New School

[ChungDo]

Hi Everyone. I'm brand new to MT, but thought this would be a great resource. Many of you seem to have quite a bit of experience in many aspects of perpetuating/furthering the arts, and I wanted to reach out to everyone to get some guidance. I have made a difficult decision to break away from my dojang due to a falling out with owner. I have been trying to find a new home, but I'm finding that every place is what I've noticed many of you calling a "McDojang". I'm thinking of just trying to open up my own school, but would like to tie into a greater organization with some higher ranked black belts. I am located in a suburb of Denver, and haven't really found an organization that carries the traditional decorum. Can anyone help with any recommendations? Thanks in advance!

 

[dancingalone]

You don't state what kind of taekwondo you practice. To a large extent, this probably will determine what organization you try to align with. If you do Kukkiwon TKD as your handle suggests (Chung Do Kwan?), it's probably a no-brainer to just find the closest KKW members to your location and approach them with your situation. I'm sure you can find someone willing to have your affiliate with them if you approach them sincerely and humbly.

If you want to go as 'generic' as possible and control your curriculum 100%, there's 2 groups that advertise in the back of Black Belt magazine. The ITA run by John Pelligrini and some other group I can't recall off the top of my head run by Jerry Beasley. There are seminar/additional learning opportunities provided by both groups and I believe they'll grade you to higher dan ranks as well.

 

[ArmorOfGod]

http://www.aikia.net/Aikia.net/Beasley.html
That is the link for the Jerry Beasley TKD group, which is actually a pretty good one to join if you have to join one.

http://martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=42320 Read that thread. That has some EXCELLENT advice.

http://martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69106 That's another pretty good thread.

Isn't Kacey here at MT from Denver? She's tkd and may have some advice for your area. http://martialtalk.com/forum/member.php?u=7906 There is her profile where you can send her a message.

AoG

 

[Fing Fang Foom]

Welcome to the Forum ChungDo!

 

[chrispillertkd]

It's been years since I was out in CO but when I was the area was jam-packed with MA schools, including a host of Taekwon-Do DoJang.

You might want to check out www.cit-itf.com for an ITF school. The VP of the school used to be on a e-mail list with me and really knows his stuff.

There is also, of course, the USTF headed by Grand Master Chuck Sereff, headquartered in Boulder (www.ustf-itf.com). If you contact them they could probably suggest several schools in the area.

Pax,

Chris

 

[Earl Weiss]

the USTF headed by Grand Master Chuck Sereff, headquartered in Boulder (www.ustf-itf.com). If you contact them they could probably suggest several schools in the area.

Pax,

Chris

I think you meant the USTF is headquartered in Broomfiled

 

[ChungDo]

You don't state what kind of taekwondo you practice. To a large extent, this probably will determine what organization you try to align with. If you do Kukkiwon TKD as your handle suggests (Chung Do Kwan?), it's probably a no-brainer to just find the closest KKW members to your location and approach them with your situation. I'm sure you can find someone willing to have your affiliate with them if you approach them sincerely and humbly.

Dancingalone,
Thank you so much. I apologize for the late reply, but I was having issues not being able to log back into the site. (newguy!)

My roots are Chung Do Kwan. The school that I'm coming from states that they are Ji Do Kwan, but doesn't retain much of the kwan heritage. I am WTF bread and would prefer to stay within that lineage. I have pursued some of the other Kukkiwon affiate schools, and though they are affiliated with the KKW, they too seem to be shadows of what once was. I certainly don't mean to come off arrogantly or with some sort of attitude. Please understand, I just want to be part of an organization that truly holds to the tenets that we were all brought up to believe in. I refuse to believe that the "awe and wonder" that many of us felt when our master instructors taught us was simply the equivalent of our parents eating the cookies we set out for Santa when we were young. I suppose I'm at a crossroad, and am contemplating starting an organization with these ideals from the ground as opposed to joining another school. Many of you have the wisdom from your experiences that I do not. I humbly ask for your perspective. Perhaps I just need a paradigm shift.

ChungDo

 

[dancingalone]

My roots are Chung Do Kwan. The school that I'm coming from states that they are Ji Do Kwan, but doesn't retain much of the kwan heritage.

To be fair, few do. Many know which kwan they are connected to lineage-wise, but it's a rare school indeed that still maintains even a small part of the curriculum taught during the kwan era. For example, I am also Chung Do Kwan through my instructor's instructor's instructor (Jhoon Rhee), but we sure didn't learn the karate forms originally taught during the CDK days.

