•  Etiquette, Every judge I know will give higher points to better ettiquette or down grade you for bad etiquette.
• You Won Hwa - remember that Kuk Sool is a softer style, so if you do everything hard and jerky you will not score as high as someone who flows.
• Do your techniques - The judges are looking at your techniques; a poor technique ending in a magnificent fall reflects more on your partners falling ability then your technique ability
• Do the techniques in the book!
• Ettiquette: Formal bow (unless injury prevents), speak clearly, use a title, smile, do not turn your back on the judges, thank the judges for your score.
• When doing form - look at your target!  not your hands and feet.
• Hyung By-Whats?
• Control, Control, Control - I see too many students who want to spar hard at tournaments.  Remember, if you want to spar harder,  do it at your home school.
• Weapons:  If you only practice the form and ignore the basic spinnings and meditations, your forms will show it
• Etiquette: Did I mention etiquette?

I have accepted a job at Leapfrog Online as a Web Producer. My new job is located north of the city in Evanston, IL, but I will be living in the City.

After graduating from Purdue University in December, I retired my instructor position to Brandon JKN and moved back here to Minnesota where I kept this website and blog going. I am happy that PSBN Steffen and DBN Nicki are getting their voices heard by posting on the blog and know they will take care of all of you readers and students from around the world.

I want to say Thank You to all the readers of this blog and I hope that wherever you are, you know someone is practicing Kuk Sool somewhere else in the world. We are all Brothers and Sisters.

I will be training at Sa Bum Nim Hill’s school in Chicago, and I am really looking forward to training there. If there is anybody from there that reads this blog, I will see you soon.

There is also a possibility that I will be in the U.K. this Fall because my girlfriend will be studying abroad in London. I don’t need much more of a reason than that to come across the Atlantic and practice with some of you U.K. Kuk Soolers. So maybe this Fall we will have to arrange a place to meet and train if you are from the U.K.

If you want or need to contact me in the future my personal email is maxkpage [at] gmail [dot] com, I also run my personal website at www.maxkpage.com

In the future, I would like to start another Kuk Sool Blog or my own school so you may hearing from me again on the Net. Until then, We all need more practice. Thanks for reading and keep it up for PSBN Steffen and DBN Nicki.

Apparently back belt and marathon runner by the name of Margot Foster, 53, came home and found a man (aged 24) ransacking her house. The surprised thief tried to flee but she tackled him outside her house. The thief was able to free himself and then flee. However, Margot gave chase until the burglar tried to clear a six-foot-high wooden fence. Then, in her own words, she, “grabbed him by the neck, ripped him off the fence, threw him to the ground, and put her knee to his chest.” She then held him until the police arrived.

The image just makes me smile. I can just see this man trying to flee as this woman of twice his age easily keeps up with him, runs him down, and then literally throws him to the ground like the proverbial sack of potatoes.

Margot was quoted as saying, “I was a victim when I walked in. As soon as I walked out he became my victim because I was taking care of the situation.” That is Indomitable Spirit!

* You can see more detail of the jean in the Second image below.

I don’t think the Action Jeans are still on sale but maybe if you contact Century Martial Arts Supply you may be able to get them back on the Market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcr6ZIVi-Vg

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