I’m a white belt - training in Taekwondo in an ATA school with my 5 year old kid. I’m 5’10” and at a pretty soft 185, I’m in fairly lousy shape (compared to what I used to be when I ran 4 miles a day minimum.) My flexibility is crap (always has been.) And my cardio is crap too anymore (I’ve only recently started running again.) I still lift though, so I’m doing okay strength-wise... but that’s all I’ve got going for me! I’m no martial arts expert and I’ve never had a black belt in anything, but I’m familiar with “fighting” (in various forms.) Here’s my background if you wanna know... if you don’t, just read the last two paragraphs! Nine years of wresting in school. My wife and kids are all “Dixie” - but daddy was born and raised in Iowa. When I was a kid my heroes were Batman, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Dan Gable. I think the Hawkeye state tends to take wrestling a little more seriously than most (from what I’ve seen.) And wresting was just about as big as football in my hometown. (Our football program routinely sucked, but our wrestling program was always good.) I was just an average wrestler as a kid - but I’m much better than average if anyone were to get me on the ground. So, I enlisted in the Army (airborne infantry) out of high school, and I boxed for about 8 months as soon as I got out of IET. As I recall, they taught you the basics for either two or four weeks (can’t remember) then you “qualify” to sign up to fight in “smokers” (three 1-minute-round fights.) After you qualify to fight, you’re on your own - it’s up to you to train yourself... which mostly consisted of hitting bags, lifting weights, and looking for sparring partners. I can tell you all my vast “technique” disappeared when I first got in the ring - it became: hit him as hard and as often as you can. It was enough to win my first two by decision, but it was luck, I wasn’t really any better than the other guys. The very next week after my second fight - a guy I didn’t get along with broke two of my ribs “sparring.” After riding a PT profile for a couple months, I didn’t really feel like boxing anymore after that. Mostly, I think I just learned how to throw a decent punch and to not be so afraid to get hit in the face. Then I did Kung Fu (Shaolin) for a little over a year. My instructor had his own small school in Fayetteville, was prior service himself, and took his “martial art” very seriously. We got along pretty good - and even though I was routinely getting my rear kicked - and it was fun for a while. As I got to know him better, I realized what an arrogant and mean guy he was - hardly what I had in mind of the cool and collected ninja warrior spirit sort of fella. I never came clean with him, but he’s the reason I quit. The only reason. This “Kung Fu Warrior” was really just an immature little kid who happened to be pushing 40 and who thought he was pretty tough. He was a total jerk (to put it mildly) if you offended him. So, I left before that happened to me. Looking back, I think I got a fairly decent grasp of the very basics of how the more “disciplined” martial arts work... striking and blocking technique(s) - from forms (or whatever you want to call it) and some medium-to-full contact sparring. I don’t mean I really learned a whole lot about Kung Fu - more how the whole “business” of these types of martial arts studios works... if you know what I mean. Next I trained with an SF buddy I’d gone to PLDC with who started up a little Judo & Jui-Jitsu club (he initially started it right there on Fort Bragg.) He was MUCH cooler than the Kung Fu Warrior -this guy had it together (mentally and emotionally I mean.) And I was already very comfortable on the mats having wrestled for so many years. Our training was pretty... to the point (for lack of anything better.) I was only able to do it for about nine months, but I think I got fairly decent at the basic throws, locks, and REALLY good (if I don’t say so myself) at chokes. Then came September 11th. That pretty well changed a bunch of stuff for me (and our country of course.) After three tours in the combat zone(s) - my whole outlook on fighting changed. Fighting used to be (for me) some vague idea about being a “tough-guy” and all that jazz. Well, now I can say that I know tough-guys who (literally) crapped their pants when they got in a real fight. And I don’t hold it against them at all... I threw up all over myself the night after I first killed someone (no pooping, but I’m certainly no tough guy either.) Several guys in my unit are/were killers too - some are/were close friends of mine, some were just buddies in my unit, and a few of them I didn’t get along with at all (and hope to God I never see those nut-jobs again.) We all had different - and similar - reactions to all the violence. And I guess we all find ways to deal as the years go by. But, the truth is, seeing and participating in THAT kind of fighting made all martial arts look pretty tame to me. Pretty much any “extreme” sport - no matter how “dangerous” - looks either tame or just plain stupid to me actually. And I doubt I’ll ever think anybody with any belt or any kind of MMA background is any “tougher” than anybody else ever again. No offense to anyone who loves martial arts and has dedicated a good portion of their lives to it - honestly - I certainly respect all the discipline and the training many people put into it... I just don’t give a crap about which style is better than another - because from my perspective - none of them count for anything if you’re up against someone who wants to kill you. Anyway. Now, I’m married, with little kids, and a normal job. It’s great. Thank God (for real) that I’ve seen the evil of war up close and personal - I can truly appreciate my wife, my family, and the beauty of a peaceful and simple life. Most people here in America don’t know how blessed they are. I love watching co-workers and friends get mad at each other over and fight about the silliest stuff. It’s beautiful to have such simple “concerns.” I do worry that the violence I’ve done will come back on my family sometimes... so I try to keep a low profile.... and my guard is always up. Always. I gotta tell you though, now that I’ve started doing martial arts again, I have to say (so far) that I love watching our oldest in Taekwondo... having SO much fun! And really learning some pretty good stuff! They’ve got lot’s about how to handle and avoid bullies and situational-type and/or principle-based kind of stuff. I’m all about it. The guy who owns the studio is a family guy and is great - and I mean GREAT with kids. He gives us grown-ups a decent workout too. And I truly find it funny - reading from all these “pros” who bash on taekwondo (ATA in particular.) McDojo indeed! Anyway. I’m really looking forward to all of my kids getting their black belts in the ATA - maybe when they’re a little older I’ll sign them up for some jiu-jitsu type of mat-work (my boy’s will wrestle young of course.) But, I’m pretty happy so far with what I’ve been seeing coming out of this Taekwondo studio! I like what I've been reading so far on these forums (there's a lot of garbage ones out there.) So, I'm picking this one for my online martial arts discussion(s) until further notice! And I plan on learning more and sharing updates on how me and my family are progressing in our chosen martial art! Peace.
