BLACK BELT CLASSES

BLACK BELT, WHERE YOUR MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING REALLY BEGINS.

To many people by attaining the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt believe it to symbolize the end of a long road. In fact, the opposite is true. Attaining the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt is the beginning of a truly fascinating and exciting journey.

As a Kuk Sool Won Black Belt, your martial arts training really begins. Martial Art training is not just attending class and practicing. Martial Art training is also about helping others to attain their goals. As a Black Belt you should, within reason, endeavor to support and assist your School, your fellow students, your Instructor and the World Kuk Sool Association (WKSA) in any appropriate manner necessary to further realize the benefits for your own training, the training of other students and the goals of the WKSA.

“Welcome to your Black Belt journey through Kuk Sool Won. I hope that through the practice of, and our common interest in martial arts, we will develop physically and mentally, so that we can achieve a better understanding not only of ourselves, but also of others, regardless of race, color or creed. Ultimately, we should feel ourselves enabled to make a better contribution to our families, and to the society in which we live.”

– In Hyuk Suh, Grandmaster.

Black Belt training starts just after a student reaches Brown Belt, in order to become a Black Belt you need to start training like one. It take 4-5 years of regular training to achieve the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt in Kuk Sool Won. At this stage the student will be well versed in kicking, punching, joint locking, pressure points, throwing, grappling, wrestling, traditional forms and weapons.

The truely fantastic thing about Kuk Sool Won is there’s more to learn at Black Belt ranks than there is at colour belt ranks. In Kuk Sool Won we have sylabus all the way up to 5th Degree Master level and beyond.

The extremely comprehensive nature of Kuk Sool Won continues after promotion to 1st Degree Black Belt. Whereas many styles of martial arts, especially the more modern creations which seem to view the Black Belt as an end in itself, have very little to offer after Black Belt.

Kuk Sool Won stands apart in that it is after Black Belt that the training really begins. As vast as the Underbelt curriculum is, it really just forms the foundation on which your later training will build.

Below is the requirements for promotion to the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt. Many of the techniques available in Kuk Sool Won are “special” forms/techniques that are not listed in the curriculm (these include training sets, weapons routines, etc.).

BLACK BELT TECHNIQUES

Ki Bohn Bohn (10): Fundamental Principle Techniques

As the name implies, these are the first basic throwing techniques taught in the elementary level of Kuk Sool Won and are designed to initiate Black Belt “Freshmen” to the more advance principles of throwing. A thorough knowledge of the Underbelt curriculum is necessary before beginning this level of technique.

Gahk Doh Bub (10): Angle Principle

This set of techniques is designed to further instruct the beginning Black Belt student in angles so that they may better understand and apply the proper technique most effectively. Not only does this set of techniques lay a proper foundation for techniques to come, it should also help to make any techniques that the student has previously learned to be applied much more effectively and efficiently.

Juhn Hwahn Bub (10): Spinning Principle

The techniques taught in this particular set teaches the student to apply the principles of YU-WON-HWA (“soft-circular-blending” are the three core concepts on which the art of Kuk Sool is based) in a smooth and circular manner while maintaining proper body motion in order to translate a rapid spinning motion into a linear force.

Goh Geup Sohn Mohk Soo (15): Advanced Level Wrist Techniques

This is an advanced set of techniques forming a continuation of the first set of Wrist Techniques (called “Sohn Mohk Soo”) taught at the Yellow Belt Level and teaches the student to apply new principles to this type of technique for more effectiveness.

Goh Geup Eue Bohk Soo (15): Advanced Level Clothing Techniques

Just as the technique set above was a continuation and expanding of an earlier set of techniques, so also is this set which teaches a more advanced and effective response to clothing grabs based on principles learned at the Black Belt level. The techniques are quite effective, but they are also somewhat more complex, requiring a firm understanding of the techniques learned at the Underbelt Level.

Jah Ki (15): Techniques from a Seated Position

This set of techniques takes the principles and applications already learned and teaches the Black Belt student to apply them from a seated position. Though taught in a kneeling posture (a position much more common in Asia than in the US), these techniques can also be easily applied when seated in a chair. Because the kneeling posture precludes the possibility of retreat or motion in response to an attack, this set of techniques is also very effective in teaching effective blocking and redirection of an attack prior to the counter.

Wah Ki (15): Techniques from a Recumbent Position

While certainly not a position to be preferred for defence, there are situations in which the student might be thrown to the ground and attacked and therefore it is necessary to know how to defend oneself from a position in which one is lying on the ground. This set of techniques teaches a response to various types of attacks from this position.

Ee In Jeh Ahp Sool (10): Techniques Against Two Attackers

This set of techniques teaches the Kuk Sool student how to apply many of the techniques and principles learned previously against grabbing attacks by two attackers simultaneously. In addition to requiring proper technique, joint angle, pressure point attack and proper body motion, Ee In Jeh Ahp Sool also requires the student to perform these techniques with both hands (including the “weak” hand). This helps to build strength and dexterity in the application of techniques with BOTH hands.

Jahp Ki (20): Grappling Techniques

Derived from Korean wrestling, Jahp Ki teaches the student to 1) “feel” for an opponent’s movements, 2) develop a quick reaction/response and 3) develop a repertoire of throwing techniques. A good understanding of pressure points and joint locking is necessary in order to perform these techniques effectively.

Johk Bahng Uh Sool (15): Kicking Defense Techniques

This set of techniques teaches the student basic and fundamental defences against various types of kicking attacks. In order to be applied effectively, the student must first thoroughly understand the biomechanics of various types of kicking in order to develop the ability to rapidly identify the type of kick and respond quickly based on the opponent’s body motion.

Keun Dae Ryuhn (8): Close Range Sparring Set

A pre-arranged sparring set to teach principles of close-in sparring, Keun Dae Ryuhn teaches proper distance and timing in order to maximize the student’s defensive/offensive technique. This set should be practised with various opponents with intensity, speed and focus.