patchway dragon tang soo do
Bournemouth
Dragon Tang Soo Do is an Association of friendly family martial arts clubs based
predominantly in the South West of England. Tang Soo Do is a traditional Korean
martial art which teaches self-defence, fighting skills and weapons, in
addition, its many benefits also act as a guide to allow people to live a
healthy and harmonious life. Incorporated within the Association is a Japanese
based style of martial arts called Wado Ryu. These clubs which are based in
Bournemouth joined the Association in 2004 and share our ethos, values and aims.
Together we are a strong, united and friendly group of like minded martial
artists keen to improve our knowledge and pass on our skills and experience to
others. Our clubs cater for people with a wide range of abilities and ages (5
years and above), so whether you want to train to improve your fitness and
health, or are keen to learn how to defend yourself, or simply want to find a
hobby to relieve stress and make new friends, then we maybe for you! We live in
challenging times and nowadays, increasing numbers of people are learning to
protect themselves and their families, our martial arts are a very effective
tried and tested method of self-defence. However there are many other reasons
why men, women and children train with us, our martial art also provides skills
such as self-confidence, self-discipline, physical fitness, flexibility,
co-ordination and respect, skills that help us all to cope better with the
pressures of everyday life. The real benefits of Dragon Tang Soo Do are not the
coloured belts you earn, but the positive changes that you will experience, the
enhancement of your mind, body and spirit as well as the development of
individual character and respect for others. The true goal of Dragon Tang Soo Do
is to use the lessons you learn in class to enrich every part of your life. Our
Vision The vision of Dragon Tang Soo Do is one where people can practice the
Martial Arts in a safe and controlled environment. Dragon Tang Soo Do will
strive to retain the important traditional aspects of our style, whilst being
adaptable and open to new techniques and ideas. Our Instructors and senior
grades will endeavour to provide instruction and guidance in a way that does not
prejudice any student and will enhance the development of all, both in and out
of the Dojang and Dojo (Training Halls). It is important that people enjoy the
learning experience provided by Dragon Tang Soo Do. Goals To develop an
individual’s mental and physical health. To build confidence in all who train
with us. To have a reputation as an organisation of quality martial artists. To
provide scheduled events to support the development of all. To set and maintain
high standards. To build healthy relationships with other martial art
organisations, in the interest of sharing best practices and continually
developing the level of knowledge of the instructors and senior members. To
maintain a balance between organisational cost effectiveness and the cost to the
practitioner. To provide a challenging, fun environment that keeps the safety of
all in mind. Diversity Every single person counts and everyone has a justifiable
expectation to be treated with dignity and respect. That’s why through our
‘vision and goals’ the Directors, Masters and Instructors of Dragon Tang Soo Do
are committed to ensuring that our Association respects and celebrates diversity
and that all members are helped and encouraged to reach their full potential.
Central to this we accept that we are all different and believe that everyone
should be treated in an honest, fair and transparent manner in which their
individuality should be celebrated and not used as a possible means of
discrimination or barrier to achievement. If you feel there is anything more we
can do to improve the way we treat our students then please speak to an
Instructor, Master, Director or Master Thomas our Diversity Lead. History of
Tang Soo Do The very first evidence of this ancient form of Korean martial arts
appeared during the Three Kingdom era (57 BC-935 AD) as Hwa Rang Do. Since then,
2,000 years have passed. The indigenous martial arts quietly developed through
generations of the Korean people. During some eras it flourished and other times
it diminished, according to the political, economic or cultural environment. The
art was known by various names throughout the eras, such as Hwa-Rang Do, Kyuck
Too Ki, Moo Sul, Soo Bahk Ki, Soo Byuck Ki, and others. Following 1945 Korean
independence, the Korean martial arts were again merged and flourished
throughout the entire Korean Peninsula. Many organisations were founded with
various names such as Soo Bahk Do, Tang Soo Do, Tae Soo Do, etc… At the
beginning of the modern era of the Korean martial arts, Tang Soo Do was the most
popular term for these arts. However, at that time, the Korean political leader
was concerned about establishing Korean value based on Korean nationalism. The
political leaders recognized the popularity of Korean martial arts around the
world, but were opposed to the use of the name Tang Soo Do for the art, as it
sounded like a Chinese martial art, because the first word “Tang” could be
interpreted as representing the Chinese Tang Dynasty (617-907 AD). In 1964, a
government sponsored small group created a new name for the Korean martial arts:
Tae Kwon Do. We still respect the original term, Tang Soo Do, and intend to
preserve its heritage and value as a traditional way or path. Unfortunately,
many Tae Kwon Do instructors did not maintain the traditional values of the true
martial arts. Instead, they converted to a sport as they have progressed to the
internationally recognized sports arenas such as the Olympic games. This was
considered to be a great political achievement, to bring strength and prominence
to the Korean government in International politics. True Martial Arts lovers had
no place within these Tae Kwon Do dojangs (Training Halls) to continue to pursue
traditional martial arts because they abandoned many valuable aspects of true
Martial Arts to become a simple competitive sport. We, as Tang Soo Do
practitioners are striving to maintain traditional values of respect, dicipline,
self control, self improvement, etiquette and ultimately live a healthy and
harmonious life, physically and mentally. History of Wado Ryu It would be very
difficult to trace the original roots of karate back to their inception, however
it is believed that the Okinawan Islands off the Japanese coast were the birth
place of the art practiced across the world today. Despite the strong links to
Japan, the original name was “Chinese hand" or "Tang hand" which during the
early part of the 1900s, the Japanese changed to Kara-te “open” or “empty hand”
Wado Ryu is one of the four most popular karate styles practiced today, in
comparison with others, it is relatively modern with the founder Hironori
Ohtsuka, who had studied other forms of martial arts previously, introducing
Wado Ryu in Tokyo around the mid 1930s. It wasn’t until 1965 that it was
introduced to the United Kingdom by Tatsuo Suzuki. Our Clubs in Bournemouth have
been operating since 1992 and we work hard to maintain the traditions and
techniques as outlined by the Founder.
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