The Ask Kwan Jang Nim Question For 7 September 2010

Old and New Soo Do Technique

QUESTION: Does anyone know why they changed the way the Soo Do's are done in Soo Bahk Do ? To me, the older way is more powerful.

ANSWER: Here is my take on why the Soo Do's changed:

Old Way; Low or center soo do...hands would extend way out behind the practitioner then by coordinating hip rotation with hand movement the hands would proceed across their body to the focal point (blocking hand to the incoming stike and the other hand across the body with the palm up.

New Way; Low soo do, while cocking (loading) the hip, frame the blocking hand from opposite shoulder and other hand from opposite hip. At this point allow the hip to motivate the hands into motion and as the hip is released the hands move across the body to the focal point (blocking hand to the incoming stike and the other hand across the body with the palm up).

Center soo do, while cocking (loading) the hip, frame both hands to the opposite hip. At this point allow the hip to motivate the hands into motion and as the hip is released the hands move across the body to the focal point (blocking hand to the incoming strike and the other hand across the body with the palm up).

Now comes the question why the change...On first blush it becomes patently obvious that the time it takes to send the hands all the way to the rear and then to the forward position was more time consuming then the new method...even if this time interval is infinitesimally small it is nevertherless more efficient doing it the new way. Next it seems an inefficient means of maximizing the use of the energy of the tangien to send the hands out behind the center(one point, tangien) before connecting with the energy of the tangien as the hands cross the body. It is more efficient to simultaneously frame and connect with the tangien. This will allow the energy of the tangien to be released with a quicker and shorter movement to the target.

Finally, the movement of sending the hands out behind the body and then the longer movement in performing the block served as a means of telegraphing the technique giving your opponent more time to react

I remember when I first made the change that I felt the old way was more powerful...but as I continued with the new technology I realized that when one synchronized three of the eight key concepts (shin chook-tension & relaxation, wan gup - speed control and Him Cho Chung - control of power) with the movement of the block the power was more explosive.

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