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Chun Tong Moo Do
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Chun Tong Moo Do
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We are called Traditional Martial Arts
because we focus on the traditions of martial arts as an end in itself.
Obviously, activities include attention to various issues of health/exercise,
self-defense, tournament competitions and even the more abstract notions
of discipline and character, all of which can be enhanced, improved and
perfected through proper martial arts education. However, martial arts
is more than the means to those ends. If there were never another competition,
and if we were never to be in harm's way, we would nevertheless continue
to train just as before. That is, martial arts is an end in itself.
Our system is most remarkable in our attention to detail as students learn to distinguish the various elements that determine the quality of technique and performance. The perfection we seek is of course an Ideal but through the process of analysis and reflection, our work brings produces a higher quality product - the best martial artist possible.
Our program leads practitioners from beginning levels through advanced
levels not only through the program of belt and rank advancement but also
for each individual technique, form and maneuver. The table below
illustrates this progression from initial stages of learning through the
highest levels of competence.
Back to TOP
| Levels of Performance
...
5.
Real - Genuine
|
----Highest----
----Lowest---- |
The most realistic
execution possible with safety.
The beginning levels of mere familiarity. |
There has been much writing in martial arts and in the systems from which we grew that attempted to explain the value, importance and significance of martial arts on personal development. The fact is that the improvement of self through intellectual and physical study can be found in many endeavors outside the martial arts world. However, anyone can be a martial artist. Old/young, tall/short, female/male, etc. We have found that martial arts can be a microcosm of life in general. Goal setting, focused endeavor, diligence, patience, commitment, etc., etc., all important characteristics of success in life, are typically reflected in one's approach to martial arts.
The correlation between being a martial artist and the development of character seems less than absolute and not to be found just anywhere. Many schools, instructors and styles focus on the wrong fundamentals, create an inappropriate environment or fail to exemplify the ideals necessary for this nuturant effect. At Traditional Martial Arts, we believe simply that martial arts is for everyone; it is a "learnable" thing although ideally it is a life-style one adopts through which we seek perfection of character.
SEEK PERFECTION OF CHARACTER
LIVE THE WAY OF TRUTH
ENDEAVOR
BE FAITHFUL
RESPECT YOUR SENIORS
REFRAIN FROM VIOLENT BEHAVIOR
Students begin at the White belt level and
progress through a number of colors (consistent with our eclectic background)
to Black Belt and beyond. Beginners are automatically considered white
belts and progress forward from there. The rank progression with a typical
time line is shown below:
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BELT |
Modern Colors |
RANK |
TIME |
LEVEL |
 |
White Belt |
White Belt | 10th gup | Starting |
Beginner |
 |
Orange Belt |
White w/ Yellow Stripe |
9th gup | 4-6 months | |
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Yellow Belt |
Yellow (8th) w/ Green Stripe (7th) |
8th gup | 6-12 months | |
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Green Belt |
Green | 6th gup | 1-1.5 years |
Intermediate |
 |
Blue Belt |
Green w/ Blue Stripe |
5th gup | 1-2 years | |
 |
Purple Belt |
Blue | 4th gup | 2-3 years |
Advanced |
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Purple w/Stripe |
Blue w/ Red Stripe |
3rd gup | 2-3 years | |
 |
Brown Belt |
Red | 2nd gup | 3-4 years | |
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Brown w/Stripe |
Red w/ Black Stripe |
1st gup | 4-5 years | |
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BLACK BELT |
1st Dan | 5-6 years |
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BLACK BELT | 2nd Dan | 1st Dan + 2 yrs
(approx. 8 yrs) |
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BLACK BELT | 3rd Dan | 2nd Dan + 3 yrs
(approx. 12 yrs) |
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BLACK BELT | 4th Dan | 3rd Dan + 4 yrs
(approx. 16 yrs) |
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Master Black Belt | 5th Dan | 4th Dan + 6 yrs
(approx. 22 yrs) |
The TIME listed above is considered a minimum. Advancement through the ranks requires both a minimum number of lessons as well as permission from the Chief Instructor to participate in the rank examination. Reasonable competency with the assigned material is only one of the criteria in consideration. Advanced rank levels are also required to teach. There are additional requirements to test for the rank of Black Belt.
While most people understand that martial arts includes fighting/self-defense skills, striking and kicking techniques and even hand-to-hand combat and the inevitable tournament competition, FORMS embody the essence of martial arts performance and discipline. A form is simply a pattern of movements and techniques executed against an imaginary opponent. Such forms require concentration, a kind of moving mediation, discipline and focus, and a sense of performance. While 'Form' performances demand a mix of grace and finesse, the additional elements of power and sharp realism are no less important. With such an abstract or elusive formula for quality, Form performances inevitably take on the very personalized and unique character of the individual. The "ART" lies in the student's study and effort to learn and master the Ideal, the Perfection, the Classic interpretation of the Forms.
This "classic" notion of Forms is important in that a given Form represents a model we must interpret, a style we must learn and adopt, a standard to which we must rise. While some schools and styles allow students and instructors to make up new forms or to modify the classic forms, we do not. We do not believe that the Art should be adapted to us but rather that the student must try to adapt to the Art. So, our system includes many very old and classic forms from Karate, TaeKwonDo and Chinese Kung Fu.
