Interview Conducted By Paul Codling On Master Martin Ducker For A UK Martial Art Magazine

• AGE/DOB:  45 years old  15^th July 1960
• PLACE OF BIRTH:   Halesworth, Suffolk
• OCCUPATION: Full Time Kuk Sool Instructor (18 years)
• FAMILY:  Alison children: Rachel (19) Jason (17)
• YEARS TRAINING IN KS:     27 years                                  
• AGE BEGAN: 18 years old
• LOCATION OF TRAINING: Beccles, Suffolk                                        
• OTHER MATIRAL ARTS?  None
• FIRST INSTRUCTOR: KJN Philip Holmes
• INSTRUCTOR NOW AR: Lowestoft, Halesworth, Ipswich,  (Suffolk)                           
• HOW REGULARLY: Every night
• REASON FOR STARTING MA: Self-defence (I got into a lot of scraps when I was 17years old)
• OTHER INTERESTS: Yoga, Art, Music, Reading

How often do you train now, and what does your training entail:

I train and teach everyday in some form or other. I also enjoy running two to three miles every other day and practice meditation and yoga on a regular basis, these additional activities help supplement my regular daily Kuk Sool practice.

What is your motivation to train after xx years of practice:

My motivation is to be more healthier and fitter at the age of 45, than I was at 25 years of age.

How do you perceive that the ma’s have changed since that time: 

In the old days as students we were encouraged to practice mainly for self-defence reasons, things used to be quite brutal back then.  I can always remember my brother-in-law getting his front teeth knocked out by a woman during a sparring bout. Today much emphasis is placed on health and personal development. I recognise that today we are not training our students to go into battle, instead we are encouraging them to become the very best that they can be, in all areas of life.

What if anything do you enjoy most about your training? 

Personally I love practicing forms or hyung’s, this I can do on my own without a partner. For me practising Kuk Sool forms represent a total body workout, as well as a great way of calming the mind. I also really enjoy the traditional Korean archery.

 

Would you say that you specialise in anything:

From a training point of view I believe that I am reasonably proficient in all aspects of Kuk Sool and tend not to specialise in any particular area, however I do believe that my particular strength is in teaching and helping others understand the unique concepts that Kuk Sool offers.

M: You have, as it were, a martial arts family. Does this change the family unit in any way: 

To answer your question; it hasn’t changed our family life at all, because Kuk Sool has always been part of our life together, we don’t know anything different.

As a family we are exceptionally close, we have a special unity that can only be described as quite unique. I know that Kuk Sool is recognised throughout the world as a ‘family martial art’ and hopefully we represent this image.

My wife Alison has been practising Kuk Sool for 25 years and is a 4^th degree black belt. Both our children, Rachel and Jason started when they were three years old and still practice regularly to this day.

MA and the benefits/effect it has had on your children, and the kids that you teach at KS:

The benefits and positive effects that martial arts has on children’s lives is enormous, what other activity teaches children respect, courtesy, self-discipline as well as adopting a healthy lifestyle.
It has become apparent to me, that the many children that have studied Kuk Sool, including my own kids have gone on to do remarkably well in other areas of life as well. At first I thought this was a bit of a coincidence, but over the years I have to say it has become extremely noticeable and apparent that martial art training certainly gives a person the edge.

To the envy of many, the Lowestoft school has dominated the UK (the now European tournament in recent years) winning the overall winning school on eight consecutive occasions. How have you achieved this:

Well if I revealed the secret to you we might no longer win… however if I told you that generally we are not concerned with winning tournaments, would that surprise you?  In fact our main emphasis is on Teamwork and providing outstanding student service. Following on from this we have developed a fantastic team of instructor’s who work very hard providing excellent tuition in a friendly and relaxed environment.

What would you say are the most important aspects of running a ma school:

Without a shadow of a doubt one of the most important aspects of running a successful martial art school is EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. This must take place on many different levels for example; it all starts with the school owner, communicating effectively with his or her instructors and staff, in turn the instructors must have developed great rapport when dealing with students and parents. Usually I find that when things start to go wrong it can be traced back to lack of communication on all levels.

What part does etiquette play in your school and why:

In Kuk Sool we are reminded that developing correct martial art etiquette is the first step in developing a strong mind. Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh also told me it’s also a very important principal in having a very successful martial art school – and of course he was right!

What is the best thing that you get from KS (abilities, disabilities, ages, sex possibly):

Kuk Sool means many different things to many different people, however personally for me it is a complete system of training for mind, body and spirit, which I find very enjoyable to practice and extremely rewarding to teach.

Tell us about the KS syllabus: The Kuk Sool curriculum is structured similar to that of the school educational system, adopting, primary, intermediate, high and advanced stages of learning.  To my understanding a Kuk Sool Won 1^st Degree black belt is the equivalent of a B.A. (Bachelors Degree).  The 3rd degree is comparable to that of the M.A. (Masters Degree) hence, one reason we get a wider black belt at this stage, and as mentioned, the 5th Degree is the PhD Degree.  As we all know the PhD degree is a level that a person never stops studying and training in ones chosen subject.

What do you tend to focus on and why: I tend to focus on being extremely positive. I also try to see the good in every situation if possible. Of course I do have my moments like everyone else, but these are now becoming few and far between.

What do think is the perception/role of the ma in today’s society: 

Over the years we have had to educate the public to view martial arts in a different paradigm. Typically martial art’s was viewed as an aggressive type of activity. Today many people are beginning to recognise the positive attributes that the martial arts has to offer.

M: you opened a school in Thurso, Caithness Scotland ; tell me about that Why, and what it entailed:

I was originally invited to the North of Scotland, by one of my students SBN Donald Mackenzie, who now lives and teaches Kuk Sool in Edinburgh.  Together we started Kuk Sool Won of Caithness School.
During a period of ten years I had travelled the 700-mile journey up to Caithness more than thirty times, in order to help support the school. I’m pleased to say that the school is still thriving to this day, fifteen years later, under the guidance of PSBN Cathy Smith.

