Note: The following pertains exclusively to Kong Soo Do, Tae Kwan Do, Hapkido, Tang Soo Do and other eclectic arts as taught under the auspice of the IKSDA.

Q: Does Kong Soo Do teach ground fighting like those MMA styles on T.V.?

A: MMA is a sport, it is not self-defense. What is the difference? Let's start with MMA:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•MMA has a referee that enforces rules that have been agreed upon by both participants before the match began.
•These rules include what you can and cannot do during the match.
•The match is at an agreed upon, predetermined time.
•The match is usually on a soft, clean, dry, level surface in a well lit area.
•The match usually has rounds that last 3 to 5 minutes and then you get a nice rest in-between. During this rest period you get checked out, get the chance to get a drink, catch your breath and get some advice.
•You are only facing one opponent who is unarmed. There is no chance his buddies will jump in to help him.
•If you've had enough, you can 'tap out' and quit. At this point the referee jumps in and the opponent stops.

My question is simply this; how is this like real life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

•In real life, there is no referee and there are no rules.
•The time of the attack has been determined by the attacker and is probably not at the best time for you.
•The attack will probably occur during dim-light hours. The area of the attack could be an elevator, a stairwell, between two parked cars or the side of the road. There may be a plethora of body unfriendly objects around like the asphalt, traffic, curbs, walls etc.
•There are no rounds in real life. You don't get a rest period, a drink of water or a pep talk.
•In real life you may be facing multiple attackers. An attacker or attackers may be armed.
•In real life there are no time outs or tap outs.

Our first Director GM Michael Dunn was an NYPD Police Officer in the 70's and military in the 60's. One day he was walking out of one of our regional Law Enforcement training centers after taking a class. He met two other local police officers in the parking lot as they were talking about the MMA class they were taking at the training center. He asked them how the class was going and their reply was the it was an awesome class and they were learning all kinds of 'cool new moves'. Michael simply asked them, 'how much of what you're learning could you use in the streets against a violent, resisting felon'. He said the officers stopped for a moment, tilted their heads to one side and then slowly admitted, 'well...none of it really'. Michael's only comment as he walked away was, 'then why are you taking the class'? That same course has had to change what they teach to take out the sport techniques since it isn't usable outside of a sporting event.  Our current Director, GM David Schultz is an active duty Deputy and Instructor in the Bureau of Detention and Corrections for a large Sheriff's Office (24 years).  He holds six specialized Instructor certifications including SPEAR, PCR, Boatman Edged Weapons, Israeli Krav Maga (Hisardut), Israeli Instinctive Shooting, Police Defensive Tactics and Police Firearms. 

None of this is meant to disrespect the sport of MMA. Those competitors are tough and well conditioned. But the training is geared towards a venue that operates in a controlled environment. The 'ground fighting' is geared towards taking the opponent to the ground and applying a submission hold. In real life, the ground is the last place you want to find yourself and if you do find yourself there you want to regain your feet as quickly as possible.

Kong Soo Do instruction is to remain standing, but if you're taken to the ground, how to disable your attacker as quickly as possible so that you can regain your feet. The methods taught would not be within the rules of a MMA tournament. This isn't saying Kong Soo Do is better than MMA, simply that the training is different and based solely on a specific, intended purpose.

Q: Don't all martial arts teach self-defense?

A: No, actually most of today's 'modern' martial arts teach the polar opposite self-defense. I refer to what they teach as martial sports rather martial arts. Ankô Itosu changed the Pinan katas for mass consumption by Okinawan school children. He did this by removing the more deadly elements of the art, replacing them with a simple block/punch/kick format. He removed the chokes, locks, joint destruction, cavity press etc in favor of the watered down format.

This watered down format crept into other arts as almost every Ryu in Okinawa and Japan came in one way, shape or form from Ankô Itosu's teachings. This translated in the Korean arts as well since the majority of them came directly from the Okinwan arts. Many of the Korean hyungs are simply Okinawan kata that are renamed.

After WWII when Japan was defeated and Korean liberated, the Allies learned 'Karate' and took it back to their native countries. However, most of them learned the children's version rather than the adult version.

Any martial 'art' that teaches you to use refined (flashy, acrobatic, complex) movements is not a martial art. Any martial 'art' that teaches point sparring (tippy tap punches and/or kicks) is not a martial art. Any martial 'art' that teaches you a form and then has you set it to music with glow in the dark weapons is not a martial art. Any martial 'art' that doesnt' teach gross motor skills, flinch response, adrenaline based response (or even know that those are) is not a martial art. A martial art isn't flashy.

If the kata (form or hyung) doesn't contain locks, throws, chokes, cavity pressing etc but instead contains a simple block/punch/kick interpretation...it is a martial sport i.e watered down children's karate. And that describes the vast majority of what is currently taught.


I once saw a video of supposedly high level martial artists doing a demonstration. The 'attacker' would throw a half-hearted punch about two feet to the side of the 'masters' head and then leave it hanging there so the 'master' could grab it and do all sorts on nifty moves. The 'attacker' would assist the 'master' by leaping into a wonderful break fall. None of that is realistic. It is detrimental. A determined attacker isn't going to miss your face on purpose and then leave his arm hanging in mid-air to allow you to pull off your favorite refined motor skill move. It just doesn't happen that way and to train that way fills people with useless information (informational overload) and a false sense of security.

