Balrog
Master of Arts
True. That is an entirely different level of competition, much like someone who sets the goal to compete in the Olympics. Orders of magnitude in difference.
ATA success story!!!!
- Thread starter Gorilla
- Start date
By the way they went 3 hours in the Vegas heat last night at the track. It was a grueling three hours. Training is at it highest intensity. We have 4 Athletes going to Korea at the end of the month to compete in the Korean Open. They are members of the team that Master Young In Cheon is taking to the Korean Open. Our Coach is also going! Then the Next week we have 3 members going to the AAU Team trails.
I would like to say that our ATA kid is still going. I think that we will start to phase out the ATA kid title because he has made the transition.
I would like to say that our ATA kid is still going. I think that we will start to phase out the ATA kid title because he has made the transition.
I don't, certainly, but I was addressing the fact that the title of the thread, ATA Success story, does not match the content of the OP.
Given the amount of flack the ATA catches on most forums, I would actually like to see posts about ATA success stories. If they are out there, people should post about them. Many of the threads, if not all of the threads, that I see about the ATA are almost entirely one sided, with detractors being virtually the only ones posting.
Observations in my previous posts are based on what I have read and heard about the ATA, both from posters and from their website. Certainly, I have no stake in the outcome or direction of ATA discussions. It would be nice to see them not be so one sided.
Daniel
ATA bashing was not the intent of the thread. The intent was to show that a kid who came out of ATA had the heart to succeed in a very tough program like TDT.
That was never implied. Unfortunately, whenever the ATA is discussed anywhere, the business versus quality of instruction subject comes up. As the saying goes, 'where there's smoke there's fire.'
So far, I don't think anyone has bashed the ATA, though I do think that the ATA has some very real shortcomings that people on this thread have addressed in the course of discussion.
That becomes apparent once one reads the OP.
Very sad that this young man's experience with the ATA seems, from all indications, to be the norm and not the exception.
Daniel
dancingalone
Grandmaster
Sometimes I wonder where all the ATA people are. They are legion in numbers in the US but they have little representation here (Balrog and Dave L. the exceptions I can think of off the top of my head). I guess they get tired of the bashing too.
Or maybe they are more active on ATA forums?
Having perused the website, I will say that the ATA offers pretty wide array of programs and from all indications, the system is as solid as either Kukki or Chang Hon TKD, so curriculum is not the issue. It seems to be more the delivery of the material and the high ratio of business and profitability.
Now, having said that, I am commenting on the ATA because it is an ATA themed thread. Many Kukkiwon schools suffer the exact same shortcomings, in addition to having Kukkiwon/WTF related issues that are different from those of the ATA or the ITF.
I think that most of the issues that are mentioned about the ATA apply equally to most commercial schools to greater or lesser degrees depending. I think that the major difference is that the ATA as an organization is much more involved in the managing of member schools than either the ITF or the KKW/WTF, so the organization gets broad brushed.
Daniel
dancingalone
Grandmaster
Never realized they had their own forums, but a Google search pops them up readily. You have to be a member of the forums to read the topics. I wonder if you have to be ATA to join. Also wonder what they talk about? The same mcdojang and child black belt complaints we make here?
Yep, I work with my niece and nephew from time to time to improve their practice. The material is quite standard for TKD. I don't particularly care for the Songahm forms since it's obvious that they are meant to transmit basics only, but at least they incorporate more complex kicking that any of the other older TKD hyung sets do.
The school the kids attend is very popular which means they rarely get any meaningful corrections in class, particularly since their technique is better than most of their peers. It's a bit frustrating knowing that they are paying so much money basically just for the venue and the class - while I am the one really helping them improve.
I agree. I have the opinion that all large COMMERCIAL schools that focus on teaching children inevitably begin to shuffle around the same problems endemic with many ATA studios.
Glad to see we are on the same page. ATA fills a need for some folks. If they wan't more from Martial Arts they can and will move on to another more intense program. It has been my experience that what you think that you want and the reality of what it truly is is another thing. Many are shocked at the length and intensity of our training. Most of our really hard work is done at the track and that requires dealing with the Las Vegas heat it is a real character test. From a competition stand point I think Las Vegas provides the type of challenges that are good for fighters. You have the intense heat and you can also go to Mt Charleston and train at altitude. I think that this is why some many boxers and UFC fighters train here.
Dave Leverich
Black Belt
Lol yes on the bashing part. I don't like generalizations generally about anything (and yeah I lol'd about writing that sentence 
).
That being said, I don't hide that I'm an ATA guy (have been since 1985 after I left WTA). In fact I even am open about it on Bullshido (fireproof underoos ;p). But I also don't 'zomg stop that' when someone has issues with a McDojahng or lame business approaches either.
On the forums, being ATA isn't required at all. And yes, tons of 'wtf?' (the "Whisky Tango Foxtrot?" statement not the TKD org) about kiddie black belts, age requirements for rank, people actually learning *gasp* martial arts heh.
