Our Kuk Sool Blog about life, events, and activities at Kuk Sool Won of St Paul. We practice a Korean style of Martial Arts in the Minneapolis and St Paul Area. For more info and a free intro lesson call 612-578-5797, email us at stpaulksw@gmail.com , or visit our school homepage at the link below:
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
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:
Fast Hands
Low Stances
Deliberate Feet
Eyes Open
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
It’s pretty obvious where Kuk Sool is from once you visit Korea. People generally practice Kuk Sool in Korea for longer periods of time and more days during the week. Watch the video of this awesome Sa Bum Nim (4th Degree) below and you can see what I mean.
Five articles you may have missed this week. Don’t forget you can subscribe via email or RSS feed on the right so everytime there is a new post it will be delivered to you. Also, if you have any ideas or questions about the blog feel free to leave a comment on a post you have interest in. Spread the Word! Tell people about this blog.
The Korea trip sounds great until you see the price. But if you want to go it is still possible. Check out our quick ideas to get some cash for the trip.
You don’t see a falling video too often. I will try to get one of mine up in a couple weeks. If you have any videos you want showcased on this blog shoot me an email or leave a comment.
Yet another release of some Kuk Sool Won Martial Arts Wallpapers for your Computer. You can find all our other wallpapers in our Wallpapers category in the sidebar to the right on by clicking on this link Martial Arts Wallpapers
This week we bring two wallpapers from previous Kuk Sool Won World Championships. The first is of cane defense techniques and the second is of Master Suh Sung Jin doing some form or as we like to call it “Hyung.” Enjoy.
Here is a video of three different Black Belt level forms in Kuk Sool Won ( we call them Hyung ). Demonstrated by myself, KSN Stuart from England, and our Master Instructor over in Korea. We were doing a demo for very high-ranking Masters which you can not see in the video as well as parents of all the students at the school.
Here is another video from the demo I did in South Korea when I lived there for a bit. Stuart Kyo Sa Nim (from England) and I got the chance to did this wonderful Staff Sparring Form we in Kuk Sool call Bong Dae Ryun.
It was interesting to mix the way I learned this form with the English version, and then of course we had a little bit of the Korean style thrown in as well. Sorry there is no sound on this video but the video should be enough to enjoy on it’s own anyway.
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!
