Sunday, January 5, 2014

Ten Thousand Secret Techniques

Grandmaster Kim Soo and Master Sean Kim/ photography by
Melissa L. Nichols
Ten Thousand Secret Techniques - by Grandmaster Kim Soo
A common question of a martial arts instructor is “How many special 'secret' techniques are there in martial arts and self-defense?” Some instructors asked this question say there are 500, or 1000 or even 10,000! 
These instructors are comparable to the traveling roadshows of the 1800’s selling Snake Oil that will cure anything.  Every day inexperienced people believed them and bought the oil. In reality, the oil was fake and the people promoting they were only out to make money and promote
themselves. They were crooks and scammers.
In my sixty years of teaching I have learned that there are truly only a handful of
techniques to be learned. This holds true for other martial arts disciplines too, not just Cha Yon-Ryu.
If there were 10,000 techniques, how could you learn and use them all anyway?! Ridiculous.
In learning and practicing our techniques on a regular basis, you will learn breathing
control; you will right from wrong, gain wisdom and learn how to adapt these techniques to different and changing situations you will encounter in your life. 
Over time, these will become second nature, you will have muscle memory and not have to think to use or practice them. Please do not be taken in by the “Snake Oil” types of schools and instructors. You will end up disillusioned, confused and possibly injured. It could be the end of what could have been good martial art training for you.
“Profound (secret) technique begins from simple technique. Simple technique ends in Profound technique” Sensei Kanken Toyama, 1888-1966.
Best Regards,
Grandmaster Kim Soo- 
founder Chayon-Ryu International Martial Arts Association
January 2, 2014

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