karatekid1975

I did TSD, and now I do WTF TKD. In my TSD dojang, we did point sparring for tournies. But in class, we did continuous sparring with the same rules as EternalRage stated. In TKD, we also do continuous sparring. Sometimes no gear, light to no contact (depends on the belt level). Sometimes we do hard contact with gear. Sometimes we wear just the chest protector, and do contact drills. But it's within the Olympic style rules. Our self defense drills are different, though Takedowns are allowed

Just do your kata like you mean it! If you mess up, don't stop The judges might not have seen the mistake anyways. Like one of my instructors said (after he was asked how he watches so many people during a test), "I don't have to watch everyone "exactly." YOU tell me when you mess up when you stop or grunt or say Oh Darn." LOL

I love that quote Anyways, I used to be timid and shy person before MA. I actually think that it helped me out of my "shell" but I never got an ego. I did have a little ego inside the dojang, but it was deflated by my instructor. But never outside the dojang. I never got "cocky" with people or anything like that. I mostly kept my training to myself (other than friends and family finding out).

I had to edit some posts for being off topic. You guys are more than welcome to start a new thread on it. But please stay on topic in this one. Thanks

Your welcome And thanks

We own a Dell desktop. But I'd say it is somewhat self-built now. We upgraded, and bought a lot of gadges for it LOL. I used to have a Gateway laptop. Laptops are cool, but I wasn't happy with Gateway. I sold the dang thing LOL.

I have a 4 year old mut (Sheppard mix). He looks like a dingo (color and all), but with a sheppard's head (big ears LOL).

Thanks Matrix0978. I have a job, but I'd rather do that (website stuff) I'll be a little busy playing on those sites

I perfer a plain white dobok (gi). I have to where the school patch, but if I had a choice, I wouldn't where that either (the school logo on the back is enough).

I'll move this to the intro section. You'll get more welcomes there. Tell us a little more about youself (style of TKD, age, ect). Welcome to KF

I traveled (the longest) was 40 minutes to get to the school. My first school and the current one only took/takes me 20 minutes to get to. If I were in your situation, I'd visit those schools first to see if they are actually worth the drive (can't really tell from a website). If you decide that they are worth it, I'd say go for it. But just make sure it will fit into your future schedule (travel time, training time, ect). Good luck

I agree. I came from Tang Soo Do to TKD (after a move to NY). It's hard to explain my situation, but here goes. Like CapitalKarate said, you just don't forget. When I first made the switch, I had to make a few adjustments on how techniques were executed, but the techniques themselves were pretty much the same. As far as forms go, they were different. BUT I still remember them. I haven't done TSD officially since 12/2001. But when I go back to visit my old dojang, it's like I never left. I remember everything as soon as I walk onto the training floor. But yet, I can't do those forms (Pyung Ahn's) at home to save my life LOL. It is so weird.

I totally agree! Specially the music I played.

I would. My TSD instructor did that for me. I lost my job at the time, and he let me clean the dojang to pay for tuition. When I got a job, to repay him, I kept cleaning for him. So, I would do the same to someone else.

I played a little baseball in high school. Plus everywhere I went, I walked. I was a pretty good sprinter, also. I played drums for about 7 or 8 years (that's hard work, using all four limbs constantly!) But before starting MA, I didn't do any sports for about 5 years or so (other than still playing drums off and on). I still had the strong legs from walking/sprinting, which helped with power kicks. Playing drums helped with coordination (I picked up combos and forms easy, except for two forms). The downfall is, that playing drums made me have weak wrists. Push-ups are still hard for me. Other than that, I was still out of shape. MA helped me get into better shape.

My TSD dojang had all-belt adult classes (perfer it that way ), but the kids classes were devided by rank.

I assist in our "Tigers" class. The youngest is 4 (4 to 7 year olds). But they don't learn anything beyond basics (kicks, blocks, ect). Once they turn 7, they can go to the regular kids class. Even the kids don't learn as much as the adults till they are 2nd gup/kyu, and usually they are older by then (roughly 11 or 12). To join the adult class, you have to be 12 (there were a few exceptions with kids being much bigger than the average 11 year old that were allowed to join the adult class).

Like I said in another thread, 80% of being a black belt is mental, not physical. The way you are describing their "mental attitude" is bad. They should have never gotten their BB's with that attitude.

I also believe that a black belt should work hard, and have a handle on the basics. But I also believe that 80% of being a black belt is mental attitude. A black belt isn’t something you wear. It’s something you become. Here's one of my favorite quotes, "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but, it is the journey that matters in the end." But getting to BB is not an end, it's just the beginning

I agree with what was said already. I started from white belt (from TSD to TKD), and I hated it. I did get to my first 4 ranks faster than usual, but I got overwhelmed. I slowed down when I got my green (I chilled at this rank for a long while). Because, I realized that the curriculum was different (the forms were different, the one steps were different, ect). I actually liked starting over, because I didn't have to just "learn the motions" to get to my previous rank. I was able to learn the techniques properly, and take my time. Just remember Modesty and humility, my friend

pineapple, I went to one TKD place (reason for me coming back here) that the master instructor was arrogant. Some of the students, specially the younger ones, were just like him. There were a few that were respectful. But they were older (in their 40's). I trained with them (they were also instructors) more than I did with master instructor! The dojang that I go to now is very strict about respect. Our master instructor isn't arrogant at all. He even hates being called "master." So, most of us respect fellow students and instructors alike. If there is an "ego" floating around in the group, it gets deflated really fast (if it gets out of hand that is).

I go three days a week. I just do TKD at the moment.

Here's a good site for terms (it's got audio too ) http://www.itatkd.com/terminology.html Anyways, I like learning the Korean terms. I learned a lot in TSD, but my TKD dojang doesn't say much in Korean. I sometimes say something in Korean and some people get confused (other than boro, kyung yeh, ect). I kind of "slip" when I say something in Korean, but it is still habbit from my TSD dojang LOL.

Our classes are 45 minutes long We stretch before class on our own. Then we have a quicky warm up in the beginning of class. But some of us stay after to work on stuff, so it works out to be about 1.5 hours. My TSD school had one hour classes for adults (I don't remember the kids times). It was always the last class. 9 times outta 10, the adult class always ran over time (about 15 to 20 minutes over). Plus a bunch of us were dojang dwellers. We be there after class for about an hour as well. I had a key to the place (I cleaned the dojang in the morning), so my instructor would say "Lock up when you're done. I'm outta here."

I have a few .... Fear of lightning. I almost got struck a couple of times. I think I have a fear of flying too (air planes, not rides - coasters, ect). I never did, but I recently found out that we are going to take a trip, and I kind of "cringed" at the thought of flying. I used to have a fear of "puplic speaking" but that was cured by martial arts (leading the student oath).