Does it annoy you when people refer to everything as a 'Karate <>".

[ballen0351]

One thing that kind of annoys me is there is a TKD school where I work in a shopping center with KARATE in big letters all over the front of the building. You would think they would have a little more pride in there style. Now I know it's just because most soccer mom's wouldn't know what TKD was when looking for a place to drop off little Johnny but come on man have some pride

 

[donald1]

That doesn't add up in my opinion. If they wanted the people to join TKD then write TKD, a lot of people who walk through shopping centers i know (i could probably bet at least 90% or more have little to know knowledge of martial arts so they will most likely not know the difference. But people will see someone wearing a gi or have posters or pictures to show its martial arts. The people that come and stay will learn and those are the ones who can be trained... Well as long as the student is always trying and never gives up

 

[Dirty Dog]

One thing that kind of annoys me is there is a TKD school where I work in a shopping center with KARATE in big letters all over the front of the building. You would think they would have a little more pride in there style. Now I know it's just because most soccer mom's wouldn't know what TKD was when looking for a place to drop off little Johnny but come on man have some pride

The primary source of TKD is Shotokan KARATE. The original name of the art taught by most of the Kwans was Tang Soo Do. Tang Soo Do is the Korean for the characters that are pronounced "Karatedo" in Japanese. During the merger, many of the Kwan leaders favored keeping the name Tang Soo Do; Taekwondo reportedly won out by a slim margin.
So I don't see a problem.
Especially since it's entirely possible that the school teaches some variety of Karate as well as whatever flavor of TKD (you don't say which...) is taught.

 

[donald1]

The primary source of TKD is Shotokan KARATE. The original name of the art taught by most of the Kwans was Tang Soo Do. Tang Soo Do is the Korean for the characters that are pronounced "Karatedo" in Japanese. During the merger, many of the Kwan leaders favored keeping the name Tang Soo Do; Taekwondo reportedly won out by a slim margin.
So I don't see a problem.
Especially since it's entirely possible that the school teaches some variety of Karate as well as whatever flavor of TKD (you don't say which...) is taught.

So does that mean TKD comes from shotokon karate? Yes, yes and no or just no completely

 

[Dirty Dog]

So does that mean TKD comes from shotokon karate? Yes, yes and no or just no completely

The most common art studied by the Kwan founders during the Japanese occupation of Korea seems to have been Shotokan. There was also some Judo and some Chinese influence, but I don't think there's any real disagreement that Shotokan was the single biggest influence. With the unification movement, the various systems were merged, developing a common curriculum, and the emphasis was placed on kicking.

 

[ballen0351]

The primary source of TKD is Shotokan KARATE. The original name of the art taught by most of the Kwans was Tang Soo Do. Tang Soo Do is the Korean for the characters that are pronounced "Karatedo" in Japanese. During the merger, many of the Kwan leaders favored keeping the name Tang Soo Do; Taekwondo reportedly won out by a slim margin.
So I don't see a problem.
Especially since it's entirely possible that the school teaches some variety of Karate as well as whatever flavor of TKD (you don't say which...) is taught.

If that where the case then why is the school called Lee's Taekwondo? His website and inside painted I the walls say it but the big sign on the front of the building say Karate and in big letters painted on the glass say Karate. I have no idea what kind of Taekwondo it is I've never asked. I talked to him before I stopped by to see this new Karate dojo when it first opened. He teaches Taekwondo, BJJ, and Hapkido. I just think of your business is called Taekwondo in the title don't call yourself a Karate school. The other Taekwondo school in town has Taekwondo on the front of his building. The 3rd one just says Super Kicks. The 4th one I know of teaches TKD, Aikido, BJJ, and some other Chinese form it calls itself Life Skills that place confuses me had I not known what's actually in there I'd think it was a life coach place or something else.

 

[jks9199]

H'mm... Could it be something as simple as "KARATE" is 6 letters, and has been widely recognized for 50+ (maybe more like 70 or 80) years. "TAE KWON DO" is 9 to 11 characters, and lacked the widespread recognition until fairly recently. Cheaper sign, more recognition... That couldn't have motivated a small business.

 

[ballen0351]

H'mm... Could it be something as simple as "KARATE" is 6 letters, and has been widely recognized for 50+ (maybe more like 70 or 80) years. "TAE KWON DO" is 9 to 11 characters, and lacked the widespread recognition until fairly recently. Cheaper sign, more recognition... That couldn't have motivated a small business.

Possible but like I said it annoyed me.

 

[OldKarateGuy]

I taught (owned actually) at a Tang Soo Do dojang for several years - long story but I kind of inherited it and didn't want to leave the families stranded - and when people first asked, I usually told them it was "Korean Karate", which was simpler than trying to explain the somewhat unfamiliar "Tang Soo Do". And, after all, the Chinese characters pronounced "tang soo do" by a Korean would be pronounced "karate do" by a Japanese, even though the actual meaning is now different, having been changed in the 1930"s. That's when the "tang" (China) hand was changed to "empty" hand, perhaps reflecting the politics of the day. But both are pronounced kara te in Japanese. So, I guess, who cares? Inside the school, we were respectful of Tang Soo Do, the founder and current GM, but to outsiders and potential students, Korean Karate was fine when trying to explain what we did. And the roots, Shotokan to Okinawa, and then back to China, were pretty obvious. I think there were also more modern (and obvious) efforts to make TSD less Shotokan-centric and more distinct, as a stand-alone art beholden to no other, which also is fine.

 

[Grenadier]

It's really not that different from the general public referring to facial tissues as "Kleenex," or referring to any kind of carbonated cola drink as "Coke."

If people can relate to the martial arts because they're more familiar with the name of "Karate" as opposed to "Tae Kwon Do," or "Baquazhang (sp?)," and if name familiarity can get them in the doors in the first place, then I don't have much of a problem at all about the mistaken nomenclature. Once they start training, then the instructor can clue them in on the actual system. If they enjoy the training, then such news shouldn't have that much of an effect.

 

[ballen0351]

It's really not that different from the general public referring to facial tissues as "Kleenex," or referring to any kind of carbonated cola drink as "Coke."

If people can relate to the martial arts because they're more familiar with the name of "Karate" as opposed to "Tae Kwon Do," or "Baquazhang (sp?)," and if name familiarity can get them in the doors in the first place, then I don't have much of a problem at all about the mistaken nomenclature. Once they start training, then the instructor can clue them in on the actual system. If they enjoy the training, then such news shouldn't have that much of an effect.

I understand the reasons it just annoys me. I'm not sure why but it does.

 

[donald1]

I personally believe it's better they have TKD because if they go inside they will find out what TKD is that it's a martial arts but that is there choice maybe they have a reason. I don't know but some things are better off left alone

 

[Marnetmar]

Karate has become a generic term for any open handed martial art. It might not be correct, but it makes sense and I don't see the problem with it.