Movie taekwondo grading

[Kenpoguy123]

So I saw this old movie best of the best 2 and it has a taekwondo grading in it. I was wondering if that's really how taekwondo tests work like the guy can do everything perfect then fail because they didnt break a piece of wood.

The grading is from 12:10

 

[Dirty Dog]

In our system, they would not fail. But we don't really have tests per se. When a student of rank X is performing at the level expected of X+1 they're invited to "test", which basically means do a demo for the other students.
If they are unable to complete a portion of the demo up to standard, they don't fail. Their promotion is held, pending their completion of that section.
I've seen a few students struggle with breaks, but they keep trying. Might be the next class, might be the next month, but they always succeed.

 

[Flatfish]

That's pretty much how ours work, too. For each rank level we get a stripe for form, one step sparring and self defense, so once you have your three stripes it indicates that you have learned the required parts of the curriculum for the next belt, then it's on to refining and once ready you get permission to test. So the instructors pretty much know when you're ready and the test itself is really more of a demo.

 

[Gnarlie]

They wouldn't necessarily fail for not breaking, if they show intent and present it well. Sometimes it's duff board holders or a damp board.

They will fail if they are unable to competently demonstrate the required technical level, however.

I think it is good for people to fail sometimes. It sends out a clear message that this is a real test. It also encourages perseverance and self discipline.

I find it is particularly effective to fail children from time to time. There is no more effective attitude adjuster.

The messages have to be delivered carefully, however.

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[Jaeimseu]

That movie failed.


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[Balrog]

That's pretty much how ours work, too. For each rank level we get a stripe for form, one step sparring and self defense, so once you have your three stripes it indicates that you have learned the required parts of the curriculum for the next belt, then it's on to refining and once ready you get permission to test. So the instructors pretty much know when you're ready and the test itself is really more of a demo.

Our stripes are for basics, form, and then one-steps or weapons depending on rank. But it works the same way. Having three stripes does not guarantee permission to test. Getting that permission is the hardest part of the testing. Once you get it, then the testing is a public demonstration of skill.

And if someone has a bad hair day at testing....well, that's life. Sometimes you don't succeed on the first attempt. But there will be another testing in a couple of months, so they can refine and polish the material even more.

 

[WaterGal]

There's not one single way that testing "works" across every Taekwondo school everywhere. Some places will fail you if you can't successfully complete every part of the test, yeah. Some may say, well you did do the one break, and you did everything else well, that's enough for a passing grade. Others might say that he has to do a second break, but let him try something else.

I don't have speakers on this computer, so I didn't catch the dialog, but the kid had his hand wrapped - did he have an injury? If so, IMO, they really should have let him do a different technique.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I don't have speakers on this computer, so I didn't catch the dialog, but the kid had his hand wrapped - did he have an injury? If so, IMO, they really should have let him do a different technique.

They've dubbed it in that copy, so it's not in English anyway...

There's no injury. It's just Hollywood-Fu. It's taped completely wrong, for that matter.
Their poomsae performance was about what I'd expect from pre-pubescent kids. And reminds me of one reason why we don't do baby black belts.

 

[Kenpoguy123]

They've dubbed it in that copy, so it's not in English anyway...

There's no injury. It's just Hollywood-Fu. It's taped completely wrong, for that matter.
Their poomsae performance was about what I'd expect from pre-pubescent kids. And reminds me of one reason why we don't do baby black belts.

Well to be fair probably none of those kids really knew taekwondo and probably got taught that by Philip Rhee on set as he's an actual black belt in taekwondo which you can see in his fight scenes

 

[Dirty Dog]

Well to be fair probably none of those kids really knew taekwondo and probably got taught that by Philip Rhee on set as he's an actual black belt in taekwondo which you can see in his fight scenes

Maybe. Except that I've seen too many real students make the same sort of errors (arms extended and hands apart on the pushing hands ready stance, arc hands aimed at the sky, sidekicks that look like roundhouses, missing stance changes, etc etc etc) that are seen in the movie. And given how pervasive TKD has become, as well as the number of baby black belts out there, I can't imagine it would be the least bit difficult to find a school in Hollywood that would be delighted to provide a group of them to perform for the movie. It's not like any of them had any other role in the film, other than the one who failed.

