Tae Kwon Do vs Karate.

[Jerome]

Thx for the replies all.

 

Well I've visited the Karate club which is a Shotokan style, I didn't get to see any of the older black belt students because they trained the day b4 I came. The instructor is a 4th degree Black Belt who is a student of one of Canada's best, I forgot her name. He's an older guy but uh he looks kinda weak, this may be the biggest mistake I've ever made by saying that but he doesn't seem as strong ast the TKD master I met. The Karate instructer told me of some blocking techniques you dont learn until brown belt which he teaches early on and he also took TKD and Judo which he incorperates into his teaching.

 

As for the TKD gym the instructor is pretty impressive, very friendly pictures all over the wall and championships, its W.T.F. style, he also teaches some street fighting and kick boxing in his class alonside the TKD. He is also a 4th and 4th in Canada I think. Has two daughters who are also black belts in TKD.

 

The Karate doesn't require a contract so I can try that first as some of you suggested, then the TKD and make my decision. But from what I've heard the Shotokan will be better of for defending myself. The TKD instructer comes back on monday, they are training in the woods up north so I'll ask how far he goes into kick boxing before I make any real decisions.

 

From what I've heard I'd prolly chose the Karate gym but the instructer worries me. I was expecting something very serious I guess, someone very direct but not rude. There are other Shotokan gyms in my area so I'll check those aswell.

 

EIDT: The TKD instructor Dane Williams is a 13 time O.T.A. Champion and is the Canadian Lightweight Champion. Does that count for anything?

[wing chun kuen man]

Jerome,

 

Take your time. Check out the other Shotokan clubs as well. Also, I am a bit suspicious of the fact that the instructor told you that he teaches certain brown belt blocking techniques "early on". I could be wrong but it sounds like he is trying to impress you. Also, the more advanced techiques are taught later on in ones training because of certain reasons. You can´t just skip the order of things, not usually anyway.

 

As I said, I could be wrong, but do have a look at the other karate clubs in your area. I still recommend you karate, if you find a good school.

 

Good luck.

 

Wing Chun Kuen Man

[battousai16]

well, if you're looking for self defense, WTF tae kwon do probably isn't the way to go... you'll learn more about flashy moves and point sparring there, which, although great fun, dosen't transfer to the street very well.

[ramymensa]

If you don't feel like connecting to the instructor ... get out of there and search some more. You really need a sensei that is almost friendly and understanding or the classes would be a tormenting experience.

 

I've tried a class with a guy who's a good technician but a lousy person and I stopped going there because he was a jerk. My sensei is a friend of his a let me go to the other dojo to just to benefit from some more training. He is a great person and he's the reason I stayed with the class when I was a beginner and thought about quitting just because I foud out it was too hard. He stood beside me and pushed me far. And I've come to understand the dojo and style are not everything. People are.

 

So just seek some more senseis. You'll find a good one and you'll have to benefit more from them. Good luck

[Fat Donkey]

Well, Ive done the Shotokan, The WTF TKD and judo, hapkido, Muy Thai and now Krav Maga. I have the exact opposite experience were I thought Shotokan was all style and WTF TKD was all fighting and did work on the street (for me). The advantages of the WTF r that it is full powered kicks above the waist, a good organisation and olympic sport. For strict self defense or hard combat I choose neither (MT, MMA, BJJ or Krav r better) but for plain fun and competition the WTF. Don't get me wrong, with a good sensei Shotokan is as effective style, but as a young guy with a first style I say take the WTF, who knows, Olympics someday?

[Red Triangle student]

Over all Karate is the best. Tae Kwon Do outs too much emphasis into Kicks and it is not a "Balanced" Martial Art.

[Spitz]

"this of course may not be true if you find a good teacher who happens to do tkd, but that seems to be the way it usually works."

 

This is exactly correct.

 

I will post my life story soon, but for now...

 

the TKD gym, does the instructor take time correcting each and everyone of his students, or does he let them get away with little things, does he tell them "toes up!" does he have his students keep their legs up in the air in position on the counts while hes correcting the other students? does he go around to each student and reposition their hands for a correction middle block, does he make sure their hands and placed on their hip in a forward punch, elbow tucked. Does he make sure in a horse stance their knees are bent out just over the feet.

 

This is all done for a reason.

 

You use a wide horse riding stance to build up muscle so that whne you use a fighting stance on the street you are even more capable in a shorter stance from practicing in a wider stance.

 

All things like this are important and overlooked in many schools, esspecially those in which that the instructure is using the school for his main income. Where they charge 300$ to go up for your black belt test. Where they have White, Yellow, Blue, Orange, Green, purple, Brown, Black... Don't forget, white with 1 yellow stripe, 2 yellow stripe, yellow with blue stripes, blue with orange stripes, each stripe costing about 20-30 dollars.

 

When the original korean method was White Blue Brown and Black.

 

Belts were added for money.

 

Now with ANY style, I don't care if it's LETHAL HANDS KUNG PO JUJITSU O WAWA NO * KICKBOXING DEADLY PURE STREET FIGHTING ULTIMATE ART, if you do not have a good instructer it doesn't matter.

 

A good TKD instructor will tell you to kick high, always above the waist during counts, but like my father taught me, never above the waist on the street because it takes too long to execute and leaves you too vulnerable.

 

A good TKD instructor will tell you to always keep your opponet 3 ft away or a good args length away, and if they do get inside you, he will have taught you proper graphling and elbow strikes.

 

A good TKD instructor will tell you that TKD is notorious for 1 hit strikes, and that that is the improper fighting technique and to always follow through with combination strikes of at least 3-4 strikes.

 

As for it not being balanced, as bruce lee put it. The only good style is no style, and to not limit yourself to only one style.

[KamaGirl]

personally, i think that you should choose a dojo in which the senseis and other students have the most positive attitude, toward their own school and others. If you feel a sense of community in the dojo, it is a good place to be, regardless of the style. i started karate about seven years ago, and thankfully i found a great school on my first try. i have played with other styles, and tried other dojos. so far, i have learned that just because you study one style, doesn't mean you won't learn a lot from other styles. our dojo has several students with histories in other styles. tkd included. besides, if you join a dojo that has a lot of seminars and tournaments, you will meet and speak to many experienced martial artists, and if you find out you'd rather take a different style, you'll have personal experience to back your decision. hope i helped!

[yosis]

I lived in Korea for three years. TKD here and TKD there are not the same. Here (US) it's water downed to do point where it's a bunch of flash kicks and no punches from what I've seen. And could be the same with Karate. But the good thing about Karate in can change quickly into a fight from standing to ground fighting in seconds. i would put my money on the Karate guy.

 

But then again I'M a Solider for Uncle Sam

[Vito]

this is maybe the first forum ever where everyone agrees. wow.