M: David Beckham/ Prince Charles. You have also been a key figure in publicising KS. Tell us about that:

I have been very privileged to have been invited to perform Kuk Sool exhibitions as part of a team for some of the UK’s most famous VIP’s including David Beckham, HRH Prince Charles and Prince Edward.  I did take the liberty of presenting each VIP with a Kuk Sool honorary black belt on behalf of the WKSA and received extensive media publicity.

M: Tell us about your business/ Shiatsu:

Today I only teach Kuk Sool as my main profession. Originally I decided to study Shiatsu / oriental medicine as way of learning more about the bodies energy system, which incorporates pressure point knowledge and application. I did have a separate business practising Shiatsu for several years, as well as teaching Kuk Sool but I became overworked and eventually burnt myself out, trying to do both.
I am still a registered practitioner but I only use Shiatsu to a treat a small amount of friends and family, or to help speed up the recovery time for individual students after prolonged illness or injury.

How realistic is it to open a school with a view to making a living, and being self-sufficient on that alone:

When I first stated out as a professional instructor there was no one else around teaching full-time, it was almost unheard of. I always recall my mother telling me to ‘go out and find a proper job’ thankfully I persisted with the venture and ended up where I am today, with what I like to think is a successful business.
Anyone can now start up a career as martial art entrepreneur quite easily, but I would recommend searching out one of the many martial art business management companies here in the UK to give a helping hand through the initial early stages. Like any other business it takes time to build.

Got your Masters when: 

In October 2002 in South Korea.

Tell us about the ceremony:

It was a memorable occasion, as you would expect, receiving your Masters degree in South Korea. But I have to say the ceremony was quite strange, the atmosphere was very subdued, and I had only a handful of close friends including my wife to witness the event, but it was still a very exciting moment.

What does it mean to you to be bestowed with the title master:

Of course it’s a great privilege and an honour. Also for me it personally signifies martial art maturity, becoming an adult in the martial art world. It seems quite Ironic, that when you become a Kuk Sool Master you are presented with a ceremonial white belt, which signifies one journey about to be completed, and another one about to begin.

How do things change for you at master level:

The level of responsibility does increase, everyone expects so much more from you. I have to add that once the novelty wares off I like to think that I am still the same person as I was before. I try to not get too hung up on the title, however I still regard it has a great nonour.

What does the first level (5^th dahn) syllabus entail:

(Not sure yet)
It is said that up till masters level, emphasis is put on hitting points with a view to hurting an attacker, but at master level emphasis is put onto using those same points to heal/ talk about:  As I’ve already mentioned I have concentrated a lot of my time and energy into this particular subject. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my own instructor KJN Philip Holmes for his encouragement and inspiration in myself perusing oriental medicine. KJN Philip is a registered Acupuncturist and one of the highest authorities in Kuk Sool in the UK when it comes to healing, hopefully he will be asked to produce some articles for TKD and Korean Martial Magazine for future editions concerning this subject.

Tell me about the trip to Korea, how the competition compared to the ones that you have been witness to in Europe, and the Korean people. What the trip meant to you.

It was billed as the trip of a lifetime and for me it certainly lived up to all the expectations. From a competition point of view everything is much the same except for the sparring being full contact, as opposed to semi contact in Britain and the US.
I was amazed to see kids getting knocked down during sparring on a hard wooden floor, getting straight back up and continuing on without a complaint, their only objective was ‘to hit the other person back’.
Korea is a rich blend of transition and tradition and a great place to visit. As for the Korean people they are overwhelmingly friendly and have some great customs, which are incredibly good fun and interesting to learn.

Did you learn any Korean: was there a language barrier:

Like visiting any foreign country language can always be difficult, the amount we had learnt as a part of the Masters degree syllabus did help out.

How do you see the structure of KS in Europe and the UK at the moment: 

Everything in Kuk Sool is organised and systemized but the Grandmaster himself, the way I see it everything is going accordingly to plan.

How do you see it growing and what would you like to see Kuk sool achieve in the future (quality/quantity)

I remember Grandmaster Suh saying, that from little acorns big oak trees grow – we are now witnessing considerable growth of Kuk Sool throughout the UK and Europe. Personally I would like to see Kuk Sool expand more extensively into countries like France and Italy.

Tell us something that we do not know about you.

I have recently celebrated my 21^st wedding anniversary something I feel extremely proud of.

What is there left for you to still achieve:

That’s a great question Paul. I have to admit that I have exceeded all of my own expectations and ambitions up to now within Kuk Sool, therefore, my future ambition is not for myself but for my wife Ali. I want to see her reach Master’s level hopefully within the next two years. She’s a fabulous martial artist and one of the many unsung hero’s involved in Kuk Sool over the last twenty years.

Anything else you would like to talk about:

I would just like to thank yourself Paul for the interview and of course my colleague and friend Master Steve Issacson for being a great representative and ambassador for Kuk Sool. Thanks.

An Exclusive Interview With Alison Ducker - COMBAT MAGAZINE - December 07

KUK SOOL WON’s Most Recently Promoted Female UK Master!

Becoming a proficient practitioner in Korean Martial arts requires many years of dedicated practice, and that requirement applies to the one of the UK’s most senior female practitioners of Kuk Sool Won, Alison Ducker. Alison was promoted to Master level during 2007.

TKD-KCA - First of all Alison congratulations on your recent promotion to the distinguished level of Master, 5th degree black belt in the Traditional Korean Martial Art of Kuk Sool Won. Let’s begin by finding out how long you have been practising Kuk Sool and old were you when you first started?

AD- I was fifteen years old when I began practising Kuk Sool That was in 1981.  Since then I’ve taken a couple of years out to have my two children.

TKD-KCA - How did you initially become interested in training?
 
I went along to the local martial art school to watch my boyfriend (who incidentally is now my husband) practice. He was a novice himself at the time and I must have sat there patiently watching for about three to four months before the principal instructor, (after several unsuccessful attempts) finally enticed me to join in with a class.

TKD-KCA - What was training like back then?

