Your last post would be a good example. Definitely not trolling.
This discussion is related to the relevance of this thread and the discussions taking place. That is on topic for this thread.
For the record, there is actually a competition forum meant for competition's of any style, here: The Competitive Edge
I am just trying to help a person that clearly appears to Not be ready for the competition at a certain level. Nothing else. All the other diatribe has just been tangential.
Yeah, I'm sure you're right, though some do. I mean, the dream for many kids who get into football (for example) is to score that big NFL contract. For many, it's their family's ticket out of poverty, and the know the risks. And believe me, I don't blame them.
He's not ready (or happy about) competition at a specific contact level. He may or may not be ready for it at a skill level though, we've got no reason to think he is. And he seems perfectly willing to admin he's not happy with the contact level-that was his first post and he's been totally consistent with stating that. I disagree, but I understand his argument and he's been very clear about his own limitations and frustrations here, which do not involve his personal skill level.
This is from the OP. I feel I have 'bent over backwards' trying to suggest there are other options out there. But it keeps coming back as an effort to change the rules of an organized sport that the OP really has limited experience in and sometimes has felt like direct assaults towards me for trying to help.
My understanding is that he does, he just wants them to move even farther towards that end. He wants to be able to compete in WT, but for WT's rules to change so that he's not risking concussions. As stated, I don't think that's needed, but it's clear what he wants, and that he understands what he's looking for. I read this all much more as him venting then looking to any of us for advice. I could be wrong, that's just how I read it.
Fair enough. I guess I read it more literal since I am closer to the sport. I have to measure it from both sides.
Even before I was a black belt, I wanted this as well.
Unfortunately, this is the nature of the sport. It's hard to face, and it's certainly not for everyone. But it's important to remember Taekwondo, is inherently a contact martial art meant for self-defense. We cannot water down martial arts and techniques for safety, as it's not a sport that is meant to be safe. Boxing, Taekwondo and all martial arts are inherently unsafe and should remain so, if they are to stick true to what they are supposed to accomplish.
I had mentioned these tournaments in one of my early posts, but it seems to have gone unheard.
For the vast majority of Taekwondo practitioners (all kids color belts, most adult color belts), this level of contact is not required.
That may be true. But player safety shouldn't take precedence over ensuring the martial art is effective and that it works for self-defence. If it did, you would get the issues that WT suffers from already. It has a soft reputation because the players are covered head to toe in protective gear, and techniques for point scoring which would be useless in real-life scenarios are encouraged. WT is not a martial art anymore, it's a game. Although knockouts are possible, they are rare. God forbid that a combat sport, remains a combat sport.
KO's are not the main aspect of the competition.
Because you can't expect a martial art to be successful if there is no inherent danger when you practice its techniques. That's why sparring and competition exist - as a rehearsal for the real thing. The more rules and safety you place during these rehearsals, the less effective your training. But if you practice or compete without having to worry about KOs, how do you expect to defend yourself from someone trying to ping your head off in a real fight?
If I can get KOs in competition, then what's the point in knowing how to defend them in a real fight?
