ATAFury

We do those as well! I'm not sure where you were reading, but most if no all of us do those. Fury

After looking at your profile, Mr. Hoon, I see that it was you who contacted me through AIM. I'd advice you to stop. It's very unprofessional. Fury

Ok, Mr. Jae Hoon... you can feel how you will about the ATA, but the fact remains, they teach TKD. I don't know if it was you who hunted me down on AIM, but I don't appreciate being bashed and badgered by the form I study and teach. Colored belts learn Songham, Inwah, and Choong Jung forms, but from 1st degree on you learn different forms. Had you cared enough to dig deeper, you would have realized how wrong you are. Black belts are in fact required to create part of their form, though this requirement, as always, VARIES BETWEEN SCHOOLS which some people can't get through their thick heads. Just because it is an association doesn't make it bad. Each school is at liberty to teach what they will and how they will, only the forms are the main point to be followed. Some schools spar from day 1, others wait 6 months before they let their students spar. I'd advice you and any other ATA hater to get your facts straight before you argue a mute point. Don't belittle my chosen Art, as I don't belittle yours. Gawd... some of you people really piss me off! Fury

It's flashy, but not effective. I have "stuffed" many a jump kicks to level my opponents. Jump kicks are for show, not fights... imo. Fury

Well, from a teacher's stand point... When you are taught the form by someone who knows it, you are shown proper stance, technique, and performance. If you just pick it up and do your best, well, it might not be very good. If you start out from the beginning KNOWING exactly how it is done (i.e. being shown by an instructor) then you will continue doing it the right way. Old habits die hard... so wait to learn them. BTW... I train in Songham TKD. Fury

I think you will enjoy the spin kicks, and find them most advantageous to your repitoir. Fury

That's awesome! My wife competed in a state Tourny when she was 7 months pregnant, and took first in form and weapons! Moms are bad to the bone! Fury

When we spar... we focus on the speed and accuracy of out attacks, not the power within them. We also throw rapid kicks with our front leg, ending with punches, moving away with "front leg" kicks. If the opponent is slow to react, a quick #1 (front foot) kick followed by a inner crescent to a reverse side kick is very effective. I have done this (in class only) and when done quick enough it gives you plenty of breathing room, especially if you make contact with the techniques. Fury

I have said this before, but here it is again: In the real world, Martial Arts will only be effective when it becomes a reaction not an action. Meaning: When you don't have to think about what you are doing to defend yourself, and you just defend, then you cannot be so easily taken down. Fury

That is soo awesome man! There is a lot to work on and remember, but just focus on what your instructor tells you, because he is watching your technique, and that is something that we can't do. We can give you advice anytime you want, but take his advice to heart, as i KNOW you will! Great job man, very sweet! Fury btw: We don't allow students to spar until they reach the "Camo" belt, which is 6 months into the training, so thats awesome for you! The sooner the better!

Well, I'm lucky, because my wife attends as well. We both teach, she the "tiny tigers" (4-8 yr olds), and I the Juniors and adults. We both attend class 4 days a week, and our 9 month old girl comes right along with us. My wife attended class up until three weeks before our girl was born. While she was 7 months along, she took first in form in her division at a state tournament. So I guess you could say that we keep it "in the family". Especially seeing that not just my wife and I train, but her mom, dad, brother AND sister also train. It's a blast! Train as much as you can, and try to include your wife. If she doesn't want to train, she can still help you out, just don't place it as a higher priority that her. She could then become jealous and that wouldn't be good. Fury

That's awesome man! I LOVE sparring my head instructor, mostly because he really tests us good. He is awesome when it come to sparring! On small tip, if I may. It's good when you first learn to spar, to start working on combos. Remember: If you kick... land with several punches! Follow any type of close-range kick with quick punches... many times punches win points in tournaments, not kicks. Fury

Yes, some of it involves rolling, but I don't understand what you mean by sparring... please clarify? I never thought of it as sparring, but.... Fury

Yes... my school teaches ground defense. It is very good training too, though I have not had to use it, I am confident that I could. It is becoming a reflex more than an action now. Fury

Just curious... what grade/rank did you achieve in TKD? My school teaches: quick 4-6 punch/brawler combos ground defense pressure point manipulation (from head to toe) Weapon attacks/defense disarming attackers all in addition to our forms, regular class material, and full contact sparring. My school also does a lot of endurance drills, so we can not only defend ourselves, but recover and escape. We do not condone fighting outside the school unless it is in self-defense. I attend/teach classes for nearly 4 hours a day, 4 days a week. Reiteration: TKD (like you said about MT) is different based on the Instructor AND the association that school shares. There are US Army divisions that actively train their soldiers in TKD, one hour every morning (in addition to PT), M-F. I am comfortable in the fact that I can hold my own, and my self respect, attitude, and perseverance are all things that I am proud of. Fury