Taekwondo: is it a sport or a martial art? ( again)

ETinCYQX

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Mudo is a Canadian brand from Captain Sports right? I've never seen them anywhere else. I figured I'd mention it since no one else probably recognises the name.

I think so. My instructor deals with the supplier for me. Our other main brand is Adidas if that makes a difference.
 

Gentle Fist

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Both... Heck it's an olympic sport! The only other art that can say that is Judo... and wrestling I guess...
 

Manny

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Judo, boxing, fencing, wrestling, archery, and marksmanship are all fighting/martial arts that have attained Olympic status.

Well done! Even boxing is a sport I would rather not piss of a boxer, even Judo is a super sport martial art, I know deep in my heart I would have some troubles trying to defend myself agaisnt a judoka, ans I can go on on this.

A couple of weekend ago I heard a comentary from a shotokan karate sensei when he was shwoing us the hiden movement inside the kata, this sensei tends to be a little coky and he said he thanks god for karate not to be an aolimpic sport. Wisely I just stayed calm and did not say anithing, but I kow deep in my heart that karate organizations have been working to make Karate a olimpic sport, however these organizations haven't had the strenght and are not as unified as the KIKIWOIN/WTF so maybe karate will never be a olimpic sport.

So I oly laugh inside when this coky karate sensei trying to show us traditional karate spoke that way and in some way I though poor guy, and remeber that Karate Do is a panamerican sport too, so karate is as sporty as tkd.

Manny
 

Cyriacus

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Well done! Even boxing is a sport I would rather not piss of a boxer, even Judo is a super sport martial art, I know deep in my heart I would have some troubles trying to defend myself agaisnt a judoka, ans I can go on on this.

A couple of weekend ago I heard a comentary from a shotokan karate sensei when he was shwoing us the hiden movement inside the kata, this sensei tends to be a little coky and he said he thanks god for karate not to be an aolimpic sport. Wisely I just stayed calm and did not say anithing, but I kow deep in my heart that karate organizations have been working to make Karate a olimpic sport, however these organizations haven't had the strenght and are not as unified as the KIKIWOIN/WTF so maybe karate will never be a olimpic sport.

So I oly laugh inside when this coky karate sensei trying to show us traditional karate spoke that way and in some way I though poor guy, and remeber that Karate Do is a panamerican sport too, so karate is as sporty as tkd.

Manny

Well, to be fair, Shotokan has its own major competitive organisations.
The WKA, if I remember right?

They dont really need to be in the Olympics, They already have Their own System.
But They probably do have those who want it to be.
 

dancingalone

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Well done! Even boxing is a sport I would rather not piss of a boxer, even Judo is a super sport martial art, I know deep in my heart I would have some troubles trying to defend myself agaisnt a judoka, ans I can go on on this.

A couple of weekend ago I heard a comentary from a shotokan karate sensei when he was shwoing us the hiden movement inside the kata, this sensei tends to be a little coky and he said he thanks god for karate not to be an aolimpic sport. Wisely I just stayed calm and did not say anithing, but I kow deep in my heart that karate organizations have been working to make Karate a olimpic sport, however these organizations haven't had the strenght and are not as unified as the KIKIWOIN/WTF so maybe karate will never be a olimpic sport.

So I oly laugh inside when this coky karate sensei trying to show us traditional karate spoke that way and in some way I though poor guy, and remeber that Karate Do is a panamerican sport too, so karate is as sporty as tkd.

Manny

There are ample karate-ka who think adding karate to the Olympics would be the worst thing possible for it. It's a valid enough perspective when we look at what they train in and why.
 

dancingalone

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Well, to be fair, Shotokan has its own major competitive organisations.
The WKA, if I remember right?

They dont really need to be in the Olympics, They already have Their own System.
But They probably do have those who want it to be.

Do you mean the WKF (World Karate Federation)? If so, the WKF is one of the groups striving to get karate added in the Olympics.
 

msmitht

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both. It depends on your instructor/coach and the experiences that they have had. Like everything else, it all depends on your point of view.
 

Gnarlie

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I have never heard a convincing argument against it being either, so I consider it both.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2
 

Daniel Sullivan

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There are ample karate-ka who think adding karate to the Olympics would be the worst thing possible for it. It's a valid enough perspective when we look at what they train in and why.
Same in kendo. There is a movement to get kendo into the olympics, but I believe that it is spearheaded by Korean kumdo groups, not by the ZNKR. L

A Just has even made electric bogu for the purpose. No socks involved, so that wouldn't be an issue, but there is a lot more to scoring in kendo than just the striking of a valid target. Most kendoka feel that Olympic inclusion and electric scoring would eliminate all of the traditional elements of kendo, leaving only the competitive sport element.
 

Daniel Sullivan

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Same in kendo. There is a movement to get kendo into the olympics, but I believe that it is spearheaded by Korean kumdo groups, not by the ZNKR.

