Kuk Sool Won

[tommarker]

Cool.. Do you set up/execute throws and locks in sparring? I realize that every group has their own "tournament" rules, where things that are practiced in the classroom aren't legal points because of the danger involved...

 

but do you do "informal" sparring where you are allowed to put on a lock, or load up a throw (without necessarily finishing it)?

 

How would you describe typical sparring strategies? Is the longer range preferred, or is it more to setup the throw?

 

Thanks for all the info, and I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about what is a rare art in my area.

[DLopez]

We don't allow our joint lock/throwing techniques during sparring, only kicking and punching techniques.

 

We dedicate the other days of our training to practicing our joint lock/throwing techniques - as well as the falling techniques. I don't know about everyone else, but I really am glad we spend more time on our techniques and falling than sparring, because those are the most difficult things to master (for me at least).

 

Our techniques make your body just crumple like a sack of potatos when the pressure points are attacked, and that's going slow! I can imagine how easily someone could be injured if we tried those during sparring.

[SBN Doug]

Agian, that is the normal observed rules in most KSW schools.

 

For some reason (I know why but I refuse to say ), the schools in the Southern part of New York state (and I would guess by now the area around Georgia ) have been brought up with a much more physical style of training.

 

As an example, there used to be open tourneyments at West Point, sponsored by Kuk Sool Won. In this sparring competition, you have three minutes non-stop. Below the waste is still off-limits, and the points are scoed the same as above, but you don't stop after each point. "With the joint" sweeps were allowed, as were throws/takedowns. The throw/takedown scored a point, as did the follow up strike there-after.

 

A rather "intense" sparring competition to participate in, but I actually liked it.

[ZR440]

Did Marlin Simms have anything to do with that variation of sparring?

[SBN Doug]

 

Like I said, I like some of the differences...

 

And you can't prove I said otherwise.

[DLopez]

I think I'd like that format too!

 

Do you know how they pair up the contestants? Is rank matching necessary or do they throw the lower rank, colored belts to the wolves against Dahn Bo Nyms, Jo Kyo Nyms, Kyo Sah Nyms etc?

[SBN Doug]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

 

They still had the splits by ranks. But I did notice it was difficult determining who should be at what level, because of the different belt systems (open tourneyment, remember).

[lonelobo]

That would have been awesome to participate in. I would have liked to be in the black belt level because of my Tang Soo Do experience. I feel this would have been both fair and a worthy challenge.

[Pepparoo]

Since KSW came up in the other thread, I'd like to maybe take some time and have a positive discussion on the art. I'll admit, I know very little about Kuk Sool except that it seems to have a lot of very circular movements and deals with a fair amount of sword work.

 

For example, is it a striking oriented art, or more focused on locking and throwing? Or both? Is it primarily an empty hand style? Or is empty hand used more to create a foundation for weapon work?

 

Kuk Sool is pretty much a freestyle martial art. It's a martial art that involves a lot of your kicking, punching, forms, and also throwing, choking, armlocks, wristlocks, joint locks, break falls, acrobatics, meditation, breathing, acupressure, acupuncture, weapons all integrated into a beautiful hard and soft style.

 

Kuk Sool is unique in that it allows the practicioner to restrain an attacker or an opponent without having to break his arm or cause serious injury. There's a lot to Kuk Sool, and there's always something new to learn in lessons n they never get boring. They say its the most complete martial art, as there's so much to it.

 

Thats my take on it anyway

[Pepparoo]

We don't allow our joint lock/throwing techniques during sparring, only kicking and punching techniques.

 

Yeah, same here. Thats one of the downsides + we don't do enough sparring (only 1 lesson a month). We've only really done Sparring thats been alternate (with locks/throws) once, that was fun...started off light, then got pretty heated after a bit...This kid was trying to snap my fingers haha! Nah, all good fun though.