ATA or TA

[BrianF]

Some qualifiers:

1. This is a request for info, not an attack.
2. My Son studies TKD, I do not, but I will start MA depending on where my next job takes me.
3. I have friends who study at a Taekwondo America school.


I am new to the MA and enjoy reading on this Forum and others. I think I have an understanding of what the ATA is and why some do not like it. My friends who attend the Taekwondo America (TA) school are each Black Belts (all 6 of them, the youngest is 11 and is 2nd degree). By all points of reference from the Forum, I am inclined to believe the school is similar to an ATA school and/or could be called a Black Belt factory.

If anyone is familiar with TA, please educate me. I am not going to attack my friends for their choice. But I do want info to help understand the differences in various schools and why my son's path through belt progression may be different to that of my friends' children.


Respectfully,


BrianF

 

[Tryak]

I do not know anything about TA in particular or much about ATA so I cannot comment on those. I would definitely say that an 11 year old 2nd day is extremely worrisome. The majority of respected schools will not award anything but a Poom (junior black belt) to students who are under 16.

I am not sure when this 11 year old started but from 1st -> 2nd dan should be at least 18 months minimum recommended and another 4-5 years just to reach 1st dan. So the 11 year old would have had to start at 4.5 years of age just to meet those guidelines alone and that does not even take into consideration that not having developed past puberty there would be a distinct lack of muscle mass required to adequately perform the techniques of a 2nd dan black belt.

Anyway I would be very wary about a school that seems to hand out black belts so easily. Perhaps they are awarded them to people who have "put in their time" and passing them from rank to rank without needing to demonstrate the full quality of skill but I have not seen the kids in question so I cannot say.


What kind of TKD does your son study? Belt progression does vary from school to school anyways in terms of color, stripes, time, etc even within ITF/WTF/ATA.

 

[stone_dragone]

Information regarding Taekwondo America can be found here - http://www.taekwondoamerica.org/ .

At first, I thought that it was a predecessor to the ATA - when I was active in the ATA my instructor had just changed his name from Taekwondo America to Coles ATA, although he has been with the ATA for years...my guess is he changed the name so as not to be confused with the TA organization.

Regarding belts being different through WTF/ATA etc, there should be VERY little variation in the belt ranks you see from one ATA school to another, perhaps stripes, but definitely not belts.

 

[Tryak]

How long does it take to become a Black Belt?
It is mathematically possible to become a Black Belt in two years. However, it often takes longer to attain that rank.

The very fact that they let you have a black belt after 2 years even though they acknowledge it takes some people longer <_<

 

[IcemanSK]

I would encourage you to go to each school & ask a lot of questions. Watch a class, ask about cost, contracts, length of each class, what extras students need to buy (uniform, gear, etc.). I'd say this about any school in any organization. You need to be comfortable with what you're getting. For any of us on here to paint an organation with a broad brush & say " yes" or "no" would be unfair.

I always say "ask a lot of questions & don't let any label on the door sway you."

All my best in your search.

 

[Daniel Sullivan]

Iceman's advice is, as always, fantastic. It isn't the organization that matters, but the people who will directly be teaching the students. There are wonderful instructors and horrid instructors in each and every organization. In addition, some wonderful instructors are not wonderfully suited to each and every student; different people connect with their students in different ways and on different levels. You need to make sure that the atmosphere and instruction style is right for you; it is your time and money that is being spent, after all.

I did go to the TA website and have a few observations. One, the hogu reminds me of what we used back in the mid eighties; head gear, gloves, and instep padding, but no chest guard. The uniform reminds me of the Mu duk kwon uniform. The schools compete only in TA sponsored tourney, so in that regard, it is similar to the ATA. They indicate two years plus on the black belt ETA. Since they don't qualify what makes it possible to get a blackbelt in only two years, I can't comment on the statement beyond that it does give a prospective student with little to no martial arts experience some idea of the commitment level that is expected. I do like the fact that they clearly state that a blackbelt is the beginning of a martial art, not a master level. Otherwise, the site is well laid out and and easy to navigate, though surprisingly less colorful that other sites which I have seen, such as the KKW, WTF, or ATA sites.

These things are neither good nor bad; just observations.

Best wishes!

Daniel

 

[jks9199]

The very fact that they let you have a black belt after 2 years even though they acknowledge it takes some people longer <_<

The website states that it is "mathematically possible", but doesn't really say "you will achieve" a black belt in two years. I read that as if you were to make every test, and advance every time, you would achieve their black belt in two years. But, they go on to mention that it often takes longer; that suggests to me that a person often doesn't make every test or doesn't advance every time.

But I don't see two years as unreasonably fast, depending on the curriculum requirements and depth below black belt, either. I've seen one TKD school that would give you a contract that you could earn a black belt in 18 months...

 

[BrianF]

My Son studies at the local YMCA with a student of Grand Master J.W. Kim, Mudokwan Martial Arts USA. Once (if) my son reaches the 1st Dan level, he would probably switch to Grand Master Kim's Dojang. We can switch at any time, but the costs are much less at the Y and the times are a better fit for us.


Thank you for all of your assistance. I have looked at the TA website and I see many similarities with ATA. I will ask my Son's teacher to explain why there may be differences in the speed with which one advances in different schools.


Brianf

 

[Tryak]

The website states that it is "mathematically possible", but doesn't really say "you will achieve" a black belt in two years. I read that as if you were to make every test, and advance every time, you would achieve their black belt in two years. But, they go on to mention that it often takes longer; that suggests to me that a person often doesn't make every test or doesn't advance every time.

But I don't see two years as unreasonably fast, depending on the curriculum requirements and depth below black belt, either. I've seen one TKD school that would give you a contract that you could earn a black belt in 18 months...

I just know both the ITF and WTF schools here are 4-5 years for a black belt..