I am WTF bread and would prefer to stay within that lineage. I have pursued some of the other Kukkiwon affiate schools, and though they are affiliated with the KKW, they too seem to be shadows of what once was.
I certainly don't mean to come off arrogantly or with some sort of attitude. Please understand, I just want to be part of an organization that truly holds to the tenets that we were all brought up to believe in. I refuse to believe that the "awe and wonder" that many of us felt when our master instructors taught us was simply the equivalent of our parents eating the cookies we set out for Santa when we were young. I suppose I'm at a crossroad, and am contemplating starting an organization with these ideals from the ground as opposed to joining another school. Many of you have the wisdom from your experiences that I do not. I humbly ask for your perspective. Perhaps I just need a paradigm shift.

ChungDo

Without delving into the ideas of 'familiarity breeds contempt' and 'eating your own dogfood', I'd suggest you PM a member here with the handle IcemanSK. He wanted to join up with a credible master, and with some searching and effort, he's now with GM Edward Sell, one of the most senior Chung Do Kwan people in America. I'm sure he can put you in touch with GM Sell, and hopefully you can discover if affiliating with someone out of Michigan(?) is a good avenue for you.

Good luck.

 

[ChungDo]

Thank you Dancingalone. I am familiar with GM Sell and his organization. I actually began under his organization when I was 5. I may very well end up folding back into the U.S. Chung Do Kwan, but my issue is for some of the higher rank belts and their testing. I'm not sure how to reconcile that issue.

 

[chrispillertkd]

I think you meant the USTF is headquartered in Broomfiled

Oops, yes, sir that is what I meant!

Pax,

Chris

 

[ralphmcpherson]

Our school gets a lot of new members regularly because we are not affiliated with anyone. More and more people are becoming disgruntled with all the politics of the big organisations and the fact that a lot of the traditional values have gone out the window. I was very skeptical when I started training at my current club because they were not affiliated with anyone and yet looking back now it is the best move I ever made. I know its not for everyone because if you want to compete, for example, you have to be afiliated with certain orgs but I know for me personally, I feel I used to place far too much emphasis on being linked to larger orgs.

 

[terryl965]

Thank you Dancingalone. I am familiar with GM Sell and his organization. I actually began under his organization when I was 5. I may very well end up folding back into the U.S. Chung Do Kwan, but my issue is for some of the higher rank belts and their testing. I'm not sure how to reconcile that issue.

Well the testing is really not an issue with GM Sells because they have a high Dan testing once a year and I believe that is the same time as there National tournament. But seriously Any high level Master can test you and submit the paperwork for you and if you go that route make sure they are the real thing and can submit the application for you.

One last thing KKW is not reaaly just about the sport, the WTF is but right now they do not control and certification.

 

[dancingalone]

Our school gets a lot of new members regularly because we are not affiliated with anyone. More and more people are becoming disgruntled with all the politics of the big organisations and the fact that a lot of the traditional values have gone out the window. I was very skeptical when I started training at my current club because they were not affiliated with anyone and yet looking back now it is the best move I ever made. I know its not for everyone because if you want to compete, for example, you have to be afiliated with certain orgs but I know for me personally, I feel I used to place far too much emphasis on being linked to larger orgs.

From my perspective, beginners, the bread and butter of most for-profit schools, don't know anything at all about organizations. It's a non-issue for most. They just want to train to get some exercise, and learn some self-defense.

I am not opposed to organizations myself, but I think people on MT overstate their value. The best reason to belong to an org is to hopefully get the opportunity to learn from and train with other good martial artists. I'm not so much interested if the primary benefits are for sport competition opportunities or to engage in business networking.

 

[dancingalone]

Thank you Dancingalone. I am familiar with GM Sell and his organization. I actually began under his organization when I was 5. I may very well end up folding back into the U.S. Chung Do Kwan, but my issue is for some of the higher rank belts and their testing. I'm not sure how to reconcile that issue.

Without knowing the specifics of your complaints, I can't give any more thoughts other than also echo the independence route. I am an independent karate teacher myself and my schools/teaching opportunities are thriving. I control curriculum 100% and whatever income I have after expenses are mine to keep or pay out as I desire. Granted, I have learned all the material within the system my teacher taught me, and I have no need to continue to attain higher rank.

If you don't want to be an independent, again there are non-KKW organizations that will allow you to control to a great degree what you teach in your school.