Is TKD really TKD anymore?

[msmitht]

Does anyone remember tae bo? Cardio kick box? Its the same thing all over again. Bs short term training for so called experts to be certified to do whatever they want. Sad thing is people actually pay to learn this crap from someone who bareley knows it themselves. Shame on anyone who takes advantage of others in this way!

 

[Kong Soo Do]

Be it Taekwondo or Karate, if the information contained in the forms was fully understood by the majority of instructors, they would have no need for flavor-of-the-month add-ons to the core art. Forms contain, in addition to strikes and kicks, grappling (standing and ground), locks, chokes, throws etc. What is needed is a more in-depth understanding of the core art, not a weekend seminar.

 

[Manny]

Frankly in my cuty I have located two or three of dojos like the one master Terry wrote and everytime I got to watch these super dojos (McDojos) I only laugh. Last weeken I went to small shoping plaza where a new TKD dojang is located, the dojo is nice (brand new) but I don't know the organitation the sambonim is afiliated, this dojo also have classes or kickboxing and ninjitsu (Frank Dux... remeber him). The sambonim asked me to sit and watch the class and asked me if I wana join... poor guy.. if he will know.... I could teach there and my class will be better than those flashy techs he was teaching, however I politely declined and asked for the organization cause I've never herd a thing abou it.... and I can go on and on.

Avoid the Mcdojos wehere several martial arts are imparted, and always ask info about the dojang, the kwan jang nim, ask to see the certification and look around a nice looking dojo is not guarantee of good tition.

Manny

 

[Earl Weiss]

The man that started it all back in the sixties, John Keehan. Rock on, Count Dante, rock on.

John Keehan was a character to be sure. But, he was also one to stand behind his mouth. I went to visit him once at the school in Chicago. Every square inch of the walls seemed to have a weapon on them and for good reason. He was involved in the Dojo wars where his group would go to other Dojos and Challenge then or others would come to his gym. Having weapons within easy reach was one way to deter someone coming in with weaposn to have an unfair advantage.
Sadly, this is exactly what happened. Someone brought a knife to the fist fight and someone ended up dead. That was the last of the Dojo wars in this area.

 

[puunui]

Does anyone remember tae bo? Cardio kick box? Its the same thing all over again. Bs short term training for so called experts to be certified to do whatever they want. Sad thing is people actually pay to learn this crap from someone who bareley knows it themselves. Shame on anyone who takes advantage of others in this way!

I think the people that did taebo and cardio kickboxing really enjoyed it. You can still find classes on that at taekwondo schools here, although it is getting pushed out by zumba. But cardio kickboxing classes kept many a dojang afloat during its heyday.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Be it Taekwondo or Karate, if the information contained in the forms was fully understood by the majority of instructors, they would have no need for flavor-of-the-month add-ons to the core art. Forms contain, in addition to strikes and kicks, grappling (standing and ground), locks, chokes, throws etc. What is needed is a more in-depth understanding of the core art, not a weekend seminar.

I really don't want to invet that much time and energy or find a knowledgeable instructor. I'll just pick the cheapes and closest school with fancy stuff and write the checks till I get my BB and then move on to the next thing.

 

[Buka]

John Keehan was a character to be sure. But, he was also one to stand behind his mouth. I went to visit him once at the school in Chicago. Every square inch of the walls seemed to have a weapon on them and for good reason. He was involved in the Dojo wars where his group would go to other Dojos and Challenge then or others would come to his gym. Having weapons within easy reach was one way to deter someone coming in with weaposn to have an unfair advantage.
Sadly, this is exactly what happened. Someone brought a knife to the fist fight and someone ended up dead. That was the last of the Dojo wars in this area.

The fact that you visited him is awesome! (at least to me)
I remember all the dojo wars. (hearing about them, not being there). If I remember correctly, I think the man who died was Jim Concivek. (sp) and that his death was the first Martial Arts related death in the United States. Although I could never verify that, despite looking for years. I had always heard he was shot in the neck with bow and arrow, but I don't know if that is fact.

