Kuk Sool Won of Sevenoaks

                    Korean Martial Arts in the Garden of England

Welcome to Kuk Sool Won Of Sevenoaks, a family friendly martial arts club teaching traditional Korean Martial Arts and real life self defence in an inclusive and supportive environment.

We help our students to develop in confidence, concentration, fitness, flexibility, strength and skill.

Our sillabus includes throwing and falling techniques, striking, kicking, weapons (including staffs, short and long swords, bow and arrows,  jool bong, rope, cane, spear, fans, etc.), stretching, meditation, pressure points, joint locks and forms, all broken into sections and taught by rank.

We take students from age 9, and there's no upper age limit, no experience necessary, and don't worry if you don't think you're fit enough, we can help there too.

All our instructors have EDBS certificates, and we're members of the Sport England 'Safeguarding in Martial Arts' scheme.

Master Andy Lapham

Now school owner of Kuk Sool Won Sevenoaks and 5^th dahn blackbelt, Andy began training in Kuk Sool Won in 1997, after seeing a demonstration of the Korean martial art staged by KSW London (now KSW London South) in Dulwich.  Andy enjoyed the challenge, the hard work and discipline as well as the hugely varied and well-structured syllabus.

1998 saw Andy’s first tournament, as a yellow belt, at which he won his first medal, a fourth place in sparring. Master Andy attended his first seminar that year too, held in Crystal Palace with Grandmaster and Founder of the World Kuk Sool Association Kuk Sa Nim and Masters John Ives and Richard Roper.  He recalls both the tremendous skill of those Masters, and the friendly and welcoming nature with which they taught everyone, even the beginners like him! Master Andy has attended tournaments (first as a competitor, then as a side and centre judge, now as a ‘Ring Captain’), demonstrations, seminars and workshops every year since. He has travelled with Kuk Sool to Ireland, Denmark and the Netherlands. The atmosphere has never been less than brilliant in all that time.

Andy started teaching in 2001, initially at the London South School, and says that one of his favourite things is to watch students progress and fulfil their potential.

(Promoting in 2001 to 1^st dahn)

Andy promoted to first dahn in 2001; 2^nd dahn in 2004, 3^rd dahn in 2009, 4^th dahn in 2016 and 5^th dahn in 2022. He’s currently testing towards 6^th dahn under the guidance of 7^th dahn Master Nick Reeve.

 “I love training with Master Nick,” said Andy.  “His knowledge and skill are humbling and inspiring, and his manner, humour and outlook are welcoming and encouraging.”

After moving out of London, Andy started Kuk Sool Won of Sevenoaks in 2009. “It’s a small school, which means I can supervise all aspects of the students’ training, and help them to develop in confidence, skill, strength, flexibility and knowledge. There’s so much more to Kuk Sool than just kicking and punching!”

As KSW Sevenoaks has grown and developed, Andy has greatly enjoyed helping his students to progress.  Andy’s favourite thing in Kuk Sool is to help people realise that they can do those things they thought were beyond them.  Whether that is learning a new technique, a new weapon, a form or competing.  He also really enjoys the sense of family within the Kuk Sool Won community, worldwide.  Andy says: “I have met some fantastic people over the 29 years (and counting) I’ve been involved with the World Kuk Sool Association, and made some great friends along the way, from all over the world. I love the inclusivity and the shared sense on purpose.”

Promoting to 4^th dahn in 2016

Our founder

In Hyuk Suh is the founder and Grandmaster of the World Kuk Sool Association®. He has studied martial arts for more than 50 years, receiving his first instruction from his grandfather, Myung Deuk Suh, a master instructor to the Korean Royal Court. After his grandfather's death, he travelled throughout the Far East seeking out and studying additional aspects of the martial arts.

The knowledge he acquired from his grandfather and subsequent masters enabled him to establish Kuk Sool Won™.

What is Kuk Sool Won?

Kuk Sool is the sum of the traditional martial arts of Korea, grouped together under the banner of the World Kuk Sool Association (WKSA).  Kuk Sool Won was formed in 1958 when our Grandmaster, Suh In Hyuk, known as Kuk Sa Nim, brought together the martial arts skills and heritage from those disciplines taught in the Buddhist temples (Boolkyo MuSool) and Royal Courts of ancient Korea (KoongJoong MuSool), and the various regional tribal fighting techniques found throughout the Korean peninsula (Sahdoh MuSool).  We proudly trace our martial arts heritage back to foundation of the Korean nation and beyond.

Kuk Sool is not just another oriental self-defence method, but rather a complete martial arts system, combining numerous aspects of what we know as ‘martial arts’ into a unique combination of the traditional and the contemporary – flowing forms (Hyung) and real world self-defence – into a truly mixed martial art which is underpinned by mutual respect and etiquette.

As a member of the World Kuk Sool Association, you will learn various kicks, punches, hand strikes, pressure points, joint locks, throws, falls, grappling techniques, blocks, sparring and self-defence skills, sword, staff and other weapons, as well as meditation and breathing techniques.  Most students also experience improvements in their balance, fitness, co-ordination, memory, confidence and well-being.

The syllabus is vast, and is broken down into traditional grades, marked by variously coloured belts.  Thanks to the hard work maintained by the WKSA, this syllabus and ranking system is the same whether you are training in the UK, Europe, Canada, Chile, New Zealand, Korea or the USA (and many other countries in between).

All use of the words KuK Sool Won and the initials WKSA and KSW, along with the logo, is copyrighted and controlled all over the world.  This means that any school displaying those words and images is an affiliated member of the WKSA family, covered by the guidance, insurance and standards of the WKSA, and committed to the development of its members physically and mentally through a combined interest in martial arts and a commitment to work together regardless of race, religion or politics to promote international good will.