Personal Likes/Dislikes

[AceHBK]

What do u like and what do u dislike about TKD?
Are there some myths that still bother you today about TKD?

I have been in TKD for a year and since joining this site I have learned an awful lot from you all and hope to continue too.
I like to hear your personal opinions on how the art is to you and all.

[Zepp]

Really the only thing that bothers me about TKD anymore is that some people seem to think that their organization's style of TKD is the only TKD, and everyone else is wrong for not doing things the same way. But that problem isn't unique to us.

What I like the best is how much TKD had taught me about using my body.

As far as myths and misconceptions go, there's been lots of discussion on this before. Here's on that I started, but there are others: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16308

[Miles]

I ask a similar question to my students at each testing.

Personally, I love TKD. I can't imagine what my life would be like without it. There is hardly a day that goes by that I have not done some aspect of training.

Miles

[bluemtn]

I love TKD- as a whole, even as a sport (even though I don't do that). The only thing I don't like is the common misconceptions others have- they don't have hand tech's, take-downs, etc. Now, I just ignore it when someone says what TKD lacks.

[Laborn]

I enjoy competing in tournaments, last year i was fighting guys who were pretty good. But this year ill be fighting the elites in the tournaments :D i love seeing improvement in my skills. ( btw my first tournament this year is Saturday)

I dont like the fact MY school only teaches me how to defend with my legs and a few hand strikes. Zero grappling skills.

Laborm.

[bluemtn]

Good luck with the tournament! Tournaments are fun to watch and participate in.

[terryl965]

TKD is what I have chosen over the year, I too cannot imagine life without TKD. It has been more than just sport for me and I know all the techs. I learned maybe from other Art but my TKD instructor tought it to me so it is TKD for me.
Terry

[bluemtn]

Sorry, I just edited my previous post.

[karatekid1975]

The only thing I don't like is the sparring rules (WTF).

There ARE take-downs and stuff in TKD. I do cross-train, and my jujitsu instructor fills in the non-grappling thing, but he even likes the stuff we do in TKD.

[cali_tkdbruin]

My favorites are sparring, poomse, learning various self-defense techniques where tournament rules don't apply, just street rules :EG: , and MA weapons training. Just the overall general TKD/Martial Arts training I get at my dojang is what keeps me coming back for more cuz I truly like it.

What I don't like is when during our training some of the other practitioners just go through the motions and don't make a concerted effort, and just do things half-assed. I mean if you're there at the dojang at least try, get yourself a good workout and put in a worthwhile training day. It's doesn't matter if you're not that good or just a newbie MA. Just make a friggin effort and try hard that's all. I guess that's why TKD gets a bad rap. It's so popular that its lead to the foramation of many Mc Dojangs out there that will advance their students up the ranks to BB as long as they continue to show up, go through the motions, and pay their testing fees. This is what disrespects our art.

But there are some of us who are serious about our art. Sorry for my rant... :tantrum:

[cali_tkdbruin]

My favorites are sparring, poomse, learning various self-defense techniques where tournament rules don't apply, just street rules :EG: , and MA weapons training. Just the overall general TKD/Martial Arts training I get at my dojang is what keeps me coming back for more cuz I truly like it.

What I don't like is when during our training some of the other practitioners just go through the motions and don't make a concerted effort, and just do things half-assed. I mean if you're there at the dojang at least try, get yourself a good workout and put in a worthwhile training day, break a good sweat. It doesn't matter if you're not that good or just a newbie MA. Just make a friggin effort and try hard that's all. I guess that's why TKD gets a bad rap. It's so popular that its leads to the formation of Mc Dojangs out there that will advance their students up the ranks to BB as long as they continue to show up, go through the motions, and pay their testing fees. This is what disrespects our art.

But there are some of us who are serious about our art. Sorry for my rant... :tantrum:

[cali_tkdbruin]

:uhohh: when trying to edit my last post I screwed up. My bad, now I feel like a MT newbie. Sorry fellow martial artists, I wasn't trying to beat a dead horse... :deadhorse

[phlaw]

The only thing that truly bothers me in TKD is POLITICS. It completely ruins everything that any martial art stands for. Some of these so called masters are completely childish when it come to some things.

[Yeti]

At the risk of being largely unpopular, I'd have to say one of the things I dislike is the whole WTF outlook to TKD. It seems everything is based on competition these days and how to get trophies and not self defense or the traditional teachings of TKD. Here's some examples based on my experience at 3 WTF schools. And before anyone flames me, I fully realize that 3 schools does not make a majority, but there's definitely a pattern here...

