koreantiger81

I strongly don't think it's a good idea to learn boxing and tae kwon do separately. (I assume we are referring to the W.t.f style of tae kwondo.) Like a few have said already, boxing has a different stance. It seems logical to learn boxing and tae kwon do to have a balance of punching and kicking. However, the problem with learning boxing and tae kwon do is, you don't learn how to combine your kicks with your punches. It takes practice and skill to efficiently kick and follow up with your hands. Like Jerry Love said, "there are other arts that would work much better with boxing's basic approachs" Muay thai is one martial art learning to combine both kicks and punches.

I guess it depends what level you're at. If you're advanced, maybe a minimum of 2 times a week is sufficient to maintain your skill level. I find a minimum of once a week, maintains my flexibilty level. If I don't train for 2 weeks, I notice my flexibility, reaction, and timing declines

When it's sparring day, there seems to be a huge decline in female attendance. WHY is that? Is it cause they don't like to mess up their hair, get sweaty in their sparring gear, or is it 'cause of the aggression? Any suggestions on motivating women to spar??

a. jump in and spar my students? I would be careful when jumping in to spar your students. Although you may fight with control, accidents will happen. A controlled side-kick to the ribs may turn into a devasting side kick, if the student you're sparring with charges into your side kick. The last thing you want is your student's parents complaining that you're too rough with their child. So if you go in and spar with your students, I suggest that you be extra extra careful. b. walk around and cruise from match to match, critiquing the fights? I usually have an assistant instructor black belt fighting in there with them. I don't like to turn my back to others and just focus on one match at a time, when many matches are going on simultaneously. I prefer to position myself, so I can see everyone sparring. I am constantly moving so that I can always be in a position to see the whole class.. From a position where I can see everyone, I yell out suggestions. I yell out to students who are fighting too hard, or to students who are almost about to crash into the walls. I also constantly yell out for students to keep their hands up, as many of them tend to drop their hands when sparring...If I have an assistant instructor, I get him/her to focus on one area of students, while I focus on the others. To critically give them feedback about their sparring, I sit everyone down and call up 2 or 3 pairs to come up to spar. If they are young children, I call up one pair at a time. When they spar, I also like to be 1 meter away from them. If I find they are going too hard on each other, I jump in and push them away. i do this often, as it keeps the tension of the match low. Anyway, here's my perspective. I hope it helps..

Yes, just like the other posters have said, "go in and talk to him." Feel free to discuss your financial matters with the head instructor of a school. Some masters will be willing to strike you a deal. Either they will make you do chores around the do jang or split up your payments over a longer period. Some masters may even offer you free training if they see you have a strong determintation to learn martial arts. YOu just have to shop around for the right master who will accomodate your needs. So go in and talk to him.

Unfortunately, I believe Alberta doesn't have open style tournaments. You have to go to VAncouver or perhaps spokane or montana to attend open style tournaments.

NinjaNurse. I have visited a lot of W.T.F schools to know that each school can differ vastly from each other in terms of what they require for each belt, yet the tae gueks are always a requirement for each belt. I am speaking from the perspective of an instructor, opening up a martial arts school. I'm sure some W.T.F schools add additional requirements into their system; however, the World Tae kwon do Federation/Kukkiwon ONLY requires underbelts to know how to spar, and learn the tae guek for their belt level. The soldiers in the Korean army get their 1st dan in a month, by just learning the 8 tae gueks and by learning how to spar! As long as instructors teach tae gueks and sparring, instructors have the authority to issue ranks by the W.T.F. This allows a great degree of flexibility for instructors wanting to open up their own school. Instructors will be affliated with the world's #1 tae kwon do organization, and have the flexibility in adding their own techniques and philosophy. You can essentially focus on joint locks, weapons, or grappling, as long the tae gueks are in the curriculum. The flexibility of the W.T.F is one reason why the W.T.F is so popular.

I'm not saying that you should always kick to the head in sparring, but I believe it's essential to kick to the head, when learning how to spar. I know some schools don't allow head shots.. I think this totally compromises your ability to spar. By training to kick to the head, you will effectively learn how to simply get out of the way, and learn how to react quickly. (You are most likely to react quicker if you see an attack going for your head, than an attack going for your body.) Also if you get kicked in the head, you will learn to "cover up" more.

yeah, breaking up kicks into steps is a great way to teach beginneers. I have a technical question. When you bring you knee up, is your leg parallel with your body or perpendicular?? (in other words, is your kicking leg pointing to the ground or chambered pointing towards your target.) I just have seen it done both ways.

I think there is a great advantage to being part of the W.T.F. The W.T.F gives a lot of freedom on what you can teach. They have guidelines and requirements to get your black-belt; however, these guidelines are very minimal. They require you to know how to spar, and learn the tae gueks. I've been to W.T.F schools, where they don't even practice full contact sparring. They also include weapons, throws, and hap ki do techniques into their system. The school is more like a hap ki do school, but advertised as a W.T.F school. although i am not an advocate of the W.TF, I believe it would be great to take advantage of the W.T.F because of their minimal requirements and their world-wide reputation. Therefore, I could open up a school with the W.T.F, teach tae geuks, and then teach whatever i want. Why not??? (now, i don't know how strict I.T.F requirements are. Does anyone know?)

bend your knees="mooo rooop goo boo ruh"<----Korean (although " juchoom sogi" , is the correct technical term for a horse stance in korean)

When demonstrating a technique, I shout "All eyes on me!". I make eye contact with each student, making sure I have their attention. I don't go on demonstrating a technique until I know all my students' eyes are on me.

