Kuk Sool Won of St Paul | Twin Cities Martial Arts with Classes for Kids, Adults, Families, and Workouts

As many of you know I am one of the Instructors here at Kuk Sool Won of St Paul in Minnesota. But when College is in session I am Head Instructor for Kuk Sool Won at Purdue University. Fortunately for you, our club just ordered a bunch of hand wraps for the kickboxing / pad-strike workouts I like to run. Below is a video describing how we wrap our hands to keep our knuckles from getting cut up and raw when we do our Kickboxing style workouts. Maybe another time I will get to describing what the workout consists of.

There are 2 ways to spar in my mind. The first is what we do at tournaments which is Point Sparring and the second is what I call Free Sparring. Point Sparring is a game to get points in 2 minutes at a tournament. You receive 2 points for a kick to the head and one point for kicks to the body and hand strikes to both targets. Free Sparring is open to interpretation. The people sparring decide on whether to have full head contact, take downs, etc… The tip I will give you about sparring in this post relates to both ways of sparring.

Establish Control

To win at a sparring match will need you to establish control. You need to set the pace, mood, and movement of the fight. Don’t kid yourself and think that you will do this at the next tournament. You need to practice and you need to do it on a bunch of different opponents. The biggest hurdle you will come across is the different types of people you will spar and how to control them. Here are the three cookie-cutter examples of sparring opponents:

Overly Agressive Attacker

Good Sparring Techinques to Use:

• Side Kicks
• Spin Kicks
• Retreating Kicks
• Punches
• Circular Movement

How to Establish Control: When someone is Overly Agressive they will constantly be making the first move and coming in you zone. Don’t curl up in fear! Establish control by stopping them every time they start making a move in by side kicking them in the stomach. Even if they stomach is not open you leg is very strong and will stop them in their tracks. You could also try a quick spin side kick or spin kick while they are on their way in. If you land a spin side kick to the gut it is very easy to take someone’s breadth away.

Overly Defensive Partner

Good Sparring Techniques to Use:

• Round Kicks
• Hook Kicks
• Jabs
• Back Fist
• Side Kick
• Axe Kick

How to Establish Control: When someone is overly defensive they may sit and wait for you to make the first move every time either trying to jam you on your way in or move/back up and counter attack. I would say sparring these people gives you a lot more flexibility to experiment and gain control of the match. Try doing kick combos to open up targets and to vary the timing they expect to counter attack. For example, use a combo (do not set you leg down) like Hook Kick at head level, then Round Kick at head level, then Round kick at body level (set your leg down) and then jab and punch. Sequences like the one I just described are hard to block, jam, and counter because the defensive person has no idea how to block so many different level strikes and it is hard to judge when they can counter. This often times will lead to the person trying to counter to literally run in to a strike you are throwing.

The Hybrid

Good Techniques to Use:

• Round Kicks
• Side Kicks
• Axe Kicks
• Double Kicks
• Jabs
• Backfist

How to Establish Control: Hybrids are smart enough to use the situation to become either an offensive or defensive sparrer. You should want to be in this category most of the time. This is the most dangerous type of person to spar because they will switch from one tactic to another mid-fight. Use techniques that you recognize would work when the person is behaving defensively and differ you techniques when the person is behaving offensively. Double Kicks work very well in this situation because it will blur the line to whether you are attacking defensively or offensively making it harder for your adversary to decide which tactic to use against you. Also, try to move “across the line” into and out of their zone either trying to score or trying to make an opening.

Great stuff this week, especially the videos, make sure to check it all out. * This Blog is updated Daily and you can subscribe on the right via Email or RSS

Video: Kuk Sool Won at West Point Military Academy

- Just released Fresh on YouTube this week. Kuk Sa Nim, Master Sims, and Sa bum Nim Tim Challans make appearances.

How to Increase Your Flexibility

- Quick Tips and Tricks you can do to Increase Your Flexibility

Form Practice: The Purdue KSW Way

- Great way to practice your forms to focus on getting better.

Video: Kuk Sool Sa Bum Nim Kickin’ It

- If you think you are good at Kuk Sool you may want to watch this video. Prepare to be Humbled.

