Olympics

[Rob Broad]

Has Tae Kwon Do getting into the Olympics hurt the art?

 

[Marginal]

Popularity tends to hurt *ANY* art as much as it helps it. Look at GJJ. Now being called GJJ rather than BJJ because...

 

[Damian Mavis]

It has destroyed the art.... at least for most schools. My federation has nothing to do with the olympics so it doesnt effect us except that we are always stereotyped in with all the bad sporty schools which drives me nuts.

However, having said that, the olympics has destroyed the art but has really helped for business! Tae Kwon Do is internationally popular and makes many people lots of money! Even though I have nothing to do with the olympics and their style... I get many students because I teach TKD and so many people know the name. They dont care about the olympics, but TKD's name is so common (due mostly in part to the olympics) that people seek out the schools. If I was teaching karate or kung fu... I would have very few students.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[NCkicks14]

But are the Olympics really hurting the martial art that bad? I mean, I have a friend that really wants to get to the 2008 Olympics, but he doesn't want to go to win, he just wants to go to prove something to others that you shouldn't underestimate small people and he doesn't feel like he's accomplishing this through tournaments. I'm helping him out with finding contact information, but if it's gonna hurt his art in Tae Kwon Do, should he go through with it?

 

[Zepp]

But are the Olympics really hurting the martial art that bad? I mean, I have a friend that really wants to get to the 2008 Olympics, but he doesn't want to go to win, he just wants to go to prove something to others that you shouldn't underestimate small people and he doesn't feel like he's accomplishing this through tournaments. I'm helping him out with finding contact information, but if it's gonna hurt his art in Tae Kwon Do, should he go through with it?

In answer to your first question, yes. As far as your friend goes, this thread isn't really about the effect that training for and and actually competing in the Olympics has on an individual. If you're friend is good enough to actually qualify for the Olympics (assuming TKD is still included in the Olympics in 2008- rumor is that it won't be) it's probably an opportunity he should take full advantage of.

So long as he's getting quality training in areas of TKD besides Olympic-style sparring, his martial artistry shouldn't suffer too much. The problem is, that most schools don't offer quality training in anything besides Olympic-style sparring.

I think the more important question might be, if the Olympics abandons TKD, will it benefit the art as a whole? Anyone care to speculate on that?

 

[NCkicks14]

Wow, I didn't even think about that. If it is abandoned from the Olympics in 2008, there might not be very many people by then that would want to muster up the courage to be apart of this particular art because it's not on television. I think that's why most people become apart of the Martial Arts organization is because they want to be like the people on t.v. and I wouldn't blame them, I used to be the same way untill I reached yellow belt when I took it seriously, the othe, the training, testings and tournaments, I've converted my self after only two months in wanting the to be as good as my instructor Mr. Davis (7th degree black belt, Master Instructor of the school).

And as for my friend, yes, he does have the ability and quality training. He isn't under the same instructor as myself but under Mr. Snyder who also teaches Kick Boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu and they just recently tried Bermese Fighting(if I spelled that right). He's only 15 and reached the rank of a red belt, and by 2008 I think all of his training might pay off if he actually gets there and if the Olympics haven't abandoned the TKD art.

 

[Sarah]

And as for my friend, yes, he does have the ability and quality training. He isn't under the same instructor as myself but under Mr. Snyder who also teaches Kick Boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu and they just recently tried Bermese Fighting(if I spelled that right). He's only 15 and reached the rank of a red belt, and by 2008 I think all of his training might pay off if he actually gets there and if the Olympics haven't abandoned the TKD art.[/QUOTE]
Good luck to your friend, I hope he achieve's his goal of competing in his art in front of the world. People who go for their dreams are always good role models.

 

[MichiganTKD]

In answer to the first question:
To a large degree, the Olympics has done damage to Tae Kwon Do. The Olympics is about Western sports and Western values. Always has been. In order for Tae Kwon Do to be accepted by the world sports community, it had to sacrifice many of the principles and dynamics that make it unique. For instance, the sports community doesn't care about developing internal power, good manners and etiquette, martial arts as a Way of Life, and good effective self defense. It cares about winning, and the networks care about ratings. Traditional martial arts doesn't bring in ratings because it is about improving yourself as an individual-not exactly made for TV cameras.
Second, the techniques that made traditional TKD second to none in the world were modified in favor of techniques designed to earn points. My Instructor has commented that many of the young black belts he is acquainted with in the world TKD community are unable to perform basic traditional techniques because their bodies have adapted to sport technique. Guess what? Athletes tend to have short careers. What do you do after your career is finished, especially after your body has experienced the punishment of Olympic training and international competition?
Third, Olympic TKD is designed for the young, fast, and strong. 99.9% of students will NEVER qualify for the Olympics. So in the modern Olympic TKD mindset, there is no place for them.
Losing the Olympics will probably not hurt everyone in Tae Kwon Do. It is too well known. For that, the Tae Kwon Do community does owe the Olympics a debt of gratitude. However, if it is no longer recognized by the Olympics (which will probably lead to major changes and/or fracturing of the WTF and USTU), it will have to seriously analyze what it wants to offer the world. The traditional Instructors, myself included, will be safe because the Olympics has no bearing on what or how we teach. The Instructors raised under the banner of the Olympics will have big problems, because what they teach would become irrelevant. What are they supposed to do? How do they promote TKD as the "former Olympic sport"? Not to mention their training programs are geared toward one eventual goal that might no longer exist.

