Black Mountain, North Carolina
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______Tang Soo Do______
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Traditional martial arts ask us to constantly strive forward and upward, sometimes inward, to find and surpass limits that we place on ourselves like cocoons throughout life. The Korean martial art of Tang Soo Do is an excellent foundation art that provides a student with precise techniques of striking. Even more, Tang Soo Do, or "Way of the Spear Hand", provides an athletic method of cultivating character and the martial spirit.
A non-sport style that retains the essence of Korea's early combat arts, Tang Soo Do operates on a belt system that recognizes student progress. Students are reminded that belts are nothing more than cloth with dye while who we are is a steadfast color.
Each belt level is tested on the following foundations; foot techniques, hand techniques, one step fighting, forms, and vocabulary/history. Each belt level is cumulative and at various rank includes requirements in weapon techniques, free fighting, board breaks, and self defense. Land of the Sky Martial Arts has an addendum of outdoor knowledge that each student must learn over time.
This information is studied in regular classes each week and also at camps, weekend events, seminars, and informal gatherings. Only the most dedicated students aspire to attain instructor level of proficiency within this school. Students should strive to be present and on time to every class and train regularly at home.
Assistant instructors complete a black belt project at 1st gup focusing on one of three areas; combatives, wilderness, or healing. Each area allows for a specialization and completion of certain goals before the 1st dan, or degree black, test. Combatives deals with continued martial arts practice focusing on mature studies of anatomy and tools. Wilderness, as it sounds, is a proving of many basic outdoor skills with requirements for solo time and knowledge of plants, animals, tracking, traps, and 1st aid. Healing refers to qualities of repairing, preventing, or servicing the body in the absence of a doctor or otherwise certified personnel. The use of herbs and plants as well as energetic techniques are discussed, learned, and applied through the creation of a salve or tincture and training in Reiki or Qi Gong.
These different projects give students a variety based on personal inclination, existing knowledge, or interest. While individual times may vary widely 5-7 years minimum should be expected to achieve black belt.
Hand techniques include the use of fingers, fists, elbows, wrists, and palms. Foot techniques follow the Korean tradition of precision and power. The heel, edge, ball, knee, shin, toes, and instep are all used from the ground and in aerial kicks such as jumping side, back, crescent, round, and hook kicks.
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Grandmaster Hwang Kee at a demonstration in 1947 and again at the 50th anniversary celebration in 1995.
Tang Soo Do is a great art for all ages and instills loyalty, discipline, focus, and perseverance in all who study. Instructor Bolejack has been training in Tang Soo Do since age 14. His lineage is as follows;
Kwang Jang Nim Hwang Kee
Sah Bom Nim Chuck Blackburn
Mr. Bolejack
Other teachers whom I thank and still look up to, admire, and hope to continue learning from include Sah Bom Nim Travis Ginn - a phenomenal martial artist and spiritual warrior in the highest sense.
For more information on Tang Soo Do visit the STUDENT information page or click on LINKS in the toolbar below.
FAQ's - Click here for frequently asked or funny questions. Send us your own question and perhaps it will be posted here.
info@yamabushi.us
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