Kuk Sool Won encompasses many different "styles." However it still has some discernible characteristics that set it apart from other traditional martial arts. Kuk Sool Won is typically characterized by having low stances and fluid, graceful motions. There is also an emphasis on joint locks and pressure points. Kuk Sool Won is also described as being a hard-soft style, which includes hard and forceful strikes in addition to circular and fluid movements.
Techniques: Kuk Sool won includes (but not limited to) the following sets of techniques:
Joint locking/breaking: Various
joint locks are employed in Kuk Sool
Won, including wrist locks, arm-bars,
and small joint manipulation.
Soo Ki (Hand Striking): Palm,
fist, wrist, finger, closed hand, open
hand, arm, shoulder and pressure point
striking techniques.
Johk Sool (Kicking Techniques):
Spinning, jumping, combination, double
leg, and pressure point kicks.
Throwing and Grappling: Body
throws, projection throws, leg throws,
pressure point grappling, grappling
defense, wrestling, and ground fighting
techniques.
Nak Bup (Falling Principles):
Falling techniques are taught in Kuk
Sool Won. These techniques allow a
practitioner to fall into a variety of
positions while minimizing injury. This
is typically accomplished through
maximizing the surface area on impact to
prevent damaging force on an isolated
area of the body.
Animal-Style Techniques: Tiger,
Mantis, Crane, Dragon, Snake, Bear,
Eagle etc.
Traditional Korean Weapons:
Sword (short, long, single and double,
straight and inverted), staff (short,
middle and long, single and double),
jool bong (double and triple sectioned;
also known as nunchucks and
sansetsukon), knife, spear, wol do (Moon
knife - a Korean halberd), dang pa
(triple bladed spear, or trident), cane,
rope, fan, and the bow and arrow (taught
in the traditional style, using a thumb
draw).
Martial Art Healing Methods:
Acupressure, acupuncture, internal
energy, herbal medicine.
Meditation and Breathing
Techniques: Meditation and breathing
postures and concentration techniques.
Belt Ranks: Kuk Sool Won uniforms include a belt which indicates rank and length of study of Kuk Sool Won. The belt color progression from beginner to instructor is:
White - Huin Di
Yellow - No-Ran Di
Blue - Cheong Di
Red - Hong Di
Brown - Ja Di
Brown/black - Dahn Boh Nim
Black (1st degree) - Jo Kyo Nim
Individual schools may also issue stripes of the next belt level, notably at the brown belt level. These stripes indicate proficiency in some of the requirements needed to attain the next rank. Between brown and black belt is an intermediary stage where the student is required to gain at least 10 black stripes before advancing to Jo Kyo Nim. Each student must have been studying for at least 3 years before advancing to Jo Kyo Nim.
