How do you view tae kwon do?

[bluemtn]

How do you view tae kwon do? Do you view it as a sport, or a martial art? Can it be both? Are some schools only for sport (not a bad thing, in my opinion)?

Being more focused on sporting aspect of it, to me, isn't a bad thing. That's kind of where I want the thread to stay at, please. There are no wrong opinions or thoughts.

 

[arnisador]

Different groups do it different ways, but overwhelmingly I see it as a (martial) sport...as the S. Korean govt. does, for example.

 

[Kwan Jang]

There is both a martial art and martial sport of TKD. There has been a push from the WTF since the 1980's to maximize the sport and to restrict or downplay the martial art, but there are still quite a few instructors who still train and teach the Kwan-era martial art. Some schools manage to balance both in their training as well.

 

[Steel Tiger]

TKD started life as a martial art so, therefore, it is a martial art. The development of its sporting aspect has been both a boon and a curse. A boon in that it has an Olympic stage and has thus drawn millions into its fold. A curse because there are now arguments over its legitimacy as a martial art and a general public perception that it is not a 'real' martial art.

How do I view Tae Kwon Do? I see it as a martial art that has developed a very successful sporting aspect.

 

[Kacey]

TKD started life as a martial art so, therefore, it is a martial art. The development of its sporting aspect has been both a boon and a curse. A boon in that it has an Olympic stage and has thus drawn millions into its fold. A curse because there are now arguments over its legitimacy as a martial art and a general public perception that it is not a 'real' martial art.

How do I view Tae Kwon Do? I see it as a martial art that has developed a very successful sporting aspect.

Great post - you said what I was thinking, but better than what I would have written. :asian:

 

[bluemtn]

TKD started life as a martial art so, therefore, it is a martial art. The development of its sporting aspect has been both a boon and a curse. A boon in that it has an Olympic stage and has thus drawn millions into its fold. A curse because there are now arguments over its legitimacy as a martial art and a general public perception that it is not a 'real' martial art.

How do I view Tae Kwon Do? I see it as a martial art that has developed a very successful sporting aspect.

I'm with Kacey! Couldn't have said it any better!

 

[Catalyst]

I see it and experience it for myself from several different perspectives.

TKD to me is:

1.) From a fitness/health perspective it's been a great way to rehabilitate a mangled leg.

2.) A Martial Art that can provides effective self-defense.

3.) A means for self-development of character attributes that really needed (and still do need) to be worked on. What I mean by this is taking values like respect, integrity, self control, perseverance,etc. that we learn in the dojang and applying them outside the dojang (at work, at home, etc.).

I honestly don't know if I can nail it down to just one thing - or maybe I'm making the question harder than it actually is?

 

[14 Kempo]

On the outside looking in ...

I have never studied TKD in any way, I am a Kempoist. With that being said, what I have been told of TKD is not attractive, thus playing towards the public image mentioned in other posts of TKD being a sport more than a martial art.

I don't agree. TKD, as with any martial art, has its postive and negative factors. If you don't believe TKD is a martial art, just try fighting an advanced student at thier distance, good luck.

Everything is relative. If I'm fighting a TKD specialist and I'm able to get to my range, look out is all I can say. But 'look out' is what is being said to me if I'm not able to get there. I am only speaking from personal experience, and that experience is only during sparring sessions, not live fighting.

TKD is a martial art and as with any of the arts, it's a matter of range. Each art having its optimal range. Find it and all is well.

 

[CoryKS]

Is a knife a tool or a weapon? It depends on the application. If you and your opponent abide by a previously agreed upon set of rules, you are engaged in a sport. If you are attempting to decapitate the nice man who asked you to hand over your wallet, using only your foot, you are engaged in a martial art.

 

[Tez3]

I don't do TKD as such but I train occasionally with a friend's TKD class as he wants the students to train with a female blackbelt. They are a small group with only one instructor. The class is very similiar to traditional karate classes I've been in, good warm ups, line work, sparring and patterns. Good honest traditional martial arts. Sparring with the class he encourages me to do my MT kicks, clinches, takedowns. elbows, knees etc from my MMA to give them an experience of a different syle of fighting. He does self defence work with them too. I don't get the feeling that they are a 'sports' club, walking in into class it's very much a martial arts class. I enjoy going.