Didn't Count Dante walk down a street in Chicago leading a bull? (For publicity)
Interesting man. Interesting time, too.

 

[Gorilla]

I think the people that did taebo and cardio kickboxing really enjoyed it. You can still find classes on that at taekwondo schools here, although it is getting pushed out by zumba. But cardio kickboxing classes kept many a dojang afloat during its heyday.

Billy Blanks is a highly respected martial artist at least in the circles that I travel in. His abilities are legendary.

 

[Tez3]

Billy Blanks is a highly respected martial artist at least in the circles that I travel in. His abilities are legendary.

I'm sure Taebo wasn't marketed as anything other than what it was, for exercise and fitness. I've seen the DVDs and I'm sure nothing was said about SD etc, just fitness workouts. It was honest and actually good at what it did ( does?)

 

[Gorilla]

I'm sure Taebo wasn't marketed as anything other than what it was, for exercise and fitness. I've seen the DVDs and I'm sure nothing was said about SD etc, just fitness workouts. It was honest and actually good at what it did ( does?)

Absolutely

 

[puunui]

Billy Blanks is a highly respected martial artist at least in the circles that I travel in. His abilities are legendary.

He used to compete at USTU nationals but would get disqualified because of his unorthodox techniques. He would do cartwheel kicks for example, and land it, but the point wouldn't score because his hands touched the ground. His student Chavela Aaron made team though and she took silver at worlds one year.

 

[Miles]

If you have not already, you might consider learning the modern training methods of Taekwondo instead. Much of what you see happening in the video is very similar to Taekwondo's modern training methods. There are specific exercise routines for speed, strength, agility, explosiveness, etc to improve every aspect of Taekwondo skills.

I recommend this because you already are a Taekwondo practitioner. We learned the modern training methods from the best Taekwondo coaches and athletes on the planet, my athletes do them everyday.

If you are interested, we are about 4 hours away from you. Drive up and spend a weekend or a day, my coaches will give you the whole curriculum, no charge.

Totally off-topic unsolicited plug for which I apologize, but SahBumNim Rush, I had the great pleasure of meeting Mastercole at his dojang when he hosted Dr. Jin Bang Yang, one of the premier Taekwondo Professors in Korea and the producer of a series of videotapes entitled "The Science of Taekwondo Fighting." Dr. Yang taught the modern training methods which have made his students champions. If you have the opportunity to train with Mastercole, you should do so for yourself and most of all, for your students.

 

[Gorilla]

He used to compete at USTU nationals but would get disqualified because of his unorthodox techniques. He would do cartwheel kicks for example, and land it, but the point wouldn't score because his hands touched the ground. His student Chavela Aaron made team though and she took silver at worlds one year.

My kids Tkd coach and their Karate coach speak about his abilities with much respect. Almost a superman type of athlete.

 

[mastercole]

Totally off-topic unsolicited plug for which I apologize, but SahBumNim Rush, I had the great pleasure of meeting Mastercole at his dojang when he hosted Dr. Jin Bang Yang, one of the premier Taekwondo Professors in Korea and the producer of a series of videotapes entitled "The Science of Taekwondo Fighting." Dr. Yang taught the modern training methods which have made his students champions. If you have the opportunity to train with Mastercole, you should do so for yourself and most of all, for your students.

Master Miles, I have some photos from that event, I'll post the one below that I think you are in. That was in my dojang in Mentor, Ohio. World Champion Ki Moon Kwon and Prof. Yong Jae Ko were acting as his assistant. We have Taekwondoin from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Kentucky there. The late Master Kieth Krotish had just helped Dr. Yang with those videos, which were hugely popular at the time. Right before that it was GM Sang Lee's Going for the Gold (?) sparring video's, then, the WTF Art of Competition video, also produced by Dr. Yang for the WTF.

