Australasian Tae Kwon Do, March 1996
Cover Story and Interview by Mr. Dominic Maiolo
Choi Kwang-Do,
one of the newest martial arts styles, is rapidly spreading its wings across the
world. What are the origins of this new Korean-based art? And what are its
teachings and philosophies? In the following interview, we speak to the founder
of Choi Kwang-Do, Grandmaster Kwang Jo Choi, a pioneer of Taekwondo and the man
who General Choi Hong Hi once called "a model of Taekwondo". ATKD: Grandmaster Choi, can you tell us how old you were when you first started practicing the martial arts and in what style that was?
GC: I was 12 years old when I first took up martial arts. I started learning Kempo (the Korean way of pronouncing this is Kwon Bup). My Grandmaster was Dong Ju Lee, he is known as the hero of Keujau Island because during the Korean War he spent some time in prison camp and it is claimed that his martial arts ability helped him kill 18 enemy soldiers with his bare hands. I stayed with him until I was a 4th degree black belt.
ATKD: What did you do after that?
GC: Well, in 1961 I began my national service which is where I got my chance to learn Taekwondo. This is where I met General Choi, and I was appointed Chief Instructor of 20 infantry divisions. In the army I joined the 29th infantry division, which was renamed the 20th infantry division. I finished my national service in 1964 and that is when I went to see General Choi in Korea. At that time he was just forming the International Taekwondo Federation and he was also the president of the Korean National Association. When I had an opportunity to see him, I adopted his system, was recertified in ITF Taekwondo and was appointed ITF Chief Instructor. At the same time, I operated my own institute. Until 1967 I was one of the six Korean instructors who went to Southeast Asia (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore) giving Taekwondo demonstrations. After that I settled down but continued to teach Taekwondo.
ATKD: I believe General Choi had a certain name or compliment that he gave you?
GC: Yes, he called me a model of Taekwondo because I could perform Taekwondo really well. He gave me that special name because he trusted me to teach his art. I taught the ITF system up until 1978. I then broke away from General Choi for a couple of reasons. One reason was because I was fed up with the (internal) fighting and conflict. I also left because I wanted to develop my own form of martial art.
ATKD: Why did you wish to develop your own martial art?
GC: When I was growing up there were gangsters everywhere. They would demand money from people just to let them pass by. I had very little money when I was growing up, so I had to fight many times just to be able to go back and forth from school, or just walk past street corners. From these experiences, I quickly learned that the traditional movements I was learning in Kwon Bup were useless for actual street fighting. Out of respect for my instructors and my love of martial arts, I trained the way they taught me in the dojang, but on my own I was training myself according to what I had to face every day on the street. To this day many of my training methods in Choi Kwang-Do are based on drills I developed long ago to make myself a better street fighter. Later as a Chief Instructor in the army, I was still developing my own fighting even though I was officially teaching and performing in the traditional manner. In the army, I often engaged in all-out sparring with other soldiers. Since we trained in army uniforms with heavy combat boots, I developed a special blocking system to deflect full contact kicks without injury and to allow for quicker counter-attacks than traditional blocks. These same blocks are found in the basics and patterns of Choi Kwang-Do. Because of the quick responses I developed throughout training, my peers gave me the nickname "Byungae" which means lightning. I continued with my own training methods even after having met General Choi and adopting his art. During my travels throughout Southeast Asia as part of General Choi's exhibition team, I had a chance to meet and exchange ideas with many martial artists. I began studying yoga as a way to increase my flexibility for kicking techniques and added this to my training. Unfortunately, because of the constant demonstrating and teaching of traditional movements and patterns, my body was being injured. I didn't know it then but the rigid lockout movements were causing my joints to swell and ache. While I was in Malaysia, I finally became crippled to the point that I had to give up teaching martial arts. I decided to leave for North America to search for a better doctor to heal my injuries. During these painful days, I was thinking that if I was training in the proper way I should not be hurting myself. Martial arts training should enhance health, not destroy it! Since the doctors could not help me, I slowly began to rehabilitate myself with my own training methods. Through those and many other experiences, I resolved not only to develop the safest and most practical training methods for myself, but to eventually share my findings with martial artists all over the world. The idea became an obsession with me and it finally led me to develop Choi Kwang-Do. I based Choi Kwang-Do on three concepts: 1) Every movement must be practical and effective for self defense; 2) Every movement must be beneficial to overall health; 3) Movements should be natural and easy to perform correctly.
ATKD: I believe that the style of Taekwondo you taught was different than that of ITF Taekwondo. Just how different was it?
