The stick

[IcemanSK]

Recently, I was having a discussion with a Korean friend who is in his late forties or early fifties. We were talking about Tae Kwon Do that he says he "no longer has that flexibilty for." (He prefers boxing now). He saw my classroom before class was to start & asked, "Where's your stick?" I looked at him puzzled & he said, "You know, the stick that you carry to correct your student's stance w/ by hitting them with it (on the backs of their legs)." He wasn't joking. He told me his instructor corrected stances in this manner. I told him my 1st instructor also carried either an oak stick or a Shinai for that same purpose. My instructor rarely used it on the American students, just on the Korean students.

Have you ever run accross this in your TKD career? Did you have an instructor who used a stick (or similiar device) to correct you?

 

[Gemini]

No, but my instructor told me that when he was young, it was a common practice. He also told me he didn't subscribe to that method of training over here because though maybe effective, it's also a great way to get sued. After all, this isn't 1960's Korea, and even without it, we manage to produce as many excellent martial artists as anywhere else in the world.

 

[Kacey]

I've heard the same thing, but I've never used a stick to hit my students - I've used it as an obstacle for them to step over, but the same effect can be gotten with a hula hoop - I share the room my class is in with several childrens' classes, and they don't mind if I use their equipment... it's amazing what help balance beams can be for stance training. I think this is an example of different methods creating the same results. It may be easier to whack someone with a stick than repeat explanations and directions, or create exercises that teach the stances, but in the long run, the results speak for themselves.

 

[painstain]

my instructor will give us a little kick behind the knee iff our stance isn't low enough on forms or basic technique

 

[Pijay]

Occasionally my instructor uses a foam sword - on the kids (more as a joke type thing) - they love it. Starts this one student giggling to no end.

 

[Last Fearner]

I trained with a Korean in the past who used a small stick in such a manner a couple of decades ago because that is the way he was taught, but even he began to stop hitting students here in America. The purpose behind this kind of teaching is not that it gets the job done better, or teaches faster. It is more about checking attitude, pushing the student's "buttons," and testing the student's ability to take some tough treatment and not lose their focus, concentration, or lose their "cool," and get upset.

I use a kicking pad, or padded blocking bat in a similar manner, however I am more gentle with the children than with adults, and it depends on their rank. The contract that I have adult students, and parents sign when they join, specifically addresses the issue of physical reprimand. So long as I don't inflict serious injury, training for adults and high ranks can be tough, and they know that. I always explain to the students why I might strike them with a pad, and that it is not out of meaness or bad attitude on my part. If they can't handle some aggression in the class, they won't be prepared for an attacker in the street.

I also use a short wooden stick (a bo staff) for adjustments in foot, leg, hip, and shoulder alignment, but I don't strike the students with that. If they were fully padded, I might use a shanai, or such on the adults. The problem comes when an amateur instructor sees this done, and imitates it without understanding it, or without explaining to students (and parents) why it is done, or they do it out of control. You don't strike students in anger, or to punnish them, or to hurt them, but you might strike them with control when you spar, and you may choose to strike with a pad to test their ability to deal with strikes.

If it is used, it is something that must be explained properly, and done professionally for the right reasons, at the appropriate times, with proper control, and with consideration for the age, and rank of the student. If an instructor does not feel that he or she understands the purpose, benefit, or your ability to apply this type of teaching properly, then don't do it.

CM D. J. Eisenhart

 

[Miles]

We had a wiffel ball bat used on us, though not terribly hard-just enough to make the point! I don't strike students w/anything harder than a foam covered blockers-usually as a reminder to keep their hands up.

Miles

 

[HenryDaniels]

One of the instructors in my class uses a large wooden stick, but never with force, rather as a(n empty) threat.

 

[IcemanSK]

We had a wiffel ball bat used on us, though not terribly hard-just enough to make the point! I don't strike students w/anything harder than a foam covered blockers-usually as a reminder to keep their hands up.

Miles

OW! I watched an MTV show years ago that showed Muay Thai students of Master Toddy from Las Vegas preping for a big fight. He was hitting them with a wiffle ball bat on the legs. These tough pro fighters were sayin', "I'd rather have him kick me in the head than to get hit with that bat!" I can see using the foam "blockers" to help them keep their hands up, but a wiffle ball bat?! Ouch!

I need to get a "Blocker" I think.

 

[Jimi]

My first instructor trained us using a shinai to correct us, stances, punches & blocks were checked by a crack of the shinai. Those of you familiar with it know this sound. At first he would crack a shin or forearm to correct someone, then tell all of us to look at our targets, not our classmate being corrected. Whenever he check a stance for example, without looking we would all lower our stances about 3 maybe 4 inches. Later, he did not even need to strike anyone, he would just stand behind our group and hit the shinai on the heel of this palm,(CRACK) and we all dropped in our stances, steadied our arms and focused our attention on our techniques. We called it his "Mister Stance Fixer" Oh the memories, I still almost snap to attention if t I hear a shinai crack loudly. PEACE

 

[Last Fearner]

Oops! Just noticed I spelled shinai wrong. Oh well, spell check doesn't do most Martial Art terms - lol

Whenever he check a stance for example, without looking we would all lower our stances about 3 maybe 4 inches. Later, he did not even need to strike anyone, he would just stand behind our group and hit the shinai on the heel of this palm,(CRACK) and we all dropped in our stances...

Funny story, Jimi! :lol: I find that to be true with my students too!

Another interesting point - - It is usually the youngest, and lowest rank students who make the most mistakes, and need to be corrected the most often, however this can be discouraging for them. I usually talk to advanced students privately, and tell them that I will be using them as an example for the beginners. I will correct them, and smack the arms, legs, or abdomen with the padded blocker bat, or kicking target, even if they are not doing anything wrong. I tell them to expect this, because I know they won't get frustrated, and quit (at least that's what I tell them).

As soon as I correct one of the high ranks in the class (verbally, or with a smack), the rest of the class makes quick adjustments. It's better than having to focus on the beginners all the time!

Last Fearner