Changing Dojangs

[Fortis]

Hey all,

I recently moved and will have to find a new Dojang. I've started scouting out some spots. I only have my green stripe (7th gup) but I'm curious how most Dojangs handle "transfer students" when it comes to keeping their rank? FYI, I don't feel like my current Dojang lets people belt-up needlessly and feel that my green stripe is well earned.

Thanks.

 

[terryl965]

Well fortis most dojaang will honor your rank as long as you are able to do the reqiurements. God Bless America

 

[ThuNder_FoOt]

I've jumped around before, maybe I might be of help. With one organization, I had to start from white, which at that time I held a 1st Dan. Another organization demoted me to brown, at which I couldn't test until I could perform all the previous material.

Are you switching organizations? Or simply a dojhang within the same organization?

 

[karatekid1975]

In NJ, I was at a really good dojang. But I had to move to NY. Now I call myself the dojang jumper LOL. Only because I can't find a good place to train as of yet.

Anyways, the first dojang I attended here, they made me start from white belt (different style .... I did Tang Soo Do first). When I switched from a TKD dojang to another, I was able to keep my rank. I also checked out a dojang today, which also lets you keep your rank, providing that you did TKD previously. I didn't get into detail with the instructor, but he was cool about it (I'm taking a free class tomorrow, so I will get more details).

I'm sure if you end up taking another style, they would make you start over, which is ok with me, because I don't know that style. Just my opinion, though

 

[Fortis]

Thanks for the feedback. I will be staying within the Tae Kwon Do system. I visited a Dojang yesterday and they were familiar with my old Dojang so if I end up there, it sounds like I'll keep my rank.

I would totally understand if I was switching disciplines and they wanted to start me at White.

 

[terryl965]

Good fortis are you itf, wtf, ata,which forms or kata do you do, I hope everything works out for you God Bless America

 

[Fortis]

Good fortis are you itf, wtf, ata,which forms or kata do you do, I hope everything works out for you God Bless America

My current dojang does Poomsae from WTF but to be honest, I am too much of a beginner to know any differences at this point. Are the belt systems different or are all the gups pretty similar?

 

[MichiganTKD]

Every organization tends to be different, as far as what requirements they expect at each belt level, although schools within the same club tend to be similar.
Generally, if you are a color belt and switch TKD schools, you will be placed at the rank most appropriate to your level, although it is common to have to start over again as a white belt. This can be done if your technique is radically different than what the club practices (such as going from a WTF to an ITF school, and vice versa). The Instructor may also make you start over again to test your patience and character. Students who resent having to start over again probably will not last long at a new school.
If you switch styles, say TSD to TKD or TKD to Karate, plan on starting over again. Even if the styles LOOK similar, they are not the same and the Instructor will undoubtably start you over to get you used to the technique, philosophy, and etiquette of a new system.
Personally, if a TSD student came to my class, I would automatically make them start over regardless of rank.

 

[Fortis]

Yeah, that makes sense ^^^^

I plan to try to stay consistent as far as schools' styles go. This is my Martial Art and I want it to be my base.

 

[phlaw]

I have been training in TKD since 1992, when I moved to California in 1996 (for about 1 year) I could not find good TKD school where I was so I started taking American Kenpo, they let me keep my rank out of respect for my training, but I still had to learn all of there techniques.

My cousin had a similiar experience going from TSD to TKD, the TKD instructor let him keep his rank.

 

[dosandojang]

What???? CA has MANY, MANY GREAT TKD Schools! TOO MANY TO NAME!

 

[Han-Mi]

My current dojang does Poomsae from WTF but to be honest, I am too much of a beginner to know any differences at this point. Are the belt systems different or are all the gups pretty similar?

At my TKD school we teach the students this information as soon as they join. It is good to understand your origins. I suggest you ask your instructor what you are learning. For instance, I practice the Tae Geuk forms. We are under the WTF and the Korea TKD Association. Our style of TKD is Chung Do Kwon. Chung Do Kwon was one of the earliest branches of TKD. Anyway, moral of the story is, learn your history. It can actually come in handy. Also, It is good to be able to talk to others about what you know without tripping up on a lack of this type of knowledge.

 

[Han-Mi]

oh ya, Whether you keep your rank or not, You are always that rank until you grow beyond it or stop training. So don't worry about belt rank, worry more about your knowledge. If you are good enough your rank cannot be denied. And I'm sure you are well learned if you are a 7th Gup.

One more side note. My schools ranksing system is:
white, yellow, advanced-yellow, green, advanced-green, blue, advanced-blue, red, advanced-red, student black, 1st black and so on.
I think your ranksing system is amreican tae kwon do. I could be wrong though.

