Today was a good day. Interesting day. Educational day.
I had the good fortune of having lunch with a particular gentleman. This man studied Kuk Sool for many many many years. He’s well versed, Master level, skilled. He’s also very friendly and talkative. He loves the art, and that was evident in his teaching today.
We met at a local BBQ joint, ate some fine Texas beef brisket, then went out to the picnic area behind the restaurant and did some technique work. It’s no secret I love cane as a weapon, and we went over the Kuk Sool cane techniques, and a bit more. While picking up the cane techniques was certainly the main focus of the session, there was so much put into the details that I dare say I got more from that than anything else. Little things, little details. For instance, the Praying Mantis block or Sa Ma Gui Mak–Gi (사마귀막기). I recall some discussion on the hand position within my old dojang. In the form Gum Moo Hyung there is a series of mantis blocks (watch this video, about 0:50 into it, and he’s NOT doing proper mantis blocks): which way should the hand be pointed? parallel to your body or perpendicular? I originally thought perpendicular, because if you’re trying to inside grab/trap a hand in the block you need to start with the hand parallel to make the grab but then turn your hand away from you so it traps the punch. However, I recall some time in the past being told no, that’s not right, it’s just parallel and so that’s what I did. Well, that was properly corrected today, not just because “that’s how it is” but through demonstration of proper mechanics. Another example was a discussion of Yahng Sohn Mohk Soo #10, which is the technique I always put forth as a sample of impractical techniques. I was taught the proper application of the technique, from how you place your hands for entry (which made the turn to back-to-back just a natural and easy thing) to the fact you’re not really flipping your partner over but instead the extension of your hands to actually put the stress on the shoulders then you move and viola… massive amounts of pain. 🙂 YSMS #10 may not be #1 technique in my book, but now seeing proper application it’s no longer the bottom of my list.
All the little things I picked up today demonstrates a big problem with Kuk Sool Won today: the teaching is lacking. The art is a beautiful art. It is a comprehensive art. It can be an effective fighting art. There’s much within the art that is excellent. But if you don’t have a good teacher, it’s just not going to come through I think same can be said for anything in life: you need good teachers. Getting instruction from an old-school guy like I did today was so eye-opening. Certainly any time this gentleman passes through Austin, I’d love to meet up with him for some further private instruction… and just shooting the breeze.
That was another fantastic thing about today: talking. Hearing old school stories, hearing his personal story, hearing stories about what’s going on today in WKSA (e.g. franchise stuff). There was much insight provided, and I know there’s far more to be told. I only had limited time today, and frankly spent more time there than I should have (I really needed to get back to work), but it was such a fantastic opportunity that I couldn’t leave. It was a joy and a pleasure to have the conversations we did, and if we both didn’t have places to be I’m sure we could have closed down the restaurant just talking well into the night.
I can’t really share the specifics of the day… it’s just not things to air here. Suffice it to say, my respect for this gentleman has grown and it’s certainly a pleasure to get to know him better; I look forward to future meetings (and hopefully we’ll have more time!). From hearing the old school stories, my respect for this man’s teacher and training partners has also grown. My respect for In Hyuk Suh has grown and been corrected a bit too, because I can see In Hyuk Suh is more about the art and less about the business… all the business stuff in WKSA, that’s another matter and it’s better to just separate the two things (the art, the business).
I don’t regret the change I made in my life, to leave World Kuk Sool Association. I still don’t think this “franchise agreement” stuff is truly good business. I will say today’s session invigorated me to keep up with my Kuk Kuk “>Kuk “>Sool training, and I hope that other “free spirits” in Kuk Sool can continue to gather together to share and grow and train in this art that we’ve given parts or all of our lives to. Twas a good day. I learned a lot, and not just the obvious things.
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Could you share a little of the proper Sa Ma Gui Mak-Gi mechanics? We have 3 instructors at my dojang, all three do it different and none of them seems like it would stop or trap a real punch.
Ooo… that’s not good that you have 3 and all 3 do it differently. I don’t know what school you attend, but it sounds like your instructors ought to visit HQ/”The Ranch” and get some corrective instruction from KJN Alex or KJN Sung Jin. WKSA’s big push these days is fixing all this stuff, so it’s a timely thing to do.
As for some basic mechanics, as I understand them (and I still could be corrected)….
