Chuck Norris' Chun Kuk Do system

[DAT]

Has anyone had any experience with Chuck Norris' system of Chun Kuk Do which is supposed to be based on Tang Soo Do and combines some Brazilian JJ, traditional JJ, and Aikido?

What about Tang Soo Do as the basis of the art, how does it differ from TKD besides having more hand techniques??

[Studiobuddy]

tang soo do is more technicular on the kicks, they also kick pretty high than most TKD guys

[ipscshooter]

Has anyone had any experience with Chuck Norris' system of Chun Kuk Do which is supposed to be based on Tang Soo Do and combines some Brazilian JJ, traditional JJ, and Aikido?

What about Tang Soo Do as the basis of the art, how does it differ from TKD besides having more hand techniques??

I don't understand where people get the impression that TKD has few hand techniques. We have strikes with every part of the hand. Knife hand, ridge hand, spear hand, bottom fist, back fist, front punches, etc., etc., etc. Sure, we have lots of kicks, but, except in that rather silly looking olympic sparring, we do a lot of hand work in sparring, at least at our school... particularly us older guys who have some trouble with leg speed and high kicks. We actually try to close in the distance to keep things at a closer range as it makes it harder for the younger, faster guys to plant a heel kick in our ears.

This year, my son (who is also a 1st dan in ITF-style TKD) started training in Master Norris' "KickStart" program at his middle school. There are currently about 38 middle schools here in Texas that use the program, and kids take the class in lieu of P.E. It's 1 1/2 hours per day, every other day. They learn a couple of Norris designed hyungs, and a number of hyungs from whatever style their instructor learned. My son's teacher is a 2nd Dan in Tang Soo Do, so he will, over the course of the next four years, be learning the Tang Soo Do hyungs through Bassai, except, I believe one of the Kichos and one of the Pyung Ahns has been dropped to make room in the curriculum for the Norris hyungs. The system also teaches a variety of one steps and self defenses. I haven't reviewed the curriculum in sufficient detail to know what elements of BJJ, Aikido, etc., might be taught.

There are several instructors in the program who have their Black Belts in Chun Kuk Do, there are several Tang Soo Do, and there are a variety of others. WTF-TKD, Kenpo, various styles of Karate. (Biographies can be found at www.kick-start.org ). The curriculum is set up such that, regardless of the teacher's style, the kids are all taught the same curriculum of strikes, defenses, one steps, etc. The only variable is the hyungs. I don't know what their Black Belt Certificates say regarding which art they have learned. I suspect that what happens is that they get a certificate that says Black Belt - KickStart. And, if they want one that says Black Belt - Tang Soo Do (or whatever), the instructor will arrange for a testing through his parent organization. Derek's instructor is in the North American Tang Soo Do Assocation under Master Tramonte (sp?). The KickStart organization has a tournament coming up on 10/30 here in Houston. I'll try to keep an eye open for some of the CKD guys and grill them on elements of their style.

[Studiobuddy]

Is the tournament welcome to anyone who practices TKD?

[ipscshooter]

Is the tournament welcome to anyone who practices TKD?

I think that tournament may be for KickStart schools only. However, there is an AAU tournament, I think, this weekend, and Zen Do Kai is October 2. Both are open tournaments, and I believe there will be KickStart students in attendance. Also, if you're interested, Chuck Norris will be in town autographing his new book the weekend of Sept. 18.

[Studiobuddy]

my dojang will be attending the one on oct. 2

[ipscshooter]

my dojang will be attending the one on oct. 2

Cool. We'll probably be there as well. Derek won't be competing for KickStart yet, as he has to pass their gold belt test. But, he has to compete in several tournaments to get his TKD 2nd Dan, so hopefully he'll compete in the black belt division. ZDK is usually one of the bigger events in town.

[AmericanTangSoo]

The base art for Grand Master Norris' Chun Kuk Do is Tang Soo Do, but American Tang Soo Do, not Korean Tang Soo Do. Chuck began his martial arts training in 1958 in Judo, in 1960 at the rank of brown belt in Judo, he began training in Korean Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan under Jae Chul Shin. Around 1966, Mr. Norris wanted to improve what he believed were weaknesses in the tradition style and began training under masters of various arts in the Los Angeles area.

Those masters were Fumio Demura (shito-ryu), Tak Kubota (gosoku-ryu), Ed Paker (American kenpo), Gene Le Bell (judo), Hayward Nishioka (judo), and Al Dacascos (kajukenbo and kung fu), among others. By adding techniques from these legends, Mr. Norris began to "Americanize" the art. Adding more hand techniques, changing the ways kicks are set up, modifying stances, adding blitzes, takedowns, sweeps, etc.

The result of those changes is what is known today as American Tang Soo Do (sometimes referred to as Norris Tang Soo Do, Modern Tang Soo Do). The only significant differences between American Tang Soo Do and Chun Kuk Do is that Chun Kuk Do has added it's UFAF forms to the tradition Tang Soo Do forms list, while American Tang Soo Do still only has it's original 21 forms.

Since the early 1990s Chun Kuk Do has included Brazillian Jujutsu in its curriculum, though in recent years many American Tang Soo Do schools in Los Angeles have begun to add grappling techniques from Judo, Jujutsu, and Sambo. Since the creation of Chun Kuk Do, famed movie choreagropher Pat E. Johnson is currently the highest ranked black belt in American Tang Soo Do at 9th dan under Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris Timeline
1958 - Begins training in Judo while in the US Air Force.
1960 - Begins training in Korean Tang Soo Do under Jae Chul Shin.
1962 - Opens his first Tang Soo Do school in Torrance, CA.
1966 - After a horrible loss at a California tournament begins modifying traditional Tang Soo Do, birth of American Tang Soo Do.
1973 - Founds the National Tang Soo Do Congress (Pat Johnson is V.P.).
1979 - Dissolves NTC and forms UFAF and drops the name Tang Soo Do and style is referred to as "Chuck Norris System" (the majority of his black belts remain with Norris and the UFAF)
1984 - Due to liability concerns the name "Chuck Norris System" is dropped and style is simply referred to as UFAF.
1986 - Top Norris black belts Pat Johnson and Dick Douglas recieve their 9th and 8th dans respectfully, and leave UFAF to reform NTC.
1991 - The name Chun Kuk Do is officially made the name for Mr. Norris art.

[sirmattu]

I think you got your combos mixed up.