For ATA success stories, there are some like in any organization. A few offhand, Danny Abbadi (World Combat League, MMA, some reality shows lol, silly Danny), Noah something (Last Airbender kid), I think Jacob from Twilight, a few others. Those are all acting ones, but there are quite a few that delve into like NASKA, MMA, kickboxing etc. They just often don't wear a neon sign.
Bash away though on things, I look at each school as a unique case, good or bad. I personally came up under a TKD/TSD (MDK) line and learned things about as oldschool as they come, many didn't travel that same path. It doesn't mean my path was better (ok I think it was ;p), just different.
).That being said, I don't hide that I'm an ATA guy (have been since 1985 after I left WTA). In fact I even am open about it on Bullshido (fireproof underoos ;p). But I also don't 'zomg stop that' when someone has issues with a McDojahng or lame business approaches either.
On the forums, being ATA isn't required at all. And yes, tons of 'wtf?' (the "Whisky Tango Foxtrot?" statement not the TKD org) about kiddie black belts, age requirements for rank, people actually learning *gasp* martial arts heh.
For ATA success stories, there are some like in any organization. A few offhand, Danny Abbadi (World Combat League, MMA, some reality shows lol, silly Danny), Noah something (Last Airbender kid), I think Jacob from Twilight, a few others. Those are all acting ones, but there are quite a few that delve into like NASKA, MMA, kickboxing etc. They just often don't wear a neon sign
.Bash away though on things, I look at each school as a unique case, good or bad. I personally came up under a TKD/TSD (MDK) line and learned things about as oldschool as they come, many didn't travel that same path. It doesn't mean my path was better (ok I think it was ;p), just different.
dancingalone
Grandmaster
LOL. Yes, my nephew got beat up by Noah Ringer one time at a sparring night at the Carrollton ATA studio.
I kid him now about being Fire Nation cannon fodder for Aang.
He's a good kid and he takes it in stride.
I will add this about the ATA say whatever you like and I am not a fan but like a few others have said they fill a void that the community are asking for. I wish I could bring myself to do some of those programs and I have tried but they are not for me. They know how to make alot of money and they are always in a great area for a school so thier marketing department must bea great one. I trend to bash them every once in a while but it is more about the appoach and not the material. I wish them the very best and for those wanting more they have a good foundation to start with.
Balrog
Master of Arts
Wandering back into a semi-dormant thread.....
ATA has issues. No one denies that. IMNSHO, the issues stem from the business practices; I think they interfere with our primary goal of teaching Taekwondo. Do we water down our instruction? Some instructors do; most instructors don't. Do our tournaments call for non-contact? Kinda; we allow light, controlled contact. But most of the schools will train with a higher level of contact as part of the training.
In the long run, we have the same basic issues that everyone else does. Take any group of instructors; you're gonna have some on the right side of the bell curve, most in the center to center-right, and then you're gonna have some bozos on the left side of the curve. Unfortunately, it's the bozos that get the "press", so to speak, and ATA is no different from any other organization in that aspect.
This thread needs to be renamed. This is not about an ata school being successful. It is about some ata kids who need help and are starting over, basically, at another school and not giving up. Good for them but is success for new school and the individual, not the ata.
I hear that the ata is the most successful martial arts business in america...
I hear that the ata is the most successful martial arts business in america...
Balrog
Master of Arts
It is. But for varying definitions of success.
Far too many people define success as big bank accounts. I don't. I define success as having a student come into my school, work their butt off and learn to be a confident, self-assured, respectful person. I sure don't fit the bank account definition of success; my school has never made a penny in profit, and my partner and I have put probably $250k into the school over the years to keep the doors open. We do so because we love what we do. I would dearly love to have enough students to have the school pay its own way, but as long as I have 1 student, I'll continue to teach.
But am I rich? You tell me. I had a young lady who tested for her 2nd Degree in our school just before she graduated from high school and went off to college. When she started, we practically had to pry her off mom's leg to get her out on the floor, she was so shy. When she tested, she was a leader in every aspect of the word. After the test, her parents came up to us and her mom started to say something and just broke down sobbing. When she caught her breath, she hugged both of us and said, "Thank you for what you have done for our daughter."
We touch the future. Kids who train with us learn positive life skills that will serve them well in their lives (and they also learn to kick some hiney :lol
. I think I'm rich beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
andyjeffries
Senior Master
How curious that Noah Ringer from Last Airbender is a Taekwondoin. So is Dev Patel from Last Airbender (he trained/trains with Master Stuart Anslow). Does anyone know if that was a criteria for casting for the movie? ;-)
dancingalone
Grandmaster
If they had wanted to be truer to the cartoon, they'd be casting people who practice Chinese martial arts instead. I believe the Earthbenders did Hung Gar and the Waterbenders Tai Chi. Airbenders = baguazhang. Uncertain about the Firebenders.
Air - Bagua Zhang
Water - Taiji Quan (Yang specifically)
Fire - Northern Shaolin (Gu Ru Zhang BSL)
Earth - Hung Ga except for Toph who used Chow Ga Southern Praying Mantis.
As to them casting CMA practitioners... they didn't even use Sifu Kisu who provided all of the modeling except for Toph who was modeled by Sifu Manny Rodriguez for the cartoon. The lack of CMA skills showed too.
