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| Also known as | CKD |
|---|---|
| Focus | Striking |
| Country of origin | United States[citation needed] |
| Official website | http://www.choikwangdo.com |
Choi Kwang Do is amartial art developed byChoi Kwang-jo. The style relies on flexibility and fluidity of movement as opposed to the more rigid lines of some other martial arts. To achieve this it employsyoga-based stretching to develop the flexibility of practitioners. Furthermore, it focuses on a strong mind as well as a strong body. It is made to be accessible to everyone.
Choi Kwang Do was founded byChoi Kwang-jo on March 2, 1987. Choi Kwang-jo was born inSouth Korea before emigrating toUnited States in the early 1970s.[1] Choi was a successful ITFTae Kwon Do practitioner and trainer (serving as a chief instructor) before establishing his own style.[2]
While teaching and demonstrating ITF Tae Kwon Do inSouth East Asia, Choi Kwang-jo became injured through his training and demonstrations to the point where he was unable to continue with the discipline.[3] So he leftMalaysia (where he was demonstrating at the time) forNorth America, in the hope of findingorthopedic surgeons who would be able to help with his injuries.[4] Determining that the injuries were caused by the way he was performing martial arts, Choi undertook rehabilitative exercises, attended various seminars and studied techniques for rehabilitation. Choi incorporated these techniques into his own fighting style, and from that he developed Choi Kwang Do.[4]
Today, Choi Kwang Do is headquartered inAtlanta,Georgia by one organization and Temperance,Michigan by another organization. It is taught in numerous countries including the United Kingdom with schools in England, Scotland and Wales, and Puerto Rico with schools in Guaynabo, Las Piedras, Caguas and San Lorenzo, Malaysia and Argentina, among others.[2]
Choi Kwang Do emphasizes the use of biomechanics,[4] and to employ a number of modern disciplines, such askinesiology andpsychology, in its design.[2] The result is a tendency towards the use of natural bilateral movement and fluid sequential motion to develop optimum force on impact to place less pressure on the joints.[5] The style also incorporates breathing and stretching exercises from yoga.[6]
Choi Kwang Do is a non-competitive martial art[6] (participants are instead encouraged to measure their success against their own past milestones), but for a natural and effective response to everyday stimuli and training is a mix of contact drills using pads and shields, non-contact drills and "in-fighting" close-quarter drills.[7] Therefore, the pacifist can also practice Choi Kwang Do, as the ideals focus on self development, be it physical health goals, self confidence or preparation for self defence situation. It does not rely on mass to create strength, making it accessible to women and children as well as men.
A 2018 injury survey found that the annual rate of injury is 11.73 for every 100 Choi Kwang Do practitioners meaning it is a "safe martial art that adults of all ages can participate in",[8] with no correlation between the length of training experience and injury. The most common causes of injury were cited as improper technique and overexertion.[8]
Notable practitioners of the Choi Kwang Do style include:
| Word | Hangeul | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charyeot | 차렷 | Attention | Char-deot |
| Gyongnye | 경례 | Bow | Geeong-neeh |
| Baro | 바로 | Stop (Return) | Ba-ro |
| Swieo | 쉬어 | At ease, relax | Swyee-oh |
| Kihap | 기합 | Spirit Yell | Kee-hap |
| Chumbi | 준비 | The act of getting a Readied Stance | Chum-beeh |
| Sijah | 시작 | Begin | See-jah |
| Kallyeo | 갈려 | Break (separate) | Kal-yeeoh |
| Kaysok | 계속 | Continue | Kaee-sohk |
| Kuman | 그만 | Finish (stop) | Kuh-man |
| To Rah | 뒤로 돌아 | Turn around (about turn) | Toh-rah |
| Haesan | 해산 | Dismiss | Hey-san |
Choi Kwang Do uses a system of colored belts for ranking. Each color rank also has a corresponding "Senior" rank which is differentiated with a horizontal black stripe through the middle of the belt. For black belt ranks, adan system is used from 1st through 9th dan. The rank of 9th dan is only held by Choi Kwang-jo.[12]
| Belt System | |
|---|---|
| White |  |
| White Senior | |
| Yellow |  |
| Yellow Senior | |
| Gold |  |
| Gold Senior | |
| Orange |  |
| Orange Senior | |
| Green |  |
| Green Senior | |
| Blue |  |
| Blue Senior | |
| Purple |  |
| Purple Senior | |
| Red |  |
| Red Senior | |
| Brown |  |
| Brown Senior | |
| Black |  |
Choi Kwang Do has been criticised for claiming it is "proven" to be the most effective martial arts system in the world (as claimed on the CKD official website[13]). Choi Kwang Do has never been able to substantiate this claim.[14]
Other criticisms focus on Choi Kwang Do promoting very young children to black belt grades.