Self-Defence
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Hosin Sul is one of the four principles of Tae Kwon-Do. Although Tae Kwon-Do is a "self-defence" sport in itself, it focusses on high and spinning kicks which are not always suitable for real life (street) application. Hosinsul is a mixture of all kinds of techniques, including grappling, locks, sweeps and throws as well as defending against armed attackers.
These techniques are not only the most interesting in Tae Kwon-Do but also the most advanced. Most of these techniques except for breaking motions are the logical application of those usually acquired from patterns, sparring and fundamental movements to be used against a sudden attack.
The defender must know how to make use of his/her opponent's momentum and force, while utilizing his/her dynamic and reflexive actions against a momentarily undefended target.
Certainly, these self-defence techniques can only be effective if the student takes the time to practice them under realistic conditions.
Self-defence is something that cannot be practiced alone. You will need a partner that is of equal strength. You will learn how to react (and how not to react), proper freeing, locks and strangling techniques.
Linear v's Circular
There are two sorts of self-defence (this is a BIG generalisation): The hard or linear way and the soft or circular way. In the linear form the student uses arms and legs to block a strike from an opponent. The advantage is that there is a direct counter-threat, which results in pain for the opponent. The disadvantage is that this method requires a lot of power. The circular form has a different view. Here you use the power and momentum of your opponent to neutralise him/her using circular movements. The advantage is that you can neutralise your opponent without hurting him/her and that no strength is required. The disadvantage is that it takes a lot of skill and practice to achieve the necessary level of competance. Students will most likely use a combination of both.