Monday, May 13, 2019

The Essay for the Third Degree Black Belt (Sam Dan)


     My name is TSL, an EE Dan (Second Degree Black Belt) student and instructor at Mu Han Total Martial Arts.
     After many years in training at Mu Han, I, as a regular student, leadership student, assistant instructor and instructor have learned and practiced Martial Arts, particularly Tae Kwon Do (TKD), Kung Fu, Sip Pal Ki, Professional TKD, Weapons (sword, staff) and Yoga. Under the enlightening guidance from Head Master Oh, Grand Master Kang, Master Lee, and others. Mu Han offers the unique structural triangle of 3 essentially interactive factors at its vertices (a) Jeong - Mentality/ Mind, (b) Ki – Technique/Requirement/Knowledge, and (c) Shin - Body/Physical Condition with Joong Yong or martial artist’s Middle Use at the center.
     In teaching and training, Mu Han Total Martial Arts bases on 4 elements: (1) Ki Bon (Basic), (2) Ki Cho (Basic Foundations), (3) Ki Bon Dong Jak (Basic Motions), and (4) Technique. This essay will explain and discuss these elements in details below:
     1. Ki Bon is a basic which consists of left hand, right hand, left leg, and right leg. Later, it adds 2 more basics: human head and body (torso). So, a martial artist as a human being has 6 basics: 2 hands, 2 legs, head, and body.
     2. Ki Cho is basic foundations. They are basic stances, blocks, kicks, punches, etc. For basic stances include walking stance (Ap seogi), running stance (Ap kubi), back stance (Dwit kubi), tiger stance (Beom Seogi), side stance, cross stance, riding stance (Juchum Seogi), and others. On the blocks, there are low block (Ahre Maggi), middle block (Mom Tong Maggi), high block (Elgol Maggi), inner block, outer block (Pakuro Maggi), etc.   
     3. Ki Bon Dong Jak is the basic motions. In Mu Han, a basic motion focuses on a single purpose. It has power from a big circle. Its adaptability bases on time, distance, direction, situation, environment or space. A basic motion must match with logic of Youk Hap. For example, one of the basic motions for a beginner is “10 Motions” that include ki cho such as attention (chariot), riding stance (juchum seogi), ready stance (chumbi), punch, bow (kyong-ye). They also consist of Six Offenses, and Six Defenses.
     4. Technique is the forms, patterns or poomsae. In traditional martial arts, there are 18 techniques. Later, great grand masters/founders add 6 more techniques such as bow, arrows, horse riding. Therefore, modern martial arts have 24 techniques. Technique comprises (a) physical technique and (b) strategy (mental technique):
          a. Physical technique: To make a strategy successful, one or more basic motions are combined together. For example, a martial artist’s left hand block on an opponent’s punch is followed by his back turn for a right elbow on the opponent’s face/jaw, then the martial artist’s front turn to deliver a roundhouse kick to the opponent’s belly. A combination of basic motions intends to make an opponent confuse and unpredictable.
          b. Strategy is a mental technique which a martial artist can use to offense, defense, counter-attack, protect, disable effectively the opponents. A martial artist can use strategy on the motions at really quick momentum/inertia, actual action with great impact or strong delivery.
     In conclusion, Mu Han Total Martial Arts describes Ki Bon, Ki Cho, Ki Bon Dong Jak, and Technique explicitly in training and teaching to students. Head Master Oh has often explained these terms verbally and manually to instructors and assistant instructors in both Instructor classes and Master classes. As a student and instructor at Mu Han, I always apply these basics as much as I can during practicing or teaching other fellow students in sportsmanship and Mu Han spirit.  

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