A Brief Introduction to Kuk Sool Won™
The name, Kuk Sool Won™ is easier to understand when broken into its 3 parts. Kuk means nation, state or
country. Sool means martial art technique, but has a deeper implied meaning, including the mental, spiritual,
cultural and philosophical heritage of Korean martial arts. Won means institution or association.
The roots of Kuk Sool date back to the beginning of Korea with Sah-doh Moo Sool- family or tribal martial art.
The next development was Bool-kyo Moo Sool-Buddhist martial art. Shortly afterwards came Koong Joong Moo
Sool-royal court martial art. These are the three segments of Korean life and history from which the techniques of
Kuk Sool evolved. Modern Kuk Sool is not a style or type of martial art, but a systematic study of Korea's martial
art techniques that date from ancient to present time. Today's Kuk Sool was formally systemized in 1958 by
Grandmaster Suh, In Hyuk and the association was officially founded in 1961 in Korea.
Kuk Sool, as organized by Kuk Sa Nim (Korean National Teacher) Suh, In Hyuk has three levels of study:
Student Level, Instructor Level, and Master Level. Each level of study has a specific lesson plan, which has been
systematically outlined from a basic level, progressing upwards. Kuk Sool lesson plans are patterned along the
principle of our educational system. A comparison would go as follows: Ki Cho is pre- school level, Cho Guep is
grammar school level, Joong Guep is middle school level, Go Guep is high school level and Dae Guep is college
level. Completion of the Instructor Level lesson plan is the martial art equivalent of a university master's degree.
The third or Master Level lesson plan is equivalent to the university level Ph.D. degree. It is a course of study that
must be pursued over an entire lifetime.
The basis of Kuk Sool is the building and use of Ki-internal power. Therefore, Kuk Sool is classified as an
internal martial art system. However, to classify Kuk Sool under any one name is in error because of its vastness.
To be correct, one must stay Kuk Sool is an internal, external, hard, and soft martial art.
Kuk Sool is kicking, punching, throwing, joint locking, pressure points, falling, choking, weapons, physical
fitness, mental control, meditation, breathing, acupressure, and acupuncture. These are some, not all of the
technique categories contained within Kuk Sool Won™.
Kuk Sool leg techniques, Jok Sool, use all types of kicking, sweeping, and grappling motions. There are 68
different basic kicks with several variations for each, and literally hundreds of different kicking combinations.
Punching includes open and closed hands, using all parts of the hand, arm and shoulders for attack and defense.
Throwing, joint locking and choking utilize every part of the body to form an enormous variety of
Soo-technique.
To be exact, Kuk Sool contains 3,608
Soo. Falling and some gymnastics are important aspects in escape, evasion
and self-protection against a variety of attacks.
Pressure points are used in striking and grabbing. Attacking pressure points properly can be painful, paralyzing or
may even cause death, depending on the strength and precision of the attack. Pressure points are also used in
acupressure and acupuncture for healing. Breathing, mental control and meditation are taught to help develop and
learn how to control Ki--internal or universal energy. A strong Ki will mean a healthier and longer life. Learning
to control and use a strong Ki will make a superior martial artist.
Kuk Sool weapons date back to the time when man used stone throwing as a method of self-defense as well as to
kill small animals for food. Over the course of Korean history, many different types of weapons evolved. There
are 24 different traditional royal court weapons in Kuk Sool. Of these 24 major weapons, there are as many
variations as there are masters who used them.
To explain the many different categories within Kuk Sool, it would take at least one volume for each category.
This is only an outline of some of the types of techniques that make Kuk Sool. Kuk Sool is a martial art of the
past, present and future. It benefits everyone who practices it, regardless of age, background or sex.