explains the philosophy of hyung (forms) for Tang Soo Do (Soo Bahk Do) Moo Duk Kwan. Kwan Jang Nim H.C. Hwang demonstrates some advanced, traditional forms such as Wang Shu along with what appears to be self-designed sparring combinations. I hope you enjoy learning more about the history and philosophy of our art. Soo Bahk!

Proper Body Connection

Posted on January 14, 2010 by corrales

In order to have proper body connection, it is important that each member of the body works together as one harmonious unit. Kwan Jang Nim Hwang often teaches the concept of “chain of command”. The chain of command begins with your mind (general). Your mind, or general, only speaks directly with your huri (waist). Your waist is your physical center of gravity and should be the pivot point for all movement. Nothing moves until your waist does. The rest of your body must react to the movement of your huri.

This concept is imperative to proper technique. Without it, your body does not move as a harmonious mass, and your technique will become disjointed and lack power, poise, and precision. It will lack power because your full body mass is not behind your movement, only a fraction of your mass is. You will also lack poise because your body will be off center. It’s impossible stay balanced and keep the base of the spine erect if you do not move from your waist. Failing to move from your waist will also lead to a lack of precision in your movement because you will be incapable of following proper commands from your commander–your mind.

Once your body reacts to the actions of your waist, pay attention to both your elbows and knees, which are the sergeants. The sergeants talk directly with your waist, as to bring order and discipline to your technique. For example, while executing a choong dan kong kyuk, your elbow should make direct contact with your huri as it passes from the chamber position to the target. Failing to do so, will cause your punch to have a glancing blow against the target.

Your soldiers in turn are your weapons (hands and feet). As long as you follow the proper chain of command of mind -> waist -> elbow/knee -> hand/foot, think of your waist as your wrist, and your limb as a leather whip. Don’t force the technique with muscular strength. Think of the way you would crack a whip. Jus as you would keep your wrist loose, and with sudden quickness, snap your wrist, you should also snap your waist into position as youu execute a technique. Your limb will then naturally snap into position, reacting to the twist of your waist. The most important thing you can remember is that your weapon reacts to the movement of your waist. Your waist initiates the movement.

Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee

Posted on December 30, 2009 by corrales

For Christmas, I received a VHS to DVD converter. For years, I’ve had a very old video with footage of Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee explaining his Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan system. It’s probably the 10th copy of a copy and the quality is quite poor. Luckily, I was able to convert it in time so there is a permanent record of the past. I’ll be posting more footage that I have in my personal collection as I convert them to digital format.

This clip features the founder of Tang Soo Do (Soo Bahk Do) Moo Duk Kwan, Hwang Kee, discussing the philsoophy and purpose of the art he created, which is based on improving human relations by training in Weh Gong, Neh Gong, and Shim Gong. Enjoy!

12 Propers of Effective Technique

Posted on December 23, 2009 by corrales

There are 12 essential points of emphasis that must be followed in order to have an effective technique. With a proper understanding and application of all 12 points, your technique will be efficient, effective, and beautiful. They include:

Proper Foundation
Proper Body Connection
Proper Shi Sun—Mental and Physical Focus and Intent.
Proper Choong Shim—Proper balance throughout the motion centered in the dan jun.
Proper weapon and proper weapon to target application
Proper conditioning of your weapon
Proper Ho Hoop Cho Chung—Dan Jun breathing connected to movement.
Proper Him Cho Chung
Proper Shin Chook—Both internal and external expansion/contraction and tension/relaxation.
Proper Wan Gup—Understanding of proper speed and acceleration in motion.
Proper distance control through adjustments in body positioning
Proper application of F=MA

Proper Foundation

A proper foundation is centered around Ja Seh, roughly translated as Stance. Literally, Ja Seh translates to “Strength Posture”. Your stance connects you with Mother Earth, giving you stability, balance, and energy. A proper stance will allow you to use gravity to your advantage, whereas an improper stance will force you to fight against gravity.

Remember, your foundational stance will change depending on the intent of your technique. The longer and deeper a stance, the more stable and less mobile it is. The shorter and shallower the stance, the more mobile but less stable it is. A Ki Ma Ja Seh is very stable, but not very mobile. A Pyong Rip Ja Seh (natural standing stance) is highly mobile but not very stable. It is essential to understand this relationship and be able to adjust your stances based on circumstance.

The Song of Ship Sam Seh says “Hold your head as if suspended by a string” and “when the base of the spine is erect, energy rises to the top of the head.” Once the proper stance is acquired, it is important to maintain your center. Your physical and spiritual center resides two to three inches below your navel and is called “dan jun” in Korean. Your dan jun must always be positioned in the center of your base. A common mistake with a wide stance is to lean forward or backward depending on whether your intent is on offense or defense. When you move, your center moves first, forcing the rest of your body to follow. Keeping your head up and your spine erect, will help ensure that you are moving from your center and that you are properly balanced. Never learn forward or back with your spine or your head. Everything should be in alignment with your waist. If you need to move forward or back, remember to do so from the dan jun rather than from your spine.

