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

Kwan Jang Nim Alex has recently had a professional Video made to promote his 2 new schools down in Texas. Fortunately for everyone else he offers the video to help other schools who would like to use it. So all we had to do was put our school Contact Information on the end and drop it on our Homepage. Click the image below to go to our homepage to watch it.

In interviews and talks with instructors one of the recurring themes that comes up is perseverance. This sequence (done without any computer help) took 600 tries to get just once. Now think about Ki Cho Hyung. We are trying to do about a hundred (depending on how you count it) moves in a precise sequence with our body. In addition, we are trying to learn it to the point where it is reproducible. I’ve heard it said from a number of different masters that it takes 100 times to learn it, 1000 times to be able to do it, and 1,000,000 time to master it. Is it any wonder that almost every school has a sign that says, “we need more practice”?

Q: What is the Name of your school?

A: Kuk Sool Won of Walzem

Q: Where is your school located?

A: San Antonio , Texas

Q: How long has your school been open?

A: I’ve been teaching in San Antonio since 2002, before that I had a school on McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey for 4 years.

Q: What is your Kuk Sool Rank?

A: Sa Bum Nim (Fourth Degree)

Q: Where are you originally from?

A: A small town named Oldhams , Virginia

Q: What are your hobbies outside of Kuk Sool?

A: Music, Sports, Hanging out with family and friends

Q: Any other basic background info you would like to share?

A: I’m a down to earth, fun loving guy. I love to train hard, but I believe that in all training, there should be some fun.

Q: When did you Start Kuk Sool Won? Why?

A: I started Kuk Sool Won in the early 90’s at Ramstein Air Force Base under the instruction of then Kyo Sa Nim Daniel Jolly, who is now a Kwahn Jahng Nim. I had visited several schools on base before viewing a Kuk Sool Won class. But after talking to Mr. Jolly for a while, I was threatened. He told me that I BETTER be in class Monday and not to make him come looking for me, because the base was not that big. So I have been in Kuk Sool Won since that day….LOL…

Q: When did you decide to become an instructor and why?

A: I mentioned as a white belt that I wanted to teach one day. So I asked KJN Jolly what rank I needed to be to help him with the children’s class? He said. “Just show up and everything will be fine.” That was the start of me being a helper which turned into an assistant and now a school owner and instructor.

Q: What is your favorite Hyung? Why?

A: My favorite Hyung is Gum Moo Hyung, I love the fact that is a deceptive form. If you don’t know the history of it, you would think that it’s an empty hand form, but it’s actually a weapons form. This fact alone makes it special, and the movements are absolutely amazing.

Q: What is your favorite technique or technique set (Ho Shin Sool)? Why?

A: I don’t actually have a favorite technique, I love them all. As a whole, techniques are my favorite part of Kuk Sool Won. But if I had to pick, I would go with the combination of Maek Chi Ki and Maek Cha Ki. I like those sets because they can be used in any capacity and are very effective.

Q: What is your favorite thing to teach?

A: Sparring and Techniques

Q: Where has Kuk Sool taken you in the world?

A: Not too many places; did most of my traveling through the military but trained everywhere I could.

Q: What one thing would you tell any Kuk Sool student to be successful in Kuk Sool?

A: Be patient and learn to examine the little things just as much as the big things. An example of that would be, when you watch your instructor or someone do a back step and punch, don’t just look at the punch but everything that led up to it, such as proper stepping, body alignment, center of gravity etc.

Q: Who has inspired you in Kuk Sool?

A: Kwan Jang Nim Jolly. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be in Kuk Sool today. Over the years I’ve watched him deal with injuries and always bouncing back through training and healthy living. His attention to detail is a great asset that he instilled in me and a lot of his students. Being a student of his and learning from him on how to run a school and teach are lessons that I will never forget.

Q: What is your favorite Kuk Sool memory?

A: Being promoted with my daughter on May 19th 2007

Q: Do you Teach Military Kuk Sool Practicioners in a different way? If so, How?

A: For the military personnel that I have taught, it was nothing different just more intense. I may have altered a technique here and there but it was based on different scenarios versus just standing in a dojang. However, I teach my students to give 100% every time they practice. If they practice at 100% they will perform at 100% when need be. This world is not getting any safer, so training with intensity could be the difference between life and death if we are ever caught in that type situation.