As you would expect, it was rather challenging back then, and there weren't any special favours or allowances just because you were a girl or a woman. There were only a couple of other females around at the time. These ladies were generally quite masculine and could certainly dish-out as good as they get.

Unfortunately I wasn't very big so my only real advantage was just being very flexible.
In comparison with today's training, generally the overall attitude was much stricter and more militaristic. At times you were literally treated like a solider on parade, you especially weren't allowed to smile or show any kind of emotion, which was considered a weakness.

From a physical point of view it was also very demanding, the drills were often quite regimental. We would practice the same routines and techniques week in and week out without ever questioning the Instructor's motives. However the by-product of this type of training was you became really proficient at performing the basics.

Training methods were tougher back then compared to how they are now and attitudes were a lot different too! Many good practitioners left our club because it was so physically and mentally demanding. These days everyone is much more relaxed and not preparing for battle, so to speak.

TKDKCA  - So what made you stay the course?
 
That’s a good question. My husband would say it's because I’m a Taurian and generally quite stubborn. I rather like to think it's because I have a strong mind and of course I also recognize the positive benefits that martial arts has to offer as well.

Apart from gaining the obvious advantages in learning self-defence, martial arts in particular does offer a complete system of training for mind, body, and spirit. The greatest benefit that I’ve noticed personally has been an overall increase in my levels of self-confidence.

I am now able to perform and speak more confidently in public, where in the past I would have been slightly shy and nervous. I can now demonstrate on most occasions without feeling over-anxious, of course you still require an element of nerves to get yourself initially fired up before a demo.

TKD-KCA  - You and your family have performed lots of exhibitions. Does any one stick out in your mind?

Well, by far the most memorable was the one we did for the 'Beckhams' 2002 pre-world cup party. Members of KSW UK demo team, including my own family were actually asked to perform at that event. Of course that was amazing.

I mean any person in their right mind would have jumped at that opportunity. I literally had to pinch myself at least a couple of times to make sure that the whole experience wasn't a dream.

Another time my family and I were invited to perform the opening demonstration at the 2005 Kuk Sool Masters' Exhibition in Busan South Korea, in front of an audience of approximately ten thousand Korean spectators.

This exhibition was also broadcast on Korean TV, and was also shown in many other countries including parts of Southern China.

TKD-KCA - Tell us about your family.

Well, I'm married to Martin, who is also a Kuk Sool Master Instructor. Rachel our daughter is 21 years old and Jason is 18, both are 3rd degree black belt Instructor’s and are currently preparing for their 4th degree Black Belts in 2008. Both have been involved with Kuk Sool for the majority of their lives.

TKD-KCA – Have you ever competed in tournaments?

AD - I really enjoyed competing in the Kuk Sool tournaments, both here and in the USA. They were always great fun and I learnt a lot about my art and about myself as well. Wouldn't you agree that these should be the main reasons for participating in tournaments in the first place and not just about winning?

As for my results, lets just say that I used to do reasonably well, especially as most of the time I had to compete against the men in the various different categories. I do have a few Gold medals hidden away in the cupboard somewhere.

TKDKCA  - Have you now retired from competing.

AD - In KSW you are no longer able to compete in tournaments after 4th Dan. Your role then becomes one of an official.

TKDKCA - Have you experienced any major challenges or setbacks along the way during your nearly 26 years of training.

 

AD - Well as I mentioned earlier I've always been rather flexible, the only problem with this is that my knee joints have a tendency to pop-in-and-out rather easily. I have suffered four dislocations on the same leg during my twenty-six year's.

The worst was after only a few months of starting Kuk Sool, when I was just a yellow belt. I was performing a simple self-defence manoeuvre, when I unexpectedly found myself falling down on the ground. When I tried to stand I realised that my left leg was at a 90° angle, bent in the opposite direction to how it should be. 

I recognized it was just one of those obstacles that life throws at you.  You have a choice, to either quit what you're doing or just to get on with things. Over the last few years I've discovered how to successfully strap and bandage my knee so it doesn't have the option to pop out so easily anymore.  

TKD-KCA - What’s your favourite Kuk Sool weapon?

Well I really like practising with all the traditional weapons, as each has its own unique individual appeal. However I have a tendency to use the double short swords and traditional Korean fans for demonstration purposes, as these generally depict the specific roles used by the female Royal Court bodyguards.

TKD-KCA – What did you think of Korea?

AD- I’ve visited Korea twice, once in 2002 and 2005. Korea is a very, beautiful country and often described as the ‘land of contrast.’ My experience was very similar. I really enjoyed spending time visiting all the Buddhist temples and Monasteries however on the other hand, being a lady of course, I also enjoyed midnight shopping in the vibrant capital city of Seoul. It was very exhilarating, witnessing Kuk Sool performed at the highest levels getting to meet many high-ranking Korean Masters.

TKD-KCA – Name some of those Masters.

Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh, is like a father figure to us all in Kuk Sool. He is very kind and considerate and an exceptionally knowledgeable person to say the very least. I also really admire the Grandmaster's wife, Sa Mo Nim. She works so hard behind the scenes dealing with Association business but she has always found time to look after our family on our numerous visits to the US.
The Grandmaster's two eldest son’s - Master Sung Jing Suh and Master Alex Suh are always a great inspiration and I personally regard Master Alex as my main teaching influence. When Martin and myself visit KSW HQ it is Master Alex who looks after us.

 I also need to mention Master's Barry & Choon OK Harmon in the USA. They have been a major influence in helping us to establish a successful martial art business here in the UK.

Finally, I would like to thank my initial instructor - Master Philip Holmes. He really did persevere in getting me to start all those years ago. I still consider him a great friend and a major supporting influence for us all here in the UK.

 TKD-KCA  - What's next on the cards for you?

AD - Well of course I'm very proud to have reached Master grade but once the novelty of that wears off, it will be very much the same as before, training, teaching, and supporting my family like any good mother does. 