Poomse: Only required for belt promotions. Serve no purpose and are not useful for scoring in competition. Therefore only gloss over them in class to get the "gross movements" down (I was told that once).

Techinques: Focus only on those techniques that are allowable in competition. All others be damned. Backfist, knife-hand, ridge hand, etc....all NOT taught as part of the curriculum. Hey, you can't score with them in a tournament so why worry about having to learn how to use them.

Hosinsul/One/Three Step Sparring: Once again, do nothing to hone competion skills, so let's not waste time on them. Our time is better spent on line drills and sparring drills.

It just seems to me to be an ever-emerging theme that the "game" is more important the self-defense aspect of this wonderful martial art. Don't get me wrong - I have no problem with tournaments and all they entail (except the whole no blocking thing...trains bad habits), but I don't think that they are the end all and be all of Taekwondo. They are a part of the whole, but the whole seems to be getting neglected for the part.

As I've said before, I'm the first to admit I've been McDojanged in the past and I know there are plenty of WTF schools that portray the whole. BUT...as I stated earlier, 3 schools with the same general attitude?...kind of implies that the "martial" aspects of this martial art are not longer being appropriately stressed in favor of the more "sexy" competition aspects. In the end, you only teach what you've learned and I see too many people glomming on to the gaming/showmanship aspect to TKD. Makes me worry about the future of something I love.



What I don't like is when during our training some of the other practitioners just go through the motions and don't make a concerted effort, and just do things half-assed.
ME TOO!!!!:rpo:

[TigerWoman]

What I don't like in our school is that we don't have a set curriculum just whim of the day and if you go enough days, you might get some sparring, form etc. in within a week. I don't see the benefit out of doing 5000 front kicks when there is no practice leading up to it and it results in torn down hamstrings. I don't like favoritism and watered down requirements. I don't like disorganization nor unclean floors. Yes, I am the only one who cleans them occasionally. I don't like being preached Christian in TKD class, when the self appointed preacher-teacher has a very narrow viewpoint. I don't like that the black belts cannot communicate with each other nor have meetings with "input". I don't like that it is a given that BB's give service, ie teaching on the spot when the master instructor does not show up, without a call or a thank you. That goes along with dictatorships and it does not promote new ideas, initiative, nor change, nor motivation to be part of the organization/school.

I do like comraderie of practicing daily with people with similar interests and values. I like the whole body workouts generally. I like to be able to defend myself. I like to be strong and flexible as opposed to some 50 somethings on the street. Taekwondo besides, all that above, is fun. It is a good activity for the whole family to relate more to each other. It is also rewarding to teach and be thanked like last night for being a good teacher even if I think it was just details that I was showing. It is fun to see them recognize what I am saying, and say that helps so much! It is fun to see that they also think TKD is fun. Guess that is why I am teaching in this school and still part of this organization. TW

[Gemini]

At the risk of being largely unpopular, I'd have to say one of the things I dislike is the whole WTF outlook to TKD. It seems everything is based on competition these days and how to get trophies and not self defense or the traditional teachings of TKD. Here's some examples based on my experience at 3 WTF schools. And before anyone flames me, I fully realize that 3 schools does not make a majority, but there's definitely a pattern here...

Don't sweat it. We're not real big on flaming here. Nobody is going to tell you you're not entitled to your own opinion. Especially when it's based on your own life experience. It's a shame that your experience was such because I'd have to agree with many others above that I can't even imagine my life without my TKD. I wish I could have shared that experience with you. Shame.

I'd have to say that the only thing I really don't like is the politics. It's only fortune that I ever started in a WTF school. Coulda been any one. So I agree, there isn't any room in my life for the "mine is better than yours" bs so I pretty much ignore it.

Good thread by the way. :)

[IcemanSK]

[quote=TigerWoman]What I don't like in our school is that we don't have a set curriculum just whim of the day and if you go enough days, you might get some sparring, form etc. in within a week. I don't see the benefit out of doing 5000 front kicks when there is no practice leading up to it and it results in torn down hamstrings. I don't like favoritism and watered down requirements. I don't like disorganization nor unclean floors. Yes, I am the only one who cleans them occasionally. I don't like being preached Christian in TKD class, when the self appointed preacher-teacher has a very narrow viewpoint. I don't like that the black belts cannot communicate with each other nor have meetings with "input". I don't like that it is a given that BB's give service, ie teaching on the spot when the master instructor does not show up, without a call or a thank you. That goes along with dictatorships and it does not promote new ideas, initiative, nor change, nor motivation to be part of the organization/school.


