Olympic Taekwondo?

[hinky]

Appears to me that Olympic TKD helped the sport before it actually appeared. Once it did, it is clear why NBC decided to bury it as deeply as possible. It's even more difficult to watch the dancing, squawking chickenfest than it is to watch the joke called "boxing." It's a staredown - hands down (!!!) - and then the unleashing of kick after kick without any true defense against the punch. Any great habits that you learn as a martial artist are thrown out the window for this boring, staring contest.

On occasion there is action but mostly it's dull. Even my brother who has never taken a martial arts or boxing class thought both were pitiful systems designed to score points in a completely unnatural way. Now it appears some of these fighters do posses some great talent but it must take a lot of training to learn all the terrible habits you see at the Olympics. I don't know how some of these martial artists would fare in something like K-1 but if you train to spar like what I've seen then you can expect to get killed in any kickboxing match. You will do well in the one legged hop races in your local carnival.

It's sad. TKD will be a thing of the past after the 2012 Olympics where it will be buried online again. It should have been synchronized swimming, steeplechase, rhthmic gymanstics, handball or some other useless activity masquerading as a sport.

 

[IcemanSK]

Appears to me that Olympic TKD helped the sport before it actually appeared. Once it did, it is clear why NBC decided to bury it as deeply as possible. It's even more difficult to watch the dancing, squawking chickenfest than it is to watch the joke called "boxing." It's a staredown - hands down (!!!) - and then the unleashing of kick after kick without any true defense against the punch. Any great habits that you learn as a martial artist are thrown out the window for this boring, staring contest.

On occasion there is action but mostly it's dull. Even my brother who has never taken a martial arts or boxing class thought both were pitiful systems designed to score points in a completely unnatural way. Now it appears some of these fighters do posses some great talent but it must take a lot of training to learn all the terrible habits you see at the Olympics. I don't know how some of these martial artists would fare in something like K-1 but if you train to spar like what I've seen then you can expect to get killed in any kickboxing match. You will do well in the one legged hop races in your local carnival.

It's sad. TKD will be a thing of the past after the 2012 Olympics where it will be buried online again. It should have been synchronized swimming, steeplechase, rhthmic gymanstics, handball or some other useless activity masquerading as a sport.

Wrestling, & Judo were also only online. They don't like contact sports, I guess.

 

[hinky]

Wrestling, & Judo were also only online. They don't like contact sports, I guess.

Everything is avaialble online. I watched those two sports on MSNBC even though it's not live. I didn't see any time when TKD would be on MSNBC. After seeing what it is, save yourself. It's an embarrassing roundhouse kickfest.

 

[mango.man]

Everything is avaialble online. I watched those two sports on MSNBC even though it's not live. I didn't see any time when TKD would be on MSNBC. After seeing what it is, save yourself. It's an embarrassing roundhouse kickfest.

What you saw on MSNBC of Judo and Wrestling was only because USA team members picked up medals. There was no Judo or Wrestling scheduled for TV coverage. Just like if USA medals in TKD, you will see replays on MSNBC or one of the other 25 TV channels covering the games even though there is no TKD scheduled for TV coverage.

With regards to your perception of the Olympic game of TKD, Why don't you make your way onto the USA 2012 Olympic team and show the world how it is done if you think you can do better?

 

[matt.m]

So, it's time for the 2008 Summoer Olympic Games. This means some TKD action. hopefully the crowd won't boo like the last time. (maybe thats why it did not get much tv time- last time.) I have had this conversation with my instructor. Do you think TKD becoming an olympic sport has helped or hurt the art.

Oh wow is this going to sound like a double edge answer from me so don't flame too hard. Kwanjang knows my GM Charles Hildebrand very well. So learning TKD from Charle's perspective is "Train like you fight, then dumb it down to follow the rules." The man is a walking encyclopedia in TKD and Hapkido. He like me is always in Self defense mode. It is reflective at how St. L always does a great job at tournaments in sparring. Olympic, AAU, and Point. Last year we sent two competitors to the AAU and the qualified for nationals.

I am not a fan of TKD chess if you will. In my opinion living in St. L there are so many McDojo's it makes me sick. I am not kidding, 3 yr contract via eft and a guarantee of a 2nd dan at the end. A lot of schools are broken up into 4 categories of specificity: Demo, Sparring, those there for exercise with horrible technique, and those who want to go to the olympics.

I thought, and I have grown up in Moo Sul Kwan since 1979, that Judo, Tae Kwon Do and Hapkido encompass all aspects not just one individual.

I really think that Olympic Tae Kwon Do has been bad for business in the aspect that a lot of schools do a rush job on getting their students a black belt. I feel sorry for the folks who get attacked on the street. They would become "Street Pizza."

I know of 2 clubs specifically where 7 people got their black belt in 1 yr. How sad.

Judo is not innocent either, I know of many judo clubs in St. L that have promoted folks to 1st dan in 2 yrs and under. The black belts always look like yellow-green belts with all their mistakes. So commercialism has been good, quality not so much. It takes 10,000 reps of 1 technique to understand its principle. These BB Spa's don't have to do 10,000 reps it total to have their black belt.

Notice I didn't say "Earn" in any part of this post as I don't believe it to be relevant.

 

[mango.man]

OK, let's see. TKD was introduced to the Olympics in 1988 as an exhibition sport. All 8 weight divisions were used and each country could send 1 male and 1 female athelte per division.

I am not sure if the USA sent all 16 that they could or not, but 11 did medal

1988 Jimmy Kim - Gold
1988 Lynnette Love - Gold
1988 Dana Hee - Gold
1988 Arlene Limas - Gold
1988 Debra Holloway - Silver
1988 Juan Moreno - Silver
1988 Mayumi Pejo - Bronze
1988 Han-Won Lee - Bronze
1988 Greg Baker - Bronze
1988 Jay Warwick - Bronze
1988 Sharon Jewell - Bronze

In 1992 TKD remained an exhibition sport. Again all 8 weight divisions were used but coutries were limited to 3 male and 3 female athelete per country.

The USA sent their maximum of 6 and all 6 picked up medals

1992 Herbert Perez - Gold
1992 Juan Moreno - Silver
1992 Diane Murray - Silver
1992 Jennifer Laney - Bronze
1992 Terry Poindexter - Bronze
1992 Lynnette Love - Bronze

In 1996 TKD was excluded from the Olympic games.

In 2000 TKD became an offical recognized sport in the Olympic games. The 8 weight divisions were combined into 4 and countries were limited to a max of 2 male and 2 female athletes per country.

The USA sent their max of 4 and only 1 medaled.

2000 Steven Lopez - Gold

In 2004 the rules were the same as 2000.

The USA sent 2 athletes and both medaled.

2004 Steven Lopez - Gold
2004 Nia Abdallah - Silver

With the exception of 2000, the USA has not done all that bad on the TKD Olympic stage.

I just wanted to update this message so that when this topic comes up again in 4 years all the info will be at our fingertips:

In 2008 the rules were the same as 2000 and 2004.

The USA sent 4 atheletes and 3 medaled.

2008 Mark Lopez - Silver
2008 Steven Lopez - Bronze
2008 Diana Lopez - Bronze