AAU vs. WTF Dan Certification Question

[Independent_TKD]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site. I've been a reader for awhile though. This is a very high quality discussion forum.

I've practiced TKD for over ten years, mostly WTF. However over the last several years I have veered away from WTF, particularly because of Korean control and almost complete focus on the sport aspect of TKD (I'll talk more about that in later postings).

I will be testing for my 3rd Dan with AAU and opening my own school this year. I plan to test for 4th Dan with AAU as well in a few years.

My question is, how is the AAU Dan certification viewed throughout the TKD community? IMO, as long as what you teach is technically sound and effective, it doesn't matter which organization grants the certification.

Any opinions? Thanks.

 

[exile]

Hello everyone, I am new to this site. I've been a reader for awhile though. This is a very high quality discussion forum.

Greetings, ITDK, and welcome to MT—you might want to post a note to the `Meet&Greet' thread to introduce yourself to a larger group of members (we all pretty much check out that thread!)

I've practiced TKD for over ten years, mostly WTF. However over the last several years I have veered away from WTF, particularly because of Korean control and almost complete focus on the sport aspect of TKD (I'll talk more about that in later postings).

Since I'm interested in TKD as a CQ combat system, I'm very interested in any of your observations along the lines you describe.

I will be testing for my 3rd Dan with AAU and opening my own school this year. I plan to test for 4th Dan with AAU as well in a few years.

My question is, how is the AAU Dan certification viewed throughout the TKD community? IMO, as long as what you teach is technically sound and effective, it doesn't matter which organization grants the certification.

Any opinions? Thanks.

I wasn't aware that you could get dan certification through the AAU! Shows how much I know about the political structure of TKD... but that's really surprising! I'd always thought of the AAU as a kind of amateur sports certification/promotion agency. It seems funny that they would be offering actual belt promotion. This is what they say about themselves at their website:

AAU HIGHLIGHTS

The AAU is one of the largest, non-profit, volunteer, youth sport organizations in the United States.

A multi-sport, event-drivenorganization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs.

Can you say more about the nature of their belt certification programs?

 

[Independent_TKD]

The AAU does issue its own Dan certifications. Testing takes place once a year, usually at the AAU Nationals. You can find details on their website. I like the flexibility the AAU offers. Instructors and school owners are better able to branch out and approach their taekwondo from different perspectives. My experience with the WTF schools was that they were very rigid and not very likely to try new things. I was also turned off by the almost total focus on sport and forms. I think that sport and poomse have their place. The think WTF tkd lacks emphasis on more effective techniques for defense. Take a look at any WTF book on hte market. The feature great sporting tactics and page after page of poomse. The more realistic techniques just are not up to par. I have much more to say on this subject but will leave it at that for now.

 

[exile]

The AAU does issue its own Dan certifications. Testing takes place once a year, usually at the AAU Nationals. You can find details on their website. I like the flexibility the AAU offers. Instructors and school owners are better able to branch out and approach their taekwondo from different perspectives. My experience with the WTF schools was that they were very rigid and not very likely to try new things. I was also turned off by the almost total focus on sport and forms. I think that sport and poomse have their place. The think WTF tkd lacks emphasis on more effective techniques for defense. Take a look at any WTF book on hte market. The feature great sporting tactics and page after page of poomse. The more realistic techniques just are not up to par. I have much more to say on this subject but will leave it at that for now.

Given their emphasis on amateur sport, I'd have thought that the AAU would also make sport techique a big part of their testing criteria... I'd better go check their web site, I need to get a clearer idea of how their certification works, what the relation is between the dojang testing and the AAU testing, etc. But any alternative to the WTF is a friend of mine! :wink1:

OK, got it: the link is http://www.aautaekwondo.org/DanCertification/Index.htm. They say, in particular, that

The AAU Taekwondo Dan Certification Program shall consist of two separate processes:

A. The re-certification of those AAU athletes who already hold Dan ranking through other national and international Taekwondo organizations as well as their own school certificate.

BThe actual testing and certification of AAU registered athletes for promotion to advanced Dan levels.

Before testing for advanced levels the individual must be an active member of the AAU for a minimum time frame: 1st - 3rd Dan - 6 mos. 4th Dan and higher - 1 Year.

I'm a bit confused, though. They seem to be assuming that those eligible for the certification will be competitive athletes. Isn't this what being an `active member' of the AAU consists of—an athlete competing in AAU sponsored events. Or can you simply join the AAU as a noncompetitor (if your interest is in combat-effective bunkai for the Palgwe hyungs, say)?

Suppose that someone has left their previous dojang and trained on their own, or with training partners, and wants to test for Dan (this was something that came up on a thread that was very active about three weeks ago or so). Can you just show up (assuming you've fulfilled their registration requirement for membership etc.) and test? For some reason I find this... odd. Maybe not, of course—there were some good arguments back and forth on this point in that thread. But having a big athletic organization do this... I'm finding it hard to get my mind around...

 

[fireman00]

From what I've been told the AAU uses the International TaeKwonDo Federation (ITF) standards for testing.

We test on odd years for ITF and even years for WTF - the best of both worlds. Big difference is in the forms taught and the sparring methods.

WTF is the internationally recognized union for Olympic style sparring which is why they are more "sport" oriented.

