Sibpalki

The Sipalki-do is a classic martial art of Korean origin, whose contemporary version is the one developed in Argentina by Grand Master Yoo Soo Nam (1940-2018). Si Pal Ki means "18 fighting techniques", and has been practiced since 1759. "Do" or "Tao" it is the path of knowledge. Therefore, Sipalki-do could be defined as the "path of knowledge of the

Sipalki is the romanization of the Hangul expression 십팔기 (hanja: 十八技). Where:

• ) Sip or Ship (ten)
• ) Pal or Fal (eight)
• Gui or Ki (technical)

Si Pal Ki is used to facilitate pronunciation in Spanish. The meaning could be translated as "The 18 techniques" of combat.

History

This Korean martial art has various formats from its origins in the ancient combat techniques that the peoples of the peninsula developed over the centuries, when in their fight for survival they had to manage to perfect techniques that would allow them to survive when they faced invading peoples. Every element was constituted in a weapon, and when there was none, bare hands and feet should be enough to preserve life, family or territory.

In 1592, the first major Japanese invasion of Korea took place, known as the Imjin Waeran (hangul: 임진왜란, hanja: 壬辰倭亂, kanji: 文禄の役). Consequently, King Sungjo (Hangul: 숭조), ordained the Korean master Han Kyo (Hangul: 한쿄), advised by Chinese military men of the Ming Dynasty (Traditional Chinese: 大明國; Simplified Chinese: 大明国, " Empire of the Great Ming"), to instruct a group of soldiers in techniques for war (especially saber, spear and eleven-headed spear). These soldiers, once they graduated, were sent to different parts of the country in order to recruit and train soldiers in weapons and archery techniques, they were also taught to run, jump, swim, dive, plus navigation rudiments, strategy and espionage. Thanks to this, the subsequent Japanese invasion failed. It is due to the advice of various Chinese martial and military masters that this Korean martial art is considered one of the many martial daughters of Wushu (in Chinese, its literal meaning is Martial Art, and to this day, it is still considered the first martial art of history, as well as the most complete), because, although many bases of Japanese martial arts were adapted, such as Ryukyu Kempo (Japanese martial art that emerged in the south of the Japanese islands on the island of Okinawa, later giving rise to Karate) continues to preserve the principles and foundations of Wushu in most movements, which is why today it is known as Kung fu Sib pal ki (Kung fu is the name as the Chinese martial arts are known in the West or " Wushu").

For this reason, Han Kyo wrote the Muye Jebo (Hangul: 무예제보, hanja: 武藝諸譜, “Illustrated Martial Arts”), and later, in 1759, the regent prince Se Ju Sa Do (Hangul: 세주사도) ordered the preparation of the “Muye Shinbo” (hangul: 무예신보, hanja: 武藝新譜), based on the “Muye Jebo”, with the addition of twelve techniques and weapons. The book included 18 (fighting) techniques, but from the way the prince referred to the manual, it became famous as the “Bon Jo Muye Ship Pal Ban” (Hangul: 본조 무예 십팔반), or “The eighteen kinds of kingdom martial arts.” Those who had some formal training in martial arts were said to know “ship pal ki” (십팔 기), “ship pal ban” (십팔 반) or “ship pal jon” (십팔 존), that is: the eighteen techniques.

In 1789 King Jung Jo (Hangul: 중 조) ordered the preparation of a new military manual known as the “Muye Dobo Tongji” (Hangul: 무예도보통지, Hanja: 武藝圖譜通志, “Comprehensive Illustrated Manual of Martial Arts"). After the success against the Japanese campaigns, military training in Korea declined due to the country's isolation and the influence of Confucianism in the 18th and 19th centuries. For this reason, the warrior arts were preserved within the family, and dusted off as a result of the Japanese occupation of 1910.

Sipalki is the evolutionary result of various military and war elements (domestic and foreign), which made contact with the Korean peninsula at various times, even prior to the migration of the Altaics (tribes from which Koreans descend).

The Yoo family's Sipalki style, known as “Ion Bi Ryu” (Hangul: 연비류, “School of the Swallow's Secrets”) counts among the 18 techniques taught that of empty hands (which includes fighting one, against several and self-defense techniques), and 15 weapon techniques, among which we can mention the saber, short sticks, long stick, articulated stick, knife, whip, shield, rope, spear, among others.

The aim of the art of Sipalki is to reach perfection at the time of combat, killing the opponent without pity or pity, eliminating the fear of the practitioner in the fight, following the path of sipalki, defending himself against any situation, whether with or without edge. The style of Grandmaster Yoo has in his arsenal a strategy of surprise and fierceness, and a wide variety of resources such as fighting without Light, fighting with weapons, fighting on the ground, perfecting the senses (sight, hearing, smell), physical training, etc. the use of grappling in conjunction with punches, the insistence on practicing against multiple opponents, and the use of fingers to hit sensitive areas with rapid movements, not forgetting, of course, weapon techniques.

The "18 Fighting Techniques"