Please help to understand

[Manny]

Please help me to understand why TKS instructors keep focus just only in kicks and put beside the wonderfull things about basics, defenses,blocks,parries,punches,hand techs,elñbows,knees,take downd,sweeps,arms bars, etc,etc.

The kids and teens only want to kick high but dislike the very beautiful part of tkd as a martial art.

El Manny

 

[Balrog]

I can't answer that, other than to say that it all depends on the instructor. I love adding in things like joint manipulation and takedowns. It adds a whole new dimension to the training.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Many years ago, I sparred against a TKD guy who just obtained his black belt. In that 20 minutes of sparring, he had kicked me more than 50 times. But he did not punch me at all. It was a challenge match and everything was allowed. I thought that was quite strange back then. I still think it's quite strange today.

 

[Tames D]

Please help me to understand why TKS instructors keep focus just only in kicks and put beside the wonderfull things about basics, defenses,blocks,parries,punches,hand techs,elñbows,knees,take downd,sweeps,arms bars, etc,etc.

The kids and teens only want to kick high but dislike the very beautiful part of tkd as a martial art.

El Manny

I didn't know tkd had a ground game. Arm bars? I'd like to hear more about this.

 

[RTKDCMB]

Please help me to understand why TKS instructors keep focus just only in kicks and put beside the wonderfull things about basics, defenses,blocks,parries,punches,hand techs,elñbows,knees,take downd,sweeps,arms bars, etc,etc.

The kids and teens only want to kick high but dislike the very beautiful part of tkd as a martial art.

El Manny

I am not sure if TKS is just a typo or a specific organization but the one I study has all of those things so it must be just that particular instructor or school.

I almost spelt 'typo' wrong, how ironic.

 

[RTKDCMB]

I can't answer that, other than to say that it all depends on the instructor. I love adding in things like joint manipulation and takedowns. It adds a whole new dimension to the training.

Taekwondo already has all of those things so it would actually be a replacement rather than an addition.

 

[WaterGal]

I think probably there's a few things. 1) Kicking is what Taekwondo is most well-known for. 2) In WTF matches kicking is used more than hand techniques because of the rules. 3) It's a lot easier to teach children how to kick well than how to do joint locks and grappling well. 4) Children like kicking and yelling better than doing joint locks. 5) Kids are less likely to get hurt while kicking, so parents are less likely to complain and give you a hard time.

 

[TrueJim]

Kids are less likely to get hurt while kicking, so parents are less likely to complain and give you a hard time.

I think this is pretty key. At the school my son and I attend, only the adult classes have any locks and grappling...the kids classes stick to kicking. I suspect that most of the kids could lock and grapple safely, but maybe 10% or so "tend to get too rough" and we could wind up with some dislocated joints if we let them grapple. As it is, our dojang has two main practice rooms: a big room and a small room. After class in the main room, a lot of kids will stick around for a while and go into the small room to play dodgeball or wrestle or whatever...the kids who "tend to get too rough" inspire tears enough as it is!

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Please help me to understand why TKS instructors keep focus just only in kicks and put beside the wonderfull things about basics, defenses,blocks,parries,punches,hand techs,elñbows,knees,take downd,sweeps,arms bars, etc,etc.

The kids and teens only want to kick high but dislike the very beautiful part of tkd as a martial art.

El Manny

I suspect part of the reason is that good kicks are hard to learn, so instructors spend more time on them. As well, some schools are all about sparring in the WTF rule set, so it's kicking, kicking, and more kicking. My current school is all about tournament kicks. so we might do punches 1 class out of 50.

 

[Tony Dismukes]

I didn't know tkd had a ground game. Arm bars? I'd like to hear more about this.

I believe Manny is referring to standing arm bars, not ground fighting.

 

[Chris Parker]

Please help me to understand why TKS instructors keep focus just only in kicks and put beside the wonderfull things about basics, defenses,blocks,parries,punches,hand techs,elñbows,knees,take downd,sweeps,arms bars, etc,etc.

The kids and teens only want to kick high but dislike the very beautiful part of tkd as a martial art.

El Manny

Sorry, Manny, this might sound… odd… but are you actually asking why Tae Kwon Do teachers, teachers of an art that's about 70-75% kicking, is known mainly for it's kicking array and skills, is focused on kicking as a major component, has it's competitive side based primarily around skills of kicking, are focused on teaching the kicking aspect (again, the majority of the art)? They focus on kicking because it's TKD… that's what TKD has, it's what it excels at. Is there more to TKD? Absolutely. But it can't be ignored that kicking is the primary skill set of TKD… and teachers teach that.

