While being able to perform the techniques very well is important, to truly master a martial art you must also understand and master the principles behind the art form.
First let me start with the fact that Han Moo Kwan is a
self-defense martial art style. It is designed
for you to stay safe and end altercations quickly during in close combat. Therefore, its principles are all based on these
premises. Principles are why the techniques
work.
I will discuss each of the key principles and why it is important to mastering the art form.
Proper Stances
Every stance has an alignment that keeps you balanced – for the most part it is head over shoulders and shoulders over hips with your mass over your center of gravity. If you are “out of square” in punches, knife hand, etc., you can easily be pulled off-balanced or fall forward if an attacker steps aside as you lean in to strike.
Short
Strikes
Short strikes are harder to see coming and to stop. Short strikes put you in an advantage since most people cannot fight close in. This advantage will keep you safe and end an altercation quickly.
Linear Strikes
Linear strikes are also faster and harder to stop. Both of these attributes are important to end an altercation quickly.
Every
movement does damage
If every movement causes damage, it will end an altercation quicker. And this means not only strikes and kicks, but the transitions, turns, “in between” techniques. If you start using “preps” as another means to do damage, that is a good start.
Protect yourself at all times
If you are protecting yourself at all times, especially vulnerable spots, you will stay safe. We protect ourselves when we keep elbows close to the body and protect the ribs/kidneys, or by keep weight off the front foot in cat stance to protect the knee, or arm traveling straight up first in high block to protect the head. If any of your techniques leave you vulnerable for other than a fraction of a second, you may relook at how you are performing the technique.
Be grounded at all times
By being grounded at all times, you are harder to move and if you do move, you move in control and safely. By being grounded your techniques come from your center which makes your techniques more powerful.
Use Energy
When we use energy, we add even more power to our techniques. When we add the intention of inflicting severe
damage and destruction to the energy, then the techniques are near impossible
to stop. And therefore, any altercation
will end quickly.
None of these principles get mastered all at once. It takes years of practice and focus on each
one, then many at once, then all at once to master the principles. And once you master the principles, you will
master the techniques, and then you will master the art form.
Regards,
Kelly
"Techniques are simple but the principle is profound.”
~ from Muye Dobo Tongji, a martial arts manual published in 1790 in Korea, written
by Yi Deongmu (1741–1793), Pak Je-ga (1750–1805) and Baek Dong-soo (1743–1816)
