Why did YOU start Tae kwon do?

[dleeret]

My school requires each student to write an essay and read it aloud to the class at the end of each rank advancement test. The first one is required when testing for your yellow belt and it asks "Why are you taking Tae Kwon Do?" I wrote my essay in May 2005 and just stumbled upon it today. It was interesting to me that most of the reasons I started taking Tae Kwon Do are the reasons I continue three years later. And of course, now there are many more reasons to continue training than I ever could have imagined three years ago.

All of this got me wondering - why did others on this board start taking Tae Kwon Do?

 

[dancingalone]

I was an awkward kid and my parents thought a martial arts class would help me become more coordinated and comfortable in my own skin. They were right. A Jhoon Rhee affiliated dojang just happened to be in my neighborhood and the price was right, so we signed up and before long I was doing frog jumps and duck walks while learning the finer points of a truly righteous sidekick.

These days I practice other martial arts than TKD, but I'll always have a fond spot for it in my heart.

 

[igillman]

To lose weight and to get fitter. Both my parents have diabetes and I want to keep it away from me. My blood sugar was elevated before TKD and now it is normal. I have lost a little weight but I have also gained a lot of muscle which has offset the weight loss.

Going to a gym and working out looked so boring that I had to find something else that was just as good for me but more interesting.

 

[IcemanSK]

I started at 14 after being picked on a lot in jr. high. Kids grow up & it was never an issue in high school. But I still fell in love with TKD & have been doing it ever since.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I found it easier to pronounce Korean words then Chinese (and just plain forget Japanese)

 

[terryl965]

Absolutely had no choice the Master was a tiny man that could kick my *** so I joined.

 

[YoungMan]

Tired of getting picked on and had no self confidence. My dad sort of understood why I enjoyed it; my mom had no clue.

 

[turtle]

I wanted to take up a martial art and a taekwondo (then "Korean Karate") instructor happened to be teaching a self-defense course at my high school so I signed up at his school after the course ended. Style didn't really enter into the decision because I didn't really have a concept of the merits of one style vs another.

 

[K31]

I started taking TKD because the owner of the dojang was afraid I was going to drop dead in his place while doing "cardio" kick boxing.

 

[myusername]

I picked Tae Kwon-do because of the top quality instructor. I wanted do a martial art for fitness and self defence and I knew from the little I tried that it was a very good de-stressor. TKD was bottom of my list at first due to the negative press but as soon as I had my first class I realised how powerful, dynamic and effective it can be when taught correctly! I love Tae Kwon-do and it has already greatly improved my life.

 

[searcher]

I wanted to train in it so I could learn the application of kicks in more ranges than what I had from the Okinawan Karate styles. TKD fits well with the other styles I have studied.

Not to mention, that the Tul have a familiar feel to me and I love them to pieces.

 

[Windsinger]

I first took TKD about '92 or '93. Unfortunately, that did not work out very well. In 3 months, my job allowed me to attend a whopping 5 classes. I dropped TKD at the time, and just got back into it last week. I love martial arts of any type (I'm one of those who thinks no one style is innately superior to everything else), but TKD was my choice this time because my son enjoys it so much.

That, and the head instructor at the dojang is just an over-all great guy! I love the way he deals with the kids in the school, and he has an awesome sense of humour.

 

[K31]

(I'm one of those who thinks no one style is innately superior to everything else)

Blasphemer! Apostate!

 

[Windsinger]

Blasphemer! Apostate!

LOL.

Okay, okay. TKD is superior, but we're also nice enough to let the others think they're our equal.

 

[exile]

My son was interested in doing a MA, and the TKD program at a nearby rec center was close and convenient. I went with him to class, watched the chief instructor and realized, after a few minutes, that I was in the presence of greatness—greatness technically and greatness of character and spirit. So there really was no choice, at that point; I had to get into it myself!

 

[Twin Fist]

I was in texas, and in texas, in the 80s if you walked into a karate school, you had a 50/50 chance of it being an American Tae Kwon Do school in the jhoon Rhee/Allen Steen/J Pat Burleson lineage.

For anyone that doesnt know, TKD (Tex Kwon Do as we used to call it) is different from WTF and ITF

They use the ITF forms, but the emphasis is on self defense and strong fighting.

 

[exile]

I was in texas, and in texas, in the 80s if you walked into a karate school, you had a 50/50 chance of it being an American Tae Kwon Do school in the jhoon Rhee/Allen Steen/J Pat Burleson lineage.

For anyone that doesnt know, TKD (Tex Kwon Do as we used to call it) is different from WTF and ITF

They use the ITF forms, but the emphasis is on self defense and strong fighting.

... and something like that is pretty much due to go national sometime soon, I'm thinking....

... when I first started TKD, I just took it for granted that as a MA the emphasis would be on self-defense (aka out-attacking your attacker). I had no clue about the Great Martial Sport/Martial Art Divide... just lucked out, I guess!

 

[jim777]

For anyone that doesnt know, TKD (Tex Kwon Do as we used to call it) is different from WTF and ITF

They use the ITF forms, but the emphasis is on self defense and strong fighting.

My ITF school places emphasis on self defense and fighting as well. I thought that was an ITF trait, actually.

Anyway, I started TKD because of the reputation of the staff at the school. I feel very fortunate to have found the school, and to have gotten my children into it before they suspended the addition of new students (too many students...how many schools suffer from that!) Where I grew up (the Bronx) TKD had a terrible image, and few people took it who were interested in serious study of the Martial Arts. Most of the 'big' TKD schools in the Bronx in the 70's were blatant belt factories run by 14th Dans or some such nonsense. Fees were enormous (3 grand for a BB test in the 70's!), and 3 year (completely useless) 1st Dans were the order of the day. I didn't have the time free from work to go to the Shotokan school my brothers attended, so I waited for my chance to study something worth studying from high quality teachers. When that chance finally came a few short years ago, I jumped. I have to say I was getting worried that the chance might not come. I did the '3 month checkout' at a number of schools over the years, and never felt at home in any of them. Now, I go to two schools, and both are totally top notch. I wish I could have started my journey earlier, but far better late than never!

jim

 

[whitetigertkd]

haha, when i was four i saw the "karate kid" and said told my mom i wanted to do that. My mom had done tae kwon do earlier in life so she signed me up for it. Ive loved it ever since and i am now also doing hapkido.

 

[cflick]

My little brother had started first and we all one day the family went to the dojang to watch the class.
From there we all thought it would be fun to do, and healthy. So the entire family joined.
We all ended up quitting 2 years after as the funds weren't there and the school closed and moved to a differennt town

I'm back into it now at the university. Had to end my regrets for having to quit.
I just have a lot of fun, its good for your fitness, and you learn much more then how to defend yourself! Thats why I'm still in it!!!