 

[Rough Rider]

It's hard to tell what's going on with the half English / half Spanish dialog. One thing I found odd was that, as black-belt candidates, they performed Koryo. Normally, a student learns Koryo after he advances to black-belt.

Also, notice where they do the ki-up in Koryo- it's one step later than normal, on the knee strike. Well, guess what? That's how they teach it at my school! It's been driving me nuts because I thought we were the only ones in the TKD universe who did it that way. Now I see we're a very small minority, but not alone.

 

[Dirty Dog]

It's hard to tell what's going on with the half English / half Spanish dialog. One thing I found odd was that, as black-belt candidates, they performed Koryo. Normally, a student learns Koryo after he advances to black-belt.

The word "normally" is pretty meaningless in this context, since multiple TKD orgs use Koryo. In our system, for example, Koryo is learned at 1st Geup for promotion to Chodanbo.

Also, notice where they do the ki-up in Koryo- it's one step later than normal, on the knee strike. Well, guess what? That's how they teach it at my school! It's been driving me nuts because I thought we were the only ones in the TKD universe who did it that way. Now I see we're a very small minority, but not alone.

That is where we do the kiap as well. One of many small variations you will see in forms used by so many schools and orgs. Another example is the Pushing Hands Ready Stance. In the film, it's shown as being done with the palms forward. That's how we do it (though not with the arms straightened, nor the hands so far apart). In the KKW version, the arms will be bent and the hands close together (same as our version) but with the knife edge of the hand forward.

 

[Rough Rider]

That is where we do the kiap as well. One of many small variations you will see in forms used by so many schools and orgs. Another example is the Pushing Hands Ready Stance. In the film, it's shown as being done with the palms forward. That's how we do it (though not with the arms straightened, nor the hands so far apart). In the KKW version, the arms will be bent and the hands close together (same as our version) but with the knife edge of the hand forward.

I've seen many variations of the Pushing Hands Ready Stance, but until today I've never seen anybody outside of my school do the kiap in that spot rather than the previous neck strike. Maybe I'll start a thread on the TKD board and see if there are others.

 

[Kenpoguy123]

It's hard to tell what's going on with the half English / half Spanish dialog. One thing I found odd was that, as black-belt candidates, they performed Koryo. Normally, a student learns Koryo after he advances to black-belt.

Also, notice where they do the ki-up in Koryo- it's one step later than normal, on the knee strike. Well, guess what? That's how they teach it at my school! It's been driving me nuts because I thought we were the only ones in the TKD universe who did it that way. Now I see we're a very small minority, but not alone.

Well your definetely not the only one then because Philip Rhee the director and choreographer as well as the main actor is a taekwondo black belt who runs multiple schools so can't be as uncommon as you think

 

[paitingman]

Maybe. Except that I've seen too many real students make the same sort of errors (arms extended and hands apart on the pushing hands ready stance, arc hands aimed at the sky, sidekicks that look like roundhouses, missing stance changes, etc etc etc) that are seen in the movie. And given how pervasive TKD has become, as well as the number of baby black belts out there, I can't imagine it would be the least bit difficult to find a school in Hollywood that would be delighted to provide a group of them to perform for the movie. It's not like any of them had any other role in the film, other than the one who failed.

I just chalk it up to school/teacher preferences. to me this looks like typical "American" style TKD that was taught on the west coast around the 80s and 90s. I still know of some schools that teach techniques and stances this way.
I believe those are actual students of Phillip Rhee. and it makes sense since that particular style was popularized in part by the Rhee brothers back in those days.