Tae Kwon Do Ego

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Sparks

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I wanted to share a story from an experience I found rather odd. I visited a Tae Kwon Do academy in my city to decide if it was as school I wanted to study at. There was a rather flirtatious Korean gal at the front desk wearing her dobak who gave me the information I requested and 'allowed' me to watch a class. They had a complex multi-layered pricing system and even offered a 'guaranteed black belt program' that you could complete in two years or as long as it would take for a very high price mind you. She told me that the head instructor was a renown martial artist and incorporated several styles within the curriculum. There was this humongous picture covering a wall of him doing a flying side kick into a stack of boards. Watching the class I noticed two black belt instructors in the far corner of the dojang each holding a bo staff, like they were standing guard (!). The class was at attention, lights dimmed, and then the head instructor came out and everyone started clapping. Whatever! He then walked to the front where the pretty Korean gal was and later disappeared back to his office. Then the Bo-wielding guys in the corner came out to teach class consisting of stretching and calisthenics lasting approximately 25 minutes. The final 20 minutes was spent practicing various stances, going back and forth with punches and kicks and that was it. Hmmm. I left unimpressed and eventually joined a more down-to-earth school- another story.



Then, a couple weeks later after this visit I was in the parking lot where this school was located visiting another shop in the same strip mall. I was walking to my car and looked over and noticed the head instructor was standing outside the dojang, very well dressed, wearing these wrap-around shades, looking real cool. There was a few other well dressed guys, in shades, around him as well. As I got to my car I saw then lock up the doors to the school and one of them said "shi jock!" loudly and the troop commenced out to the parking lot to several parked vehicles. The weird thing was the head dude was surrounded by all these guys in a perimeter fashion, like he was the president or something! One guy even walked out in front of a lady with a shopping cart to prevent her from getting too close to this guy. It looked like a scene off some cheesy martial arts flick.



Anyway that's my little story. Has anyone else ever seen behavior like this in TKD before or in any other martial art? Is there anyone in martial arts who has a traveling cavalcade around them at all times like the godfather or something? It was really very strange to say the least.
 

TigerWoman

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Both of those scenarios sound bizarre! The first class sounds like the traditional type of school that was one of my master's first schools. That school still is pretty much like that except for the instructors at attention with bo's and clapping.

However for another example...in our dojang, when the master enters the room, the highest belt, shouts chary-ot, attention, then kwan jang nim, keh kun ye (sounding) meaning bow to the master, owner of the school, then we start class and HE teaches (usually). At the end of class after all the bowing out, he does want us to clap. What is with that, does anyone know? I clap once, a big whoop. I think it is silly.

We have complex pricing too to fit everyone's schedule and needs. But no guaranteed black belt in x years. That's not a good school to go to, if they promise that. TW
 

Kenpojujitsu3

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Seen lots of TKD schools, heard lots of stories, spent my fare share of time in TKD. Don't be alarmed. That IS WIERD, it's not just you. Did they at least have the courtesy to give you some popcorn for the cheesy show :)
 
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Sparks

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You only got to have the popcorn with a one year contract- haha! It was very strange indeed. I couldn't help but imagine this guy had something to hide- either that or he was extremely insecure?? Or maybe just a huge ego.
 

Gemini

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Sparks said:
I couldn't help but imagine this guy had something to hide- either that or he was extremely insecure?? Or maybe just a huge ego.
Or all of the above. I've never met anyone that good at anything to deserve all that. Did he have a name or was noone worthy enough to utter it? :rolleyes:
 

The Kai

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I wonder...how much should I dim the lights? for how long? How long should I let them clap? What is the fewest number of bodyguards i could use.
 

The Kai

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Oh no they're not for me. It's to protect the "sheepeople" from my wrath
 
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Kempogeek

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I wonder if his students have to kneel before him and kiss his ring before they can leave. Does this guy think he's God's gift to TKD, let alone the martial arts? What a joke!....Steve
 

karatekid1975

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Sheesh, it does sound like a cult. I'd like to put him up against my instructor.

We do the normal stuff, like bowing in and out of class. We do clap at the end of class, but it's for us, not him. My instructor is an 8th dan. He HATES being called "master" anything. I do out of respect, but he refers to himself as Mr, not master. He shakes everyone's hand after class as well.
 
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kwon 17

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Okay, that story was very um... strange and something I never heard about are saw.(I wonder if it is the evolution of the common mcdojang)The only time we ever clap at my school is during the dismissal of class,and thats after we bow to our instructers and those of higher rank.
 

cali_tkdbruin

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Hey, you practioners here get back to the question at hand!!! :miffer:

I train under a 7th dan, Korean born and trained Sabumnim, and he's never pulled that out that type of pretentious stunt, or display... :idunno:

We just go into the dojang, train hard, sweat, and respect our Sabumnim for sharing his MA knowledge with us. There's no revering him like a superior being, or anything like that. We respect him for his rank and experience, but that's it.

I think that maybe it's because, like most Americans like me, we don't buy into that type of ostentious ceremony. Of course I can't speak for most people, but, IMHO this is my take. :asian:
 

terryl965

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well in forty something years and being in 11 country to train I have never seen this before maybe a cult of ma'ers making there mark as a J.A. but not as a Ma'ers.Terry Lee Stoker
 

Miles

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Very strange.

If the instructor needs bodyguards...hmmmm. And the instructor "trained" those bodyguards......hmmm. Sounds fishy.

If 25 minutes of the 45 minute class was spent doing warm-ups, that sounds to me like they don't know enough to teach.

Miles
 

theletch1

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I can't imagine Sensei McCraw doing something like that. He's one of the most unpretentious people I've ever met. My first kenpo instructor, now, is a different story all together. That guy had some serious problems with his self image and used his status as a martial arts instructor to offset a VERY fragile ego. Sounds like that's what's going on in the original post here. Not somewhere that I'd care to train. With our dojo, we do a final bow out, sensei says dismissed and we go on our merry little way. No clapping, no kissing the feet of the instructor, nothing.
 

pnoy_kickfighter

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maybe he thinks that he's the godfather of the korean mafia or something
How old is the instructor?
 

Kamaria Annina

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Oh that's horrible! :( I study Tae Kwon Do, and our studio doesn't act that rudely with saying you can get a "guarantee black belt" Augh, that kinda stuff gets me upset :(
 
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Sparks

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I liked the reply about the kool-aid lol! Kinda does make you think eh? I've just never seen anything like this and hope I never do again. I have noticed that his school never participates in any local tournaments and such. I have no doubt this man knows his stuff but what he's doing with it is where I draw the line. Behavior like that is really disgusting and leads you to wonder of his integrity. I love the school I go to as the head instructor has real accomplishments and demonstrates high character in all he does. There is no 'guaranteed black belt program' either- ya gotta earn it here.
 

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