In short, if there is a 'Self-Defense Taught Here' sign hanging over the trophy case...well, I'd be a little leary.

Q: What is a Black Belt?

A: Ask ten different martial artists and you'll get ten different answers. As far as the IKSDA is concerned, a Black Belt is someone who has proven themselves to be a serious student of Kong Soo Do. It means they have received training in the Kong Soo Do syllabus and passed a rigorous test to prove they are proficient in the material. It means they are committed and loyal as well.

Q: How long does it take to earn a Black Belt?

A: It takes as long as it takes. That isn't meant to be funny. I used to set a 'schedule' of X amount of time to go from this belt to the next. Problem is, people advance at different speeds. And since Kong Soo Do training is tailored to each individual student, it just doesn't make sense to set an arbitrary guideline. When a student has absorbed the material, they'll be tested and promoted accordingly (if the test was passed). For one person, it may be as short as a year. For someone else, it may take three or more years. It is a personal thing and not a competition with the person next to you.

Q: Is there a Time-In-Grade requirement?

A: The IKSDA established guideline for Dan progression is as follows;

•First Dan to Second Dan=1 year
•Second Dan to Third Dan=2 years
•Third Dan to Fourth Dan (and every Dan level afterwards)=3 years

This is a minimum established guideline and individual Kong Soo Do Dojangs may exceed the minimum. Advancement under the minimum TIG guidline is possible but authorization from the IKSDA TAC board is required. This isn't to interfere with your authority as a Dojang Instructor, but GM Dunn's name is on the line as he signs the IKSDA certificate as is the reputation of the IKSDA. We don't want to have someone zipping up to a high Dan level and then post sloppy videos of him/herself on youtube. This affects every IKSDA member and we require quality and a skill level equal to the rank. Conversely, any TIG structure is arbitrarily set. There will always be people that are sponges and absorb the material and can proficiently demonstrate the appropriate skill level. Rather than holding them back for an arbitrarily set 'minimum', the TAC can evaluate on a case-by-case basis the Instructors reason for advancement of the student.

Q: As a Dojang owner/Instructor, am I required to change the name of what I teach to Kong Soo Do?

A: No. The IKSDA is a governing body that oversees the arts of Kong Soo Do, Tae Kwon Do, Tang Soo Do, Hapkido and legitimate eclectic arts with a traditional Korean arts foundation.

Q: What is the IKSDA recognized Master Level?

A: The fourth Dan is the IKSDA recognized Master level.

Q: Do all adult Black Belt members of an IKSDA school need to join the IKSDA?

A: Yes. As noted on the Information page, too many instructors are cyber-warriors or net-ninjas looking to collect wall candy. They breeze in, join the organization, pay the small fee, get the nice looking certificate for their wall and they they're never heard from again. I've seen people claiming leadership roles in organizations that no longer exist on top of everything else. To be very blunt, we're not interested in those folks. They're a dime-a-dozen and add nothing to the IKSDA or you.

Having the black belts in the Dojang join demonstrates how serious the instructor is and their level of participation in the IKSDA. It provides depth. Additionally, the most it would ever cost is $25 which is the cost of the cert and S&H. On top of this, when an instructor initially joins (is accepted), and has all the BB's join as well, all the certs will be sent in one package. This cuts down on S&H which is passed on to the instructor. In reality, an individual BB in your school will join the IKSDA for about a buck! Next promotion would be $5 max each time. We can't make it any easier or simplier than that.

Q: Is the IKSDA for everyone?

A: No. There will be a LOT of KMA instructors who are offended by what we offer. They will take it as an indictment that they aren't teaching self-defense already. And to be honest, that is exactly what we're saying. The VAST MAJORITY of instructors (of any style) think they're teaching a self-defense art when in actuality their teaching a sport art. Many will refuse to admit the difference. Many will continue to hang a 'Self Defense Taught Here' sign over the trophy case. Many don't know the difference between refined motor skills and gross motor skills. Many don't know what the O.O.D.A. loop or Hick's law is or what a flinch response is....and they don't want to know! As a result their students suffer for it with a false sense of security.

I can't stress this enough, this isn't to put you down or say that what you teach is worthless! But it is to state that there DOES exist more advanced alternatives that can be infused into your adult classes IF you're willing to learn them and pass them on. And to be blunt, a good instructor DOESN'T know everything and should constantly be on the search for more information to accent what they teach for the benefit of their students.

If that is you, if you're willing to join us and see everything we have to offer and to really sink your teeth into some meat....then the IKSDA is for you.

If you're looking for another piece of wall candy...

If you're looking to get your name on yet another registry without really learning or participating...

If you think you know it all and don't need to expand your art to the limits...

Then the IKSDA is not for you. We suggest the plethora of organizations that pocket your money, mail you a nice piece of paper for your wall and never really want to hear from you again after the check clears. There's about a million of them to chose from.