The Best Kuk Sool Websites on the Internet

- My List of the best Kuk Sool Websites on the net from the US, UK, and everywhere else.

More often than not you will want to become more flexible when doing Martial Arts. I would say most people start Martial Arts with very little flexibility and they become significantly more flexible over time. As a student you probably often wonder how do I get more flexible for Martial Arts? Here are some easy ways to get more flexible.

1. Stretch before and AFTER class

Martial Arts classes always start with some sort of stretching routine so people usually don’t have a problem stretching before. But the problem is your body, muscles, and tendons are not warmed up and you are not even stretching for your full range of motion. After class you are all warm and you can get your maximum full range of motion and push your boundaries with stretching.

Quick Tip: If there is a class after yours, stay and do the stretching routine on the side or in the back. This is an easy way to get your stretching routine done after class.

2. Practice High Kicks on the Wall

Doing kicks with one hand on the wall is usually used for perfecting your kicking technique. However, you can add to that. When you are doing wall kicks do an extra set where you are trying to kick as high as you can with the proper form. For example, do 20 Round Kicks then do 20 more as high as you can. Eventually, you will become much more flexible when kicking.

3. Practice Low Stances during Form Practice

I run by the Mantra that if you practice you will get better. So if you practice during your form even once a day with proper, low stances you will become more flexible just through regular practice. It is unrealistic for me to think that you will do low stances 100% of the time because it is so tiring. Make sure you try proper stances as many times as you can without sacrificing the quality of your form.

Quick Tip: Here is a good way to practice Good Quality Forms.

It is often an unrealistic vision that all your Kuk Sool forms will be crisp in relation to the 5-Hyung Bylaws every time you come to practice. A good way to practice is to focus on the Hyung By-Laws one at a time. First let me review for you what the Five Hyung Bylaws are:

1. Fast Hands
2. Low Stances
3. Deliberate Feet
4. Eyes Open
5. Mind Clear

A good way to practice all 5 Hyung Bylaws properly (especially for lower belts) is to do 4-directional Forms with each direction focusing on different Bylaws.

You might be able to count that there are only 4-directions we usually practice forms but there are 5 Hyung Bylaws? However, you do not need a direction to practice Eyes Open because your eyes should always be open looking at your target. You also do not need to practice keeping your mind clear, you just need to be aware that you are at Kuk Sool. Keep your mind clear by focusing on the now, not on what happend earlier today or what is going on tomorrow, you are at Kuk Sool and practicing your form. That is all you should be thinking about.

So here is the Drill:

1. Face the Front - For your first form focus on doing proper kicks and doing deliberate foot movements. Don’t just fling your leg in the air and make it look like a kick. Make sure you chamber and position your kicks properly.
2. Turn 90 degrees to Your Left- On your second form focus on doing fast, precise hand movements. All punches should come from your hip, all chops should have your thumb bent (No hitchiker’s thumbs), and you should be hitting the proper targets. There are more things to worry about when practicing fast,precise hands so make sure you do whatever is proper for the form you are doing.
3. Turn 90 degrees left again so you are facing back - Low Stances. This is probably the hardest direction because you have to focus on doing low stances the entire time. Low Stances is what transforms your Hyung from being good to great.
4. Turn 90 degrees left again- Finish with a direction of doing all the Bylaws together. For this final direction keep in mind all the previous directions in which you were practicing separate aspects of the form and put them all together to make the best form you can. This is the direction you should notice where your form is improving from practice to practice.

This drill is an easier way to get in some four-way form practice than just going all out and doing the best form you can for however many forms you know. Keep in mind that this workout is not a replacement but a variation. Of course you should do four-way forms having every form the way you would do it if Kuk Sa Nim was watching you. You should also do this workout every now and then for some variety and specifics practice. Remember, the best way to get better at Kuk Sool is doing more Kuk Sool.

Spin Kicks ( Doh Rah Cha Ki ) are probably the kicks most people have a difficult time with. If you are having trouble do not worry everyone has trouble with spin kick everyday around the world. Whether it is Jump, Middle, or Low Spin Kick these 3 quick tips will help your Spin Kick be better tonight.