LA Just has even made electric bogu for the purpose. No socks involved, so that wouldn't be an issue, but there is a lot more to scoring in kendo than just the striking of a valid target. Most kendoka feel that Olympic inclusion and electric scoring would eliminate all of the traditional elements of kendo, leaving only the competitive sport element.
I just realized that I had split LA between two lines. Way too late to edit though.
 

Marcy Shoberg

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I used to worry if I should consider taekwondo to be a martial art or a sport. Then, I tried to define martial art and got confused. Is it self-defense? then it would not be "art." Is it physical fitness? Then it might as well be sport. Sometimes I wonder if martial art is anything more than a bunch of people in funny outfits pretending to do battle with each other and telling each other they do pretend battle wrong.

Then, I learned to teach RBSD and decided I am very happy to consider taekwondo nothing but a sport, and the best sport in the world.
 

Marcy Shoberg

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Sometimes I wonder if martial art is anything more than a bunch of people in funny outfits pretending to do battle with each other and telling each other they do pretend battle wrong.

I can't believe I just admitted that on this forum. I hope I don't get my butt kicked. Can I say butt on the forum?
 

Cyriacus

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I used to worry if I should consider taekwondo to be a martial art or a sport. Then, I tried to define martial art and got confused. Is it self-defense? then it would not be "art." Is it physical fitness? Then it might as well be sport. Sometimes I wonder if martial art is anything more than a bunch of people in funny outfits pretending to do battle with each other and telling each other they do pretend battle wrong.

Then, I learned to teach RBSD and decided I am very happy to consider taekwondo nothing but a sport, and the best sport in the world.
"The term martial art has become heavily associated with the fighting arts of eastern Asia, but was originally used in regard to the combat systems of Europe as early as the 1550s. An English fencing manual of 1639 used the term in reference specifically to the "Science and Art" of swordplay. The term is ultimately derived from Latin, martial arts being the "Arts of Mars," the Roman god of war.[SUP][1][/SUP] Some martial arts are considered 'traditional' and are tied to an ethnic, cultural or religious background, while others are modern systems developed either by a founder or an association."

Be careful not to blur Your interpritation of what a Martial Art is, with what the words can mean.


Another interpretation is
Martial, being the nature of what the System is based around.
Art, for the fact that an Artist uses the Paint/Brushes/Colors provided to Him or Her to create Art. Its where You decide how You apply what You have been taught. The Palette could be... Punch A and B, and Kick A and B, and Throw A and B. The Art, could be defined as You deciding that Kick B, Punch A, Throw A is a functional application. Or it may be the teacher who creates the 'Art', and teaches You to paint the same way He or She does.

Then apparently some online dictionaries allow You to look up both words, and get "Asian Sport".

Dont try and support Your view on Martial Arts with the world. Just herald a viewpoint. Taekwondo is a Martial Art. It happens to be used as a way to compete in a point-score based competitive fighting system. Much like Boxing. Or Karate. Or Judo. Or MMA. Or Muay Thai.
The only issues arise when the other stuff isnt taught outside of forms, unless that happens to be what Youre looking for.
 

Earl Weiss

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The only issues arise when the other stuff isnt taught outside of forms, unless that happens to be what Youre looking for.

Beg to differ. Lots more cr*p out there than just those issues.
 

Christian Soldier

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I think TKD has the potential to be either a very effective martial art, or just a sport designed to win trophies at tournaments. Most of the schools I've seen are either on the fence or on the latter. There's a lot of varitation between schools on this one.

TKD differs from other MAs like Krav Maga or MCMAP, in that it can easily be modified from it's 'martial art' stage to a sport stage.
 

Cyriacus

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I think TKD has the potential to be either a very effective martial art, or just a sport designed to win trophies at tournaments. Most of the schools I've seen are either on the fence or on the latter. There's a lot of varitation between schools on this one.

TKD differs from other MAs like Krav Maga or MCMAP, in that it can easily be modified from it's 'martial art' stage to a sport stage.
...Like many Karate Systems.
 

Marcy Shoberg

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I think TKD has the potential to be either a very effective martial art, or just a sport designed to win trophies at tournaments. Most of the schools I've seen are either on the fence or on the latter. There's a lot of varitation between schools on this one.

TKD differs from other MAs like Krav Maga or MCMAP, in that it can easily be modified from it's 'martial art' stage to a sport stage.


I hope this doesn't come off as argumentative, I mean no disrespect, but

1. Could you clarify what you mean by "effective martial art"?

2. Krav Maga is an integrated tactical self-defense and combat system. Not a martial art.
 

Cyriacus

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I hope this doesn't come off as argumentative, I mean no disrespect, but

1. Could you clarify what you mean by "effective martial art"?

2. Krav Maga is an integrated tactical self-defense and combat system. Not a martial art.
By definition, Krav Maga, along with Boxing, and other such things, are Martial Arts by definition.
If You prefer to be specific to a tee, Martial System will thusly encompass every single System out there and more.
 

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