Switching to Olympic Style

[Monarch]

Hi everyone,

I hold a 3rd Dan Black Belt through the Progressive Taekwondo & Budo Alliance (which may be disbanded, now that I'm looking online), which derives its Taekwondo style from Songham and Moo Duk Kwan traditions. Last year, I joined the AAU and attended a competition in Olympic style sparring. I did okay for my first try: only 2 fights, 1 win, 1 loss. It was a lot of fun, and I'd like to continue this pursuit. But I do have a couple of questions:

- How far will I be able to go in Olympic style without a Kukkiwon black belt?
- Are there any opportunities to go from amateur to professional competitive Taekwondo?

Thanks

 

[Archtkd]

Hi everyone,

- How far will I be able to go in Olympic style without a Kukkiwon black belt?
- Are there any opportunities to go from amateur to professional competitive Taekwondo?

Thanks

I am assuming you are based in the U.S and are not older than 33. If that's the case:
-- You can't compete in blackbelt divisions of any cadet, junior or senior USA Taekwondo sanctioned qualifer events without a blackbelt certificate. Youl also can't also compete in any WTF-sanctioned regional, continental or international events in cadet, junior or senior events without a Kukkiwon certificate and a WTF Global Athlete Licence. That licence can only be processed thorugh WTF-recoginzed taekwondo governing bodies.
-- There are no professional taekwondo (for which compeitors earn purses) events or leagues in WTF taekwondo.
-- If you are serious about trying to get to the USAT-sanctioned or WTF sanctioned events you will need a coach who is certified to coach at such events.

 

[Monarch]

Hey Archtkd,

Thanks for the info. Yes, I am in the US and under 33, sorry I forgot to specify.

I suppose that most international competitors earn through sponsorships then?

I actually do know of a coach, Grandmaster Missy Cann. She organized the last tournament I was at and wanted me to get more involved, but it sounds like I may have to take a couple steps back in the dojang to go forward in competition.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The Kukkiwon has long had a policy of awarding equivalent rank to practitioners of other branches of Tae Kwon Do. Just pay the fee and get a KKW 1st Dan certificate and you can compete as much as you like.


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Not TapaTalk. Really.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

The Kukkiwon has long had a policy of awarding equivalent rank to practitioners of other branches of Tae Kwon Do. Just pay the fee and get a KKW 1st Dan certificate and you can compete as much as you like.

No taegeuk poomse needed?

 

[Archtkd]

Hey Archtkd,

I suppose that most international competitors earn through sponsorships then?

I actually do know of a coach, Grandmaster Missy Cann. She organized the last tournament I was at and wanted me to get more involved, but it sounds like I may have to take a couple steps back in the dojang to go forward in competition.

Your supposition is incorrect. Most American elite taekwondo athletes -- as most elite judoka, amatuer boxers, gymnists, figure skaters, bowlers, shooters, etc. earn nothing from their craft in the way of sponsorship or otherwise. They (and their parents/families) often pay -- and dearly -- their way to international elite competition.

As Dirty Dog has pointed out it's easy to acquire Kukkiwon certification, but having the ability and skill to compete in WTF taekwondo at the national and international level is another story altogether. Get the skills first and worry about the certification when you get to that bridge. Lots of good local and regional tournament will not ask for proof of blackbelt certification.

 

[Monarch]

The Kukkiwon has long had a policy of awarding equivalent rank to practitioners of other branches of Tae Kwon Do. Just pay the fee and get a KKW 1st Dan certificate and you can compete as much as you like.

Interesting, how exactly would I go about doing this?

As Dirty Dog has pointed out it's easy to acquire Kukkiwon certification, but having the ability and skill to compete in WTF taekwondo at the national and international level is another story altogether. Get the skills first and worry about the certification when you get to that bridge. Lots of good local and regional tournament will not ask for proof of blackbelt certification.

Yep, the AAU didn't ask for anything like that, they just asked for my instructor's name and his contact info. There's some more circuits out there, so I'll see if I qualify for those as well.

 

[WaterGal]

I'm sure you can find someone out there that - if you paid them enough money - would just give you a KKW 1st Dan rank, without you having to actually learn the Taegeuk forms or anything like that. But I don't think I'd trust a school like that to be rigorous enough to prepare you adequately for a national-level tournament.

Anyway, ArchTKD is right, a lot of local (non-USAT) tournaments aren't going to ask to see your KKW credentials. If you show up in a black lapel v-neck uniform with a black belt on, they'll probably take it on faith that you're a black belt and put you in that division.

 

[Dirty Dog]

No taegeuk poomse needed?

Well, they do tell you that you're expected to learn and teach the KKW curriculum, but there's no enforcement possible.

On the other hand, while a deep understanding of the taegeuk poomsae takes years, an experienced practitioner can learn to perform them in a very short time.


Sent from an old fashioned 300 baud acoustic modem by whistling into the handset. Not TapaTalk. Really.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

You mentioned earlier that "The Kukkiwon has long had a policy of awarding equivalent rank to practitioners of other branches of Tae Kwon Do."

It would seem then that this is in practice, not in an actual policy. Correct?

 

[Dirty Dog]

You mentioned earlier that "The Kukkiwon has long had a policy of awarding equivalent rank to practitioners of other branches of Tae Kwon Do."

It would seem then that this is in practice, not in an actual policy. Correct?

I couldn't say one way or the other if there is a formal, published policy. I do know that we have been told on more than one occasion, by very high level KKW practitioners, that it is accepted practice.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Here's a thread in which two high level KKW practitioners indicate their willingness to provide KKW certification to a non-KKW Dan holder.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Thanks Dirty Dog. I read the thread and it seems like a regular test, with the regular KKW curriculum. So as far as I see, it's not really granting a BB to a holder of a BB in another TKD style. Rather, it's an invitation to test according to the KKW curriculum.

 

[Archtkd]

Interesting, how exactly would I go about doing this?



Yep, the AAU didn't ask for anything like that, they just asked for my instructor's name and his contact info. There's some more circuits out there, so I'll see if I qualify for those as well.

It's very easy for discussions here to drift to things that are irrelevant to the question at hand. Are you looking for a piece of paper or trying to be a good fighter? Here's the skinny: You can get a Kukkiwon blackbelt certificate tomorrow, but that won't make you an elite WTF style fighter or even a mediocre WTF style fighter. If you have a good foundation in any style of taekwondo, some talent and desire you will need at least two to three years of additional training with someone who knows what they are doing to develop good skills at WTF fighting. If you are thinking of elite fighting-- train daily during those three years. Note that will be the same time it will take you to earn a Kukkiwon blackbelt. Ultimately find a good well rounded Kukkiwon style teacher -- and there are few in any state in the union -- who will help you achieve the goal of learning Kukkiwon style taekwondo and developing into a WTF style fighter. Going around the tournament circuit should come at the end stages of your development.