Is taekwondo very common in the UK?

[JohnnyEnglish]

I found quiet a lot taekwondo clubs over here, but I am not sure all taekwondo clubs are as sparring oriented as the one I am learning in.

Question: Is taekwondo very common in the UK? So am I able to find an other dojo which trains a lot of sparring and kicking pads and sandbags less katas ? Or are the most taekwondo-schools very traditional, kata oriented.

 

[Tez3]

Yes, TKD is very common over here but tend not to use Japanese terms like 'dojo' and 'kata'

I'm not sure what you mean by 'sandbags less katas' though, the only thing we use sandbags for is in times of flood.

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

Yes, TKD is very common over here but tend not to use Japanese terms like 'dojo' and 'kata'

I'm not sure what you mean by 'sandbags less katas' though, the only thing we use sandbags for is in times of flood.

Hi, thanks for the answer.

Sorry, but I only know the Japanese terms Coming from Karate.

What I mean with sandbags is simply kick and punch training on sandbags but LESS kata-walking instead ( katas-forms ). I was in a Karate school, which literally was walking up and down the dojo all day long, we did sparring like once a week and punching and kicking on pads like once a month. This was the most boring Karate-school I've ever been to, Taekwondo seems much different, it seems much more challenging, much more contact, much more sparring and much more power-training on sandbags and pads. I love it.

Quiet shocking that you don't know boxing sandbags though. We use them a lot.

 

[Tez3]

Hi, thanks for the answer.

Sorry, but I only know the Japanese terms Coming from Karate.

What I mean with sandbags is simply kick and punch training on sandbags but LESS kata-walking instead ( katas-forms ). I was in a Karate school, which literally was walking up and down the dojo all day long, we did sparring like once a week and punching and kicking on pads like once a month. This was the most boring Karate-school I've ever been to, Taekwondo seems much different, it seems much more challenging, much more contact, much more sparring and much more power-training on sandbags and pads. I love it.

Quiet shocking that you don't know boxing sandbags though. We use them a lot.

We use kick bags not sandbags.

There are huge differences in karate training, that all you did was walk up and down in your class doesn't mean all classes are like that. The trick is to find a place you like, changing styles won't mean that you automatically find a place you like. I know karate places that are all sparring and some that do none, some that do a mixture and plenty of places that do sparring, pad work, kata and bunkai.
I think you will find that good TKD and good karate are the same in that they are a mixture of techniques, sparring and kata/patterns. Only the techniques will be performed differently, the intensity of training should be the same.

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

We use kick bags not sandbags.

There are huge differences in karate training, that all you did was walk up and down in your class doesn't mean all classes are like that. The trick is to find a place you like, changing styles won't mean that you automatically find a place you like. I know karate places that are all sparring and some that do none, some that do a mixture and plenty of places that do sparring, pad work, kata and bunkai.
I think you will find that good TKD and good karate are the same in that they are a mixture of techniques, sparring and kata/patterns. Only the techniques will be performed differently, the intensity of training should be the same.

I guess you are absolute right!

Well, I love working with my legs, so I guess taekwondo is more my cup of tea

I do ITF Taekwondo by the way.

 

[Jacky Zuki]

Like all Martial Arts in the UK, coverage tends to be regionally clustered. There is a rash of TKD clubs in the next city but nothing around here, whereas locally I can choose from three styles of Karate in five clubs. What does tend to happen is that the majority of clubs cluster around access to a high ranking individual so they tend to be similar in style and outlook. You might find that your local TKD clubs come from different parent organisations but it depends on the area and I found that clubs from the same parent tend to train in pretty much the same way.

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

Like all Martial Arts in the UK, coverage tends to be regionally clustered. There is a rash of TKD clubs in the next city but nothing around here, whereas locally I can choose from three styles of Karate in five clubs. What does tend to happen is that the majority of clubs cluster around access to a high ranking individual so they tend to be similar in style and outlook. You might find that your local TKD clubs come from different parent organisations but it depends on the area and I found that clubs from the same parent tend to train in pretty much the same way.

I see, I wish it would be ruled a bit more clear when it comes to training.

