Unusual teaching

[ProTaekwondo]

My instructor for Taekwondo is brilliant even born in Korea yet he teaches a very unusual style, he is affiliated with WTF but practices very different. We use our shins for most kicks and always keep our hands near our face. After every kick (when we are practicing) comes two straight punches. Once he feels we're ready in sparring he allows full power leg and face hits with just a helmet, shin guards, mouth guard, and gloves. I know he also kickboxes and maybe that's where it comes from. In competitions though we tend to extremely well due to powerful shin attacks, a good amount of punches, and used to being hit full force.

Does anyone else teach Taekwondo in a similar style? Maybe you have been taught in way that's close to this? Or is this something that shouldn't be done because it isn't true Taekwondo? I personally love it because it is like 'Traditional Taekwondo' and Muay Thai combined.

 

[Kacey]

With shin kicks? Not in free sparring. With your hands up? All the time... but then, I started in the ITF, and the ITF allows hand and foot techniques to the head. With hand and foot combinations? Again, all the time. I've never used a hogu in my life; hand pads, foot pads, head gear (no face shield allowed), mouth guard required (plus cups for male students). Shin and forearm guards are allowed, but not required, and relatively few people wear them.

 

[mango.man]

Are these specifically WTF rules competitions you participate in, or are they competitions following some other bodies rules, like ITF?

 

[Gizmo]

It seems similar to what we do, Korean kicks plus lots of boxing work, mitts and shields training, bag work.

 

[tshadowchaser]

ProTaekwondo

How old is your instructor ? It sounds like he trained in an older time or perhaps in the military.

 

[terryl965]

ProTaekwondo

How old is your instructor ? It sounds like he trained in an older time or perhaps in the military.

I would say around mid to late sixty just by the way he is training.

 

[tshadowchaser]

that would be my thought but we could be wrong thats why I asked.
If he is young I would be interested in knowing where he trained and with whom

 

[terryl965]

that would be my thought but we could be wrong thats why I asked.
If he is young I would be interested in knowing where he trained and with whom

Good points and I as well.

 

[StuartA]

We use shin kicks in sparring (all sections).. but not competition sparring. The shin is just another attacking tool is it not! Punches are standard.. follow up to kicks often are 2/3 punch combinations!

Nothing strange there IMO!

Stuart

 

[Zendokan]

Well OP, that's the "old school" TKD like it was designed after WWII and the Korean war. In later era's it got toneddown by competition and later the olympics until it becamed what it is now.
Some old school teachers still teach the style but their getting extinct and their students get problems with the ITF and WTF for not following the "olympic" training standards.
But nowadays it slowly is coming back with the popularity of the Kyuk Too Ki (korean kickboxing) competitions and a lot of TKD, TSD and HKD clubs are offering KTK classes at the side.

Greetz,

Zendokan

 

[DojangMom]

Shin and forearm guards are allowed, but not required, and relatively few people wear them.

Seriously?? My unprotected shin met someone else's knee a few weeks back during so-called "no contact sparring", and it still hurts like the dickens whenever someone accidentally brushes it during sparring. I haven't bought shin guards yet, but you can bet I will soon and I'll be wearing them religiously!

Hands up, all the time. Our instructors will gleefully poke you in the face with a target if you let them drop during drills. Lower belts and the young kids aren't allowed to hit the head - not enough control at this point. But we still learn to protect it - it just makes good sense all-around. Kicking with the shin? Never saw that before, although we are learning to "cup" the target with the full foot/ankle rather than just slapping it with the top of the foot, so maybe full shin contact will be coming soon.

 

[Kacey]

Seriously?? My unprotected shin met someone else's knee a few weeks back during so-called "no contact sparring", and it still hurts like the dickens whenever someone accidentally brushes it during sparring. I haven't bought shin guards yet, but you can bet I will soon and I'll be wearing them religiously!

Well, they're hotter than hell, that's one reason, and they slow you down, that's another. After a while, you get used to it, anyway.

Hands up, all the time. Our instructors will gleefully poke you in the face with a target if you let them drop during drills. Lower belts and the young kids aren't allowed to hit the head - not enough control at this point. But we still learn to protect it - it just makes good sense all-around. Kicking with the shin? Never saw that before, although we are learning to "cup" the target with the full foot/ankle rather than just slapping it with the top of the foot, so maybe full shin contact will be coming soon.

