Unfortunately, I don't have footage but thats not to say that I can't put it on my "to-do" list. I have made a personal commitment to get clips of material out on the forums. Its a bit of a risk since most folks in the Hapkido community use such opportunities to "expose" others. The "revelations" are usually done by people who, themselves, never quite get around to showing their OWN stuff, or by folks who then charge for the product. Life goes on, right?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

How long does it take to hit Brown Belt at your school? It took me a round 3 years to get my brown.

I'm sure what you do works for your school. I can remember my first day of class getting to spar. We like to get everyone in the mix right away. We take it easy on them but my sensai thinks you need to get used to getting hit right away.

Its not so much time as much as its mat hours a person has to accrue. It works like this.

A white Belt has to accrue 78 mat hours before they can apply to test for Yellow.
A Yellow Belt has to accrue 156 mat hours before they can apply to test for Blue.
A Blue Belt has to accrue 234 mat hours before they can apply to test for Brown.
A Brown has to accrue 312 mat hours before they can apply to test for Black.

If you figure all things being equal you can say that 78 mat hours is about 6 months or so.
A quick tally makes the trip to Cho-dan about 5 years, two of which is spent at Brown. Does this help?

Best Wishes,

Bruce

Its not so much time as much as its mat hours a person has to accrue. It works like this.

A white Belt has to accrue 78 mat hours before they can apply to test for Yellow.
A Yellow Belt has to accrue 156 mat hours before they can apply to test for Blue.
A Blue Belt has to accrue 234 mat hours before they can apply to test for Brown.
A Brown has to accrue 312 mat hours before they can apply to test for Black.

If you figure all things being equal you can say that 78 mat hours is about 6 months or so.
A quick tally makes the trip to Cho-dan about 5 years, two of which is spent at Brown. Does this help?

Best Wishes,

Bruce


yes sounds similiar to my Dojo.

Exactly what do you mean by " mat time " ? From what you have said so far it sounds like you need over 300 of one step sparring to finaly train against a little resistance .

Exactly what do you mean by " mat time " ? From what you have said so far it sounds like you need over 300 of one step sparring to finaly train against a little resistance .

No, and I think this is where a lot of misunderstanding comes in as I am not the only person who uses the approach.

a.) First off, "one-step", "two-step" and "three-step" sparring are artifacts from the efforts of Itosu and Funakoshi to shape Okinawa-Te into an acceptable form of Physical Education for the Okinawan and Japanese school system. Most people do not want to talk about this since there is much more money to be made characterizing Karate as some fighting art. If you read Funakoshi's masterwork its is abundantly plain that neither he nor Itosu held or supported this belief. The goal was to make practice safe for the students. To accomplish this, hands were closed, emphasis was placed on forms and combat (such as it was) was highly structured and regulated after the fashion of Japanese 2-person kata. In the classes that I teach, the students begin their journey using such an approach in order to get a solid grasp of the technique. However, at Brown and above we stop using grabs to initiate attacks and begin to take the materials that have been learned and use them against strikes, kicks and less structures scenerios.

b.) Secondly, a "free-form" approach is targeting the ability to express what some Hapkido people will recognize as "The Three Principles" of Hapkido. An abbreviated explanation of these is to say that one "takes what the attacker provides", "recycles as efficiently as possible" and "uses energy as economically as circumstances allow". IMVHO a huge deficit in Hapkido is that people get used to not only dealing with one person under a highly structured approach, but also learn to perform only a single defense against that one person. Typically, Hapkido people are taught what to do if they find themselves in a "position of disadvantage". Rarely are they taught "transitions"(follow-ups to the failure of the first response), options for dealing with multiple attacks (both simulataneously and in succession) or recovery skills for dealing with contact.

