Tang Soo Do: The Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art [Paperback]

Kang UK Lee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1999

This is the most complete reference guide to the Korean art of Tang Soo Do (Moo Duk Kwan) ever published. It covers the 19 forms from white belt to black belt (fourth dan master grade), explaining in step-by-step detail the various moves and techniques of each form. This guide also includes the complete lineage of the Moo Duk Kwan, which is the world's most popular style of Tang So Doo. The author, Grandmaster Kang Uk Lee, is the president and chief technical advisor of the international Tang Soo Do association.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Unique Publications; New edition edition (June 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865681708
• ISBN-13: 978-0865681705
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #561,380 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Info on Tang Soo Do/Moo Duk Kwan Books: Best Value, December 28, 2002

By 

C. J. Hardman (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tang Soo Do: The Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art (Paperback)

To understand why this book is such a good deal, I should first explain a bit about Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan publications in general. There are a plethora of nice, costly Tang Soo Do/Soo Bahk Do/Moo Duk Kwan manuals available today. Virtually all of these fancy hardcover tomes range from 50.00 to upwards of 100.00, and don't contain much more than general information on the basics as originally presented in Grandmaster Hwang Kee's 1978 English translation of the "Soo Bak Do Dae Gam" (Korean), "Tang Soo Do: Moo Duk Kwan" (More recent reprints use the title "Soo Bahk Do: Moo Duk Kwan", and are available from the U.S. Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation for around 90.00).

For those of the Moo Duk Kwan lineage (founded by Hwang, Kee), there is also the question of whose book to buy! After all, Jae Chul-shin, C.S. Kim, Ho Sin Pak, Richard Byrne, and several others all have put out costly hardcover volumes. Rest assured, they all have the same basic Tang Soo Do information...the only MAJOR difference you will find between all of these expensive volumes is who is pictured doing the techniques, and the name of the organization they now head. While it is nice to have GM Hwang's books if only for their historical value (especially since GM Hwang's untimely passing in July of 2002), the volume "Tang Soo Do: The Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art" tops them all by offering the same information for a much lower price (16.95). Author Kang Uk-lee was dan #70 (1952) under Grandmaster Hwang, and like all of the other authors named above, broke away from Hwang to form his own association. Well...I suppose everyone leaves home sometime. Kang's book includes crisp photos, and helpful descriptions as well as foot diagrams. There isn't a lot of space devoted to the basic techniques themselves (such as variations on hand techniques, kicking, etc), which I assume is due to the fact that most readers already will have some instruction in basic techniques. The main focus of this volume then, is HYUNG (forms). ALL of the basic forms of Tang Soo Do are covered here, to about 4th dan. Included are 19 Hyung: Ki Cho Hyung 1-3, Pyung Ahn Hyung 1-5, Chil Sung Hyung 1-3 (these are three of the new forms introduced by GM Hwang), Bassai Hyung, Naihanchin 1-3, Ship Soo Hyung, Jin Do Hyung, Kong San Kong, and Rohai. All include complete photo sequences showing ALL of the movements, as well as descriptions and foot/stance diagrams.

This volume is up-to-date enough to include GM Hwang's 3 Chil Sung Hyung, but does not include other highly advanced elements like the older Japanese/Chung Do Kwan lineage forms Sei Shan Hyung, Wang Shu Hyung, Ji On Hyung, and Oh Sip Sa Bo Hyung, and also those created by Hwang, like the 3 Yuk Ro Hyung (very linear), and the master form inspired by the Mu Ye Do Bo Tong Ji, Hwa Sun Hyung. Most readers simply wouldn't need these other forms yet (unless of course you are 4th dan +). All of this advanced information is available in Hwang's second volume, "Tang Soo Do Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Volume 2" (available from the US Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan Federation for about 60.00). Kang's book however is simply the best deal out there. All of the necessary Hyung information to take you from 10th gup to 4th dan is for the first time available to virtually anybody for less than twenty clams. Page 14-15 also includes the most complete TSD/MSK genealogy yet published, and there are some good photos showing historical items, GM Kang, GM Hwang, and other TSD folks. If you are studying Tang Soo Do or any Moo Duk Kwan derivative which utilizes the old style forms, and are looking for a guide to assist you with your technical studies, there is no better value than this particular volume. There is simply no comparison.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is helping me to learn faster.., June 2, 2000

By 

Ruth Henriquez Lyon (Duluth, Minnesota USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tang Soo Do: The Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art (Paperback)

This book consists mostly of photographs of hand and foot techniques and of the forms. As a beginning student I find these very helpful, as when it comes time to practice at home I sometimes have forgotten the new things learned in the previous class. The verbal descriptions that go with the photos are clear. In addition, newer students will find the Korean/English, English/Korean glossary of terms helpful. The author has also included a brief (too brief) history of Tang Soo Do and a lineage chart, but for me these are not the strong points of the book. Also, I would have liked to see a little more about the philosophy behind this martial art; however, the photographic explanations of the moves make the book well worth the price.

25 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Guide, IT IS NOT, July 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tang Soo Do: The Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art (Paperback)

Before I begin, let me say that am a Moo Duk Kwan practitioner for over 30 years and that Master Lee, Kang Uk was on the testing board for my Cho (1st)Dan test (Choong Ahng Do Jang -Seoul 1971). Although the title touts that it is the Ultimate Guide to the Korean Martial Art, it is not for several reasons. First is that the history section falls way short (1 page? w/o photos) of giving insight and history to Korea's version of martial arts. Second is that all of the technical material has already been published and comes from Grandmaster Kee Hwang's original Korean text "Soo Bahk Do Dae Gahm" (1970) and from the English translations (1975 & 1992) which covers History, detailed Scientific analysis of techniques and Hyung (form) through 6th Dan level. Third, is that the technical expertise of those persons photographed leave something to be desired. The Chil Sung Hyungs were preliminarily introduced in 1952 (verified by Choi Wui Suk who actually saw them) not the latter half of 1980's. Now for the interesting parts. The Tang Soo Do historical photos are always great (specifically pages 16-17). The Moo Duk Kwan's family tree helps in understanding heritage. The overview of Hyungs is useful in getting a sense as to the pattern's overall shape (at a glance) and also come from "Soo Bahk Do Dae Gahm" except for the Chil Sung Hyungs. For the price, the book is a nice information source but for more detailed information the serious martial artist should get Grandmaster Kee Hwang's English texts.