On the MMA side, over here we have had a good many fighters from a TKD background indicating I think it's fighting capabilities.

 

[DArnold]

Is a knife a tool or a weapon? It depends on the application. If you and your opponent abide by a previously agreed upon set of rules, you are engaged in a sport. If you are attempting to decapitate the nice man who asked you to hand over your wallet, using only your foot, you are engaged in a martial art.

Hit the nail right on the head.
The discussion is not "the answer" but the question itself is flawed.
Must a fruit be an orange or a bannana

I would suggest that you study what the Korean word "Do" means and you will find your answer!

 

[stoneheart]

How do you view tae kwon do? Do you view it as a sport, or a martial art? Can it be both? Are some schools only for sport (not a bad thing, in my opinion)?

Yes, TKD is both a MA and a sport. Depends on the instructor or school. I have no problems with dojangs emphasizing the sport aspect, but I do wish they would label themselves appropriately so the consumer has a better idea what they are selling.

 

[Tez3]

The Ghurkha soldiers do their basic traning here in Catterick where I am, they all do TKD as part of their training.They've incorporated into their syllabus Kukri patterns they've 'invented', impressive and very scary!

 

[DArnold]

The Ghurkha soldiers do their basic traning here in Catterick where I am, they all do TKD as part of their training.They've incorporated into their syllabus Kukri patterns they've 'invented', impressive and very scary!

Ok, you've peaked my interest.
How is a pattern very scary?

 

[Tez3]

Ok, you've peaked my interest.
How is a pattern very scary?

We have a joke here Q. what do you call a Ghurka? A. Sir!

A Khukri is a very wicked curved knife, the 'national' weapon of Nepal. In the Ghurka's hands it is a truly scary weapon. In jungle warfare (and Afghanistan where they are also deployed) they can creep soundlessly up to the enemy and cut their throats very easily with their Kukris before the poor buggers can blink. They are relentlessly brave and ferocious, always polite and a joy to work with. They are also very bad drivers!
http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/history/kukri_history.htm

 

[DArnold]

We have a joke here Q. what do you call a Ghurka? A. Sir!

A Khukri is a very wicked curved knife, the 'national' weapon of Nepal. In the Ghurka's hands it is a truly scary weapon. In jungle warfare (and Afghanistan where they are also deployed) they can creep soundlessly up to the enemy and cut their throats very easily with their Kukris before the poor buggers can blink. They are relentlessly brave and ferocious, always polite and a joy to work with. They are also very bad drivers!
http://www.army.mod.uk/brigade_of_gurkhas/history/kukri_history.htm

Ok, makes sense.
Even if you win with a knife fighter you usually loose

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

The Ghurkha soldiers do their basic traning here in Catterick where I am, they all do TKD as part of their training.They've incorporated into their syllabus Kukri patterns they've 'invented', impressive and very scary!

Old style TKD taught in a martial way is both brutal and effective. Warriors like the ROK, North Koreans and Gurkha's that have added it to their curriculum are all very effective. Only the rise of sport TKD changed the overall outlook on what Tae Kwon Do is. Fortunately there are still quite a few old style TKD practitioners out there and if you get a chance to meet one and train with them you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Decker]

Hi.

How would "old style" training be different from "sport" training? E.g. would there be a greater emphasis on forms or..?

Where I train, it isn't really a dojang per se, it's more like a club in my school. What we learn is very heavily form-oriented (poomsae/WTF forms), and we only take part in poomsae tournaments (and sweep plenty of the trophies, I gotta admit). Downside is we're much weaker on the sparring side.

I guess based on my experience of TKD I'd consider it to be more of a sport here, but I wanna discover more of its martial art aspect too.

 

[Tez3]

I imagine 'old style' training would be a lot more 'full on', harder contact, and with a greater emphasis on actually walking away from a fight when your opponent doesn't! I think it's the difference perhaps between sparring for trophies and fighting for yur life. I imagine too that forms/katas/patterns were vital teaching tools and not just 'dancing'.

 

[searcher]

Though it has the ability to adapt to different circumstances, I look at TKD as a martial art.

I feel it is like Western Boxing in its simplicity(in appearance) and in its effectiveness when used properly. I feel that we, as TKD students and instructors, need to let the public see that we can use our art effectively. Many have helped it have a bad reputation and we are in desperate need of a rejuvination, IMO.