I"m thinking the front leg would be quick, and act as a barrier for your opponent trying to move in on you.... You can also do a front side-kick to someone who is charging in. Or you can do a front leg hook kick to someone whose head is open. Is using the front leg just not part of the sparring strategy in W.T.F sparring? Some may argue that the front leg lacks power. It is true that the back leg has more power, 'cause you transfer your weight into your kick. HOwever, using the back leg is slower, 'cause you have to travel a longer distance. Although the front leg is less powerful, you can still cause some damage to your opponent and score points. Furthermore, if you know how to properly execute a front leg kick by efficiently knowing how to torque your hips, a front leg kick can be powerful..... I believe you have to compromise speed and power when sparring. So why do W.T.F stylists love their back leg so much????

check out the national black belt league. http://www.nblskil.com/ or http://www.karatetournaments.com/ The Tiger Balm Internationals is a good open-style tournament held in March, in vancouver, canada... also the west-coast can am tournament is held in June, in vancouver, canada...

I am CANADIAN.

i use the hook punch only if i'm close to my opponent..i think it's effective as long as you don't hook too wide, leaving yourself open

There is much debate about this in North American society. North American society is leaning towards positive reinforement by reinforcing good behavior when raising their kids. Asian society uses punishment, such as spanking to discipline their kids. Although I have seen some martial arts schools use positive reinforcement, it appears to me that the general public views martial arts school using punishment to supress bad behavior. As a result, the general public views martial artists having discipline with strict masters. Asian masters are more likely to use punishment, yet many who believe in positive reinforcement, train under them and learn discipline and become good martial artists..Why is that? any thoughts??? What is your environment like at your martial arts school? What works better in a martial arts school? Positive rein. or punishment?

Please specify what style of tae kwon do you're talking about. (ITF, W.T.F, American tae kwon do, jhoon ree tae kwondo.) There are many different styles out there, with different fighting stratagies and tactics. Well generally speaking, Hap ki do may be more defensive and TAe kwon do more offensive. However, now days it is common for a W.T.F school, I.T.F school, or any other tae kwon do style to accomodate joint-lock techniques into their system. I would be careful when cross-trainning in different styles simultaneously, even if you're an experienced martial artist...YOu must also be careful choosing which two styles you decide to cross-train in.....I have cross-trained in two different styles. It messed up my rhythm in sparring and my reaction time, because of the difference in rules and tradegies of my two styles...In addition, you may be critisized by your two masters and clash between two conflicting views, on sparring strategies and tactics. Habits are hard to break.. If you intend on training in both styles, make sure you find a master who is open-minded about it..

i'm been in first dan for 4 years in one style of martial arts I've taken... I'll probablly never advance in dan, because I simply won't whip out 500 U.S to test..

it depends. I fight with my feet and hands. In order to follow up with my hands, I have my body erect when doing a side-kick. Having your body erect allows for your momentum to transfer efficiently when following up with a punch. On some occasions, I lean back when doing a side-kick. When leaning back, your body is further away from your opponent. Thus, I lean back when I want to be defensive..I lean back just enough so that my body is in a safe range away from my opponent. Of course you don't want to lean back so that your head is 3 inches from the floor. LoL.... Hope that helps

martial arts has taught increased my mental concentration and mental endurance. The biggest aspect i've learned from martial arts is precision, accuracy, and detail. Because attention to detail in forms/patterns are important, I've learned to be very observant and sensitive to detail in my everyday life.

I got kicked square in the eye one time. My contact lens ripped. the lens did not hurt my eye..The kick did!

Throwing the side-kick from the hip without having your knee go past your hip is the quickest way to throw a side-kick. I don't recommend having your knee go back beyond your hip because this will effect weight transfer. Bringing the knee back beyond your hip might throw you off balance. In addition, your knee has to travel a greater distance therefore it takes a longer time to get your kick out...It's true that there's more power if you have your knee go past your hip, but a kick from the waist will still do a lot of damage!...I don't ban having your knee go past your hip for all situations. The only time I might throw a side kick this way is if I don't have sufficient room to throw the side kick from the hip..By pulling your knee past your hip, it gives you extra room throw side kicks in close range.

If you're in left hand sparring stance, how would you position your front foot? a) Have your front foot directly pointing towards your opponent.(This foot positioning allows for quick front leg front kicks and allows for quick pivot on this foot when you execute a back leg round house kick or side kick.) b) Have your front foot point 90 degrees to the right from your opponent. (This foot positioning allows for quick front leg side kicks, but poor pivoting when executing a back leg round house kick or side kick.) c) Have your front foot pointing 45 degrees to the right from your opponent. (This foot positioning is a compromise of "b" and "c") What's your answer?