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 Federation
Structure of the Federation
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Instructor Certification
The U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Inc.® (also known as
U.S. Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Inc.®) was founded on June
28th, 1975 to further the growth of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan® and
contribute towards world peace. The U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation,
Inc.® is the only federation recognized by its founder, the late
Grandmaster Hwang Kee. The United States Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan
Federation, Inc.® Headquarters are located in Springfield, New
Jersey.
The "Mission" of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan® is to
achieve World Peace through improved human relationships, and the United States
Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation Inc.® is uniquely structured to
work toward this goal. It's Charter and Bylaws clearly state that its purpose
is to promote the study, understanding, practice and public recognition of Soo
Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan® in as many ways as possible that are beneficial
to the art and the general membership thus insuring that the Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk
Kwan® "Mission" will ultimately be accomplished.
The members of the U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation®
are truly "At the Heart of the Art". The late Grandmaster Hwang Kee has been
historically and legally recognized as the founder of Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do)
Moo Duk Kwan® and he and his students have had an extraordinary
influence on the worldwide martial arts community. Every martial artist who has
a ever practiced Tang Soo Do® has a link to the Founder, Grandmaster
Hwang Kee whether known or not. All who have ever achieved Dan ranking under
him are recorded in his unique numbering system that has been in place since
1945. In fact, he has directly or indirectly instructed many of today's most
prominent martial artists and we believe their achievements are evidence of the
value of his system of Soo Bahk Do (Tang Soo Do) Moo Duk Kwan®. When
you are a member you are part of this "Living Art" and its heritage.
What does Membership to
this Federation give you?
You cannot put a dollar
value on your membership but the value of your membership in terms of knowledge
and skill, identity, authenticity and legitimacy, validity, credibility,
institutional support and individual support is as real as the Newsletter. The
value of your membership cannot be seen and sometimes goes unrecognized except
in what you become as a person, the opportunities it creates for you, and what
you are more capable of contributing to others as a person that you would
otherwise not be able to contribute had you not become a member. This value is
very similar to the value of a high school or college diploma. Similar to a
high school diploma or college degree, the true value of your membership is what
it has led and supported you to learn, to be, and to become, and not in anything
tangible you can put in your hands. The Federation offers institutional support
for a lifetime of training and opportunity. Without the institutional support
and endorsement of the Federation, the value of what you know and what you have
learned or become is only what you alone can convince others to believe. Thus,
the value of your membership is not only your knowledge and skill, authenticity,
legitimacy, validity, and credibility but the COLLECTIVE knowledge and skill,
authenticity, legitimacy, validity, and credibility of the entire Federation.
This is the collective value and weight of an entire community or institution.
Interested members please see the
Federation
Application Form.
Below is a list of our
Federation’s Profile and Membership Benefits:
·
Non-Profit
·
International Rank Certification
·
National Rank
Certification
·
Books and Tapes
·
Access to
National Camps
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Access to
National Clinics
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Access to
National Seminars
·
International
Events
·
Annual National
Championships
·
Nationwide
Studio Support
·
Instructor
Certification Program
·
National
Newsletter
·
National Media
Coverage
·
Centralized
Headquarters
·
Visiting Rights
to Other Studios
·
Transfer Rights
to Other Studios
·
Standardized
Technical Requirements for rank
·
Right to Hold
Office and Vote
·
Right to Be
Heard
·
Backing of the
Federation
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Opportunities
for Growth and Sharing
A Brief History of Soo Bahk Do and The United States Soo Bahk Do
Moo Duk Kwan Federation, Inc.
Soo Bahk Do is a Korean traditional martial art who's history
dates back many centuries. Our kicking techniques, for which Soo Bahk Do is
recognized are based on the Moo Duk Kwan style as developed by
Grandmaster Hwang Kee. Soo Bahk Do is both a hard and soft style.
The founder of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan, Kwan Jang Nim
(Grandmaster) Hwang Kee, was a martial arts prodigy, having mastered Tae Kyun
(another Korean system not related to Tae Kwon Do) at the age of 22. At that
time, (1936) he traveled to Northern China where he encountered a Chinese
variation of martial artistry. From 1936 to 1945 he combined Eastern wisdom and
developed what is now known as Soo Bahk Do.
Soo Bahk Do is not a sport. Though it is not essentially
competitive, it has great combat applications. As a classical martial art, its
purpose is to develop every aspect of the self, in order to create a mature
person who totally integrates his/her intellect, body, emotions, and spirit.
This integration helps to create a person who is free from inner conflict and
who can deal with the outside world in a mature, intelligent, forthright, and
virtuous manner.
Due to the aforementioned qualities of Soo Bahk Do; Grandmaster
Hwang Kee established and founded his first Soo Bahk Do school under the name
'Moo Duk Kwan'. This school developed into a force which most influenced the
martial art styles in modern times. A brief meaning of the words 'Moo Duk Kwan'
is a 'Brotherhood and school of stopping inner and outer conflict and developing
virtue through Soo Bahk Do training'. The Moo Duk Kwan name gives us direction
and focus in our mental training. Soo Bahk Do is the technique, Moo Duk Kwan is
the philosophy. Soo Bahk Do technique requires the mental discipline that Moo
Duk Kwan offers. The two combined produces a total development which increases
the benefits of both. From their harmony is created an awareness of being that
makes Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan training a valuable art form.
Over the past twenty years, thousands of Americans have studied
Soo Bahk Do in Korea. Korean instructors have been sent around the world and
there are now major Soo Bahk Do organizations worldwide. There are roughly
200,000 Soo Bahk Do students with over 30,000 Dan holders. Anyone who studied
with the Founder (Kwan Jang Nim Hwang Kee) knows how demanding he was. (He was
once heard to have said: 'If you want to do front and reverse punches correctly,
you must spend ten hours a day, six days a week for three years doing nothing
else'.)
Prior to 1974 there were many Americans holding degrees, teaching
and promoting without standardization, regulation, communication or leadership.
The Grandmaster decided that a United States organization must be established to
unify and standardize the art.
As a result of this decision, the United States Soo Bahk Do Moo
Duk Kwan Federation, Inc. was formed in 1975, guided by an elected and appointed
Board of Directors, and originally operated by volunteer members. The
Federation is devoted to the growth and continuation of Soo Bahk Do in the
United States, and to the maintenance of standards of excellence that were set
by Grandmaster Hwang Kee and continued to be set by
Grandmaster H.C. Hwang.
It is testimony to the Grandmaster and his teachings that he
commands such respect, devoted effort from many mature, intelligent, independent
individuals and Charter Members who worked to create the Federation and those
who were elected to the Board of Directors. There are certain qualities that
characterize the Grandmaster, the members of the Board, and Soo Bahk Do
practitioners in general - openness, personal closeness, independence, rock-hard
determination, maturity, and unshakable solidarity. These qualities bind us
together as kinsmen. This, more than anything else, assures future generations
that they will inherit the way of Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan.
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