Q: If you could change one thing about Texas what would it be?

A: Well I can’t speak for all of Texas but for San Antonio , I would like to turn the temperature down just a bit. It’s hot almost year- round, but at least it’s not terribly cold.

Q: What has been the biggest hurdle in teaching your own child Kuk Sool?

A: Understanding that she has to be herself and not what I want her to be. I had to back off and treat her like a student that was coming through the ranks versus coming in as a black belt. Once I backed off and let her be the belt she was, she became one of the best students in the school. To often as parents that teach or coach our own children we think they should be the best and over-train them. This hurts them more than helping them. That was my biggest hurdle and best lesson.

Q: Have you ever been to Minnesota? and if you haven’t, why not? (This dojang’s home)

A: I haven’t been to Minnesota. I never had a reason to go there, but who knows what the future has in store for me.

Thank You Sa Bum Nim for granting us the interview. If you would like to see Sa Bum Nim in action check him and his other instructors out in their Promo video: San Antonio Martial Arts Promo Video - Kuk Sool Won of Walzem

Kuk Sool Won of Timberhill Master, Kwan Jang Nim Daniel Jolly, is known for his great sparring ability. Also, he is a giant. If you see a really tall Master walking around at a tournament you will know who he is. He is also very nice and talented.
Say Hi and Remember to bow.

Here is his schools website where you can learn more about Kwan Jang Nim and his history: Kuk Sool Won of Timberhill - Texas Martial Arts

“Functional conditioning” is THE buzzword in the fitness industry right now, though, like most ideas, it isn’t exactly new, just newly repackaged and marketed.  It seems that the billion dollars worth of exercise machines filling fitness centers across the country really don’t do all that much for our health.  Machines (as any fourth grader who has studied basic physics can tell you) do work for you, making your workout easier and, therefore, less of an actual workout.  Add in the potential for real injury even from using the machines correctly, and you’ve got a bunch of expensive, gleaming, and fairly useless pieces of equipment.  Oh sure, you might be able to do 45 minutes on the stair machine, but can you actually climb that many stairs in real life?  Go ahead and try — I did, and (once I stopped wheezing in agony) that was when I stopped using the stair machine and started running stairs and hills instead.  ‘Cause I actually NEED to climb stairs in my life, and a stair machine doesn’t do a thing to prepare you for the 152 steps up the Highland Park Watertower with a two-year old in a sling.

 So, how do we wean ourselves off of exercise machines and into real, functional fitness — the kind of fitness that leaves us able to run without gasping, jump without injury, slip on the Minnesota ice without falling or at least without breaking?  Get the heck out of the typical fitness center and either a) find a personal trainer who uses free weights, resistance bands, medicine balls, or heavy stones and tree limbs or b) start taking a comprehensive, well-taught martial art.

 I will admit that there are aspects of Kuk Sool that do NOT (in my mind at least) fall under the banner of “functional.”  God help me if I ever actually NEED to use a spear, for instance.  But I need all the help with balance that I can get, and I get plenty of practice with that when I do forms.  The cardiovascular conditioning that comes with a 1000 kick workout translates into running with kites, chasing a dog, and racing my kids on their bikes.  Real-life flexibility?  After 6 months of Kuk Sool, I found I could prop my foot up on the HIGH ledge in the shower when I shave.  Do I adore my well-muscled shoulders, arms, and back?  Oh yeah, baby.  And I love them all the more for the way they can haul a kid, lift the groceries, pull me up on the jungle gym, dig a garden, and climb a tree.

 Get out of the gym.  Get off the elliptical trainer.  Don’t brag to me about how much you can lift on the Seated Leg Press.  Come on over to the dojang and train for real flexibilty, balance, and strength.  Then enjoy a body that functions as well as it looks.

So I am sitting in Houston Airport waiting for my flight (we’ve been delayed three hours so far), and I’m trying not to let the frustration ruin what has been an outstanding weekend.

