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The
Interview
This is a
transcript of an interview with Grand Masters
Jun, Chung, Guak and Kim by Dale S. Peck
published in the March 1998 issue of Tae Kwon Do
Times magazine.
The Eastern martial arts have been growing and
flourishing in the west since the end of World
War II. Our perception at that time was that the
arts were mysterious, magical and maybe even a
little frightening. Now we see they have
pervaded our very culture in the form of many of
the movies and television shows we watch to the
books we read and even to our acceptance of
ancient medical therapies such as acupuncture
and acupressure. This fifty year span is only a
beginning for martial arts in the west,
especially considering the centuries of history
and tradition the martial arts have enjoyed in
Asia. The arts here are akin to a young baby
just taking his first few tentative steps on
what will be his lifetime journey. And just as
that baby is in his formative stages the martial
arts in the west are at a time of vulnerability.
There is a lot left to learn.
The explosion of the popularity of the martial
arts here has given literally millions of people
the opportunity to enjoy the many benefits of
martial arts practice. With this growth and the
instant gratification mentality of modern times,
many western martial arts students have not
demonstrated the patience necessary to deeply
learn and integrate the rich philosophies and
traditions that are the foundation of the
martial arts.
Seeing this inadequacy and fearing the loss of
age old, time honored traditions and possessing
over 160 years of combined martial arts
experience Grand Masters Yung Ho Jun. Jin Chung,
N.G. Guak and Jun Kim decided to try to
recapture the true essence of the martial arts.
The result of this extraordinary three year
effort is Ko Am Mu Do. Eager to share Ko Am Mu
Do with others and the desire that the new Ko Am
Mu Do not be misunderstood, these Grand Masters
arranged to have an interview to describe their
intent and their aspirations for Ko Am Mu Do.
Dale S. Peck - Welcome gentlemen. There
are so many diverse martial arts in the world
today. What made you decide to create a new
martial art?
Grand Master Yung Ho Jun - First off I'd
like to say we did not create a new martial art.
Ko Am Mu Do is the culmination of over 2000
years of Korean martial arts. We have merely
reunited the traditional Korean martial arts and
teach them with a focus on courtesy, respect and
ki development in addition to teaching solid
self defense and weapons techniques that have
been proven in unarmed combat and on the
battlefield throughout history. This is the way
martial arts have been taught for centuries. We
have just decided it's time to go back to our
traditions, to our roots.
So it 's the feeling that we are losing our
traditions that has inspired you to develop Ko
Am Mu Do?
Grand Master Jin Chung- Exactly! With the
martial arts growing so fast today, many people
are not taking the time to truly learn the
philosophy that make the martial arts so
powerful. About 30 or 40 years ago many martial
arts started to become more sports-like and this
has been the focus ever since. There is nothing
wrong with going to tournaments, wanting to be
in the Olympics and winning trophies but there
is so much more to the arts. In the true martial
arts everyone is recognized for their
accomplishments. There are no losers. Everyone
who gives it his best effort is a winner because
he is not competing with others he is competing
with himself. Different schools have developed
more and more advanced physical techniques but
they have lost the true guiding principals of
the martial arts. one of the reasons older
people find it hard to enjoy the martial arts is
since there is such a focus on the physical
training they feel they cannot keep up or they
get hurt and quit. This is sad because these
people are not receiving the full benefits of
the martial arts.
Grand Master Jun Kim - How true. That's
why, when we began to look back on our prior
martial arts experiences three years ago, we
felt something was missing.
Something missing from the martial arts?
GM Kim - Well not exactly from the
martial arts, but from my martial arts training.
You see when I was younger the emphasis was
strictly on physical training. We practiced hard
for long hours. The focus was completely on
learning to spar and doing well in tournaments.
In fact we have won many national and
international championships. But then, as we
began to teach, we realized that by teaching our
students only the hard, physical side of the
martial arts our students were missing out on
many of the other wonderful benefits the martial
arts have to offer.