c.) "mat time" is exactly that. The Hapkido community has WAY too many people who report that they have this or that rank follow XYZ amount of years in Hapkido. Sometimes its the rank thats inflated. We all know of 20 y/o with Black Belts but check-out how many 30 y/o thre are with 7th, 8th and 9th dans. Its bad enough that such ranks are NOT TECHNICAL ranks, but traditionally administrative ranks going back to Japanese origins. Of course, these folks are not going to TELL people such rank is adminitrative, leaving the consumer publics to conclude that a 9th dan is, say, Three Times as BAD as a 3rd dan (if this makes sense). Likwise what many Hapkido people will not tell you is that they teach by direction and have stopped giving and taking technique a long time ago. In this way a person can say that they have been in Hapkido for, say, ten years, but are only actually practicing their art occasionally. In the kwan that I belong to, gueps are required to accrue actual time on the mat. Once a person is a Black Belt they are expected to submit to a specific number of years before applying for their next test. In my case I made my 4th Dan in 2004. I will need to accrue 6 years (2010) in my current grade before I can even think about testing for 5th Dan. During that time I am expected to continue to improve, expand my training, learn whatever the appropriate weapon is and so forth. For most people this is a bit too demanding, not fast enough and thats OK. There are plenty of other places they can train that aren't as stringent. I teach for free and the motto is "you show-up and you get taught. Don't show-up and you don't get taught". I'm getting just a little too old to really care. Hope this helps, Matt.

Best Wishes,

Bruce

In my opinion, it would be far more prudent to test based on skill than on the amount of time that one has trained for. I'm not saying that there shouldn't be a minimum time requirement between tests, but I am saying that quantity doesn't always equal quality. If your standards are high enough, they will get plenty of "mat time" before each test, without the requirement.

Yes, I know what you mean. Its a real balancing act.

Best Wihes,

Bruce

Can kuksool and hrd be saved?
Under present leadership? NO.

Sung Jin Suh (the GM of kuksool's son and heir apparent) is a nice guy,
talented, and pretty open-minded from what I hear. But as long as
daddy is alive and calling the shots, there will be trouble.

The fundamental problem with kuksool is that as a whole, they do not
spar. and if they do, it is watered down. Everybody wants super ability
without suffering for it. If you want to be a good fighter/grappler you have
to suffer. Being hit/choked/cranked/kicked hard is not "fun" like going to
the beach or spending an evening with the Mrs., but it has its rewards.

The other thing: Kuk sools bylaws specifically stated (back in the mid to late
90's when I was a 2st dahn) that NO blackbelt or higher was to train in
any other system period. Then there are the renewing license fees, trips
to HQ for free training and belt promotion fees that are astronomical!

Kuk Sool has no hope because the people that comprise the leadership
are hopeless. I know. I've been there. I've seen it. But they will always
exist in some form because they give people what they want.....even if
it is a false sense of security.

Not to mention the rigid ass lock down control they have. ALL techniques and forms must be the exact same. The type of uniform worn by the practicioners is even controlled.

YOU WILL WEAR A WKSA DOBOHK!!! WITH PATCHES PROVIDED BY HQ!!!! AND YOU MUST USE OFFICIAL WKSA OVERPRICED SWORDS!!!

If I had my wish, the Great Satan that is WKSA would be cast into the eternal lake of fire and burn day and night for all eternity.

Wolf, the longer you are out of Kuk Sool, the more you will dislike it. I've been gone since 1999 and my hatred for it grows hotter and hotter. The more you delve into alive training and functional MA, the more you'll resent their attempts to turn you into their ATM machine.

G2BH, I second the call for some video. Should be pretty easy to find someone with a digital camera that will take short vid clips, at the least. A 3 minute clip of your "free form" drilling would go a long way toward explaining what you are talking about.

G2BH, I second the call for some video. Should be pretty easy to find someone with a digital camera that will take short vid clips, at the least. A 3 minute clip of your "free form" drilling would go a long way toward explaining what you are talking about.

I'll third that. In general, I'd be curious to see anything that aikido's wacky Korean cousin comes up with regarding locks/takedowns in sparring.

Not to mention the rigid ass lock down control they have. ALL techniques and forms must be the exact same. The type of uniform worn by the practicioners is even controlled.

YOU WILL WEAR A WKSA DOBOHK!!! WITH PATCHES PROVIDED BY HQ!!!! AND YOU MUST USE OFFICIAL WKSA OVERPRICED SWORDS!!!

If I had my wish, the Great Satan that is WKSA would be cast into the eternal lake of fire and burn day and night for all eternity.

Wolf, the longer you are out of Kuk Sool, the more you will dislike it. I've been gone since 1999 and my hatred for it grows hotter and hotter. The more you delve into alive training and functional MA, the more you'll resent their attempts to turn you into their ATM machine.

