Minimal Standards Sign-up

[glad2bhere]

Dear Folks:

We have had a lot of good discussion here and I have been getting some great e-mails off-line for which I am truely grateful. Honestly, this project can be a bit daunting. Rather than encumber MARTIAL TALK with odd housekeeping bits, I thought I would take this opportunity to invite people who want to have in-put into the project on a regular basis to send along their addresses. For those that want to kibbutz a bit more I am extending an invitation to visit the website ( www.midwesthapkido.com ) maybe once a week to see how things are developing. The focus is shifting a bit right now to establishing both the curriculum AND assigning names which will be "user friendly" both in English and in Korean.

I am also considering that we may have to add a second layer of minimums for those techniques which may not be basic in their execution, but are common to the Hapkido arts such that most practitioners would be expected to have SOME understanding or appreciation. Into this category might well go Spinning Techniques, basic ground-fighting techniques and maybe weapons work. As always in-put is warmly encouraged.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Folks:

".....Thanks for making your position VERY clear; however, I have a sneaky suspicion that your minimum standards will be used by scores of people to
"decide" who or who does not teach Hap Ki Do despite your intent. Yet, I do hope that it will also provide for more meaningful discussions, and with that hope I will continue to support your efforts. I am essentially a positive person, so we forge ahead despite some misgivings lol......"

That works for me. We can start with a couple of points.

One: How about a sign-in for people who are interested in the subject?


Two: How about, along with that sign-in each contributor suggest an import concept regarding the practice of Hapkido.

I will be using this string as a touch point and a venue for sharing the concepts as they are compiled. Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[glad2bhere]

Dear Folks:

Speaking of conceptual terms in Hapkido, here are the first for consideration:

a.) bunseok (K) ("analysis") (E): Though many Hapkido arts may not practice forms, the fact remains that many Hapkido art have forms. As most are familiar with forms I don't have to go into a long dissertaion about the representational and training aspects of the form itself. However, it is important to remember that forms are not dead sets of motions but require investigation to unlock the various lessons they contain regarding the arts they are attached to. It is not enough to simply go through the motions but to tease the form apart and examine the content as well, considering how one piece of the form relates to another.

b.) eung yong (K) ("application") (E) : Closely related to the examination of a form is a practical interpretation or use for the motions themselves. Essentially this happens on two levels. One is the Hard interpretation usually made up of striking and blocking. The Soft interpretation utilizes the same movements but seeks to find an Evasion or Manipulation interpretation. Neither interpretation is right or wrong, and the focus may be as much on how a movement is done as what is accomplished with it.

As you can see a dilligent practitioner strikes a balance between investigating what they are doing when executing a form (bunseok) as well as identifying a productive use for their actions. Thoughts? Comments?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[glad2bhere]

Hmmmmm--- no comments yet. Next term, then.

C.) 무너뜨리기 muneo tteurigi (K) ("un-balancing") (E) : A basic concept repeatedly found in almost any grappling art regardless of national origin. The fact remains that while individuals maintain balanced foundations, the greater size or strength of the individual will be the only deciding factor. Skill becomes a factor when one understands that the ability to compromise the balance of anothers foundation, or invoke messages in the opponents neuro-muscular system that their foundation cannot be depended on, allows a smaller or weaker person to overcome greater strength. The act of "unbalancing" can be accomplished by one or more of "un-timing", "mis-aligning", "un-focusing" or re-direction of the partner.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[kwanjang]

Hello Bruce:
I am willing to help, just let me know what I can provide for ya. You KNOW this is a BIG project, and I hope you make it. While I don't need anything for myself, I can readily see that many others were not as lucky as I was to get it all from my GM before he passed away. Good luck!

 

[glad2bhere]

Thanks, Rudy.

A good starting place would be finding the Korean equivalents of a few of the terms I used above.

For instance, the overall term for un-balancing a person is there but the names of various methods for accomplishing it need some work.

We all know that we need focus in our techniques, but what term would we use for un-balancing a person by "un-focusing" them, say, with a pre-emptive strike or kick?

In like manner, if I un-balance a person by mis-aligning (his centerline, or spine) what term is used for this sort of mis-alignment.

How about un-balancing a person by disrupting his timing--- usually accomplished by moving in one of 8 directions thereby messing up his depth-perception?

Lastly, redirection of ones attention (which of itself may also be a kind of "un-focusing" or even "un-timing") is pretty well-known in sleight-of-hand but what term would a Korean use to identify the same in the Hapkido arts?

I will also be approaching Dojunim Kim on these same questions but it takes a while to "work through the system" if you know what I mean. Thoughts?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

 

[Paul B]

Hi Bruce,

Just one comment...on the Korean terms could you maybe include pronounciation for those of us whose Korean is..well...bad?

I am learning a lot though...thanks!

 

[kwanjang]

Hello Bruce:
Hopefully the terminology on the sheets I sent you are useful to you, because that is all we use in our school. All of the schools I studied with were Kuk Sool Hap Ki Do (even Kong Shin Bup was just a different name for more or less the same rose), so we used the same terminology that you now have. I think I actually translated it on the sheets.