Mudokwan

[Kelligren]

In looking for a school I found one that intrigues me called "mudokwan" led by an instructor named Young H. Park. I read the old thread on mudokwan linking it with taekwondo but this school's ad cites jiujitsu, judo, kendo and iaido. There are others to check but this one really caught my eye.
Does anyone here have any thoughts to offer on the styles or know anything of the instructor's reputation? Perhaps he's even a member. The FAQs say it's important to check those reps, but I don't want to give any offense, so I'm searching for the right approach here.

 

[TigerWoman]

Does it have a website that you could link? I'm suspect when one teacher...is it one?.. that claims to be a instructor of all those disciplines. Usually it takes years past first level black belt to be a "master" or really an expert and at teaching one style, too. I've heard of Moo Duk Kwan but not this, new one for me. Maybe others will have more input. Try doing a "search" on Mudo Kwan. It came up with about five threads but you have to look through for the highlighted terms. TW

 

[rmclain]

I'm interested to read what you find as well.

"Mudo" in Korean means, "Martial Way." I'm surprised a school teaching Japanese martial arts would use that term. The same thing in Japanese would be, "Budo."

I've never heard of that school.

R. McLain

 

[Kelligren]

Thanks for the input. The ad in the Yellow Pages said there was a website at www.mudokwan.com but when I tried it it went nowhere. I found some others using the name on Google, including what's apparently a cluster of three schools along the Indiana-Ohio line and anothe one in Vienna. Yeah, Vienna.
The school ad says (i'm quoting here) Young Park, who is apparently the founder but maybe not the only instructor, is a 7th degree black belt, red and white belt, jiujitsu masterm national referee, and former president and promotional chairman of IJA and trainer of international champ and junior national champ. The school was founded in 1964. I've driven by it before, but never have gone in...if memory serves there's a tiger logo on the sign.
I figure I'll just go check it out when I get a chance.

 

[rmclain]

The instructor is Korean, which makes sense with the name, "Mudo Kwan."

Some of the older generation of Koreans that grew up during the Japanese occupation of Korea and Korean wartime studied Judo/jujitsu in high school and junior college. They call those arts "Yudo and Yusul" in Korean. Kendo instruction was limited to the municipal police departments during that time as kendo training was a part of training for the police - a sort-of result of the Japanese occupation.

In Korean they call Kendo, "Kumdo." I wonder why they are using the Japanese terms? Doesn't really matter much, as they are just words. The older generation was forced to study Japanese during the occupation, and some still use terms from that time.

More important is if they are passing along a good curriculum and interested in helping their students.

I would just arrange a visit or call and ask their background and philosophy, etc.

R. McLain

 

[Han-Mi]

The instructor is Korean, which makes sense with the name, "Mudo Kwan."

Some of the older generation of Koreans that grew up during the Japanese occupation of Korea and Korean wartime studied Judo/jujitsu in high school and junior college. They call those arts "Yudo and Yusul" in Korean. Kendo instruction was limited to the municipal police departments during that time as kendo training was a part of training for the police - a sort-of result of the Japanese occupation.

In Korean they call Kendo, "Kumdo." I wonder why they are using the Japanese terms? Doesn't really matter much, as they are just words. The older generation was forced to study Japanese during the occupation, and some still use terms from that time.

More important is if they are passing along a good curriculum and interested in helping their students.

Sounds good to me.... Moo Duk Kwon, as posted befor, could have been easily mistaken with mudo kwon by name. I assume this is just as suggested, this is a more Japanese based art with the Korean touch.