1. Look First

Everyone that tries Spin Kick always starts out with the same problem. They do not get the kick all the way around with power and accuracy. The trick to fix this problem is to turn and look first. Turn all the way around and look at your target then release your kick. You will find yourself releasing the kick and hitting the target at the proper point of contact as well as getting around your axis 360 degrees.

2. Straighten Your Leg

When you watch anyone break with a spin kick their leg is straight when they make contact with the board. If your leg is not straight when it strikes through the target you will be having a very tough time breaking that board and having power at the point of impact.

3. Use Your Glutes!

A great way to get power is to use your Glutes (a.k.a. your Bum) to pull your leg across and through the target. This will help you power through the target as well as get all the way around in a smoother fashion because of increased momentum.

Quick Kick Re-Cap

1. Turn and Look

2. Release the Kick

3. Keep your Leg Straight through the Target

4. Pull with your Glutes

Try it out tonight!

With Ski season approaching us here in Minnesota as well as tournament season for our Martial Art coming up I thought it may be useful to list some ways for anyone that needs to get some Quick Money for a trip. Remember, basically anyone can use these strategies except for number 15 and up ( adults only please ).

1. Write for a Blog

Writing for a blog is often times fast and easy. You can find listings of jobs where someone needs a blog post a week from you and you get paid around $15 per post. Now, imagine if you do one post a day for a couple weeks you can get you some nice cash for a trip. You can find listings for blog writers under a lot of job boards including one like this one at freelanceswitch.com

2. Sell your crap on Craigslist or Ebay

You would be surprised how much stuff people will pay to take off your hands. Most of the world has heard of both Ebay and Craigslist unless you have not left your cave in a couple years but make sure you check them out to post and sell items. Think about emptying your garage and making some dough. * Make sure when you are on Craigslist you click on your city to sell locally.

3. Google Street Team

Join Google in indexing all local businesses. Basically, Google pays you to walk around into local businesses, get some info about that business, and then pays you money. They pay you even more money if that business you visited confirms your activity. Quick and Easy walk after dinner or something can result in some serious cash. Here are the details on the Google Local Business Referral Program

4. Garage Sale

Another easy way to sell all that junk around your house. In fact, you can sell junk at your house and advertise by putting a sign on the corner that reads “Garage Sale - 9/20″ and post on Craigslist about it. Why Not? and then if you can’t sell everything put the rest of the junk on Craigslist or Ebay.

5. Bake Sale

Some people have a serious gift in my mind. That gift is the production of delicious baked goods. If you possess this skill, people will pay you for it. Look for local bake sales around your area and if you can’t find any refer to #6 of this list.

6. Organize an Event

Can’t find a Bake Sale around you? Is there a need for a local gathering of some kind? Organize It! Get businesses and other people to buy into your event and charge a registration fee. Tell them to do some marketing to get people to come and you can do some local marketing for the event as well. You get paid and so do they.

7. Paper Route

The classic wake up earlier than you have ever imagined and make money for a couple weeks. Just think, it’s all for that trip to the Bahamas.

8. Scalp Sports Tickets

Got some tickets to an event and you’re not gonna use? Sell them on the street, Ebay, Craigslist, or other ticket sales websites.

9. Make Something and Sell It

Using your skilles to make something can be one of the easiest ways to make some serious dough. Make a Chair, Website, Painting, Poster, Wagon, or anything you like. Then turn around and sell that thing. Rinse and Repeat to you get your target amount for that trip to Europe.

10. Tutor / Private Lessons

If you are skilled or educated at some sort of activity post some fliers up and tutor or give private lessons. Example, if you’re good at Golf teach some people the basics. If you’re good at Martial Arts give a private lesson. You get the point.

11. Do Something for Donations

You know what? Some people might just give you the money. If you’re going somewhere for a good cause you may be able to get some money through donations. Email friends and family or set up a blog or website to collect some donations. Even community members at your church or school may be willing to donate a little.

12. Bike Path Stand

This is the new Millenium. Lemonade stands are too old school. Set up an all inclusive “Spend your Money right here Stand.” Plop a chair down and a cooler full of water, Gatorade, granola bars, Nutrigrain bars, or snacks right next to a bike path and sell at a decent price. You will make some cash just for going to the store and then sitting in the sun all day.

