Required knowledge

[Kacey]

Do you have things you require your students to know beyond the physical movements? Why or why not?

For example, for us, at each rank, students must learn the tul history, various Korean terms (class commands, counting to 10, and similar items), the meaning of the color of their next belt, and various items of theory. I think that such information is valuable, because the theory helps students to better understand and apply what they are learning, and the Korean vocabulary and history helps them to better understand the culture that created TKD.

 

[terryl965]

I'm with you Kacey we have the same things as well.

One thing I do for every BB is Test them on the knowledge of all the SD principle they believe to be in every Poomsae they have learned while with me. Also they must explore deep inside the techniques and see what a few variation will do for the poomsae as well.

 

[newGuy12]

We definitely do terminology! We have the class spoken in Korean, which I LOVE!

 

[jks9199]

Outside of basic skill-related knowledge, we don't require our students to learn a lot. The broad strokes of the history of our style, a little bit about the country and people that originated it, and so on.

However, at advanced levels, as you study one of our animal systems, you are expected to learn about that animal, it's prey, and it's predators, and so on.

 

[tkd_jen]

We have a rather large student handbook that outlines required knowledge outside of the regular curriculum. Ours is similar to the other posters requirements. Korean terminology, belt meanings and responsibilities, history of TKD, etc.

I really enjoy studying martial arts beyond the kicking and punching.

 

[newGuy12]

I really enjoy studying martial arts beyond the kicking and punching.

I do too! I'm glad that teachers include these things!

 

[Marginal]

Do you have things you require your students to know beyond the physical movements? Why or why not?

For example, for us, at each rank, students must learn the tul history, various Korean terms (class commands, counting to 10, and similar items), the meaning of the color of their next belt, and various items of theory. I think that such information is valuable, because the theory helps students to better understand and apply what they are learning, and the Korean vocabulary and history helps them to better understand the culture that created TKD.

Yes, but I personally wonder just what relevance the pattern histories have without much historical context. Introducing neo confuscionism is great, but why was it important? What roles does it still play in Korea now, if any? (The Korean history books I've read aren't any more enlightening on that particular subject. Which is why I'm picking on it.)

Kinda cools my interest in memorizing them by rote simply for the sake of memorizing them.

 

[MBuzzy]

Within the entire Soo Bahk Do Federation, all belt levels have an associated level of external knowledge, including the Eight Key Concepts, 5 factors of technique, articles and factors of mental and physical training, Hyung history, a good deal of Korean terminology, plus all of the basic cultural requirements.

I've actually had to learn this stuff in every school that I've studied with though. I feel that it is very important to learn the history, culture, and language of the art that you're studying. Not that it does TOO much for the physical aspect of your training, but it helps you to appreciate what you're doing and who created it.

Do the other large organizations have these kind of requirements or is it school specific?

 

[tellner]

In a word, yes.

The movements are simple. You could perform all of the physical motions competently in a few months.

A while back someone asked me "How many techniques do you know?" I think he was going to brag about his system which claims to have 4000. I said "Let's see. There are four basic throws, four or five punches, four elbows, five or six kicks, a few blo... You know I don't really think I have any techniques the way you're talking about them."

There are eighteen juru juru. Each of them takes just a couple seconds to perform. There's one kicking form. There is a varying number of sambut sambut (combinations) and a couple sambutan or frameworks for thinking about combat. They are all pretty short and abstract. There has to be something else.

What keeps us coming back is the "how" rather than the "what". There is timing. There is distance. There are ways to screw with your opponent's perceptions of them. There are methods for combining bits and pieces, body mechanics, how to fight, weapons work, footwork, laws and principles (laws are what never varies; principles you can use or ignore as your skill and understanding allow), and a thousand other little things that make the physical curriculum useful.

I won't even call them "applications". You learn how to apply, and you get shown some examples. The idea is that by putting the other things together you create the applications and techniques spontaneously as needed.

 

[Kacey]

Yes, but I personally wonder just what relevance the pattern histories have without much historical context. Introducing neo confuscionism is great, but why was it important? What roles does it still play in Korea now, if any? (The Korean history books I've read aren't any more enlightening on that particular subject. Which is why I'm picking on it.)

Kinda cools my interest in memorizing them by rote simply for the sake of memorizing them.

I certainly understand that straight memorization for the purpose of testing is pretty dry - although I don't require my students to memorize; I require them to learn and understand the pattern histories, and we discuss them in class periodically.

If you'd like some more information about the first nine Ch'ang H'on patterns, I'd suggest looking here for Hwa-Rang, and here for the best book I've seen on the pattern histories - Master Mitchell has written some wonderful books, but the book listed on that page (The History of Taekwon-Do Patternsis hard to come by any more; it's out of print. Master Mitchell also wrote The Martial Artist's Guide to Korean Terms, Translations, and Han-Gul which is on the same page - a great reference book.

 

[Jai]

We have about 15 to 20 pages worth of terms and background that is required, broken up as students go up in ranks. At BB testing you could be quizzed on any, all, or none of it, just depending on how the Masters are feeling.

 

[Marginal]

I certainly understand that straight memorization for the purpose of testing is pretty dry - although I don't require my students to memorize; I require them to learn and understand the pattern histories, and we discuss them in class periodically.

If you'd like some more information about the first nine Ch'ang H'on patterns, I'd suggest looking here for Hwa-Rang, and here for the best book I've seen on the pattern histories - Master Mitchell has written some wonderful books, but the book listed on that page (The History of Taekwon-Do Patternsis hard to come by any more; it's out of print. Master Mitchell also wrote The Martial Artist's Guide to Korean Terms, Translations, and Han-Gul which is on the same page - a great reference book.

Yeah, Stuart Anslow has a lot of extra context added into his pattern descriptions in his book too. A New History of Korea has some interesting reading related to a lot of the early pattern histories too.

Thing is, assassins and such tend to get more print than Neo Confucianism. At best, I've found a definition of what it is, (Confucianism with spiritualistic elements added in.) but that's not really helpful in explaining why it's supposed to be important either.

 

[searcher]

In addition to all that has been stated, I require that the students know at least the names of some other styles and what makes them unique. They should be able to see an opponent and have at least a minimum of knowledge of what that person might throw at them.

 

[Jai]

oh thats a good one searcher. I like it.

 

[Laurentkd]

In addition to all that has been stated, I require that the students know at least the names of some other styles and what makes them unique. They should be able to see an opponent and have at least a minimum of knowledge of what that person might throw at them.

I also like this one. We require all students who are testing for black belt to write short essays on a given list of styles. They are expected to at least include the country of origin, the founder and the focus of the art. As you said it helps you recognize an opponent, as well as any transfer students that come in from different arts.

 

[searcher]

The reason I require this is that with so many different people training in so many different styles it reduces the risk of getting injured while in competition. Along with the fact that if someone is trained they tend to stand different on the street. Just something I have observed over the years.

 

[Miles]

Do you have things you require your students to know beyond the physical movements? Why or why not?

For example, for us, at each rank, students must learn the tul history, various Korean terms (class commands, counting to 10, and similar items), the meaning of the color of their next belt, and various items of theory. I think that such information is valuable, because the theory helps students to better understand and apply what they are learning, and the Korean vocabulary and history helps them to better understand the culture that created TKD.

We do something similar. There is Korean terminology, history of the art and our particular kwan, meaning of the belt, meaning of the gye representing their poomsae, etiquette in and outside the dojang. What we don't do is anything related to general Korean history or culture... that may be another great idea gleaned from this thread.

Miles