Why I Quit Tae Kwon Do

This post was originally published as an article in a dedicated KarateForums.com Articles section, which is no longer online. After the section was closed, this article was most to the most appropriate forum in our community.

When I was young, my father used to tell me all the time that he studied Karate. We used to play fight all the time and we would rent Bruce Lee movies nearly once a fortnight. I was still not 10 years old so he would cover my eyes on the more graphic or "adult" scenes.

I kept saying that I wanted to do karate myself. He told me that when I turned 10, he would let me start.

When I was 9, we moved to a new neighborhood and the children across the road were students in the local Tae Kwon Do school. He convinced me that all the Martial Arts in movies were really Tae Kwon Do and they called it Karate because that was a well known title. So I joined.

I spent 2 years in my first Tae Kwon Do school. I achieved the rank of "blue 1", which is approximately half the way to black belt. Today, the things I remember are, getting hit on the head by the instructor if I did something wrong, gradings that went until 10 or 11pm – full of stuff that wasn’t the grading – and at the end the grand master would just say "everyone passed" and that was it. Being only 11 years old, I wasn’t really having fun, so I left.

Two years later, at a new school, a friend of mine was a student in a different Tae Kwon Do school. I went along to a few classes and enjoyed it a lot more. I trained hard and in 2 years, I was pre-black. I put off my black belt test for a couple of years as I had not gone to enough destruction classes and by the time I had, I was doing year 12 (final year) at high school. Once this was finished and the summer break was over, I started to train for my black belt.

My day finally came, and I was the only one grading for black belt that day. I performed my form and did the basics. Then came breaking. Turning kick, side kick, spinning heel kick, jumping back kick, knife hand strike and elbow strike, in all of which I was successful in my first attempt. Then came downward punch. I could not break it. I tried time and time again but could not do it. I have a problem with my fist, my fingers do not compress as much as most and instead of being close to right angles with the top of my hand, they are more at 45 degrees. I explained this to them and after much debate, they allowed me to do a downward knife hand. I broke the boards easily.

Then came sparring. One on one, two on one, one step, free – I did it all. I got hit in the groin a couple of times, but showed no pain. My club was ITF and sparring was non contact, therefore no pads were worn. I fought until it was finally over.

The grandmaster stood up in front of me. “Andrew *******, Promote 1st degree black belt”. Everyone cheered and clapped. He took off my brown belt and replaced it with my black belt. I was so proud.

Over the years I got interested in instructing. The teacher said I could not instruct as I was not available for regular training sessions. This was fair enough I thought.

Suddenly, a lot of people were getting close to grading for their black belts. I did not think they were good enough. I didn’t think they were good enough to be brown belts let alone blacks. Black belts are supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport.

Sure enough, they passed. Not long after, they were taking their own classes, while I was still training with everyone else. I wasn't even allowed to fill in if an instructor was sick, nor did they use me to train the beginners at the back of the class while the seniors trained.

I also wanted to compete, but our master would not allow it. "It’s an art, not a sport" he would say. Also, the club was very snobbish. We weren't allowed to study another martial art while we were there. If it wasn’t Rhee Tae Kwon Do – it wasn’t worth studying. If you were found "bowing to another instructor", you were kicked out of the club.

The last straw came when they promoted an 8 year old girl, her 12 year old sister and her tubby 14 year old brother to "junior black belt". They may have had semi decent technique, but I did not feel it was good enough to wear the black belt. Nor was there any power behind the techniques. To top it off, their grading was modified due to their age and there is not another test when they are old enough for the senior black belt. My belt suddenly didn’t look so impressive.

So I left. Looking back, I wish I had moved on to another club. I know a few people that did leave and were able to maintain their belt status at their new club. It is now 4 years later and I began Shotokan a year ago. I am enjoying it immensely. There is more explanation for the reason we do things. We are encouraged to learn other arts. We are allowed to compete. Once we have our blacks, we are allowed to take our own class and encouraged to do so.

I lost so much of my flexibility and fitness in the time I was away. Two weeks ago was my first tournament and I loved it, even though I lost in the first round. I have been inspired to train harder to do better in the next one. And I have even considered going back to Tae Kwon Do, albeit another club. I look forward to the day that I meet my old instructor in my travels, so I can tell him what I am doing now and hear his reaction.

Thank you for your submission.

