History of Koo Self Defense

from ksdi.net
Koo Self Defense was developed in Cartersville, Georgia, USA by Master Roger Koo. Through his 39 years of training since the age of fifteen, Master Koo discovered that most of the techniques he had been taught and sought to perfect were not practical and did not translate into real life situations. All martial arts find their roots in other martial arts styles. Koo Self Defense is no exception.Master Koo while in his search for a progressive and practical martial arts found Choi Kwang Do but after only a short time found it to be very limited. It, like other martial arts styles emphasized on one look for all students rather than one that fits each. Choi Kwang Do is similar to traditional martial arts in its concept of training curriculums as they still do forms (katas), blocks, self defense scenarios, exact/precise execution of techniques, punching/kicking airand lots of forms during colored belt and black belt testing. He found that all martial arts systems tried to duplicate the movements of its founder which severely limited individual achievement. Their cardio and fitness workout is limited as in traditional workouts. Master Koo abandoned this antiquated approach and developed a revolutionary, progressive and more importantly realistic and varied methods of training and target hitting drills for his students. While others sought to adopt from other styles, Master Roger Koo eliminated all traditional techniques which found no real translation into real self defense situations. Koo Self Defense is leading the way in the much needed evolution of martial arts and self defense systems.Master Roger Koo left Choi Kwang Do in 1991 because of its unethical business practices which he exposed in his 22 page letter of resignation. Choi Kwang Do chief instructors have left the CKD organization in 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and for 2007, there have been many from the USA and the UK.January 2005 (see copy of email from Smitha Vijaykar, General Secretary for Choi Kwang Do in India whose organization under Master Jugnu Nanda has been with Choi Kwang Do Martial Art International since 1992). May 2005, Rod Cook of Cairns, Australia resigned from Choi Kwang Do Martial Art. Update November 20, 2005, There has been so many criticisms coming from both CKD students, parents, assistant instructors, chief instructors and ex CKD members on the martial arts planet forum on Choi Kwang Do for the past few months that the forum on CKD has now been removed. Read Rod Cook's exposure of the lies and deception that have come from Marshall Pereira and others within the CKD organization.All of the ex-CKD Chief instructors that are known are listed on this web site under the resign's page and there are those who have disappeared quietly and yet more continue to leave to this day! If you wish to be added to the list, please email Master Koo. Why Master Koo and many others CKD instructors have left Choi Kwang Do with scanned documentations. This page is frequently updated as more ex-CKD instructors reveal themselves with their stories CLICK THIS LINK FOR UPDATED LIST OF THE INSTRUCTORS WHO HAVE LEFT TO DATE! So far 40+ CKD chief instructors has left in 2007 that in all previous years! More Choi Kwang Do Chief Instructors continue to leave in 2008 to join Kinect Martial ArtsRead the latest Scams from Choi Kwang Do Martial Art:Email received April 9,2008 From Dwight Werner, Ex-CKD Instructor, Michigan, USATo: kooselfdefense@yahoo.comSubject: ckdDate: Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:00:45 -0400From: shuaijanarmy@aol.com Add Mobile AlertDear Master Koo,The following is a brief summary of my experiences with the organization CKDMAI.We originally joined CKD back in 1988 and were impressed with the fluid techniques and patterns that the founder Kwang Choi demonstrated to us. After about 9 years we were fed up with the restrictions and demands financially that were placed upon us with very little value received for the monies paid so we resigned. We built up a strong school afterwards and were doing very well financially but missed belonging to an international organization so we contacted CKD again in 2005 to see if things had evolved. Kwang Choi invited us to Atlanta to discuss the possibility of rejoining the organization.Upon arriving with my son we were treated to a two day private training with Choi where he complimented us on our techniques, promoted us to 4th dan and invited us to rejoin. We expressed our concerns regarding testing fees etc. Choi told us that the organization was in a much better place financially and did not depend on testing fees any longer and to just make a contribution when we could. He also informed us of a retirement plan that he had put in place for the instructors which he called a rebate plan. Choi also told me that he would come to Michigan and personally teach my son, my daughter and myself and that he considered us like his brother, son and daughter.We left Atlanta excited and committed to rejoin. Once back in Michigan we made a conversion at our school. Many of my students were very skeptical though and we ended up losing around 30 students because of this. Nevertheless we continued with the plan and had a certification for instructors and ended up certifying 4 Chief Instructors. At our school we have a non-competition agreement we ask all people we certify to sign. This has nothing to do with CKD but is something that MATA and the other organizations we belong to recommend.After we certified these people Marshall Periera ended up talking to them and convinced three of them to leave our school and open up schools of their own. When two of them started to violate terms of the non-competition agreement they had signed by recruiting some of my top black belts to come to their school to teach/train for free and ignoring the territorial rights spelled out in the contract they had signed, I contacted headquarters and my attorney to complain. I was informed that Periera had told them they did not have to deal with me any longer and could go through headquarters and that CKD did not have non-competition agreements. My attorney disagreed with this and sent a threat letter to these people ordering them to comply with what they had signed.They retained an attorney and started threatening me saying I had lied to them and violated minimum wage laws by having them assist at classes without paying them, that they didn't realize they had signed a contract etc. Periera then said he could solve this problem. He signed three of them up on the Faculty program for tens of thousands of dollars and told me I would get a commission. We both dropped our legal actions.No commissions were ever paid to me.Choi repeatedly then contacted me and tried to convince me to join the faculty myself telling me that the international needed me to be a leader in the organization. I had mixed feelings about this. At first it sounded good but I was getting a bad feeling about my decision to rejoin this organization. I was told that only the top people were to be invited but I noticed people with only a year or two in the martial arts were also invited so I declined. I then traveled to Malaysia and Korea with some other instructors to help with a seminar. While there Choi convinced me to join the faculty and I ended up paying $4000 towards the $10,000 fee. At the seminar in Malaysia after paying for our hotels, flights etc. We were still required to pay $50 for the privilege of assisting at the seminar. I really started to have second thoughts now. Since that time many of the people who had attended this trip have seen the light and resigned.When we resigned the first time we started exploring other martial arts and trained with many top Grapplers and weapons experts and had incorporated this into our program. Now Periera and the international started putting pressure on us to stop doing these things and exclusively stick with the CKD curriculum. We cut back on these things but still continued one or two classes per week. They also wanted us to stop using the legal name of our business Monroe Martial Arts and wanted us to rename our school Choi Kwang Do Monroe.This was the final straw.We had built up quite an amount due to us in the rebate/retirement fund that was in some kind of account some where. We were told that whenever the amount reached $500 that it would be distributed. We only received one check for $700 and nothing ever again. In my opinion CKD tricks people into certifying instructors with the promised rebates and then tries to force them out with unreasonable demands so they do not have to pay them. At least that is what happened to me.Just recently Periera has been in contact with some of my students inducing them to leave me. Now it has come to my attention that he is telling other instructors that I have closed my doors and am not in business any longer. In fact we have just moved our location to a much better facility and are stronger than ever.They lied to us regarding the testing fee reduction. They lied to us about the faculty program. For the $4000 I received one book entitled smart moves and a grading of a book critique assignment by Choi (attached). They lied to us regarding the rebate program, (outstanding monies owed attached). They lied to us regarding the personal training we would receive.They appear to have induced my students to violate non-competition agreements and actively tried to steal my students and instructors.In my opinion CKD was a good idea initially but the lust for money has destroyed the integrity of the art. One of my former students with about three years in the martial arts is now at the top levelof the organization and is in fact testing for his 3rd dan this month.I was just going to leave quietly once again but since Periera is still at it, the truth must be told.If any good has come out of my experience the second time around I think it must be that after leaving the first time I thought I might have made a mistake.This time I know I am doing the right thing.Dwight WernerMaster Roger Koo is not the only one exposing the scams of Kwang Jo Choi and Choi Kwang Do martial art. There is another site created in July 2006 exposing The Full Story on Kwang Jo Choi. Another website that exposes scams in the martial arts, someone has started an investigation on Choi Kwang Do Kwang Jo Choi, founder of Choi Kwang Do