CTTKDKing

Hey, you're only as big as you feel.

Of course. Our intructor tells us what each movment is for as we learn our new forms. I've never been to a school that doesn't, however I am sad to find out that the world is very abundant in schools that don't teach you the application of the movements in your forms, self defence techniques and whatnot.

I will. Thanks. And you're right it definatly wasn't easy. For the first few weeks in the beginning I felt like I was going to puke at least once in almost every class. Now I can keep up with the most fit people in my school. I won't say that I'm in better shape than them yet, but I can keep up.

The important thing to remember in a breaking competition is to not hit the board, but to strike through the board. You hand or foot should be like 3/4 extended upon making contact with the board, but it shouldn't stop untill it's fully extended. Also make sure you hit it dead center. Not saying it wont break if you hit it off center, but it'll take a lot more force. In a TKD championship the flashier the break the better score, however if you try a flashy break and miss on the first try you get reamed for points. You sound like you have a good routien there. If you di it completly clean the you should get a decent score, and metal well. Just as in every other aspect of competition, stick to your strenths and what you know best.

Not to sound cocky by any means, but I am proud of loosing that much weight. My instructor calls me the TKD Jarrod. (like Jarrod from Subway) I'll check out century customs and see what they can do for me. Thanks.

Size 10...that is big. How tall are you? My sister is somewhat of a seamstress. I've gotten size 10 from somewhere else that doesn't exist any more, and she hemmed off the sleeves and cuffs. I'm 5' 11"

This clears up my perception. Are all of the students required to go to the regular classes as opposed to just going to the competition and sparring classes? Our instructor requires that we go to regular classes 2 times a week, although he prefers 3 times a week if we can do it. The more times a week you can make it to class the better. He hold designated classes for belt ranges (white - green & High green - deputy black) during the whole week every day. You just have to show up at the right tme. He also has open classes on Saturdays that are broken up by age level instead of belt, so low belts can train with higher belts and visa versa. Sparring class is actually optional although strongly encouraged, because even though it's Olympic style sparring, it's good to experience what it's like to get hit, and to hit another person in a controlled environment.

I did a search on it and found some interesting info. Never hear of it before. Always up on learning about new things. It's like ancient UFC.

I study Olympic TKD that's not sport oriented. We do Olympic style sparring in a separate sparring class twice a week, but during regular class, it's all about self defence, and traditional training. Forms, one steps, and self defence techniques. We have designated cardio days too, which are great workout days and involve a lot of target training, and sparring drills. We have a guy in our school that is a brown belt in kempo. He ahs been with us for about 6 months and thinks that our TKD classes are a great compliment to his kempo training. Hope this helps.

I checked out the Ronin, and may try it out. Still though, I can't use it in WTF sanctioned events. All the tourny's I've been to that are WTF sanctioned, require the v neck style uniform. I may get the Ronin uniform for Open events and just training in the dojang.

Does anyone know where I could get a plus size uniform. I've lost 105 lbs over the last 2.5 years that I've been taking TKD, but I still have another 60 - 70 to go. I need a new uniform, and I can't find any V neck style TKD uniforms in my size. My instructor doesn't carry anything in my size, and I've been using top from one and the bottom from another, but neither place I got those from are in business still on the internet. All the places that carry v neck uniforms only go up to size 8 or 9 and I need a 10 I think. Any help would be useful.

Yeah, and don't forget about ancient Greek Pankration. Perhaps the first MMA event in the history of the world. I'm not familiar with the Greek Pankration, you got a link so I can read up on it?

I don't like to slam any style, because I feel that they all have good things to offer. It does seem like certain arts tend to get the bad wrap, though. Sad but true. I know people like to rag on TKD, so I choose not to rag on any other style, even if I think it's completly usless. (Which I have to say I haven't come accross yet)

I study olympic TKD and we have a new student of about 4 months, and he has been studying Kenpo for 5 years. He has learned quite a bit from TKD classes with us about evading, and coutering that he said they don't work with as much in his Kenpo class. TKD might be a good choice for you to learn a lot of good leg movements, and good footwork techniques. If you want to get away from the striking art world I would recomend BJJ or maybe you could try some shoot wrestling or Judo. Try visiting schools of these different styles and see what looks best for you. Only you can decide what's correct in feel for you.

