KUK SOOL WON, hard of soft style?
- Thread starter amishman
- Start date
I guess what has me a bit interested in Kuk Sool Won are the animal techniques present in the system. I am more of a Kung Fu guy and 20+ years ago I studied some Kung Fu. I have always liked Shaolin style Kung Fu and although Karate is great, I never really liked the super hard stances in everything and prefer a softer style. Unfortunately there are no Shaolin or Kung Fu classes where I live but did stumble across a local Kuk Sool Won class. After reading about them today, and all the different training this martial art has, part hard part soft, and includes animal techniques somewhat like Shaolin does, I figured maybe I should investigate it more.
Are there any Kuk Sool Won folks here? What are your opinions on the style of this martial art. Does it seem like part karate, part kung fu, part korean martial arts?
tom
Are there any Kuk Sool Won folks here? What are your opinions on the style of this martial art. Does it seem like part karate, part kung fu, part korean martial arts?
tom
Yeah, I would've said mixed, leaning toward hard.
stoneheart
Purple Belt
As I understand it, the beginner curriculum is very karate-like. You do not practice the softer forms until you attain at least 3 or 4 ranks (about 1.5 years training?). Please contact your local Kuk Sool school for clarification. I'd hate for you to be disappointed if your expectations are not met.
There are a couple of Kuk Sool Won dojangs in the city where I live. I always thought it looked like fun, although the style is a bit flashy for my tastes.
There are a couple of Kuk Sool Won dojangs in the city where I live. I always thought it looked like fun, although the style is a bit flashy for my tastes.
Chizikunbo
Purple Belt
Kuk Sool is said to be "Yu Kwon Sool" which they translate as "Soft Hard Techniques". However, as taught by the Kuk Sool Won today, Kuk Sool appears to be predominantly soft (just look at the 6 forms to black belt)...however others are preserving the full art, as it was back when it went by the name of "Kuk Sool Hapkido" such as Grandmaster Timmermans "Kong Shin Bup" (Kuk Sool Hapkido)...for instance he has soft and hard forms, so there 18 to black belt, where as Kuk Sool Won has 6...Kuk Sool Won also tends to favor Pyung Sool (palm strikes) over kwon sool (fist strikes)...but I believe this is due to the fact that Kuk Sa Nim Suh In Hyuk has an extraordinary knowledge, and skill level in Pyung Sool...in an article written by Jane Hallendar back in the day she interviews KSN Suh, and explains the use of Pyung Sool over Palm strikes...evidently in the times of Sado Mu Sul, Bul Kyo Mu Sul, and Kung Jung Mu Sul Korean martial artists considered fist techniques as lower class (barbaric) whereas Pyung Sool were reserved for higher level martial artists.
I am not saying one is better than the other, but there is a difference from Kuk Sool then and now ;-)
Art of the Warrior
White Belt
I have been training in Kuk Sool for over 18 years and MA for 22 years. I spent my early beginning as a part of the World Kuk Sool Association (WKSA) now I am a part of the United Martial Science Federation (UMSF) under Chief Master Marlin Sims, both of these organization are kuk sool based.
To answer your questions....Kuk sool is both hard and soft (the way we execute it within the UMSF). From what I have observed over the last 2 decades the look of kuk sool changes depending on the region and influences of your instructor. A lot of the groups from Korea have a more Tang Soo Do feel to their form/hyungs movements (In my opinion). Some of the lower level forms can appear more like Tang Soo Do or Tae Kwon Do forms. However the upper level forms appear more like Kung Fu movements. The art in essence is a combination of 31 different korean arts (and if you ask me several other kung fu styles) So it has a mixture of different looks and principles. It is really hard to put this particular art into a box of hard or soft.
Hope that helps with this discussion.
To answer your questions....Kuk sool is both hard and soft (the way we execute it within the UMSF). From what I have observed over the last 2 decades the look of kuk sool changes depending on the region and influences of your instructor. A lot of the groups from Korea have a more Tang Soo Do feel to their form/hyungs movements (In my opinion). Some of the lower level forms can appear more like Tang Soo Do or Tae Kwon Do forms. However the upper level forms appear more like Kung Fu movements. The art in essence is a combination of 31 different korean arts (and if you ask me several other kung fu styles) So it has a mixture of different looks and principles. It is really hard to put this particular art into a box of hard or soft.
Hope that helps with this discussion.
Similar threads
