dislike of a musical form but learning it anyway - it's part of the curriculum

[lavender]

Hi,

I used to go to another school, but left it in 2006 (at red belt). About 18 months ago I caught up with one of the instructors who used to teach there. He started his own school and I ended up hired to assist classes and whatnot.
I wasn't thinking about styles and the fact that this school does Jhoon Rhee tkd wasn't a big issue for me because we got a new instructor who was working with me on WTF forms on the side. The plan was he would help me get bb through Kukkiwon.

I am in the last level before black and for the most part, all I have to learn is the form. But it is done to music. It's Exodus. I wasn't too happy about this form in the first place. But now we are partnering (? merging? franchising?) with another school and it looks like things are about to change some. For example, their black belt forms are all musical. Beethoven, Granada, Twilight Zone. This is what I have to look forward (ha!) to. Hmm.

I don't like this kind of form being required as part of the curriculum. Also not too pleased that things conspire to make it harder for my instructor to prepare me for bb from Kukkiwon (which means more to me than one through Jhoon Rhee style).


There is a possibility I will be moving at the end of the year. If so, I wouldn't be getting 2nd degree here and would only have to deal with Beethoven for a little while. Until then, unless I leave this school, I still have to learn Exodus. I really, really dislike this form. If it was optional, or part of a demo thing I had to learn, maybe I wouldn't mind as much. I know the shape of it without music, and I'm working on getting the timing to the music, but my dislike of this form is making the process harder than it needs to be.

This is part rant, but please! Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[skribs]

To be blunt: if you're not having fun, then why are you there? I know in my area there are several options for TKD schools, if the same is true where you are, maybe you should consider the others. Or do you like everything else about your school and just hate the form? In that case, there's something you're probably going to hate about every school.

If the style of forms is a big enough turn off, and there aren't any other TKD schools in your area that you would want to go to, you could also consider another art (blasphemy, I know). IMO, it's less about the specific art and more about the school, instructor, and curriculum.

With that said, if the forms you hate are only a small percentage of what you do, it might be better to just suck it up and do them, so you can enjoy the rest of the class.

 

[lavender]

Well I work there, so I don't pay tuition or testing fees (well, when they start charging those), free uniform every 6 mo., and if we did more tournaments boss would pay fees, oh, and no mark up on extra equipment. This is last color belt and wouldn't hurt to finish the bb from jhoon Rhee before switching schools. And like I said, I'm likely moving in 7 months.

 

[granfire]

I suppose the perks are worth it....

But forgive me
:lfao::lfao:

Mandatory forms to music?!

I like music, I like forms, I like both combined, but not mandatory. And not to somebody else's choice.
We did a demo one time, the BBs doing one of the forms to 'Paradise City' by Guns'n Roses...going in four directions at once, that was pretty cool.

But as mandatory?

I suppose I would finish out the 7 month and then look for something new. I am sure that is not the only quirk...


(Ok, Two Steps From Hell, we can talk about that...It would make Chung Ji epic!)

 

[oftheherd1]

How badly do you want a black belt? I have only seen one demonstration of Jhoon Goo Rhee's dance/art form. I didn't care for it but that was/is a personal thing. Make no mistake, I have a lot of respect for Mr. Rhee's abilities.

I think you might want to take this as a challenge to overcome youf dislike of the accompaniment to the form. There are many things we must learn to overcome in life. Let this be one of them for you. When you have to perform that form, do it better than anyone else. At your level and job, you must be what others aspire to.

If you get your black belt and move to another school, you will have other things you may dislike and need to overcome. You will have good practice at it.

I wish you luck in getting past this.

 

[lavender]

Exactly, granfire!

Several of Jhoon Rhee's forms are done to music, only this school only used music for Exodus. With the partnership, or whatever, we'll likely be taking their lead here. Which means music foms, at least w this rank. I don't know what will happen to us yet.

We have 1 of their instructors 2 days/week. Wasn't sure after last Wednesday, but he chastised our 3 hot shot strongest kids for goofing off today and it's a long time coming for them. I almost cheered. He did it in a good way and I hope he got through. One of them almost challenged a black belt from the school that hosted the last tournament - but this kid is only 3 belts in. He also spoke down to a girl 1 rank above him because he says he's so much better than her. He is stronger, but she has to work for it while it comes easier to him. So the new guy is definitely in my good book.

 

[skribs]

How badly do you want a black belt?