There has been talk of another World Kuk Sool Association trip to Korea within the next year or so, which I’ve heard will be specifically dedicated to training, as opposed to the cultural trips and tournaments that we’ve previously done.

TKD-KCA –Master Alison Ducker - Thank you very much for the interview.
The pleasure was mine. Thank you!

COMBAT MAGAZINE - December 07

Taxi Driver Self Defence

Taxi Driver Self Defence - What would you do?

Imagine that you are driving your taxicab alone in the early hours of the morning. The streets are deserted and you stop to pick up your last fare of what has been a long and busy night.

Four middle-age people enter your cab, two male and two female customers. They give you directions and you think no more about them because they just seem your normal type of clientele.
It’s starting to rain and your only real thoughts are about ending the shift and getting home to bed. You’re trying to make the usual polite conversation until you reach your customers required destination.

You slowly pull over and stop to let them out, politely informing them that they owe you £7.20 for the ride. Three people get out of the car. Suddenly and quite unexpectedly the last remaining passenger thrusts a sharp object into the back of your neck, you realise that its a knife, quietly the man whispers in your ear - "you don't want the money that bad do you" - what do you do?

Well of course the most obvious and sensible answer is 'you don’t do anything’ - just hold your hands up and let them go on their way.

Today, hundreds if not thousands of Taxi drivers face this type of situation every week and the violence and rate of attacks on cab drivers seems to becoming increasingly worse.

The situation that I have just described was a relatively rare experience 17 years ago, but that’s exactly what happened to a young taxi driver named Kevin Cullen, in the seaside town of Lowestoft, Suffolk. An incident that left him so shocked and distraught that he would not leave his home for at least two weeks afterwards.

It has often been said ‘that out of the depths of despair something positive can emerge’; and that’s exactly what happened to our cab driver Kevin, not realising at the time the total shock of this attack would lead him to change his whole outlook on life.

At this particular time, Kevin by his own admission was totally unfit and grossly overweight, weighing an incredible 23 stone. The most exercise that he ever performed was struggling to get in and out of his cab. He was nicknamed by his mates and the other local cab drivers as 'beefy' or 'big Kev' for obvious reason.

Being overweight was only part of his problem, his real issue at that time was his general lack of self-confidence and self-esteem and today he strongly believes it was a contributing factor to his attack. Kevin says, “I might as well have had the word ‘victim’ tattooed across my forehead, I believe that I was viewed as being rather vulnerable and an easy target”.

Several months after the assault a close friend and neighbour suggested that Kevin might like to go along with him to a local martial art club that was holding classes just a few streets from his home. Kevin with nothing to lose, with the exception of a few pounds from his pocket and possibly a few pounds in weight, thought it might be a good idea.

On his initial lesson Kevin recalls struggling so much that his instructors and fellow classmates were worried that he was about to have a heart attack, his face turned purple and he was on his knees with exhaustion.  But despite those early struggles, Kevin persevered with the training, knowing that what he was learning might one day save his life, in more ways than one.

Working his way systematically through the belt ranks, he slowly began to lose weight and was becoming very proficient in the application of self-defence techniques, more importantly his confidence and self-esteem began to increase as well.

Looking back Kevin now realises that if he hadn't started taking those classes who knows where he might have ended up. Although the training regime was rather challenging, he somehow knew that it was doing him good, both physically and mentally.

These days Kevin is a shadow of his former self, at the age of 43 he’s now slimmed down to a mere 16 ½ stone. In combination with his martial art training, he also spends considerable time in the gym and often gives students half his age a good run for their money as far as fitness is concerned.
 Instead of being called 'beefy' his new title is Pu Sa Bum Nim Kev, and he is now a respected 3rd degree black belt in the traditional Korean martial art of Kuk Sool Won, which he has consistently practised for over sixteen years.

Kevin’s partner Toni is also a second-degree black belt and his son Ryan is a 1st degree Kuk Sool black belt as well. Together all of them practice at the Lowestoft School, where Kevin is also the main instructor for the children’s classes.

When asked, if he has he ever had to apply any of the techniques in an actual self-defence situation in his cab, Kevin is a little reluctant to share his experiences.  He explains there have only been three major incidences since his initial attack.

The first was when a young man kept pulling on his hand brake while he was driving, which resorted in himself applying a painful joint lock to his passenger, until order was restored.

The second was when someone tried to run off without paying, but unfortunately he couldn’t get out of the car quick enough before Kevin applied another restraint technique, and finally the third he prefers not talk about, but hints that the other person will always think twice about ever upsetting a cab driver again.

Kevin adds, he rarely has to use any type of physical force anymore’, he believes his awareness and perception have now developed to such a degree that he can spot trouble a mile-off and deals with it appropriately by speaking confidently and directly to any would-be troublemakers.

Currently Kevin is the co-director of his own taxi–firm and has often been asked by other cab drivers for lessons in ‘taxi-driver self-defence’. However Kevin is reluctant to teach them, knowing that sometimes a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.  He stresses that it’s more than just learning a few simple self-defence techniques; it’s about totally immersing yourself in the concept of the martial arts so you exude self-confidence and awareness throughout.

Finally, when asked how would he deal with the knife situation today, Kevin’s answer – “If it ever came to it, I’d probably do exactly the same thing as I did before, lets face it, it’s no good being a dead hero/taxi driver and like the guy said all those years ago - I don’t need the money that bad, do I.

Model Warrior - Featured in Combat Magazine 2004

Model Warrior

The Martial Arts, generally conjures up images of power, masculinity and strength, while the softer feminine aspects can sometimes be overlooked.

Most people would probably agree that Rachel Ducker, aged twenty, reflects the essence of femininity; being blessed with a pretty face and a very shapely figure, she looks every part a fashion icon, however from this point onward please don’t let looks deceive.

Because of her family connections within the martial art’s Rachel is a hard-hitting, sophisticated young lady who knows what she wants and exactly how to go about getting it.

Starting her formal martial art training at the age of four years old, under the guidance of her parents, both of who are long-standing Kuk Sool Won Instructors.

