Shotokan and Tang Soo Do

[Makalakumu]

Greetings everyone,
I cross trained in Shotokan for 20 years in Detroit under the late Master Edwards and Master Bell, however we were always told the art is karate-do and shoto was Funakoshi's pen name and that kan was hall, therefore shoto's hall. So we called it karate - do. When I met Master Bell I was a dan in Tang Soo Do, much younger and extremely flexible, and with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. All that soon changed. My first experience in Karate -Do came as an invitation to train at Master Bell's home. Along with running the old Detroit dojo he had a dojo in the basement of his home. The session began at 11:00pm and lasted until around 3:00am. The physical training was similar to how we trained in Tang Soo Do back in the early years... late 1960s and early 1970s, before we found out that everything we do is bad for us...lol, but yet a bit more intense. We would walk in the front stance while carrying our partner on our shoulders. We kicked from the squat position. There were no fancy high kicks just front kick, back kick, side kick, and round kick. We did squat jumps up and down the floor. The katas / hyungs were so close with the exception of the speed in performance. The Heian Kata's seemed to be moving at a faster pace up the middle with a short burst or exsplosion of technique. We did one and three step engagements similar to our Ill Soo Shick and Sam Soo Shick. Now I was in trouble for I haden't trained in this manner...no stepping back challenging from a ha dan makee (low Block) and waiting for you to kiap...you were attacked at random with no warning and had to immediately counter. in three step engagement you were attacked from three different directions not a straight line. To say the least I was embarrassed and in trouble. I was now in unfamilar territority and was clueless. Oh before I forget, in the start of the class all knelt down first on one knee then on both in order, I sat cross legged boy did I get some stares lol. Thought I'd share that with you. I then watched in amazement as they did kumite not kata with weapons, tonfa against sai, sai against staff, nunchaku against nunchaku, I didnt know to be scared or to want to jump in there! Then came kumite, I thought I would fair well, I thought wrong! Low round kicks to the back of my legs, back fist to the head and face, low kicks to the thighs, elbows, knees, everything we were ever told we could not do in Tang Soo Do class we did in karate - do.... very old school. All I knew to do was to cover as best I could. I formed a lasting friendship and relationship to this day with Master Robert (bobby) bell. and continued to train in karate-do with him until a few years ago. We became best of friends. I watched his children grow up and he mine. His son Chris now heads the Tornado School of Karate in Detroit. They were our guest a few weeks ago. Chris took over class at my dojang while Bobby and I sat there sharing stories of the old days. I believe the two arts compliment each other, Hwang kee knew this I believe, with our dynamic kicking and speed mixed with karate-Do's powerful stances and strikes this was a great combination.

The way you described Shotokan training was how my teacher described the Tang Soo Do he learned years ago. In the subsequent years, the federations have changed many things...however, my teacher still holds to what he learned.

Tang Soo Do is a living art It's my belief we should learn as much as possible like the blue of the ocean the water must continue to flow, and not become stagnant. Incorporate from other systems such as shotokan (karate-do) jujitsu, hapkido, learn weapons, learn grappling and ground fighting, bunkai and pressure points....Make it your Tang Soo Do!

Absolutely. This is a great bit of advice! Thank you...

:asian: