Kuk Sool Won of Wheatland

Rick Cairnes

Chief Instructor/Owner

Sa Bum Nim Rick has been training in Kuk Sool for Eighteen years and is currently a 4th degree black belt. He enjoys the wide variety of martial arts that Kuk Sool Won offers but is particularly into meditation, Ki (internal energy) training and pressure point techniques. He also takes great joy in seeing others benefit from Kuk Sool training. When Sa Bum Nim Rick started Kuk Sool training he was suffering from stress, fifty pounds overweight, and on medication for a rapid heartbeat. Within six months of training he lost the fifty pounds, was able to get off the medication and was much more at peace inside. So he decided he wanted to share his good fortune with others so he kept on training hard, got his black belt and became an instructor.

Mark Toupin

Instructor

Mark Toupin has been training in Kuk Sool for ten years and on Nov. 1, 2008 was promoted to 2nd degree black belt. Kyo Sa Nim Mark enjoys all aspects of the Kuk Sool curriculum but finds that practicing techniques has a very practical application in his job as a police officer. He is well liked and respected by parents for his etiquette and for his ability to instill it in the younger students. Students appreciate him for his patience, sense of humor and for his gift of explaining details of the Kuk Sool curriculum. Kyo Sa Nim Mark makes it fun to learn and train hard.

Sa Bum Nim Rick also believes in studying the various healing aspects of Kuk Sool. After several years of research and schooling on Herbal Medicine in 2002 he earned a Master Herbalist Diploma from the Australasian College of Herbal Studies. In 2007 he became a Certified Acupressure Practitioner by the State of California.