Rare picture of elderly General Choi kicking
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Earl Weiss
Senior Master
That would be great. Had you seen mine before?
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
Not that I recall, when and where was it taken?
It was from a seminar in Sweden in October 1994.
jobo
Grandmaster
how have you decided its a rare picture?
It was quite rare for General Choi to do kicking demonstrations of any kind. In hundreds of hours of seminar footage and pictures, he rarely kicked himself.
There are several reasons for this but one of the obvious ones is that the head masters rarely demonstrated techniques themselves, they would have their closest student do that for them. It was in some way beneath them, which is perfectly understandable. Chois age also played a factor.
Including mr Weiss's pictures, there's a total of 4 pictures showing General Choi throwing a kick at the time of writing on the internet.
So I thought it would be a nice thing to post here.
There are several reasons for this but one of the obvious ones is that the head masters rarely demonstrated techniques themselves, they would have their closest student do that for them. It was in some way beneath them, which is perfectly understandable. Chois age also played a factor.
Including mr Weiss's pictures, there's a total of 4 pictures showing General Choi throwing a kick at the time of writing on the internet.
So I thought it would be a nice thing to post here.
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
FWIW he did the kick I had the picture of each time we got to Moon Moo where it appears in that pattern. On prior occasions I did not know it was coming / did not have a camera ready. On this occasion I knew it was coming so I had it ready. He was born in 1918, so he was aware there were (and often used) younger people more physically adept to demonstrate techniques.
Yes, as far as I know the twisting kick was the exception? Didn't he also do a jumping variant of it?
I remember when I started my ITF training that the instructor never demonstrated intermediate techniques himself, only the basics like straight punches and blocks and I did ask a Karate instructor why that is?
He said that in eastern culture the master either never (or almost never) demonstrate intermediate and advanced techniques, or he always demonstrates them. It's two different camps on this. And the ones who always demonstrate do that precisely because they are against the other camps philosophy
He said that in eastern culture the master either never (or almost never) demonstrate intermediate and advanced techniques, or he always demonstrates them. It's two different camps on this. And the ones who always demonstrate do that precisely because they are against the other camps philosophy
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
I do not recall him ever jumping but my first classroom interaction was 1990 which means he would have been 72 years old.
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
How would you define "Great Martial Artist" ?
john_newman
Orange Belt
I don't understand How he became a "Great MMA Fighter"? I heard about his great leadership and good coaching.
Earl Weiss
Senior Master
By "He" are you referring to General Choi?
Did someone claim he was a great MMA fighter?
Are you saying that in your opinion to be a great Martial Artist you would have to be a great MMA fighter?
It's very hard to interpret how to view General Choi in the history of TaeKwonDo.
As far as I can see his actions were very destructive both to himself and to the system he devised.
Had he not flirted with North Korea and had more diplomatic relations to South Korea, Chang Hon TaeKwonDo would have eventually been South Koreas main TaeKwonDo system. Instead he decided to burn all bridges and have both himself and his system of TaeKwonDo thrown out of South Korea due to his relations with North Korea.
As far as I can see his actions were very destructive both to himself and to the system he devised.
Had he not flirted with North Korea and had more diplomatic relations to South Korea, Chang Hon TaeKwonDo would have eventually been South Koreas main TaeKwonDo system. Instead he decided to burn all bridges and have both himself and his system of TaeKwonDo thrown out of South Korea due to his relations with North Korea.