GC: Well, I taught slightly modified ITF patterns, but not locking joints, and I called this Taekwondo Kwang Duk Kwan. For instance, my kicks and punches were different from the usual ways. The Tae Kwon Do Times actually said they thought my style was the next evolutionary step from Taekwondo and on March 2, 1987, I announced to the world all about the inauguration of Choi Kwang-Do.
ATKD: Why did you decide to call the art Choi Kwang-Do?
GC: Well, I thought of incorporating Taekwondo into the name but decided that would be just like lying because I wasn't teaching Taekwondo. I also didn't like the shroud of mysticism that the martial arts is connected with, so I simply used my name and adopted the Korean way of writing someone's name, which is the first name last, ie: "Kwang Jo Choi" to be written as "Choi Kwang" and "Do" which means art. So the direct translation is Kwang Choi's art. When I first announced the name people said it was strange for someone to call his art by his name, I disagree with that and also believe that CKD is beneficial for the people, that's why I simply called it Choi Kwang-Do.
ATKD: I believe you spent approximately ten years researching biochemistry and other studies to enable you to create a new art?
GC: Yes I did. I only regret studying Taekwondo and not devising a better way to kick and punch because I was always getting hurt. Today, all the martial arts are confused because traditional stances, methods, blocks and punches that are taught in the dojang are of little use on the street. Martial arts are totally different to sport arts.
ATKD:Do you have a syllabus with Choi Kwang-Do?
GC: We do have a syllabus which I designed myself. We have 21 patterns which I designed and are very exciting; even I am amazed at the fact that when I perform and practice them, they enhance my conditioning and give me overall confidence. Choi Kwang-Do's patterns are the complete opposite of traditional ones found in Taekwondo. Traditional patterns are very rigid, tense and mechanical. Any form of punching or kicking as an exercise can be beneficial if performed correctly. Tai Chi is a very good form of healthy exercise but it is not related to self defense martial arts. Choi Kwang-Do's patterns are continually fluent, constantly moving and should be done for at least 30 minutes. I suppose it could be more or less compared to an aerobic workout and is designed to develop stamina, speed, strength and conditioning. After a workout, it has been proven that your metabolic rate increases. Secondly, continuous pattern practice (30-40 minutes) causes the brain to produce mind enhancing chemicals (endorphins) that not only make you feel good, they also strengthen the immune system thereby making you physically and mentally better off. I have three aims when performing patterns: 1) To develop the hands, fists and body into a strong weapon. To be able to defend yourself in case something was to happen to you - although the best defense is to avoid conflict. For example, if you are confident you don't feel as if you need to destroy your opponent, or you can simply apologise. Only when you cannot avoid the situation should you use your skills and only then to defend yourself. It should give you more satisfaction to know that your inner strength is as strong as your physical ability. Forgiveness is a virtue and should be used in combat ignorance. 2) All techniques performed must enhance the overall condition of the practitioner and above all be practical. 3) To develop the character and enhance that person's personality. Become beneficial to the community and society in general. I personally believe it is better to give than to receive. For instance, when I held a Choi Kwang-Do seminar in England, there were over 1000 students present and it gave me great pleasure to share my knowledge with so many people.
ATKD: On what grounds do you claim Choi Kwang-Do to be a revolutionary martial art?
GC: Well, one of my students, Joe Sennebogen (who has practiced Taekwondo as well as being a heavyweight boxer and American football player) who is a much respected chiropractor told me that there is a tendency to undermine the body and to apply too much pressure in certain areas. So I studied this in depth and I found, for instance, that arm blocks should be carried out with the flat part of the forearm and not the outer part because there is a greater area to absorb the pressure; plus the muscle tissue would protect the membranes against damage. This is just one aspect, but Choi Kwang-Do is designed to be beneficial to the student physically, mentally and spiritually (inner strength). Another major difference is that if you see a traditional style practising, it's an art where you will find a very formal and official atmosphere, whereas with Choi Kwang-Do the emphasis is placed on being happy and enjoying training sessions. I have also spent many years researching problems behind ailments connected with martial arts and have used these findings to perfect Choi Kwang-Do so as to be safe for anyone wishing to learn a very practical form of self defence.
ATKD: How many countries have been introduced to Choi Kwang-Do?
GC: At the present time we are firmly established in the United States, England, Australia, Canada, Jamaica, Korea, Russia, Argentina, France, India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Sweden, Finland and Greece. Requests for information about the art have come from Holland, Spain, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Germany, Denmark, Africa, Hungary, Ireland, Chile and Italy. I plan to establish branches in these countries as soon as feasible.
ATKD: On that note we will close. Grandmaster, thank you very much for your time.
GC: It was a pleasure to talk to you and I thank you for your time and the coverage given.
