History @ The Martial Arts Center of Montgomery, Alabama

Kuk Sool is a Korean traditional martial art system. It is a hard-soft style of martial art that emphasizes fluidity and speed and is considered an elegant and powerful system, integrating mind, body and spirit. By this we mean, “total fitness through the martial art”. Training includes the physical side of weight/resistance training, aerobic/anaerobic, body conditioning, hand and foot building and strengthening techniques, which are martial art specific. Breathing techniques are utilized to connect the mind and body with concentration exercises designed to improve speed and mental skills.

Kuk Sool teaches hyung training (body movement), joint manipulation, pressure points and nerve holds as a mean of self-defense, these techniques also serve another purpose and that is to strengthen the joint structure and ligaments over the entire body. It also includes kicking, punching, throwing, falling, and weaponry. Physical training, meditation, breathing, acupressure and acupuncture techniques are employed to maintain health, to develop internal power, and to retard the aging process.

Kuk Sool, translated as Korean National Martial Arts, is a systematic study of Korea’s traditional fighting arts. Kuk Sool is an extremely well organized system of martial arts, which integrate and explore all aspects of fighting. It is not only concerned with attack and defense but also the study of healing techniques, the development of internal power and of physical conditioning. Kuk Sool covers an extensive variety of techniques and martial art methods. It helps to instill self-confidence, self-discipline along with psychological and spiritual values associated with the martial character. Kuk Sool, as it is practiced today, is relatively new. Its roots stretch far and deep into the history of the Korean people.

This art includes learning:

Hand Striking – closed and open hand striking methods; including palm, fist, wrist, and finger striking techniques which includes pressure point striking and striking using the arms and shoulder.

Leg Techniques – Foundational kicks, spinning kicks, jumping kicks, combination kicks, double leg kicks, pressure point kicking and specialty kicking.

Throwing and Grappling- body throws, projection throws, leg throws, pressure point grappling, grappling defense, wrestling techniques and ground fighting.

Joint-Locking Techniques - – Restraining methods, joint breaking techniques, combination joint locking, control and redirection techniques, arresting and “come along” techniques.

Falling Techniques and Acrobatics - This type of training prepares the body’s internal organs for impact and at the same time conditions the body. It also improves ones agility, develops body protection techniques, and teaches the use of acrobatics for defense and offense.

Total Body Training – This program uses different types of resistance training techniques. One method of resistance training is by using ones own body weight, another is through the use of large rubber bands designed to strengthen and stabilize the joints and also specialized weight training. This type of training is specifically designed to enhance the students’ martial art ability, static and dynamic balance, agility, flexibility, range of movement, and joint stability. This training strengthens the shoulder girdle, arms, hands, wrists, pelvic girdle, legs, ankles and feet. Body posture, core strength and mobility are strongly emphasized in this training.

Animal Style Techniques - techniques based on the movements or characteristics of certain “martial” animals such as the tiger, preying mantis, crane, dragon, snake.

Traditional Korean Weapons – Sword (short, middle, long), single and double, straight and inverted techniques. Staff (short, middle and long), single and double. Jool bong, spear, cane, rope, and fan. There are 24 traditional Korean royal court weapons in the curriculum of Kuk Sool plus Buddhist weaponry and family weaponry.

Martial Art Healing Methods (beginning at instructor level) - acupressure, acupuncture, internal energy systems and herbal medicine.

Meditation and Breathing Techniques – various breath control techniques, meditation, breathing postures and concentration techniques.

Kuk Sool is a beautiful and dynamic “hard-soft” style of martial art, emphasizing speed and fluidity.
At the same time it is an elegant and powerful system which integrates the body, mind and spirit. The physical training techniques train’s the total body, which are martial art specific, and are designed to improve and maintain health, develop internal power and slow the aging process. Philosophically, Kuk Sool stresses humility, self-discipline, self-control, loyalty integrity and the respect for others.

The exercises and postures of Kuk Sool are designed to incorporate and work the total body. The breathing techniques connect the body and mind. The concentration exercises are designed to improve speed and mental skills. When combined and practiced in harmony they culminate in deep relaxation. The practice of Kuk Sool energizes your entire body, mind and spirit for the day or diffuses tension from a stressful one. The movement and techniques you learn improves coordination, range of movement (flexibility), and increases energy. Kuk Sool naturally aligns your body structure and allows the body to move freely with increased power, balance and grace. The foundation of posture, movement and principles of Kuk Sool are then combined to perform complex prearranged movements. Kuk Sool is a building process; individual components are learned first with training divided up into stages - each stage building on the next stage.

Research has shown the importance of continuous exercise over the entire life span. The more a machine is used the more worn it becomes, but unlike a machine the more you use or exercise your total body, the better and stronger it becomes! Many of us sit or stand for long periods of time during the day which tightens the body unnaturally causing tension and stress. Over time this causes our body to lose its natural grace, power and suppleness. You can’t prevent stress but you can stop it from harming your physical and mental well being.