Anybody familiar with Song Moo Kwan

**foxguitar** · Posted On: 7/01/2008 8:18am

I found this "korean Karate school" the actual name is Karate USA Academy ,

I figured it was a japanese based school , They were closed so I went on the internet and

lo and behold I find it is a Song Moo Kwan school.

I was surprised that a korean based school wouldn't use Tae Kwon Do or something

identifiying right off the bat as Korean.

For those who havent heard my tale , Im a 2nd dan in WTF TKD . I have not practiced in 13

years and recently got the M.A. bug so I have been on a quest to find the ideal

dojo /dojang .

So far I have checked out kenpo , Shorin Ryu , Shotokan , ITF , Kempo .

I really don't want to go back to WTF TKD .

So any body with any input on Song Moo Kwan , Id appreciate it , Of course Im going to

check them myself.

Thank You

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 7/01/2008 8:28am

Songmugwan is one of the original Korean karate systems. It is Korean Shotokan, sharing the same character for Pine Tree in the name.

**foxguitar** · Posted On: 7/01/2008 8:41am

Originally Posted by Errant108

Songmugwan is one of the original Korean karate systems. It is Korean Shotokan, sharing the same character for Pine Tree in the name.

Wow I may actually like that , Im familiar with the Heians , Tekki and Bassai Katas , even

though its been a century and a half since I was a brown belt in Shotokan LOL

Probably a little bit more kicking I'd imagine.

Very interesting . Threw me off to find a Korean based school calling itself Karate .

Oddly enough there is a Olympic style dojang a few blocks away .

It seems there are schools every few blocks , my problem is knowing what I know of what

I want in a school , Im having a hard time finding one to suit most of my needs.

I think for a beginner its easy, go to the closest one and its cool.

Thanks Errant OSS

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 7/01/2008 8:46am

I'm not old enough to have been in the OSS.

**Miles** · Posted On: 7/14/2008 11:06pm

Song Moo Kwan was one of the earliest kwans/schools. It became part of the Kukkiwon system under the Kwan Unification Act. Song Moo Kwan is Kukki-TKD, though as Errant correctly pointed out, when the SMK was founded, it was essentially Korean Shotokan as the founder, GM Ro trained at the Shotokan (much like the founder of Chung Do Kwan, GM Lee, Won Kuk, though GM Ro was junior to GM Lee).

**foxguitar** · Posted On: 7/15/2008 12:46am

Originally Posted by Miles

Song Moo Kwan was one of the earliest kwans/schools. It became part of the Kukkiwon system under the Kwan Unification Act. Song Moo Kwan is Kukki-TKD, though as Errant correctly pointed out, when the SMK was founded, it was essentially Korean Shotokan as the founder, GM Ro trained at the Shotokan (much like the founder of Chung Do Kwan, GM Lee, Won Kuk, though GM Ro was junior to GM Lee).

Thanks for the input , I have decided to go to the Shotokan Dojo , Its just right for me , The training is intense , they spar alot and still do the Kata training.

Thank you :5thanks:

**Liam Cullen** · Posted On: 7/15/2008 7:45am

Originally Posted by Errant108

I'm not old enough to have been in the OSS.

Yet you're still a card carrying member of the SS...

**Miles** · Posted On: 7/15/2008 9:02am

Originally Posted by foxguitar

Thanks for the input , I have decided to go to the Shotokan Dojo , Its just right for me , The training is intense , they spar alot and still do the Kata training.

Thank you :5thanks:

You are welcome, good luck with your training!

***DerAuslander*** · Posted On: 7/15/2008 9:40am

SS = Sexual Superman.

You're an asshole Liam.

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 7/22/2008 1:41pm

Taken from Modern History of TKD

Originally Posted by Modern History of TKD

The Song Moo Kwan was founded by Ro Byung Jik in Kae Song in 1946. Song Moo Kwan founder Ro Byung Jik studied together with Chung Do Kwan founder Lee Won Kuk in Japan. They both studied Karate under Funakoshi Sensei. Right before the Independence Day, he returned to Korea and taught youngsters Karate as a hobby at an archery place, the Kwan Duk Jung.

Ro Byung Jik explained his school's name: "Song Moo Kwan's 'Song' meant pine tree, which meant green and a long life. Also, Song was one of the Koryo capital city name, Song Do. And Song was also borrowed from the Song Do Kwan (Shotokan) when I learned Karate under Funakoshi while studying abroad."

Ro's practice sessions started one hour earlier with warm up exercises consisting of lifting weights and then practicing on the Kwon Go (makiwara). He was known as a powerful puncher and kicker from his students.

Ro always let his students punch the Kwon Go at least 100 times and then started the real practice. If students received the 4th Guep or higher, he let them spar. Like any other dojang, he was known to let his students practice in cold weather during winter, and in the hot weather during summer.

Ro Kwan Jang's student, and the 2nd Kwan Jang, Lee Young Sup reflects: "Every six months, there was testing for promotion. Mainly one step sparring, three step sparring, free sparring and forms were used to decide promotions. But free sparring was for 4th guep and higher, and 1st Dan required breaking a board. If these rules were broken, the Kwan Jang was very upset."

The Song Moo Kwan graduates were: (1) Lee Hwae Soon, (2) Lee Young Sup, (3) Kim Hong Bin, (4) Han Sang Min, (5) Song Tae Hak, (6) Lee Hwi Jin, (7) Jo Kyu Chang, 8) Hong Young Chang, (9) Kang Won Sik (co-author of this book) and others. However, its power and customs were the weakest among the first big five Kwans.

Song Moo Kwan's first Kwan Jang was Ro Byung Jick, the second was Lee Young Sup and the third Kang Won Sik.