Forearm should be vertical, relative to the ground. That can vary some, but consider the basic application as a block against a straight punch to your face. Now when you bend your hand over at the wrist, you’re basically looking to make a 90º angle with your palm and forearm… maybe even a bit more acute, depending how far your wrist bends. Basically, flexing your wrist as much as you can. Your thumb is out to the side in a natural position… that is, it’s not coming up under your fingers like you would if you were making a normal fist (where the thumb rests across the fingers). Fingers then end up curling up and into the palm… somewhat hooking like a Praying Mantis. It will be a bit different doing it in the air than against an actual hand/arm, but the basic movement is the same. I know some people will point their first 2 fingers down and press the thumb against them… making almost like a “point” or a “beak” that you could peck someone with… in a stylized hyung yeah maybe, but you can’t grab someone that way… that takes the 2 fingers and the thumb out of the grab. Try it some in the air and against a punch and you’ll get the feel.
Another key element is the actual lock/trap. A lot of people will do a mantis block such that their hands then run perpendicular to their body. So say I did the block with my right hand, the knuckles on my right hand would be facing to my left (9 o’clock, if you will). That’s wrong. You want to hit the above “mantis like” position over the attacking arm/wrist but then you need to turn your hand outward (so the right hand would turn clockwise so now the knuckles are pointing to 12 o’clock). What does this do? This closes the gap between your fingertips and your forearm and closes that gap against the arm/wrist of the attacker. That is a key element that allows you to actually hold onto the arm/wrist/hand/stick/whatever. Your fingers do help to grip/close as well, but the turning of the wrist is a key element and probably the most non-obvious one. Again, something that becomes more evident when you actually try it against an attacking arm/fist.
Now can it stop or trap a good punch? Maybe. First, a punch is a hard thing to catch… try it. But are you trying to catch here? No not really. But instead, try using your upper forearm to block, keep your forearm in contact with their arm, and now you wrap your hand around the arm.. now you’ve grabbed it and have some control. So don’t look at the mantis block itself as the block… let the forearm block, then the mantis trap/grab comes immediately afterwards.
That’s my understanding and take on it. If I am wrong, I do hope to be corrected. And I hope it helps you. If it didn’t help or you have further questions, feel free to ask. If I don’t know, I’ll seek someone out.
So what happen when a school is kicked out the WKSA? Does that mean they no longer pratice Kuk Sool Won. What is all this business about franchising? Can you study all the techniques of the art. Or is it either you are in WKSA or out?
There’s two things involved here: Kuk Sool, and Kuk Sool Won.
The art is called Kuk Sool. The predominant organization that teaches the art of Kuk Sool is the Kuk Sool Won, also known as the World Kuk Sool Association. There’s lots of weirdness in how the organization is set up, but know it’s all legal and corporate law stuff. So there are other groups out there that teach Kuk Sool, such as the United Martial Science Federation, headed by Marlin Sims. There are groups like the National Korean Martial Arts Association, headed by Rudy Timmerman, which has a background in Kuk Sool (going back to the founding days) but while there’s much overlap NKMMA ultimately is teaching Kong Shin Bup Hapkido (tho a Kuk Sool person would feel right at home as most things are the same). Then there’s groups like KidoHae and Hanminjok Hapkido Association, which is run by In Sun SEO, who is In Hyuk SUH (WKSA founder/head) brother… and they basically teach the same thing… Kuk Sool.
Confused yet? 🙂
So if a school is kicked out of WKSA (or opts to leave the organization on their own accord) all that means is they are no longer part of that organization. They can still teach the same art. If they wish to align with a larger group, they are out there, like UMSF, NKMMA, KidoHae and so on. Or they can go it alone and evolve their own thing. IMHO there’s nothing wrong with that.
Take a read of this posting at Martial Arts Planet:
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showpost.php?p=34083811&postcount=38
it discusses how if people want to move along, that’s fine. That’s what happened before, and it’s just somewhat time for it to happen for Kuk Sool. It might be rough in some ways, but in others it’s perhaps just natural progression and evolution.
What’s the franchising thing? WKSA is attempting to change their business structure. Why? There’s much speculation but it’s their business and they can do what they want. The main problem that’s arisen is the legal wording of the document is very lopsided in favor of WKSA, so much that on a whim WKSA could just waltz into your school and take it over. There goes your business, your livelihood, everything you worked for. That’s not right and it’s just full of potential bad business. So then folks are given verbal reassurance that won’t happen but I’m sorry, if you signed the agreement then in a court of law that’s what you will be held to. This is why it’s been so controversial. Some are going with it, others are chosing to not and leave WKSA.
So for those that leave, life will go on. Heck, take a look at what Larry White and Marlin Sims are doing:
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90980
http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91028
And for me… I left WKSA but I still study the techniques. The knowledge is in my head. I will train with folks willing to train. I will learn from folks willing to teach. I will teach folks willing to learn. Knowledge is what it is.
I hope this answered things for you, as best as I can answer them.