Reasons to consider taking Kuk Sool Won

Here are some reasons for learning Kuk Sool Won.

1. Kuk Sool Won is a worldwide, martial arts system based on all Korean martial arts. Our Grandmaster combined them all into 1 organized system. Kuk Sool Won includes forms, hand and kicking tehniques, many weapons, sparring, joint locks, falling, healing and meditation arts, and self-defense techniques. Go to www.kuksoolwon.com for more information on the history, curriculum, published articles, black belt promotions, store, and a list of the schools worldwide. The chief instructor for the Greenville School is Toan Pham, a 3rd degree black belt (Bu Sa Beom Nim), as is his son Huy Pham. Both are in the process of testing for their 4th degree black belt (Sa Beom Nim).

2. Kuk Sool Won has a standardized, written curriculum. The plaque on the wall shows what is required for each advancement in rank. This benefits students and parents by letting them see what they should know or need to know for their belt level. Bu Sa Beom Nim (3rd degree black belt) Pham schedules tests about every 3 months. Most other schools have their own curriculum, which the owner and chief instructor modifies based his own experience. However, there may be no written curriculum, text books to refresh your memory, and no way of knowing if you know enough for advancement. Advancement may be purely based the instructor's "feeling" when you are ready.

3. Kuk Sool Won is cumulative system, so to advance, students must remember all of the prior belt's curriculum plus the newest forms and self-defense techniques for the current belt. In many other martial arts, higher level students may have forgotten what they learned at the lower belts levels. In the end, this does not benefit the students. The system also uses a Korean vocabulary throughout the schools, so we can communicate accurately with each other around the world.

4. Kuk Sool Won has well-illustrated text books and DVDs for purchase to refresh your memory. This is very helpful for learning, advancing, and test preparation. Check out www.youtube.com and type in "Kuk Sool Won" and "Kuk Sool Won black belt forms" for demonstrations. Since the forms and techniques are the same worldwide, you can recognize them. See if you like what you see! Without the text books, DVDs, and youtube, it is harder to advance, because you can only learn and perfect based on what you remember. This is not a very efficient process, since most people tend to forget or remember incorrectly.

5. There are opportunities to meet firsthand and learn from Masters worldwide at quarterly tests, annual seminars across the nation, and tournaments. Kuk Sa Nim, himself, our Founder and Grandmaster, and his son are present at the annual seminar in Anderson, South Carolina. If you attend, you will get to meet other students and Masters from other schools and other states. Rather than you go to his headquarters in Texas, Kuk Sa Nim comes to our state every summer. Most black belt candidates time their promotion to coincide with his visit, so as to receive their black belt from Kuk Sa Nim himself. If you are not able to go due to a conflict, then there is an entire list of other schools and states strecthing through the entire summer from which may you may choose. Remember, the curriculum is the same worldwide! If you should move, you should be able to continue learning Kuk Sool Won at another school without having to restart at white belt all over again.

6. Kuk Sool Won is a comprehensive, quality-controlled, and standarized martial arts system. In fact, exposure to the many parts of Kuk Sool Won will stretch your boundaries as a martial artist. Opportunities such as learning to use weapons are not available at most schools. Compare your local free-standing martial arts schools to enormous advantages built into Kuk Sool Won's worldwide system. Kuk Sool Won has something for everyone!