Learn what Kwan Jang Nim HC Hwang has to say about the science behind our technique: click here

Eli’s Soo Bahk Do Training

Posted on October 27, 2009 by corrales

Eli, my son, just barely turned 3. Before he could even walk, I remember teaching him how to balance on against a chair executing a front and side kick into my palm. He watches me teach and often practices his hyung when I’m supposedly not looking. Soo Bahk Do being a passion of mine, it shouldn’t surprise you to see me beaming with joy with his interest in Soo Bahk.

Tonight was the highlight so far. He grabbed my hand and brought me into my office, shut the door and asked me to turn off the lights. It’s now dim in the room and not overly dark. He then says, Daddy Soo Bahk! He starts kicking and punching. I get down on my knees and teach him how to do a low block and a punch. He crosses his hands really well and usually brings his hand across in a low block fashion. His punches were good too–relatively straight and was even making a proper fist.

Half way through the 10 minute lesson, he asked for a uniform, which of course I already had saved waiting for the moment he would finally want one. I put it on him and it fit just right. He then wanted me to put mine on, which I did. We continued the lesson after a short photoshoot.

He was really interested in not just playing around, but wanted to learn really badly. I hope to be able to do small 10 minute sessions with him now that he is 3 that way he’ll be prepared to enter the Tiger Tots class when he turns 4.

Eli's Do Mal Seh (Paint Smearing Method #2)

New Testing Requirements

Posted on October 4, 2009 by corrales

Recently, the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation issued a new Gup/Dan manual for all of our members. All current and active members of the federation are eligible to receive a free manual. You will find that the testing requirements for Cho Dan (1st degree black belt equivalent) has changed. The curriculum has been stream-lined in order to give ample time and attention to practical self-defense. In the past, many have commented that the majority of class time is devoted towards memorizing standardized curriculum, leaving less time to improving proper execution of technique, awareness of weapon, and awareness and accuracy of target.

The curriculum below is based on the new minimum standard of curriculum you are required to know in order to test. Wasatch Martial Arts Academy may require additional points of emphasis to fulfill local requirements. Also note, that while the amount of memorized curriculum has been decreased, the expectation of performance has increased to a new level.

The minimal time requirement is also slightly different. It is possible to achieve the rank of Cho Dan within 3 years. The majority of students will still need to wait 4 or more years before testing for Cho Dan, but exceptionally pro-active students may be able to test for Cho Dan in as little as 3 years.

I hope you will share your comments on the changes below and our local curriculum may adjust slightly in order to better serve its local members. Later, I will update the Children’s and Adult’s Requirements on the WasatchMartialArts.com website.

Testing Requirements Summary Wasatch Martial Arts Academy US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Fed.
Rank		Min Time	Hyung	Il Soo Sik		Ho Sin Sul
				*Adult*	*Kids*	*Adult*	*Kids*
9th Gup	White w/ Stripe	1 Month	Ki Cho Hyung Il Bu	1-2 side-step, counter		Cross Hand #1 (Release/counter)
8th Gup	Orange	2 Months	Ki Cho Hyung E Bu	#1-2		Cross Hand #1	Cross Hand #1 (Release/Counter)
7th Gup	Orange w/ Stripe	3 Months	Ki Cho Hyung Sam Bu	#3-4		Cross Hand #2	Cross Hand #2 (Release/Counter)
6th Gup	Green	3 Months	Pyong Ahn Cho Dan	#5-6	#1 side-step, counter	Cross Hand #3-4	Cross Hand #1
5th Gup	Green w/ Stripe	3 Months	Chil Sung E Ro	#7-8	#3 side-step, counter	Straight Hand #1-2	Cross Hand #2
4th Gup	Green w/ 2 Stripes	3 Months	Chil Sung Il Lo	#9-10	#1	Straight Hand #3-4	Straight Hand #1
3rd Gup	Red	3 Months	Bassai	#11-12	#3	2 on 1 Hand #1-3	Straight Hand #2
2nd Gup	Red w/ Stripe	3 Months	Chil Sung Sam No	#13-14	#5	2 on 2 Hand #1-4	2 on 1 Hand #1
1st Gup	Red w/ 2 Stripes	6 Months	Du Mun	#15-16	#7	Side and Back Grabs	2 on 1 Hand #2
Cho Dan	Midnight Blue	6 Months	Bassai Chil Sung Sam No Du Mun	#1-18	#1-9 (odds only)	All Wrist Grabs	#1-2 of Cross, Straight, 2 on 1, and 2 on 2 Hand