TKD Forum Description ReWrite

[Bob Hubbard]

I've had a few inquiries about changing the description for the TKD forum to better desctibe the art. As I'm not a TKD person, I'm opening up the floor to our TKD members to add their imput and help make this one of the best places to discuss TKD on the net.

The floor is yours folks. When you've got a good concensus on it, we will put it up for everyone to see.

Basic limit is about 70 words. A little over is ok.

:asian:

 

[arnisador]

Current description:

One of the most popular sports and martial arts in the world. Primarily a kicking art, there is often a greater emphasis on the sport aspect of the Art.

I think it is the most popular martial art in the world--only Tai Chi could rival it.

 

[Damian Mavis]

Oh hell no I don't like that description at all. Gee I don't know what to suggest to you though, WTF is the biggest federation and the truth is most of their schools are more sport oriented (yes I know not all but most) But I'm in ITF, honestly we run our schools pretty similarly to alot of karate schools. The description can say it is the most popular martial art and fastest growing in the world but talking about the sport aspect when only one federation (granted, its the biggest) treats it like a sport is kind of wrong. Anybody else got any ideas?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Some ideas:
What are the primary principles?
Who founded it?
Any one famous do it?
What are the major organizations and what do they focus on?

:asian:

 

[Damian Mavis]

hrmmm... this is simplifying things and it will make the Koreans mad but TKD is basically Korean Karate. WTF on the other hand is more definitively different in that they focus alot more on kicking strategies without using their hands much. Before someone argues with me just watch the olympics. ITF is more like kick boxing with traditions and a moral code and self defence. ITF stayed closer to what Karate is like, considering the founder of TKD (General Choi Hong Hi) was a black belt in Karate and when ITF split and WTF was formed, General Choi moved his ITF to North America. WTF then changed the rules a bit to make WTF TKD more unique and dynamic with its mostly kicking strategies. (ITF is allowed to kick to any target including the face and punch to any target including the face -- excluding below the belt targets, WTF is allowed to kick to any target except the face and only straight punches to the torso -- excluding below the belt targets) Now those are the rules for competition, but it is how we land up training in the dojang as well. Some instructors (like me) teach a street version were we practice striking to any target with any bodily weapon. TKD is definatley best described as a striking art.

Chuck Norris started in TKD and he holds an honorary 8th degree in ITF

Phillippe Rhee (I think thats his first name) from best of the best 1, 2, 3 is there a 4?! anyway he is a TKD guy and his father Jhoon Rhee used to teach high ranking politicians in the US. Actually best of the best is all about a TKD championship but at the time people were more familiar with the term karate so they called it karate.

This is just some info off the top of my head, theres more but cant think of it all right now. Hope some of it helps

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[white dragon]

Phillip and Simon Rhee are two amazing TKD practioners. Simon played Dae Han and I Think produced or directed (or something like that) the other Best of the Best films.

How about rather than talking about the politics simply saying how tkd came about, the fact that it's meant to be the most popular martial art in the world.

as for WTF competition you CAN kick to the face and torso, and punch to the torso, I also think you'll find a lot of schools (well actually I'm only speaking from my experience over in the UK) actually teach strikes to every region of the body with all parts of the body, as well as sweeps and trapping techniques. But we don't use them in competiton, the same way ITF doesn't use holds and doesn't do full contact or use elbows etc. You need rules in competitions other wise people will get seriously hurt.

 

[kenpo_jeff]

Originally posted by white dragon
as for WTF competition you CAN kick to the face and torso, and punch to the torso,

hmm, I was once disqualified from a WTF tournament for kicking to the face. It is my understanding that kicks are only allowed to the sides of the head...

 

[tshadowchaser]

How about:
An art originaly from Korea that has Sport, Oplimpic, and Street training. Heavy emphases on Kicking

 

[white dragon]

Well then the judge was obviously a fool, and you shouldn't have been disqualified right away for an illegial hit, even if it was, you get warnings, and maybe points deducted, but not disqualified.

 

[Damian Mavis]

White dragon, I don't speak for each individual school in WTF. I speak for your rules and methods in general world wide. That information is easy to get with a little research. Some individual schools may break or bend the rules a little and thats fine, (I do the same thing in ITF) like I said in my post I was talking about "most" WTF schools.

Our rules (ITF) dictate semi contact sparring, but at the black belt level in competition they reward you for knocking out or disabling your opponent. I say "reward you" because if you opponent doesn't get up or can not continue the fight then you automatically win even if you got a warning or minus point. Pretty silly huh? I don't mind full contact but I wish we didn't call it something that it wasn't. Either make it officially full contact or enforce the rules properly.

