Hello Jay, and welcome to Martial Talk.
[FONT="]recently i realized when i went to another school to continue my third (the dojong i was studying closed and the master opened started his own korean food restaurant.) i was told my degrees wernt valid there.[/FONT]
Your degrees weren't valid where.... at the new dojang, or at the Korean restaurant?
[FONT="]i was 18 back then and didnt know such things about official kukiwon.[/FONT]
Your age has nothing to do with it. I didn't know about Kwans when I was younger either. Kukkiwon has nothing to do with it. Apparently, you earned your Black Belt rank legitimately under a qualified and reputable Master who happens to have Kukkiwon certification. Therefore, your rank and credentials are just as valid and secure as the owner of this new Dojang. If they have a problem with it, and don't want to acknowledged your past rank then that is their problem. They need to grow up a bit, and stop being so insecure about their own rank (and you can tell them I said so!) :mst:
[FONT="]i know tae kwon do is a very effective art..... why did instructors change the art so much since the 90s.[/FONT]
[FONT="]i see black belts in tae kwon do keep getting have been wiped out consistently in mix martial arts competitions K-1, pride fighting, or UFC. why is that because i know it is effective.[/FONT]
The Art of Taekwondo has not changed in the past decade. It has grown in popularity which means more people are practicing and learning it (or attempting to learn it). With the popularity has come the spread of Taekwondo in the sport arena. Thus, there are those who enter Taekwondo mainly for the purpose of playing "games." Their main focus is tournaments and competing for Olympic Gold. If this quest satisfies them, then fine for them, but if it compromises the totality of what Taekwondo training should be, then they are short changing themselves. If they in-turn become "Black Belts," and open schools with no restrictions as to who can claim to be an instructor, and little guidelines on what qualifications are required to teach, then the public can be mislead into believing that this is the complete art of Taekwondo, which it is not.
Some will say that Taekwondo is being destroyed, diminished or "watered down" because of this. I disagree. This phenomenon is true only within those schools that lower their own standards, or among those who become "Black Belts" of these sport
only oriented schools who don't know any better. This is not to say that a school which offers a complete Taekwondo program with realistic self defense can't also offer tournaments or even Olympic opportunity. It is a question of balance, priorities, and what is sacrificed for the element of sport.
Furthermore, if you are comparing what Taekwondo currently is to what is done in these "UFC" "Special-K" competitions - - don't. These are games with rules, and Taekwondo has its own rules. To mix does not make sense. In the street, the only rules are the ones you choose to follow, and when it comes to survival, the only laws that matter are the laws of nature. Those so-called Taekwondoists who choose to enter these specified games are not the cream of the crop, and do not represent what real Taekwondo is.
[FONT="]my second question, what happened to the united states tae kwon do union and what is this USA tae kwon do?[/FONT]
The U.S.T.U. was formed out of the AAU. When Taekwondo got the official approval for the Olympics (Demonstration event in 1988) the WTF was charged with the international authority over rules and regulations. The WTF, in turn, recognized various "national governing bodies" (NGB). The USTU was the one in the United States that became the NGB. Due to growing corruption, disorganization, and disputes within, the USTU failed to maintain the approval of the WTF, and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
Therefore, a new organization, USA Taekwondo was formed to take the place of the USTU. The name is different, the leadership is different, but there are still complaints that the problems might not have been solved. In any even, I am not sure that I would say that the USTU became the USA Taekwondo, but that the USTU was replaced by the USA Taekwondo (might be splitting hairs, but I am sure there are those who would feel there is a significant difference).
Anyhow, as far as your current training, I suggest you respectfully tell the instructors at this new Dojang that you attained your Dan ranks legitimately (which they can verify with your instructor at the Korean restaurant), and they can either help you to get your rank confirmed with the Kukkiwon, or you will go train with someone who has a better grasp of reality, and more respect for the art rather than a piece of paper.
Good Luck
CM D.J. Eisenhart
