This morning I went into the backyard for some training and practice and wanted to share with you something I did during my session.

In Kuk Sool, there is something called “hyung bup” — principles of forms. They are basically:

1. eyes bright
2. mind clear
3. hands fast
4. feet slow
5. body low

Now for the outsider looking in, you have to realize there’s more to these principles than the 10 words. For example, “eyes bright” isn’t that your eyes are shining like beacons, it’s about awareness. For now I’ll assume the reader understands these 5 principles and save a discussion of them for another time.

I started my practice slowly, working with Ki Cho Hyung. Ideally when you perform hyung it should be smooth, without stopping, and fast. Stopping is essential in learning the form, but as you progress things should be smooth, without any stops. One thing I picked up from my gun work (e.g. drawing from holster) is: slow is smooth, smooth is fast. All too often we train fast or at least at a moderate pace, but how smooth are we? And then if we aren’t stopping, are we also being sloppy? So this morning I opted to train with “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” in mind. The ideal is fast and smooth, no stopping, no sloppiness. So, start off by taking it slow.

When taking it slow, this also gives you a chance to really work on principles like “body low”. But more so, it really allows you the time to focus and be aware of your application of hyung bup throughout your execution of the form. You’re able to mind little details of your body position and correct them. You’re able to feel all the muscles contracting, including the muscles that shouldn’t be and therefore need to be relaxed. This isn’t to say you should move so slowly, like an exaggerated turtle, but that you should go at a slower pace than normal, smooth it out, and really allow yourself to be aware of your body and your application of hyung bup. It makes a difference.

After working on being slow and smooth for a while, I changed my practice slightly in how I applied hyung bup. I worked to exaggerate the principles (tho really, it tends to work best for hands fast, feet slow, body low). So I really pushed out my stances, not too stupid low levels, but certainly pushing them beyond where I normally go… to a level where yes my legs will shake and tremble as the muscles are tired, but not so much that by the end of the form my stance is nothing. It’s picking something just over my normal state so that I push myself a bit beyond my threshold so that my body grows stronger. Push yourself but pace yourself (train smart). Then I work at the feet slow, ensuring grounded stances, ensuring my head is level, my back is straight, my hips squared, my balance centered. Working on moving my hands as fast as possible, which seems even faster in contrast to the speed everything else is moving, but never letting it be sloppy. If things are getting sloppy, back off the speed a bit and work to make it correct and smooth; speed will eventually come. The key here is to take the principles and not push it to ridiculous extremes but to push it beyond your normal bounds so that you have to be just a bit more than before… it may not be comfortable, but eventually your body will adapt and strengthen, and that’s the point.

I like to perform this exaggeration of multiple principles at the same time, but if it’s too much for you at first, just pick one principle and focus on it. And really focus on it… do that form 10 times, 20 times, 50 times, all focusing on that one thing. Be aware of what you’re doing, how you’re progressing, and always striving to push yourself to be better, closer to ideal, nearer to perfect. Always check your personal feedback, never getting angry at yourself if you mess up but instead discovering something about yourself from that experience and do better on the next repetition. Then once you’re working well at the one, try exaggerating two principles during the same execution. And so on.

Hyung practice shouldn’t be mindless and repetitive movement, just you dancing about the floor. There should be thought and purpose in every movement. Hyung execution should be meaningful and productive.