 

[terryl965]

And as for my friend, yes, he does have the ability and quality training. He isn't under the same instructor as myself but under Mr. Snyder who also teaches Kick Boxing, Brazilian Jujitsu and they just recently tried Bermese Fighting(if I spelled that right). He's only 15 and reached the rank of a red belt, and by 2008 I think all of his training might pay off if he actually gets there and if the Olympics haven't abandoned the TKD art.

Good luck to your friend, I hope he achieve's his goal of competing in his art in front of the world. People who go for their dreams are always good role models.[/QUOTE]Well Sarah first off if he is only a red belt and 15 then he does not have a chance for 2008 with all the top competetors being already groomed for the Olympics in Denver three times a year and the training they go through, his best bet would be 2012 at the earliest, he would need to join like the Teckno top team or Adidas team,would have to meet the Lopez family since they are Olympics right now and probaly the best shot at gold for the USA team. People trying to make the Olympics if they are around(like my son) he is ten needs more trianing with the top competitors out there he's earliest shot would be 2012 also he works 6 to 10 hours a day with Sunday being God day and family since I train him myself I have position myself with everybody associated with TKD the sport for his own growth in the sport of TKD...GOD BLESS AMERICA, oh by the way I believe in Traditional TKD myself....

 

[NCkicks14]

Ok, I'll tell him to wait. Maybe he could use some extra training........and maybe a team, but your right, he doesn't have a very good chance in the 2008 Olympics. He just wanted to prove that people shouldn't underestimate the power of small people, and like you, he(and myself) also believes in traditional training, I swear if he keeps pushing himself like he is now he's gonna end up hurting himself. But what are the most hours he can train daily to get his skill level bumped up to be good enough to even qualify for the Olympics?

 

[Bammx2]

Ok,my main complaint about Olympic TKD......

From what I have seen,you can score with kicks ONLY.
Since when did TKD become a "no hands" art?
I know for a fact this is crock!
TKD is being short sided with this "no-hands" crap and is representing the style in the wrong manner.
It(the style) may concentrate on kicking....but is not complete without hand techniques.
I just think its a totally unfair display and disrespectful of the dedicated practitioners around the world who love the art,but are not especially good kickers....not to mention the ones who are going to get thier first exposure thru the olympics and be mis-lead.Why not Savate?!
If any international body is going to represent ANY sport...be true to the art and represent the whole thing...not just the part to bring in more "buisness"
If I am wrong in my assessment...please say so.
I do not want to mislead anyone if I have the wrong info............

 

[NCkicks14]

Hm, I didn't know that either, but when translated doesn't Tae Kwon Do mean "Foot Fist Way"? Not just "Foot Way" or just "Fist Way"

well, after hearing this i think i should let my friend know what's going on with these things and see if he still wants to do this.....if anything i know it's the last thing he wants to do is hurt the TKD Way of Life

 

[Marginal]

If any international body is going to represent ANY sport...be true to the art and represent the whole thing...not just the part to bring in more "buisness"
If I am wrong in my assessment...please say so.
I do not want to mislead anyone if I have the wrong info............

Wierd as it sounds, a lot of the active participants in olympic sparring cannot even see that there's a problem. Instead, when someone suggests a ruleset change, they say "Then it would just be kickboxing or boxing."

 

[Disco]

Has Tae Kwon Do getting into the Olympics hurt the art?

Of course it has............ The art was displaced with athletics.

Remove TKD from the Olympics?

Best thing that could happen to/for the "Art"....... artyon:

 

[Rob Broad]

In 1988 tere was a big push with TKD being a spectator sport at the Olympics, the city I lived in had the only person from Canada to bring home a medal for TKD. Her name is Yvonne Francis she got a bronze medal. She fought only once atthe Olympics and lost and was given a bronze medal. When she went to tournaments there usually wasn't anyone for her to compet with at her size so she was given a spot on the Olympic team almost as a gimme. Her instructor made money hand over fist because she was a Bronze Medal winner, he never told anyone how she got the medal. He has pushed TKD as the spor fo the future for the last 20yrs, he has had many students over the years and he treats them horribly the only people he treats well are those tat can bring him glory, and that has transfered to almost every Black Belt he created. His, and many others pursuit of the Olympic dream has really destroyed the martial arts.

If the Olympics get rid of TKD, I think there will be a major vacuum in the TKD community. Many instructors will have no idea what their purpose for teaching will be.

 

[Rob Broad]

Ok, I'll tell him to wait. Maybe he could use some extra training........and maybe a team, but your right, he doesn't have a very good chance in the 2008 Olympics. He just wanted to prove that people shouldn't underestimate the power of small people, and like you, he(and myself) also believes in traditional training, I swear if he keeps pushing himself like he is now he's gonna end up hurting himself. But what are the most hours he can train daily to get his skill level bumped up to be good enough to even qualify for the Olympics?

NCkicks14 you said your friend is only 16, by the time 2008 comes around he wil probably have a whole new perspective about wanting to prove to people that little people can accomplish big things. It would be great if he was good enough to compete on such an international platform, and it great that you are trying to support him, but his motives may be a little askew. As he grows older he probably won't need to try and prove himself as much.

 

[Hanzo04]

the olympics have just made tkd more popular.