Adult Taekwondo

[Tames D]

I've never seen as many "kid oriented" schools as folks say. In about 5 years of TKD now. I know they're out thefe, and I'll see them on occassion, but everyone Ive sparred at tournament is 16-35. I started at 16 and was the only person under 22 In my age group for 3 years.

In my experience, the folks seeing it as a "kids martial art" either haven't trained or hadomitted exposure i.e. one school.

 

[Tames D]

I would accept this as truth except for one thing. Alot of the comments are coming from TKD people themselves, as in some of the posts in this thread for example.

 

[Drose427]

I would accept this as truth except for one thing. Alot of the comments are coming from TKD people themselves, as in some of the posts in this thread for example.

So...you're more likely to believe folks who have never trained or have only ever seen one school? Who are basing opinions on "well I heard from a friend who saw online"?

 

[Tames D]

So...you're more likely to believe folks who have never trained or have only ever seen one school? Who are basing opinions on "well I heard from a friend who saw online"?

Please read my post again, Post #22.

 

[Drose427]

Please read my post again, Post #22.

That was what I was responding to

 

[Tames D]

That was what I was responding to

No, I'm more likely to believe TKD people that have been in their art tor a long time. That's mostly what I'm basing my opinion on. Also on what I have personally seen. But I see this is a sensitive subject for you, so I will back off and agree to disagree. No worries.

 

[Jaeimseu]

I would guess that in the USA, 9 out of 10 taekwondo schools are dominated by kids, i.e. one adult class per day, usually the last class of the day. Likely 70-80% of students are kids. If a dojang has a higher percentage of adults, I would say it is the exception. In Korea the number of kids schools is even higher. I would guess over 95% of commercial schools cater to kids, many kids only.

 

[TrueJim]

I would guess that in the USA, 9 out of 10 taekwondo schools are dominated by kids, i.e. one adult class per day, usually the last class of the day. Likely 70-80% of students are kids. If a dojang has a higher percentage of adults, I would say it is the exception. In Korea the number of kids schools is even higher. I would guess over 95% of commercial schools cater to kids, many kids only.

I would say that here in the suburbs of Virginia, I have to agree; that has been my observation as well. I do have one caveat though: it seems to me that in my area at least, taekwondo and karate schools tend to have very long hours as compared to a lot of other martial arts schools. So for example if a person is studying a different martial art in my area (wushu, juijitsu, etc.) there's still often only one adult class per evening at those other schools, and maybe a couple of other youth classes per evening...but then otherwise those schools are often closed during the rest of the day. Literally, if you drive past a taekwondo or karate school in my neighborhood at 4pm it'll be filled with kids, while many of the other martial arts schools haven't even opened their doors for business yet.

Until recently we had a UFC Gym in the neighborhood that at least offered several adult classes per evening, but not all of those were martial arts classes really (many were simply cardio classes)...and that gym closed recently anyway. I think it's hard to stay in business in this area if you're offering several adult classes per evening, but not augmenting that revenue with kids classes/camps as well.

In my experience at least, it's certainly true that the taekwondo and karate schools in this area tend to have a lot more kids, but the other schools around here still seem to offer only one adult class per evening. I would imagine that's not how it is in more urban areas though.

 

[Tez3]

Until recently we had a UFC Gym

Do you mean MMA? UFC is a fight promotion business not a martial arts style, sorry to point it out but it's important to those who do MMA that the style is recognised as such. Most of us have absolutely nothing to do with the UFC.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Do you mean MMA? UFC is a fight promotion business not a martial arts style, sorry to point it out but it's important to those who do MMA that the style is recognised as such. Most of us have absolutely nothing to do with the UFC.

UFC is franchising Gyms.

 

[Tez3]

UFC is franchising Gyms.

Really? Good grief, that's not good really at least for MMA as a whole. They are trying to close up the MMA world to something they own. So they will be doing childcare and kids classes too

 

[TrueJim]

UFC GYM

Our local UFC Gym (the one that recently closed in my neighborhood) actually did offer one child's class per day. If you go to their website (above) their franchises as a whole do offer kid's juijitsu and wrestling classes, but our local franchise didn't offer wrestling. Maybe other locations offer more than one kid's class per day so that they can fit in the wrestling lessons. As far as I know, they don't offer after-school programs at any of the UFC Gyms.

I took one of their kickboxing classes once ("try one for free!") and it was a great cardio workout; the class was mostly just doing combinations though ("kick, punch, elbow! kick, punch, elbow!") over and over again for an hour...exhausting, but much-much-much more boring than a taekwondo class. I don't think the problem is UFC though; I think that instructor just didn't have much imagination. UFC Gym also offers adult boxing, juijitsu, wrestling, and general "fitness" classes.

Our local facility was really nice before it closed. They had a ring, some mats, weight machines, and rows of heavy bags.

 

[Tez3]

The problem with the UFC gym is going to be that it's a franchise so could be run by anyone with the money to buy the franchise. I doubt the UFC is going to bother with quality control, it's just money in the bank to them. It's the same with any business. In the UK franchising martial arts hasn't got very far, I think that while belonging to organisations and getting things like the insurance from them most of our clubs/schools while they can make money for the instructors tend not to be businesses as such. I don't think we have TKD franchises here, I don't know that we have any for any other style either.
This means I think that they don't have the money making children's classes in the same way as a full time business does, lots of black belts clubs, children's parties etc. From what I've seen of TKD ( I train with a TKD friend at his club sometimes) it seems to be as many if not more adults than children, it's my impression though so don't take it as gospel!
What may stop the business aspect as far as kids are concerned as well is that we have quite strong legislation about who can take children, you have to be screened, have certificates for health and safety, prepare risk assessments etc, can be time consuming. It tends just to be children's classes rather than any pretence to childcare which would have to have inspections of building and such like.

 

[Manny]

Here in the dojangs in my city the adult vs teen/kids ratio ie svery low, I eman almost all the shcedules in the TKD dojangs are filled with kids (teens and children), very few adults over 30 years old for example, and that 's sad, for example in aikido classes in a good dojo I know there are several adults and they told me aikido is best for them because TKD and Karate for example are kidie oriented.

Manny

 

[jks9199]

It's my observation that Tae Kwon Do (and other Korean arts) as an industry has really latched into the day care model. Many provide before and after school care, including homework time, other activities, as well as a TKD class. They provide summer camp programs and other programs during school breaks, even birthday parties. They also add or encourage family classes, in some cases. My biggest gripe with this is simple: they're running day care, but often slip by the requirements for an actual day care. They don't have to keep the caregiver ratios, they don't have to do background checks, they don't have to meet any of the other requirements -- but they're doing day care. If they meet the day care licensing requirement for what they do -- then it's just business.

And let's be honest -- it's hard to be successful, or merely keep the doors open, with a pure traditional martial arts program, in a lot of cases.

 

[Balrog]

I'm 25 and have been training in TKD for 10 years. I'm a second degree black belt and noticed the changes in students I've trained with over the years. Many leave to new adventures in life . The adult black belt class I attend has mostly teenagers (13-17). I'm feeling awkward because I'm the oldest student in class. Does anyone else have an opinion to add.

I'm the oldest person in class, but I'm usually teaching it.

Over the years, martial arts training as a whole has seen a shift from almost all young adult males to a mixture of male/female and then to a decrease in age. I don't know how accurate this is, but I've heard from several sources that m.a. training these days is about 75% under the age of 18.

And within that demographic, we've seen quite a change as well. We used to get the athletic kids, the achievers. We still get them, but over the last 10-15 years, we're getting more underachievers. Mom and Dad are dragging their little couch potatos away from the video games and putting them in m.a. classes. It's an extra challenge to us as instructors because now we have to motivate a kid who doesn't want to be in the school in the first place.

And don't get me started on the parents who bring in their kids because they haven't got a clue on how to raise them and they expect the instructors to teach their kids how to be human beings in two classes a week.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

If you want an adult class simply have it as age 18 and above. Then you will have adults only!

 

[Dirty Dog]

If you want an adult class simply have it as age 18 and above. Then you will have adults only!

Depends on how you look at it.
We have a few students who are over 18 who are NOT adults, and some under who are.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Agreed DD.

One of the biggest problems though in having an adult class is if you allow juniors regularly into it. Some adults do not want to train with teens and typically most teens will benefit from training with people their own age as well. My advice when I hear someone complaining about not having enough adults is have a dedicated class just for them.

 

[Jaeimseu]

If you want an adult class simply have it as age 18 and above. Then you will have adults only!

That is exactly what we have at one of our dojang. We have four classes per day Monday-Friday, as well as classes on Saturday and Sunday. We are unusual to say the least.