Message from Master Kang
Master Kang, founder of Gongkwon Yusul
Please allow me to introduce myself: my name is Kang, Jun I am the founder of the Korean martial art of “Gongkwon Yusul”
After many years of experience in martial arts of Hapkido, Kyuktooki, Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and others, I developed Gongkwon Yusul as a martial art developed with functionality in fighting as its highest priority.
Skill in Gongkwon Yusul enables effective defence from the widest possible situations regardless of the skill level of any potential opponent.
In 1996 I opened my first academy, specifically teaching what I had developed and called this art Gongkwon Yusul. Since that time the art has grown rapidly, now over 50 clubs in Korea. I am now delighted to see the growth of Gongkwon Yusul internationally.
Philosophy behind the development of Gongkwon Yusul
by Master Kang, Jun
Since ancient times humans have developed systemised fighting skills to protect themselves both at the level of personal defence and also to defeat their opponents on the battlefield. Until the advent of modern weapons such as rifles and artillery, battlefield weapons for close combat were often swords, spears or similar. During this time empty hand martial arts systems were also developed for circumstances when these hand-to-hand weapons were not available or not appropriate.
Over time human society has changed, modern weapons have replaced the swords and spears of the past. Subsequently, in most modern societies, combative fighting arts have tended to become either prohibited altogether or stagnant and classical in nature. This has meant martial arts as practical systems of defence in life-or death situations have ceased to be relevant in the modern world.
Modern martial art systems have tended to diverge into two major directions. The first trend has been to emphasise the sporting side, so as a form of physical education. The second approach has been to keep the combative focus of an art but retaining its classical features and archaic applications.
Gongkwon Yusul is an attempt to consider both the combative and sporting forms but emphasising its application as a use in realistic martial art suitable for the modern times.
To this aim, Gongkwon Yusul employs a very comprehensive range of skills, including techniques that other martial arts have either not utilized or have de-emphasised, due to the considerations of classical tradition or for the safety’s sake in modern sporting competition.
For example as Gongkwon Yusul striking skills utilize all parts of the body, so in the absence of weapons, it teaches skills enabling its exponent to overcome all opponents in the most efficient and effective way possible. Training has been developed to provide both practical skill and safe training practice. It archives harmony in combining both striking and grappling techniques in seamless way to create a unified system of personal combat.
The most important aspect of Gongkwon Yusul is its use of any efficient combative skill without being limited to a particular range of fighting or type of technique, to allow the overcoming of opponents in the most effective way possible.
The spirit of Gongkwon Yusul
Gongkwon Yusul considers the safety of its training partner as extremely important at all times because its techniques are wide ranging and very focused on fighting applications so have the potential to do great harm if performed in an uncontrolled manner.
All partner drills start and finish with the salutation 'Ho-Shin' meaning 'Self-Defence'. This is not just literally as in the objective of most marital arts practice but also it signifies and agreement between you and you fellow Gongkwon Yusul practitioners that you will conduct yourself with honour and, while training hard together you will utmost will be to look after the well being of your training partners.