Rachel has always viewed the martial arts as a natural part of her everyday life and spent much of her childhood being raised in and around the dojang. In fact it has been reported by Rachel’s mum that she was actually able to count to ten in Korean before learning to count to ten in English.

Although her indoctrination into Kuk Sool Won started probably a lot earlier than most, Rachel never received any special favours, and followed a similar training pattern to that of most other students.
In her formative years, her family would be the first to admit that she was not what you would call a ‘natural’; everything she has gained has come about through hard work.

Initially, Rachel explains that her progress seemed relatively slow, but say’s that her parents were much aware that progressing quickly through the ranks doesn’t always make an excellent practitioner.
Her training consisted of practising the fundamentals day in and day out, like it was a game. Much emphasis was placed upon developing flexibility and strength, laying down a strong foundation for her martial art future.

After nearly seven years of continued practice Rachel eventually graduated to black belt in 1997 at the tender age of 11. By this time Miss Ducker had already gained a reputation for having very powerful kicking ability and was nicknamed ‘Thunderfoot’ by her classmates for accidentally kicking a fellow (male) sparring partner through a partitioned wall. 

 

Many people who know Rachel recognise her as being a very polite and respectful young lady, but there is another side to her as well; as already mentioned she is tough cookie, determined, strong willed and very outwardly focused.

Many people often wonder; does martial art training give a person the edge in life as well? Well in Rachel’s case there seems no shadow of a doubt.

In 2001 Rachel left school with 4 A’ levels and has worked her way up into the position of Sales Marketing Manager for a local publishing company for which she still works for today.

As for her martial art career, Rachel has won countless tournaments and Gold medals, she has been successful at winning the individual European and UK Kuk Sool Championship many times and was fortunate enough to compete in South Korea last year gaining a respectable third place in her category.

She is currently working toward her 4th Degree black belt and Rachel’s long-term goal is to become a Kuk Sool Master.

If you were to ask this intelligent young woman what the ‘highlight’ of her martial arts journey has been so far, she would undoubtedly tell you about her experience at the ‘Beckhams’ when she was part of the Kuk Sool (UK) demo team asked to perform for a whole host of celebrities at the 2002 World Cup Garden party held by David and Victoria Beckham.

Of course martial art training aside, Rachel is still very much your typical average twenty-year old, impressed by the glitz and glamour of the fashion world, and like most young girls of her age has dreams of becoming an icon herself.

Most recently Rachel’s dream did become a reality, when she was accepted by a very reputable modelling agency based in Norwich and London.

Aware of the sturdiness and resilience needed to succeed in this particular industry, Rachel has not been fazed by this often competitive environment, in fact she just views it on a similar parallel to that of her martial arts training. She understands the total dedication and commitment that it takes to become successful in any field of endeavour.

So what’s next for Rachel? Well her career at the publishing company is still going very well and new opportunities are arising all the time.  As far as her modelling career goes, she has had several large companies interested in her.

From a martial art perspective nothing changes, it’s training as usual and when asked about boyfriends, Rachel says ‘boyfriends - I’ve got no time for a boyfriend’ maybe one day I’ll discover that special person?

Whatever Rachel ends up doing in the future, whether she’s a celebrity or not, one thing is assured she will never stop practising the martial arts; it’s in her blood and a place she knows best.

Beckhams World Cup Party

The Beckhams World Cup Party

Our adventure started about a week or so after the Seni Exhibition. I received a frantic phone call from PSBN Alison on the Tuesday evening asking me if I wanted to go to the Beckham's party on Sunday at their home in Hertfordshire.

Of course I didn't believe her, I thought she must be pulling my leg ( as she often does! ). Finally she managed to convince me, and, after much screaming and running round the house in a manner reminiscent of a headless chicken, this is what happened.

The World Cup party had an oriental theme, so the party organisers had contacted the organiser of Seni to see if he could recommend some Ninja's to perform in the woodlands for the guests to look at as they made their way to the marquee.

He told them “you don't want Ninja's, you want the Kuk Sool Won demo team!”. High praise indeed! So that's how 15 members of the Seni demo team got to go to the Beckham's party. We had been told not to tell anyone because of security reasons so there was a lot of suppressed excitement, but after a rollercoaster ride of a “would we, wouldn't we” kind of week, Sunday finally arrived.

The coach picked us up in Halesworth and took us to Sawbridgeworth where we were given a security check and then taken by mini-bus to the Beckham estate. We were shown around the marquee, which was beautiful, and then through the woodlands to our positions.

David and Victoria walked past us at this point which was quite exciting! We then had about an hour and a half wait before the guests were due to arrive, so we had some lunch in the canteen backstage, where we saw Beverley Knight (who was performing later) and we met Victoria's family, as well as Brooklyn.

Soon came the time for us to get into position ready for the guests to arrive. We were determined to put on a good show (although it was a bit difficult amid the nettles, rocks and trees), but the next 2 ½ hours seemed to fly by! Among the famous guests were: Elton John, Richard Branson, Natalie Imbruglia, Muhammed Al Fayed, Cilla Black, Dale Winton, Graham Norton, Ant & Dec, Joan Collins, Lulu, Jamie Oliver, Chris Eubank, Jennifer Saunders, Louise and Jamie Redknapp, Shaznay Lewis, Misteeq, Lee Evans, Gary Lineker, Des Lynham, Angus Deayton and a whole host of other celebrities and sportspersons including the England football team and some members of the 1966 team as well. We weren't allowed to speak to the guests but most of them said hello and some of them made comments as they walked past. ITV filmed the occasion for a documentary which was shown the following week and OK and Hello magazines had joint coverage.

After the guests had finished arriving, we went backstage and had some more food and watched the Shaolin Monks arrive. They did a 10 minute performance and then left but we did get to speak to them briefly.

