John G

Hello, I believe there is an ITF Taekwon-do dojang in Stuttgart. Their web site doesn’t seem to be working http://www.itf-taekwondo.de/ however you could try: ITF-V Germany……………… President Master Paul Weiler Malvenweg 27 51061 Köln Germany Fon: ++49-221-63 95 18 Fax: ++49-221-63 678 63 e-mail : p.weiler@itf-d.de website : https://www.itf-d.de ITF-C Germany……………. ITF National Association Germany Mr. Tarcisco Martella Weingartenstrasse 13 Wetzlar, Niedergirmes GERMANY 35576 Tel./Fax: +49 6441 31226 Federal Taekwon-Do Association Germany Dr. Bjorn Wolle Sommergasse 151 Weinheim Southern GERMANY D-69469 Tel. +49-6201-507117 http://www.tv-grossachsen.de/taekwon.htm I’m not sure if ITF-NK have a contact. Hope this helps and welcome to the forums Cheeky Pixie..

Just to add to the confusion: ITF has split to form three groups commonly known but not officially known as: ITF-V Based in Vienna under the presidency of Mr. Russell MacLellan http://www.itf-generalchoi.com/ This was the original ITF before the split ITF-C Based in Canada under the presidency of Master Choi Jung Hwa (General Choi’s son) http://www.itf-admin.com ITF-NK Also based in Vienna (different location to ITF-V) under the presidency (as per General Choi’s last wishes) of Mr Chang Ung (IOC Member, North Korea, hence ITF-NK) http://www.internationaltaekwon-dofederation.com/ This group will merge ITF & WTF as per General Choi’s Last wishes via the IOC (Olympic Games). Then we have the USTF which split from the ITF-NK several months ago. As KickChick said "there are many many more we could be here all day just listing them all !!"

Welcome aboard.

Welcome to the forums TKD05.

Wundowie, 60km east of Perth, Western Australia.

KickChick, If I could, I would send words of compassion to the mums, dads, sons, daughters, brother, sisters, husbands and wives on both sides. We all bleed and feel the same pain.

KickChick has a heart of gold, I feel her support was directed more towards the frightened men and women on the front line rather than debating what is right or wrong. War is a terrible thing, and everyone’s life has equal value and meaning no matter what ethnic, religious or ideological background you come from. The worst thing about the Vietnam War wasn’t that it was wrong; it was how we treated our service men and women when they came back. Let us teach our children not to hate.

I have the first board I broke (during a grading) signed by the examining master, fore fist straight punch as a yellow/gold belt if I remember. Technique is every thing. Several months latter I saw a black belt (who was lighter than me) break a board with a straight finger tip thrust ( 6th move in Do-San) during his grading. I thought if he could do it so could I, wrong!! All I managed to do was break the tip of my middle finger and send the finger nails on fore, middle and ring finger shooting the quick(sp) , stupid, stupid, stupid. Needless to say, I haven’t tried that trick since. The hardest kick for breaking I find is a side kick from the front leg, it takes me two or three goes to get that one right. (need to get a new hip or something)

Taekwon-do is a business like any other, if you’re competitive edge to bring in new students is promoting athleticism, flashy kicks and power breaking, well so be it. It’s not Taekwon-do’s fault that through action (movies, T.V, game consoles etc.), the general publics’ perception for what makes a great martials artist / street fighter is some what distorted. In a hand to hand action sequence most of the time the bad guy gets taken out with a flashy kick. If you had a high level ITF Taekwon-do sparing match and a high level Wing Chun sparing match being demonstrated side by side out in the open for the public to watch, I dare say the vast majority of people would be watching the Taekwon-do match. Those who do more than watch action movies would be watching the Wing Chun match. Neither match would be a true representation of the underling art, as only a handful of movements are used, limited by match rules. Those who join Taekwon-do for the flashy kicks generally get dropped on their rear end trying them out on others. They soon realise what happens in real life and what you see at movies or demonstrations are two different things. The club I’m affiliated with does two or three public demonstration a year, plenty of flashy kicks, power breaking, patterns, self defence, competition and traditional sparing. It’s what the public wants to see. Just a thought.

With regard to sparring, I was told that in WTF sparing you had to physically move your opponent during a strike to score the point. I guess that’s why the back leg is favoured. I could be wrong. karatekid1975?

I agree with rb on this one, What dosn't kill you makes you strong.