In Kenpo_jeff's situation, you're right White Dragon, I think the judge was too harsh disqualifying him right away for an illegal target BUT! that is what you usually see at a smaller tournament so maybe it was a small tournament? I find big tournaments in both federations let the infractions go with a warning or minus point.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[white dragon]

Damian Mavis -

Please forgive me if what I said sounded like I was attacking or arguing with you in anyway, I just re-read what I wrote and saw it could be taken that way! Sorry about that!

You're school sounds interesting, I'd like to hear more about your training methods if that's possible, do you have a website? Maybe you could start a new post about it? It would be interesting seeing how you train compaired to how I'm used to.

 

[white dragon]

As for the TKD description how about something like:

the largest martial art in the world, it mainly focuses on kicking techniques and finding new ways to be insulted by kenpo practioners.

 

[Damian Mavis]

No White dragon I didn't think you were attacking me, and don't worry about arguing with me.....everyone else does haha.

My website is pretty crappy considering I make it myself with Frontpage and unless you have the same resolution as I when I made it then it overlaps in areas. I'm computer clueless so it's the best I can do. By the way the website is right there to the left under my name, just click the www

You wont see anything different from most other TKD/Karate type schools in there except some pictures of me at my last shorts certification test for Muay Thai. Other than that the site is geared towards my students getting information on schedules and upcoming events and seeing their own photos up there. Not really an information source for outsiders but maybe I should change that.

A brief description of how my adult class trains (since teaching kids is completely different): we focus on everything traditional TKD is although we skimp a little on patterns and cut out things like step sparring completely. We spend alot of time using techniques deemed illegal for tournaments but extremely effective for street defence, the main focus of my school is survival and self progression. The techniques I'm talking about are things like knees, elbows and headbutts mixed in with grappling and take downs and some weaponry. As a result of focusing on other types of techniques my adults often don't look as sharp for kicking TKD style as fast as someone else. It might take one of my guys 5 years to get to the same technical level as a guy with 3 years in another TKD school. It's the sacrifice we make to be alittle more well rounded.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[ThuNder_FoOt]

Haha, that was a good one White-dragon. I don't know why they hate us so much... hehe.

as far as the description goes, I think maybe:

"One of the largest Martial Arts in the world, due to its dynamic kicking, Taekwondo emphasizes the importance of flexibilty and dexterity in its techniques."

Or something to that nature. Maybe even list that its a derivative of Karate. There's just sooo much that can go into a description.

:asian: ThuNder_FoOt:asian:

 

[fissure]

kenpo_jeff, you must have had the worst ref. ever! The whole idea of the rule structure of WTF/USTU competion, is to encourage head kicks. The new WTF rules package now awards 2 points for a solid head kick, if that put it in perspective.
I keep reading about the two TaeKwon Do's out there- "hands down" WTF" , and "boxing included" ITF. I think this is very missleading, as it relates only to the tournament rules of each assoc. True WTF competion does not allow for face punching (Very dumb in my humble opinion), and I do understand hard training TKD practitioners need to distance themselves form "tournament training only" dojang's.However, to imply that there are two distinct and seperate versions of TKD is incorrect.
I would agree that to many WTF schools put far too much effort into tournament traning- to the exclusion of self defence, poomse pratice and the most effective technique in the MArtial Arts - the allmighty reverse punch.But all this talk about ITF this and WTF that- come on, can't we all just get along?
:EG:

 

[DJDragon]

Originally posted by fissure

True WTF competion does not allow for face punching (Very dumb in my humble opinion)

What is even dumber (if that is a word) is that some schools insist on wearing gloves as well for some reason. I don't think a punch to the gut with torso padding would hurt at all, gloves in this instance are a waste of time.

BTW, within clubs, do you have to spar with girls? I'm thinking of joining a WTF TKD club at my school. I don't want to fight girls though.

 

[fissure]

DJDragon, to answer your question- no.Remember WTF competion is full contact.I have many years of experience and at 205 lbs, fighting all out with anyone under 170lbs or so, women or men, doesn't make much sence.When I do go light with smaller fighters I try to work on movement and speed rather than just haul off on them.
You say that you are considering a TKD school, so I assume you have little or no training. If this is so, a good instructor will insist that you put in the practise time nessasary to avoid being an "accident waiting to happen", before he allows you to fight.
:EG: