Looking into a new MA (Tukong)

[KONY]

Metal, sorry for hijacking your thread.

dalessit, my friends love the classes at One Spirit. To me, the CJJ seems to be a nice mix of many of the other arts taught there as far as attention to striking, throwing, clinching and grappling. They also offer it here at GMU but I had a scheduling conflict. Maybe next semester.

[)V(etal]

Well I got a chance to visit the class. Everyone there was very courteous and so forth, as I expected. The dojo was rather nice, with small sized classes getting no larger than 15-20 on average. The discipline level seemed at a higher standard than most places i've seen, along side it I got the same feeling from the quality of the training. The instructor (not Master Yi at the time) dug in quite well into detail with his students on the feel a technique must bare and the mentality given when evading and responding to attacks. They treated their training very seriously. I also saw the first class run a weapons drill using boken. This was very interesting to watch. I got lost in the organization but the drill was a mid-speed attack and evade and move on type drill. Overall the class was very interesting.

I believe I will return in the next week or so for the free try-out class they offer. I wish to see more. I want to make sure this art bares what I wish. My unfortunate mental burden as of late has been a heavy insecurity about my self-defense capabilities, and whether or not I can control the imobilizing effects of adrenaline, fear, and panic. I know the first step is self-confidence and the somewhere along the line, some sort of grasp or experience on what truely happens to you. I hope that if I set off on the Tukong path, I will achieve this somewhere. But you never know. Either way continue your input about the art, the more knowledge I can find on it the better. Does anyone have any experience with the art in a self-defense situation or using the techniques realistically in any way?

[moogong]

That's really cool that you went and had a positive experience. I wish I could say I have taken the style but I have only met a few masters and seen it demonstrated. It seems to be very much like a core hapkido curriculm with army hand to hand techniques included. Do you have a link to th school?

[KONY]

Below is a link to a Tukong website I found. If you click on "schools", it has a link to the Alexandria school website mentioned before along w/ a school in San Jose, CA. It also has links to Tukong news pieces. Hope this helps!

http://tukong.com/tukong/

[otter]

Actually, the school that corresponds to the above link is quite different from the school in Austin.

The Austin school's page is http://www.masteryi.com

I've trained there for several years and have really gained a lot from it. I've been to several schools around Austin and am confident that Master Yi's is one of the better programs anywhere. He was recently inducted into the Texas Martial Arts Hall of Fame, so apparently there may be some others who share my opinion.

The program is very traditional, emphasizing respect and discipline. It takes a little while to get used to, but I have found that my overall attitude has really grown as a result of this structure.

The students are very close-knit and often keep in touch with each other outside of the dojang. Master Yi often refers to us as a Tukong Family, and there's a lot of truth to this.

I would say that the style is closest to Kook Sul Won -- and also Cha Yon Ryu (sp), developed by GM Kim Soo. It's extremely practical, powerful and intuitive, just as CYR is, but with a bit of a harder edge. This is paired with very gentle instructors, though -- and also with the softer Tai Chi style of Ip Sun. It works well.

[Tom Yum]

I would say that the style is closest to Kook Sul Won -- and also Cha Yon Ryu (sp), developed by GM Kim Soo. It's extremely practical, powerful and intuitive, just as CYR is, but with a bit of a harder edge. This is paired with very gentle instructors, though -- and also with the softer Tai Chi style of Ip Sun. It works well.

IMHO Tukong is more fight oriented than KSW or CYR; whereas KSW and CYR are more about the development of art side as well as martial. It is still taught in an organized fashion, like a TMA but from what I remember you drill ed kicks on pads, then on a partner (blocking or evading). Punching done the same way.

The grappling aspect was very well rounded and adequate.

[tkvic]

I have been training with Grand Master Yi for many years. And there is one thing for sure, this art is very effective and traditional. You can look up more info on www.masteryi.com and find out yourself. As far as sparring with the instructor, I HIGHLY do not recommend it. Many of great and odd fighters have tried. More stories to come.