this is a sad state of affairs

i know plenty of fat guys that can get in there and throw down Ron. A LOT of them in fact. a person's physical condition has exactly zero to do with thier ability to teach or perform.


my gut doesnt stop me from being able to teach someone how to do a technique. sure, i cant do everythign as well as i used to, but thats as much age as condition.

I know A LOT that think they can.

As martial artist don’t we have a responsibility to practice what we preach? Shouldn’t we lead from the front? Aren’t we the ones that should be trying to continue to get better and achieve more? How can you ask things from your students that you NEVER did or even tried?

John, I think that if ones physical condition does not enable them to perform - that is a problem; age, excluded for those who had put in a lifetime, but not for us under 55.

I am not the best but I will continue to train hard, not talk hard. I want my students to know that it never ends.
 
Then respectfully, these players don't really know how to punch. Not in an explosive fashion, not with what the Okinawans call chinkuchi.

I don't disagree. The Taekwondoin I've sparred against and fought against don't have the sort of punching power that a boxer or (I guess) an Okinawan Te fighter would have.

However, given the fact that the WTF doesn't really score them and as you put it they are useful for softening them up rather than scoring, isn't it better to spend the time that you'd have to dedicate to developing that sort of explosive punching power on developing your kicking which would score?
 
However, given the fact that the WTF doesn't really score them and as you put it they are useful for softening them up rather than scoring, isn't it better to spend the time that you'd have to dedicate to developing that sort of explosive punching power on developing your kicking which would score?

I don't know. Being exceptional with your hands might be a key differentiator.
 
I don't disagree. The Taekwondoin I've sparred against and fought against don't have the sort of punching power that a boxer or (I guess) an Okinawan Te fighter would have.

However, given the fact that the WTF doesn't really score them and as you put it they are useful for softening them up rather than scoring, isn't it better to spend the time that you'd have to dedicate to developing that sort of explosive punching power on developing your kicking which would score?

This highlights the difference in rule sets. If you cannot score with a technique, why practice it? Or from an organization's point of view, if you wish to promote a technique then you should probably include it in a competition format so that there is emphasis placed on said technique in the dojang. Understandably, certain techniques are shied away from due to safety (i.e. open hand techniques, knee kicks, groin kicks, etc.).

I don't have feelings one way or another on the WTF rule set, since I do not compete in those competitions. If there are other avenues that puts equal focus on hand techniques in that curriculum, then I don't see it as a hinderance. That said, I could see how schools that are driven by competition could allow these areas of focus to fall by the way side and be severely lacking in hand technique and power generation. This could explain why certain KKW schools lack in hand power/technique, while others do not. Again, this is only conjecture from an outsider looking in.. .
 
I don't disagree. The Taekwondoin I've sparred against and fought against don't have the sort of punching power that a boxer or (I guess) an Okinawan Te fighter would have.

However, given the fact that the WTF doesn't really score them and as you put it they are useful for softening them up rather than scoring, isn't it better to spend the time that you'd have to dedicate to developing that sort of explosive punching power on developing your kicking which would score?
Yep. I havent spent much time around those types of Dojangs, and have in fact seen the opposite balance for the most part (Punching>Kicking), but, Your Logic is perfect. Its much like how Boxers use Jabs to set themselves up. The Jab isnt as powerful as the Lead Straight, but its the most common use of it to set up their Main Arsenal.
 
According to the WTF I'm Master Terris. I'm a 19 year old first dan, I ain't master of ****. I don't go by it obviously

Ummm, how do you figure you're a master according to the WTF if you're a 1st dan?
 
I agree and I can do that. I'd like to be able to handle more, but it's a slow processing getting to a slim/trim body...
But you are in the process and that is the key. So many times I have heard from older instructors "I've already paid my dues." as an excuse why they have not worked out or trained. I'm sorry but I witnessed GM Vo up at 3am in the morning in Korea doing forms, if anyone had paid their dues, it's him. The guys who get through a set of jumping jacks and then act as though the world was suddenly depleted of oxygen, need to get back on the mat in class, not just show a few quick hand motions and call it a day.
 
I know, but they don't, do they? I always thought, and at every school I've ever been to, master is 4th dan and above. If I'm wrong about that, then it's news to me.
 
Ahh, yeah, but it's always been that way. Probably always will. It's up to the individual instructor to watch standards, the KKW doesn't.

EDIT: Hey, look, black belt!

[This thread is interesting and I'm still going to read it accordingly, but some events requires urgent participation]

Hey hey hey! Congrats for your black belt, ETinCYQX!
 
I know, but they don't, do they? I always thought, and at every school I've ever been to, master is 4th dan and above. If I'm wrong about that, then it's news to me.

There was some confusion about it around the time the new Poomsae uniforms were a hot topic. Consensus was it was mistranslated but the KKW still says that 1-4th dan is Master and 5th+ is Grandmaster.

[This thread is interesting and I'm still going to read it accordingly, but some events requires urgent participation]

Hey hey hey! Congrats for your black belt, ETinCYQX!

Haha, thank you sopraisso
 
NO WONDER TKD is becomming the laughing stock of martial arts
Not sure who's laughing. I was at an MMA event here in Vegas last weekend, and met 3 fighters that stated Taekwondo was the foundation of their training. They had great respect for it. More to the point, I've heard comments like this from time to time, but never face to face. What does that tell you?

and this crap and the people spewing it all have one thing in common:
WTF

i swear, that craptastic body in korea will kill this art if they are allowed to.
If there's a single martial sport that demonstrates an accurate representation to the art it's associated to, I don't know it. I'm a huge fan of sparring, though it isn't the primary focus of my training.
 
Not sure who's laughing. I was at an MMA event here in Vegas last weekend, and met 3 fighters that stated Taekwondo was the foundation of their training. They had great respect for it. More to the point, I've heard comments like this from time to time, but never face to face. What does that tell you?

that people are very nice to you?

that you dont see/hear what you dont want to see or hear? i dont know.

If there's a single martial sport that demonstrates an accurate representation to the art it's associated to, I don't know it. I'm a huge fan of sparring, though it isn't the primary focus of my training.

i dont know, isnt sport judo pretty accurate? i mean, judo is judo.
 
I'm just about to leave for my Judo class, but a brilliant discussion thankfully devoid of trolling. I'll post my thoughts when I'm back.
 
I don't know. Being exceptional with your hands might be a key differentiator.

I'd say it at least should be a key differentiator. But I don't know if there's an reasonable chance of that happenning in WTF "elite" sparring.

Or maybe WTF practitioners are just not trained with that option in mind. Maybe if their coaches admited that option and started exploring that aspect of sparring even shihap kyorugi would look a little more interesting. Maybe...
 
Last edited:
I don't know. Being exceptional with your hands might be a key differentiator.

My thoughts exactly.

I think it would be hard to use "softening up" punches because of the hogu, but I really think a good Shotokan-style lunging punch could be a valuable weapon.
 
I think it would be hard to use "softening up" punches because of the hogu, but I really think a good Shotokan-style lunging punch could be a valuable weapon.

The hogu can be penetrated with kicks and punches. I guess it provides some protection, but I always thought of the hogu as defining the scoring area.
 
Back
Top