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Choi Kwang Do is newer, better, faster, and more refined!TKD & Korean Martial Arts From the time he started training in his native Germany, to teaching here in England, Ralph Allison has studied a range of martial arts, Including training with World famous names such as Leon Jay, but his heart and soul is now totally dedicated to the flourishing art of Choi Kwang Do. Ralph is passionate and articulate in equal measures and keen to point out the practical effectiveness of the art despite the fact that there is no competitive element. His arguments are lucid and persuasive and his thoughts on the practical benefits (or not) of competition are extremely interesting and give cause for real debate.
Ralph Allison: I started martial arts at a young age with Judo - Judo was the most popular martial art at that time where I lived when I was about 9 years old inspired by my 11 year older brother who was a country champion in my native Germany. I also trained in my teenage years in my friends personal Dojang who was a Black Belt in traditional Karate. In England I trained with Master Leon Jay (Small Circle Jiu Jitsu) and was able to witness Master George Dillman in action too. In 1990 I started with Choi Kwang Do - this was to become my favourite martial art, which I would change for no other. TKD-KMA: What attracted you to Choi? Ralph Allison: The health concept of Choi Kwang Do (CKD) is very much apparent right from the start: No traditional "lock-out-movements", as in many other styles and I love the Yoga based stretches. CKD to me looks much more real and seams to be more "street" orientated than other martial arts. All movements can be translated into "real situation" right away. The beginner knows right from the start how to protect himself/herself. TKD-KMA: If I can pick you up on that. Choi is known as a non competitive art, so how can it be effective as self defence? Ralph Allison: "Point sparring" in competitions are not realistic with regard to street defence, in my opinion. On the street it's "no holds barred", no rules and no "fouls". Also receiving full or even semi contact punches all the time doesn't make you stronger. You run around with bruises for the rest of the week not being in full health and therefore, in my opinion, LESS ready for the REAL attack when it happens on the street. We in CKD are ever-ready in full health and fit. Boxers for example know the expression 'punch drunk' all too well, when you get used to being punched: desensitize yourself like that and your body will give you a bitter 'revenge' when you get older - I promise you that. Our techniques are far too powerful to be used in full contact - if we did then after one class I wouldn't have any students left, they would all end up in hospital. We kick and punch the thickest shields available on the market - and seeing the power we produce on them you can readily see that no one could withstand that kind of impact. The realism of Choi can only be understood when you see it. I have a guy in my class who did full contact Muay Thai Boxing for over 10 years. This guy was amazed at our techniques and the realism he witnessed. So much in fact, that he gave up Muay Thai and joined CKD. Just because we don't hospitalise each other in class doesn't mean we aren't fast and powerful - believe me: we are. Anybody is welcome to witness this in class. But we also take care of those who need to be guided slowly - as I said before, we are non-exclusive, we're open to all. TKD-KMA: What elements of Choi relate directly to the street environment? Ralph Allison: We do not waste our time on things that don't work, therefore EVERYTHING we do relates to the street environment. That is another beauty of CKD - even our own patterns can be broken down as an imaginary street fight. We have punches and kicks as well as 'infighting' i.e. close range attacks in CKD. All aspects are covered. We use (plastic) knifes and (rubber) baseball bats and show our students how to get out of the trickiest situations that can occur on the street. I have seen how even the most shy person turned into a very confident student after even just a short while. This tells me Choi really works - not only in the Dojang but on the street as well. TKD-KMA: On a personal level, what do you feel sets Choi apart from other arts?