Grand Master N.G. Guak - And even at that
we felt our physical curriculum was limited.
Many of our students, especially black belt
students, wanted to learn more about weapons,
ground fighting, self defense and so on. We
began to look around and noticed that this was
not only true in our schools but in most martial
arts schools throughout the world. We knew that
between us, we have the knowledge and the
expertise to develop a martial arts curriculum
that is superior to one that any of us could
have created on our own. That, in part, was the
inspiration to develop Ko Am Mu Do.
It 's great that four Grand Masters could set
aside egos and persevere long enough to develop
a martial arts curriculum. It is really a
tribute to your strength and humility.
GM Jun - The development of Ko Am Mu Do
is revolutionary in the martial arts because 4
Grand Masters with over 160 years combined
knowledge and experience worked together for
three years of exhausting hours, sometimes late
into the night. Sometimes we would sleep on the
Do Jang floor for only a few, short hours and
then wake to meditate and train.
GM Guak - It was difficult but we did it
out of a love for our students and a love for
the martial arts. We feel the martial arts,
while adhering to ancient traditions, must grow
and change to better meet the challenges facing
our modern society.
How did you arrive at Ko Am Mu Do as the name
for your new curriculum?
GM Chung - It is easy to assume on first
glance that Ko Am is is an abbreviation for
Korean/American. This is simply not the case.
The Korean word Ko can be translated to mean
Heaven, sky or high. The English meaning of the
word Am is big, stone, ground or earth. And Mu
Do means martial arts or the art or way of human
life. Thus the study of Ko Am Mu Do is the art
of human life that is as limitless as the
heavens but is still grounded on solid,
fundamental principles.
GM Kim - The colors in the Ko Am Mu Do
seal are also significant. Each one represents
one of these three basic building blocks of Ko
Am Mu Do. Red represents Heaven or the sky, blue
stands for the earth or ground and yellow
symbolizes the way of human life.
You stated that you had decided to make some
changes in your curriculum. What are some of the
things you have added?
GM Guak - The curriculum of Ko Am Mu Do
is designed so that even the beginner on his
first day will learn something of value, an
effective self defense technique for example.
Even at the white belt level students are being
introduced to basic weapons training, Hap Ki Do
techniques and so on.
GM Chung - When we were first developing
Ko Am Mu Do we decided to standardize the
curriculum. In other words the same types of
techniques are taught at each belt level. Each
belt level is responsible for a form, self
defense technique,combination kicking, weapons,
Hap Ki Sul, breathing techniques, defense
against weapon attack, board breaking and a oral
or written test. Of course, the difference in
the techniques taught at the various belt levels
is that the farther you progress the more
challenging the skills become.
So even beginners are being taught weapons
techniques?
GM Jun - Yes, if they are ready for them.
Obviously young children and people with very
little interest in weapons are not being forced
into extensive weapons training.
Could tell us a little about the different
weapon's skills taught in Ko Am Mu Do?
GM Kim - Sure, let's start off with the
weapon we begin teaching at the white belt
level, the song jul bong or nun chuks. We start
by teaching just the basics. How to properly
move your hand, your wrist and your shoulder.
But so as not to make learning these basics
boring we have incorporated them into a simple
nun chuks forms. Then, obviously, as you begin
to advance through the belt ranks the nun chuk
forms become more intricate and challenging
requiring you to master more and more difficult
skills. By the time you are a blue belt you will
have learned a very advanced nun chuk form and
should feel a great sense of satisfaction at
your progress.
GM Chung - After the first few belt ranks
we begin introducing other weapons such as the
dan bong or short stick, the joon bong or medium
length stick, the jook do or bamboo sword and
then at purple belt students begin jahng bong or
long stick training. First basic defending and
attacking techniques are learned. Then as
students move through the belts more advanced
techniques are taught. Students learn a variety
of different skills designed to make them feel
comfortable with the weapon. To make them feel
almost as if the weapon is a part of them. Then
as students reach the black belt level they are
taught advanced forms that bring together the
skills they have learned in the color belt
ranks.
GM Guak - At the brown belt level we
begin teaching the sword. Again we start with
the basic techniques taught as short forms.
Students learn various blocks, attacks and the
different ways to cut with the sword. This kind
of training makes it easy to learn movements
that are repetitious and that might otherwise be
boring. Then by the time the students reach
black belt they are taught an advanced, full
length sword form.
It sounds as though Ko Am Mu Do has a very
extensive weapons program.
GM Chung - That's true, but of course
weapons training by no means ends when you reach
black belt. More advanced techniques and forms
are taught all the way through the fifth degree
master level. By the time you have made it to
5th Dan in Ko Am Mu Do you will truly be a
master of over 10 different weapons.
There certainly are a variety of weapons
techniques presented in Ko Am Mu Do.
Why so many
weapons?
GM Guak - Weapons training in the martial
arts is essential for many very important
reasons. Not only for balance mentally, but for
physical conditioning as well, especially
flexibility and coordination in the upper body.
Learning to properly use a weapon helps the body
and mind achieve a natural balance through the
required use of both the right and the left
sides of the body.
GM Chung - Another reason to train with a
weapon is the fact that if you understand how a
weapon is used, you will be better able to
defend yourself against that weapon. And besides
that, learning to use a weapon is fun!
Tell me a little bit about your unique approach
to teaching self defense skills.
GM Jun - Basic self defense skills are
taught from the very beginning. White belt
techniques are, of course, fairly easy to
master, but this in no way takes away from their
effectiveness. Ko Am Mu Do students begin
learning from the very first day how to defend
themselves against different types of attacks
ranging from punches to knife thrusts. Then as
the students move though the belts they learn
more varied and advanced techniques such as
defense against knife attack and some Hap Ki Do
techniques.
So Ko Am Mu Do students are learning Hap Ki Do
skills in addition to other self defense
techniques?
GM Guak - Right. We are teaching the
basics of joint locking and throws. Also we show
how to locate the various pressure points and we
teach the students how to use his opponent's
weight and momentum against him. A little
practice with these techniques and it is
possible for people to defend themselves against
attackers that may be much larger than they are.
Are there any other physical skills you teach
besides weapons and self defense techniques?
GM Kim - Of course there is a board break
required at each promotional test. The main
purpose behind breaking is to build confidence
in the student. We do this by starting with
relatively easy breaking techniques such as
hammer fist break and slowly progress toward
spinning kicks and breaks with multiple targets.
GM Chung - Also once students get to the
black belt level the Ko Am Mu Do breaking
techniques are geared more as demonstration
style techniques. By this I mean that not only
are students just breaking boards, they are
putting breaks with multiple targets together
with blocks, kicks and hand techniques in a
short choreographed form. As these students move
through the black belt ranks and they gain
confidence in these multiple breaks these
breaking forms become really spectacular.
So Ko Am Mu Do training intensifies at the black
belt level?
GM Guak - That's right. Unlike training
at many other schools, Ko Am Mu Do training does
not stop once the student earns his black belt.
Once a student reaches the black belt level he
or she will have learned not only mental and
physical self defense and advanced techniques
with a variety of different weapons, but should
also have a very strong foundation to begin to
study the art more deeply.
You mentioned the difference between Ko Am Mu Do
and other martial arts is that Ko Am Mu Do
stresses the importance of traditions. Is this
what you mean by study the art more deeply?
GM Kim - Yes, but it is so much more than
that. Ko Am Mu Do training trains the mind and
the spirit as well as the entire body. It is
taught with a strong focus on the oriental
principles of um and yang, ki, and the oh hang
system.
The principle of ki energy is important in Ko Am
Mu Do training?
GM Chung - Yes, very important. In fact
the first thing we did when we began to develop
Ko Am Mu Do was to incorporate the development
of the ki energy. People in Europe and America
usually think of energy as meaning only power
such as the type that comes from machines or
mechanical devices. But in Asia we recognize
another type of energy as well. This is life
force energy or ki. The fact that the balance of
ki and a person's health are directly related
has been understood for hundreds of years in
Korea. In fact Hoh Joon, a 16th century Korean
physician, wrote a medical book called Dong we
Bo Gom in which he described how to cure many
ailments by the manipulation of ki energy. Ki
energy must be able to flow freely through our
bodies, if we have a problem with the flow of ki
we experience disease and unhappiness.
So a person 's ki energy actually flows through
the body?
GM Guak - Yes, you see there are 14 ki
channels or meridians through which ki flows
throughout the human body. The Korean term for
these channels is kyung lak. The continual
practice of Ko Am Mu Do's healthy ki breathing
method vastly improves the circulation of ki in
our bodies. The diversity of physical techniques
and mental disciplines in Ko Am Mu Do training
balances the internal (spirit) and the external
(muscles).
How do we insure a healthy balance of ki in our
bodies?
GM Jun - With the correct practice. The
emphasis in Ko Am Mu Do is to develop the Tan
Jun (the point approximately 2 inches below your
navel) this circulates ki through out the entire
body and this insures good health. Ki is a
complete, universal and harmonious energy which
students need to learn to balance in their
bodies, not too much or too not little.
As martial artists most of us have heard of Um
and Yang at one time or another but I 'm
guessing we as Westerners don't have a complete
understanding of the concept. Would you go over
this a little more deeply?
GM Chung - Sure I'd be happy to. About 25
centuries ago the Asian people discovered that
there are two opposing but complimentary forces
existing in the universe without which, each
existing in proper balance no live thing could
exist. The development of all Asian philosophy
and culture has been influenced by the um and
yang concept. Um and yang can be symbolized by
heaven and earth, sunlight and shadow, male and
female, moving and still, etc.. Um and yang was
discovered while people were studying the
universe and nature. So the principal of um and
yang philosophy is a cycle of nature and
therefore human beings are a part of nature too.
This means that people 25 centuries ago had
already discovered our place in the natural
universe. And since you and I are part of the
cycle of nature, we must follow nature which is
truth. As long as we follow nature we will be
well balanced. This means we'll be healthier,
stronger and live longer. If we don't follow
nature we will be destroyed. This is what Ko Am
Mu Do training is based on.
By following nature do you mean eating right and
getting plenty of exercise?
GM Jun - People assume they will be
healthy if they eat right, but of course this is
not enough. For example they must also get
enough sleep. They must also learn to get energy
not only from the foods they eat and the
exercises they do, this energy is external or
ground energy, but also from the space around
them. They must learn how to breath. Proper
breathing is important for internal energy.
People must also learn how to think, to
meditate, and they must know how energy travels
through their bodies. They must learn how to
control this energy at all times. They must
learn how to keep these two forms of energy
balanced. This is what martial arts training is
all about.
I 've noticed in most martial arts classes there
is a strong emphasis on continually repeating
physical skills while very little time is spent
on proper breathing or meditation.
GM Chung - People are so focused on the
physical that they think traditional philosophy
is unimportant. By teaching the physical
techniques as well as the philosophy and history
people will begin to see the martial arts as a
whole.
GM Kim - Here is a perfect example.
People these days are spending millions of
dollars to get in shape, but just having a great
physique does not mean you are in good health.
Your physical appearance is not everything.
So you're saying a person can look healthy but
not really be healthy?
GM Kim - Exactly right.
I don't know, some of these people walking out
of health clubs look pretty healthy.
GM Guak - Even though a person may look
healthy on the outside - well defined muscles,
slim - he is only really healthy if his internal
organs are functioning properly (oh hang) and
his spirit is not blocked (ki energy) and he is
physically fit. If any part of a person is out
of balance, whether it be his spirit, his
internal organs or his physical body that person
is unhealthy. If the oh jahng yuk boo (internal
organs) is out of balance, the health suffers,
if the ki cannot flow freely throughout the body
then this person is really not healthy, just as
when he has no muscle tone or is over weight.
All three of these must be in balance. This is
the focus of Ko Am Mu Do training - it is not
just punching, kicking and self defense
techniques but a balanced curriculum which
develops the ki, the oh hang and the physical
body. Correct exercise is the balanced exercise
of the spirit, the internal organs and the
external body. This is the way to open the ki
channels and more quickly rotate the ki. For
this reason Ko Am Mu Do is the best exercise in
the world.
Oh hang? I've not heard that term before.
GM Chung - Oh hang is the guiding
principal of the universe. It is true um and
yang balance. The proper harmonious function of
the five natural elements of the universe which
correlates to the proper and harmonious function
of the five major internal organs of the body.
For example Ko Am Mu Do escape techniques
strengthen and develop proper oh hang function
through movement and proper breathing. Escape
techniques #1 develops the liver, #2 develops
the heart and so on.
You mentioned oh jahng yuk boo. What does this
mean?
GM Chung - Oh jahng yuk boo is the system
of internal organs in our bodies, even though
these five major organs work together as one
efficient system some organs are said to
generate positive ki and some are said to
generate negative ki and therefore certain
organs complement one another. For example: the
liver compliments the gall bladder, the heart
and the small intestine are related, the spleen
and the stomach are partners, the lungs and the
large intestine are paired and the kidneys
compliment the bladder.
GM Jun - Oh jang yuk boo is the concept
that just as um and yang represent the two
opposing and complementary forces in the
universe each of the organs of the body has a
corresponding organ that compliments and
supports it. When there is a proper oh hang
balance in the body these organs help and
support one another. They are interconnected.
How is oh hang related to the human body?
GM Kim - Oh hang, literally translated,
means the five natural elements. These are:
wood, fire, earth, metal and water. As we said
before the organs of human body are interrelated
(oh jahng yuk boo), they support and help each
other in an amazing and beautiful system. These
elements are symbols that represent the various
internal organs our bodies. The liver and the
gall bladder are represented by wood. Wood also
represents the capillaries. Fire stands for the
heart and the small intestine. The blood is also
represented by fire. The spleen and the stomach
are represented by earth. Metal stands for the
lungs and the large intestine and is also
related to the skin. And water represents the
kidneys, the bladder and also our bone. If we
develop the oh hang it increases our circulation
and opens the 14 ki channels in our body which
strengthens and improves the flow of ki through
these channels.
GM Guak - A person's true beauty comes
from his oh hang balance, by how in line he is
with um and yang and the natural principles of
the universe. Since the practice of Ko Am Mu Do
develops all parts of the human being in a
balanced way Ko Am Mu Do practice allows a
person's natural beauty to show through.
GM Kim - Practicing Ko Am Mu Do brings
about the natural harmony of ki and oh hang. Oh
hang comes from um and yang. If you understand
the universal principal of oh hang, you
understand Ko Am Mu Do.
I see, so the goal of Ko Am Mu Do training is
much more than developing students physically.
GM Chung - That's right! Ko Am Mu Do
training incorporates the development of
balanced ki power in its curriculum and is
therefore a complete art. Ko Am Mu Do is a
complete martial art not only because there is a
balance between physical training and ki
training but because there is a balance in the
techniques taught, not only punching, blocking
and kicking, but forms, effective self defense
skills and many different kinds of weapons,
healthy ki breathing, meditation, ground
techniques, escapes, safe, effective falling,
deep useful philosophy, defense against weapons,
etc.
I 've been training for several years in another
martial art. why should I consider supplementing
my experience with Ko Am Mu Do training?
GM Jun - Some people exercise only their
bodies to become healthy. They focus entirely on
kicking, punching, blocking and self defense
techniques. Granted all of these skills are
important and they definitely have their place
in the martial arts, but this sort of training
is limited. If a martial art system teaches only
self defense techniques and breaking skills it
is incomplete and therefore does not follow um
and yang. How many martial arts schools have the
right curriculum to properly develop and nurture
all aspects of our lives. Ko Am Mu Do is a
complete martial art for developing the true
potential of its students. Ko Am Mu Do training
picks up where other school's systems and
curriculums leave off.
