why do you train in tkd?

T

TKDFighter7

White Belt
I was just wondering for the people here who practice TKD, why do you take it? The reason I ask is because...well, people ask me all the time. I always say that TKD is THE martial art that will make you the toughest. After all the bashing you will get from other m.a.ist you have no choice but to grow a thick skin. It's not effective, are you crazy? why bother kicking that high, its for kids, its just karate but not as good, you guys don't know how to punch. Just some of the things I hear all the time. Don't get me wrong, i'm not ashamed of my art and I love it. I don't disagree with some of the statements I hear either. I just love tkd and it happen to be effective for me in a few situations. Might of been luck, don't know. So I always tell people the same thing. Its the art that fits me the best. I'm very comfortable kicking. I've taken it on and off since was 7. I love the martial arts side of it and I love the sports side of it. I enjoy forms and putting on the pads to try and knock my opponents head off...or run around my opponent because I'm about to get my head knocked off. Either way its the art I enjoy the most after trying a few others. Southern Praying Mantis, bjj(which is awesome by the way), judo(which I love almost as much as tkd) and krav maga. So just curious, why do you take tkd even when the bashing and critism seems neverending?
 
I train in TKD because the dojang is up the street from me. I've done two other styles of karate and I've got my own perspective on the art but for me it's convenience, working out and it's cheaper than the Kyokushin dojo.

I wish I could find a dojang where they pushed the pace more.
 
1969 1st Bn 1st MarDiv, S-2 Scout/Recon RVN. At the time I thougt I was bullet proof, about 2 weeks later I was proven wrong, Damn! :eek: While there I was training in TKD with the ROK Marines and have been at it ever since.
 
wade said:
1969 1st Bn 1st MarDiv, S-2 Scout/Recon RVN. At the time I thougt I was bullet proof, about 2 weeks later I was proven wrong, Damn! :eek: While there I was training in TKD with the ROK Marines and have been at it ever since.
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AWESOME! Absolutely awesome!
 
I knew absolutely nothing about TKD or any other MA when I started. By lucky chance, I found the right instructor, and he is still my sahbum. I will continue training with him as long as he continues to allow me to do so.
 
I think I was born to do it! When I started it just felt right and I knew that I'd practice TKD for the rest of my life. I felt at home!
 
With all the variance out there, you can find TKD of all flavors. There are dojangs that focus on sport fighting, those that extensive calisthenics to help you get and stay fit. Lots of kiddie-oriented schools, lots that blend in western boxing and some hapkido/jujutsu. Then there are those that still keep the old Korean karate flavor and drill a lot of the traditional Japanese kata.

TKD is almost a generic term now, like karate. Look around if you don't like your current school. The chances are that you will be able to find one that more suits your taste still under the umbrella of "taekwondo".

I'm a karate guy, but I take lessons from time to time from a Korean Kukkiwon sixth dan. In his forties, he's still an amazing kicker. He's slowly converting from the sport Olympic model to more of a self-defense oriented curriculum. He has lots of children in his classes, and he has to cater to what pays the bill, but I still think he has lots to offer as a teacher.
 
Kacey said:
I knew absolutely nothing about TKD or any other MA when I started. By lucky chance, I found the right instructor, and he is still my sahbum. I will continue training with him as long as he continues to allow me to do so.
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I gotta agree with Kacey. If you find the right school, the right instructor, and a good atmosphere, you will always be motivated to train; not only in TKD, but in any form of martial art.

I think Taekwondo is my favourite martial art because you dont really need strength to apply the kicks when defending yourself on the street like judo. I train in TKD because everytime I step into my dojang, it feels like I am about to accomplish an important task, which is getting closer to a grandmaster degree (even though im only a 2nd Dan), and that's my motivation. In my school, my instructor does not only teach Taekwondo, but a bit of Hapkido, Kuk Sool Won, and Hwa Rang Do.

My Advice, don't listen to the criticism that people throw @ you because like most people say, "all martial arts can be effective", and there's not one martial art that is the best. Even though people will continue to criticise the art, they probably don't have any knowledge of how effective Taekwondo can be, and what's most important is how you will be able to apply your skills, into everyday street defense.:high5:
 
TKDJUDO said:
My Advice, don't listen to the criticism that people throw @ you because like most people say, "all martial arts can be effective", and there's not one martial art that is the best. Even though people will continue to criticise the art, they probably don't have any knowledge of how effective Taekwondo can be, and what's most important is how you will be able to apply your skills, into everyday street defense.:high5:
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Yes indeed, and also, unless you are some kind of law enforcement officer or gangster or something such that you fight all of the time, then, you should perhaps consider which martial art you find pleasant, so that you can joyfully practice it for a long time.

I like the order of the classes, everyone in formation. The formality of it. And, some people just like the kicking motions, because they generate a very big force vector, bigger than is possible with the hand techniques. These give a good feeling when you strike the target. It is amazing in its perfection, to me, the design of these motions. They are so "optimized". Maximum Power, minimum time (maximum speed).

When I get on line and we see the flags. It has the effect of making me feel good in a way that I cannot put a finger on. Even to look at the Tae Kuk fills me with awe. I cannot explain these things, but they are not passing. They persist for me.

I would never argue with someone who choses to practice some other way, but I am happy to have found this and to have it available to me. It gives me so much joy.
 
I train TKD because it's the first art I started in, I plan to do it for life. I've also done Escrima (still do), along with Kung Fu some, Tai Chi for a year, Wing Chun was fun. Lately it's been MMA (BJJ/MT/boxing), a total blast.

But I don't ever plan on stopping TKD.
 
Tae Kwon Do is the last art that I started in. I have done it for physical therapy for my knees and back. Everyone knows about my disabilities so I won't go into it.

I dig traditional ITF style poomsea over the WTF stuff. But that is just the hapkidoan in me. I like Tae Kwon Do, not my 1st art of choice, but I have learned a lot from the art that I would have missed out on if I didn't participate in it.
 
To answer your orginal question; first off, if I let every negative word about the things I do or say get to me I wouldn't get out of bed most days. In my 25 years of training in TKD, I've seen it at it's best & it's worst. I'm in it for better or worse.....And there's much more better than worse.

I orginally started to handle the jr high bullies. But I didn't start TKD until my sophomore year of high school & by then the bullies decided to pick on other people. I love it for the sparring, the friendships, the forms, the workout, learning Korean, the history, the breaking, the learning, the teaching, the stories. I just flat out love doing it.
 
I was going to train karate 1st but the gym owner showed me the tkd class and I just fell in love! lol.

A good hankido instructor invited me to train with his students and offered me a grade but I didn't get used to the new style. I've tried a couple of things more and same results.

I've thought about taking other MA classes like BBJ (some of our instructors are thinking on incorporate some of that in the classes actually), etc. but always focused to complement TKD. ^_^*
 
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