HAEDONG KUMDO 1ST DAN ESSAY
BRANKO FUNDA – AUSTRALIA
FEBRUARY 2026
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■ GM’s Commentary
Branko’s essay demonstrates a mature understanding of martial arts practice as a way of life rather than a mere accumulation of techniques.
Beginning with the question of why one trains and developing his reflections through balance, sustainability, responsibility, love, and kindness, the essay clearly touches the core principles of Mudo (the Martial Way).
In particular, his recognition that motivation naturally evolves over the course of one’s life, and that limitations and failure are integral parts of training, reflects the perspective of a long-term practitioner.
The essay fully satisfies the requirements for the 1st Dan essay and has been officially passed, and based on the depth of understanding and attitude expressed, he is also expected to pass the practical examination with an excellent result.
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Written by Branko Funda below;
■ HOW CAN WE PRACTICE TO ACHIEVE BOTH BETTER TRAINING AND A BETTER LIFE THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS?
The word ‘practice’ is a very important word to reflect on for the martial arts practitioner. However, practice has different meanings and will look differently to each martial artist. Before we address ‘practice’ it is also important for each martial artist to be clear on ‘why’ they study martial arts, as the ‘why’ will always inform the how. Without a clear ‘why’ one’s martial arts practice can risk becoming mindless and mechanical, and it can also be a risk factor behind why many people stop training.
So the following questions should be asked by both beginning and continually reflected on by experienced martial artists, to ensure that one’s practice is focused, purposeful and meaningful:
Why am I training in martial arts?
Why is my objective or objectives?
What specific goals would I like to achieve?
Why are these goals important to me?
It is important to remember that there is no one ‘correct’ reason for learning or practicing martial arts. Your reason or reasons should be entirely your own – not what any external authority tries to tell you. Once your reasons and objectives are clear then this will make your practice much more effective.
However, please by mindful it is very common for our ‘why’ to change over the long-term course of our martial arts journey. Perhaps for young people, the motivation to rise through the ranks to achieve their black belt will be important. Some younger individuals will also be practicing to compete in combat sports and thus adopting more of an ‘athletes’ mindset. Others are inspired to compete in patterns, forms or in martial arts demonstrations for the public. Some of my teachers in Taekwondo started competing as athletes, but then they moved to becoming coaches and referees and they do these roles in local, state, national and international competitions.
Then there are those who may have started in competition, but then after injuries have changed their motivations to training to improve their health and wellbeing. Some may practice because they enjoy the traditional aspects of their art, such as history, culture and philosophy. Others may enjoy the social aspects of training, making friends and feeling a sense of community and belonging. It is interesting to note that for many long-term martial artists, the friendships they have made have now become the most important reason for them. A Taekwondo Grandmaster here in Australia said, “the friendships I have made in martial arts stand head and shoulders above any achievement I have earned”. It’s important to note also that this Grandmaster had a long history of competing and winning in many championships throughout his career.
Through my own research I have found four main inherent motivations of martial arts practice. Based on ‘the martial map’ by Iain Abernety. Although he identified three namely, Traditional, Combat Sports and Self Defence, I have added a fourth one called ‘Choreography/Performance’. I have found this tool to be very helpful in reflecting on my motivations and goals which ultimately guide my practice.
THE MARTIAL MAP (MOTIVATION FOR TRAINING)
TRADITIONAL MARTAL ARTS
Learning about the origin, history, culture and tradition of one’s art
Philosophy, ethics and principles of one’s martial art
Personal/spiritual growth and healing arts
Enjoyment, health and fitness, stress-relief
Friendship and building community
International training tours to the country of origin for a particular martial art.
Becoming a teacher or instructor focused on traditional training.
CHOREOGRAPHY/PERFORMACE
The performance of patterns (eg Ssangsoo/Ssangkeum Keumbup) in competitions arranged by the UWHKF)
Performing traditional sword dance (Geommu) performance in competitions
In other martial arts, performing Kata, Hyung, Poomsae, etc in competitions
Performing patterns as part of a demonstration team (local, national or international) to promote one’s art. Eg, the Taekwondo Kukkiwon Demonstration Team
Martial arts choreography and stunt work in theatre, TV and movies.
COMBAT SPORTS
Consensual Fighting within an agreed set of rules determined by a martial arts or sporting organization.
Adopting an ‘athlete’ mindset to focus one’s training specifically on upcoming competitions – local, national or internation.
This includes a high level of fitness, strength, nutrition strategies.
Training under a specialised ‘coach’ who understands the competition rules and specific skillset required to ‘win’.
SELF DEFENCE
Training for ‘Non-Consensual’ fighting where an individual is forced to protect oneself or their loved ones.
The goal is not to ‘win’ but to escape and get away safely.
Understanding the legal requirements around using physical force for self-defence in one’s country or city.
Training for Social Violence: driven by ego, status, dominance or group dynamics, usually occurring in pubs or clubs
Training in ‘soft skills’ like verbal de-escalation, conflict avoidance, escape
Training for Antisocial/predatory violence: where harm is the immediate goal, assault, robbery.
Again – I want to emphasise that there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ reasons for training in the martial arts. The above diagram is only meant to be a tool to help you reflect on your own reasons and become clearer on these so that your practice is more effective. Personally, I think it would be good for martial arts instructors to encourage their students after each grading to write down their reasons for training. Then the student can look back and see whether their motivations have changed and use this as an opportunity to reflect on their journey.
Lifestyle/Time Commitments and Practice
The time you dedicate to practice should also be guided by your ‘why’. For example, a professional combat sports athlete will dedicate a much larger amount of time to training for an upcoming competition than a busy parent who joins a martial arts club to improve their health and wellbeing. So the question is not ‘how much should I practice’ by itself, but ‘how much should I practice to achieve my goals and objectives?
Equally important is to honestly look at one’s current lifestyle along with work and family commitments. A young single person in their 20s, will obviously have more time and energy to devote to practice than a busy parent with five children and a mortgage. This is why the principle of ‘balance’ is so important in martial arts. In the first Karate Kid film, Mr Miyagi instructs Daniel to go into the ocean to stand on one leg in a kicking position and maintain balance whenever the waves come. Then afterwards he says to Daniel “Today’s lesson in balance – not just Karate, but whole life”.
So, once you have established the ‘Whys’, the goals and objectives, it is then important to ask:
What are my current school, university, work or family commitments?
How much time can I realistically devote to attending martial arts classes and practicing in between classes?
What is sustainable for me
Can I financially commit to paying for classes, gradings, seminars and competitions?
Are my training goals and objectives also realistic given my current circumstances?
Is there a potential for any conflict with my current commitments?
If so, what changes would I need to make to ensure I can prevent or minimize any conflicts?
I have heard stories of martial arts instructors whose relationships have ended in separation/divorce because their training and teaching commitments have conflicted with their family responsibilities. So, if you are in a marriage/partnership and especially if you have children, it’s very important that you talk about your martial arts goals, training and practice times with your spouse to ensure that you are doing your best to maintain balance in all areas of your life.
Sometimes, life circumstances can also result in one need to reduce attendance in martial arts classes or practice times. This can include physical health reasons, changes in employment or financial circumstances, family issues. So, this requires both reflection and the ability to be flexible and adapt to change.
I myself have had to temporarily stop martial arts classes several times over the years when I was going through very stressful and traumatic times. I was often very tired and exhausted constantly - however, I still did my best to practice at home, sometimes only for 5 minutes – this was still very beneficial for me. I stopped placing rigid requirements such as ‘I must only practices for ________ time each day’ to doing what was realistic, sustainable and balanced for ME.
Sustainability is extremely important in martial arts practice as it lies in maintaining consistency in one’s practice suitable to one’s lifestyle. Therefore, someone who practices 5 minutes a day is better than someone who is waiting for the opportunity to practice for 1 hour, but ends up constantly putting off their practice. In 5 minutes, it is possible to run through several patterns (eg Ssangsu Gumbup 1 – 4), and if that is done consistently, how much more effective is this, then someone who does no training at home?
Hopefully, this shows how reflecting on one’s motivations, goals, along with lifestyle commitments and family responsibilities how martial arts training can be more effective and hopefully also live a better life.
■ WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LOVE THAT WE CAN LEARN THROUGH MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING?
Dan Insosanto, who was one of Bruce Lee’s foremost students and one of three who were personally certified by Lee to teach his uniquely created system of Jeet Kune Do said the following:
“The practice of a Martial Art should be a practice of Love- for the preservation of life, for the preservation of the body and for the preservation of family and friends”
This sums up beautifully the meaning of love through martial arts training. The principle of love is also inherently part of ‘Mudo’ (무도) translated as "martial way”. This refers to the philosophical and ethical dimension of Korean martial arts, focusing on character development, mental discipline, and personal growth alongside technical training.
In my opinion, one cannot truly embody the ‘martial way’ without a deep love for their art and the martial journey itself. The essential motivation behind love is for the good and betterment of all beings. Love is not selective – it does not conditionally give of itself or restrict itself only to certain cultures, religions or status of individuals. It is a universal language that transcends cultures.
Martial Arts likewise transcends cultures and when I see for example, Haedong Kumdo being practiced in other countries and cultures, I feel an instant connection to these other international clubs – like we are all part of a family and we are all united in our love for Haedong Kumdo. This love flows into our practice, into our teaching and ultimately into our daily lives. This is why many masters have often said that training is not just about improving technique, but about improving ourselves and helping to make the make the world a better place. One cannot desire to make the world a better place without having Love in one’s heart.
It is also important to remember that how Love expresses itself through each martial artist will be unique and that no one expression of Love is more valuable than another. Some martial artists will become world famous and express the love of their art in movies or TV, some will have a large franchise of schools and share their love and passion this way. Whilst others may have only a small school or even teach martial arts as a volunteer at their local community centre to underprivileged youth. Some martial artists may choose not to teach, but their practice helps them to become a better parent, a better sibling or a better student.
Therefore, Love is not limited in how it expresses itself through martial arts. It is up to each individual to listen to one’s intuition and decide what is their preferred way to express their Love through their martial art.
■ WHY MUST WE BE KIND, SINCERE AND FREE FROM ANGER?
This question in my opinion is what sets apart a martial artist from a ‘fighter’. The majority of martial arts traditions and underpinned by codes, principles or tenets. The ‘Do’ aspect of martial arts (eg Taekwondo, Haedong Kumdo) emphases that martial arts is a way of life, a journey that one undertakes not only to develop physical skills but also as a path of personal growth. This is summed up very powerfully by the father of modern Karate who said
“The ultimate aim of (martial arts) lies not in victory or defeat,
but in the perfection of the characters of its participants”
Gichin Funakoshi
The ‘fighter’ mentality – however, is overly focused on victory or defeat, and unfortunately there are many famous championship fighters who have behaved badly towards their own spouses, family members an engaged in unprofessional conduct outside the ring. Throughout history, martial arts masters have consistently warned against the temptations of pursuing technical skill only- as this becomes a trap which breeds arrogance, egotism and bad behaviour.
A central principle in most martial arts tradition is ‘self-control’, as learning combat skills requires a responsibility to use those skills only to protect others for the safety and well-being of society. If a martial artist does not develop self-control – they risk doing irreparable harm to themselves and to others and they become a conduit for violence, which puts them in the same category as criminals. It is often difficult for most Westerners to understand this as they automatically assuming that ‘martial arts = fighting’. It is therefore the responsibility for martial artists to be role models and to both demonstrate and embody the underlying principles of their art. A good example is a police officer – who is likewise trained to respond to criminal violence, but must also adhere and uphold to their duty and codes which generally is centered around ‘to protect and to serve’.
Sincerity is also important to martial artists as it requires them to be truthful, honest and genuine not only in their practice, but also in the ‘Do’ of their art – how they live their lives off the mat. Sincerity demonstrates one’s character and is a guiding light for the martial artist which illuminates others around them and inspires them to be better individuals. We have all known someone in our lives, who by their sincerity have inspired us to likewise be sincere in our own lives. I have both encountered and heard of martial arts instructors who have engaged in unethical business practices as they were more motivated by money or ego and as a result have taken advantage of students and/or exploited them financially – again causing irreparable damage to their reputation and their school.
One of my favourite sayings on this topic is the following:
“Martial arts aims to build character, improve human behaviour and cultivate modesty
– it does not, however, guarantee it”
Yasuhiro Konishi
To me, this is a very important warning, that just because one practices martial artis, it does not automatically make them immune from bad or harmful behaviour. The responsibility therefore is on the martial artist themselves to be sincere in all aspects of their lives. It is also important to note that one’s rank or title is not a guarantee either – I have observed and read stories of those with high ranks or with the titles of ‘Master’ or ‘Grandmaster’ behave in very questionable and unethical ways.
For me, to be sincere is to continually question- to continually question oneself, one’s motivations, one’s teachers, and even one’s art to truly develop a deep understanding and embodiment of their values and principles. Without questioning, one risks becomes mechanical, rigid or dogmatic in their martial arts practice and/or teaching. One cannot truly evolve without this continual self-inquiry.
In a Buddhist text called the Kalama Sutra, the Buddha himself tells his students not to accept teachings blindly- not even his own without examining them.
“Do not go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture…but when you know for yourselves that certain things are unwholesome…then abandon them”
Unfortunately, this is where most martial artists who call themselves ‘traditionalists’ fall short. They believe that it is their duty to ‘preserve the authentic teachings of the founding Master and to never evolve and build upon the teaching. This risks one’s martial art becoming stagnant, rigid as well as dying out. Every true scientist knows that each new discovery is built about the work of previous generations. A martial artist should be like a good scientist constantly questioning, experimenting and developing their art. In fact – this is how it has always been for centuries. When you look closely at how a martial art has been passed down, you will clearly see that each Master has added their own unique contributions and developments to the art. This is actually part of ‘traditional martial arts’.
I have never read the likes of Albert Einstein say that he reached the peak of Quantum Physics and that no more discoveries or new developments should be made. Quantum Physics has continued to evolve since Einstein, who even admitted that he was wrong not only on several occasions, but also openly and repeatedly. The most famous example was when Hubble’s observations showed the universe was expanding, this directly contradicted Einstein’s theory of a static universe. He called this mistake “the biggest blunder of my life”.
Gichin Funakoshi – the founder of Shotokan Karate said in his autobiography, “Karate-do: My Way of Life” wrote that:
“Times change, the world changes and obviously martial arts much change too”
Note that as the founder, he never said that his Shotokan Karate should always be preserved in exactly the same way he taught it. He knew that
Martial artis evolve with culture
Training methods should adapt to new knowledge
Tradition is important but not ‘absolute’
Even ‘classical’ Karate was a product of change
It is important to note that this does not mean that the essential principles and philosophy of the art changes. These are universal and timeless. However, with the advances in medicine and sports science we have discovered that some of the previous training methods may have in fact been harmful. The way that Martial Arts is practiced and taught will also vary and adapt to the needs of every country and culture. This is very similar to the history of Buddhism. It was founded in India, then it spread to Korea, China, Japan and Southeast Asian countries. It is practiced differently in each of these countries – but one can still see the underlying essence of Buddhist principles in each of these traditions.
Why is kindness important in the martial arts? One of my friends who is also a martial arts instructor said it best:
“I don’t care how impressive your martial arts resume is
– only about your behaviour and whether you are a good person”
Damian Adams
If a martial artist is not a kind person, then they will only be spreading arrogance, ignorance, egotism and hate. They will continue to cause harm to their school, their family, their friends and their communities. This is another reason it is so vital that a martial artist does not become attached to ranks, titles or accolades. There are some martial arts teachers who believe that they should demand respect, but in my opinion, respect has to be ultimately earned. I have been involved in martial arts for most of my life and seen the damage of unkind instructors. I have now have no hesitation to leave such an instructor who refuses to acknowledge their harmful actions and refuse to apologise.
As martial artists, we never know the private battles that people are facing. They may be suffering from past trauma, from physical or mental illness. An unkind word or action can easily tip someone over the edge. However, one simple act of kindness can have a powerful transforming effect on someone for the rest of their life. I recall a few years ago, after a rough week at the end of a Taekwondo class I was teaching, one of the kids came up to me and said “You’re the kindest teacher I’ve ever had”. This was such a heartfelt and priceless moment for me! Although most people may acknowledge the kindness I should him, his complement was such a beautiful gesture of kindness that it transformed me. It inspired me to continue practicing kindness and better myself as a teacher.
One of my favourite quotes from the Dalai Lama is “my religion is simple – my religion is kindness”. This is very powerful coming from the leader of Tibetan Buddhism. Kindness is the essence of all religions and genuine spirituality. It is a universal language that transcends cultures. Yet how many people use their religious faith as an excuse to judge and look down on others. Being raised in Western Christianity, I have seen some of the meanest and most harmful behaviours from those purporting to be Christians. Being a member of a particular religion should never give one an open license to judge others, yet I constantly see this behaviour in the media.
Unfortunately, Western Christianity places far too much emphasis on belief and very little on ‘practice’. Yet, in my opinion, practice is the most central aspect of any religious tradition. Likewise for martial artists – practice should not just be confined to the mat, but to how one ‘practices’ in daily life. Is your martial arts practice making you a kinder, more compassionate person or are you becoming arrogant, irritable or egotistic? Sadly, many martial artists never take the time to sincerely answer these questions.
Getting back to the subject of sincerity does mean that one should always strive to never make mistakes in life. Part of being human is to make mistakes, being a martial artist and learning new skills will inevitably involve making mistakes. Being sincere is to make a commitment to grow, develop and learn from one’s mistakes – to pass on the accumulated wisdom and life experience to another, so this can hopefully help others in their own journey. Sincerity will always involve changing and adapting.
Finally, with kindness I believe it is also especially important that one be kind to oneself. In the West, we have an epidemic of self-hatred and self-judgement. We are constantly bombarded with messages of “not good enough”. We are constantly comparing ourselves with others and putting ourselves down. We try to fill this void with money, success and other achievements but ultimately this does not work.
We have prioritised a narrow and hollow definition of ‘success’ that s making us more unhappy and unfulfilled. We punish ourselves severely for not having reached the pinnacle of whatever external success may may be chasing and it becomes a viscous circle of constant striving, dissatisfaction and unfulfillment.
When learning a new skill or profession, in the West we are taught that we should master new skills quickly. This inevitably creates a rift between those who seem to succeed quickly and those who struggle to learn. If we do not succeed in our chosen endeavours – if we fail an exam, lose a sports competition, or lose a job we are considered to be ‘failures’. We see failure as something bad to be avoided at all costs and yet we put incredible amounts of pressure on ourselves to avoid appearing like a ‘failure’.
However, it’s important to realise that the vast majority of individuals who have truly succeeded have done so building their success on multiple failures. The most famous one is Thomas Edison and his servants failing hundreds of times to perfect the long-lasting filament in the light bulb. Likewise I believe that in order to practice kindness to oneself, a martial artist should develop a positive relationship with failure. In order to learn a pattern or form properly (eg Ssang Soo Gumbup), we likewise will have to practice it hundreds of times of the course of our martial artis journey to continually refine and refine so that we can understand its essence and embody our unique expression of the pattern.
Learning to encounter failure in gradings/examinations is important too. There is immense growth in not passing a grading as it forces us to reflect on our mistakes and to improve and refine our skills. Unfortunately, this is where many martial artists become discouraged and end up quitting. We cannot do this if we do not approach our failures with kindness and compassion- as they are the seeds that will grow and flower into a beautiful expression of our martial art.
We cannot truly be kind to others if we are not kind to ourselves. In martial arts, kindness provides the opportunity to be gentle and patient with ourselves and our progress. The Dojang should be a safe space where everyone is encouraged to walk their own journey at their own pace. An instructor who has been kind to themselves cannot help but be a compassionate guiding light to their students.
I would like to conclude with one of my favourite quotes on this subject:
“Teach your children that failure is a fiction, that every trying is a success and that every effort is what achieves the victory, with the first no less honourable than the last- Teach them this and you will have taught them grandly”
Neale Donald Walsch