I mean let's say you practice Karate, you are used to have sparring/Kumite involved everyday, then you have to move to an other city for some reason and find Karate dojos doing katas all day long only. This is definitely the most frustrating thing in my imagination, practising a martial art for years and years, and just throwing away the hard training because there is no proper school around.

I love the UK and I don't want to say that my country is better, but when it comes to the structure of martial arts, it is much better organised. Karate has everywhere the same structure, same as all other martial arts. The training always involves EVERYTHING, sparring,katas and some Self-Defence. You can usually choose if you want to do Semi- or Full-contact in every martial arts club over there. ( Sure it would not make much sense to practice things like Muay-Thai in just semi-contact ). This is simply what I miss over here, there is no consistent order in martial arts, every club does what and how they want it, so some dojos kind of lose the whole focus about the actual martial art. Some martial art schools are not even able to tell you what exactly they are teaching

 

[Tez3]

I see, I wish it would be ruled a bit more clear when it comes to training.

I mean let's say you practice Karate, you are used to have sparring/Kumite involved everyday, then you have to move to an other city for some reason and find Karate dojos doing katas all day long only. This is definitely the most frustrating thing in my imagination, practising a martial art for years and years, and just throwing away the hard training because there is no proper school around.

I love the UK and I don't want to say that my country is better, but when it comes to the structure of martial arts, it is much better organised. Karate has everywhere the same structure, same as all other martial arts. The training always involves EVERYTHING, sparring,katas and some Self-Defence. You can usually choose if you want to do Semi- or Full-contact in every martial arts club over there. ( Sure it would not make much sense to practice things like Muay-Thai in just semi-contact ). This is simply what I miss over here, there is no consistent order in martial arts, every club does what and how they want it, so some dojos kind of lose the whole focus about the actual martial art. Some martial art schools are not even able to tell you what exactly they are teaching

Yeah we know, the trains run on time in Germany and everyone stops at the give way signs on roads. I lived there for three years and the civil obedience was scary.

When you say 'karate' you realise that/'s the generic term for the style, that in fact there are many different 'types' of karate and each has it's way's of teaching, their own syllabus etc. We have a lot of choice here over what martial arts we can do, it's good that way, you find things that suit you. Wado Ryu suits me, Shotokan not so much, TKD not so much either but the choice is there and we hopefully find our martial arts niche. We don't like things to be uniform and under the same group of people. I think if you stay here you will have to live with it lol, that attitude informs everything here, we like individuality and even eccentricity.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

love the UK and I don't want to say that my country is better, but when it comes to the structure of martial arts, it is much better organised. Karate has everywhere the same structure, same as all other martial arts.

Interesting. Is there some central authority that enforces this? How does it work for different styles of karate? Are you saying that Shotokan schools train the same as the Kyokushin schools train the same as the Isshin Ryu schools and so on? Or are you saying that all the Shotokan schools train the same as each other, all the Wado Ryu schools train the same as each other, all the Goju Ryu schools train the same as each other, etc?

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

Interesting. Is there some central authority that enforces this? How does it work for different styles of karate? Are you saying that Shotokan schools train the same as the Kyokushin schools train the same as the Isshin Ryu schools and so on? Or are you saying that all the Shotokan schools train the same as each other, all the Wado Ryu schools train the same as each other, all the Goju Ryu schools train the same as each other, etc?

No., sure there are differences between the certain styles.

The trainers usually have to get licenses where they are tested at and also told how to educate. But it's typical for everything in Germany. Whatever you do, there are rules for it how exactly to do it. Germans don't like big change, everything has to be consistend.

I would advise you to do a travel through Germany and it's Karate clubs, you will see what I mean.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

No., sure there are differences between the certain styles.

The trainers usually have to get licenses where they are tested at and also told how to educate. But it's typical for everything in Germany. Whatever you do, there are rules for it how exactly to do it. Germans don't like big change, everything has to be consistend.

I would advise you to do a travel through Germany and it's Karate clubs, you will see what I mean.

Licensed and tested by the government? Does that mean that some governmental bureau has standards written up for how each martial art is supposed to be taught and practiced? How do they handle new martial arts that they don't have standards for?