I don't personally take any offence to any coment about TKD, or any other art out there. I know what I can and can't do. I enjoy TKD so if someone wants to knock it then in my opinion I think they are missing out on a great fighting style. I just don't like it when people categorise all TKD practitioners based on what they saw in an online video once. It's irritating. As for you bushido_man96 I'm sure you didn't mean any offence so we good.

It's very unfair to class all TKD practitioners based on a couple of video's where inexperienced TKD guys go head to head full contact with MT practitioners and lose. We had a 6 year veteren MT practitioner come into our school who kept making coments about how our methods were wimpy, and he missed his MT school. However when it came time for sparring they matched him with a 4 year brown belt and he got his butt kicked, and I mean really kicked. We're TKD people. LOL

My teacher likes to use the foam noodles you use as floatation devices in pools. He gets the long ones and cuts them to about 3 foot lengths. Those are great for the bop on the head technique because they dont hurt at all, unless you really put a rediculus amount of effort into it, and yet they are hard enough where you still really feel it.

I agree, talk to your instructor. I myself have never had the type of problem you are talking about, but a friend at my school recently went through a very bad divorce, and she felt unsafe at home. She talked to our teacher about it and he had me come in (because I'm sooooo much bigger than her) to use me as a practice assaillent, and he gave her a private lesson with some very effective techniques that she actually ended up having to use. When it was all over though, she came in and thanks me and our instructor for the lesson that in the end saved her life.

I asked my instructor the same question... "what's the difference between Akido and Hapkido?" and he said think of Hapkido as (even though it's really not) a crossing between Akido and Tang Soo Do.

That's very cool. I have a friend who is one of the founders or the American Moo Duk Kwan association. I made it a goal in my current school to get my second Dan, after which I may switch styles to try and keep myself well rounded. He's offered to train me for nothing which would be very cool. He's straight MDK not a mix like my current school. He's also the highest ranking grand master that I've ever met in person. (9th Dan)

I have to agree with someone earlier. "The fighters Body" is an excellent book for giving you explosive energy through your eating habbits. It helped me a lot. It shows you the best way to eat while training, and tells you how to gain muscle weight if you want to, of loose weight if you want to without hindering your training with a not so good diet.

Thank you. You are the first person I've heard make a reference to Moo duk kwan on this website. I study Kukiwon TKD (WTF) but my school has a strong MDK influence. We do Olympic sparring, and WTF forms, but our self defence techiques, and one steps are very direct powerful and some even lethal. From what I understand about some forms of Karate, they are very much similar to MDK in many respects.

My school is WTF, with a strong Moo Duk Kwan (military form TKD) influence. My instructor taught TKD in the Korean military for 8 years before moving to the US. He teaches us olympic style sparring in a separate sparring class once a week, and we do a lot of free sparring in class, light contact with no pads. The light contact isn't WTF rules, it's free for all, grappling and everything included. It's good to practice this way to help prep for the ramdomness of a street fight.

Title: Silver metalist CT TKD Open Bronze metalist Mass State Open Regional qualifier TKD Championship Height: 5' 11" Weight: 255 lbs Rank: Deputy BB Favorite technique... Sparring - Fake round kick then (without putting foot down) spinning hook kick to side of head Self defence - depends on scenario

Yup I agree. If you want fluid circular movenments, I recomend looking into the Chinese arts. If you don't find anything you like there (which I don't see how you couldn't find something because there are many many styles to choose from) you should look into Korean Kuk Sool Wan. One of it's primary teachings for defensive tactics is using arcing circular movements for joint locks, throws, and generating power for strikes. They also have some cool sword techniques if you're into that.