has TKD gone downhill?

[dear john]

i long time ago the famous ROK army took TKD under its wing and changed it into a deadly, one hit kill MA.

 

so the story goes, a while later when it was introduced to the U.S.

 

all the target areas were taken out so all the strikes stayed and where to aim was taken out.]

Edited October 27, 2004 by dear john

[Shorin Ryuu]

There are reasons I dislike TKD, but those aren't the reasons. First off, what we now know as TKD was created in the 1950s by General Cho, a student of Funakoshi (Shotokan). I could go on and on, but what I want to say instead is that it is not a good idea to have a thread entitled "Why X is a sucky MA", where X can be anything.

 

I know you have TKD in the list of styles you take, and maybe this post was simply created to spark discussion on possible differences between TKD now and at its foundings...I just think a little more forum etiquette would be in order.

[dear john]

okay i changed the topic name

 

and yes i want as many people as possible to argue against my post

[GrrrArg]

Ill second Shorin Ryuu here. Thanks for changing the name though

 

Obviously DEBATE would be better than argue. Otherwise it will desend to chaos.

 

As a non-TKD practitioner my stereo-typical view used to be that TKD was all head level kicks for competition. I think that view is still quite prevelant, whether its true or not.

[Kicks]

GrrrArg

As a non-TKD practitioner my stereo-typical view used to be that TKD was all head level kicks for competition. I think that view is still quite prevelant, whether its true or not.

 

I can only speak of WTF (Olympic) style. If you look at a WTF style match, get pass all the bouncing around, you'll see that the majority of kicks are roundhouse kicks; either single 'quick-kicks, doubles, or triples, an occasional back kick used as a counter, and then an occasional head shot (roundhouse, ax, spinning) used in desperation to get a needed two points or knock out to win.

 

So while TKD is "known for its high kicks", in competition those are among the least used kicks.

[ZR440]

Open discussion is encouraged, but this topic has been beaten to death.

[dear john]

possibly

 

but COME ON IM BORED

[foreveryoung001]

Okay, since you are so "bored", I'll be glad to pass along my theory...

 

TKD has gotten the impression of "going down hill" because of many different forces. #1: The Korean Government named it theitr national sport, and since then, the focus has shifted, in general, away from traditions. #2: The United States was introduced to TKD at a tie when MA's were really a strange and new idea. With the American Servicemen that were returning from Korea, armed with TKD training, and with the number of Koreans that came to America, specifically looking to expose the world to their art, an abundance of schools began. If there were only a handful of TKD schools, with the same dedicated practitioners that first began them here in the States, then you would see a completely different beast. But what you have is a growing number of people, growing exponentially, that want to open up their own schools... some are better at marketing than they are at TKD, and the art has suffered. And #3: Wright or wrong, the impression that people have has grown and become stronger over the years, because of statements like your opening comment. What you say does not have to be true in order to make people believe it.... just look at the rhetoric coming from the presidential candidates.

[kempocos]

Okay, since you are so "bored", I'll be glad to pass along my theory...

 

TKD has gotten the impression of "going down hill" because of many different forces. #1: The Korean Government named it theitr national sport, and since then, the focus has shifted, in general, away from traditions. #2: The United States was introduced to TKD at a tie when MA's were really a strange and new idea. With the American Servicemen that were returning from Korea, armed with TKD training, and with the number of Koreans that came to America, specifically looking to expose the world to their art, an abundance of schools began. If there were only a handful of TKD schools, with the same dedicated practitioners that first began them here in the States, then you would see a completely different beast. But what you have is a growing number of people, growing exponentially, that want to open up their own schools... some are better at marketing than they are at TKD, and the art has suffered. And #3: Wright or wrong, the impression that people have has grown and become stronger over the years, because of statements like your opening comment. What you say does not have to be true in order to make people believe it.... just look at the rhetoric coming from the presidential candidates.

 

Well said , I would like to add that the whole NHB fighting scene of UFC/PRIDE/KI/KING OF THE CAGE has the air of many and often Young MA to view any system that uses KATA/FORMS and spinning , jumping kicks to be useless. Also the tourny circuit in many cases has become cherrleading compitiitions with flashy forms /kata filled with gymnastics instead of realistic techniques and tippy tap point sparring. With every week dozens of " WORLD CHAMPIONS " being crowned.

[Sasori_Te]

While I find that a lot of TKD schools are junk, I think the same can be said for any martial art. It's the person teaching in most cases and not the art. Unless of course it is a combination of the person teaching an art that they made up themselves and they svcked in the first place.

 

I know a TKD school in South Louisiana in a town called Slidell that teaches very hardcore TKD that seems like it would be very effective as a self defense style. They go about 60/ 40 hands over feet. I thought that was unusual for a TKD school. I had a relative that was an assistant instructor there for a while.