Variations in forms exist. Why? We believe that many forms, especially the older forms, went through a kind of evolution as young instructors taught differently from their teachers, or as instructors placed different interpretations on techniques, or even through simple error as the origins of forms are poorly documented. The institutionalization and standardization of forms is a more modern phenomenon and, as such, leaves more exceptions from the past than uniformity in the present. That is, the question of what is "correct" is not often answerable or even the best question. We believe that it is a sufficient remedy to maintain an allegiance to the oldest known versions from our particular background, our ancestral lineage of styles and instrutors. While we recognize that some school somewhere might disagree with this or that maneuver, our present and future students must nevertheless adapt to and adopt our "version" of these old forms. Our close and direct connection to the early development of these martial arts indicates a very reliable interpretation.
There is a practical side to the study and performance of Forms. Some fighters may think that Forms are a mere distraction to the goals of self-defense and fighting skills. Not so. Forms provide the means to rehearse technique, body-shifting, combinations, mental and physical readiness and more. Regarding the development of a martial artist as a fighter... it has been said many times, the lion is stronger, the deer more graceful, the snake more subtle, the gun more deadly, but through a more comprehensive approach to martial arts than simply sparring, Forms provide the means to realize strength, grace and the subtle yet deadly mastery of both skills and Art.
FORM - ("Kata" in Japanese / "Hyung" in Korean) Back to TOP
| Form | Alt.Names | Origin
Japanese: =Jap. Okinawan: =Oki. Korean: =Kor. Chinese: =Chi. |
Meaning | Rank
(Belt / Gup or Dan) Rank when learned. |
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| Kibon Hyung IL Chol
Kibon Hyung Yi Chol Kibon Hyung Sam Chol Kibon Hyung Sa Chol Kibon Hyung Oh Chol |
Kibon - Jap.
Taikyoku - Oki. Kee Cho - Kor. |
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Basic Forms # 1-5 | White/10th .. # 1-3
Orange/9th .. # 4-5 |
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| Pyung Ahn Cho Dan
Pyung Ahn Yi Dan Pyung Ahn Sam Dan Pyung Ahn Sa Dan Pyung Ahn Oh Dan |
Heian - Jap.
Pinan - Oki. Pyung Ahn - Kor. |
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Safe Defense
Peaceful Mind |
Orange/9th .. #1
Yellow/8th .. #2 Green/6th .. #3-4 Blue/5th .. #5 |
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| Palgue Il Jang (#1)
Palgue Yi Jang (#2) Palgue Sam Jang (#3) Palgue Sa Jang (#4) Palgue Oh Jang (#5) Palgue Yuk Jang (#6) Palgue Chil Jang (#7) Palgue Pal Jang (#8) |
Palgue - Kor. |
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Providence of the Universe | Orange/9th .. #1
Yellow/8th .. #2 Green/6th .. #3 Blue/5th .. #4-5 Purple/4th .. #6 Brown/2nd .. #7 Brown/1st .. #8 |
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| Koryo (the older) |
(Kang Duk Won) |
Re: The Koryo Dynasty | Purple/4th | ||
| Koryo (the newer) |
(World TKD Fed.) |
Re: The Koryo Dynasty | Brown/1st | ||
| Tang Kwon |
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Short Fist | Purple/4th | ||
| Han Son Tae Ryun |
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One-Hand Sparring
(two-man form) |
Purple/4th | ||
| Tae Baek |
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Tall Mountain in Korea | Purple/4th | ||
| Syp Soo | Jutte - Jap./Oki. |
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10 hands / 10 men | Purple/3rd | |
| Doju San |
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Escaping into the Mist | Purple/3rd | ||
| Ji Tae |
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Stomping the Earth | Purple/3rd | ||
| Bat Sai Te
Bat Sai So |
Bassai-te - Jap.
Patsai-te - Oki. |
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Smashing [into a] Fortress | Brown/2nd .. (Te)
Black / 4th .. (So) |
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| Chulki Cho Dan (#1)
Chulki Yi Dan (#2) Chulki Sam Dan (#3) |
Tekki - Jap.
Naihanchi - Oki. Chul Ghi - Kor. |
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Iron Horse | Brown/2nd .. (#1)
Black / 3rd .. (#2) Black / 5th .. (#3) |
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| Chang Gwon |
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Long Fist
(two-man form) |
Brown/1st .. (1st half)
Black / 2nd .. (2nd half) |
||
| No Hai
Am Hak |
Gankaku - Jap.
Chinto - Oki. |
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Crane on a Rock
or Crane Flocks Flock of Crane |
Black / 1st
Black / 4th-5th |
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| Kong Sang Kun | Kwanku - Jap.
Kushanku - Oki. |
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Viewing the Sky
Also: Chinese Military Envoy to Okinawa (1756-62) Kong Hsiang Chun |
Black / 1st | |
| Wan Shu | Empi - Jap.
Wan Shu - Oki. Eun Bee - Kor. |
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Flying Swallow | Black / 3rd-4th | |
| Keum Gang |
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Beautiful (a mountain) & Hard (a diamond) | Black / 1st-2nd | ||
| Pyang Wan |
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a Plain or Plateau | Black / 3rd | ||
| Sip Jin |
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Attention to Detail | Black / 4th | ||
| Always More to Learn ... | |||||
We have a specific background which extends back hundreds of years in a direct lineage to the old masters. The more general history extends for over two thousand years across what is today Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Manchuria, China and even India.
In each of the four Art forms, Dr.
Jerry P. Galloway, and therefore the students of Chun Tong Moo Do (Traditional
Martial Arts), are linked directly to the founders of the original
art forms. See the History link onthe control panel for an extended
detail on our ancestry and the origins of these Arts.
Our most immediate background is traced to the Chayon-Ryu system, founded by Grandmaster Kim Soo in 1968. What we do today is based most directly on Dr. Galloway's personal experiences training with the Grandmaster. The eclectic nature of our system is found in Chayon-Ryu. For more information see the Background link in the control panel.