A lot of this has actually changed. When I left all that was required was a black dobok, didn't matter where from. You only needed patches for tournaments and when you got to your bb test. They also lifted the regulation on official WKSA swords only. There's plenty else wrong though. I agree. I have to admit though, I'm curious what the organization has to say about KJN Jan Butler and his BJJ training. The ATM machine problem is definitly still around though.

Jan.....

He will get better and better and then Crook Sah Gimp will announce that
they now have "Brah-Jee-Uhn Yoosool". You can't tell me that the Holy Advent
of the Jool Bohng wasn't brought about by someone else....then stolen....then
given to the Living ATM's for their amusement and Crook Sah Gimp's wallet.

I bet letting non-official swords at tournaments hurt Crook Sah Gimp. I mean,
$350.00 for a piece of **** aluminum DULL blade is criminal. Either that or he has
partial ownership in some of these companies that make the better blades for
a lot less.

And don't even get me started on "master" Rudy Timmerman.....who finally
left. Again, the only one worth anything was Marlin Sims. End of story.

...and Jay Lee was right up there with him. When Salt and Pepper left Kuk Sool,
all hope was lost. Welcome to The Korean McDojo Blackbelt Cookie Cutter Factory!

Umm, if I may...

The question, "Can X style be saved?" is a common for all TMA's, IMO. And the more I think about it, the more I think the answer is yes. We, collectively, are big on hyping how "it's not the style it's the training methodology." Well is it or not? If it is, than any legit style (one must admit there are some styles that are so fabricated and based on faulty principles and techniques that they are not and never have been legit fighting arts) can be saved by properly training it. That still begs the following question, though...


The problem is, you can go and study some arts that are already alive, so why bother.

Quite true. And, in some cases very applicable. There are, after all, many schools and gyms of styles that already train right. They are easier to find (than the elusive TKD school that is the exception to all the other ones that suck) and have a higher standard of quality control. And to be honest, for someone just starting out, I would recommend a good gym or solid traditional style like Judo 99% of the time. But for those of us who have already spent time learning something like TKD or KSW, there is reason to train what we have learned correctly, rather than just scrapping it all and doing KB.

First of all, it's easier to make what we have learned work (which it can) than just start over. Second there is a whole repertoire of technique available to us that, though they can sometimes be gimmicky, are not available in something like KB. Those can be very useful techniques to have. They can surprise an opponent in the ring, or give extra options to our response to a SD situation. Furthermore, some of the more traditional training methods still have something to offer when added to a proper training regimen (note, the problem with some of those traditional training methods is when they are used APART from a proper training regimen).

As an anecdote, Ronin (who used to post/mod here) did some iron palm training. In writing his review of said training he made it very clear that it was something that did not substitute for real fighting ability. It was something to improve his game (which he claimed it did). But he didn't recommend it for someone who didn't already have knockout power in his hands. That type of basic fighting skill must be developed first. When it is, then a traditional training method like IP can actually be useful.

There are, after all, many schools and gyms of styles that already train right. They are easier to find (than the elusive TKD school that is the exception to all the other ones that suck) and have a higher standard of quality control. And to be honest, for someone just starting out, I would recommend a good gym or solid traditional style like Judo 99% of the time.

I agree with this to a point. However, in this modern day and age, not many people are looking to be the next UFC champion or have the notion to get into the ring just to mix it up. While judo is a fantastic art it is not something say a 36 year old or 40 year old, who has never done a martial art in his life, can just go into. Arts that are going to have a lot of contact may not be suitable for a professional business man who needs to keep a "clean" appearance while conducting his every day business.

Needless to say there are a number of reasons why people get into the martial arts. I know of a person who takes it simply because they enjoy the positive atmosphere that they are training in. The key point that you mentioned, and needs to be stressed over all, is higher standard of quality control. Schools need to quit blowing sunshine up people's asses and let them know that they need to to do better with their training. There is nothing wrong with coaching and pushing these people to their limits to produce a better quality martial artist. You can still have a healthy bottom line along with good martial artists if you do it correctly.

Certainly. My opinion is definitely biased towards a SD/fighting perspective.