IcemanSK

I think I own a book of his, on TKD forms. Good book, too. Yeah, he's pretty amazing. When I read the article that said he's built his MA career on a part time school at the YMCA (with 200+ students), I was really impressed!

It's a style developed by GM Kim Soo of Houston, TX. Our own Rmclain is a master in that style. I'll let him add details. I just figured I'd lay the groundwork.

I think it really depends on what you want out of teaching MA. If you have in mind that will eventually own your own fulltime school (or your own space) then a rec center is part of your short term plan. If you want to teach but not make it a career, there's no reason not to teach longer term if it works out. GM Keith Yates has been running a school out of a YMCA in Richardson, Texas since 1981. He has over 200 students. There's a great article about him in the March 2008 issue of MA Success magazine. It all depends on what you want out of the arrangement.

I'm working on one now. I'm adding schools rules, a price list of gear (estimated price range for each item) Terminology, & a brief history of my training & the school. That's what I've got so far.

I'm not sure I can add anything to what's aready been said. You don't have much (if any) overhead. But insurance, storage of equipment, & not having "your space" are issues that came up in my program. Being able to lock up your gear is important. I used to run a community center program. Things would just "walk away." I run a school from my church, now. I have a very small (but locked) space for my equipment. But I also invested in a rolling duffle bag to keep all the paperwork (insurance waivers, memberships, fees, etc.) in. I take that back & forth to home. My school is literally on wheels. Running a school in a rent or free place can be great. But it takes a lot of planning. All my best.

My best friend & I trained together in college. We trained at different schools until college, when I joined him. We were always trying to take it to the next level. Always training & pushing each other. 20+ years later, we're still really close (even 1500 miles apart).

I'd have the ballet bars, mirrors on 2 opposing walls (covering 3/4 of the walls. A Century "Conerman" holding a bannana bag. A/C & heat. A strikining matted floor on most of the floor. Except a 12' x 12' area for a thicker matted floor for throws, locks & grappling. A large flat screen tv & camcorder set up for taping forms & techniques. A 6' x 6' humidified closet for storing leather pads, gloves, paddles, etc.

The Tae Guek & Pal Gwe poomsae are WTF. However, the Chung Do Kwan school may or may not be affiliated with the WTF per se. They very well may be only affiliated with the World Chung Do Kwan Association or similiar group. The WTF headquarters is called the Kukkiwon. It handles the curiculum, while the WTF handles the sport. Some folks will say, "I'm affiliated with the Kukkiwon, but not the WTF," as a way of saying they aren't into the sport aspects of TKD. Some Chung Do Kwan schools aren't affilated with the WTF at all. But rather, the WCDKA or similiar group.

Let's dream a bit. Someone says, "I'll build a 30' x 30' room by your specifications for training." This will be in your back yard for private training. You'll have a bathroom w/ shower attached (so that's not an issue.) From floor to ceiling, what would you put in it? A/C or not? Flooring? Mirrors? Ballet bar? Hanging bags? These are just thoughts....What would you do with your space? Dream a bit

My best friend had an odd thought about fighting vs. walking away. About 10 of us all trained together in high school (a million years ago). The theory was, "I pay someone (my instructor) to have me put on pads & fight him. He kicks & punches me harder & in many more ways than most folks could think of doing. (Let alone actually do themselves). Therefore, since I pay someone to abuse me like this, why in the world would I want to fight you? You can't do anything to me that isn't already done to me on a regular basis. I'll walk away." His twisted logic makes a strange sense.

As an instructor, I prefer the curved focus mitts. Ringside has nice ones. It's a bit more natural hand position as you "catch" punches. If you get the opportunity, try each style before you buy them. Personal preference does often factor in.

That's huge! At 16, it shows his instructor has a lot of faith in him. And that he expects a lot from him. My best friend got the key to the school when he was in college. We thought we'd died & gone to heaven! Congratulations to your son!

The Redman is a very padded suit from Macho that the instructor/attacker wears & attacks the student. Because of the head to wrist & ankle protection, the one defending can hit much harder in more vunerable spots than in regular sparring. I've never used one, but have always wanted to. Here's Kwon's version of the "Redman." I like it much better. http://www.kwon.com/kwonusa/shop_artikeldetails.asp?kid=494%2C568&agnr=4000100

I used their student v-neck uniforms for my students, but wasn't impressed. I don't know about their others. Sorry I can't be of more help.

I've broken my little finger, middle toe on one foot 3 times, & gotten 3 stitches under my lip. Not bad for 25+ years of training. And yes, I kep tryin'

Are ya tryin' harder, ma'am?

I did the reverse at one point in my training (Kukkiwon-style to ITF) when I was in college. I'll piggyback on the above poster & add enjoy the richness of the differences. There is value in both. The hard part is you're sadly not in a position (probably) where you will be able to share your side of the TKD street (so to speak). Go in with an open mind willing to learn & you will benefit. Try not to point out the differences with your college instructors unless they ask about it. They are there to train you in their way. I tried to point out the differences often & was seen as a trouble maker, sometimes. I see the richness & benefits in both. The forms, sparring, SD, etc. It's all good. It just takes an open mind. My best to you.

That is the case with most dipped foam gear (as it's all made the same way) but leather gear can vary a lot. Especially boxing gloves! How much lower is this stuff than other companies who sell the same things? most leather gear, name brand or not is usually not genuine leather! and personally, leather gear is waste of mine, i'll take my foam dipped any day I would agree for TSD & TKD, but for Muay Thai, boxing & kickboxing, leather gear is essential. The good stuff is genuine leather. $20 gloves are not.

That is the case with most dipped foam gear (as it's all made the same way) but leather gear can vary a lot. Especially boxing gloves! How much lower is this stuff than other companies who sell the same things?

Sadly, the issue isn't like the arguement with, say gymnastics. In gymnastics, all of the same aspects that they teach to kids at the local center are there at the Olympic level. (Albeit at a much higher level in the Olympics). It's not like it only shows one part of the sport on that world stage. In Olympic TKD, they only has the one part, not the other parts that make whole Art. So, in TKD, students want to "buy" what they see on TV. But they "have to" learn other things that don't resemble what they see on tv much at all.

I third that statement.

This may change in the future. One of the ITFs is in discussions with the WTF looking to bring some sort of form event to the Olympics. Its a long way off but maybe it could happen. I also see a change in the addition of World Poomsae Championships (WTF). Perhaps things are starting to move in a better direction.

My take on whether the Olympics is good for TKD is mixed feelings. I go back to the pre-Olympic days of TKD. I thought it was a good thing then & had no reservations about it. I figured that it would draw folks to the whole of TKD & not just sparring. Naive as I was, I didn't think of the enormous amount of $$ that Olympic-style sparring would bring. Many schools dropped their entire curiculum to focus on training lil Johnny & Suzy to dream of Olympic Gold. Now, there are many folks (both inside & outside of TKD) who think Olympic-style sparring is all there is to TKD. It's sad to see BB's who have never learn forms of any kind, let alone real SD & other great thing about the ART of Taekwondo. But yet, the notarity the Olympics have brought to TKD brings people into my school. I teach a broader spectrum of the Art than some. I can't say it's all bad, but I wish there would have been more of a focus on the whole Art.

If I had time, I'd study Hapkido.