Kuk Sool Won, some Korean martial art...

[Kungfoolss]

Martial arts leader visits Finger Lakes

Monday, July 07, 2003

By DEBORAH J. MYERS
Times Correspondent


In Hyuk Suh of Houston, grandmaster and founder of Kuk Sool Won, a Korean Martial Art, directed a seminar Thursday evening at North Rose Elementary School for Wolcott and Rochester area students. Students learned the philosophy and development of Kuk Sool Won. (Kathleen Lange / Finger Lakes Times)

WOLCOTT — There’s nothing like learning from an expert.

Local martial arts enthusiasts had the chance to hear the thoughts and goals of the founder of the Korean Martial Arts Association at a special seminar recently at North Rose Elementary School. Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh, who visits each of his 300 U.S. schools every year, came here Thursday. “It is an honor to have the grandmaster come and visit us,” said Joe Burnett, a fifth-degree black belt and the local Kuk Sool Won school’s instructor. Suh visits to test for black belt promotion, to give instruction and to make sure that consistency is maintained throughout the schools. “Most instructors [of other martial arts] do not visit the schools,” said Alex Suh, the grandmaster’s son, who assisted him at the seminar. The younger Suh is an assistant professor at a Texas chiropractic college and a sixth-degree black belt. His father, 64, is the only 10th-degree black belt in Kuk Sool Won worldwide. “He says he will retire in about 30 years,” Alex Suh said, smiling slightly. “Kuk Sool keeps you young.”

Sung jin Sun, Alex Suh’s older brother, will take over as grandmaster upon their father’s retirement, whenever that comes. Approximately 30 students of different belt rankings — plus several observers — attended the seminar. The Kuk Sool belt rankings, in order, are white, yellow, blue, red, brown and black. Although self-defense is a definite part of Kuk Sool, Alex Suh said that “maintaining a healthy body and a useful life” are larger goals. After the students warmed up, In Hyuk Suh lectured them and the audience about important tenets of Kuk Sool Won. “I’m strong, I’m smart, I have good heart,” he led the students in repeating aloud. Suh said that soundness of each aspect — body, mind and heart — must be present for effective and proper use of the techniques learned in class. “If you’re strong but not smart, there’s a big problem,” he said. “If you’re smart, you can continue learning because of concentration. You need a good heart to be a good person.”

Suh advised students to avoid smoking and drinking, to take good care of their bodies and to practice every day. Etiquette is fundamental to Kuk Sool. “Practice saying ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘Yes ma’am’ every day,” Suh advised his students. “You can say it to everyone to prove [you have a good] heart.” Students are required to call each other and instructors “sir” or “ma’am” and to bow upon entering or leaving the school, before and after practice, and as a means of greeting each other. During class, they are not permitted to speak while the instructor is speaking, leave without asking permission or adjust their uniforms while facing the U.S., Kuk Sool or Korean flags hanging in the classroom. Toran Gordinier, a first-degree black belt from Wolcott, appreciated Suh’s inspiring words. “If I could, I would come to a seminar every month,” he said. “It’s always invigorating and worthwhile.” After the seminar, the students received instruction from Alex Suh and In Hyuk Suh while practicing their “forms,” a series of precise movements specific to each belt level. The students also honed their techniques with staves, swords and jool bongs, a Korean weapon similar to the nunchaku (commonly called “nun-chucks”) of Okinawan martial arts.

Unlike many other disciplines, Kuk Sool Won is a trademarked method of martial arts. That distinction ensures that no one can legally open a Kuk Sool Won school without approval from the grandmaster. Kuk Sool Won was organized by In Hyuk Suh in 1958. It internalizes the three types of traditional Korean martial arts: SahDoh MuSool, BoolKyo MuSool, and KoongJoong MuSool. From these three arts, Kuk Sool Won uses more than 3,600 techniques. Suh also founded the World Kuk Sool Association based in Houston.

http://www.fltimes.com/Main.asp?SectionID=38&SubSectionID=121&Art icleID=1733

[Miguksaram]

Cool....what's your point? That a stylist trademarked his system so that people who water it down or try to pass crap off as KSW can't do it legally? Have you even seen the man demonstrate his skill?

Jeremy M. Talbott

Owner of Kungfools, Scourge of Kungfools' joke-based logic, and the Preeminent Force in putting dumbasses like him to bed
http://www.koreanma.homestead.com/index.html
http://www.martialscience.homestead.com/home.html

[BlackBeltNow]

"In Hyuk Suh of Houston, grandmaster and founder of Kuk Sool Won,"

took me a whiel to understand this first line...i was liek "why is there a place called 'Hyuk Suh' in houson". haha.

Do Be Open-minded
Don't Be Gullible
-----------------
Aromatic Mornings, by BBN

Every morning I dream of Benzenes...
Those wonderful
planar
conjugated
1-3-5-cyclohexatrienes.

[Miguksaram]

"why is there a place called 'Hyuk Suh' in houson"

lol...up the caffine intake BBN. :)

Jeremy M. Talbott

Owner of Kungfools, Scourge of Kungfools' joke-based logic, and the Preeminent Force in putting dumbasses like him to bed
http://www.koreanma.homestead.com/index.html
http://www.martialscience.homestead.com/home.html