Training On My Own Now

[Runs With Fire]

I have trained in Tang Soo Do at the same school for about six years. I earned my second dan. About two months ago, I talked with the head master and decided to discontinue the course. Since first dan, the black belt class has left me wanting more. I am hungry for practical and sensible (functional) skills. Three points of contention exist for me. Forms
I understand forms have a use and purpose. But but when forms make up most of the curriculum and class/ testing time, I ask myself what the use is.
Purpose of the school. In the past few years, there has been a shift in the goal of the school. Instead of creating martial artists, it is more about giving everybody an equal chance to grow and achieve. The head master has gone more the ministry route (After becoming a grandpa). There is instructor-itis. As a way to encourage young students to stretch and grow, a vast majority of black belts and brown belts have been brought into the instrucor program. Considering the size of the school, that's about 33 instructors and instructors in training. Most of them are far too immature and inexperienced as non-adults.
Nose looker downers. Mostly from the immaturity an lack of life experience, a number of the young instructors look down their upturned nose at the likes of me. I don't make things look pretty. I don't make forms look beautiful. I don't have a dainty method of performance. I love sparring. They think it's too aggressive and distasteful (Mostly the young instructors).
I suppose the last point would be the discouragement of competition. In the headmaster's opinion ,fighting is wrong and competition is never against others; only against yourself. Now I was raised with five rowdy brothers. Competition is as essential as air. I thrive on the adversity of a tournament.
I would like to find a more suitable school, but for now I am on my own.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I have trained in Tang Soo Do at the same school for about six years. I earned my second dan. About two months ago, I talked with the head master and decided to discontinue the course. Since first dan, the black belt class has left me wanting more. I am hungry for practical and sensible (functional) skills. Three points of contention exist for me. Forms
I understand forms have a use and purpose. But but when forms make up most of the curriculum and class/ testing time, I ask myself what the use is.
Purpose of the school. In the past few years, there has been a shift in the goal of the school. Instead of creating martial artists, it is more about giving everybody an equal chance to grow and achieve. The head master has gone more the ministry route (After becoming a grandpa). There is instructor-itis. As a way to encourage young students to stretch and grow, a vast majority of black belts and brown belts have been brought into the instrucor program. Considering the size of the school, that's about 33 instructors and instructors in training. Most of them are far too immature and inexperienced as non-adults.
Nose looker downers. Mostly from the immaturity an lack of life experience, a number of the young instructors look down their upturned nose at the likes of me. I don't make things look pretty. I don't make forms look beautiful. I don't have a dainty method of performance. I love sparring. They think it's too aggressive and distasteful (Mostly the young instructors).
I suppose the last point would be the discouragement of competition. In the headmaster's opinion ,fighting is wrong and competition is never against others; only against yourself. Now I was raised with five rowdy brothers. Competition is as essential as air. I thrive on the adversity of a tournament.
I would like to find a more suitable school, but for now I am on my own.

It sounds like time to start a new phase of your journey. Training on your own gets lonely (I know this from first-hand experience). You'll probably be happier finding an instructor to work with. If there's not another TSD school in the area, then pick a new art to learn in. Starting something new from the beginning is frustrating and fun all at the same time.

 

[Runs With Fire]

It sounds like time to start a new phase of your journey. Training on your own gets lonely (I know this from first-hand experience). You'll probably be happier finding an instructor to work with. If there's not another TSD school in the area, then pick a new art to learn in. Starting something new from the beginning is frustrating and fun all at the same time.

Sure is. Add to all that, I got married October 1st (to an instructor from that school ironically). I did sign a voluntary three year contract at that school so I am continuing with my krav maga study. I like the idea of learning a bit of BJJ.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Sure is. Add to all that, I got married October 1st (to an instructor from that school ironically). I did sign a voluntary three year contract at that school so I am continuing with my krav maga study. I like the idea of learning a bit of BJJ.

BJJ would be a very nice addition to TSD. A fairly different approach, and most of the guys I know who train in it have a lot of fun with their training. Your spouse being a TSD instructor will give you someone to practice those skills with from time to time, too - always nice.

 

[Kickboxer101]

Nothing wrong with that but you probably won't be Improving as much

 

[marques]

Nothing wrong with that but you probably won't be Improving as much

That is quite clear, alone is the last option.

BUT he doesn't want to 'improve' in the way the school is going, anyway. And the OP has an instructor at home (I suppose), so I don't know why the OP says that he will be on his own (perhaps not completely). And finally, he will be training Krav Maga. Sure, it is not the same, but he will keep active and apply some of his TSD training, potentially. Nothing dramatic.

@Runs With Fire, you would prefer just keep training TSD as on your first years, right? Rather than be looking for second options now...

