Technical Skills - Seven varieties of bare hands fighting skill

Hwa Rang Do skills fall into the following seven categories. Mastery of these general skills is the primary aim of training.

The division of bare-hands skills within Martial Arts into these seven categories indicates that development in one of these skills is basically independent of the other six. It may be that training in one (eg falling) is necessary for training in another (eg throwing). It is also usually true that training and conditioning is intended to enhance and develop several skills at once (eg Catching and Controlling and Throwing (and Falling) go together in many arts, and Kicking is often integrated with Striking), but the categories are independent in that total omission of a category does not negate progress in any other - you can learn throwing without learning how to fall safely (but I wouldn't advise it).

Hwa Rang Do student must also cultivate judgement and attention to know when to apply which skills (to 'live' the moment of using them), as well as how to blend them according to circumstances.

This judgement must be internalised, so you don't think when you should be doing...

  • Striking - punches, chops, thrusts, pokes, elbows, shoulders, bounces, 'out energy'.
  • Kicking - lower limbs for impact, 'out energy', standing on one leg, no legs.
  • Catching - making subtle contact, blending, grabbing, meeting, sticking.
  • Controlling - joined movement, manipulation, containing, locking.
  • Throwing - taking balance, pulling, leading, 'using leverage to cast off'.
  • Falling - safety, rolling, breakfalls, flips, escapes, fun, mobility in space.
  • Unbalancing - pushing, bumping, unsettling, disturbing, 'breaking the root'
  • Many martial arts are limited to Strikes and Kicks, or Throws and Falling, or Catching and Restraining. I offer no criticism of this. The main justifications for learning a comprehensive martial art are versatility and personal enjoyment. The down side can be that comprehensive knowledge and effective skill can take longer to acquire. The instructor should provide some early specialisation so that something is useful after say six months of regular training.

    Also, it is my opinion that an instructor should provide a self-defence perspective to beginner and novice students, in addition to refinement of the art - and not confuse the two. Once the student gets more experience, they can not only 'do it so it works', but also have a sense of 'wanting it to really work'.


    Tom Osborn - March 21 1996