What makes TKD so intresting?

[Rick Wade]

Please don't beat me up for coming into your forum area. I don't want to be the victim of a drive by or anything.

Here is the Question....

At least once a week after class I wont be able to sleep because my mind races with the material that we went over in class whether I taught it or it was taught to me by someone else. i.e. sticky hands and the application while penetrating your enemy's outer rim.

I don't expect 90% of you guys to understand what I am talking about but please try and explain to me what makes TKD so interesting?

I know you guys haven't splintered as bad as the American Kenpo community has so I should get a good group of answers here.

V/R

Rick

 

[terryl965]

Rick to me it is a complete Art( as I said Art) not the sport, so it has so many different variation to every tech. that it will take a life time to understand. It is just not working the body to death but opening your mand to see things in a different way in life, when the mind and body becomes one with the actual Art of TKD it is a beuatiful thing. I wish I could bottle that so everybody could see what I mean and my words can only go so far.
Terry

 

[Andrew Green]

Outside perspective, and what I see:

The kicks, it looks cool and is fun to do.

Improvement can be seen and their is a clear progression track making it parent friendly.

Belts are given out at younger ages, parents like being able to say "My boy's a black belt" at age 10.

It's the biggest, their are the most schools, the most people doing it, and it's the most commercial. TKD instructors are more likely to do the things needed to pay the bills.

Olympic Sport, gives it good credibility.

Competition, there are lots, and they are kid friendly. Their is also the possibility of going all the way to the olympics.

Unification, there is some splintering, but the Kukikwon and Olympic committees give a much more unified sport then most other styles which break into seperate groups with every generation.

It fits the "expected" image of martial arts, you go in, see white uniforms, colored belts and the "traditional" training.

Despite being "traditional" their is forward thinking. New gear, new training methods, new promotional ideas, new clubs, etc.

There's some of the things I see leading to the success of TKD.

 

[Marginal]

At least once a week after class I wont be able to sleep because my mind races with the material that we went over in class whether I taught it or it was taught to me by someone else. i.e. sticky hands and the application while penetrating your enemy's outer rim.

I don't expect 90% of you guys to understand what I am talking about but please try and explain to me what makes TKD so interesting?

TKD keeps me interested for pretty much the same kind of reasons you just listed. It's not like we learn a kick then go home never thinking of application, tactics, strategy etc.

 

[TigerWoman]

I would agree with Marginal in that its not just exercise and then you go home. I do enjoy the physicality of it, nothing like having a run, sliding actually at the standup bags doing multiple jumping techniques as fast as you can because there is a iine of black belts coming in back of you~an adrenaline rush. I love the high kicking, spinning, jumping technique and punching. I like breaking boards-as a TKD "mom" before I never thought I would say that. I like teaching more than I thought I would.

Its great when you can implement those techniques into sparring. I practiced this multiple break - jumpback kick/jump spin heel - so much that it went into my subconscious and I threw it during a tournament successfully and almost didn't control it in time when I realized what I was doing. (we can only light tap the head)

I like the diversity of it, you never know what you will be doing for a class. I think I listed everything I could think of in a thread about ideas what to do. It was a lonnng list but there always new ways. I only wish that I was listened to and that sometimes my ideas could be actually considered--but I usually don't let indifference or non-support slow me down, I keep charging ahead anyway with whats important to me--women's classes. Indomitable spirit and all that!~ TW

Oh, and if that dojang gave a black belt at ten, its probably a junior blackbelt and I've only seen two in thirteen years in our dojang as they have the same requirements as adults--not easy.

 

[Rick Wade]

Outside perspective, and what I see:

Belts are given out at younger ages, parents like being able to say "My boy's a black belt" at age 10.


Olympic Sport, gives it good credibility.

All good points but let me address two of them I agree I think you guys give out belts at way to young of an age.

I watched the Olympics with regard to TKD and I didn't see them with their guard up much at all and allot of bouncing. Are you allowed to strike with your hands in Olympic competition?

Please explain.

Don't get me wrong I can't do all of those high kicks. They are pretty I personally just don't see much street application for them.

Thanks for the info from all of you so far. I do appreciate it

V/R

Rick

 

[Rick Wade]

Rick to me it is a complete Art( as I said Art) not the sport, so it has so many different variation to every tech. that it will take a life time to understand. It is just not working the body to death but opening your mand to see things in a different way in life, when the mind and body becomes one with the actual Art of TKD it is a beuatiful thing. I wish I could bottle that so everybody could see what I mean and my words can only go so far.
Terry

I agree that is what I am trying is to open my mind.
These questions come from the point I take my two daughters to Ballet class at the community center and there is a TKD class there and it seems like the same stuff over and over.
I have been watching them for about 8 months now. To be honest the adults in the class are not that good there is only one guy I would even have any reservations about stepping into the ring with. I am not saying that my art is better or that I am better. This guy is just gifted and he is good with the kids but he seems to have a problem passing the "good form" on to the lower belts but I still sit there and see them promoted to Blue, Green and 1 Red belt.