I have spent the last three days with my fellow instructors at the Kuk Sool Won annual instructor training. There were instructors there from all over. One even came from as far away as Japan. We were trained, helped, and coached by Kwan Jahng Nims Barry Harmon, Choon Ok Harmon, Alex Suh, and Sun Jin Suh. It was, once again, a wonderful opportunity to get ideas, learn, and correct a wide array of martial arts and business techniques. But the high point had to be Kuk Sa Nim’s speech.

Every once in a while I catch a glimpse of just how truly awesome Suh In Hyuk, Kuk Sa Nim really is. Of course, I have always known that he can do astounding things, but every once in while it hits me on a visceral level. It can be mind blowing.

This time it was Kuk Sa Nim sharing his philosophy of martial arts instruction. He said that the main points of a true martial arts instructor are: “like, love, respect”.

When he said this I was blown away. Not because I was surprised, disbelieving, or in disagreement, but because I realized that this man lives this philosophy. It is part of who he is. And we are all richer for it.

Kuk Sool uniforms come in all shapes in sizes, but people new to Kuk Sool sometimes don’t get to see that higher level uniforms are segmented and earned through rank. In this post we will go through all the uniforms and ranks (with awesome pictures) from our Comprehensive Korea Style of Kuk Sool Won.

Regular Training Uniform

This uniform is worn by everyone that practices Kuk Sool no matter your rank. It is a plain black that has Korean writing on the back that reads “Kuk Sool Won” or something of the like. This uniform also requires you to have a patch of the Korean Flag and the Association Logo. You may also have your countries flag on the sleeve. There are some differences depending on what country you are in. In America you are not allowed to have a patch that signifies what Dojang you are form but in Korea you are allowed to have a patch that has your Dojang name on it.

The only way to distinguish rank is to look at the belt of the individual in this uniform. Colored belts are easy to determine rank. Black Belts it gets a little harder. Jo Kyo Nim and Kyo Sa Nim Ranks (1st and 2nd Degree Black belts) have the same thickness of belts. Pu Sa Bum Nim, and Up all have a thicker belt. There is a special thick white belt given to you when you promote to Kwan Jang Nim but usually they do not practice in this belt.

1st - 3rd Degree Black Belt Generals Uniform (Jo Kyo Nim, Kyo Sa Nim, and Pu Sa Bum Nim Ranks)

This uniform is formal uniform attire for tournaments and special events (ex. Demonstrations) that resembles old time Korean Generals Uniforms. At these three ranks the trim will be Silver only.

4th Degree Black Belt Generals Uniform (Sa Bum Nim Rank)

This is one of three Generals Uniforms that does not share colors with multiple ranks. The others that do not share colors across multiple ranks are 9th Degree Black Belt (Chong Kwan Jang Nim) and 10th Degree Grand Master Rank (Kuk Sa Nim). It will always have Red and Silver trim.

5th and 6th Degree Black Belt Generals Uniform (Kwan Jang Nim Rank a.k.a. Master)

Only does this uniform finally signify Master level in Kuk Sool Won. All ranks above fifth degree are referred to as Kwan Jang Nim or Master until you get up to 9th Degree and 10th Degree. The Red trim only signifies Master level achieved as years and years and years of training.

7th and 8th Degree Black Belt Generals Uniform (Kwan Jang Nim Rank)

Still called Kwan Jang Nim or Master, these Masters are the elite of Kuk Sool Won. Only those truly dedicated and passionate about Kuk Sool Won can achieve these ranks through constant practice and teaching. The uniform has Red and Gold Trim.

9th Degree Black Belt Generals Uniform (Chong Kwan Jang Nim a.k.a. Chiefmaster)

Chong Kwan Jang Nim or Chiefmaster are only second to our beloved Grandmaster Kuk Sa Nim. Their Uniform has only Gold Trim for those who taught many to Master level.

10th Degree Black Belt Uniform (Kuk Sa Nim a.k.a. Grandmaster)

The Founder and head of the World Kuk Sool Won Association is Kuk Sa Nim In Hyuk Suh. Kuk Sool!

Video of the Two Instructors at Kuk Sool Won of Walzem down there in San Antonio, Texas. Sa Bum Nim Lawson and Kyo Sa Nim Jen doing some great demos.

I’ll also pass on a little link love to help them rank a little higher in Google.

Here is there Web Page: San Antonio Martial Arts - Kuk Sool Won