karatekid1975
Master Black Belt
Miles said:Sure, but it may be a pretty long post.
Material/Emphasis-There are differences in stances between the 2 arts with generally TSD stances being longer-there is a post somewhere in this area on this exact subject so I won't go any further.
TSD also utilizes more hand techniques than TKD. In sparring and hoshinsul, TKDin use different footwork in order to deliver attacks/counter-attacks. Indeed, because TKD uses continuous full contact sparring (whereas TSD does point), the counter-attack is stressed more in training.
TKD and TSD have different "set ups"-crossing the arms for closed-fist blocks and how "knifehand blocks" are set up-arms extended shoulder-level in TKD, whereas TSDin have their hands at belt-level.
TKD uses more snapping motion kicks whereas TSD uses more "thrusting" kicks.
Curriculum-in most TKD schools, sparring is introduced progressively: promise sparring (ie. no contact), then light-contact, and finally full contact. Since TSD sparring is point, it is light-contact with no progression.TSD allows head strikes in sparring, TKD does not.
Forms-there is an emphasis in TSD schools on forms which is not present in TKD. The forms are different-TSD uses the older pyung-ahn series, bassai, etc. whereas in TKD (Kukkiwon) forms are shorter, more symmetrical. I have also seen different TSD schools use the same forms at different rank levels. TKD has a standard-one form per rank with nearly universal applicability (i.e. Taeguek 8 for cho-dan)
Terminology-TSD uses the original terminology for its techniques-for example "ha dan/chung dan/sang dan makki" versus "arae/momtong/eugol makki" for TKD.
Please do not misconstrue my point. I am not saying one is better than the other-they are just different. Hope this helps!
Miles
The way you explained TSD is exactly the way my old TSD dojang was. I just couldn't explain it as well as you did