Do you guys have a written curriculum for each belt?


V/R

Rick

 

[Marginal]

All good points but let me address two of them I agree I think you guys give out belts at way to young of an age.

I watched the Olympics with regard to TKD and I didn't see them with their guard up much at all and allot of bouncing. Are you allowed to strike with your hands in Olympic competition?

Please explain.

You can strike with the hand to the body, but they're not typically scored. It's also worth noting that the Olympics is a rareified example of TKD. I'd venture to guess that on a club level, what goes on in a TKD class is on average, pretty much the same as what's going on in yours. No clattering horns, or twin maces, but similar techniques and principles regardless of org.

 

[Carol]

I agree that is what I am trying is to open my mind.
These questions come from the point I take my two daughters to Ballet class at the community center and there is a TKD class there and it seems like the same stuff over and over.
I have been watching them for about 8 months now. To be honest the adults in the class are not that good there is only one guy I would even have any reservations about stepping into the ring with. I am not saying that my art is better or that I am better. This guy is just gifted and he is good with the kids but he seems to have a problem passing the "good form" on to the lower belts but I still sit there and see them promoted to Blue, Green and 1 Red belt.

Do you guys have a written curriculum for each belt?


V/R

Rick

Please tell me that you are not judging an art by the adults at at one single community center class, Rick. That's not a fair assessment of any art...not our own, not someone else's.

 

[TigerWoman]

Don't get me wrong I can't do all of those high kicks. They are pretty I personally just don't see much street application for them.

Just like we don't put alot of emphasis on self defense because for all that we do train self defense, TKD training isn't all about JUST that. If self defense is the end all is for you and that makes you happy then all I say good for you. But for what TKD gives us, isn't about street application.

Those high kicks, we put time, sweat and tears into getting there, everyone can do them eventually unless they don't work on their flexibility. That is part of the curriculum. Some write it down, some don't. I wrote everything down so I could remember it the way it was taught.

So it is something you have to experience before you can judge it. Just the same for if I were to take Kenpo. I could say that I would probably not like it if it were mostly about self defense. And since I have learned high spinning kicks, I would most definitely want to use them. TW

 

[Rick Wade]

Please tell me that you are not judging an art by the adults at at one single community center class, Rick. That's not a fair assessment of any art...not our own, not someone else's.

by no means I am doing that but it did get me to thinking that there had to be more to it thatn what I was seeing. I have been around the martial arts for some time now and I am a pretty good judge of arts even If I can't do the art( like the high kicks) I can still appreciate it and I just haven't seen anything with this group of guys.

What is the major diffrece between WTF and ATF?

Thanks guys this is really helping.

V/R

Rick

 

[bluemtn]

On the high kicks, Rick:

No one has to do them, especially when dealing with physical limitation issues. It was explained to me, if you can get enough flexibility to reach a certain height, then it'll be easier for you to reach faster and stronger at a lesser height. I've been told flexibility is good. TKD schools also (for the most part), teach self defense outside of the realm of "olympic sparring." There are head strikes, low kicks, sweeps/ takedowns, etc. You'll basically see a good bit of everything in a TKD class. T.v. is t.v.- if it isn't fancy, then it's not entertaining. Granted, there are some schools out there that just focus on what you see on t.v. Kiddy black belts- I see it more as a confidence booster. Around my area anyways, they aren't treated as mini- masters, their curriculum is different in ways that prevents that... Again, some schools are the opposite of what I've experienced. Now on the last question- I don't know. My class is/ was tkd union.

 

[Fluffy]

For me, it's who I am. It's not that it's the best MA, the most effective MA or even the most fun....it's what I know. That's what keeps me going.

 

[tkd_jen]

Mr. Rick,

What makes TKD interesting to me is the wide variety of techniques I get to learn. I have also spent many nights laying awake going over material. Granted it tool me 3 schools to find one that made me say 'wow, i wanna be like those guys' so I can see how the community center class may look less than thrilling--it all depends on the curriculum and instructor.

Where I train, we learn hand techniques, kicking techniques, sparring techs, self defense, etc, etc so it's pretty rare to get bored. Plus our instructors have a real passion for what they do and the students feed off this energy and want learn more and more.

As far as kid black belts, I think almost excusively they are poom or jr. black belts, not full fledged black belts and as far as our school yes their curriculum is different than adults.