I compete at both club and state championships. At first, the thought of sparring black belts half ones age (I'm 43 in March) is somewhat daunting. After the first round you think to yourself that a trip to the psychiatrist for some electrical shock therapy is in order (that's of course if you don't die in the next round). Seriously, I have a ball and enjoy the natural high one gets when the controlled adrenaline kicks in and the fear factor goes. It's a shame that more people in their late thirties forward don't give it a bash. It looks a lot worse than it really is. The oldest person I have ever spared with (noticed I didn't say against) in a state tournament was a 34 y/o 4th Dan last year, needless to say, I didn't win. Enjoy your upcoming tournament, and fly the flag for us 40+ members. Oh yeah, make sure you have adequate heath insurance cover, if not make sure your life insurance policy is paid up. All the best at the tourney.

Oddly enough, I went to a 6 hour seminar held by Master Choi Jung Hwa and Mr Morningstar in Perth the other day. The first 4 hours was dedicated solely on perfecting our SAJU JIRUGI, CHON-JI and DAN-GUN patterns. We spent half an hour on our own patterns, 1 hour on line work and various types of turning kicks, and half an hour general discussion / question time. It’s been 3 years since Master Choi has visited our part of the planet, and there have been a few changes to the way Chon-ji is performed. The most striking change (I think) which affects all the patterns is the way the punching arm is now chambered prior to the punch. Whereas we have been taught that from the side position (Chon-ji after the first lower block moving forward to punch), the punching arm is chambered back at ABOUT the same level (at the side), whilst moving forward after the point of equilibrium the punch is delivered from the chambered lower side position to the target. We are now being taught that the punching arm although starting from the lower side position during the start, and through the initial chambering process, is raised to near shoulder height at the point of equilibrium then delivered to the target. I don’t know if you can make any sense of what I just wrote, but I can say it certainly makes a big difference to the amount of power generated. Anyways it was a good seminar and that was just one things we learnt. So it’s back to the drawing board and back to Chon-ji. Respectfully,

Welcome to the forums, 554life and WhiteTiger

Welcome to the forums enigma 29. Best of luck in your upcoming tournament, relax and have fun. How to wear your hair? Can’t advise you on that, I’m eggshell blond .

Well done CheekyMusician , the first of many.. enjoy.

Yep, sounds like you got the bug , welcome to the forums avril333.

Welcome BlackBeauty, great to have another ozzie in the forums

Talk about fanatical, read what this person has to say about children and martial arts. Your thoughts? http://www.libertocracy.com/Webessays/Sports/abuse/Martial_Child_Abuse.htm

Welcome to the forums

Unknown, Its that oil, that runs the generator, that provides the electricity, that allows hypocrites like you and me to debate such matters over the internet. Sad but true.

Taebot your brave, there’s no way in the world I would ever want to incur the wrath of KickChick. I don’t know what it is about female martial artist, but if you ever have had to spar against one (not recommended) you’d know what I mean. They come at you all fluffy and timid until you accidentally enter their personal space (the killing zone). First indication you know your in trouble, is a kind of a glazed almost insane look in their eyes. That’s the time to run (run forest run…), if you don’t , all hell breaks loose, and they aren’t happy until they see a broken writhing mass of blood, sinuses and nerve endings curled up on the floor (foetal position) crying “Show mercy, show mercy ” or “ I want my mommy ”. Oh the humanity. So please no taunting, and if you do, don’t include my name on your post (use code or something). Taebot; Thankyou for the insight on one of the many puzzles that surround Taekwon-do, I look forward to learning more. KickChick; Taebot was doing the taunting, not me.

Welcome to the forums gheinisch

ZeRo, if you get the opportunity have someone tape the way you do chon ji, do the same when you’re a blue belt and again when you go for your second Dan black belt grading. Take a look at those tapes then look how a fourth Dan and seventh Dan (master) performs chon ji. What you will see is a vast difference between the way you perform chon ji now and how you perform chon ji when you’re a black belt, and again when you’re a master. When Master Choi Jung Hwa stated "If you knew Chon ji through and through, you will know everything there is to know about Taekwon-do". Or in other words; if you can perform Chon ji perfectly you will know everything there is to know about Taekwon-do. What I think he meant, was by the time you can perform Chon ji perfectly, you will have already become a Grandmaster of Taekwon-do. Don’t you just hate Korean logic? I had a look at my white, blue and black belt grading’s the other day, had to have a laugh. Did I really look that dorky and awkward? Chon ji has improved, but I want to be like my master, I want to know how to generate the power with effortless effort and have that look of intent as he does when he performs Chon ji. I want to be able to perform Chon ji perfectly. Then I’ll move onto Dan-Gun.

Right on the money there KickChick, couldn't have put it better myself.