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KUK SOOL WON™ is a comprehensive martial arts
system derived from the rich and varied martial arts techniques and traditions
that have arisen in Korea through the ages. Kuk Sool is a complete martial art
that is dedicated to the cultivation of mental and physical strength and well
being, and to the preservation of traditional Korean Forms - Punching & Kicking Techniques Throwing and Grappling - Joint Locking & Pressure Point Techniques
Falling Techniques and
Acrobatics *For more information about Kuk Sool Won™ you can go to the World Kuk Sool Association website www.kuksoolwon.com
The history of Korean martial arts is as old as the land itself
and can be traced as far back as the prehistoric era, where primitive weapons
made of wood and stone were used for hunting and fighting. As early as 2707
BC, the Korean warlord Chi-Woo, also known as Jaoji, reigned as the “god of
war” in what is now Mainland China.
Since then, the majority of Koreans migrated and settled in the region of the Korean Peninsula, where there have been more than a thousand recorded instances of foreign invasions. Consequently, the Korean people developed unique martial arts and military strategies in order to defend themselves and their territory. Most of these Korean martial arts fall into three main groups or branches, namely tribal, Buddhist, and royal court martial arts. The development of each of these three branches is briefly described below: Tribal Martial Arts (Sah Doh Mu Sool) The earliest martial arts developed in Korea are referred to as Sah Doh Mu Sool; meaning tribal, clan, or family martial arts, as this type of martial art was mainly passed down from one generation to the next through family lines. Sah Doh Mu Sool was popular among the ancient tribes, city-states and smaller kingdoms that formed in the Korean Peninsula and parts of what is now China. This was evident well before the first unified Korean kingdom of Ko-Cho Sun which was founded in 2333 BC by the legendary king, Dahn Goon Wahng Guhm. Later, Sah Doh Mu Sool was further developed and made widespread by voluntary militias comprised of the common people, who often fought in battles to defend their villages. Traditional athletic activities such as Taekkyon, and Ssireum are considered to have originated from Sah Doh Mu Sool. In fact, many techniques found in the popular Olympic sport of Tae Kwon Do can also be traced back to Sah Doh Mu Sool. Buddhist Martial Arts (Bool Kyo Mu Sool) Since Buddhism was first introduced to the kingdom of Koguryo in the year 347, a rather unique form of martial arts was developed by both Buddhist monks as well as martial artists, known as Bool Kyo Mu Sool. Buddhist monks originally developed and then practiced Bool Kyo Mu Sool to improve their health while meditating and to defend themselves while traveling. As a result, Buddhist martial arts include both internal training, with emphasis on special breathing and meditation methods, as well as external training, with emphasis on extremely effective self-defense techniques. Many Buddhist monks were so accomplished as martial artists that they were occasionally called upon during national emergencies to fight in battles by forming unprecedented armies of warrior monks. To this day, Bool Kyo Mu Sool plays a significant role for Korean martial artists by providing them with philosophies of non-violence and compassion as well as ethical codes of conduct, such as the famous Five Precepts of the Hwa Rang warriors. Royal Court Martial Arts (Koong Joong Mu Sool) Kings, royal families and government officials had private armies and bodyguards who practiced a type of martial art known as Koong Joong Mu Sool. These royal court martial arts gave rise to esoteric techniques of easily portable weapons such as short swords and folding fans. Also developed were unique weaponless techniques of joint-locking and pressure point striking. Existing records in Japan suggest that many Koong Joong Mu Sool techniques found their way there and gave birth to the Japanese art of Jujitsu. King Jin Hung of the Kingdom of Silla encouraged the Hwa Rang warriors to practice Koong Joong Mu Sool in addition to their other martial arts training. But later during the Koryo Dynasty and Chosun Dynasty, Korean kings enforced policies to discourage the practice of martial arts and to forbid the possession of weapons, in order to protect themselves from military rebellion or any other political uprising. However, Korean martial arts have continued to develop both within and without the royal courts, thanks to the efforts of many dedicated Korean martial artists to practice, record, and compile these precious martial art techniques.
Traditional Korean Martial Arts (Kuk Sool)
The three branches of traditional Korean martial arts: Sah Doh Mu Sool, Bool Kyo Mu Sool, and Koong Joong Mu Sool, were organized to form a single system known as Kuk Sool in 1958 by In-hyuk Suh, the founder and Grandmaster of Kuk Sool Won™.
Kuk Sool has countless techniques derived from the three branches of
traditional Korean martial arts and is structured to take a practitioner in a
logical progression from the beginning all the way up to Master level.
Kuk Sool Won™ has been actively promoted worldwide by the World Kuk Sool
Association®, and it is also recognized in the martial arts community as one
of the most effective and comprehensive systems of traditional Korean martial
arts in existence today.
*For more information about Kuk Sool Won™ you can go
to the World Kuk Sool Association website www.kuksoolwon.com
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Send mail to kuksoolwonrp@yahoo.com with
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What is Kuk Sool
Won™? 
