ChicagoTaeKwonDo

I have trained in Tae Kwon Do in two different schools. In one school, specific numbered one-step techniques (#1-#30) are learned. Eventually the student learns the principals involved inductively. In another school, the kwanjangnim demonstrated basic principals and encouraged us to experiment with each other. I'm just wondering which approach is more common.

I began training at the age of 10 and by the age of 15 I had obtained a junior black belt in Tae Kwon Do Chang Moo Kwan. I trained at a school that didn't grant full black belts to anyone under the age of 18. However, shortly after I turned 18, I was allowed to take the exam for the 2nd degree full black belt. So, some would say that it took me five years, while others would argue that it took me eight years to earn a full black belt.

There are so many federations, associations, unions and organizations! The differences are mostly (but not exclusively) political, rather than technical. Look for a style and an instruction that you are comfortable with. I'm a firm believer in and practitioner of tae kwon do and have attended schools affiliated with both the International Tae Kwon Do Federation and the World Tae Kwon Do Federation, but in the last twenty or thirty years the number of organizations have exploded for sure. The politics are dizzying for beginners and more advanced students alike.

I think it depends on where you are. If you're in a major metropolitan area, like New York or Los Angeles, where the rent on the dojang is astronomical, $500 might be reasonable. The school where I train in Chicago, which isn't cheap, charges $50 per test up to 2nd gup, $150 for 1st gup (which is considered deputy black belt) and another $200 for the 1st degree black belt, which includes a heavy-weight custom embroidered uniform and registration in the various accrediting organizations. It seems reasonable to me for this market.

I think that this poomse is traditionally a cho dan (1st degree black belt) form; however, the demo team of the dojang where I currently train uses it and Passai So as a group-demonstration poomse for demonstrations. It one on of my personal favorites, and it is a very cool form.

I agree with Dinesh. The dress code, like any of the other rules of your dojang or school, is subject to the sole discretion of your kwanjangnim, or master instructor. If you feel that the cost of the required uniform is excessive, inquire about it to your instructor in a courteous and respectful manner. Sometimes dojangs require you to wear the uniform that they sell both to promote a sense of unity within the dojang and to defray the costs of maintaining the dojang. You might be able to find the same uniform for less on-line, but you're ultimately shortchanging your new family in doing so. However, if your kwanjangnim responds badly, watch out. It is a red flag.

In the 1980's, I earned a 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do (Chang Moo Kwan). The dojang where I trained taught both the ITF and WTF Poomse, which included 8 Taeguk and 8 Palgwe forms. Twenty years later, I have begun training again. I am finding that Taeguk forms have largely fallen into disuse in favor of the 8 Palgwe forms, at least in dojangs in the Chicago area. I was just wondering if this was the case nationally and internationally. Thank you for any input.