ITF is to fractured to mount a significant threat to the WTF so there's a standoff.

 

[Laurentkd]

I'm a bit confused, though. They seem to be assuming that those eligible for the certification will be competitive athletes. Isn't this what being an `active member' of the AAU consists of—an athlete competing in AAU sponsored events. Or can you simply join the AAU as a noncompetitor (if your interest is in combat-effective bunkai for the Palgwe hyungs, say)?
...

I can't respond to your entire post (as most of your questions are mine as well) but I can reply to this part.

You can have either an athlete or non-athlete membership in the AAU. Athletes have the athlete membership and coaches, team leaders, volunteers, etc have non-athlete memberships. A membership is less than $20 which is nice. I have no idea about anything else with ranking in the AAU. Like you, I have a hard time believing it will be great, since the AAU is so big and is sport oriented, but who knows! Maybe I'll be pleasently suprised!
That's all I got!

 

[exile]

I can't respond to your entire post (as most of your questions are mine as well) but I can reply to this part.

You can have either an athlete or non-athlete membership in the AAU. Athletes have the athlete membership and coaches, team leaders, volunteers, etc have non-athlete memberships. A membership is less than $20 which is nice. I have no idea about anything else with ranking in the AAU. Like you, I have a hard time believing it will be great, since the AAU is so big and is sport oriented, but who knows! Maybe I'll be pleasently suprised!
That's all I got!

Hey, Lauren, thanks for that clarification. It seems so strange to me, still, you know? Sort of like finding out that, oh, say, the YMCA has a TKD rank certification program and can test you at first Dan or above. It's just... so unexpected.

If I understand I_TDK's point, the affiliation with AAU allows you to have the benefit of an unimpeachable umbrella organization which is, presumably, strictly neutral in terms of both TKD politics and also on curriculum matters. Kind of a safety net for a school that wants to break away from KKW/WTF (or maybe ITF). I_TDK, is this the right way to think of it from your point of view?

 

[Independent_TKD]

That's my overall view. I like the fact that the AAU is completely legitimate with a strong reputation in the US. In other words, it's not some made-up organization issuing Dan certificates from someone's McDojang. For me, I am drawn to the AAU approach primarily because one of it's key points is its focus on the "American" taekwondo practitioner. Also a lot less politics and "my way is best" mentality.

The biggest criticism I have received from former Sabumnims and other training partners is the Dan testing itself. For example, to earn your WTF 3rd Dan, you take a series of short tests over several years. The AAU testing happens on a single day. You either pass or fail based on your performance. If you are not ready, you will fail. This is very much like the promotions in Judo. I like this approach. When I open my school as a 3rd Dan, I will essentially train with fellow instructors, then test for my 4th Dan. I will be graded on my performance that day. If I perform badly, I fail and will have to wait another year.

 

[exile]

That's my overall view. I like the fact that the AAU is completely legitimate with a strong reputation in the US. In other words, it's not some made-up organization issuing Dan certificates from someone's McDojang. For me, I am drawn to the AAU approach primarily because one of it's key points is its focus on the "American" taekwondo practitioner. Also a lot less politics and "my way is best" mentality.

That's pretty much what I thought you were getting at. My own feeling is, as I've said, anyone that can give WTF a run for their money is fine with me. I'd like to see a bit more diversity in the focus of TKD dojangs, and I think that the pressure to affiliate with a recognized `guarantor' probably works against that, given the WTF's sport-driven agenda (not that there aren't plenty of McDojangs with WTF affiliation... I really don't see what is being guaranteed, myself, by the WTF branding). My fantasy is that eventually we'll see the return of the kwan era setup, with individual schools determining their own syllabi and training, and the legitimacy of belts backed up by the reputation of the kwan founders and owners. But meanwhile, any shift towards greater competition in the TKD marketplace would be a distinct improvement.

The biggest criticism I have received from former Sabumnims and other training partners is the Dan testing itself. For example, to earn your WTF 3rd Dan, you take a series of short tests over several years. The AAU testing happens on a single day. You either pass or fail based on your performance. If you are not ready, you will fail. This is very much like the promotions in Judo. I like this approach. When I open my school as a 3rd Dan, I will essentially train with fellow instructors, then test for my 4th Dan. I will be graded on my performance that day. If I perform badly, I fail and will have to wait another year.

I can see that that would be kind of intimidating, but it does have some advantages: it's all done in one day, and if you're on a roll, as you can expect to be if you've trained and prepared diligently, you'll `ace' your exam then and there.

Very, very interesting...

 

[Miles]

I will be testing for my 3rd Dan with AAU and opening my own school this year. I plan to test for 4th Dan with AAU as well in a few years.

My question is, how is the AAU Dan certification viewed throughout the TKD community? IMO, as long as what you teach is technically sound and effective, it doesn't matter which organization grants the certification.

Any opinions? Thanks.

First of all, welcome to MT and good luck with your upcoming test!

I don't personally know anyone who has AAU certification, but from their website, the AAU recognizes the KKW certificate on a "one for one" basis. I am pretty sure the KKW does not reciprocate by recognizing the AAU certificate. Since you are interested in teaching, I heartily recommend getting certified by the KKW and undergoing the Instructor Course.

Miles