Our Style of Tae Kwon Do: Chung Do Kwan
The style of Tae Kwon Do practiced in the North American Tae Kwon Do Schools is that of Chung Do Kwan or "Sea (Gym, School) of the Blue Wave". On this page is a general outline of the techniques and forms practiced. Often, Master Mondschein will supplement this curriculum with various martial arts grappling techniques, self-defense, and improvised three and one-step attack-and-counter techniques.
The fundamental elements of Tae Kwon Do Chung Do Kwan consist of 15 basic techniques.
These martial arts techniques are based upon speed, power, balance, accuracy, and focus:
Forms are patterns of martial arts techniques designed to provide a repository of techniques, repetitious learning, to build fluidity in the art, as well as to promote physical conditioning and reflexive movement. Speed, power, balance, accuracy and focus are once again emphasized while building an understanding of the relationship and application of techniques. Required forms and associated ranks are:
Three-Steps are a series of choreographed attack and counter techniques. As a partner drill, one partner will attack with three upper-target punches while the opposing partner defends with three blocks and then a counter attack using various techniques, e.g. hand, foot, and locks. Each belt level through brown belt has 3 different three-steps that must be mastered, each incorporating various types of blocks and counters. ALL TECHNIQUES ARE NON-CONTACT. Speed, power, balance, accuracy and focus (intensity) as always are emphasized but this time constrained by the need for complete control of the techniques to ensure the safety of training partners. Three-Steps may also be done against kicks.
Although they may be choreographed, one-steps are primarily employed to test spontaneity in defense against any kind of attack. This methodology truly embodies the unity of mind, body, and (indomitable fighting) spirit, conditioned reflexes, and closely approximates the reality of actual hand-to-hand encounters.
All sparring in NATKD-CDK schools in NON-CONTACT. The reason for restraining sparring in this manner is to teach complete control of the martial arts techniques. Students acquire a mastery of each technique both in power and accuracy. Non-contact sparring requires complete knowledge of your surroundings and of your opponent's actions. A technique cannot be executed unless you know where it will land with respect to your opponent. As a matter of safety, sparring is restricted to students with the rank of yellow belt or higher. As students advance in rank, more complicated techniques will be introduced into their sparring repertoire.
Board breaking is typically only done at belt tests or demonstrations. However, given available resources, sometimes breaking may be done at regular practices. The boards broken in our club are typically 12"x10"x1" or 12"x12"x1" pine boards. Breaking is not technically required for test typically until the rank of brown belt is achieved, however, other ranks may break at tests as a matter of exhibition and experience.
Master Mondschein has supplemented the traditional Chung Do Kwan curriculum with several martial arts weapons forms. For example, at the rank of Yellow Belt, Japanese bo kata Chion Bo may be introduced. Students of Brown Belt rank may be introduced to Isshin-Ryu bo kata Tokomine No Kun, and Cern Bei Sau, a 7 Star Northern Shaolin, Praying Mantis Kung-Fu Double-Dagger form.
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