not just a sport

[younwhadoug]

i dont know much about most martial arts even tkd, just what i train in. i've been seeing alot of you set it in the sports category which ok its a sport. so is any martial arts that competes in any way. my point is, for those who may have the wrong idea, we train less on the kicks and forms and more on self defense. we could probably be more realistic on the attacks, however, i listen to my instructor when he says to put our minds in a scared mode in victims mode, and it helps the realism. we have a self defense system that i have not seen the likes of anywhere. so powerful and responsive and quick that when applied correctly there is no defense against it. i'm sure now that i said that a few will come up with counters and wotnot. but i beleive our system is reliable and worth a life time investment. not only that but it has brought my family closer, we act as guides and counslers to those who look up to us. and we leave no one behind in class. if one of us suffers we all do, not as a team but more like a family. we all step up to help that person. we all show up on moving day when your best friends wont even help. and we all welcome new comers with warmness letting them know that martial arts is for everyone. the only limits you have are the ones you put on yourself. i guess what i'm trying to say is TKD for me is like little book on life that i keep in my pocket til i need it. i hope all tkd practitioners feel that way. and for the other martial arts systems out there, i don't take yours for granted and it would serve all well to do the same twards tkd. no matter how traditional a system is, if you find a better way of executing a block or a kick or whatever, you update. as far as sports go. i love to compete and am proud to do so, as far as self defense goes, i am confident that i could handle my own against multiple attackers if if i needed. thats not to say i know it all. as it is i am not a black belt. but what i have learned from my instructor and at seminars and through the instructors course, is that the sport is just a perk to let us use mildly what we train so hard for. we have fight nights every monday and its very exciting and so easy to get hurt if we are not very careful. i'm not saying we have a more effective system, but if you were to face one of us with the attitude that we are only a sport you would soon see the reality of tkd. i'll stop there please comment.

[White_Tiger]

Don't take it personally. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and everyone thinks their style is the best. Just train hard, and enjoy your art. Don't worry about what others say or think.

[younwhadoug]

i know your right, i just realized how much i ranted up there, maybe i feel so opnionated over it is because pretty much turned my life around, as i'm sure most martial artists feel that way. i think to much. thanks for the advice