Earlier in the day we told Victoria's mum that we would like to present David with an honorary black belt, so we were thrilled when we were told that we could all go on stage to present it to him! There was a lot of waiting around backstage listening to Graham Norton auction off a variety of different things (with all proceeds going to the NSPCC). Jamie Oliver and Mick Hucknall each paid £29,000 for a pair of David Beckhams football boots! Finally the moment came for us to go on stage, where KJN John Ives, SBN Martin Ducker and SBN John Gravenall presented David with his black belt. There's a picture in OK Magazine to prove it!

Finally it was time for us to leave, and as we left the estate, there were about 300 people crowded at the gate cheering and waving as we drove past. We felt like royalty! It was quite exhilirating and very bizarre.

And so our exciting day at Beckingham Palace came to an end, but the excitement wasn't quite over yet. The BBC heard about our little trip, and on the Tuesday they came to film us at the Halesworth Dojang. The report went out that evening on Look East which was great publicity for Kuk Sool Won. The following Sunday, the 19th of May, the documentary about the party was shown on ITV, and to our amazement, there were many clips of the Kuk Sool Won team shown, as well as a few comments made about us by some of the guests.

A fantastic time was had by all.

The members of the team were:

From Lowestoft and Halesworth: SBN Martin Ducker, PSBN Alison Ducker, KSN Rachel Ducker, KSN Jason Ducker, KSN Robert Poll, KSN Joanne Walker, KSN David Ellis, KSN Kris French, JKN Nigel Gosling.

From Norwich: KJN John Ives, KSN Jason Hawes, JKN Tracey Burton

From Birmingham: SBN John Gravenall, JKN Natalie Parks

SEE THE VIDEO HERE....



From Kings Lynn: PSBN Darren Brown

Barry and Choon Ok Harmon - By Master Martin Ducker (Past Articles)

She came from a small Korean village, he hailed from the USA, East meeting west. She had to fight for her reputation, he had to earn his place at the top. An arranged marriage by their masters. Having to overcome language and cultural indifferences, the only common ground is the martial art they both love. They lived together in the dojang, struggling through the hard times.

Eventually they reach the height of their profession, he becomes the first non-oriental master and she is the first female master, and they become widely recognised as the U.S. number one husband and wife demo team in Kuk Sool. Does this sound like something out of a movie script? Actually it is, but factually based upon the true life story of masters Barry and Choon Ok Harmon, 7th degree Kuk Sool black belts.

Her story begins in Korea.

Choon Ok as a young girl regularly visits the Kuk Sool dojang as a spectator. She enjoys watching the very few women that are practising at the time. She realises that much can be accomplished through practising a particular rather than using just brute force and ignorance. At a somewhat unstable tinme in Korean society she also feels that the self-defence aspect may be of some benefit.

With Choon Ok's brother already practising and her sister being married to Kuk Sool's chief Master In Sun Seo, she begs her brother-in-law to let her start practising. Eventually an agreement is met, but there are conditions. "You can start any time but you can never stop," he insists. Through the initial stages, several times she feels like quitting, but she is always reminded of her initial promise to her instructor. Her daily training schedule is tough, starting at 6:00am and often finishing late into the evening. For several years she maintains this routine.

One day while taking a well-earned break from the dojang, Choon Ok and her sister go shopping, however, after a short time both find themselves being followed by a suspicious looking character. Deciding together they make a dash back to the dojang bringing out the chief master, who kindly catches and escorts the man to the second floor of the training hall.

Choon Ok is instructed to try out her 'punching' technique. She is not happy about this After her first attempt the man just laughs at her in the face, another attempt brings the same result, in fact the more she hits him the more he continues to laugh. Her instructor decides to demonstrate the correct manoeuvre, this time in one single attempt. "I want to be able to do that" Choon Ok cries out! She pleads with him to teach her the correct technique. He in turn insists upon hundreds of hours of practise and thousands of repetitions just hitting paper to develop her shoulders.

Several months later Choon Ok asks if she can try 'hitting' again, she is told to pick an appropriate body from the street below. An intoxicated man found urinating on the pavement is selected for the task in hand and brought to the dojang by two instructors (remembering that this was a time when many gangsters and thugs roamed the streets of Korea and the authorities were only glad of the extra help cleaning up the neighbourhood).

Choon Ok takes aim and lets loose with an almighty punch, the man is knocked out cold. Deep inside she feels remorse for what she has done, but on the other hand this feeling is mixed with joy for performing the technique correctly and also surprise by the amount of power that has been generated from her strike.

The young Korean girl soon becomes hot news and makes major newspaper headlines after successfully defending herself against a knife assault. Many times she finds herself involved in street self-defence, protecting not only herself but also her close friends too. In fact many of them will not venture out unless Choon Ok is present.

Within her martial art she is also becoming a celebrity, performing over three-hundred demos in the space of two years. She is well recognised as the little Korean girl with the big punch!

His story begins in Korea.

As a young man in the U.S. military police, Barry finds himself serving his country, stationed in Korea. His appetite is already wet by the martial arts, and like most young American servicemen he finds himself training in Tae Kwon Do, which eventually gives him a black belt. One day while walking leisurely, Barry notices a group of martial artists in black uniforms. At the time he considers this quite unusual as most styles in Korea wear white.

Not only were the uniforms different but the moves were unlike anything he had seen. Intrigued by his discovery he inquires furthur about the martial art and joins up as a student of Kuk Sool Won, the fifth time that he has actually signed up as a white belt, as he is already ranked in several other styles of martial arts in the U.S., including Judo, Karate, Kung Fu and also the Tae Kwon Do learnt in Korea.

After several years of hard training, practising anything between two and six hours a day, six days a week, Barry's instructor, Master Oh Yi Kuen, introduces and helps him to become a direct student under the guidance of Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh, founder of Kuk Sool Won.

After honourable discharge from the US Airforce in 1974, Barry leaves Korea. Fortunately for him, Grandmaster Suh also has plans about immigrating to the US to establish the World Kuk Sool Headquarters in San Francisco. Back in the USA Barry is given the opportunity to continue to train under the Grandmaster and live in the dojang, while all the basic necessitites are met, he has to abide by the three main rules, eat, sleep, train.

