thoughts on Kuk Sool Wan?

[yojimbo]

I'm going home for the summer, I'm in college now. There is a Kuk Sool Wan school nearby and I was wondering what exactly this art is all about. I tried to do a search on the subject to no avail. I'll only be able to do it for the summer, there is no kuk sool wan in the college town that I live in. Would I get anything out of it in three months. When I come back to college I might take up jujitsu or karate, kind of want to stay away to TKD. Or should i just start the karate training now and then when i go back to school i can continue it then rather than starting a new art? thanks

[Pacificshore]

KSN Doug would be able to give you insight on KSW. My feeling though is to start up your training perhaps after you come back from summer vacation. I suppose starting one art and then another when you get back isn't necessarily a bad thing, but for consistency sake, I'd prefer to stick to one art. Just my opinion.

[Aamorn KSW]

Kuk Sool Won™ is a systematic study of all of the traditional fighting arts, which together comprise martial arts history of the Korean nation.

 

http://www.kuksoolwon.com/whatksw.htm has a lot of info about what kuk sool is and what types of techniques it covers (which is pretty much every kind!) You can also find links to the history of kuk sool.

 

And the solution to your problem is to start taking kuk sool over the summer and then continue kuk sool at school I realize that might not be a possibility though. I know there's an instructor in Davenport who's a good friend of my instructor and comes to our school occasionally. Looks like there's also one in Clinton.

 

What university do you go to? The hapkido club at University of Iowa was fun and actually the 15 techniques we learned there were really similar to the first 15 I learned in Kuk Sool. I've heard differing accounts of what Hapkido is supposed to be but the Hapkido club at U of Iowa (and Iowa State - that's where teh UIowa instructor trained) has takedown techniques at white belt and later kicks and punches.

 

But definitly check out https://www.kuksoolwon.com if you're interested. There's also a list of schools with contact info

[Sepultura]

its spelled kuk sul(sool)won.thats y u didnt find anything on the net check out https://www.kuksoolwon.com .hope that was any help.

[Sepultura]

lol sorry i didnt read Aamorn KSW's response.well best of luck .

[SBN Doug]

Hi yojimbo,

 

I'm not going to say you won't benefit from three months of Kuk Sool Won. However, you won't progress much within the art. You will get a feeling for what the art involves, and Hapkido, Tang Soo Do, and Hwa Rang Do are are similar and possibly at you disposal while at school (if you like it).

 

You will have something to compare to when deciding what other art to take at school, or perhaps decide you liked it some much you will drive a little ways to get to one. (Be advised that the schools listed on the KSW webpage is NOT a complete list. Small clubs are all around, especially at colleges, that are not listed. You may have to call headquarters to see if there is one close.)

 

At the very least, you will be able to get some cardio work in, stretch out, and build up the necessary muscles for other arts.

[kick_azz]

KSN Doug - what are your thoughts on Hwa Rang Do ?- I have a school near me that has it.

[SBN Doug]

I can't speak from experience, only from what I've read and heard.

 

There is a thread in the Korean arts section where I posted a link to both the HWD organization, and an "outcast" member. Since you can post most anything on the web, you should take his allegations as only that, allegations. The organization has their reasoning for his expultion posted as well. I say this only because you may run accross this information while researching it, and I don't want you formulating an opinion based only on his side of the story.

 

That aside, it would seem to be EXTREMELY close to Kuk Sool Won. Some have said that most of the techniques are exactly the same. I have seen pictures of their Grandmaster and mine, from back some time ago. I believe there may have been some attempted association originally, that may not have worked out.

 

If it has similar techniques, the striking, the weapons, etc. to KSW, then I would say watch a class, see how it goes, and do the same as any other MA, watch out for long term contracts. I've never been concerned with short term ones. Oh yeah, and let me know what you see.

[SBN Doug]

Sorry, it was in Comparative.

 

I responded to you question with the link over in the Korean forum.

[yojimbo]

Thanks for all the replies. While Kuk Sool Won (sorry) seems interesting it would be impossible for me to drive to one while at school. By the way I'm going to Iowa State. I know that at the university they teach TKD and Hapkido. But if I were to take Hapkido I might as well start that here (Davenport) instead of Kuk Sool Won. I'll have to look into Hapkido more before I make my decision. In Davenport there is an Aikido school, and while that seems good it has one of the longest learning curves in the martial arts, and I wouldn't be able to continue training at school. Anyway, thanks I'll look into Hapkido and try to sort out my other options.