Traditional tkd

[Xue Sheng]

I took Tae-Kwon-Do about 20 years ago with Jae H. Kim in Boston.

I was looking at TKD schools a while back and every school that I went to was training for competition, ring fighting. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, however I do see it as a problem for self defense purposes. If you are trained to hit only specific target for point purposes this could be a problem in a street fight.

I was associated with a Kung Fu school at that time (this was about 10 years after JH Kim) and we were invited to a TKD school to spare. When I arrived I was told that I could only make strikes with my hands and feet and can only strike and area above the waist, below the neck and between the shoulders. And there was absolutely no grabbing, and no use of power. Since I was training at that time in Bagua, Xingyi and Tai Chi I declined the opportunity to spare. Basically for the reason that my training was not compatible with the rules I was being forced to follow, and felt it was set up to benefit the tkd students at that school. Also, I will admit, I was fairly certain if I followed the rules that were being imposed upon me I would get fairly good beating. And if I ignored the rules I would have made my Sifu look bad.

At Mr. Kim's we were trained close in fighting, some holds, kicks as well as the high kicks that TKD is known for.

I see no problem with sports tad, it is training for a different goal, and I am wondering if any one trains traditional TKD anymore.

 

[Zepp]

Personally, I try not to use the word "traditional" to describe any style of TKD, not even the one I practice. It seems wrong to me to call something traditional when it's only about 60 years old (give or take), and no two organizations practicing it can agree on what most of the traditions are.

Until a little while ago, I was training with the World Tae Kwon Do Association, which is headed by Grandmaster Duk Sung Son. I don't know if what we did would fit your description of tradional TKD, but it is through my old class that I learned some close-in fighting and hold-breaking techniques. We never practiced Olympic-style sparring (except for fun with some people who splintered off from our organization, but that's another story). As far as sticking to tradition goes, most of the forms we use date back to Japan and Okinawa, before TKD was TKD.

 

[Martial Tucker]

I took Tae-Kwon-Do about 20 years ago with Jae H. Kim in Boston.

I was looking at TKD schools a while back and every school that I went to was training for competition, ring fighting. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this, however I do see it as a problem for self defense purposes. If you are trained to hit only specific target for point purposes this could be a problem in a street fight.

I was associated with a Kung Fu school at that time (this was about 10 years after JH Kim) and we were invited to a TKD school to spare. When I arrived I was told that I could only make strikes with my hands and feet and can only strike and area above the waist, below the neck and between the shoulders. And there was absolutely no grabbing, and no use of power. Since I was training at that time in Bagua, Xingyi and Tai Chi I declined the opportunity to spare. Basically for the reason that my training was not compatible with the rules I was being forced to follow, and felt it was set up to benefit the tkd students at that school. Also, I will admit, I was fairly certain if I followed the rules that were being imposed upon me I would get fairly good beating. And if I ignored the rules I would have made my Sifu look bad.

At Mr. Kim's we were trained close in fighting, some holds, kicks as well as the high kicks that TKD is known for.

I see no problem with sports tad, it is training for a different goal, and I am wondering if any one trains traditional TKD anymore.

I feel your pain. Nothing wrong with competition, if that's your
preference. Mine is more traditional. My teacher started as a professional boxer, then got involved in TKD. We train for street self-defense, with equal emphasis on hand and foot strikes, wherever there is an opening. We also incorporate a lot of hapkido in our curriculum. While we don't spar this way, we do train with techniques that involve eye gouges, biting, etc.

 

[The MMA kid!]

olympic style sparring almost a complete waste of time when it comes to wanting to defend yourself on the street IMO. it creates a false confidence in the practitioner, and seperates the person from realistic fighting.

I believe that most tournament style sparring in any art begins to seperate from being an actual "martial" art when people focus more on points than actual fighting skill. this has not only happened to TKD, but to many other arts such as certain disciplines of Karate, Boxing, and even Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
but what Olympic style TKD does is almost completely seperates itself from actual fighting IMHO. and I am a Olympic style TKD instructor.

 

[terryl965]

MMAKID Olympic style Tkd teaches is all the kick properly, it is a great way to sart on you journey into the Arts. The foundation is a great way for beginners and chilern to learn discipline. Once the evolve enought o be shown other techniques then so does TKD evolve with those that wish to learn the art side of TKD.
TKD as deep roots into SD for the one that has the ability to teach it that way.
The problem is now adays all the young instructors only know Olympic style and that is the problem. Not the Art but the instructors that only know how to teach the Olympic version.

MMAKID you have the right attitude about TKD it is a shame you was never given the chance to learn the Art as well.

Please keep your training going and remember stop by and say hi once and a while.
BY the way we aill be at UTA for the AOK open on Saturday the 14th of January.
Terry

 

[FearlessFreep]

Any sort of sparring teaches you to think and react quickly against an intelligent and often well trained aopponent who is acting independent and unpredictable, which is aa good experience to have when facing an unkown encounter.

Any sort of sparring has restrictions for safety, forcing you into an arbitrary set of attacks and defenses that may or may not be practical when the rules are removed, which could lead to bad habits and unrealistic expectations

Sparring is just one part of a total MA training, an important part and yet not complete in it's own

 

[Yeti]

I took Tae-Kwon-Do about 20 years ago with Jae H. Kim in Boston.

I also started with Jae H. Kim in Boston - around 6 years ago (ITF TKD School). Since then I've trained in both ITF and WTF, and have been hard pressed to find a similar school. IMO, that school was as close to "traditional" as you'll find in terms of a focus on the self-defense aspects of the art. Free sparring, one-steps, three-steps, forms, hosinsul (including breaks, throws and locks)...it was all there. I still find myself doing some of the drills I learned there as a yellow belt.

As I understand it though, GM Kim was awarded his 9th Dan and Grandmaster status from the Kukkiwon - not the ITF - and now they spar according to WTF/Olympic rules. Very different than when I was there. I've lost touch with my old training partners there so I don't know about the rest of the curriculum, but can't imagine that's changed.

 

[Xue Sheng]

I also started with Jae H. Kim in Boston - around 6 years ago

When I was there he just started doing some Olympic style training, but it was an entirely separate group, not that you could not be in both groups, but you were not required to do any Olympic style training.

I can remember Mr. Kim laughing at the use of protective gear in sparing, because you had no protective gear in a real fight.

And to be honest the first chest protector that he had in class made a kick hurt more than if you were not wearing one. It only took one kick to prove to me that it was not a good idea.

Thanks

 

[AceHBK]

I try to focus more on non olympic stuff.
My interest in tournaments after really hearing the rules has turned me off.
Seems way too restrictive.

 

[Faye]

I still train in a 'traditional" type school, punches to head are allowed, sweeps, grappling are also allowed, (not too many people uses them though, sweeps a bit more than throws, joint locks and stuff). We do have people who go into tournaments but in terms of teaching, its traditional style.

 

[bluemtn]

One school I go to is traditional, you're taught hand strikes, arm bars, sweeps, and occasionally a throw (especially after changing classes- there's better focus in those areas).