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!