While others considered Barry's predicament to be somewhat undesirable with no money and seemingly no prospects, he considers himself to be privaledged. He knows that he can leave at any time he wishes to, but it is basically a one way door.
 
For five years Barry sticks religiously to this regime, just eating, sleeping and training under the Grandmaster's watchful eye. During this period Barry becomes of a young lady practitioner in Korea who he immediately feels attracted to. He asks Grandmaster Suh if an introduction may be possible. Lucky enough for Barry, Grandmaster In Hyuk Suh and Choon Ok's teacher, Chief Master In Sun Seo are brothers, so with permission, written communication begins.

Unfortunately at this particular time Barry cannot read Korean and Choon Ok cannot understand English, translation of letters is always via the two masters. however, after much correspondence and patience, an arranged marriage is on the cards.

Together in the USA.

Choon Ok and Barry first meet when he picks her up in Korea two weeks before being married in San Francisco on July 13th 1980. Immigration officials find it hard to believe that the marriage is legitimate and that Barry is not being paid for Choon Ok to obtain a green card. It is not love at first sight, but a love that is to grow with time.

Choon Ok is asked about her first impressions of America, she says that everyone looks the same, "big eyes and big noses".

In 1981 Mr and Mrs Harmon open their first school together in San Mateo, California. Still close enough to continue their training with Grandmaster Suh in San Francisco. their reputation as a martial arts duo continues to grow as they perform all over the US.

Korea Trip 2002 - By Master Martin Ducker (Past Articles)

It was described by Kuk Sa Nim as ‘the trip of a lifetime', a one off chance to experience the culture, history, and to discover the roots of Kuk Sool Won in South Korea.

Here is a brief account about the ‘trip to Korea'

The Flight and Arrival In Korea

The Asian Air economy class flight was basic yet comfortable, with the latest Hollywood in-flight movies to entertain us, combined with a pleasant choice of Korean or western food. The Nine-hour non-stop flight time was a good excuse to catch up with some much-needed sleep and to conserve some vital energy for adventure that lie ahead.

After a somewhat smooth flight from Frankfurt in Germany, flying over Russia, Siberia and China, we finally touched down at Incheon international airport in South Korea. For me it didn't seem that long ago, watching on TV, hoards of football supporters arriving at this fantastic new airport to watch their countries play in the World Cup, now I was here too. In the arrival reception area, we were pleasantly greeted by an entourage of Korean Kuk Sool Master's led by Chief master In Joo Suh, the Grandmasters youngest brother. A banner, which was held up said it all 'welcome to Korea'. It was a great first impression and it certainly helped lift our spirits after such a long trip.

Unfortunately our tour guide informed us there was still an eight-hour coach trip from the airport to our hotel. Thankfully ahead of schedule we finally arrived in Gyeong Ju City, thoroughly exhausted, thirty hours after leaving our homes in England.

The Accommodation

Our first port of call was the Gyeong Ju Hotel, a superb four-star facility that would be our base for the next four days. The hotel and it's staff were magnificent even though communication was often a little difficult.

The meals that were provided for us were very interesting, with a choice of both western and oriental cuisine.

Breakfast was always very enjoyable with a varied range of food to suit individual taste. During the evening we purchased meals from the western style restaurant, however once again translating the menu to the waitresses was a little bit complicated and on more than one occasion we ended up getting something completely different than what we had ordered.

The Tournament venue

The Tournament venue was held in a large and relatively modern auditorium, capable of holding six to seven thousand people.

Outside in the car park there were many different food stalls selling all sorts of Korean delicacies such as Silk bugs and corn dogs. But I must admit going hungry seemed a more suitable option than what was on offer.

The streets leading toward the auditorium were lined with over a hundred Kuk Sool banners advertising the event and large banner held up by large inflatable balloons welcomed us upon entry into the carpark.

The Championships

Billed as one of the biggest Kuk Sool Tournaments to be staged in Korea, people attended from many regions in South Korea, as well as the 250 Americans and thirty Europeans. The competition format would similar to that to which most of us had been used too, all except the sparring, which was to be – full contact.

Having been appointed as a referee in conjunction with three other Korean Master's, I soon found myself being thrown in at the deep end. Having adapted to their judging style quickly, I soon began to enjoy myself. My only problem was communicating with the other masters as none of them spoke English. It was a case ‘fake it until you make it'. Generally the standard of the competition in Korea was high.

Although the overall atmosphere seemed a little subdued the attitude and performances of the Koreans participants was relaxed, but very focused. The main thing I noticed was that there was no cheering or interference from Parents and certainly no video camera's capturing the referees every move.

The Masters Exhibition I can only describe this event as one of the most enjoyable martial art exhibitions I have ever seen (and I've seen a few). From an entertainments point of view there was something for everyone, including some of Korea's Top musical talents. For the serious martial artists, the standard and quality on display was of the highest calibre seen any where in the world, with prominent exhibitions from over thirty Korean Kuk Sool Masters.
There was music, Fireworks and a state of the art light show to highlight all the performances. However, it was the ‘Korean Kids demo team' that stole the show with an outstanding performance of precision and timing that any Kuk Sool instructor would be proud of. Promotions.

The promotion ceremony took place after the second day of the championships with a vast range of high-level promotions including Masters' Barry and Choon Ok Harmon to 8th degree Black belt. Master Simms and Master Sung Jin Suh also promoted to 7th Dahn.

For myself it was an unbelievable honour to be presented with my 5th Dahn Black belt (Master's degree) by Kuk Sa Nim. Congratulations also to the other newly promoted British Kuk Sool Masters', as well as Master John Ives and Master Philip Holmes who received the sixth degree Black Belts. I'm sure that this memorable experience will stay in our minds for many years to come. Visiting Korea's National Treasures.

After all the excitement of the Tournament and Master's exhibition, it was nice to relax slightly and visit some of Korea's most historic and famous sites.

Our first expedition was travelling several miles up a famous mountain to visit the national treasure of Sokkuram Grotto, which houses one of the world's finest Buddhist shrines deep inside some caves. On the same day we also visited Bulguksa Temple.

