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ONE STEP

SPARRING
 

Soo Bahk Do's founder Grand Master Hwang Kee did not base these methods on theory first but action. Grand Master Hwang Kee was born in 1914 during the Japanese occupation of Korea, and then suffered with many of his peoples W.W.II and then the Korean War; he is no stranger to conflict.  One time while in a restaurant in Manchuria during the Japanese occupation, he was attacked by a group of Japanese soldiers, incredibly out numbered Grandmaster Hwang Kee positioned himself in a doorway forcing his attackers to funnel through single file which they were completely unprepared for and were defeated. From this experience we can conclude that against odds like that physical skills alone will not prevail. Only with the unification of the physical, mental, philosophical and strategic facets can the defender hope to be successful.

Like a good General we must study, plan and take action. From the battlefields of ancient Korea to today's modern Do Jang's (Martial art schools) the heritage of Soo Bahk Do continues on to help its practitioners live more healthy and peaceful lives.

When one thinks of the Korean martial arts, spectacular jumping, spinning aerial kicks usually come to mind. But like a rare jewel, Korea's traditional martial art Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do) is multifaceted. One of the little known facets of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan is its Ho Sin Sool. Literally translated Ho Sin Sool means "Protect body method" Technically it is the art and science of protecting the body when threatened before or during combat.

This can come in the form of grabs, stabs, pull, pushes etc. Now it is important to point out that Soo Bahk Do's Ho Sin Sool (Self Defense) is not just a subsystem nor a hodgepodge of wrist-locks, escapes and throws but a philosophy! A "philosophy in action" contains a series of responses to various simple and unique combat situations. This can range anywhere from a simple shove to a grabbed kick during sparring.
These responses basically fall into 3 categories of energy:

  • PUSH

  • PULL

  • NEUTRAL (holding firm)
There are of course variations of these techniques, but they must fall into one of the 3 categories.
Before we discuss the technical aspects of Ho Sin Sool first lets explore its philosophy. "The spirit behind Ho Sin Sool" explains Sa Bom Nim H.C Hwang (Chairman of the U.S Soo Bahk Do Federations technical advisory committee) "can be compared to this situation: When you approach your home you are faced with two different paths or ways of entry. One is a short cut through a wide inviting door but it is a dangerous entrance. However another door a few feet away is perfectly safe. If you take a little longer and use a little bit more energy to step the few extra feet, you will enter safely into your home and reach your destination. This is the true concept behind Ho Sin Sool. It is better to avoid danger, but in our lives unexpected things can occur. In this case we need to prepare for the unexpected. It gives us peace of mind to be capable to protect ourselves. Of course, our daily training in Soo Bahk Do can be effectively used to protect ourselves.  However, Ho Sin Sool training has specific applications to be used in unfavorable situations, for example, when someone grips you. Ho Sin Sool was designed by Grandmaster Hwang Kee for these situations; to enrich our knowledge of self defense as well as the human body."
Like its response's Ho Sin Sool's philosophy can also be broken down into 3 basic levels to better understand it:

  • Awareness = Shin Gong

  • Assessment = Nei Gong

  • Action = Wei Gong
Through application of the philosophy and mental training (Shin Gong) we can possibly see potential trouble and avoid it, if unavoidable we use our experience (Nei Gong) to plan a successful strategy and implement it (Wei Gong).
Strategic planning will help uncover your available options, set priorities for them, define and implement methods to achieve them.

  • HO SIN SOOL

  • Potential Conflict  (Awareness)

  • Avoidable / Unavoidable

  • Assessment (Options)

  • Action (Techniques)

The 3 Energies
As stated previously there are 3 basic energies in Ho Sin Sool; Pull, Push and Neutral. The responses to these energies are found in the laws of nature and its forces called Um and Yang (in Korean). Um/Yang are the forces of plus and minus. Ho Sin Sool is the application of these forces and their relationship with one another. The practitioner trained with the understanding of these forces, will be using the laws and forces of nature, for example when pushed (Yang) the complementing response is to pull or yield (Um) absorbing and or redirecting the opponent's force against him, conversely when being pulled, push or advance.

Now in theory this sounds simple enough but an unwilling partner and the multitude of variations that can plague you can complicate the equation. Um/Yang is always in a state of flux; continually changing from one extreme to the other, therefore the practitioner of Ho Sin Sool must be adaptable when these changes in energy (attack or pressure) happen he/she must be prepared for it. This is why Soo Bahk Do's self defense is modular. When the student of Soo Bahk Do learns a series of responses to a wrist grab for example, he is not learning a bunch of technical tricks, but responses to the opponent’s energy.  If they pull, push or hold tight we respond appropriately. If they change we adapt using the opponents energy against them resulting in anything from escapes, wrist-lock's to throws and/or strikes to vital points.

The actual techniques of Ho Sin Sool are vast ranging from joint manipulation and escaping to control, injure, throw or allow strikes to vital or non-vital area's including but not limited to points also used in Korean medicine (acupuncture).  Now this may seem challenging enough, but the real challenge begins applying this philosophy in your daily endeavors and technically in a safe free-sparring situation, where it is now spontaneous and random. Meticulous planning, training and implementation, will enable everything the practitioner does to appear and ultimately be spontaneous.

Problems and Pitfalls
One pitfall that must be avoided if any success is to be achieved in learning the martial arts is the trap of false security. Just because you've memorized a few escapes and manipulations doesn't mean you can defend yourself in a real conflict. Remember the old maxim "A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing". Experience gained through diligent, consistent training and application of that wisdom powered by the proper philosophy, would prepare you. "Courage alone will not prepare you,” explains H.C Hwang, "You must have a learned technique and skill!" Don't be fooled into thinking one or two defenses against this or that grab will save you. To do that is to invite misfortune. "Philosophy in action" or as we say in the states "Walk your talk" in your daily endeavors will lead you to success. This is what the "Do" in Soo Bahk Do means. Application of natures laws and Soo Bahk Do's philosophy in daily conduct, decision making and living will help you avoid personal and inter-personal conflict, and when conflict is unavoidable, Soo Bahk Do will empower you to restore peace with Ho Sin Sool.

Korea's ancient warriors had to master many forms of empty handed combat, wrestling, disarming and defending as well as attacking with the hands, feet, head, elbows etc. From Korea's large scale military campaigns to interpersonal conflict, these rules of survival, strategies and philosophy, which the Soo Bahk Do's one step sparring and combat methods are based, have consistently lead to victory, to ignore them would invite defeat.  In order to practice safely they designed pre-arranged forms of combat, which have evolved into today's modern one-step sparring techniques.

One step sparring was designed to learn the what, where, when, how and why of combat.   Both modern one steps and ancient two person sparring sets are practiced by the advance students practitioners today. The one step sparring method of training was designed by Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan (Tang Soo Do) founder Hwang Kee not to teach a number of techniques but to teach an adaptable system of responses.  In this way the practitioner learns to deal with both inner and outer conflict correctly through conditioned repetition. Technically, the one steps are modular meaning if you are performing one way and the opponent changes you then would respond with another, adapting to your opponent. Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do) practitioners must practice on both the inside and outside positions as well as both right and left sides naturally. The variety of techniques are also unique, the standard nine (9) one steps contain not just punches and kicks but sweeps, various unique hand and foot strikes, close and long distance fighting also.

Pure Martial Arts Fitness Academy students learns much more than just combinations when practicing the Moo Duk Kwan's method of one step sparring, Soo Bahk Do's one step sparring is a demonstration of strategic, philosophical and physical skill combined. The first action performed in all one steps is a bow, demonstrating proper respect toward your training partner. Distance is gauged, Ready positions are then taken. The attacker will step back with a Kihap (Shout) to help train his/her partner to keep a calm spirit and not to be startled by an aggressive attack. The defender then vocally signals they are ready by returning the Kihap, showing courage in the face of a challenge, and the one step commences.

The first principle in one step sparring is to remove the body from danger, so the student learns to move the body on the 4 cardinal points of the compass (North, South, East, and West ), forward, backward, left and right, learning to avoid the physical conflict by removing their body from the danger. As the student progresses, he or she learns to use the image of a clock to formulate defensive and offensive movements.

All one steps are done full speed and power, stopping the attacks fractions of an inch away from their targets. This requires and develops a high degree of concentration, accuracy and skill. After the one step is performed the participants then reverse roles the defender now attacking and the attacker now defending, this is not just to take turns in fairness but to also see and think from the attackers point of view, so when you are defending you know what your opponents options are and can be prepared to defend against them. After a basic mastery of the required one step is achieved then the student must apply it into free-sparring, If it cannot be used in a free-style manner then it has little usefulness for self defense. Using movements from each one step against an uncooperative partner successfully in sparring is the goal of the practitioner. Many of the techniques in One-Step Sparring must be modified for free-sparring because they are to dangerous. Most of the one steps attack vital points on the body some of which are also used in acupressure and acupuncture.

One must remember when practicing one step sparring to avoid simply memorizing numerous one steps with out trying to properly understand and perform each one. Accumulation of useless knowledge may boost the ego but won't help you defend yourself.

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There is an old story....

 Once upon a time a fox had been traveling through the forest trying to avoid capture by the hunters hounds, when he came upon a squirrel at the base of a tree. "Good day fox" said the squirrel. "Good day to you" said the fox. "I've come this way in order to avoid the hunters hounds" he said to the squirrel. "Yes, I have to keep an eye out for them too" replied the squirrel. The fox then said "Well I have mastered 100 escapes from the hounds". "Hmm.." said the squirrel, "I have only one technique I use, but it works well for me!". "Only one!" exclaimed the fox, "my style has 99 more ways to escape the hounds, if you like I'll share them with you". "Thank you but my one technique works well for me" humbly said the squirrel. "Suit yourself" said the fox, disappointed that the squirrel was not impressed. Suddenly over the hill bounded the hunters hounds. The squirrel did his only technique and ran up the tree escaping safely, the fox taking too long deciding which one of his 100 techniques to used was captured.

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