13. Yardwork

Do yard work for your area. People need stuff done and you are healthy enough to do it. If you work one day of the weekend for a couple weeks you may get your plane ticket money back. Plus, you are probably doin’ some serious work and losing that weight for the beaches.

14. Hand Stuff Out

Businesses need stuff handed out. You may be able to go into a Dominoes or some local place and ask if they need any help passing fliers out on the street or around the neighborhood. In fact, you may be able to produce and hand out fliers for local businesses.

Warning: Risky Strategies Ahead

15. Good at Sports? Challenge your friends and put your money on the line.

You better be good, cause if you lose a bet your pride and money go together.

16. Fantasy Sports

May take a little longer to get money, but if you’re dominant at Fantasy Sports you may want to try this one out. I recommend doing this with work and friends rather than online because the pools are smaller and more manageable, but if you are really good you may be able to do a little money making online.

17. Casino

Make sure to Establish limits to how much you want to win and lose a night before going to a casino.

Going to a casino may be a great place to win some quick cash even while you are on the trip if you are good at Poker or Black Jack. It is also a gret place to lose all your the money you have saved forcing you towards that paper route.

18. Get a Part-Time Job

Ahhh the classic. Need money? Go get a job.

As an instructor and student of Kuk Sool Won I have found it difficult at times to get answers to some questions I have had regarding the style of Kuk Sool Won, culture questions, and specific questions about techniques/kicks/stances. Where do you go to get these questions answered?

First of all, feel free to comment and ask a questions here and I will get you an answer from a credible Kuk Sool source.

Second, which I have done before, is email a Master. Go to the schools section of kuksoolwon.com, find a school’s webiste that is run by a Master, and then you can usually easily find an email address under the “Contact Us” section of their website. Make sure to use proper etiquette and be very respectful when asking questions. In the past this has worked out very well for getting those tough questions answered.

Third, ask your instructor. Often times your very own instructor will know the answer to your question, or if they do not they can call a higher rank and find it out for you in the future.

Today we bring you 3 quick tips on how to make your form better today. These tips apply to any form in the Kuk Sool Won curriculum and while they will make your form better immediately you will still need to practice them every time you do your form so they become second nature and automatic.

1. Get Your Feet Right

It’s as easy as this.

(a) For Horse Stance (Ki Mah Jah Seh) and Long Stance (Jeon Gul Ja Se) try to make your feet point as forward as possible. Do not let your feet “Bow” out.

(b) For Offensive Basic Stance (Gong Kyeok Ja Se, Left side in front) and Defensive Basic Stance (Bang Eo Ja Se, Right side in front) Your front foot should be pointing forward and your back foot should be pointing 90 degrees to the right or left depending on which stance you are in.

2. Ki Hap

Yell / Ki Hap while doing your form.

One, it is what you are supposed to do every time you do your form and especially in tournaments.

Two, it focuses your energy and concentration.

Three, it helps you breathe which makes doing your form easier.

3. Chamber those Kicks

Make sure to “load” your kicks in a tight chamber every time. Front Kick (Ahp Cha Ki), Round Kick (Bal Deung Cha Gi), Side Kick (Yeop Cha Gi), Hook Kick (Bal Kkum Chi Cha Gi), and Back Kick (Dwi Cha Gi) have you start the kick right after you pick your foot up off the ground in a tight chamber, extend the kick out, and finish in a tight chamber.

If you do these 3 tips when you do your form tonight you will be better, and if you do them every day your form will be great.

Enjoy Kwan Jang Nim Sung Jin Suh perform Ki Cho Hyung. We Need More Practice!

The last of our first 3 videos we have produced for our first self defense series. This videos covers how to defend yourself if someone is not taken some hardy hints to leave you alone and it is escalating where you don’t want it to go. Remember, as with nay self defense situation do anything you have to to get away safely. Some ideas beyond this video are to poke / gouge the eyes, aim for the groin, and cave in the knee. Enjoy the video and here are the links to the previous two videos in this series:

How to Defend Yourself Against a Grab from Behind (Bear Hug)

How to Defend Yourself Against Someone Grabbing and Trying to Strike You