This is one of Korea's best-known temples and a testimony to both skill of Silla architects and the depth of Buddhist faith at the time of it being built. While most of the wooden buildings had been rebuilt over the centuries most of the stone bridges, stairways and pagoda's are original and date back 535 A.D.

Gyeong Ju city where we were based is described as ‘the museum without walls' because of the wealth of historical buildings and treasures. Tumuli Park in the middle of Gyeong Ju city has a collection of 20 royal Silla tombs where many thousands of historical treasures have been excavated. Not only did we have the pleasure in seeing some of the tombs, but also many of us visited the ‘Cultural Centre', which displayed many cultural treasures and historical artefacts.

Staying At The Buddhist Monastery

Kuk Sa Nim had arranged for our party, all two hundred and fifty of us to stay at Buddhist Monastery - One mile up in the mountains. A superb tranquil setting that can only be described as …… cold. The resident monks had all given up there living quarters for the night allowing us to stay there. Although the temperature outside was dropping well below freezing point, inside, the buildings under-floor heating was absolutely boiling and during the night we all cooked lying on the floor.

To Pracice or to not? - By Master Martin Ducker (Past Articles)

To Practise or Not?

December 29 & 30 was the first all day training I've had in several years. I was a bit nervous the day before with anticipation of the fun and interesting technique that lay ahead. I also wondered how I would fair in an all day training since I had not been through one in so long. To my surprise I wasn't that sore the next day.

I always try to keep myself in reasonable condition but it is so easy to let one day, then one week, then one month, slide by without a serious training day. That's one of the battles of a professional martial art teacher. To keep oneself in top condition without compromising your student's instruction time. That means we must exercise ourself at times other than regular class times. Not always easy considering you may be at the Do-Jang teaching or supervising four to seven classes a day, every day. 

It's called "BURN OUT". The deadly enemy of every professional.

That burn-out prevents us from taking a little extra time at the end of the day or coming in a little early in order to exercise ourselves and keep our personal skills at an appropriate level.

As Kuk Sool Practitioners and teachers we must endeavor to not only maintain our skill level but to improve our skills. Many martial arts have nothing to offer after 1st or 2nd Degree Black Belt. It's a matter of putting in the time to progress to the next rank.

That's why there are martial arts that have Masters with the knowledge of 1st Degree's. It's something that we do not want to happen in Kuk Sool.


Kuk Sool has specific lessons through each degree of Black Belt. It is not enough to just memorize those lessons and review them every few months simply to keep them in memory, or to video them so you don't even have to practice to keep them in memory.

My advice, throw your video camera away, so that you must practice to remember. It's amazing that simple practice will improve your skills. Kuk Sool is one of the last True Martial Arts! It's up to us to keep it a True Martial Art.

Secret training, Hard training, Special training. Are those the types of training you are waiting for? Those are some of the most misunderstood phrases concerning training. In fact, each person may have his/her own definition for each of those types of training.

It can be confusing and disappointing to maintain such training expectations toward your teacher or your practice. Hard is relative, Secret is anything that you may know and others do not, Special is being allowed to train in front of Kuk Sa Nim, one of the top teachers in all the world. So forget about Hard, Secret, or Special.

Just train. Just exercise yourself, review your material, improve your skill level in any area possible. Do your hyung and technique a least once a week.

Remember always: We are "Martial Artist" not martial sportsmen/women.

The two training days re-energized me. It was great to see and be part of such an activity. I was lucky. It didn't cost me a plane ticket or days away from home.

I just want to let everyone know that all those who came provde their dedication and enthusiasm and deserve to be recognized. That who wait for knowledge to come to them will be disappointed, disillusioned, disheartened and in the end fall by the way side in discouragement and difficulty.

As a last thought:
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT TIME!

The Ducker Family (Past Articles)

The Ducker Family

The Duckers fulfil the role of a black belt family practising an ancient martial art form, which in days of old was renowned for the passing down of skills from one family member to the next, often secretly and under seemingly impossible circumstances. These days Kuk Sool is not so difficult to learn, but still needs plenty of dedication and commitment.

0n May 31 st, Rachel (11) and Jason (8) were awarded their 1st Dan black belt in Norwich. Both children have been practising longer than they can remember. Mum and dad set down their martial arts foundation before they could both even walk. Mum, Alison, explains that she had to watch out when admirers used to poke their heads down into the push-chair to admire her two year-old daughter, as she would unexpectedly strike out at them.



"It's her dad's fault, he always taught his little girl how to defend herself from any early age". Jason also had tendencies to play ninjas when he was a toddler, surprisingly sneaking up on guests with his toy sword and attacking them unexpectedly. "It was all very embarrassing", says Alison as she reminisces about her children's unusual upbringing.

You would expect the Ducker household to be like a scene from the 'Pink Panther' films where Kato jumps out of the blue onto Inspector Clueso. Alison says that she used to do that sort of thing to her husband when they were first married, until one day Martin once thought that she was a real intruder and she got more than she bargained for.

So they mutually decided not to play that game anymore, for obvious reasons. Today, Alison is more than capable of defending herself. She has also just added another notch to her belt after being awarded 3rd Dan black belt, one of only three ladies to achieve this grade in Kuk Sool here in the U.K.. The Ducker's have made Kuk Sool a life-time endeavour. Together they have already been to the USA three times to visit and stay with the Grandmaster. Dad, who is a 4th Degree black belt says "I'm very proud of my family, I don't force any of them to practise, they just do it".

The kids still lead normal lives, Jason loves football and supports Manchester United and Rachel's a Spice Girls fan. However, they realise the importance of their martial arts training, both get up early and practise before they go to school, you can't ask for more than that.

The next ambition for the children is to become instructors one day, like mum and dad. "We just want to help other children to learn the true benefits of the martial arts", says Rachel. Jason adds, "We also have lots of fun too".

The most important thing about the Ducker's Kuk Sool practise is that they stay together as a family, all realise the total commitment that is needed to reach and maintain that prestigious black belt grade.