A round kick doesn’t know its nationality or its federation.

[StudentCarl]

Anti-politics rant:

TKD for me is the skills, the people, and the time I spend with them: my master, peers and juniors. When I bow onto the floor, I don’t think about Kukkiwon, about WTF vs. ATA vs. ITF, about sport vs. art, so it doesn’t matter much to me off the floor either. I don’t think about whether my techniques originated in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or Filipino arts. I do think about how well techniques work and how well I execute and/or teach them. I make the very best TKD I can every day, and am eager to learn more. I'm just a student, but it seems like some of my seniors lose sight of why we're here.

Respectfully,
Carl

 

[dancingalone]

But it does.

There are several variations of the roundhouse kick that I have trained over the years as a result of switching martial arts styles. Some are quicker, some are more powerful. Regardless of which one you prefer personally, it still remains that the system you practice will dictate which one(s) is taught.

I do understand what you are saying in the general sense though, and I agree that what matters the most is one's own personal progression rather than anything political.

 

[Earl Weiss]

But it does.

. Regardless of which one you prefer personally, it still remains that the system you practice will dictate which one(s) is taught.
.

I disagree ( to an extent) The system may dictate which one is done for certain purposes. i.e. one way for sparring, one way for patterns , one way for breaking, another for self defense, others for demos etc. . To some extent the system may limt your knowledge if it only teaches one way, but only if you let it.

But a good instructor will teach multiple ways so that it won't be the ststem that dctates which is taight, but the instructor.

Also, to a certain extent I blame students (newbies excepted) who have such a blind loyalty to a school / instructor / org. that they never go outside their little universe to see what the rest of the galaxy is doing and how the methodlogy they are taught measures up.

 

[dortiz]

I was shocked in talking to 5th Dan WTF who had no idea what the ITF syllabus was. At all.
It seems many swallow the 2000 year old story as it leads to where they stand and seem happy not to read anything else at all.
Thats not even talking about the simple joy of training with people of different styles and picking up things as well as seeing areas you can improve on that wont show up against your own partners versus stepping outside of the comfort box.

"Shakes head"

Dave O.

 

[StudentCarl]

Also, to a certain extent I blame students (newbies excepted) who have such a blind loyalty to a school / instructor / org. that they never go outside their little universe to see what the rest of the galaxy is doing and how the methodlogy they are taught measures up.

Interesting commentary about people. Some want to be told the 'one true way' and others ignore the boundaries and take what works for them. I guess that's why there are wars about religion and something similar with martial arts. I take what works, but the arguments seem like a big waste of energy. I'd rather talk about how to improve my double kicks or effective counters than 'my tae-geuk is better than your palgwe'.

 

[StudentCarl]

...the simple joy of training with people of different styles and picking up things as well as seeing areas you can improve on that wont show up against your own partners...

Dave O.

Unless you believe martial arts were handed down by a god as a finished and unchanging unit, it seems to me the above is the natural process that evolves and improves each of us. I don't mind the diversity, just the divisiveness.

 

[dancingalone]

Unless you believe martial arts were handed down by a god as a finished and unchanging unit, it seems to me the above is the natural process that evolves and improves the arts. Maybe it's that some people can't handle change or the idea that it's possible to improve them?

I have some traditionalist leanings. I'm careful to teach what my teacher taught me and explain to my students that this is the system as passed down to me. That's not to say that is all I teach. I have other curriculum I have added myself but I am careful to explain where it comes from.

Many of my students let this information go in one ear and out the other. And that's fine. The physical practice is most important.

 

[punisher73]

Depends on your goal. If you are teaching an art (system) than it needs to be passed on as it was presented. If you are training and alter things than the changes need to be shown so students know what is and isn't in their art and chose for themselves.

If you alter enough of what is being done, than you would need to change the name to let it be known that the art is not being taught, but an expression of that art.

 

[DBZ]

..... I don't mind the diversity, just the divisiveness.

I Agree, well said