# Opinions Sought on This Style



## K31 (Aug 31, 2007)

I came across this site and was thinking about checking it out at one of the locations as a possible adjunct to, or in lieu of,  my TKD training.

http://www.kmara.org/index3.html

My main concern is that it seems to be a unique creation of one person and should I relocate elsewhere I'd be stuck learning another style from the ground up.


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## stoneheart (Aug 31, 2007)

Anytime you switch schools, even if it is in the same style, you are bound to run into technical differences that you must adjust to.  This is reality.

That said, the curriculum looks good to me.  They use the traditional Japanese karate forms and there's looks like there's quite a bit of material from Hapkido present.  If you moved to another city, I'd look for a Kuk Sool Won or Chayon-Ryu school...you'd probably wouldn't feel too out of place in those systems after studying at this place.


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## Chizikunbo (Aug 31, 2007)

The base of almost everything on this page is Tang Soo Do...looks like it has some Kuk Sool and hapkido scattered throughout it as well...

http://www.kmara.org/whatis.html

--josh


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## JWLuiza (Aug 31, 2007)

I know a few of the peeps from there, and they are trying to do old school korean martial arts.  Also take a look at 

www.tkasudo.com we have classes in PG county and other counties in MD.


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## aplonis (Aug 31, 2007)

The main thing about any MA school is whether you feel that you could fit in there. You'll have to watch several classes, see how the instructor(s) relate to their students, how they represent their art. If its a business, what exactly, are they selling. Any that promote a myth too fervently (or at all) are not the kind of school that I could seriously get into.

Some people want to imagine themselves the living extension of some bygone golden era. Those will not be happy with anything lacking such an atmosphere.

Other people care only about practical, street-ready, self-defense. Those will not be happy with any elements that are purely traditional.

Those are the extremes between which most people fall. I, certainly, fall between them. I like a moderately traditional MA which also allows for a margin of individual freedom when it comes ot personal repertoir. Some instructors encourage this while others are offended to their very marrow by it. I like instructors who are serious about their art but who have not imersed the whole of their identity in it, who don't pine away for having been born a couple of centuries too late. Someone who has found both value and application for MA in the real world, here and now...he or she is the type of role model I can respect best of all.

It took me a few tries to find the perfect fit. I've got two of them. One is TKD, my favorite, in which I have 1st dan. The other is Jujutsu, in which I am starting over at white. Neither instructor has yet met the other. When they do I am sure they'll both find much in common. Both center on one art primarily but have somewhat an eclectic flair. Both have well-developed senses of humor and are able to laugh at themselves. Both are very, very good at their chosen art but hold other arts too in great respect. I have met some MA instructors who have none of these qualities.

Anyway, that is what I find most important about choosing an MA school. May you too find your perfect MA school fit.


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## K31 (Sep 1, 2007)

JWLuiza said:


> I know a few of the peeps from there, and they are trying to do old school korean martial arts.  Also take a look at
> 
> www.tkasudo.com we have classes in PG county and other counties in MD.



 I took a course from Dale Tompkins many, many years ago.  Looking at the TKA website, I can't believe their sparring is basically "no contact" even though they have you buy sparring gear.  That's one thing I don't like about my current school. They changed instructors and I don't think I've even put on my sparring gear in two months. I really miss sparring.


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## JWLuiza (Sep 13, 2007)

That's basically true up thorugh black belt... then it's light contact to body.  If you want to come visit a class, PM me.  Or we could do a separate workout.


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## agemechanic03 (Sep 22, 2007)

Chizikunbo said:


> The base of almost everything on this page is Tang Soo Do...looks like it has some Kuk Sool and hapkido scattered throughout it as well...
> 
> http://www.kmara.org/whatis.html
> 
> --josh


 
I completely agree with Josh here. I am studying Tang Soo Do in Korea, and that's the exact same order of forms we use but learn on different levels. As other's have stated also, each school might teach techs a lil different from another. So if you were to decide to transfer to a Tang Soo Do, Soo Bahk Do, or Moo Duk Kwan school, you would have all the Hyungs down. As for the other corriculum, it prolly has a mix just like Josh said.


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