Are you a 9th dan like me??

[johnnymac]

Work to return TKD to a self-defense oriented art by de-emphasizing the Olympics. Get rid of point sparring altogether. Reengineer the hyung to have more meaningful bunseoh. Make TKD a lifelong art by demphasizing the high kicks.

So you would make TKD into Traditional Karate?

[P.A.L]

i will try to get it out of koreans hand, they don't let anybody breath, no wonder some countries with good TKD (spain,Turkey,Iran,...) never becomes the world champion.

[HAPKIDO-KID]

I would start by making it a more rounded art..by adding ground fighting...joint locks and more emphasis on close quarter fighting then it has at the moment!

[HAPKIDO-KID]

Work to return TKD to a self-defense oriented art by de-emphasizing the Olympics. Get rid of point sparring altogether. Reengineer the hyung to have more meaningful bunseoh. Make TKD a lifelong art by demphasizing the high kicks.

So you would make TKD into Traditional Karate?

Actually TKD is just a Korean versionof Shotokan, most if not all Korean arts were stole...errr....borrowed from Japan.

Even Hapkido!

[Ottman]

If we made most of these changes, it wouldn't be TKD, it would be some other MA. Every MA has drawbacks and weaknesses, that's why I crosstrain. Problem solved.

[MartialArthur]

i will try to get it out of koreans hand, they don't let anybody breath

Done!

The TKD org I belong to (along with several others) has no connection to Korea except for some traditions.

Wow, that was easy!

..

[MartialArthur]

I would start by making it a more rounded art..by adding ground fighting...joint locks and more emphasis on close quarter fighting then it has at the moment!

Done!

My Taekwondo school, and many others I know have already incorporated ground fighting into their training.

..

[Ottman]

i will try to get it out of koreans hand, they don't let anybody breath

Done!

The TKD org I belong to (along with several others) has no connection to Korea except for some traditions.

Wow, that was easy!

..

You're right. The new USSSA org. replaced the USTU specifically to transfer control from Korean masters to American ones. The USTU used to control the olympic trials and decided who was to be on the American olympic team, but since USTU was run by the Kukkiwon (obviously a foreign org.) the US Olympic committee, (Or whatever they call themselves) upon finding this out, disallowed the USTU to preside over american olympic trials and planning. Now, as far as I hear, the USTU is completely defunct. The USSSA now presides over olympic TKD planning, and this was all made possible because of the efforts of some very dedicated american masters who were fed up with the koreans and the USTU in general. Amen to them!

[Ottman]

I would start by making it a more rounded art..by adding ground fighting...joint locks and more emphasis on close quarter fighting then it has at the moment!

Done!

My Taekwondo school, and many others I know have already incorporated ground fighting into their training.

..

I can avouch for that. My instructor has incorporated a whole bunch of Hapkido techniques into our TKD classes, and we started a BJJ class about 3 years ago. I didn't even know until recently that TKD doesn't have any of its own throws and locks. My instructor never mentioned that it was Hapkido we were learning in our self defense training. It was always just incorporated right into the TKD class. I found this out a few months ago, after 12 years at the school. I guess if you find the right instructor, these changes to the art aren't necessary.

[Aodhan]

You're right. The new USSSA org. replaced the USTU specifically to transfer control from Korean masters to American ones. The USTU used to control the olympic trials and decided who was to be on the American olympic team, but since USTU was run by the Kukkiwon (obviously a foreign org.) the US Olympic committee, (Or whatever they call themselves) upon finding this out, disallowed the USTU to preside over american olympic trials and planning. Now, as far as I hear, the USTU is completely defunct. The USSSA now presides over olympic TKD planning, and this was all made possible because of the efforts of some very dedicated american masters who were fed up with the koreans and the USTU in general. Amen to them!

Uhm, wow. There's a lot of erroneous information there.

1) The USTU was never run by the kukkiwon. The kukkiwon is only a certifying body for black belts, they don't certify athletic unions. You had to be certified by the kukkiwon as a black belt to be eligible to compete for national spots, but any instructor registered with the kukkiwon could process your app.

2) The USSSA does NOT preside over Olympic planning. The National Governing body recognized in the US by the IOC is USA Taekwondo, with the website of http://www.usa-taekwondo.us

3) The USTU was disbanded and discredited because of financial malfeasance and poor management, not because it was run by a foreign organization (See #1).

Aodhan