 

[dancingalone]

I hope you find a better training situation soon. Your problem unfortunately is a common enough one, and it spans across all the karate-related arts.

I suggest training in a boxing gym until you can find a more suitable TSD dojang. You'll pick up some complementary skills to your TSD and there's plenty of sparring in boxing.

 

[msmitht]

Leave the style. find one that better suits your needs. Bjj is great but will make you want to do TSD less and less.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Leave the style. find one that better suits your needs. Bjj is great but will make you want to do TSD less and less.

Not necessarily. It may make him want to incorporate key parts of his TSD more and more. BJJ doesn't replace a striking art.

 

[Runs With Fire]

Leave the style. find one that better suits your needs. Bjj is great but will make you want to do TSD less and less.

I am a stand up fighter. Bjj won't change that. My father taught me to box when I was a kid. Black belts in TSD, TKD, KM, and a jujitsu/kenpo program just reinforced it. I'd like a bit more grappling because it sounds fun and potentially useful.

 

[Runs With Fire]

@Runs With Fire, you would prefer just keep training TSD as on your first years, right? Rather than be looking for second options now...

Not necessarily.

 

[marques]

Not necessarily.

So you are ready to change. Again.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I am a stand up fighter. Bjj won't change that. My father taught me to box when I was a kid. Black belts in TSD, TKD, KM, and a jujitsu/kenpo program just reinforced it. I'd like a bit more grappling because it sounds fun and potentially useful.

It will be highly useful, especially something like BJJ that forces you to the ground. It will teach you how to get back up (to get back to your striking game), as well as how to not end up on the ground in the first place even if your striking fails. IMO, every striker should train a bit in something that involves putting people to the ground and/or fighting on the ground. It's a change of perspective that improves the striking game and adds some key principles you don't have the opportunity to practice unless someone good at grappling is trying to throw you.

 

[msmitht]

I am a stand up fighter. Bjj won't change that. My father taught me to box when I was a kid. Black belts in TSD, TKD, KM, and a jujitsu/kenpo program just reinforced it. I'd like a bit more grappling because it sounds fun and potentially useful.

You misunderstood . I did not suggest that you would stop being a stand up fighter. I meant that due to the very practical nature of BJJ you might not want to do tsd anymore.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

You misunderstood . I did not suggest that you would stop being a stand up fighter. I meant that due to the very practical nature of BJJ you might not want to do tsd anymore.

I'm not sure about that. I know at least one TSD instructor (not sure he's teaching any more - a guy I went to college with) who was pretty practical in his approach to the art. With a practical approach to TSD, BJJ makes a great complement to it.

 

[Flying Crane]

You misunderstood . I did not suggest that you would stop being a stand up fighter. I meant that due to the very practical nature of BJJ you might not want to do tsd anymore.

spending some time with BJJ can also convince one that one has no interest in it.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I have trained in Tang Soo Do at the same school for about six years.

May be it's time to test your skill against people from other MA systems.

You just can't depend on your instructor all your life. Soon or later your instructor will be old and passes away, and you will be alone by yourself. If you have learned enough from your instructor, you should have enough information to train by yourself for the rest of your life. Of course it's better to have a training partner.

- There is a time to read books. There is a time to write books.
- There is time to learn your MA system. There is time to test your skill against people from other MA systems.

 

[msmitht]

spending some time with BJJ can also convince one that one has no interest in it.

Yes. we have many martial art instructors who come in and never return. maybe they stay for a year or two, to get to blue belt, but then leave. I was one but I stayed.
"...I chose the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference."

 

[msmitht]

I'm not sure about that. I know at least one TSD instructor (not sure he's teaching any more - a guy I went to college with) who was pretty practical in his approach to the art. With a practical approach to TSD, BJJ makes a great complement to it.

We had a guy come in and was warming up before bjj class doing bassai and nahanchi. A few blue and purple belts were giggling when a 2 stripe black belt walk over to the newbie and joined in. within 5 minutes 12 high level bjj guys were doing Bassai. 5 were old shotokan black belts, one a 3rd Dan. the rest were TSD or old school TKD.
After a good 10 minutes we started bjj class and learned something practical.

 

[Flying Crane]

Yes. we have many martial art instructors who come in and never return. maybe they stay for a year or two, to get to blue belt, but then leave. I was one but I stayed.
"...I chose the one less travelled by and that has made all the difference."

Sure, and I don't mean to diminish BJJ, but it has sort of become the standard answer that we see a lot. There is sense in it in terms of becoming a well-rounded martial artist, but it seems many people just make an assumption that everyone should and needs and wants to do it. Not all of us want to do it, not all of us have any interest in it, regardless of whatever value the experience may potentially hold.