PUMA Tae Kwon Do.

[Crazy_Fox]

Hi,

Firstly many apologies if this may sound like a stupid queston, but I'm new to Tae Kwon Do, (have my first lesson on Thursday) The local local Dojo mainly practises PUMA Tae Kwon Do, and something called Dragon Tae Kwon Do, I wondered if any of you guys (or gals) had heard of either and could fill me in on how they're different or not as the case may be ?

I know no style is better than any other, but the Dojo has 2 lessons a week of PUMA TKD and only 1 lesson of Dragon TKD. My main reason for opting for PUMA TKD was the number of lessons and regular practise.

Thanks In Advance
Dave.

 

[terryl965]

I have been doing TKD for over twenty year and never heard of this styles of TKD, maybe they are a mix breed of styles. Do you have a website for them.

 

[Crazy_Fox]

Yes I have a link I believe from what I have learned so far (from another website) PUMA was founded by Ex-TAGB instructors, in the UK, and my understanding is there possibly similar pehaps ??

This is the link http://www.puma-uk.com/

 

[terryl965]

Yes after looking over there website they are a ITF background which means more point type sparring with a mixture of other style to give there perspective student what they believe to be the best they can offer. They look like a real SD type school with all the other styles the teach so it is probaly a great place for training but since I'm in the US I really have no ggod advise I can give except give them a try and see how you adapt to there training./ Good Luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[IcemanSK]

After looking at their website, it seems P.U.M.A. is an acronym for something, rather than a style in & of itself. It looks like a tradition ITF school. It looks like they offer a lot of differnt things. It's hard to tell from a website, but I see nothing out of the ordinary or any "red flags" that point to problems or cause for alarm.

Perhaps our own Kacey can shed light on this one: as she is more familiar with ITF-style schools.

 

[terryl965]

Welll iceman I do not see where they are an ITF school just they do the old Chon-Ji type of poomsae, it does look like they are a mix of different stles but as Iceman no red flags to worry about just go and train and see for yourself

 

[matt.m]

Cool website. ITF school all the way. I am not as knowledgeable as Kacey, but my school does both ITF and WTF poomsea.

As far as the question "Is this school good or not?" That depends on a lot of things. A lot of it is about interaction of the group, you will understand the difference between decent and not so decent in time.

The important thing is to go to class and train. You have to begin somewhere to build a foothold or you never will.

Good luck,

 

[exile]

The important thing is to go to class and train. You have to begin somewhere to build a foothold or you never will.

(my bolding) Matt, when you're right, you're right! That says it all—that you have to start somewhere. I try not to regret too much, but one thing I definitely regret is all the time I've lost dithering over choices of one kind or another, instead of just getting `stuck in', as the British would say...

 

[Kacey]

PUMA is an acronym, for Professional Unification of Martial Arts, and I have heard of them before. I know very little about them, except that nothing was significant enough to stick out, and I don't recall anyone saying anything bad. They are ITF-affiliates on the TKD side; I don't know anything about their Tang Soo Do or Ju-Jitsu, but having looked at their site, the TKD is pure ITF, the patterns are the Ch'ang H'on tul set, some of the class site links I followed link into the United Kingdom ITF, and they list Gen. Choi Hong-Hi as the founder of TKD. I have heard of Master Nicholls, the senior master listed on the site, and don't recall hearing anything bad about him. I would guess, therefore, based on the names and some of the available courses I saw, that the quality is good at the top; I can't really speak for what the individual instructors are like - as Matt said, there are a lot of factors, and some of them have nothing to do with the martial art and everything to do with the instructor and the climate of the class.

Good luck with TKD, and please let us know how it goes!