Everything You Need to Know about Tang Soo Do Founded by Won Kuk Lee and Hwang Kee, Tang

Soo Do is a form of Korean martial art that derives its techni ues from !hinese Kung Fu and the Korean martial art, subak" !onse uently, the #rimary techni ues of this martial art are made u# of Kung Fu, subak, taekkyon and shotokan karate" Forms in the Tang Soo Do training curriculum Forms, also known as hyung, make u# for an im#ortant #art of the Tang Soo Do training #rogram" They are a bunch of movements, derived mainly from the $a#anese karate %shotokan kata& that are used to demonstrate an aggressive or defensive reaction to the o##onent's attack" Forms are also used as #erformance yardsticks during tournaments and influence the #ractitioner's ranking in the tournament" The forms used by a #articular school may differ from the ones used by some other school and de#ends largely on the choices made by the founder or head of the school" Historically, such training includes nine forms divided into three umbrella terms ( Kee !ho, )yung *hn and )al !he or +assai" The Kee Cho series * Kee !ho form is based mostly u#on techni ues characteristic to the karate %shorin ryu&" ,ndividual forms under this series include kee cho sam bu as well as kee cho il bu and kee cho ee bu" The Pyung hn series Forms of this series are ado#ted mostly from $a#anese karate and -kinawan" ,ndividual elements include five forms of )yung *hn . cho dan, ee dan, sam dan, sa dan and oh dan" Pal Che or !assai The ninth form in this training is another karate form and is also called )assai or +assai Dai" *#art from the nine basic forms, s#arring is traditionally included in Tang Soo Do schools" Single ste# s#arring refers to the defensive moves demonstrated after the o##onent/s first attack ste#" The usual flow of the one ste# s#arring is as follows . )ractitioner and the o##onent bow showing res#ect" -##onent makes a one.move attack 0say a #unch1 on the former" The former res#onds with one ste# s#arring ( #erforms several #re.decided techni ues usually following the se uence of blocking, attacking and take.down of the o##onent"

The free s#arring techni ue resembles freestyle karate #o#ular in *merica" *rm and hand techni ues and lead leg kicks, kicks by the rear leg and hand techni ues, 2um#ing kicks, s#inning kicks, leg swee#s, ridgehand etc" are ty#ically used in a com#etition style combat between two #artners" "ainstream recognition and #o#ularity This martial art gained most of its #o#ularity in the West because of the well known actor !huck 3orris" His influence was such that a new form of martial arts ( the !hun Kuk Do evolved from his connection with Tang Soo Do" -ther notable #ractitioners who contributed to its wides#read recognition in the Western world include Steve 4c5ueen, Dennis *le6io, !urtis +ush, )at 7" $ohnson and !ynthia 8othrock"

!ene$its o$ learning Tang Soo Do *lthough self.defense is the first reason that motivates #eo#le to take u# a martial art form, #ractice of the martial arts has various other benefits that e6tend beyond self.defense" Some of the benefits that Tang Soo Do has to offer are9 %ncreased Sel$ Con$idence& The s#ort of Tang Soo Do teaches its #ractitioners the meaning of confidence and courage at all times and motivates one to believe in oneself" Through the use of rigorous training e6ercises, trainees are taught new elements of combat and build the com#etence to use the knowledge they ac uire to other as#ects of their day.to.day lives" %m#roves "ental 'ealth and 'armony& Tang Soo Do is a very structured s#ort with s#ecial em#hasis on disci#line that benefits its #ractitioners invaluably in all as#ects of life, and allows one to be at #eace with oneself, thereby maintaining tran uility of the mind and im#roved ability to concentrate one's thoughts" %m#roved #hysical well(being& The disci#line inculcated in #ractitioners during the course of their training combined with the rigorous intensity of the training allows #ractitioners to develo# increased strength, stamina, de6terity and general endurance" 'eightened wareness& Due to a state of harmony between one's mind and one's body, a #ractitioner of Tang Soo Do develo#s a heightened awareness of one's surroundings and allows one to be better #re#ared to deal with situations in our day to day life"

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