I was calling a round to find a new school. I live in Texas. The girl answering the phone said she was a 2 degree Black Belt. She asked If I had any experience. I said I had gone to one of Jack Hwang's schools. She said she had never heard of Jack Hwang. So then I ask had she heard of Jhoon Goo Rhee, she said no. I had no more questions. I do not know maybe I am crazy, but if you are a Black Belt living in Texas you should know who Jhoon Goo Rhee and Jack Hwang was. We can argue about the years need or what skill level a black belt should have, but Black Belts should know who Jhoon Goo Rhee was, who many consider the father of American Taekwondo.
BBs should know who Jhoon Goo Rhee and Jack Hwang (Hwang Sae Jin) was!
- Thread starter Bruce7
- Start date
Knowing or not knowing the history of the art doesn't necessarily affect the quality of instruction or training. But people not knowing the basics (hell, I know who Jhoon Rhee is!) after training more than a year drives me batty.
Headhunter
Senior Master
What does knowing some guy have to do with being able to teach or not? Personally I couldn't give a stuff about senior instructors in my style. I know the very big names but I don't know any senior ranks or any of these big names because I don't care about them. I'm there to train not look up names.
Just because this person doesn't know who they are doesn't mean they don't know the style and can't teach just means they're not bothered about that stuff
Just because this person doesn't know who they are doesn't mean they don't know the style and can't teach just means they're not bothered about that stuff
Not knowing some senior instructor isn't that important, IMO. Knowing key figures in the art ought to be part of the learning. It doesn't affect combat ability, but it should be there (for all that "should" is worth).
dvcochran
Grandmaster
It really comes down to what you value and how you are taught. I get people that do not know XXX instructor but that is not in the MA vein to me. Lineage is important in MA. That does not define what you are as an instructor however. But is should identify you within a given style. If that doesn't matter to someone they should be ok with saying they do not practice a Martial Art.
I can sorta see the point about Jhoon rhee, since he's pretty famous in the MA world and founded his own style. Not sure why people would be expected to know how jack hwang is though..I think that might be your bias since he trained you.
I don't get that, DV. I'm not really into the idea that a martial art is necessarily a higher-level thing.
skribs
Grandmaster
I don't know who they are. I've never heard the name Jack Hwang before. I've heard of Jhoon Goo Ree, but if I told you who he is it'd be a guess at best. I've trained under two different Masters at two different schools, and I couldn't tell you the name of many people outside of those schools. But I'm a good teacher. Not great, definitely not the best. But I have a firm understanding of the scientific principles behind Taekwondo and I've gotten pretty good at giving that knowledge to others. I don't really see what knowing a couple of names has to do with that.
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
Get used to it. Try asking a lot of students under 20 if they know who Bruce Lee was. Or a 45 RPM record.
If they are students of JKD, I'd expect them to know one of those. Can't practice those principles without vinyl.
You are right to call me out for being bias.
If anyone is interested in learning about the pioneers of Taekwondo in America. This is a nice article about some of those pioneers How Tae Kwon Do Won the West Part 1 - USAdojo.com
Here's my take on knowing Hwang's name. Someone interested in the history of the art would (and probably should) know it. But I (from my outside view) wouldn't consider his name the "one" that should be known. The parallel in my primary art (Nihon Goshin Aikido) is that I'd expect any moderately serious student to know who Morita Shodo (the founder of the art) and Richard Bowe (the one who brought it to the US, and the current head of style) are. They might or might not know who Steve Weber and Bob McEwen are - the two pioneers in spreading the art in the US. The latter I'd put (again, from my limited outside knowledge) on par with Hwang.
CB Jones
Senior Master
Master Chittim introduced Tae Kwon Do (Korean Karate) to the United States in 1956 by bringing Jhoon Rhee from Korean to his home in San Antonio, Texas.
This is a cool website Atlee Chittim - CottonValleyTaeKwonDo
The video forms on the site are the same as I learn 40 years ago.
The only different is when walking I was taught the feet moved in a circular movement.
skribs
Grandmaster
I'm 30 and don't know what a 45 RPM record is.
CB Jones
Senior Master
A small vinyl record they released singles on.
I kinda miss vinyl....maybe my next hobby or collection.
CB Jones
Senior Master
That’s a good friend of ours site and dojo.
Toby trained under Dr David Jordan at Louisiana Tech. Dr Jordan trained under Mr Chittim in the 60’s and was Mr. Chittim’s head instructor until he passed in 1989
Dr Jordan became a Kinieisiology professor at Louisiana Tech and started the La Tech karate club and team. His students have went on to open 11 dojo’s teaching a style of Korean karate called Atlee Chittim Korean Karate. A few years ago the membership changed the name to Chittim-Jordan Korean Karate.
Mandeville Karate Training Center
Part of their black belt test is knowing the history of Dr. Jordan, Mr. Chittim, Jhoon Rhee and Robert Trias and the Formation of the USKA
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This quote explains a lot. I am old enough to have played a 78.
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