We usually kick with the bottom of the foot, not the top; hurts the kicker a lot less, and the kickee more!

 

[Miles]

We train shin kicks but don't use them for competition sparring. Same thing for knees and elbows and face punches.

I don't know that I would consider this practice "old school" as much as "full school." These techniques are present in the poomsae and are great fun to practice on pads and bags.

Miles

 

[ProTaekwondo]

I would say around mid to late sixty just by the way he is training.

Wow great deal of responses! Honestly I'm not sure how old he is because his face gives indication of maybe 50's possibly mid 60's but his body is that of a 20 year old so I'm not sure. We also practice knees and elbows but don't really spar with them ever. Also at Black Belt level he teaches trips and basic throws. It is fully possible he was in the military, he talks to us personally a lot but not so much about himself as asking us questions and getting to know us better.

As far as the shin kicks go our roundhouse kicks use shins but Axe kick and spin kicks generally use feet. When I asked why he said because the feet are too vulnerable to being broken on an elbow. We use a padded post and punching bags to condition our shins and knuckles against breaking rather than that ridiculous bottle rolling method.

I know he was born in Korea and is affiliated with WTF but tends to make his own rules. You guys said it sounds like he teaches "old school" or "full school", this is good I assume? So I am recieving quality training if that's what it is? I suppose I'll have to ask him

 

[terryl965]

Wow great deal of responses! Honestly I'm not sure how old he is because his face gives indication of maybe 50's possibly mid 60's but his body is that of a 20 year old so I'm not sure. We also practice knees and elbows but don't really spar with them ever. Also at Black Belt level he teaches trips and basic throws. It is fully possible he was in the military, he talks to us personally a lot but not so much about himself as asking us questions and getting to know us better.

As far as the shin kicks go our roundhouse kicks use shins but Axe kick and spin kicks generally use feet. When I asked why he said because the feet are too vulnerable to being broken on an elbow. We use a padded post and punching bags to condition our shins and knuckles against breaking rather than that ridiculous bottle rolling method.

I know he was born in Korea and is affiliated with WTF but tends to make his own rules. You guys said it sounds like he teaches "old school" or "full school", this is good I assume? So I am recieving quality training if that's what it is? I suppose I'll have to ask him

It sounds like quality training but I would say Kukkiwon not not WTF since WTF oversee's all the rules for the sport of Tae Kwon Do and the Kukkiwon is the acting agent for Certification. Best of luck with the training and keep us posted.

 

[DojangMom]

We usually kick with the bottom of the foot, not the top; hurts the kicker a lot less, and the kickee more!

Sorry, yes, to clarify, top of the foot for roundhouse, bottom for axe kick and front snap. Basically, you kick with the strongest part of the foot wherever it makes sense.

 

[Baby_Huey]

Seriously?? My unprotected shin met someone else's knee a few weeks back during so-called "no contact sparring", and it still hurts like the dickens whenever someone accidentally brushes it during sparring. I haven't bought shin guards yet, but you can bet I will soon and I'll be wearing them religiously!

We are required to have shine pads and insteps/boots. I love them because I use my leg to block kicks and those hurt without shin pads. Most students at my school have cloth ones but I don't. It's not weird to me the only problem I have is with my red guards, they turn my white pants pink if I sweat a lot.

 

[PEP-REP]

It sounds like quality training but I would say Kukkiwon not not WTF since WTF oversee's all the rules for the sport of Tae Kwon Do and the Kukkiwon is the acting agent for Certification. Best of luck with the training and keep us posted.

the Ku Ki Won is a building that is the headquarters for the WTF

 

[PEP-REP]

May 28, 1973The World Taekwondo Federation was established at the inaugural meeting held at the Kukkiwon with participation of 35 representatives from the world. Dr. Un Yong KIM was elected President for a four-year term.

 

[Kacey]

Sorry, yes, to clarify, top of the foot for roundhouse, bottom for axe kick and front snap. Basically, you kick with the strongest part of the foot wherever it makes sense.

It depends on how you do the kick... when I do a turning (roundhouse) kick, I use the ball of my foot for "flat" targets such as the torso, and the instep for "round" targets such as the temple. "Flat" and "round" are relative terms, of course - but in general, flat target, round tool (e.g. ball of foot); round target, flat tool (e.g. instep).