Tae Kwon Do

[DD]

Hey guys,

 

Currently, I'm a brown belt in kenpo karate and I'm thinking about taking Tae Kwon Do soon. The reason why is because I'm 15 years old and quiet athletic and would like to learn some of the more advanced jumping kicks that kenpo doesn't cover. What do you think I should do?

[ramymensa]

Do you want to do it? OK. Than do it

 

If it's an interesting idea for you (and I guess it really is), just go for it. It won't hurt to learn some new stuff. No matter what is said, TKD is still a challenging style and the kicks are awesome. If you feel your present style doesn't offer the 'hype', then take some TKD classes too. Make sure you can put them in your schedule and you don't overtrain. Be moderate and enjoy the new style. Not to mention ... make sure you don't mix the stuff ...

 

Well ... the ..ll with it ... just find a nice sensei and a good dojang and do the stuff. I'd advice you to take it step by step .. the TKD kicks are indeed very nice, make sure you can cope with the movement. Try to avoid injury and do the stuff safe ... Good luck

[karatekid1975]

ramymensa, good post. I agree. I do TKD and I am also a big fan of the kicks. I say if you want to try it, go for it

[aefibird]

Hey, if you want to do TKD, then GO FOR IT!

 

Just make sure that you find yourself a good instructor; don't just join up with the first dojang that you see. Unfortunately (as in most MA's) there are 'teachers' out there that give TKD a bad name. It would be a shame if you switched styles only to end up with a useless instructor.

 

Good luck in your TKD training!

[Kicks]

Enjoy your TKD expierence.

 

Remember one bit of advice I've seen posted elsewhere on this forum..don't go into a new dojang and say stuff like "That's not how we did it at my other dojang." Accept what they teach you. If something seems odd talk to the instructor one on one to understand the exercise or technique.

 

Oh, about the flashy kicks. I feel it's important to also learn when's the right time to use thse techniques; ie: self defense, tournament sparring, demostrations.

 

Good luck..and enjoy!

[aefibird]

..don't go into a new dojang and say stuff like "That's not how we did it at my other dojang."

 

...that reminds me of the old MA joke:

 

How many martial artists does it take to change a lightbulb?

 

Answer: 10,000. One to change the bulb and 9,999 to stand around saying "well, that's not how we do it in MY dojo!"

 

 

 

Good advice, though, Kicks.

[delta1]

Give it a try, and see what you think. I've worked quite a bit with TKD, and find it can mix well with American Kenpo (my base).

 

You will find that they definately violate almost every principle Kenpo taught you. But break their stuff down and look at the principles from a Kenpo perspective, and you will be surprised to find that they aren't all that different, just exagerated. However, don't be surprised if no one in your new school has the foggiest notion of what you are doing when you clean up the moves and start to extrapolate your own applications. Some TKD schools do this, but typically at higher levels. Others just learn the moves, memorize the applications, test for the belt. In fact, that is one of the things I'd look for when selecting a school. See if the instructor, and some of the senior students, can discuss principles, applications (more than the 'this is for that' littany) and can make them work on a moving, resisting opponent- not just on the challenger who punches and stands there like he's trying to attract pigeons. Can they string their one steps together to make a workable technique? How do they spar?

[delta1]

...that reminds me of the old MA joke: How many martial artists does it take to change a lightbulb? 10,000. One to change the bulb and 9,999 to stand around saying "well, that's not how we do it in MY dojo!"

 

In American Kenpo, the reply is "That's not how Mr. Parker showed me to do it!" Guess the variouse ma's aren't all that different, at their deepest levels.

[markusan]

Many of the replies posted here appear to approach TKD as one style. Where I'm from there are two very different styles of TKD and any number of variations. The two main styles have two different sets of patterns. The sport TKD practitioners fight with their hands down and concentrate more on multiple kick combinations and little or no hand work. It's a specialised style designed for competition in that style. The other style of TKD, the style I practise, is very similar to karate and includes a good range of one step and self defence. Like many martial arts we are willing to learn from other m-as and include techniques that work into our style. When we teach hyungs we also teach the meaning of the movements though we do not call it bunkai. But we treat it as an essential part of teaching and practicing the patterns. This extends to variations in interpretation of the moves, e.g one particular move I teach to lower level students as a choke, at a higher level it becomes a double inside knifehand to the pressure points at the base of the scull. So don't believe everything you hear/read about TKD. At some dojangs they teach more than just flashy kicks. If their is a hole in our style it is in the lack of groundfighting and grappling. But we do pretty well in allstyles competition stand-up sparring.

 

If you find a good school it will not only show you how to do the flashy kicks but also how to set them up so you have less chance of getting decked in the process. Like in any style you would never throw a spinning back or even a high section turning kick without some preceding feint. Oh, and I've sparred a number of the sport TKD people, as well as lots of Karateka friends, and if they get you with one of those fancy kick combinations I assure you you'll feel it.

 

P.S. TKD kicks are incredibly hard on the lower back, groin, hip rotators, so even though you're young and fit, warm up thoroughly first and remember the three Ss...stretch, stretch and stretch.

[manuelito]

if the only reason you want to take tkd is to learn more kicks, you have wasted your training thus far. if you are unhappy with your school and its teachings than find another school. i think you will find that when you leave your kenpo school for a tkd school you will not learn the kicks you think you will learn. try taking the kicks you do know and modify them. example. jumping, spining, turning, jump spin, jump turn, jump 360 and so forth. and if you are trying to go the xma route, well good luck.