I find this fascinating. Do you know of any online source in English that explains how it all works?

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

Licensed and tested by the government? Does that mean that some governmental bureau has standards written up for how each martial art is supposed to be taught and practiced? How do they handle new martial arts that they don't have standards for?

I find this fascinating. Do you know of any online source in English that explains how it all works?

No not by the government, the government has nothing to do with it. But there are certain organisations that control this. + it is a usual thing anyway, so even if somebody would create his own martial art, he would include the usual training parts in to his training. Sparring, full-contact,semi-contact.

No German would ever visit a martial arts school which does not even do sparring at least once a week. Which means, the most dojos/dojangs include it in their training anyway, to get students. + the companies who teach and license trainers, are also usually concentrate to cover up all aspects.

I don't have sources, since i've never wanted to become a trainer or was far enough to become one. I got this information from 20 years living in Germany and an 11 years martial art backround in many different martial art clubs.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

No not by the government, the government has nothing to do with it. But there are certain organisations that control this. + it is a usual thing anyway,

Gotcha. So each martial art is controlled by a central organization that sets standards and certifies instructors? Do you not have many independent schools that are separate from the larger organizations?

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

Gotcha. So each martial art is controlled by a central organization that sets standards and certifies instructors? Do you not have many independent schools that are separate from the larger organizations?

Let's say it like this, as far as I know we kind of have independent schools, but even they are part of some sort of organisation, because a trainer is NOT allowed to teach and students are NOT allowed to train if they are not member of such organization. BUT even the miniority of smaller organizations, share exactly the same rules and teach the same essential parts of " How to train " to each trainer.

It's a bit like with a driving license, there are many different driving schools you can do your driving license, but at the end you have to sit the same test as everyone else and have to have at least a certain amount of driving hours at night and daytime, at bad weather + a certain amount of theoretical hours. It's exactly the same in the whole country. It's very similar if not the same with martial arts.

Sure Karate is not ruled like Boxing, but each martial art has it's " way to follow " if you know what I mean.

For example: If you are working out everyday in a KICKBOXING class, but you sadly have to move far away to the country-side for some reason, you can be 100% sure, that the kickboxing club you will find there, will also train like your club did it. Sparring everyday,techniques and more. While in the UK, it is not so sure what you are actually joining. You might train Karate and have some sparring everyday, but an other class does hardly do any sparring. And this is what I meant by, it is organized better in Germany. That's all.

 

[Tez3]

And this is what I meant by, it is organized better in Germany. That's all.

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

View attachment 19425

*cough* troll *cough*

 

[Tez3]

It would seem Stuttgart is the place to go for martial arts, a huge selection. Must be a rebel stronghold to have so many varied styles.
Best Martial Arts in Stuttgart Baden-W rttemberg Germany

 

[tshadowchaser]

Just a friendly reminder to all this is a friendly forum, disagreements are fine but please be respectful of each other.

 

[JohnnyEnglish]

It would seem Stuttgart is the place to go for martial arts, a huge selection. Must be a rebel stronghold to have so many varied styles.
Best Martial Arts in Stuttgart Baden-W rttemberg Germany

Lol, I've never even said that there are not many different styles. I just said they all train after the same structure.

Do your reading before you are trying to troll my threads.

Troll.

 

[Tez3]

Lol, I've never even said that there are not many different styles. I just said they all train after the same structure.

Do your reading before you are trying to troll my threads.

Troll.

I think you forgot that I said I'd trained in Germany as have many of my martial arts students in different parts of the country.
Before accusing others of trolling you may want to consider your threads and the remarks you have addressed to people here. Telling people who are actually experts in their subject that what they write is BS is not really the best way to make friends here. Even taking into account that English is not your first language and I think possibly is your third and German is perhaps your second there is little reason for you to be so bombastic in posting. I write plainly , I speak as I find as they do where I live, Yorkshire people are known for their plain speaking, it's not dressed up in flowery words and if you don't like it then I'm sorry but it's what it is.
GENUKI Yorkshire Folk Talk The Yorkshire character