Taekwondo Etiquette

[Earl Weiss]

.....................In July I attended the Kukkiwon Foreign Taekwondo Masters Training Course (used to be called FIC). During the course we had a lecture on etiquette and we were specifically told not to maintain eye contact, and that this is considered very rude in both Korean and Taekwondo. ....

I know at least one Korean GM who disagreed with this as far as continuing to look while bowing.

 

[andyjeffries]

I know at least one Korean GM who disagreed with this as far as continuing to look while bowing.

Could you say who? It might help to know whether this is a Kukkiwon GM or ITF GM. It might not, but knowing who said it may help me understand if they are an outlier or if they are a staunch Kukkiwon supporter maybe the practice just differs.

It wasn't the first time I'd heard this (but it was the highest/most senior person giving a reference to it I've heard).

My reference is SON Cheon-Taek, Director of the Kukkiwon Research Institute.

 

[SJON]

This is what I said.

Re. My second paragraph that you quoted ("It's not about changing the world ...")
I was under the impression that you were talking about TKD. I was talking about the education system.

What is the purpose of this statement. Im not the perfect speller and I was tired while writing this. If you want to to joke, make sure you show you are joking. If you are trying to belittle me because I misspelled a word, do it somewhere else to someone else. I believe I have been more that polite in all of my posts.

Re. tenants/tenets

I was light-heartedly pointing out a mistake that 9 out of 10 posters seem to make. I was not trying to belittle you or be impolite. "If I'm going to joke, make sure I show I'm joking?" "Do it somewhere else?" At the risk of hurting your feelings, who do you think you are? If you take your art and its values so seriously, which I'm sure you do, and which is very commendable, then using correct terminology might be a step in the right direction.

Putting instructors on a pedestal. If the instructor is respectable then I don't see a reason you would not want to show others that they are so.

Two different things.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

A friend of mine "liked" on Facebook a rival school where some of his friends studied. His Master told him to "unlike" the school. I thought that was interesting.

 

[IcemanSK]

A friend of mine "liked" on Facebook a rival school where some of his friends studied. His Master told him to "unlike" the school. I thought that was interesting.

That's an insecurity issue on the part of the master, disguised as an etiquette issue. Very sad, but all too common.

 

[ustkdf]

Re. tenants/tenets

I was light-heartedly pointing out a mistake that 9 out of 10 posters seem to make. I was not trying to belittle you or be impolite. "If I'm going to joke, make sure I show I'm joking?" "Do it somewhere else?" At the risk of hurting your feelings, who do you think you are? If you take your art and its values so seriously, which I'm sure you do, and which is very commendable, then using correct terminology might be a step in the right direction.

I apologize. It was not the fact that you corrected me, but how you did it.

 

[SJON]

No apology required.

It's sometimes said that the true meaning of a communication is how it's understood, not how it was meant, so perhaps the onus is indeed on me to make myself clearer. That, plus the "80% (or whatever) of communication is non-verbal" thing makes written conversations a tricky business sometimes.

Best regards,

Simon

 

[Earl Weiss]

Could you say who? It might help to know whether this is a Kukkiwon GM or ITF GM. It might not, but knowing who said it may help me understand if they are an outlier or if they are a staunch Kukkiwon supporter maybe the practice just differs.

It wasn't the first time I'd heard this (but it was the highest/most senior person giving a reference to it I've heard).

My reference is SON Cheon-Taek, Director of the Kukkiwon Research Institute.

From a historic perspective - 1965 Book - No mention of where you look when bowing.
1972 book - Keep eyes focused on opponent's chest.
1983 Book - Keep eyes focused on opponent's eyes.
General Choi.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Since this is an active thread on TKD etiquette, I'll ask an etiquette-type question here. I was at a BB tournament today (for kids and adults) and an adult male BB competitor was practising without his shirt on, in the practice area beside the competition mats.

Is it acceptable to practice shirtless at a tournament? My own answer was in the mock statement I made to a friend, "My pants are really restricting my kicks" as I pretended to undo my belt and take off my pants. What are your thoughts?

 

[rlobrecht]

Is it acceptable to practice shirtless at a tournament?

In view of spectators and other competitors? Definitely not.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Yes, it was one big open area, with the practice area, competition area, and spectator area all in view of each other.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Since this is an active thread on TKD etiquette, I'll ask an etiquette-type question here. I was at a BB tournament today (for kids and adults) and an adult male BB competitor was practising without his shirt on, in the practice area beside the competition mats.

Is it acceptable to practice shirtless at a tournament? My own answer was in the mock statement I made to a friend, "My pants are really restricting my kicks" as I pretended to undo my belt and take off my pants. What are your thoughts?

Was this just TKD or was it an open tournament? I ask because there is a Karate form that can only be judged propely if you can view the tension in the muscles of the arms and torso which is impossible to do if a typical uniform top is on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7YDkZrJ-V0&list=PLED3B2D2F1998039E

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

It was a TKD sparring tournament for kukkiwon-registered BB's (i.e., WTF rules). Forms were the previous day.

 

[sopraisso]

From a historic perspective - 1965 Book - No mention of where you look when bowing.
1972 book - Keep eyes focused on opponent's chest.
1983 Book - Keep eyes focused on opponent's eyes.
General Choi.

Wow I'm very surprised by this.
Thank you for sharing the info.

Enviado de meu GT-I9300 usando Tapatalk 4

 

[andyjeffries]

Since this is an active thread on TKD etiquette, I'll ask an etiquette-type question here. I was at a BB tournament today (for kids and adults) and an adult male BB competitor was practising without his shirt on, in the practice area beside the competition mats.

Is it acceptable to practice shirtless at a tournament? My own answer was in the mock statement I made to a friend, "My pants are really restricting my kicks" as I pretended to undo my belt and take off my pants. What are your thoughts?

I think it probably depends where you are.

In the UK it would seem very usual. In LA/California it may be considered quite a bit more normal. Hawaii again, maybe it's OK.

I'd say if it's normally culturally acceptable, then it's fine.

For example, would you have thought it unacceptable of the guy had popped in to a small store to pick something up with no top on. In some areas/countries, this is perfectly fine. In others, it would be strongly frowned upon.

At the end of the day though, it's just a male upper body, it's on numerous billboards around the world and I'd say don't get stressed about...

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

I think it probably depends where you are...At the end of the day though, it's just a male upper body..

Funny enough, it's in Ontario Canada, where legally women have the same rights to go topless as men. That came out of a court case where a woman wanted to swim at the YMCA without a top, like the men. I have only once seen a woman exercise that right though, so it is definitely not a cultural norm, regardless of the law.

 

[terryl965]

No having your **** off on the floor of competition is not what a WTF TKD tournament should be doing.

 

[andyjeffries]

No having your **** off on the floor of competition is not what a WTF TKD tournament should be doing.

In your opinion and in your part of the world.

There are parts of the world where pre-tournament they may well have no tops on, because it's hot as hell!

 

[terryl965]

In your opinion and in your part of the world.

There are parts of the world where pre-tournament they may well have no tops on, because it's hot as hell!

No offense but I live in Texas 110 in the shade. It is not acceptable to be at a venue with parents and kids running around warming up with out a shirt. Yes it is my opinion but if it was at a park or outside training that is different than at a tournament, but this was a TKD event correct? If so follow the proper etiquette and keep a shirt on.

 

[Gwai Lo Dan]

Yes it is my opinion but if it was at a park or outside training that is different than at a tournament, but this was a TKD event correct?

Yes, it was a regional (provincial, to be more exact) TKD tournament, WTF rules, for KKW-registered BB's. Temperature inside was about 21C / 70F.