Kim Moo-Hong 김무홍

Kim Moo Hong (also known as Kim Moo Woong or Kim Mu Hyun) was one of the earliest students of Korean hapkido under the founder of the art Choi Yong Sul. He was a pioneer of the art opening one of the first schools for the art in Seoul. A great innovator he is credited with having helped develop the kicking system used in most hapkido schools today. He formed one of the earliest Korean organizations for the art, the Korean Hapkido Association.

Life

Kim Moo Hong was born in Daegu in what is now South Korea.

Accomplishments

A notable student from the Choi and Suh's Yu Sool Kwan dojang was Kim Moo Hong, who later taught at Suh's Joong Ang dojang in Daegu. Suh, who promoted Kim to 4th degree, credits Kim with the development of many kicks which are still used in hapkido today.

Master Kim apparentally took the concepts from very basic kicks he had learned from Choi and went to a temple to work on developing them to a much greater degree. Later, in 1961, Kim travelled to Seoul and while staying at Master Ji Han Jae's Sung Moo Kwan dojang they finalized the kicking curriculum.

Kim went on to found his Shin Moo Kwan dojang in the Jong Myo section of Seoul, also in 1961. Won Kwang-Wha also served as an instructor at this dojang. Kim's notable students were Lee Han-Chul, Kim Woo-Tak (who founded the Kuk Sool Kwan Hapkido dojang), Huh Il-Woong, Lee Joo Bang (who founded modern Hwarang-do), Na Han-Dong, Shin Dong-Ki, Suh In-Hyuk (who founded Kuk Sool Won) and Kim, Jong Yun (President of the Korea Hapkido Federation).

Originally a member of the Korea Kido Association, the organization sent Master Kim to teach hapkido in the United States in 1969. Upon returning to Korea in 1970, Kim looked to Ji Han Jae's move to set up his own organization and with the encouragement of his students followed suit and founded the Korean Hapkido Association (Hangook Hapkido Association) in 1971. Later he combined this organization with the groups led by Ji Han Jae and Myung Jae Nam to form the Republic of Korea Hapkido Association.

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Taekwondo Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is very hard to explain through words and can truly be understood when put to the test in an intense situation where you feel like you are at a breaking point, and find an inner will within you to push forward and overcome the situation. There are those who face stressful situations and back down and let them trample them, these people crumble during life. Then there are those who when faced with stressful, energy draining situations take them by the horns and conquer them, and it fills you with such a great energy and confidence, that helps you with every obstacle that you have from there on. For more information View Mental Toughness »

Indomitable spirit ( 백절불굴 baekjul-boolgool ): To have indomitable spirit means to have the courage to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what odds you are up against, and to always give 100% effort in whatever you do.

Self-control ( 극기 geuk-gi ): This means to not only have control over one's physical acts, but also their mental thoughts and actions.

Perseverance ( 인내 in-nae ): One will persevere time and time again until they have achieved a result which is adequate towards what one was trying to achieve.

RESOURCES
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles "Mental Toughness" and "International Taekwondo Federation Philosophy" which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

Related Information

Korean martial arts are military practices and methods which have their place in the history of Korea but have been adapted for use by both military and non-military personnel as a method of personal growth or recreation. Among the best recognized Korean practices using weapons are traditional Korean Archery and Kumdo (Korean sword sport similar to Japanese Kendo). The best known unarmed Korean Martial Arts is Taekwondo 태권도 and Hapkido, which are continuing to rapidly gain in popularity both inside and outside of the country. View Korean Martial Arts »