I'm originally from a small town in Kentucky where there were no formal martial arts schools. I remembered watching the movie "Perfect Weapon" with Jeff Speakman and was SO EAGER to take up Kenpo Karate, but, sadly, no schools were even remotely close. There were no martial arts schools in my hometown until around 1992. My mom and I went to Krogers to grab some groceries and got handed a flyer listing TKD lessons to be taught at the National Guard Armory the following week. Without hesitation, I signed up and began training the following week when the classes first began. I excelled rather nicely becoming an assistant instructor which allowed me to train with the black belts one night a week, but that required a 45 minute drive of which a fellow assistant instructor drove me too(I didn't have my license yet).
Eventually, I competed in two tournaments getting 2-1st place trophies in sparring, 1-1st place trophie in forms and another 2nd place trophie in forms.
At around purple belt, I started sensing something I didn't like. I was gonna test for my purple belt and wanted to hold off because I really wanted to get the Kata down PERFECT since I'm very much a PERFECTIONIST. They were pressuring me to take the test and said it would all come to me, or something like that. I didn't like this and thought they were pressuring me just to get the money.
I also didn't like the fact that I noticed the style wasn't exactly the best for self-defense, as stated in the post above mine. I had no interest in really competing. I wanted a strictly self-defense martial art like Kenpo. I ended up quitting the TKD lessons there at the armory. I knew I wouldn't be in my hometown forever and would have another opportunity at another Martial Art. I guess others felt the same way and quit also. The only thing I regretted was becoming a QUITTER. I was one of the top students in the class and I'm sure that didn't look good, but I explained my reasons. Looking back I realized how Commercial this place was and was in it strictly for the money, or, at least, this is what I felt. I guess I had a bad experience with TKD, in a sense.
I just don't think TKD is an effective self-defense MA. When I see TKD, I think of competition. Those flashy kicks are awesome to see, but not in a real fight. When I see MA's like Kenpo, I think about the ultimate self-defense. Right now I'm really into a JKD concepts school that teaches Jun Fan, Kali, Machado BJJ, Muay Thai, and Kenpo. And, I'm really starting to like MMA UFC/Pride stuff because of the rawness to it. Those guys can fight!
I want to fight also, not look good doing forms/kata's. I don't mean to affend anyone. TKD just isn't for me. I do think TKD has it's time and place. I really think if I was forced to, I'd take up Hapkido. I'd think, since it's a Korean art, it would have the same kicks as TKD, but with a lot more self-defense core to it. I don't know a lot about it though. But, if TKD is your thing then that's cool. I wish anyone the best of luck in it.