GM Kim - Also limited training produces
only limited development of the ki energy. The
14 ki channels are still blocked to some degree.
Complete and diverse training in blocking,
punching kicking, hand techniques, many
different weapons skills, healthy ki breathing,
oh hang development and meditation opens all 14
ki channels and allows ki energy (chun ki and ji
ki based on um and yang) to flow freely and
rotate quickly throughout the body.
Could you tell us more about chun ki and ji ki?
GM Chung - Of course. The goal of Ko Am
Mu Do practice is to bring about a natural
harmony and balance in our lives. The idea of a
natural, balanced martial arts system is when
the body, the spirit and the universe are in
harmony. That is why one of the areas of focus
for Ko Am Mu Do training is obtaining a natural
balance and control of the three ki powers we
all struggle with during our lives. These are
chun ki, which can be translated as Heavenly
energy, ji ki, which can be defined as energy
from the earth and shim ki, which is the human
energy or inner power most of us are familiar
with.
Ko Am Mu Do sounds very well rounded. With such
a diversity of skills is Ko Am Mu Do difficult
to learn?
GM Guak - We have designed the Ko Am Mu
Do curriculum so there is a program suited for
all types of students of all ages, whether they
are men, women, teens or children. Whatever your
skill or experience level you will find
something in Ko Am Mu Do to challenge you. you
are encouraged to learn and integrate the
various disciplines at your own pace remembering
you are not competing with others only yourself.
And as most of you know this is sometimes the
stiffest competition of all.
GM Jun - I also think that martial arts
students should learn to be more patient. One of
the essential values missed by many martial arts
students is patience. Most of us want instant
results even though deep down we realize that
nothing worth while comes to us without a
diligent and focused effort applied
continuously.
Besides patience what other values do you think
are important in learning and teaching the
martial arts?
GM Kim - I feel it is very important to
teach traditional respect and courtesy in the
martial arts. Two thousand years ago the martial
arts started from the practice of courtesy.
GM Chung - This is a principle of Ko Am
Mu Do: You can only learn from someone you
believe, you can only believe someone you
respect, therefore you can only learn from
someone you respect. This is why martial arts
Masters must be respected.
GM Guak - Masters earn respect through
proper discipline. This is not to say that a
martial arts school should be run like a
military base. To earn respect a Master must
encourage his students kindly and gently, but
still maintain a position of authority.
Obviously these age honored values are
important, but is there no room in the martial
arts for modern ideas?
GM Jun - Over the last few decades we
have developed so many sophisticated
technologies. We have put people on the moon and
have even sent probes that have landed on Mars.
These are wonderful achievements, but it is
unfortunate that we still don't have a deeper
understanding of eternal concepts such as um and
yang, ki and oh hang.
GM Guak - We have, however, compiled the
latest, most effective self defense techniques
as a part of Ko Am Mu Do. We not only included
techniques inspired by traditional Tae Kwon Do,
traditional Hap Ki Do and traditional Korean
weapons training, but each Ko Am Mu Do Master
added techniques from his unique area of
expertise. We then combined the most modern and
advanced martial arts science and technology
with extensive personal ki power development
techniques. The combination of this unique
mixture results in a training program that is
greater than the sum of its parts and forms the
most complete and comprehensive martial arts
curriculum in the world.
Wow! With all the benefits Ko Am Mu Do training
has to offer I 'd imagine there are many people
wanting to learn more about the art.
GM Chung - There sure are! Earlier this
year we held a Ko Am Mu Do seminar in Florida
where we introduced the art to over 120 American
Masters, instructors and black belt students.
The participants were very enthusiastic about
the new curriculum. The response from the
American students was extremely positive and
many of the instructors were excited about
teaching the new curriculum in their schools.