I spent 2 years in my first Tae Kwon Do school. I achieved the rank of "blue 1", which is approximately half the way to black belt. Today, the things I remember are, getting hit on the head by the instructor if I did something wrong, gradings that went until 10 or 11pm – full of stuff that wasn’t the grading – and at the end the grand master would just say "everyone passed" and that was it. Being only 11 years old, I wasn’t really having fun, so I left.

I agree, your instructor was a jerk, smart move finding another school.

My day finally came, and I was the only one grading for black belt that day. I performed my form and did the basics. Then came breaking. Turning kick, side kick, spinning heel kick, jumping back kick, knife hand strike and elbow strike, in all of which I was successful in my first attempt. Then came downward punch. I could not break it. I tried time and time again but could not do it. I have a problem with my fist, my fingers do not compress as much as most and instead of being close to right angles with the top of my hand, they are more at 45 degrees. I explained this to them and after much debate, they allowed me to do a downward knife hand. I broke the boards easily.

Cool, you found a school that realizes everyone is not physically the same.

Over the years I got interested in instructing. The teacher said I could not instruct as I was not available for regular training sessions. This was fair enough I thought.

Very mature of you, an instructor must be accesible to their students,

Suddenly, a lot of people were getting close to grading for their black belts. I did not think they were good enough. I didn’t think they were good enough to be brown belts let alone blacks. Black belts are supposed to be the pinnacle of the sport.

Pinnacle of their sport? No, a black belt is a serious student, there is much more to learn, any reputable black belt will tell you that.

Oh, and by the way, were you selected to be on the testing board?

Sure enough, they passed. Not long after, they were taking their own classes, while I was still training with everyone else. I wasn't even allowed to fill in if an instructor was sick, nor did they use me to train the beginners at the back of the class while the seniors trained.

Sour grapes?

I also wanted to compete, but our master would not allow it. "It’s an art, not a sport" he would say. Also, the club was very snobbish. We weren't allowed to study another martial art while we were there. If it wasn’t Rhee Tae Kwon Do – it wasn’t worth studying. If you were found "bowing to another instructor", you were kicked out of the club.

If you have noticed that, why did you stay to black belt?

The last straw came when they promoted an 8 year old girl, her 12 year old sister and her tubby 14 year old brother to "junior black belt". They may have had semi decent technique, but I did not feel it was good enough to wear the black belt. Nor was there any power behind the techniques. To top it off, their grading was modified due to their age and there is not another test when they are old enough for the senior black belt. My belt suddenly didn’t look so impressive.

Children don't have enough mass to generate the power that adults do, even the "tubby" ones. Therefore, they do not have the same requirements.

The testing of younger students at a later date is common, as the physical ability of children is limited, it can be compared to adults when they are ready, henceforth the "junior" grade.

So I left. Looking back, I wish I had moved on to another club. I know a few people that did leave and were able to maintain their belt status at their new club. It is now 4 years later and I began Shotokan a year ago. I am enjoying it immensely. There is more explanation for the reason we do things. We are encouraged to learn other arts. We are allowed to compete. Once we have our blacks, we are allowed to take our own class and encouraged to do so.

Congrats to you for finding a school that you are comfortable with! I am glad for you that you are happy with the instruction that you recieve.

I have been inspired to train harder to do better in the next one. And I have even considered going back to Tae Kwon Do, albeit another club. I look forward to the day that I meet my old instructor in my travels, so I can tell him what I am doing now and hear his reaction.

Why? If this instructor was so bad, who cares what he thinks. You have nothing to prove to him, and trying to "rub his nose in it" would make you look like a jerk. Just be happy in your new art and do it for yourself, don't do it to impress another.

remainds me somewhat of my experience with TKD.....

You made the right decision to change school. You'll never be the best you can be in a school that you're unhappy with.

One word of advice, don't get into the habit of jumping from school to school to school. Find one that you are willing to make a long term commitment to and make this your base and if you want to, you can train in other styles while maintaining your base.

I agree. I was a "dojang jumper" when I moved to NY. It's not easy. I didn't "think" I liked my first TKD school, but I went to one similar to your experience (plus the standard there was WAAAAYYYY low .... belt factory). So I realized I should have stayed where I was at (It's a ***** to get a black belt here!). I wish I could have stayed in TSD, BUT this TKD school is just as good I am happy here.

BlobOn, I'm glad that you've found a school that you like. I hope that you stick with it. Good luck!

Sorry to hear your experiences with this MA were so sour at first. Glad you're finding things more pleasant now. Keep kicking!

Glad you're enjoying Shotokan!

So Blob, what goes through your mind when you think about meeting your old instructor?