 

[ipscshooter]

When my two sons and I started Tae Kwon Do, the older son had already attained a Green Belt through another school, which had gone out of business a couple years earlier. The instructor at the new school allowed him to keep his rank, because he could perform all blocks/punches/kicks quite well. But, in the course of training, he was still required to master all of the earlier patterns. My younger son and I advanced through the ranks at a faster pace, and ultimately, all three of us tested for Black Belt at the same time.

My younger son will be entering a Tang Soo Do program at school next fall, and will be starting over as a White Belt. So, it really depends on the instructor. Since the TSD program is offered through a public school, they apparently deem prior experience to be irrelevant, and don't allow kids to advance at a more rapid pace than their peers who have no experience.

 

[Moo D]

My younger son will be entering a Tang Soo Do program at school next fall, and will be starting over as a White Belt. So, it really depends on the instructor. Since the TSD program is offered through a public school, they apparently deem prior experience to be irrelevant, and don't allow kids to advance at a more rapid pace than their peers who have no experience.

TSD is quite different from TKD, most TSD schools use the old okinawan and So lim Sa (chinese) based hyungs and also the Chil Sung and Yuk ro hyungs which are only found in TSD/SBD.

I would suggest that you start from white belt if you change styles, as all styles have their subtle differences.

Regards,

 

[ipscshooter]

Moo D: Understood. And of course, neither he, nor I, have any problem with him starting over at white belt, since it is a new style. I would very much like him to stick through the program to attain his black belt in TSD, which, assuming he passes all the exams, takes 4 years. I am concerned about a possible boredom factor setting in. While there are obviously some differences between TKD and TSD, there are far more similarities. But, because the program is offered through a public school, all advancement is done in lock step. Thus, even though I have no doubt that he will be able master the forms and techniques faster than contemporaries who have no martial arts experience, he will not be allowed to advance at a rate based upon his mastery of the curriculum (we have already worked through the steps of the three Kee Cho patterns and the first Pyung Ahn pattern from a text - obviously they will require live tuning from a TSD practitioner).

 

[Fortis]

At my TKD school we teach the students this information as soon as they join. It is good to understand your origins. I suggest you ask your instructor what you are learning. For instance, I practice the Tae Geuk forms. We are under the WTF and the Korea TKD Association. Our style of TKD is Chung Do Kwon. Chung Do Kwon was one of the earliest branches of TKD. Anyway, moral of the story is, learn your history. It can actually come in handy. Also, It is good to be able to talk to others about what you know without tripping up on a lack of this type of knowledge.

Since starting this thread I have done a bit of research regarding TKD history, the different Kwans and organizations. I am Chung Do Kwan as well and practice under the WTF. Even after learning some more history, I still don't really have an exact idea of what makes the Kwans different, etc. I expect I'd have to train in the other Kwans to really know. As far as it being a necessary moral, I learn the history because that sort of thing interests me but I don't think it's necessary for someone who isn't as interested to really understand all the ins and outs of TKD and its many branchings. Most of it is subtle in nature and a lot of it seems to have to do with Korea's political issues during the past 60 years.

Han-Mi, you gave all of your belt rankings but failed to mention Brown. Do you go straight from Advanced Blue to Red?

 

[Han-Mi]

I don't think it's necessary for someone who isn't as interested to really understand all the ins and outs of TKD and its many branchings. Most of it is subtle in nature and a lot of it seems to have to do with Korea's political issues during the past 60 years.

Han-Mi, you gave all of your belt rankings but failed to mention Brown. Do you go straight from Advanced Blue to Red?

You are probably right about not needing to know about all the history. However, I would suggest that everyone know at least their own styles history. As for the brown belt, no, we have no brown belt. We have a Student Black belt as a transition from red advanced to 1st dan. My understanding is that that isn't in all styles. How about yours?

 

[MichiganTKD]

I practice Chung Do Kwan as well, and can tell you that one of the things that differentiated the Kwans was the techniques they emphasized, and a lot of that had to do with the background of the Kwan Jangs. For instance, the primary technique of CDK is/was the side kick/jumping side kick. Ideal for making power, not as good for tournaments. Ji Do Kwan used the front kick/punch combo which shows up in Palgue Ei chang. Most of the others used roundhouse kicks. Chung Do Kwan was also defined in how it constructed its movements. It emphasized a graceful fluid motion, followed by a powerful stopping action designed to maximize force, similar to a wave-fluid then strong.

 

[Han-Mi]

I practice Chung Do Kwan as well, and can tell you that one of the things that differentiated the Kwans was the techniques they emphasized, and a lot of that had to do with the background of the Kwan Jangs. For instance, the primary technique of CDK is/was the side kick/jumping side kick. Ideal for making power, not as good for tournaments. Ji Do Kwan used the front kick/punch combo which shows up in Palgue Ei chang. Most of the others used roundhouse kicks. Chung Do Kwan was also defined in how it constructed its movements. It emphasized a graceful fluid motion, followed by a powerful stopping action designed to maximize force, similar to a wave-fluid then strong.

Interesting. Makes sense. Thanks for the info.