GM Kim - This Ko Am Mu Do seminar was a
huge success, but frankly it is even surprising
me how fast Ko Am Mu Do is catching on both here
in the U.S. and around the world.
GM Chung - we really shouldn't be that
surprised when you think about it. Many
instructors and even many martial arts masters
are hungry for an effective curriculum that has
a universal appeal to a wide range of students.
Around the world?
GM Chung - Yes from September 27, 1997 to
October 13, 1997 we were invited by the Kukkiwon,
the WTF and eight different Korean Tae Kwon Do
associations to present the Ko Am Mu Do seminars
and workshops to eight different provinces in
Korea. We introduced the Ko Am Mu Do curriculum
to over 1500 Korean Masters and Grand Masters.
The response was incredible. The Korean masters
loved the curriculum and since, we have
contracted with Korean Tae Kwon Do Consulting to
promote Ko Am Mu Do throughout Korea.
So the Korean martial arts community has
accepted Ko Am Mu Do and is now teaching the
curriculum in Korea?
GM Guak - That's right, in several
schools throughout the country. But that really
shouldn't come as that much of a shock. After
all Ko Am Mu Do is the culmination of a variety
of traditional Korea arts including Tae Kwon Do,
Hap Ki Do and many different Korean weapon arts.
It emphasizes over 2000 years of Korean
philosophy.
GM Chung - In fact these Korean
associations are now planning to send over 1000
martial arts students to a Ko Am Mu Do camp to
be held in Florida this summer.
Ko Am Mu Do seems very exciting. It sounds like
there are many people interested in learning
this art more deeply.
GM Kim - Yes, that is why we have
organized another Ko Am Mu Do seminar to be held
just outside of Tampa, Florida the first week in
May of this year.
It seems like there are so many martial arts
seminars around these days. What makes a Ko Am
Mu Do seminar so unique?
GM Jun - We noticed that most of the
martial arts seminars today focus only on the
business aspect of opening and operating a
martial arts school. We saw a need for a seminar
that presents an exciting standardized
curriculum, not only from white belt to black
belt but from white belt all the way to 5th
degree master, that appeals to a variety of
different types of students but still retains
the character building qualities and effective
self defense techniques of the traditional
martial arts. No other martial arts seminar is
broader in scope, students learn more advanced
ground fighting techniques, self defense skills,
effective joint locks and variety of different
weapons including long stick, short stick,
escrima stick, bamboo sword, nun chuks, wooden
sword and so on.
GM Guak - Yes and in addition to all the
effective physical skills we introduce
techniques such as the healthy ki breathing
method and meditation which naturally begin to
balance and put into harmony the student's body
and spirit with the universe.
GM Chung - And besides techniques and a
curriculum that increases enrollment and
improves retention we show how to present the
material in a way that make classes fun and
exciting. Many of our schools have almost
doubled their class size since beginning the Ko
Am Mu Do curriculum.
GM Kim - We also show how to test more
effectively giving students a greater feeling of
accomplishment and inspiring them to continue
and learn the martial arts more deeply. This is
of obvious benefit to the school as well as the
student.
Is this seminar open to the public?
GM Jun - Absolutely! With the
overwhelming popularity of Ko Am Mu Do we are
now eager to share it with the world public. We
know that true martial artists are always
striving to expand their martial arts knowledge
and our goal is to help train and support
martial artists and martial art schools all over
the world.
I certainly appreciate everyone taking the time
for this interview. Is there anything anyone
would like to say in conclusion?
GM Jun - I feel the unique spirit of the
martial arts is to grow and mature while, at the
same time still retaining the traditions and
fundamentals upon which they were founded. It is
very exciting that the Ko Am Mu Do Masters have
come together and are revitalizing a martial art
that has not only been developing effective self
defense techniques, but has also been showing
students a way to achieve a natural balance and
harmony in their lives for the past 20
centuries. This is what makes Ko Am Mu Do unique
and it is the direction in which true martial
arts will be going in the twenty-first century. |
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