As earlier posted, yes punches to the body are allowed and are supposed to be scored if delivered with enough force, but they are often not scored properly as intended. So TKD'ers do spar with their hands down because they are not afraid of being punched in the face because it is not allowed. It's just one of those 'tricks of the trade,' keep your hands in position to block the kicks instead. I don't think most believe Olympic sparring is effective in real life situations, i spar and I wouldn't fight someone in real life that way ('hey you can't hit me in the head'--yeah that would go over well!!) But that is why we also teach self defense, TKD for me is not one dimensional, there are many pieces to my TKD pie!!

 

[Rick Wade]

Mr. Rick,

What makes TKD interesting to me is the wide variety of techniques I get to learn. I have also spent many nights laying awake going over material. Granted it tool me 3 schools to find one that made me say 'wow, i wanna be like those guys' so I can see how the community center class may look less than thrilling--it all depends on the curriculum and instructor.

Where I train, we learn hand techniques, kicking techniques, sparring techs, self defense, etc, etc so it's pretty rare to get bored. Plus our instructors have a real passion for what they do and the students feed off this energy and want learn more and more.

As far as kid black belts, I think almost excusively they are poom or jr. black belts, not full fledged black belts and as far as our school yes their curriculum is different than adults.

As earlier posted, yes punches to the body are allowed and are supposed to be scored if delivered with enough force, but they are often not scored properly as intended. So TKD'ers do spar with their hands down because they are not afraid of being punched in the face because it is not allowed. It's just one of those 'tricks of the trade,' keep your hands in position to block the kicks instead. I don't think most believe Olympic sparring is effective in real life situations, i spar and I wouldn't fight someone in real life that way ('hey you can't hit me in the head'--yeah that would go over well!!) But that is why we also teach self defense, TKD for me is not one dimensional, there are many pieces to my TKD pie!!

Thanks that was an awesome response. Keep having fun and keep the passion.

Very Respectfully

Rick

 

[DuneViking]

Greetings,

My answer, without reading further to skew my opinion, is simple eloquence. My instructor has always been SD oriented. We practice simple basic techniques at the start of every class and build on them. The philosphy of TKDCDK is also imparted so that we experience a totality of personal development. Finally, he incorporates anything that works on him-be it aikido to wrestling. Thus we have a broad base, fundamentally in traditional Taekwondo Chung Do Kwan, with serious exploration of many other arts. We are encouraged to visit other instructors, both within our organization and outside it. If one of our instructors or a student (yes, if a student knows he shows-even to BB) visits a seminar or other source of information, it is shared. ( I had a student visit Japan as part of his school exchange program and he happened to have the good fortune of staying with a kendo master-so I will have him demonstrate some things for those who want to learn). So to recap, TKD simplicity of basics and philosophy and our open-mindedness which has led to a spirit of family- keep me here.

 

[Andrew Green]

What is the major diffrece between WTF and ATF?

One teaches TKD, the other is in charge of enforcing rules about Alcohal, Tobacco and Firearms

I think you meant ATA, which is a American offshoot of TKD, modified, copyrighted and trademarked forms, Camoflauge belts, the whole works. Not to respected by most "serious" TKD practitioners it seems.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I think that should've been WTF and ITF : )

 

[Andrew Green]

or that, one of the two

 

[Gemini]

Rick,

I think it's a legitamate question from an outsider. You see, you become curious, you want to know. That's what we're all here for, correct?
I'm not going to list all of the things that I find attractive about the art, because they've already been listed my someone or another.

I want to address the issue about the kids in the art. Most see it as a sign of weakness or "McDojo" ness if you will. I don't. I have 3 boys that are (as of last Saturday) all black belts. I've very proud of them and their achievements. The reason I defend it isn't because what devastating fighters they are, they're not. They're kids. But they will grow up. My youngest wasn't allowed into the dojang until he was almost 5. But he's been practicing since he could stand up. Watching his brothers from the lobby in his diaper with his white belt on. It's all he knows and it is and has always been a part of his life. They're at the beginning of what I hope will be a very long road.

My instructor started in Korea when he was 5. He was also a BB at 7. Devastaing? Of couse not. He was, in his own words, lazy and a real PITA to deal with. But it was simply his beginning. Not the age where judgment should be passed on him. Now he's 6'2" and a 6th degree master who's abilities far exceed anyone I've ever met, including other masters.

My point is, it's a long road. So the next time you pass that school, don't be too critical of those that are just starting out and what they can or cannot do. Some will go on, most will not. But none of us know which those will be. Only time will tell.

I hope this gives you a bit of a different perspective.

Regards,