Is it the instructor who's preachin'?

[TigerWoman]

Is it the instructor who's preachin'?

Yes, 6th dan. He professes plainly to all that his first priority is to proselytize and preach, second priority his school. He's was a Muslim years ago and became a very zealous Christian about ten or so years ago. So we get preached at in the guise of questions. Favoritism, especially when I was passed over as a 2nd dan in favor of a red dan relative then told it was because I wasn't Christian enough. No, I fought, getting sabotaged, to get my class and right now having to run my own ad otherwise it will get cancelled. He only supports the other woman. TW

[Yeti]

It's a shame that your experience was such because I'd have to agree with many others above that I can't even imagine my life without my TKD. I wish I could have shared that experience with you. Shame.
Well, despite my experience with some bad instructors, I've seen and experienced enough 'good' TKD (subjective license there) to know TKD's potential, and like you and some others have said, I also can't imagine life without TKD. I've had some issues here and there physically that have made me think things over, but in the end I can't not do this. Drives my wife crazy sometimes, but as the saying goes..."Once it's in your blood..."

[Kacey]

My favorite part of TKD is what it has done for me as a person, in terms of self-confidence, providing a focus for my life, giving me the opportunity to find out I could learn a difficult physical skill (something I'd never done before) - I learned all of these things over the years I've been in TKD. I enjoy learning more about and practicing all aspects of the art... although I will admit that there are some parts I like better than others. I particularly enjoy patterns (tuls - the ITF/Chang H'on/Blue Cottage/Chon-ji set - whichever name you call them); sparring scared me silly for years, and so did breaking. But there's not a part of it that I haven't improved beyond the point I thought I could when I started - and that's my favorite part.

[IcemanSK]

In 20+ years of training, I've seen a lot of bad stuff: politics, liars & cheats, & power-hungry folks. But I've also met many life-long friends & people I would trust with my last nickel. I've learned to use the discipline I started learning at 14 to go onto college & grad school & still use daily in my personal life.

Maybe I'll write more when I'm not so tired.:)

[cali_tkdbruin]

The only thing that truly bothers me in TKD is POLITICS. It completely ruins everything that any martial art stands for. Some of these so called masters are completely childish when it come to some things.

Yup, and this ticks me off too to no ends :ticked:

It's all Bovine Scatology, ya know what I'm saying...:uhyeah:

[AceHBK]

What are the politics that occur in TKD. I hear that alot from TKD practicioners but I dont know what all that encompasses.
Could you all share some more light on this?

[Shu2jack]

Likes:

-It is more of an organization thing, but I really like how the TKD I study is organized, structured, and supported.

-I like the more militarized structure of classes. I have no problem with a informal type learning environment, but there is just something about the mentality change when training under a strict structure that I like.

Dislikes:

-Point sparring & no punches to the head.

-Again, an organization thing, but the "Everybody is a winner" mentality. I have no problem with a positive environment, but when taken too far the mentaility leads to the encouragement of mediocracy and the coddleing of students.

[cali_tkdbruin]

What are the politics that occur in TKD. I hear that alot from TKD practicioners but I dont know what all that encompasses.
Could you all share some more light on this?
Mostly it's a WTF vs ITF thing. North vs South Korean thing, Olympic sport vs traditional TKD and so much more that is involved, etc, etc,. It's late here on the Pacific coast and I have to get some sleep so I can go train tomorrow, so I'm gonna shut it down. If that were not the case I would post a long big assed biased opinion on the politics I've observed in my art. You TKD practitioners that are still awake, have at it... :boxing:

[AceHBK]

Again, the lack of punches I can use in sparring.
Basically playing "Foot Tag" (my master didnt like that term at all I might add).

I want creative freedom!!! Damn WTF rules.

[cali_tkdbruin]

I have to admit that there are some TKD practitioners who are pretty lethal with their foot tag taps. I know, I've been blasted a few times and even wearing body armor, errr a hogu I still felt the shock of the foot tag down to my bones... :whip:

[karatekid1975]

Hehehehehe Foot tag. I like that LOL.

Anyways, I couldn't agree more with the politics thing. Not just between the ITF and WTF. There is even dojang politics. I hate it. It just ruins everything. But I don't get involved (don't want to), and I pretty much ignore it if possible. I'm there to train, not play mind games.

[hong kong fooey]

I myself love TKD I think it's great for defending yourself and could not ever think about stoping. the one thing that really buggs me is when people pout down TKD because they think there style is better but most times I just let it roll off my back