# Saw my 1st Kuk Sool demo today



## amishman (Aug 9, 2007)

I have been exploring Kuk Sool a bit lately.  I attended a complimentary class about 2 weeks ago and then tonight watched a Kuk Sool demo at the Nevada County Fair in Grass Valley, California.  

I had a good time watching the demo.  After watching some demos on YouTube lately, it is interesting to see some similarities with the demos.  One of the things that is kind of funny is the over emphasizing of pain (or acting) during some of the demo stuff.  Kind of like the pain you see the Kuk Sool folks showing in magazine articles where someone looks like they are getting beat up.  I know you still need to know what you are doing during these demos but it is just kind of funny seeing it in person.  I guess it draws attention during a demo.  But they were yelling like they were in a lot of pain and then when the demo was over, they were all smiles and in perfect condition showing no signs of pain.

The end of the demo showed a sword cutting by the owner of the school.  Very nice sword work.  Not sure if it is much of a gimmick or if other schools do this but he cut a sweet potato off the stomach of his wife.  Must be precise stuff anyway.  I know my wife would not allow me one day to do the same.  hehehe.

Anyway, the demo was fun to watch and was fun to see how similar it is to others I have seen on YouTube.

Just my experiences is all from someone that did not even know about Kuk Sool a few weeks ago.

tj


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## Flying Crane (Aug 9, 2007)

amishman said:


> One of the things that is kind of funny is the over emphasizing of pain (or acting) during some of the demo stuff. Kind of like the pain you see the Kuk Sool folks showing in magazine articles where someone looks like they are getting beat up.


 
I watched a kuk sool tournament a number of years ago in San Francisco, and I noticed this same thing.  There was a self-defense competition where partners performed on each other, and this over-acting was prevalent.  There was also some overly dramatized responses to techniques.  I saw 10-year-old kids sweep grown adults, and the adult would jump straight up into the air and land flat on his back.  Clearly the technique itself was not done for real and the uke was just acting.  It really turned me off.

But in spite of all that, I think there are some talented people in kuk sool won.  The son of the founder has his school here in San Francisco.


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## amishman (Aug 9, 2007)

Flying Crane said:


> It really turned me off.
> 
> But in spite of all that, I think there are some talented people in kuk sool won.  The son of the founder has his school here in San Francisco.



I don't mind a little of it but I can see why other's that do not like KSW much or have a low opinion of it may mention the over-acting part.

I think there are many positives of KSW and enjoyed how everyone on the group participated.  Very family oriented.  Everyone was involved from the top down.  All shapes and sizes.

I guess I was just curious if demoing is talk to the higher ups so they know how to put on demos or does each school have there own approaches.  I just have seen many demos on YouTube that show the hard hitting and flipping on the ground when people are getting flipped and yelling like they are getting wounded.  

Just something I had not seen in other martial arts demos so it stuck out for me.

Either way, I am impressed with KSW!!


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## dortiz (Aug 9, 2007)

The thing about demoing joint locks is your right..they are not being hurt or flipped. They are moving or jumping. The looks and yells are fake but they would not be if the technique was being applied. Those locks make you scream in pain.


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## Flying Crane (Aug 9, 2007)

dortiz said:


> The thing about demoing joint locks is your right..they are not being hurt or flipped. They are moving or jumping. The looks and yells are fake but they would not be if the technique was being applied. Those locks make you scream in pain.


 

True about things like joint manipulations.

I just didn't like seeing a 70 pound 10-year-old do a big broom sweep on a 180 pound adult, and the adult shot straight up into the air.  His legs looked like he shot off a spring, it was very very very very very obvious.  That's the kind of thing I don't like to see in a demo.  I understand a little extra play-acting, but i've still gotta be convinced there is something REAL underneath it.

This isn't meant to be an indictment of KSW.  Like I said, I think there are some talented people in the art, and from what I have seen of the founder's son, he seems quite good.


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## Hollywood1340 (Aug 11, 2007)

Sometimes it's acting and sometimes it's not. As a Hakido Uke, I'd say it's 50-50


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## Chizikunbo (Aug 11, 2007)

amishman said:


> I have been exploring Kuk Sool a bit lately.  I attended a complimentary class about 2 weeks ago and then tonight watched a Kuk Sool demo at the Nevada County Fair in Grass Valley, California.
> 
> I had a good time watching the demo.  After watching some demos on YouTube lately, it is interesting to see some similarities with the demos.  One of the things that is kind of funny is the over emphasizing of pain (or acting) during some of the demo stuff.  Kind of like the pain you see the Kuk Sool folks showing in magazine articles where someone looks like they are getting beat up.  I know you still need to know what you are doing during these demos but it is just kind of funny seeing it in person.  I guess it draws attention during a demo.  But they were yelling like they were in a lot of pain and then when the demo was over, they were all smiles and in perfect condition showing no signs of pain.
> 
> ...



Hi all,
the demos and the acting are what keeps most folks watching, which is the goal of the public demos...
Somthing that most people do not notice is that the joint locks are not the throws...In Kuk Sool this begins with one of the first techniques, Ki Bon Soo 1...the fall/throw/jump is a result of escaping from the joint lock, and it allows us to safely practice. I mean honestly, do you think an person can actually flip a person above there head with one hand, and a little wrist grab ??? LOL Acrobatics and Nak Bup (falling) are taught from the begging, nak bup conditions the body as well. But mostly if the student did not escape from the joint lock it may very well resort to hyper-extension of the joint ligaments, and possible breaking...so you jump out of the lock. The lock also guides the body to make the fall, so the opponent is placed in a bad and vulnerable position...and most thugs cannot take a fall very well lol 

Now I can say from personal experience that joint locks can be VERY intense, and hurt quite alot, so if done right it may look quite theatrical, but it depends on the person on the recieving ends pain tolerance. 

take care,
--josh


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