If "black belt" is the goal, then there are ways to do that without staying at one specific school. It might be a minor setback, but I think most schools will let you test in to see where you fit in their curriculum. Now, "how bad you want black belt in the next ____ months"...well, there's another question.

 

[Gnarlie]

Maybe you'll learn something you don't expect to via the musical forms. I know I did. They do force a kind of fluency of movement.

Gnarlie

 

[Earl Weiss]

I can't help but wonder how many students like 100% of the curriculum.

Believe it or not, most often instructors know more than the students. I have seen stuff I thought was Cr*p and after wortking with it a while saw some merits. Sometimes a while was weeks, sometimes months and sometimes years. Then there has been stuff I thought was great and later felt it was cr*p.

Also, while some material may have little benefit or appeal to you, it may have more benefit or appeal to others. If you become an advanced student you need to know it so you can teach it. (or not).

 

[oftheherd1]

Exactly, granfire!

Several of Jhoon Rhee's forms are done to music, only this school only used music for Exodus. With the partnership, or whatever, we'll likely be taking their lead here. Which means music foms, at least w this rank. I don't know what will happen to us yet.

We have 1 of their instructors 2 days/week. Wasn't sure after last Wednesday, but he chastised our 3 hot shot strongest kids for goofing off today and it's a long time coming for them. I almost cheered. He did it in a good way and I hope he got through. One of them almost challenged a black belt from the school that hosted the last tournament - but this kid is only 3 belts in. He also spoke down to a girl 1 rank above him because he says he's so much better than her. He is stronger, but she has to work for it while it comes easier to him. So the new guy is definitely in my good book.

I have mentioned before, that during the time I studied under Jhoon Goo Rhee, we had a very athletic you man join the school. He was fast, accurate, and pretty happy with himself. Unfortunately, he let it get to his head, and delighted in scoring against anyone he could, even higher ranks. And certainly he was capable of doing so against some higher ranks. Some he couldn't score against, he could still keep them guessing and on their toes. He delighted in doing that no matter who he sparred and how he made them look. Of course, that is not really good MA etiquette, to set out to embarrass higher belts at every opportunity. After a few times at sparring, Mr. Rhee told the student to spar with him. He used a side heel hook kick to the solar plexus, which totally took the starch out of the student. The shock, disbelief, and dismay were clearly written on his face. Unfortunately, the student never returned. I wish he had. He was good except for needing a slight attitude adjustment.

Interestingly, the hook kick was not taught to us at our level. We all just sat there looking at each other wondering what had happened. Especially knowing we had watched it but didn't know what we had seen.

But the point is that sometimes any of us may need an attitude adjustment. One problem is how it it given, a bigger one is how we take it. I hope the students you mentioned learned the correct way.

 

[skribs]

Believe it or not, most often instructors know more than the students. I have seen stuff I thought was Cr*p and after wortking with it a while saw some merits. Sometimes a while was weeks, sometimes months and sometimes years. Then there has been stuff I thought was great and later felt it was cr*p.

Not everyone will agree with 100% of the curriculum in any school, but depending on how big the part is that you disagree with, even one thing might be a huge contention.

However, just because "everything has some merit", it doesn't mean that you should just stay in a class because you might later realize that there was some wisdom to the "madness". Some people might thrive doing the forms to music, others might not. I've seen some videos of forms where the motions are very fluid and graceful, which is very different from the snap power that is preached in my school.

Everyone learns differently. The music would definitely not work for me. I'm not a music fan, and I have no rhythm. I can't even spell rhythm without spell check (literally, just had the red lines from auto-spell-check until I corrected it). These would not work for me, and I'd feel way too much that I'm learning dance instead of martial art. I would find it less fun, demotivating, and I wouldn't feel as competent or confident in my abilities.

On the other hand, someone who loves music and/or dance might find this right up their alley. It might help their timing and increase their enjoyment, which in turn boosts confidence and competency. It's just like how in any teaching course they tell you about how people can learn from listening, reading, or doing. Some people are visual learners, others auditory, and others kinetic. Varied instruction styles gives people more opportunities to find an instructor whose curriculum is best fit for you.

 

[WaterGal]

Well, do it or don't, I guess. The perks do seem pretty good, but are they worth it to you?

To me - and this has nothing to do with you personally and I hope this doesn't offend you - their desire to hire a color belt as an instructor would've been a big red flag right from the start.

 

[skribs]

To me - and this has nothing to do with you personally and I hope this doesn't offend you - their desire to hire a color belt as an instructor would've been a big red flag right from the start.

Pun intended, because he's a red belt?