Steve Capener prefers sport TKD

[Zepp]

This is a link to a well-researched article written by a man who moved to Korea to study Tae Kwon Do's origins. He makes a case for competition-oriented TKD being better in several ways than martial art TKD. I don't agree with him, and I know a lot of forum members here probably feel the same as I do. But I figure it's always good to hear arguments from the other side (however misguided they may be).

http://www.bstkd.com/capener.1.htm

The page also has a link to an interview with Steve Capener for those who want to know more about who he is.

 

[Rob Broad]

It is easier for TKD Sport school to make money and turnout Black Belts than it is for a TKD Martial arts school.

 

[Marginal]

So, basically, because the traditionalists still punch to the face in sparring, they are practicing Karate rather than properly worshipping Korea?

 

[MichiganTKD]

I teach traditional free fighting and we don't punch to the face. Got nothing to do with traditional vs. modern. It's a safety issue. Punching to the face is very dangerous.

 

[Hollywood1340]

An exellent article! Mr. Capener is to be commended.

 

[Marginal]

I teach traditional free fighting and we don't punch to the face. Got nothing to do with traditional vs. modern. It's a safety issue. Punching to the face is very dangerous.

I've yet to see anything worse than a bloody nose result from the practice. Not to say that there aren't risks involved, but plenty of styles get by just fine with their inclusion.

That aside, I think the article's kind of hinging on a shakey framework. Sport TKD is the best TKD because it was the best sport TKD developed. Since Takekyon was a sport, sport TKD, which is more stylistically removed from its root art of Karate, it is successful because it is a Korean sport.

Well, great. But I still don't really practice TKD because I was looking for the most Korean way possible to spend my time at a sport. If you don't operate from the assumption that sport was always the ultimate goal of the TKD movement... Then things break down.

 

[MichiganTKD]

I operate from the mindset that Tae Kwon Do is good for your whole life. Sport style is but one aspect of it, and should be treated as such. To focus on sport-style to the exclusion of all else is like the man who works all day and neglects everything else about his life. There must be balance.

As far as punching to the face, we don't use handpads (like those Safe-T-Chops or whatever they are). Punching to the face with bare knuckles can be quite dangerous. We don't use high side kicks in sparring either for the same reason.