I am now a senior citizen but after many years as a military instructor, I know what is real and what is not. In addition I trained in a number of martial art styles. Choi Kwang Do is a style I know well and believe it has the potential to be a superior system to most. However, you must first decide what you want to achieve. If your really want to toughen up and be able to really defend yourself, forget these many play-schools and go to a boxing gym. A real boxing gym where you will have to get in the ring and learn what works in the real world. Having said that, I believe CKD to have many good points as a training system when taught as it was designed. Unfortunately, martial arts instructors want to make money from their training efforts. This is really unlikely as once a skill is taught it becomes the property of the student, not the teacher. In order to make money, many instructors set up grading tests to advance students to the next belt level. Then they charge a fee. Then you need a new belt. Then perhaps a new uniform of different colour. On it goes. If a student is not good enough but has paid a grading fee, he feels cheated if he doesn't pass so, the instructor makes a business decision and passes the inferior student. This gives the student a false belief in his ability. There are a lot of black belt holders who would lose a fight in any bar in town. They just lack real fighting experience. I don't advocate going looking for fights, in bars or anywhere else. However, we must sell a real product and not be guilty of false advertising. The traditional colour of a gee or martial art suit is WHITE. This stands for purity of spirit, honesty and integrity. Now I see CKD students and instructors dressed in white, red, black (like ISIL fighters) and even the founder Mr. Kwang Jo Choi dressed in Gold Satin. He looked like the Grand Wizard. Ridiculous. Lock out techniques are false and look good on a military parade ground but have no relevance to correct human movement and only result in self injury. So, CKD having pioneered a breakaway from this style is to be applauded. However, few of the instructors teaching today have any background in physical education. Nor do they have any combat experience. What do they know? Only what they have been told. A lot of self promotion by the organisation and a lot of nonsense. Training must reflect the truth. If you play squash to improve your tennis game, it won't work. So, if you want to learn to defend yourself, you must learn to fight and so, go learn in a recognised boxing gym. Then take up martial arts to add to your skills inventory. However you will already have some idea of what your are up against. Nothing worth having ever comes easy. You work hard for your money. Don't give it to snake oil salesmen who might look pretty but in fact have nothing worthwhile to sell you. Live a good life. Be a good person. Don't look for trouble and you will probably never have to defend yourself. Use common sense to avoid bad people and bad situations.