TKD-KMA: This seams a good time to ask what your thoughts are on Grandmaster Choi as an innovator and leader. Ralph Allison: I think people have not fully realized yet what an amazing art of self defence CKD is - the art is simple and clever at the same time. The movements aren't over-complicated; in fact anyone can learn them. Our Grandmaster is a clever man combining health and defence in one. Most self defence systems really do think they are healthy - but - the 'proof is in the pudding'. I have heard of people who have been WARNED by their doctors that if they don't give up their 'traditional' style they'll end up in a wheelchair. (I am not kidding and I am not being over dramatic) Our Grandmaster knows all this and as far as I'm concerned he has created something very unique and people in the martial arts world respect him for that. TKD-KMA: What is the philosophy behind Choi? Ralph Allison: In CKD, or Choi, as you quite rightly call it we are open to all, young, old, and even those who need to brush up on their fitness; it truly is 'non-exclusive'. Grandmaster Choi keeps talking about how we are like a family. Other arts may say the same thing but how can you have a true family feeling between all members (of other arts) when you practise contact? In CKD we truly strive to help each other AND there is never any jealousy or ill feeling because of the 'selectiveness' which is practised in other arts. So the friendly approach - or 'family spirit' of helpfulness - for me is the main philosophy behind Choi alongside the powerful health concept devised by our Grandmaster. TKD-KMA: How does Choi adapt for older people, as it was developed for all ages? Ralph Allison: Due to our health concept which is unique to Choi Kwang Do we make it possible for all to train - no matter how young or old you are. I had people approaching me with illnesses accumulated from other arts saying that they stopped seeing their physiotherapist after doing Choi for a couple of months or so. We do not do the lock-out movements as in traditional Karate, Tae Kwon Do or Kung Fu. People do not realise what a damaging negative health effect this has for the rest of their lives. Ligaments get injured for life and especially with the 'traditional' kicks they get 'water knees'. Our own Grandmaster had to stop Tae Kwon Do for this very reason. Now look at him: 61 years of age and jumping and kicking with CKD techniques like a young man. I can tell you: this stuff really works!! TKD-KMA: Do you think older people are neglected in martial arts and do many older people train in Choi? Ralph Allison: Definitely! I truly think that older people get neglected by other arts and because of this ( because they don't know CKD ) they put us in the same bag. I cannot tell you percentage wise how many "older" people train in Choi - do you think I'm old for example? I'm 48 - do I look it? Most people don't think so. But I can tell you we have plenty of non-teenagers - in fact all age groups - who stay with us as soon as they realise the health benefits of our system. I was amazed when my older brother (now in his fifties) was refused to return to his old judo club (all new people there) despite him having been a high ranking champion in his days. Well of course no system is as safe as Choi so they don't take any risks. We haven't got that problem in our art. All ages can do it and all ages love it. TKD-KMA: Choi is known as a scientific art, does that make it harder to learn? Ralph Allison: It is BECAUSE of the scientific background that it is easier to learn. I can see with my own eyes in my school how my students enjoy the simplicity of the movements - movements which work in any street situation. TKD-KMA: What is the structure for teaching and advancement and how is quality applied? Ralph Allison: The structure is as follows. Learn techniques of blocking and countering learn patterns which simulate street attacks and then freely simulate such attacks (from gold belt) and use what you have learned. One of the most important things in a street attack is reactions. What's the point of being like a body builder and you're too slow to react. We in CKD develop speed, powerful techniques and continuously simulate situations that the student can understand and react to. Through continuous training all these aspects improve over time. And as for quality, don't forget that even teachers have to grade too. I for example will travel to the US this year to grade at headquarters. Furthermore Grandmaster Choi does seminars all the time travelling all over the world (we had one in the UK just recently in September). And of course we teachers (as well as students of course) have all the video material available that we can study at all times. TKD-KMA: Choiis still a relatively young art, what does the future hold for it, and you? Ralph Allison: The actual concept of not locking out is not that 'young' considering that the non-locking out has been applied in boxing for many years. We of course think our actual punching technique is superior to boxing, plus we have kicks as well. But you are right in saying that the actual art only arrived in the UK 15 years ago. I laugh when I hear people saying "but other arts are older - isn't that better?" I normally reply "what do you think is better: a modern new car or an old one?". The technology of the new car (as in martial arts) has learned from the old mistakes and improved - it's the same with Choi Kwang Do: newer, better, faster and more refined techniques as well. As for me: I am very happy with teaching Choi seeing what it gives to the students. And my future? With my 3rd degree not far off now, I want to continually improve and make the Grandmaster proud and continually advance as a martial artist. I want to open more school and help my students if they so wish to become Chief Instructors themselves. In fact I have a 10-year-old student who told me that she not only wants to become a black belt but a Chief Instructor also. Another student a young man in his 20's in my class, although only a yellow belt senior now, has already told me that he is looking forward to the day when he will teach CKD full-time! Wow! I know ALL my students will get there and if they give me 100% I will give them 200% in return. It's my hearts desire that they will ALL do extremely well. I want to give my students as much 'positivity' as possible (remember that being positive is healthy too). All can look forward to a great future - students and teachers alike - with this fantastic martial art Choi Kwang Do! "Pil Suhng" (translated from the Korean : Certain Victory! : Our school motto)
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Ralph Allison`s Choi Kwang Do schools are trading as Street Self Defence Ltd ©2002-2008 Street Self Defence Ltd | Web Design by Digital Remedy |
TKD-KMA: Tell us a bit about your martial arts background, Ralph.
Ralph Allison: Apart from the health concept and the emphasis on realism it is surprisingly a non-contact sport. Now - you may ask: How can it look real with non-contact? The secret is that we stop our punches before making contact BUT block these same punches (and kicks of course) with 'deflections' to the arm or legs. For this reason our Gold Belt defence drills (for example) look very real through the fluidity of the movement. Amazing stuff: You don't go home with bruises yet it looks more real than many other martial arts I could mention. I think our Grandmaster is a very clever man coming up with such a concept.