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[Buka]

He used to compete at USTU nationals but would get disqualified because of his unorthodox techniques. He would do cartwheel kicks for example, and land it, but the point wouldn't score because his hands touched the ground. His student Chavela Aaron made team though and she took silver at worlds one year.

A couple of times, Billy threw that cartwheel kick - into a head scissors, a successful head scissors, and took the opponent down like he was hit by a plane. It was pretty funny.

 

[puunui]

I had the great pleasure of meeting Mastercole at his dojang when he hosted Dr. Jin Bang Yang, one of the premier Taekwondo Professors in Korea and the producer of a series of videotapes entitled "The Science of Taekwondo Fighting." Dr. Yang taught the modern training methods which have made his students champions.

Dr. Yang moved to the US and went to the University of North Carolina to get his Ph.D. While there, he turned North Carolina into a taekwondo powerhouse and within a short period of time, had people who were regularly medaling at Nationals in the senior black belt divisions. He subsequently moved back to Korea to take positions at the KTA, where he presently serves as Executive Director. His distinction is being Jidokwan GM LEE Chong Woo's last personal student. His family still lives in North Carolina, and I understand Dr. Yang regularly travels back and forth between Korea and the US to see his family.

 

[puunui]

World Champion Ki Moon Kwon and Prof. Yong Jae Ko were acting as his assistant.

GM Ki Moon KWON, who is a very nice gentleman, has the distinction of being one of the first competitors at a WTF International Event featured on TV. It was in 1981 at the World Games, which were being held at Toso Pavillion in Santa Clara, California and the event was covered by ABC's Wide World of Sports. I remember casually flipping through the channels when I happened to catch it, so I videotaped it. GM Kwon fought GM Dae Sung Lee in the finweight finals. There was another match, between Spain's Co Banito and Korea's Kimo Yang I think his name was. The commentator was Master Kim Royce, a heavyweight National Team Member from UC Berkeley. I later met GM Kwon through an introduction from mastercole, and I told him I remembered his name because of that ABC broadcast, which surprised GM Kwon.

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Master Miles, I have some photos from that event, I'll post the one below that I think you are in. That was in my dojang in Mentor, Ohio. World Champion Ki Moon Kwon and Prof. Yong Jae Ko were acting as his assistant. We have Taekwondoin from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Kentucky there. The late Master Kieth Krotish had just helped Dr. Yang with those videos, which were hugely popular at the time. Right before that it was GM Sang Lee's Going for the Gold (?) sparring video's, then, the WTF Art of Competition video, also produced by Dr. Yang for the WTF.

[/IMG]

Is that Master Ron Hickey (student of GM AHN) I see front row, second from left (first face in front row on left)?

 

[SahBumNimRush]

Totally off-topic unsolicited plug for which I apologize, but SahBumNim Rush, I had the great pleasure of meeting Mastercole at his dojang when he hosted Dr. Jin Bang Yang, one of the premier Taekwondo Professors in Korea and the producer of a series of videotapes entitled "The Science of Taekwondo Fighting." Dr. Yang taught the modern training methods which have made his students champions. If you have the opportunity to train with Mastercole, you should do so for yourself and most of all, for your students.

Thanks for the comment Miles, it is something that I am very much interested in. I just have to allot some time and see if we can match up our schedules.. .

 

[Miles]

Master Miles, I have some photos from that event, I'll post the one below that I think you are in. That was in my dojang in Mentor, Ohio. World Champion Ki Moon Kwon and Prof. Yong Jae Ko were acting as his assistant. We have Taekwondoin from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, New York and Kentucky there. The late Master Kieth Krotish had just helped Dr. Yang with those videos, which were hugely popular at the time. Right before that it was GM Sang Lee's Going for the Gold (?) sparring video's, then, the WTF Art of Competition video, also produced by Dr. Yang for the WTF.

[/IMG]

Thank you Mastercole, that's me in the forefront just to the right of the bald gentleman from OH.