Tell me about Soo Bahk Do

[Sandform]

Soo Bahk Do is a form of martial arts originating in Korea. Anyone practice this or know anything about it? I'm going to be learning it from now on...it seems like a drag.

[Replicon]

If it seems like a drag, why did you pick it? Hmm wikipedia doesn't say much about it, but it looks like it combines korean styles with chinese styles (but that still doesn't explain whether it focuses on grappling techniques more or striking, etc.)

[Sandform]

No weapons included =D. Its supposed to be a philosophy thing or something I dunno. After four years you get to learn how to disarm weapons though...knives, guns, etc.

[Spartiate]

Looks like a Taekwon-Do rip-off.

[ExoByte]

Looks like a Taekwon-Do rip-off. This. Try training in a real art

[Grod]

Looks like an Anti-Heroes rip-off

[ninja9578]

Looks like a Taekwon-Do rip-off. Kinda of, it's a derivative of Tang Soo Do. I am a first gup in Soo Bahk Do, but never testing for my Dan. I got frustrated with the materialism of the USA SBD Federation. I think that it's way too in to philosophy and martialism. I haven't rained in it in 3 years and still remember the 8 key concepts and stuff that was pounded into my brain. I would recommend a different style of martial arts. Karate is what I do and it's very good.

[Replicon]

I believe Tang Soo Do is kind of a mid-point between TKD and Shotokan.

[ninja9578]

I'm not sure what shotokan is, but yes, TDS came out of [original] TKD. It's not at all related to the olympic style TKD (which is a joke, put me in an MMA ring with a gold medal TKD fighter and I'll beat him pretty easily.) Soo Bahk Do (like Tang Soo Do) is based on original self defense teachings so once you're past 5th gup you'll be able to defend yourself pretty well. I hate it because of (like I said before) the materialism of the federation.

[Spartiate]

olympic style TKD (which is a joke

[Sandform]

I hate it because of (like I said before) the materialism of the federation. Materialism? Can you explain a bit hehe. I'm slow...

[ninja9578]

Dan tests cost $300, federation dues are $60, tournaments are like $70. That's twice times as much as any other martial art that I've ever done.

[Rainheart]

Dan tests cost $300, federation dues are $60, tournaments are like $70. That's twice times as much as any other martial art that I've ever done. And here's where I'm going to step in. 1: Soo Bahk Do is not a Tae Kwon Do rip-off, Tae Kwon Do is a martial arts rip-off. 2: From what you said about the style having too much philosophy, ninja9578, it's apparent you're more one who just wants to learn how to punch and kick. If so, then Soo Bahk Do is not for you. It teaches that to be a warrior, one must be a scholar as well. It is a style that utilizes the body, the mind, and physics. 3: If you think I'm just blowing that out my bum, you might want to crack open a book on it. 4: Your rank means little to nothing in Soo Bahk Do. There are orange belts who understand the concepts better than you. When you become a black belt, you're still a beginner. It just means you have proven that what they teach you won't go in one ear and out the other.

[ninja9578]

And here's where I'm going to step in. 1: Soo Bahk Do is not a Tae Kwon Do rip-off, Tae Kwon Do is a martial arts rip-off. Your knowledge of the evolution of martial arts is a little flawed. When Korea gained it's independence they wanted their own martial arts system independent and disjoint from the Japanese Karate. The top masters in the country got together and formalized their methods. This was Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do. This was a real martial art, a combination of philosophy and working techniques. From several other styles branched out, including olympic style TKD, which is what most people take today. The other was Tang Soo Do. Soo Bahk Do is a direct derivative of Tang Soo Do. Grandmaster Hyang Kee was an expert in Tang Soo Do before he split to create Soo Bahnk Do. If you move back and forth between a TSD and SBK class, there are very few differences. 2: From what you said about the style having too much philosophy, ninja9578, it's apparent you're more one who just wants to learn how to punch and kick. If so, then Soo Bahk Do is not for you. It teaches that to be a warrior, one must be a scholar as well. It is a style that utilizes the body, the mind, and physics. I meant that it is too bounded by it's philosophy, not that philosophy is bad. Karate teaches philosophy of being a scholar as well, it's when the tradition interferes with training it's bad. Instructors are forbidden to spar their students in SBD, I mean what the hell is that? I see absolutely no reason for that. Moral codes and ethics are good, but I believe that they should come from inside and not be tied together with martial arts. The only moral that I ever tell any of my students is if you don't absolutely have to fight then don't and if you do, win. 3: If you think I'm just blowing that out my bum, you might want to crack open a book on it. You mean "Tang Soo Do" by grandmaster Hwang Kee? I've read it. 4: Your rank means little to nothing in Soo Bahk Do. There are orange belts who understand the concepts better than you. When you become a black belt, you're still a beginner. It just means you have proven that what they teach you won't go in one ear and out the other. Rank doesn't mean anything in any martial art. It was just to make it easier on teachers to group students by what they had been taught so it is easier to teach them.

[Rainheart]

Your knowledge of the evolution of martial arts is a little flawed. When Korea gained it's independence they wanted their own martial arts system independent and disjoint from the Japanese Karate. The top masters in the country got together and formalized their methods. This was Chung Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do. This was a real martial art, a combination of philosophy and working techniques. From several other styles branched out, including olympic style TKD, which is what most people take today. The other was Tang Soo Do. Soo Bahk Do is a direct derivative of Tang Soo Do. Grandmaster Hyang Kee was an expert in Tang Soo Do before he split to create Soo Bahnk Do. If you move back and forth between a TSD and SBK class, there are very few differences. I meant that it is too bounded by it's philosophy, not that philosophy is bad. Karate teaches philosophy of being a scholar as well, it's when the tradition interferes with training it's bad. Instructors are forbidden to spar their students in SBD, I mean what the hell is that? I see absolutely no reason for that. Moral codes and ethics are good, but I believe that they should come from inside and not be tied together with martial arts. The only moral that I ever tell any of my students is if you don't absolutely have to fight then don't and if you do, win. You mean "Tang Soo Do" by grandmaster Hwang Kee? I've read it. Rank doesn't mean anything in any martial art. It was just to make it easier on teachers to group students by what they had been taught so it is easier to teach them. Ok, I did some searching and agree, the original Tae Kwon Do was a martial art. Nowadays though, it is a sport. When Korea was liberated, Hwang Kee was working on making his own martial art. Combining his knowledge of Chinese and Korean arts, he made Hwa Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan. People didn't quite understand what he was teaching, and so changed the name to Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan so people would register that he was teaching martial arts. Later on, he found an ancient text called the Moo Yei Dobo Tong Ji, which was basically a self defense manual of Ancient Korea. In it, the term "Soo Bahk" was used often, and so he changed the name once more to Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan to embrace the history of Korea's early defense techniques. Hence why there are few differences. Tradition does not hinder training, it makes the training unique to the art. And what's this talk of the instructor not being able to spar their students? My instructor's sparred me plenty of times, even grappled. I lost every time, but I still sparred him. The best battle was the one not fought, I agree, but what is winning if you die, hmm? Winning never means surviving. Though that book does say Tang Soo Do, it also says Soo Bahk Do in nice big letters, to let you know it used to be Tang Soo Do, and is now Soo Bahk Do.