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Karate is a martial art from Japan; Kuk Sool Won™ is from Korea. Both are fighting systems that teach discipline and self defense skills. Children's classes are 45 minutes long; adult classes are one hour. Each class begins with a short Ki meditaion and 15 minutes of warm-ups and stretching. The remaining time is divided into segments to study two or three skills each class: kicking, hand strikes, forms, techniques, or tumbling. The class splits into groups so that students practice the material appropriate for their level. What am I supposed to call my instructor? You can call your instructor by her title, Pu Sa Bum Nim, or you can just call her Ma'am. This is the best etiquette in and out of class. What shoud I call my child's instructor if I am not a student? As the aprent of a student, address the instructor however you feel most comfortable. It is possible to train without a uniform in th short term, but eventually everyone should have a uniform. For one thing, you can't be a white belt if you have no uniform to put the belt on. Kuk Sool Won™ uniforms are solid black and have identifying patches on the front and back. You can purchase one through your instructor. How often should I come to class? The class meets twice a week. Students should attend both classes each week as much as possible. This helps with memory of the material. Our schedule of classes lists the days and times of specific classes. I've never tried a martial art before. Will I be able to do this? Yes. Absolutely. People have started training at all ages (from 5 to 65), and with all sorts of backgrounds. The curriculum is designed to gradually teach your body how to move like a martial artist. Everything builds on things that came before, so we start out slowly and work our way up. The most difficult thing for beginners to learn is PATIENCE. It is very important to be patient with yourself and not to compare yourself to others. We all learn at different paces, but we all learn the same material. I used to study another martial art. Can I keep my rank? Every martial art style is unique, and so is the meaning of each rank. The curriculum for Kuk Sool Won™ is very specific: therefore, everyone comes to Kuk Sool as a white belt, even if they hold black belts in another style. However, if you have studied Kuk Sool Won™ with another instructor, your rank will come with you to this class. What are the different ranks in Kuk Sool Won™? Students on the path to becoming a black belt will travel through each of the following belt ranks: White, Yellow, Blue, Red, Brown, Black-Brown. These are tests held every month, usually on the 3rd Friday. Students are told a few weeks before testing when they are eligible. On average, there are 3 or 4 months between tests and 2 tests per belt. Every test is cumulative. Students are tested on all the material they know at the time of each test. How do I know if I'm ready to test? Eligibility requirements for testing vary at each rank. For all students, attendance at a minumum of 16 hours of class is required between tests. What if I have trouble remembering the material? The best way to remember is to PRACTICE. A useful tool for home practice is the Kuk Sool Won™ textbook. This book contains pictures and instructions to help students review material on their own. Talk to your instructor for more information. If you're still having trouble, you might consider scheduling a private lesson. Why is everybody called Sir or Ma'am? One of the most important elements of Martial Arts Training is etiquette and respect for others. We call each other Sir or ma'am as a sign of this respect. We respect those who outrank us because they have shown the perserverance to attain whatever rank they have, and we respect their hard work and knowledge. We respect those that we outrank because they have demonstrated courage in starting something new, and we respect both thier commitment and their potential to learn. Bowing is a sign of respect in the Korean culture. it is a slightly more formal greeting than a handshake. We bow when we come and go from class out of respect for what we are learning and where it came from. We bow to each other to remind us that we are not alone in our path and that our actions impact others. Black Belt Club (or "Warriors Club") is our school's demonstration team. The class meets twice a month for 2 hours. It is for students who have the heart of a black belt even though their belts are not black. Admission to this class requires instuctor approval. |