 

[Manny]

I think probably there's a few things. 1) Kicking is what Taekwondo is most well-known for. 2) In WTF matches kicking is used more than hand techniques because of the rules. 3) It's a lot easier to teach children how to kick well than how to do joint locks and grappling well. 4) Children like kicking and yelling better than doing joint locks. 5) Kids are less likely to get hurt while kicking, so parents are less likely to complain and give you a hard time.

I should agree with above, however it's sad it's happening.

El Manny

 

[Manny]

I believe Manny is referring to standing arm bars, not ground fighting.

Exactly! Even I know a little about wretling on the matt is beacuse of my little judo background, I have had gone to ther floor because: a) The head master (kwanjanim) of the dojang likes to do a little sirum once in a while and b in a couple of times a young buck (who practices kickj boxing and some grapling) duing self defense grabed and tooked me to the ground but in both times he could not break out my mount, I mean I subdue him and aplied some kind of inmolization on the ground, I know that if go to the floor with a grappler I would not succed, but most of my arms bar and locks are to put down my atacker and subdue him.

El Manny

 

[Drose427]

I didn't know tkd had a ground game. Arm bars? I'd like to hear more about this.

Some "Tradititional TKD"(TSD) will have a few newaza subs following a takedown

Admittedly, its judo that just got kept when styles meshed.

Armbars one of the first ones we show someone after they start learning takedowns cause there are so many locks, sweeps, and grabs that lead into it well.

Probably my favorite sub of all time honestly

 

[Drakanyst]

The thing to consider is that Taekwondo is an evolving art. It started as both folk practitioners AND military combat- both of which had different styles and techniques. These styles diversified and grew over the years, and eventually in 1955 became known as Taekwondo [and not 3+ other names]. Current day Taekwondo is a culmination of self defense, poomsae [forms], kyorugi [sparring], and demonstration. THAT said, yes- there are takedowns, joint manipulation, and various self defense techniques. However in sparring, the current trend of kicking in the case of TOURNAMENTS... is because the hogus have psi sensors. Those sensors are calibrated to a certain minimum force. If you don't make that force, you don't get a point. That being said, kicking is a lot more popular because it is much harder to hit with hands at the same psi as your kick.

And to be honest, lots of schools focus on that a lot more. That isn't saying it's thorough, or fun, but it happens.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Ok, I got this. It's their bread and butter. It is why they joined, and it is what you advertised by putting TKD on your sign.

 

[Earl Weiss]

The thing to consider is that Taekwondo is an evolving art..................................

Some might say "De-volving"

It's supposed to be Tae Kwon Do.

Some may teach mainly Tae, neglecting Kwon and Do

Some may teach Tae with more or less Kwon, and neglect Do.

If you neglect the Kwon and / or Do what are you really teaching / learning?

 

[RobBnTX]

Manny, are there any ITF schools or even Tang Soo Do schools in your area?

If you don't mind me saying so, I think you might find enough familiarity with either of those choices to be comfortable with and get the traditional practices you want.

If either of those two are not available maybe even try Shotokan Karate possibly. I know you are in Mexico, but I have no idea of what martial art schools you have available to you, just some suggestions.

You might find it difficult to start over again but if you could find an ITF school they might honor your black belt. A local Tang Soo Do school in my area will honor TKD black belts but you do have to learn their curriculum from the ground up

From my observations Kukki-TKD is what it is, love it or hate it. I know some who thrive in competing and live, eat, and breath for it every day of their lives, they are constantly training for the next tournament and aspire to be Olympic champions someday.

 

[Manny]

Manny, are there any ITF schools or even Tang Soo Do schools in your area?

If you don't mind me saying so, I think you might find enough familiarity with either of those choices to be comfortable with and get the traditional practices you want.

If either of those two are not available maybe even try Shotokan Karate possibly. I know you are in Mexico, but I have no idea of what martial art schools you have available to you, just some suggestions.

You might find it difficult to start over again but if you could find an ITF school they might honor your black belt. A local Tang Soo Do school in my area will honor TKD black belts but you do have to learn their curriculum from the ground up

From my observations Kukki-TKD is what it is, love it or hate it. I know some who thrive in competing and live, eat, and breath for it every day of their lives, they are constantly training for the next tournament and aspire to be Olympic champions someday.

Sadly there is no TSD or SBD or ITF TKD in my twon, only Shotokan Karate, Judo and Ikido, I tried Aikido and liked but I am a stricker/kicker and Judo took it as a boy. I did one full year of Kenpo Karate (Ed Parker) but sadly the kenpo sensei is bouncing aroun from location to location.

Manny

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

If you neglect the Kwon and / or Do what are you really teaching / learning?

Agree!

When your opponent blocks your kick, he will punch you back. It's better to punch him first before he punches you at that moment. Kicking without punching to support it is risky and incomplete. A kick followed by a punch is always the most nature flow in combat.

Here is an example.