Il Soo Sik (curriculum and impact)

[SirKicksAlot]

I have studied with a few Tang Soo Do and Taekwon Do groups and it seems there is no standard il soo sik outside of the Soo Bahk Do Association. Soo Bahk Do has 18 standardized one-step sparring with is basically only 9 but then mirrored to make 18. They also have a small standard set of Sam Soo Sik. World Tang Soo Do has like 90, divided into 30 feet, 30 hands, 30 self defense. But other orgs are just all over the place. It is billed as practice to lead into free sparring, but if that were so, wouldn't the stances and movements better simulate free sparring movements? Did it just get carried over from Shotokan's Ippon Kumite or is there a better reason? I learned them and taught them because they were mandatory parts of the art, but never found much use in them. Is this just a Korean arts thing where the need for il soo sik is mandatory? I personally would prefer if the art was only composed of Hyung, Free Sparring, and Breaking. This post may be all over the place, but basically want to know what your one-step sparring curriculum looks like and what your thoughts are on its practice.

 

[Buka]

I have studied with a few Tang Soo Do and Taekwon Do groups and it seems there is no standard il soo sik outside of the Soo Bahk Do Association. Soo Bahk Do has 18 standardized one-step sparring with is basically only 9 but then mirrored to make 18. They also have a small standard set of Sam Soo Sik. World Tang Soo Do has like 90, divided into 30 feet, 30 hands, 30 self defense. But other orgs are just all over the place. It is billed as practice to lead into free sparring, but if that were so, wouldn't the stances and movements better simulate free sparring movements? Did it just get carried over from Shotokan's Ippon Kumite or is there a better reason? I learned them and taught them because they were mandatory parts of the art, but never found much use in them. Is this just a Korean arts thing where the need for il soo sik is mandatory? I personally would prefer if the art was only composed of Hyung, Free Sparring, and Breaking. This post may be all over the place, but basically want to know what your one-step sparring curriculum looks like and what your thoughts are on its practice.

I’ve trained in a bunch of Tang Soo places over the years, taught in a half dozen as well. (not teaching Tang Soo)

All of them were different. A lot different.

I’ve found that to be the case with most Arts.

 

[Badhabits]

Yep there's a whole bunch of different ways people do one steps. I personally like one step sparring for certain things. Such as experimenting with angles and distancing. Nothing beats having what amounts to a human dummy to try things out on.
That being said, one steps for the most part aren't realistic fighting/self defense and I don't think they were meant to be. It's another training tool like everything else.
As far as curriculum, where I've been training most recently newbies are given set one steps as a starting point. Then are expected to develop their own as they progress. Our instructor will assist, critique, advise etc in this.

 

[slindsey15]

I think of free sparing distance as predominately long range - which is to say the distance at which I can kick you. Occasionally we would move into medium range (punching range).

One step sparring covers the "close range" distance, which is to say, near grappling or clinch distance. At least it does hypothetically. Too often we make too much extra space and turn it back into medium or far range because that's where we spend all of our time and are accustomed to it. I.e. its described as a intro to free sparing, but imo that's a misapplication due to ignorance. I had the same experience as you with multiple different Tang Soo Do schools, weird disjointed one steps that don't integrate well and lack of standardization.

In my opinion - if you were seeking to integrate one steps properly - they'd cover moves you learn in the forms and serve as bunkai practice, which isn't prevalent in Tang Soo Do (at least in my experience). This would both serve the close range/clinch fighting modality and also reinforce movements taught in kata. You could build off of them into flow drills. Then your system works together rather than fighting itself.

Just food for thought.

Addendum. I should note - many people of solid repute think 1 step sparring was a copy of 3 step sparring from Judo. In much the same way Karate stole Judo's uniform and belt system - it may have also stolen step sparring. To that end - said people also consider it a dead end relic. I'm amenable to this idea insofar as I'd rather spend the class time learn kata application which serves the same purpose, fundamentally.

 

[isshinryuronin]

In much the same way Karate stole Judo's uniform and belt system

Karate did not "steal" these things - they were required by the Dai Nippon Butoku-kai and/or other national Japanese quasi-governmental organization in the interests of conformity to the existing MA standards (around 1930). This was necessary for karate to be fully accepted in Japan. The Okinawans largely resisted such things till post-WWII (one needs to play along to get along).

 

[slindsey15]

Karate did not "steal" these things - they were required by the Dai Nippon Butoku-kai and/or other national Japanese quasi-governmental organization in the interests of conformity to the existing MA standards (around 1930). This was necessary for karate to be fully accepted in Japan. The Okinawans largely resisted such things till post-WWII (one needs to play along to get along).

Loose language on my part. Made a change/began using to increase acceptance is the theme. No negative connotations intended. I reserve all the negative connotations for fake Tang Soo Do History.

 

[SirKicksAlot]

Made a change/began using to increase acceptance is the theme

Good point, because I don't think Okinawan karate has 1 step sparring? Not sure. Maybe it was an invention when karate hit Japan?

I reserve all the negative connotations for fake Tang Soo Do History.

Wow, so true! We could have a whole thread on how Hwang Kee learned from books and started a whole art, but yet any modern person trying to learn from books, people laugh at.