Soo bahk Do

[UpTheIrons]

Granted, Kuk Sool Won and Tang Soo Do are both practiced in Korea. That is not disputed. However, it is a fallacy to claim any style other than Tae Kwon Do as the "Korean National Martial Art". No other style has instilled in the Korean people a sense of pride as Tae Kwon Do. Not Kuk Sool Won, and not Tang Soo Do. Am I degrading them? No. I am saying that neither are considered on the same level as Tae Kwon Do. And whether you consider TKD an art or sport is irrelevent. In Korea, Tae Kwon Do is #1. Yes, there is a subgroup of non-TKD students that does not get the publicity. You have to search them out because they are harder to find. If either were the National Martial Art of Korea, they would be easy to find. You want to find the Headquarters of the National Martial Art of Korea? Go to the Kukkiwon, located in downtown Seoul.

It is also a fallacy to say that Kukkiwon/WTF TKD is only about sport. It emphasizes fighting more than other styles, but it is still a martial art.

[EternalRage]

Kukkiwon emphasizes Olympic sparring - that is not fighting. WTF TKD is mainly about this - competition. Walk into any WTF TKD school, they're all prepping for tournaments with high intensity athletic workouts. Any WTF practitioners reading this? Unless things have drastically changed since I left the WTF 4 years ago, emphasis has always been on competition. Some schools might do some additional more traditional training, but if so its only a minor aspect.

As for Kuk Sool Won and Tang Soo Do being not as well known, yes that is completely 100% true as I posted before, Korean Soo Bahk Do practitioners tell me their presence is very small compared to TKD. Soo Bahk Do is definitely not the national martial art of Korea, I am not sure what is right now. However, this does not affect whether TKD is a national martial art or national sport. Even the WTF states that it has evolved into "a global sport that has gained an international reputation."

In 1968, two organizations were formed for Korean martial arts by the government. One was called "Dae Han Mudo Hwe" - for the martial arts of korea, and "Dae Han Taekwondo Hyup" - for the martial sports of Taekwondo. The reason why Kuk Sool Won is argued as the national martial art of Korea is that "Kuk Sool" is translated to "national art".

Anyway, in 1971, President Park Chung Hee said "A national sport, Taekwondo."

So I dunno Irons, I suppose this is all semantics, but regardless of the label, yes, TKD has amassed worldwide popularity and has given Koreans something to shout about, but also it is impossible to ignore the sweeping standardizations (at least from the Kukkiwon) that is quickly transforming TKD into a sport, especially with the Olympic Games. This does not mean that TKD is losing its philosophical traditions - I've seen philosophical football coaches and baseball coaches - but relative to other styles, TKD is turning towards sport. If your school isn't like that, then its not. But most are.

[EternalRage]

Anyway, moving on to brawler's original question, I think the extreme emphasis on hip motion sets it apart from other styles (yes I know other systems do use hip motion, but Soo Bahk Do thrives off it like a smack addict and preaches it like a holy man on christmas). Its also one of the more challenging (conceptually hence technically) systems around which I like that too.

[Sam]

also - isnt KSW immensly popular even though most people dont really knwo that much about it.

[EternalRage]

I think it is popular - not as much a household term as TKD, but still popular.

[Sam]

i meant by number of people subscribed... i keep reading that it has the highest number of members in any MA organisation [not style overall - just because its only 1 organisation for the art].

Might just be a rumour though.

[tsdtony]

well your right and rong.soobokdo was but is not any more koreas nastional art.Sadly it is tkd now.One of the best ways to find out about koran martial arts history. Is to not go trough the styels history but trough korean history.Youl find a lot more.As far hwang kee ill say it once agean he DID NOT INVENT TANGSOODO.He invented the moodukkwan styel of tangsoodo which used to be called soobokdo.He changed the name to tangsoodo because it was a populer name for martil arts in korea at the time also so it would not be connected to tkd.But tangsoodo/soobokdo never clamed to be ancent.Thay clame to have roots in a 2000 yearold art.wich is not saying my arts 2000 just saying we have roots in that art.OH and by the way if you go trough tkd histor it sayes it was arround 55 it was established.But korean histoy says it was arround 63.

Now what do i love about tangsoodo/soobokdo.well thats esey its complexity.Its one of the most well rounded arts i have every seen.As far as excells.our ki tecniqes are the best i have ever seen.not only that the practicle situations.I have never seen another art spar the way we do.No other studios i have ever seen reagularle on weekly basis do 1on1 2on1 and 3on1.

[mobias]

Quick...what's the difference between Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo Do? About five letters...

[aefibird]

:lol:

[mobias]

I know very little about Kuk Sul Won, my only real exposure to it is having seen it demonstrated. A friend of mine studied it for about a year also. From what I have seen of it, it reminds me *A LOT* of Hwa Rang Do.